12/14/2016 CS Exam Results

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psychout222

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Only 2 days away guys. Does anyone else still have their testing permit visible?
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This was my Step 2 CS experience:

I squeezed in the exam early in the interview season.
I studied for 2 days, including watching their instruction video, going through an old pdf of First Aid for Step 2 CS, and going through USMLE's other official materials for the exam. I mentally rehearsed cases by myself, talking myself through all the steps I would take with the SP within the time limit. I practiced writing CS notes and making a differential and diagnostic workup within the time limit. I had not taken or studied for CK yet, but felt I had a strong foundation of clinical knowledge leftover from M3 year.

The exam itself felt horrible.
I obsessed over so many mistakes after-the-fact, including:
-Running out of time repeatedly with SPs
-Sometimes not having time to "close" or encounter their "challenge questions"
-What pieces of history I forgot
-What PE maneuvers I forgot
-Didn't wash my hands with one SP (thought I would insta-fail due to this)
-Running out of time writing the note (I generally had everything filled out but was still editing)
-Questioning if my differentials were bad
-Didn't ask every SP, "so how is this affecting your life?" (I'm such a jerk)
-Not sure if I used the drape enough for CS standards

In all but one case I knew what the diagnosis probably was, and had a reasonable differential. However, there was one scenario and I wonder in retrospect if this was an experimental scenario -- where I just had no idea what was going on, what the scenario was going for, and how to put the pieces together. The SP had a ton of bizarre exam findings, and was also psychosocially challenging. If the other CS cases weren't that hard and I was messing up anyway, this one was a total fail.

Anyway, since taking the exam, I obsessed over my mistakes and was convinced that failure was likely and a result of my under-preparation for only 2 days.

I passed, and it was fine. It's possible to mess up a lot on this exam.

My advice would be to prepare for about 1 week to feel more reassured that you put in adequate time and effort, and to rehearse cases with another person. I think actual case practice would have helped me respect the time limit better, and I would have felt better about the exam if I hadn't been running out of time constantly. I would also advise taking this beast shortly after CK to provide more of a cushion for your ICE/clinical knowledge. I realized, after preparing for and taking CK afterward, that I would have felt more comfortable with CS with all that I learned/reviewed for CK.
 
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Dr. AO said:
When did you receive your results
Still have nothing here!
(IMG by the way and took it in Philly 9/22)
Click to expand...
Hey I received my score on day 1 and I passed. I took the test on the exact day and place as you. I'm just trying to remember if I met you during the exam day. Anyway good luck on the result. I know it's frustrating to have to wait for couple more days
 
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qiuqiu0311 said:
Hey I received my score on day 1 and I passed. I took the test on the exact day and place as you. I'm just trying to remember if I met you during the exam day. Anyway good luck on the result. I know it's frustrating to have to wait for couple more days
Click to expand...
which center did u take it in, i took it on the 3700 test center
also do u know of others who did not receive their scores yet from those who took the test on the same day in philly?
 
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prok said:
No need to worry. The message you're getting is because you don't have a result in the system yet. You can't create a new testing permit until the results come in. Otherwise, there would be tons of people signing up for slots who end up passing.

As of now, you haven't failed, but you don't know if you passed. Unfortunately, we're all stuck here waiting for now.
Click to expand...

Hey,

Thankyou for the reply. U mean to say its normal?

just wanted to see and tried filling in the completing applicaton for CS to see what happens and even i was not stopped at the payment section.

I didn't get these words from your reply, could you elaborate more please "You cant create a new testing permit until the results come in "

In the CS application we don't get to choose the months right? its 1 year eligibility period from the date of registration.

I am freaking out. It might sound foolish but dont know why :(:(
 
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medico_90 said:
Hey,

Thankyou for the reply. U mean to say its normal?

just wanted to see and tried filling in the completing applicaton for CS to see what happens and even i was not stopped at the payment section.

I didn't get these words from your reply, could you elaborate more please "You cant create a new testing permit until the results come in "

In the CS application we don't get to choose the months right? its 1 year eligibility period from the date of registration.

I am freaking out. It might sound foolish but dont know why :(:(
Click to expand...

I know it sucks waiting, but trying to figure stuff out ahead of time just doesn't work. All of these are little unintentional quirks to the system and none of us have any real idea of what they mean. Even if it did indicate something, there isn't anything you can do at this point until scores are released anyways. You've waited 2 months or more, so you can handle a few more weeks.

All of that said, the one reliable thing seems to be that a permit disappearing on Sunday evening seems to indicate a passing score that week (assuming you're still in your eligibility period). Maybe look for that tonight, but even if it doesn't disappear, it could just mean the scores are taking a little longer. It sucks, but we're all stuck her waiting too.
 
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prok said:
I know it sucks waiting, but trying to figure stuff out ahead of time just doesn't work. All of these are little unintentional quirks to the system and none of us have any real idea of what they mean. Even if it did indicate something, there isn't anything you can do at this point until scores are released anyways. You've waited 2 months or more, so you can handle a few more weeks.

All of that said, the one reliable thing seems to be that a permit disappearing on Sunday evening seems to indicate a passing score that week (assuming you're still in your eligibility period). Maybe look for that tonight, but even if it doesn't disappear, it could just mean the scores are taking a little longer. It sucks, but we're all stuck her waiting too.
Click to expand...


Thankyou for the reply.

i know there's nothing we can do at this point but the anxiousness is driving to do all this stuff.

My eligibility period expired on Nov 19 so there's no permit for me since long time.
 
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medico_90 said:
Thankyou for the reply.

i know there's nothing we can do at this point but the anxiousness is driving to do all this stuff.

My eligibility period expired on Nov 19 so there's no permit for me since long time.
Click to expand...

Well, the expired permit is probably why your messages are different. Nothing at all to worry about.

Totally understand the mindset though. I've been a complete nervous wreck these past couple of weeks. Hopefully good news for all of us this Wednesday!
 
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prok said:
Well, the expired permit is probably why your messages are different. Nothing at all to worry about.

Totally understand the mindset though. I've been a complete nervous wreck these past couple of weeks. Hopefully good news for all of us this Wednesday!
Click to expand...

God willing, hopefully all of us will be happy by end of Wednesday.

I wish u well.
 
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Permit disappeared today.
Took test 10/10.
Looks like I'm getting it back this week.
 
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Img here!!
Took exam on 19/10. Permit disappears a few days after taking exam. Anyone in same situation??
 
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psychout222 said:
I don't understand this system at all. So permit still up=wait another week?
Click to expand...
We don't really have enough data to be sure of this. Some people said that their permits disappeared a few days after the test (not from their eligibility ending), but the USMLE probably didn't even look at their notes yet at that point. Ideally, we need a report of someone whose permit disappeared before last Wednesday but didn't get a score last Wednesday, or someone whose permit didn't disappear but got a score.

Hang in there! You still have a good chance of getting your score back this Wednesday because most scores are released in the first 3 weeks.
 
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No scores wil be released next week due to holidays... So we wait for 4 weeks, as per NBME ppl.

Took in Houston 10/17, permit still there for me.
 
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sunshine121 said:
Christmas is on Sunday. No scores are released on that week is what I thought the NBME rep was saying. Basically don't expect anything on 12/28.
Click to expand...

Did you ask about CS though? It seems like they work a little differently since a lot of that is done through the test centers. They like to report that 99% of people get scores within 3 weeks.

Also, the permit=pass that week thing seems to be a unintended part of their system. I wouldn't be surprised if they still disappeared this Sunday for scores entered in this week, especially if they take next week off.
 
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prok said:
Did you ask about CS though? It seems like they work a little differently since a lot of that is done through the test centers. They like to report that 99% of people get scores within 3 weeks.

Also, the permit=pass that week thing seems to be a unintended part of their system. I wouldn't be surprised if they still disappeared this Sunday for scores entered in this week, especially if they take next week off.
Click to expand...
I know someone who passed who still has his permit visible. And a rep directly told someone in this thread that there's no correlation, right?
 
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Well, customer service reps wouldn't necessarily be told about something like the permit thing, especially if it's an unintended part of the way their system works.
Regarding trying to figure it out by specialty, that seems like a rabbit hole that will lead to a whole lot more speculation and stress. FWIW, I was psych too.
 
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prok said:
Did you ask about CS though? It seems like they work a little differently since a lot of that is done through the test centers. They like to report that 99% of people get scores within 3 weeks.

Also, the permit=pass that week thing seems to be a unintended part of their system. I wouldn't be surprised if they still disappeared this Sunday for scores entered in this week, especially if they take next week off.
Click to expand...
I think they meant for all step exams.
 
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sunshine121 said:
Christmas is on Sunday. No scores are released on that week is what I thought the NBME rep was saying. Basically don't expect anything on 12/28.
Click to expand...
Thanks for finding this out. Sucks to have to wait until January for those of us who won't get a score tomorrow, but at least we won't be unnecessarily checking for results next week.
 
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prok said:
Did you ask about CS though? It seems like they work a little differently since a lot of that is done through the test centers. They like to report that 99% of people get scores within 3 weeks.
Click to expand...
They probably mean "within 3 business weeks". No business gets conducted between Christmas and New Years.
 
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5gon said:
This was my Step 2 CS experience:

I squeezed in the exam early in the interview season.
I studied for 2 days, including watching their instruction video, going through an old pdf of First Aid for Step 2 CS, and going through USMLE's other official materials for the exam. I mentally rehearsed cases by myself, talking myself through all the steps I would take with the SP within the time limit. I practiced writing CS notes and making a differential and diagnostic workup within the time limit. I had not taken or studied for CK yet, but felt I had a strong foundation of clinical knowledge leftover from M3 year.

The exam itself felt horrible.
I obsessed over so many mistakes after-the-fact, including:
-Running out of time repeatedly with SPs
-Sometimes not having time to "close" or encounter their "challenge questions"
-What pieces of history I forgot
-What PE maneuvers I forgot
-Didn't wash my hands with one SP (thought I would insta-fail due to this)
-Running out of time writing the note (I generally had everything filled out but was still editing)
-Questioning if my differentials were bad
-Didn't ask every SP, "so how is this affecting your life?" (I'm such a jerk)
-Not sure if I used the drape enough for CS standards

In all but one case I knew what the diagnosis probably was, and had a reasonable differential. However, there was one scenario and I wonder in retrospect if this was an experimental scenario -- where I just had no idea what was going on, what the scenario was going for, and how to put the pieces together. The SP had a ton of bizarre exam findings, and was also psychosocially challenging. If the other CS cases weren't that hard and I was messing up anyway, this one was a total fail.

Anyway, since taking the exam, I obsessed over my mistakes and was convinced that failure was likely and a result of my under-preparation for only 2 days.

I passed, and it was fine. It's possible to mess up a lot on this exam.

My advice would be to prepare for about 1 week to feel more reassured that you put in adequate time and effort, and to rehearse cases with another person. I think actual case practice would have helped me respect the time limit better, and I would have felt better about the exam if I hadn't been running out of time constantly. I would also advise taking this beast shortly after CK to provide more of a cushion for your ICE/clinical knowledge. I realized, after preparing for and taking CK afterward, that I would have felt more comfortable with CS with all that I learned/reviewed for CK.
Click to expand...

I felt similarly and, by the sounds of it, probably performed similarly in some respects. My study plan was truncated to hours, having wished that I had spent day(s). You spent time studying for 2 days and wished you would have spent more like a week preparing. Perhaps others will have spent a week and wish it was a month. The pattern is important because I think we will all leave this exam feeling defeated regardless of our preparation time. However, I think a few things might help, mainly: expediting the grading process, test admin transparency, and actually spending a little dedicated time looking this stuff over -- mostly for our own sanity in the weeks following the exam. No longer is it a matter of showing up and simply speaking English.
 
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FMG, ATL, 10/10, got mine at 0819hrs EST! :)

edit: I am just going to add some details to my experience if anyone reads these pages for future reference.

I studied only the night before the exam. I looked over both the books a week before the exam to see the format but never went through the cases. I used both FA 5th Ed and Kaplan 3 rd Ed. The night before I went through FA first and Kaplan second. I took Kaplan with me to the exam center because I was going to be an hour early (afternoon exam). Practiced with a few US seniors (they were terrified as myself).

My first patient was a little confusing, and I felt like I ran out of time because I didn't time myself properly. She needed more physical and better workup. I even accidentally banged the otoscope cable on her head (even though I promised myself to not do that). Everything else was fine. I think I got my differentials right, just not specific workup.

For the second and the rest, I forgot about the disastrous first encounter, and had more than enough time to finish with the patient encounters. Went full textbook. What worried me was the lack of different differentials between the cases. They all felt so similar.

Until the psych patient. Which again I followed the textbook to a T.

I had two encounters that made me worry the most. My first encounter and another encounter involving a medico-legal case which was in a very gray zone, because I wasn't familiar with the laws. I believe it was one of the experimental ones, because I didn't find anything similar discussed before. And those laws vary a LOT by state. And I absolutely failed the station because of GA state laws regarding it. The case was all fine, it was the counselling portion where things went haywire, I was sure I messed up big time. I was able to discuss it with a few other seniors after the exam, and they all had the same worries regarding this station.

In general I was satisfied with my little prep, but I was relieved that the ordeal was put to grave. I got out late, so just went straight to bed (after a 30min drive home).

The only reasons I believe I didn't completely fail the CS (given I had 1 month of proper USCE), is because my medical school holds very similar if not a lot stricter standards when it comes to clinical skills. One of the strictest for foreign medical schools in the region. Where you'd have to actually counsel patients, and they'd tear up and get all dramatic, unlike the CS which felt robotic. As long you spoke those magical words, they changed emotions (may be the SPs were tired after a full day?)

  • So for everyone: Get some clinical experience in the US if you are a FMG/FMS. Be good at speaking English. Doesn't matter if you have the thickest accent on this planet, vocalize and speak up with proper sentences and grammar. Know what interpersonal skills are. A lot of FMGs seem to be apathetic because that's how things are at home. Learn to be appropriate, expressive and not be awkward. I think the clinical encounter portion is the easiest to ace if you have finished your 4th year of med school (5/6 year programs). Regardless of how much you are expected to be human, things are still done through a checklist, so know what to do (through your book and practice!). I got asterisks on all 3 BTW :)
 
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sunshine121 said:
Is your permit still there/ when did it disappear
Click to expand...
I never really checked the permit post-exam and didn't know it was a thing until I saw the post on /r/medicalschool with Dec 14th Step 2 CS in the title. Around 9 days ago? The permit was gone by then over IWA through ECFMG (which I believe is different from what AMGs/US seniors talked about?)
 
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Got my result and passed.Thankyou God

To all those who will watch this in future, i thought i will end up failing. It was almost 3 months since i took exam.. went through a lot of torture.

I missed a lot of differentials in 4-5 cases did alright in the other stuff. This exam is definitely leniently graded.

God has been kind. For those who are stressed out coming out of exam, if u come across this post.. I hope it will make u feel better.

Thankyou
 
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Passed but it was close on ICE.

Missed at least 3 diagnoses. Didn't write in medical language (never wrote in medical language on HPI, rewrote exactly what patient said). Heart/Lungs on everyone. + a couple of obvious maneuvers. Never did a correct JVD check (bed never locked at the right degree). Didn't have time for my workup on one case.

My advice is start from the bottom and work up to HPI.
 
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