How to study for step 2 to match high step 1 score

[Premedico]

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I was very lucky to make a high score on Step 1 (really was not expecting it). Now it's time for step 2. I'll be applying to a competitive specialty but I'm taking a year off-so it's important to score at par with step 1 score because programs will be able to see my score at application time. Also, my grades are not too hot (but no Fs) for the first 2 years. During 3rd year, grades were good with shelf scores mostly in 80s and a 90 on IM shelf, 70 on surgery. I don't want a drop in my step 2 score and end up looking like my well above average step 1 score was a fluke amidst the rest of my average grades.

What can I do to go a little above and beyond-basically I want to cross the 260 mark. Main goal is to show that I can keep up my performance and to try to compensate for course grades (if that is possible).

I'm thinking of using:

UWORLD, step up and secrets.
Review ob-gyn by reading my blueprints highlights.
Read FA for psych to refresh psychiatry.

I'm weak in Pedi and Surgery. How should I tackle this? Kaplan notes? I read a couple of posts saying that the trauma section from NMS casebook is good enough for surgery.

I'm looking at my list and it's already too long. For Step1, I stuck to 2 sources plus DIT and knew them front and back. This long list of resources for step 2 is making me nervous.

Advice? Will DIT help in going above and beyond?

 

[NewYorkDoctors]

Questions Questions Questions.

Your experiences on the wards may help you marginally.


Any books you choose to use are all good. Just do not rely on passive learning. Use Blueprints, Case Files, whatever fits your fancy to get a base of knowledge.

Then it's off to questions questions questions.



As for pediatrics, the peds shelf exam will ask a lot of "uncommon presentations of common things." If you have a good rotation there then you'll likely see a lot of these things being covered on the wards.

Ex. What age to start certain foods/liquids? The fact that cow milk has more iron than breast milk but less bioavailability, etc...


Step 2 will not have such detailed pediatrics. As a matter of fact I didnt get a single milestone question!

Though they added one super bizarre zebra peds question which I still have not figured out.




In the end, questions qusetions qusetions

 

[Premedico]

Thank you! I plan to know uworld thoroughly I know people suggest repeating it rather than using another qbank once you're done. But any suggestions on other qbanks?

 

[NewYorkDoctors]

I used Rx, Kaplan, and Pretest as well

Rx is not the same magic bullet that UWorld is, but it is helpful to start with this qbank because it drills some basic concepts into your mind

Kaplan is... frustrating... it did not much help on the real test.. but it did help for pimping on the wards.

Pretest was.. either too easy or too narrowly specialized
Out of 3000 questions, I found about ~6-7 topics on Step2CK which I only could answer through Pretest and not via uWorld.


In the end, it's all about diminishing returns and how much time you have to invest

The nice thing about Pretest is those are apps on iPhone so you can do it on the wards. Expensive though.. unless you know how to... (i said nothing to incriminate myself)

 

[Premedico]

Ah 2500 questions more is way too much given time constraints. According to you, hypothetically, if I know Uworld by heart (along with understanding it), go through stus2 and secrets, can I expect a 260 or more?

 

[FSU2013]

Ah 2500 questions more is way too much given time constraints. According to you, hypothetically, if I know Uworld by heart (along with understanding it), go through stus2 and secrets, can I expect a 260 or more?

Depends on if you can apply it.

I'd guess if you knew 90ish percent of only Uworld you'd break 250 in stride. I was just shy of 270 and most of my review was Uworld. I skimmed crush step 2, pestana and the notes I made while on psych (from FA psych) and IM (from step up to med). Other than that I pushed myself on Uworld and that was the ticket.

Step 2 is really just a test of what you learned during ms3. I did well on all nbmes and it showed on step 2. Interestingly, when I averaged all 6 nbme's from the year, the percentile almost exactly correlated with my percentile on step 2 (NOT the 2 digit score, but I calculated my percentile based on the average and SD given on my step 2 sheet) - I think it was the exact percentile, but it may have been +\- 1.