A few more ?s for my upcoming CS

[Captopril]

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Hi everyone...as I stated in my previous thread, I'm taking my Step 2 CS this Friday. Still freaking out a bit, but after some practice sessions it doesn't seem too scary. In any case, I have a few more questions that I wasn't able to find the answers to in First Aid. They're probably in there, but I've always relied on the kindness of strangers 🙂.

So here we go:

• What materials should I take into the test with me? FA says nothing but steth, but then it says to perform tendon reflexes, opth examination, etc etc. Should I holster a pen light and reflex hammer, or are these provided by the wonderful USMLE people?

• Do I have to memorize the history as it is being given, or can I jot stuff down? I've never taken a Hx in med school w/o writing stuff down, and don't understand why we should be asked to do it now. I don't think taking brief notes of what the pt. is saying should be considered terribly rude...then again this test gives you points for freaking "eye contact".

• Where do we write the PN? Does the pt leave the room, or do we go outside to another location to write it?

Thanks to everyone in advance, SDN has been a godsend for CS prep.

 

[smq123]

What materials should I take into the test with me? FA says nothing but steth, but then it says to perform tendon reflexes, opth examination, etc etc. Should I holster a pen light and reflex hammer, or are these provided by the wonderful USMLE people?

They're provided at the CS testing site. There's a little shelf in the room that has a reflex hammer (one of the cheap-y tomahawk style ones), a pen light or flashlight, etc.

Do I have to memorize the history as it is being given, or can I jot stuff down? I've never taken a Hx in med school w/o writing stuff down, and don't understand why we should be asked to do it now. I don't think taking brief notes of what the pt. is saying should be considered terribly rude...then again this test gives you points for freaking "eye contact".

They give you scrap paper and a clipboard to take notes on. They then collect the scrap paper after each encounter - you're not allowed to take it home with you.

Taking brief notes is fine - burying your nose in the clipboard and never looking up is not.

Where do we write the PN? Does the pt leave the room, or do we go outside to another location to write it?

Each room has a computer station set up next to the door. You can either use that computer to write the PN, or use a PN paper form that they give you.

 

[Captopril]

Thanks for the info smq. I have a follow-up question about the Hx note-taking. Can I take that scrap paper into the PN room with me? I assume so, since it is otherwise pointless, but just making sure. Thanks again, friend.

 

[smq123]

Thanks for the info smq. I have a follow-up question about the Hx note-taking. Can I take that scrap paper into the PN room with me? I assume so, since it is otherwise pointless, but just making sure. Thanks again, friend.

Yes, you can. It's not a PN "room," though - it's just a desk with a computer on it.

 

[Captopril]

Yes, you can. It's not a PN "room," though - it's just a desk with a computer on it.

Oh right on...thanks a lot, my stress level has gone down another 2%.