BOTH Class of 2018 Study Thread

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ortnakas

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A lot of us loved our study thread for Step 1, so why not recreate it for Step 2?

I know we won't be thinking hardcore about USMLE/COMLEX until next spring/summer, but figured we could use this for strategizing now, and for shelf exams too.

Paging: @W19 @gobigorgohome22 @Entadus @Ibn Alnafis MD @AlgernonMed @TheShaker @Mad Jack @NontradCA
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MelMcT2009 said:
Nice. I've got similar scores (NBME 7 and UWSA1) and am currently schedule for end of July. Plan to move it to sometime in June for sure, but wish I'd bite the bullet and take it even sooner....just nervous!
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Nothing to be nervous about. You will kill it
 
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teehees said:
those are great scores especially if your first pass on uworld was 71%. That means you must have really used uworld the right way!
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I started using uworld after my first clinical rotation because I realized if waited until the end of third year I wouldn't be able to make the 2018 match. I was less concerned with getting answers right and more interested in learning the material, hence the lower percentage.
 
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I'm intending to do an NBME at the beginning of my dedicated study time and was wondering about few things:

1. Which NBME should I do? I want to do one that is representative but at the same time not the most representative (kinda like 15 or 16 for step1).

2. I have been doing my first pass of UW in a discipline wise manner (surgery then Peds then OB then IM then psych). By the time I take my first NBME I'll be many months removed from surgery/Peds/and to some degree OB. I'm afraid this would massively underestimate my potential performance. How did you guys deal with this issue?
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I'm intending to do an NBME at the beginning of my dedicated study time and was wondering about few things:

1. Which NBME should I do? I want to do one that is representative but at the same time not the most representative (kinda like 15 or 16 for step1).

2. I have been doing my first pass of UW in a discipline wise manner (surgery then Peds then OB then IM then psych). By the time I take my first NBME I'll be many months removed from surgery/Peds/and to some degree OB. I'm afraid this would massively underestimate my potential performance. How did you guys deal with this issue?
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I finished IM all the way back in November, and as a result haven't touched IM questions since then. It sort of comes back to you, but I think your score will definitely be a little lower given the rustiness with the subject.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I'm intending to do an NBME at the beginning of my dedicated study time and was wondering about few things:

1. Which NBME should I do? I want to do one that is representative but at the same time not the most representative (kinda like 15 or 16 for step1).

2. I have been doing my first pass of UW in a discipline wise manner (surgery then Peds then OB then IM then psych). By the time I take my first NBME I'll be many months removed from surgery/Peds/and to some degree OB. I'm afraid this would massively underestimate my potential performance. How did you guys deal with this issue?
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As long as you're good on IM you should be able to do fine. It's the majority of the test (especially on the UWSA). Peds was the next biggest topic after IM but it's nothing crazy. A lot of stuff from first year (URIs spec.). I've had zero questions about milestones or peds vaccines on the two assessments I've taken.

I took 7 first because I heard it underpredicts and didn't want my baseline score to be inflated. Also, I didn't want to be taking one that undepredicts too close to the real exam and have my confidence shaken. UWSA 1 is supposed to most accurately predict (UWSA2 is new so I'm not sure). My NBME 7 was 15 points below my UWSA (but I hadn't had OB yet when I took NBME 7, and several of the questions I missed were OB. So really not sure how it would have turned out if I took it after OB).

Hope yah kill it!
 
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Almost done with uworld 1st pass. I will have 4 weeks before STEP with 2 weeks of true dedicated with other 2 weeks being on rotations.

Does anyone have Kaplan? What have you guys heard about it? I was thinking about buying 1 month subscription to supplement 2nd pass of uworld. I prefer reading but haven't found a review book for step 2 that I'm fond of
 
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cluelessmedstudent411 said:
Almost done with uworld 1st pass. I will have 4 weeks before STEP with 2 weeks of true dedicated with other 2 weeks being on rotations.

Does anyone have Kaplan? What have you guys heard about it? I was thinking about buying 1 month subscription to supplement 2nd pass of uworld. I prefer reading but haven't found a review book for step 2 that I'm fond of
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I wouldn't do Kaplan. It's terrible source imo. It didn't work for MCAT and didn't work for step1, so why should I trust it now? However, I see a lot of people using it, so to each their own.

How's your first pass percentage?
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I wouldn't do Kaplan. It's terrible source imo. It didn't work for MCAT and didn't work for step1, so why should I trust it now? However, I see a lot of people using it, so to each their own.

How's your first pass percentage?
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I have Kaplan and I used it along with Uworld for psych and peds 'shelves'... It did work for psych (90+) but not so much for peds (mid 80s). I have stopped using it because a lot of the questions have not been revised; however, during dedicated time I will use it only for IM after going thru Uworld 2X. I want to hammer IM down because I was told IM makes up 75-80% of step 2 CK. Not sure how true is that.

Besides, Kaplan's Qbank is only 1oo something bucks... That is a drop in the bucket compared to 250k+ that most of us are spending for that degree.
 
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I don't think a gap of 13 would be called acidosis. My IM attending said only 14+ would be considered AGMA.

Edit: medscape says 8-16 is a normal anion gap
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I wouldn't do Kaplan. It's terrible source imo. It didn't work for MCAT and didn't work for step1, so why should I trust it now? However, I see a lot of people using it, so to each their own.

How's your first pass percentage?
Click to expand...

I'll play it by ear. If I'm scoring >85% on 2nd round I might buy it to supplement.

I'm at 67% correct overall and 67% on IM. I've still got 10% questions remaining. Hoping I can knock it up one more %.
 
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cluelessmedstudent411 said:
I'll play it by ear. If I'm scoring >85% on 2nd round I might buy it to supplement.

I'm at 67% correct overall and 67% on IM. I've still got 10% questions remaining. Hoping I can knock it up one more %.
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I have the exact numbers. I started my second pass. Not >85% though :(

I'll be following you progress very closely.
 
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recycledpaper said:
Had a question where I calculated gap as 13, and along with elevated glucose, I dx'ed as DKA. But answer was HHS... does HHS present with gap acidosis too?

Edit: apparently HHS can present with normal or "mild" gap acidosis. Lame.
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I think you're missing the point of the question. The glucose was probably 800-1000 and the patient was probably wicked dehydrated. That's HHS.

Also, patients in that state aren't typically in KETOacidosis. They might be acidotic, but theoretically these patients are T2DM with insulin that suppresses ketone synthesis.

Sent from my XT1585 using SDN mobile
 
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My school's comprehensive NBME is tomorrow so I did the free 120 this morning out of curiosity. In terms of difficulty it was comparable to NBME 4, UWSA1 was much harder. I'll update this after my exam tomorrow, wish me luck :)
 
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swk11 said:
I think you're missing the point of the question. The glucose was probably 800-1000 and the patient was probably wicked dehydrated. That's HHS.

Also, patients in that state aren't typically in KETOacidosis. They might be acidotic, but theoretically these patients are T2DM with insulin that suppresses ketone synthesis.

Sent from my XT1585 using SDN mobile
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Yeah. I reread the question and it was textbook HHS. Don't even need to calculate gap as there are so many other hints.
 
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AshNiffler said:
My school's comprehensive NBME is tomorrow so I did the free 120 this morning out of curiosity. In terms of difficulty it was comparable to NBME 4, UWSA1 was much harder. I'll update this after my exam tomorrow, wish me luck :)
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I'll hold my comment until I get my scores back but I'll say this: I hope the real exam isn't like this.
 
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Hey guys just needed some advice,

So I have my test this upcoming Monday 05/08. My plan is to take a practice test Saturday 05/05 and gauge if I am ready to take the exam (my school gives us 2 weeks to study). I have just been redoing uWorld, after having done it once throughout this past year during clerkships. I was curious, I have the option of either taking a four week vacation to continue studying or sticking with my easy rotation (which will likely be 3-4 hours per day). Do you guys think I should take the vacation block or just stick with my easy rotation?
 
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dentalhopeful10 said:
Hey guys just needed some advice,

So I have my test this upcoming Monday 05/08. My plan is to take a practice test Saturday 05/05 and gauge if I am ready to take the exam (my school gives us 2 weeks to study). I have just been redoing uWorld, after having done it once throughout this past year during clerkships. I was curious, I have the option of either taking a four week vacation to continue studying or sticking with my easy rotation (which will likely be 3-4 hours per day). Do you guys think I should take the vacation block or just stick with my easy rotation?
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I'm confused. If your test is monday, why are you going to continue to study for it afterwards?
 
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I think he is asking because if he doesn't do well on the school exam, he is thinking of pushing back the real exam, and wants to know if he should study for it with a vacation month or if it's doable with an easy rotation.
 
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dentalhopeful10 said:
Sorry for the confusion! I forgot to mention if I do not do so hot on my practice exam, I'm going to push my test back. I'm in a studying daze I guess....haha
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Gotcha! I'd say it depends on what you get and how much material you want to pound through! I just came off of psych and basically had half days. Was able to get a lot of studying in. So I think you'd be able to do ok with a super light rotation.

I'd make the decision based off of how you do on the assessment!
 
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Got a 250 on UWSA 2, I think I'm going to push it back and studying during my next rotation. I feel like if I got this score on Monday I would always be worried that I could have done better with more time spent studying. My next rotation is psych, which I hear is usually about 4-5 hours a day. This should give me about 3 weeks to study.

Anyone have any tips for improving? I have just been doing uworld 2 sets a day, taking notes, and reviewing those notes.
 
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dentalhopeful10 said:
Got a 250 on UWSA 2, I think I'm going to push it back and studying during my next rotation. I feel like if I got this score on Monday I would always be worried that I could have done better with more time spent studying. My next rotation is psych, which I hear is usually about 4-5 hours a day. This should give me about 3 weeks to study.

Anyone have any tips for improving? I have just been doing uworld 2 sets a day, taking notes, and reviewing those notes.
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Solid plan. How did you do on UWSA1? I'm wondering how the two compare.

I'm just doing uworld + making Anki cards for stuff from uworld that I don't know. that's essentially what I've done all year and it's worked well!
 
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I got a 252 on UWSA 1, they seemed very similar.

Yeah, that's exactly what I've been doing too. I just write stuff down to help me remember, if it doesn't stick after writing it goes into ANKI.
 
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is uworld random mode truly 'random'?

I don't know if its my imagination but it seems like I often get similar questions close to each other or something that was recently in an explanation asked shortly after. I wonder if everyone gets roughly the same order of questions for teaching purposes
 
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teehees said:
is uworld random mode truly 'random'?

I don't know if its my imagination but it seems like I often get similar questions close to each other or something that was recently in an explanation asked shortly after. I wonder if everyone gets roughly the same order of questions for teaching purposes
Click to expand...

Omg I'm so happy you posted this. I was gonna make a similar post last week! It's absolutely not random. I'll get like 6 peds questions in a row sometimes. Or several questions about vaccines back to back. So you're not crazy haha
 
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Finished 1st pass of Uworld and 2nd practice exam

- Step 1: 222
- Uworld SA1: 200 (2.5mo) -> Never reviewed and plan on retaking. Should have never taken it!
- Uworld 1st pass: 68% overall (68% medicine)
- NBME 6: 224 (1mo)
 
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