Best resourses for Step 2

[hopefulmed]

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Hi, I don't want to make the same mistake I did for step I (basically procrastinating and rushing to study). So can someone please discuss some of the best/most popular resources out there for USMLE Step 2... subject wise as well as comprehensive (I assume it's going to be First Aid for this). Thanks!

 

[cbdoctor]

many threads on this. . .check it out.

lately, the top resource recommended is probably USMLEworld. Check it out.

Most use:
1) a question bank (UW or Kaplan) + 2) a text (FA, Secrets/Crush, Boards and Wards, etc)

 

[jakesaw]

Usmleworld did it for me as a primary source. I used Step 2 Secrets and B&W, but only as references for further clarification of UW questions/topics.

 

[hopefulmed]

many threads on this. . .check it out.

lately, the top resource recommended is probably USMLEworld. Check it out.

Most use:
1) a question bank (UW or Kaplan) + 2) a text (FA, Secrets/Crush, Boards and Wards, etc)

Thanks for the reply. I did try to search other thread, the only one that recommend anything was using all the Kaplan books... I don't know how long they are, but if they're anything like step 1, I thought they were extremely excessive.

There's also two first aid out there,which i'm confused about. 1) First AID step 2 CK, and First aid Board and Wards. Are they suppose to be for the same thing? which one is better for boards? thanks

 

[manning18]

One would expect MANY threads to have covered this, but you might have to be careful with the wording used in your search.
That said, I really liked First Aid for Step 2 CK. I think it covered most topics very well. I used Deja Review to fill in some of the gaps. I, personally, liked QBank (Kaplan) more than UW. Most people choose UW, though the lower cost may be a factor. First Aid for Step 2 CK is used to prepare for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam. First Aid for the Wards is used for M3 during Clerkships, as is Boards and Wards. FA for the Wards and Boards and Wards are separate items.
I would agree with what you said about the Kaplan books. They are too lengthy and I would not recommend using them for Step 2. Good luck!!

 

[manning18]

Here's the link for Deja, btw:

http://www.amazon.com/Deja-Review-U...7684038?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183841095&sr=8-6

 

[cbdoctor]

I think the USMLEworld STEP II score thread is helpful (pages of personal experiences listed in the last couple years). Link below

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=228830

There are two FA Step CK books:

1. Regular text (like FA for Step 1, though people don't think it's as good as the Step 1 book)

and

2. FA Step 2 Clinical Cases (brand new, not a lot of opinions out on the internet about it yet; few say it's "okay")

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

One would expect MANY threads to have covered this, but you might have to be careful with the wording used in your search.
That said, I really liked First Aid for Step 2 CK. I think it covered most topics very well. I used Deja Review to fill in some of the gaps. I, personally, liked QBank (Kaplan) more than UW. Most people choose UW, though the lower cost may be a factor. First Aid for Step 2 CK is used to prepare for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam. First Aid for the Wards is used for M3 during Clerkships, as is Boards and Wards. FA for the Wards and Boards and Wards are separate items.
I would agree with what you said about the Kaplan books. They are too lengthy and I would not recommend using them for Step 2. Good luck!!

Is there enough time to go through both First Aid and Deja in 3 weeks? I'm only taking 3 weeks to study and am wondering if I should just focus on FA and USMLE World or if it would be worthwhile to add Deja.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I actually think the First Aid Step 2CK book is better than the Step I book.

However, 2CK requires a lot more basic clinical reasoning and less factual regurgitation so there's only so much a book can do.

 

[manning18]

Is there enough time to go through both First Aid and Deja in 3 weeks? I'm only taking 3 weeks to study and am wondering if I should just focus on FA and USMLE World or if it would be worthwhile to add Deja.

This depends how fast you can get through the material and get it down cold. It took me a few reads to really salidify the material in FA for Step 2 CK, so iut would be hard for me to have FA and Deja down in 3 weeks, esp considering some time is reserved for Qs. I mainly used Deja for the areas I was weak in.
I still have my file saved, so those areas happened to be:
HTN treatments according to comorbidities, causes of Pericarditis, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Pleural Effusions, Ca Lung, STDs, Renal Failure, Autoantibodies, Seizures, Cerebrovascular Lesions, Brain Tumors and Breast Ca. These may not be weak spots for everyone, but the fact I listed them as my weakness kind of implies that I thought 1. they were worth knowing and 2. FA for CK might not have done a thorough enough job of covering them. Some of these topics from Deja did show up on my exam, so I am glad I went through it.
I would recommend trying to get FA down first and then using Deja selectively in an attempt to target areas that you feel weak on. Some of these topics aren't covered in FA well if at all, so they're probably going to be worth reviewing for many examinees who study primarily from FA.
You should reviews Qs as well.

 

[surprisedgirl]

any thoughts on crush?

 

[manning18]

A lot of people recommend Crush, but I thought it was WAY too general and LACKED more important information than it contained. Part of me felt as though Author Brochert tended to highlight concepts that happened to be on his particular exam. I would not recommend Crush at all.

 

[staphaureus]

For anyone who looked at both FA CK and Boards and Wards, which book do you think is more comprehensive (or detailed?)... I like B/W because it's portable, but I feel like it's leaving out a lot of information and I wonder if FA CK is much better in that regard... of course, they're both review books, but just trying to figure out which one is more comprehensive (and less annotation for me =)

thanks

 

[hondo55]

1. Step II secrets
2. Step Up to medicine
3. USMLE world

 

[missbonnie]

Less is more for Step 2CK. I had medicine last, making things easier, but I only used Secrets and UW, and B&W for reference. I had used Step up for medicine though. If you studied during 3rd yr and did reasonably well, I believe Step 2 shouldn't be a problem.


(Disclaimer - haven't gotten my score yet, so take with a grain of salt)

 

[smalley]

is step up to medicine sufficient for step2 medicine part?

 

[titanjones]

i dont know about using step II secrets over FA for step II. Id feel much more comfortable with bigger books rather than skinny review books.