Aren't we clinically competent?

[MichiMO]

Okay...little rant here....wondering what you all think.
When I first heard about the stepII CS, I thought, bummer I have to take it but okay, that's a good idea...make sure every one is clinically capable.
However, as I've progressed further into medical school I have become increasingly annoyed about this exam.
First of all, doesn't the american licensing board have confidence in their accreditation process? I mean, isn't part of what determines accreditation is whether schools prepare students clinically. At my school, we even have to pass a clincal skill test to graduate as I am sure many other places do to.
Second, do they not have confidence in the clinical portion of our training. This is what we will be doing day and night 3rd (and sometimes) 4th year. If we sucked bad enough to fail the CS, wouldn't we also fail all our rotations or at least the majority.
It just seems really unnecessary to me. Sure, make the internationals take it since there are different standards of clinical training different places, but going to an accredited US medical school should pretty much guarantee that you know how to do a history and physical, come up with a plan, and write a freaking note....or at least that you will have learned to fake it well enough to pass the stupid exam.
Not to even mention how much it costs and that many of us are going to have to pay airfare and hotels to get to a testing sight and take it. Just seems like a way to make money to me at the expense of all the medical students having to add another 1000$ to their mountain of debt.
Any thoughts?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[OB1🤙]

In the history of stupid ideas, Step 2CS is right up there at #1.

 

[tupac_don]

Okay...little rant here....wondering what you all think.
When I first heard about the stepII CS, I thought, bummer I have to take it but okay, that's a good idea...make sure every one is clinically capable.
However, as I've progressed further into medical school I have become increasingly annoyed about this exam.
First of all, doesn't the american licensing board have confidence in their accreditation process? I mean, isn't part of what determines accreditation is whether schools prepare students clinically. At my school, we even have to pass a clincal skill test to graduate as I am sure many other places do to.
Second, do they not have confidence in the clinical portion of our training. This is what we will be doing day and night 3rd (and sometimes) 4th year. If we sucked bad enough to fail the CS, wouldn't we also fail all our rotations or at least the majority.
It just seems really unnecessary to me. Sure, make the internationals take it since there are different standards of clinical training different places, but going to an accredited US medical school should pretty much guarantee that you know how to do a history and physical, come up with a plan, and write a freaking note....or at least that you will have learned to fake it well enough to pass the stupid exam.
Not to even mention how much it costs and that many of us are going to have to pay airfare and hotels to get to a testing sight and take it. Just seems like a way to make money to me at the expense of all the medical students having to add another 1000$ to their mountain of debt.
Any thoughts?

So how come there are people that fail CSII then?

 

[scootad.]

they have to fail people in order to justify the test in the first place

 

[MichiMO]

So how come there are people that fail CSII then?

Does any one know the statistics on the failure rate for last year? US grads vs. foreign grads?

Just curious?

 

[ptolemy]

Okay...little rant here....wondering what you all think.
When I first heard about the stepII CS, I thought, bummer I have to take it but okay, that's a good idea...make sure every one is clinically capable.
However, as I've progressed further into medical school I have become increasingly annoyed about this exam.
First of all, doesn't the american licensing board have confidence in their accreditation process? I mean, isn't part of what determines accreditation is whether schools prepare students clinically. At my school, we even have to pass a clincal skill test to graduate as I am sure many other places do to.
Second, do they not have confidence in the clinical portion of our training. This is what we will be doing day and night 3rd (and sometimes) 4th year. If we sucked bad enough to fail the CS, wouldn't we also fail all our rotations or at least the majority.
It just seems really unnecessary to me. Sure, make the internationals take it since there are different standards of clinical training different places, but going to an accredited US medical school should pretty much guarantee that you know how to do a history and physical, come up with a plan, and write a freaking note....or at least that you will have learned to fake it well enough to pass the stupid exam.
Not to even mention how much it costs and that many of us are going to have to pay airfare and hotels to get to a testing sight and take it. Just seems like a way to make money to me at the expense of all the medical students having to add another 1000$ to their mountain of debt.
Any thoughts?

Don't you know.. its a vast conspiracy designed to make more money!! there is no other reason to have this exam.

 

[automaton]

isn't the pass rate greater than 99%?

 

[CallawayDoc]

i heard some stats that the anticipated failure rate for U.S. grads is 3% and for foreign students it is 50%. not surprising since the english part is something like a third of the overall score.

 

[monstermatch]

This test is the dumbest thing I've had to do the entire med school process, but its no joke. I know people who've falied and I suspect the failure rate will be a good bit higher than 3%. A friend of mine (an american) failed and he passed step 1 and 2 CK without too much trouble. Its truly awful and I really think that we need to find a way to put a stop to this test.

 

[Bandit]

as students headed into and finishing roations--you are covered by insurance provided by the schocol. The school probably have policies requiring such "review" in order to limit liability.

 

[Dr.Evil1]

From what I have heard part of the reasoning behind the test is that survey's of the lay public have stated that they would want their physician to have passed this type of test.

I feel it is ridiciulous that we have to take the test. As previous posters have stated this type of exam should be left to US medical schools to administer as part of a graduation requirement.

It is funny that the licensing board is also the one who administers the tests??? Conflict of interests right there...lets create a test which increases our revenue by 25%....we'll call it Step 2 CS

 

[velo]

i hear this abortion of an idea might be gone before us current M1s have to deal with it...*fingers crossed* waaay too expensive for students for being waaay to useless...

 

[SaltySqueegee]

i hear this abortion of an idea might be gone before us current M1s have to deal with it...*fingers crossed* waaay too expensive for students for being waaay to useless...

And where did you here this from???