COMLEX STEP 2 CBT...Study tips please!

[hatfielj]

Okay, for all of you out there that either did well on the exam or even those of you who passed it with no problem, please tell me how you studied for it.
I have to retake mine and I have about 8 weeks before I want to retake it. What should I study and how should I study? The first aid for step 2 ck didn't help me much and I was hoping for something that was a little more involved. The first aid books are just lists of facts and don't tend to stick well with me.
What other books did you find useful? How did you quiz yourself? What kind of schedule for studying did you adhere to? I need all the help I can get. I've already screwed up my chances of having any choice where I go for residency, now I just want pass this thing and preferably do well on it so that I don't feel like such a loser anymore. Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[hatfielj]

anyone?

 

[ozzie20]

Okay, for all of you out there that either did well on the exam or even those of you who passed it with no problem, please tell me how you studied for it.
I have to retake mine and I have about 8 weeks before I want to retake it. What should I study and how should I study? The first aid for step 2 ck didn't help me much and I was hoping for something that was a little more involved. The first aid books are just lists of facts and don't tend to stick well with me.
What other books did you find useful? How did you quiz yourself? What kind of schedule for studying did you adhere to? I need all the help I can get. I've already screwed up my chances of having any choice where I go for residency, now I just want pass this thing and preferably do well on it so that I don't feel like such a loser anymore. Thanks!

I think i did fairly well on the exam, I did all the kaplan videos, (146 hours or so), all the kaplan q bank, and all the usmle world qbank. I was averaging around 65% to 70% on the usmle world, and around 80% on kaplan qbank.

lists of facts don't help me either, if you can get a hold of the kaplan videos (i cant tell you where, just know that its easy to find) those helped a ton because they presented the material to me in a more easy to follow manner, and they explained reasoning behind facts, not just memorization of the facts. as for OMM, just use the green book, not really worth it to use anything else.

I'd say put in a good 10 hours a day, every day, for like 3 weeks, and you'll be fine to pass and do well. just remember that for comlex, a 50% overall on the usmleworld should be good enough to pass, and don't remember any old white man names for diseases, use the traditional latin terms.

 

[hatfielj]

Thank you ozzie20. I have a friend who has all the kaplan videos on his computer and I've been hesitating to ask him to copy them all because I wasn't sure if they'd be useful. But, now I will. It sounds like a good way for me to learn. Thanks again!

 

[jopdo]

Boards and Wards... and Kaplan Q bank.

 

[DMBmatty08]

Boards and Wards, Prescreption for Boards, and USMLE World Qbank. I studied for about 3 weeks, read B&W twice and Prescription once and did most of USMLE World averaging about 65%. I used the Savarese book for OMM, read it twice....DO NOT OVERLOOK OMM!!! I got a high score on COMLEX 2. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[jrf331]

COMLEX step 2 is a poorly written test. USMLE World and Kaplan qbank will help in studying but they will give you more information in the stem than COMLEX questions will. COMLEX does not test specialties equally. I had 30% OB/GYN, 30%Peds ,30% OMM and 10% everything else. So be prepared for stuff like that. There are not any really hard questions; they are mostly superficial questions.

I used Kaplan and first aid and was over prepared for the test. Study hard for two weeks and you should be fine, as long as you did your reading during 3rd year rotations.

 

[PayingMyDues]

DO NOT waste your time with USMLE WORLD for the COMLEX...you will do yourself harm...the comlex is not a test for thinking people...if you think on that exam...you have failed...I am very serious...my best advice...stay away from the weird answer...stick to known diseases...know peds and OB well...AND LEARN THE MOST COMMONS....if the story they give you makes no sense like 86% of the time...go with the most common for that process...GL

 

[DORoe]

I used Crush, boards and wards, and usmleworld and did fairly well. COMLEX Step II is a very odd exam, but I actually improved my score a bit using these sources only. As someone has already posted make sure you know your peds, OB/GYN, and OMT and you will be fine.

 

[FutureNavyDOc]

COMLEX step 2 is a poorly written test. USMLE World and Kaplan qbank will help in studying but they will give you more information in the stem than COMLEX questions will. COMLEX does not test specialties equally. I had 30% OB/GYN, 30%Peds ,30% OMM and 10% everything else. So be prepared for stuff like that. There are not any really hard questions; they are mostly superficial questions.

I used Kaplan and first aid and was over prepared for the test. Study hard for two weeks and you should be fine, as long as you did your reading during 3rd year rotations.

I agree, it was a very poorly written test, and no, I'm not bitter, I did very well on it in fact. That said, the PE exam is an even worse test (and I use the word "test" loosely), but that's another topic for another thread.


As far as studying, I used First Aid, old OMM notes, and USMLE Q-Book for my main sources and blueprints while going through the specific rotations.

I also listened to all of the Goljan Step II IM lectures.


JRF,
You may have beaten my score, but did you beat my time of 4 hours?

 

[jjsmalls]

hi, you mentioned that the kaplan comlex II videos are easy to find. any suggestions where i could find them? thanks!

 

[ozzie20]

hi, you mentioned that the kaplan comlex II videos are easy to find. any suggestions where i could find them? thanks!

1. they aren't comlex videos specifically, they're usmle step 2.

Ah, if there were only some kind of bay where you could electronically find things and purchase them...I'm sure you could probably find anything on this kind of electronic bay....

 

[jmarra03]

I used Youel's prep for COMLEX 2. I liked parts of it but other parts were not so useful. I also used First Aid and Kaplan Q-Bank. I honestly felt like my IM Sub-I on the wards was some of the best review I could have done before my exam.

 

[surrender903]

1. they aren't comlex videos specifically, they're usmle step 2.

Ah, if there were only some kind of bay where you could electronically find things and purchase them...I'm sure you could probably find anything on this kind of electronic bay....

okay i laughed at this. thanks for brightening my day