Did I fail step 2 cs?

[Uncle Albert]

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US MS4 here just recently took CS exam and absolutely terrified that I failed. Can you guys give your honest opinion if I failed? I also heard they are increasing the failure cutoff so that more people will fail..

Things I screwed up on:
-poor closures (I rarely told the patient what I thought was going on/name drop diseases/conditions). All I said was that I don't know exactly what is going on but I need to do lab work and run some tests/imaging before I give them a plan. My closures were literally less than 30 seconds.
-no counseling at all
-forgot several pertinent/specific physical exam maneuvers
-forgot to ask several pertinent HPI questions

Things I did well:
-showed empathy
-asked at least 2 open ended questions for everyone
-asked what their concerns were/answer challenge questions well
-spoke English well
-washed hands/shook hands after
-heart and lung exam on everyone
-asked PMH,PSH,meds,FH,SH,allergies for everyone
-asked permission before every PE maneuver
-wrote very good notes (used up all available text in HPI section on most cases, DDx were solid although some were not in the correct order, diagnostic workup was solid)

 

[Barbecue]

I'm sorry about the stress you're feeling; if it's any consolation, I was terrified for over a week after taking step 2 CS that I had failed, as well. You'll find dozens of threads here asking basically the same thing you have. Lots of people come out of that test feeling terrible about it, and yet, most people pass.

Unfortunately, no one here has the answer to your question. We don't know how CS is graded, especially in light of the fact that the grading criteria were recently changed. Yes, you missed some things, but everybody forgets something. We just have no idea what sort of impact it will have your grade.

There is literally nothing you can do about it except wait. I know it's hard to do, especially if you're generally an anxious person (as I am), but do your best to put it out of your mind. You probably didn't fail. Even if you did, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Do please remember to update your post in a couple months once the grade comes back, to help out those who come after us. 🙂

 

[operaman]

The truth is you probably did just fine but I must confess that I probably felt more anxiety about CS than any of the other steps. It's just this black box in which most people pass but some random people fail. Some of these are extremely good students -- AOA and 250+ folks -- who just somehow draw the short straw.

It sounds like you did fine. Hell even today, half the time I leave real encounters unable to give a definitive answer and have to await either more testing or my attending catching something I missed. The nice thing is that your ERAS is already sent and programs won't see any potential failure until you're ready, so worst case scenario you'll still be ok.

 

[GrandBuckeyeOH91]

made a lot of the same mistakes, still passed comfortably. you'll be just fine.

 

[Dr. Opout]

US MS4 here just recently took CS exam and absolutely terrified that I failed. Can you guys give your honest opinion if I failed? I also heard they are increasing the failure cutoff so that more people will fail..

Things I screwed up on:
-poor closures (I rarely told the patient what I thought was going on/name drop diseases/conditions). All I said was that I don't know exactly what is going on but I need to do lab work and run some tests/imaging before I give them a plan. My closures were literally less than 30 seconds.
-no counseling at all
-forgot several pertinent/specific physical exam maneuvers
-forgot to ask several pertinent HPI questions

Things I did well:
-showed empathy
-asked at least 2 open ended questions for everyone
-asked what their concerns were/answer challenge questions well
-spoke English well
-washed hands/shook hands after
-heart and lung exam on everyone
-asked PMH,PSH,meds,FH,SH,allergies for everyone
-asked permission before every PE maneuver
-wrote very good notes (used up all available text in HPI section on most cases, DDx were solid although some were not in the correct order, diagnostic workup was solid)

Did you pass?!? I'm still a few months out from my CS result and need some reassurance.