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just curious if there is a correlation 'cuz I'm looking forward to taking step 2 as early as possible so that I can get it over with!
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Do awesome shelf scores = awesome step 2 score?
- Thread starter rachmoninov3
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They do seem to be correlated at the least from all the sources I've contacted. You can't forget about the luck aspect of these exams because sometimes you're lucky and you're tested on all the things you know very well, while other times you're not so lucky and you get hit over the head with things you don't know as well. I would predict that if you take Step 2 seriously and study hard for it pretty much all during 3rd year and then actually leave a reasonable amount of study time during 4th year dedicated strictly to Step 2 review then you should be in great shape (especially if you show a very strong track record of shelf exam scores).
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Are you asking if consistent success on standardized tests translates to success on another similar standardized test? Yeah, that's a tough one.
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thank you dr. obvious.
But I was more curious if the questions seen on shelf exams were close to Step 2 questions. I was middle of the road mediocre on my step 1 score, but have been doing much bettter on the shelf exams.
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Well you didn't ask that. You asked if awesome shelf scores = awesome step 2 scores. Logic dictates that if you rocked the shelves then given the same prep you're probably going to rock step 2.
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I got a low of a 74 on psych and a hi of 85 on neurology. Everything else was a 78 or 79. I got a 246 on step 2. I took it in nov of 4th year. Good luck. It's a very doable test and I'm sure it would have been easier to study for right after third year.
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I think your medicine shelf is probably most closely related to the step 2 score. i would not recommend taking step 2 without completing all of your clerkships. USMLE world highly correlates and will give you a good idea where you stand. Most people find step 2 much, much easier because it is clinically based.
My shelf raw scores ranged from a 77 on surgery to a 96 on medicine and I generally fell in the mid 80s. Medicine was last for me which was a huge help. Step 2: 261
Word to the wise: many say if you did well on step 1, you should not take step 2 very early and to put it off for a while. That way if you do poorly it will not hurt you. I did not take that advice and while I was sweating bullets when the scores came out, I think I probably did better since the material from 3rd year was fresher.
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The questions are the same format (of course) and the same level of detail. Between your Step 1 score and your third year shelf exam scores, the shelf exam scores are probably more predictive of your 2CK score.
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If you do well on all your shelves (I agree medicine is most important) then you will do well on Step 2. Also depends on how your long term memory is since step 2 will be at least a year after your first shelf exam. But step 2 is essentially comprised of the easiest 25% of questions from the shelf exams. There are a few tough ones, but for the most part it is the high yield stuff that you learned during clerkships. You won't need to know everything as thoroughly to do well on step 2 as you do in order to excel on the shelf exams.
