are there any viable alternatives to USMLE world?

[TexasTriathlete]

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Are there any other viable question banks at all? Has anyone even tried Rx or Kaplan?

I'm on my second pass through World, and it is not even remotely challenging. I did pretty well on my first pass, and this time through, I'm hitting at like 87%.

This material is not as tough as step 1, and I remember most of the tricky questions from the first time through. Yeah, there is still some value in going over the answers and reading all the explanations, but there is a lot to be said for actually having to think, and being challenged.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I'm probably not among the top 3% of smartest med students in the country right now, as much as I would love to believe what World is telling me. Is there another qbank out there? I just need to get a couple weeks out of it.

I have heard that Kaplan is easier than World. Even then, it might be useful? Realy, there are just a few specific topics that I think I need to brush up on, and I probably don't have time to read step up to medicine or Harrison's or anything else. I am going to finish DIT and read through my annotated step up to step 2, as well as MTB, which I really like for hammering some points home.

Anyone?

 

[kryptik]

kaplan should be a good second bank

 

[sexyman]

Dont forget about the sim World exam in case you havent already taken that. That will get you some more questions.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Are there any other viable question banks at all? Has anyone even tried Rx or Kaplan?

I'm on my second pass through World, and it is not even remotely challenging. I did pretty well on my first pass, and this time through, I'm hitting at like 87%.

This material is not as tough as step 1, and I remember most of the tricky questions from the first time through. Yeah, there is still some value in going over the answers and reading all the explanations, but there is a lot to be said for actually having to think, and being challenged.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I'm probably not among the top 3% of smartest med students in the country right now, as much as I would love to believe what World is telling me. Is there another qbank out there? I just need to get a couple weeks out of it.

I have heard that Kaplan is easier than World. Even then, it might be useful? Realy, there are just a few specific topics that I think I need to brush up on, and I probably don't have time to read step up to medicine or Harrison's or anything else. I am going to finish DIT and read through my annotated step up to step 2, as well as MTB, which I really like for hammering some points home.

Anyone?

Kaplan and USMLERx are acceptable alternatives to UWorld for Step I. For the amount of time you'll spend studying and for the quality of questions there are, there really isn't any alternative for Step 2.

UWorld has questions that look like and sound like the real deal. The interface is ideal for preparing for the actual exam. The others just dont have the same caliber of questions nor as strong an interface. The work you have to put out for Step 2 is much less than is needed for Step 1, and in face of time constraints and rotations, you just dont need another Qbank

If you're doing DIT AND Step Up AND a Qbank AND you've done it Twice, you've already done more than 90% of the population will do for Step 2 studying.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Kaplan and USMLERx are acceptable alternatives to UWorld for Step I. For the amount of time you'll spend studying and for the quality of questions there are, there really isn't any alternative for Step 2.

UWorld has questions that look like and sound like the real deal. The interface is ideal for preparing for the actual exam. The others just dont have the same caliber of questions nor as strong an interface. The work you have to put out for Step 2 is much less than is needed for Step 1, and in face of time constraints and rotations, you just dont need another Qbank

If you're doing DIT AND Step Up AND a Qbank AND you've done it Twice, you've already done more than 90% of the population will do for Step 2 studying.

Thank you for that. You are probably right on, and there isn't much more to be done, except finish strong.

I had a program director at a program I am interested in tell me that my Step 1 gets me in the ballpark, but he'd like to see me do better on step 2. I am assuming that most PDs in this specialty would feel the same way, and I've been trying to hit it hard for Step 2.

Honestly, I am probably in pretty good shape. I took Step 1 late in the game, during my 3rd or 4th rotation, and still did pretty well. I'm doing an NBME practice test later this week, and the UW Self-Assessment probably next week. I will probably know more after those.

 

[InTheMaking]

Are you taking USMLE or just COMLEX? If just COMLEX then I suggest COMQUEST.

 

[GladifImakeit]

Why do people say Uworld is better than Kaplan? Have they actually done both Qbanks or is it mere speculation? I personally like Kaplan. I am only hitting around 50% with a few more weeks to go. It's very very hard in my humble opinion.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Are you taking USMLE or just COMLEX? If just COMLEX then I suggest COMQUEST.

Doing both. I have 10 days between the two, and I'll do COMQUEST during that time.

 

[sexyman]

If you dont mind TT- what did you get on Step I that you feel the need to smash Step II? What do you plan on going into?

Personally Im not going to take Step II, just going with Comlex this summer. Took step I last summer, not sure how step II could help ya know.