book: cush step 2 and step 2 secrets

[TY06]

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are the following books good???

1) crush step 2
2) step 2 secrets
3) first aid step 2ck
4) step 2 cs
5) kaplan book series for step 2

 

[manning18]

In numerical order: No, No, Yes, Yes, Yes *but a bit on the lengthy side!)

 

[TY06]

In numerical order: No, No, Yes, Yes, Yes *but a bit on the lengthy side!)

thanks. those were my thoughts too. but i know a resident that swears by crush step 2 and step 3.

anyone else, thoughts?
TIA

 

[manning18]

The problem with Crush/Secrets (which are virtually identical in content, with differing formats) is that they are too general and lack the detail needed to properly learn the material for Step 2-CK. They maybe a good referesher for someone fresh out of M-3 year who did well on the shelf exams, but I think they are insufficient as a primary source of study material. I have found First Aid for Step 2-CK to have enough detail, while still being manageable in length (as opposed to Kaplan notes, which have lots of info but are very long)!

 

[DrDrToBe]

Restarting an old thread, but wondering what's the recent verdict on which book is best. First aid was my annotated bible for Step 1, so I would love something like that for Step II. Used SUTM for the shelf and found it pretty dense. What are the pros and cons of FA versus Step up, MTB, etc?

 

[viciouz]

Interested as well...

Can anyone recommend a good book for pharmacology? DOC/Side Effects are my weak point.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

are the following books good???

1) crush step 2
2) step 2 secrets
3) first aid step 2ck
4) step 2 cs
5) kaplan book series for step 2

Ooh goody. Two posts where i get to post the same response! Crush you can do in a weekend before you start reading. It will remind you of all the things you need to learn about but wont give you any points on the test.


Per my usual

First Aid Step 2 or Step Up Step 2

and

Uworld​

Gets you a 230. Average. This has now worked for 15 students that I've tutored. Average to below average medical students at a US allopathic school getting average scores on the Step 2. The way you make this better is by adding something. People have also suggested master the boards by Conrad Fischer. If you are going to use Kaplan, I suggest just using Kaplan's Step 2 materials.

By "add something" I mean add Usmle Secrets or the other book you didnt do in the "or" (if you did FA, also do SU; if you did SU, also do FA). If you have time and opportunity I strongly recommend Kaplan Step 2 online or live lectures. It takes about 6-8 weeks, but is there for augmentation.

When I say "augmentation" what I mean is this. First Aid, Step Up, Secrets, etc. give you the content you are almost guarenteed to see on the exam. It is the content that is worth learning all the time. What they all leave out is the peripheral content. To push above a 240 you have to learn 10 things you wont use for every 1 you will. That's alot of effort. You have to know all the "core" material found in the review books, then a ****ton of more details. Since the questions are random, and all material is fair game, you have to know far more than you will need to get a higher score. The way you get that is with a program designed to give you those details.

I personally got a 258 (246 step 1) doing Uworld, First Aid, and Kaplan's Lecture series. I am not a good multiple choice test taker (I fall for traps and distractors like no one's business) but I consider myself a pretty solid success. Totally worth the effort of the Kaplan Course. I am was an allopathic AMG.