I'm planning on taking Step 2 early since I will be an early match. I would like to do well since I am planning on applying for a very competitive fellowship in the future. How long do I need to study to get a good score. I studied 12 hours a day for about a month for step 1 and did fairly well. I don't have that much time for step 2.
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Step I How long to study for step 2
Started by gatormed
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I studied for about 8 hours a day for 6 days and did extremely well. Also, I would use Step 2 study material for all your clerkships as well so that when you're really studying for Step 2, you're familiar with the books when studying for Step 2. I used the blueprints series which I thought was excellent and this was my main source of study material. These books aren't enough for the clerkships, but they are great for High Yield Step 2 review.
Good luck.
Good luck.
4 days, about 8 hours per day, using Blueprints and NMS (mostly NMS), and also did extremely well. I thought Step 2 was significantly easier than Step 1. Ditto the above re. using review books during clerkships. Suerte.
I suggest studying if you want to do well; however, I honestly think that if you've been paying attention during your rotations and studied for your shelf exams (if you take them), you can walk right into the exam and pass.
I did.
Praise be: I'm matched, found an apt where I'm going, finished Step 2, have 3 weeks of rotations left, and am watching a Braveheart/Gladiator/Phantom Menace/Pulp Fiction marathon today! I'm pretending to be a fat slob: drinking cider beer, eating spoons of peanut butter, and eating Girl Scout cookies (thanks, mom!).
Word.
•••quote:•••Originally posted by gatormed:
•I'm planning on taking Step 2 early since I will be an early match. I would like to do well since I am planning on applying for a very competitive fellowship in the future. How long do I need to study to get a good score. I studied 12 hours a day for about a month for step 1 and did fairly well. I don't have that much time for step 2.•••••
I did.
Praise be: I'm matched, found an apt where I'm going, finished Step 2, have 3 weeks of rotations left, and am watching a Braveheart/Gladiator/Phantom Menace/Pulp Fiction marathon today! I'm pretending to be a fat slob: drinking cider beer, eating spoons of peanut butter, and eating Girl Scout cookies (thanks, mom!).
Word.
•••quote:•••Originally posted by gatormed:
•I'm planning on taking Step 2 early since I will be an early match. I would like to do well since I am planning on applying for a very competitive fellowship in the future. How long do I need to study to get a good score. I studied 12 hours a day for about a month for step 1 and did fairly well. I don't have that much time for step 2.•••••
yeah, i think you could walk right in and pass. Due to family emergencies, I was only able to study maybe 12 hours total and passed.
I am speaking of the COMLEX step 2, btw, not USMLE, did not take it.
I am speaking of the COMLEX step 2, btw, not USMLE, did not take it.
I think that a couple weeks of a concerted effort are plenty for step 2/level 2 preparation. It's a very different exam compared to step 1. I did blue-prints and lots of practice questions and did very well. I took both the COMLEX and the USMLE.
No more than 2 weeks, especially if you are planning on taking it right after finishing 3rd year. You will have a lot of the info fresh from 3rd rotations. I only used NMS and Prescription for the Boards. Wish I would have only used NMS. Just do lots of questions.
Here is some information you may find helpful concerning COMLEX 2. This information is from NBOME. In order to pass level 1 you must answer approximately 50% of the questions correctly. In order to pass step 2 you must answer 60%. There are 800 question on step 1 and 760 on step 2. Step 2 is not more clinically oriented than 1 because 1 is already very clinically oriented.
For all of you who have said level 2 was easier than 1, you did not take the same test I did in January! It was by far the worse exam I have ever sat for. It was poorly written, partial labs, etc. and difficult to discern many of the glossy and ECG. Many students I talk with scored 50-100 points lower on 2 than they did on 1.
Take a look at the pass rate for the most recent level 2 exam. It is down below 90%. So for all of you who barely squeked by on level one, I suggest you study your butt off to be prepared for level 2. And for those of you who only study for a couple of weeks, Congratulations!
For all of you who have said level 2 was easier than 1, you did not take the same test I did in January! It was by far the worse exam I have ever sat for. It was poorly written, partial labs, etc. and difficult to discern many of the glossy and ECG. Many students I talk with scored 50-100 points lower on 2 than they did on 1.
Take a look at the pass rate for the most recent level 2 exam. It is down below 90%. So for all of you who barely squeked by on level one, I suggest you study your butt off to be prepared for level 2. And for those of you who only study for a couple of weeks, Congratulations!
