is it true that step 2 and 3 are easier?

[Summer.Thunder]

I read it on the first aid somewhere,
u study 2 months to take step 1, study 2 days for step 2, and just bring a 2b pencil to take step 3.

is it relative true that step 2 and 3 are easier? do have to take kaplan, etc to pass those two exams?

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[Gumshoe]

I read it on the first aid somewhere,
u study 2 months to take step 1, study 2 days for step 2, and just bring a 2b pencil to take step 3.

is it relative true that step 2 and 3 are easier? do have to take kaplan, etc to pass those two exams?

I would like to see what people think about my insights (or lackthereof):

1. Obviously people are better after a year of 3rd year for step 2 type testing
2. The people who busted 240+ on step 1 don't care to take it until late in the year, creating a situation where the mean is based on people who are less apt to scoring big time, thus raising their avgs. substantially
3. Perhaps more impetus for people to improve the grade (easier to study for too, because teh questions have real life legitimacy vs. step 1 random bs trivia)

I just wanted to run this by because at my school (highly prestigious) some people don't do well on step 1. We always do better on step 2. I plan to be an example of this, but how much? I hope a substantial increase. thanks

G

 

[4424]

I read it on the first aid somewhere,
u study 2 months to take step 1, study 2 days for step 2, and just bring a 2b pencil to take step 3.

is it relative true that step 2 and 3 are easier? do have to take kaplan, etc to pass those two exams?

i don't know about 2 days for step 2. i think it's 2 weeks. it's "easier" in the sense that it's more intuitive and you have heard and seen most of the things before

 

[Gumshoe]

is 2 months, 2 weeks, 2 pencils

just to be clear

 

[berkeleyboy]

"2. The people who busted 240+ on step 1 don't care to take it until late in the year, creating a situation where the mean is based on people who are less apt to scoring big time, thus raising their avgs. substantially"

Is this true? How many people with high step 1 scores wait until later in the year and just pass the test? I hear this all the time, but I also hear that some of the more competitive programs (esp in surgery) like to have a high step 2 prior to applying as well since its a more clinical exam and program directors like to too either a high step 1 and step2 score or major improvement on step2 if step1 is poor.
What do you guys think?

Berk

 

[poloace]

if i took step II after 2 days of studying... i'd get like a nine. no joke. this exam is by no means 'easy' - i think reading stuff on this board at times makes me feel like i learn 1/8 as fast as people that take it after studying '3 hours a night while on vacation in hawaii' - Bullscrote.

p

 

[Medical123]

if i took step II after 2 days of studying... i'd get like a nine. no joke. this exam is by no means 'easy' - i think reading stuff on this board at times makes me feel like i learn 1/8 as fast as people that take it after studying '3 hours a night while on vacation in hawaii' - Bullscrote.

p

Though I thought that Step 2 was a little better than Step 1, I most certainly did not find it easy! I am just hoping that all of my studying paid off and that I get a good score!

 

[Summer.Thunder]

so for those people who took step 2, how many days did u spend on studying for that exam? did u also have to buy lots of books for that exam too?

 

[Cowboy DO]

I'd like to know hours/day studying Step 1 vs. hours/day studying for step 2.

Step 1 I probably went at it 10 hours a day for like 6 weeks,

now I can barely do 6 hours and I have 4 weeks.

Why can't I study like i used to?!! Thanks for the vent.

 

[allylz]

I'm taking the exam day after tomorrow and I had a 4 week time period to study. Most of the first two weeks I was fooling around in British Columbia though and only marginally 'studying'. I've been studying most of the day for the past week.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on books - you just need an online Qbank and a few review books, I probably spent $150 at the most on everything.

 

[Cowboy DO]

Good luck to you, let us know how it goes.

I'm only using UW and B&W. Maybe I'll get something else next week but this seems like it might (hopefully) be enough.

I do have crush...but we've been over that.

 

[EUA]

Yup, it's true. They do get easier.

Do note, however, that I wanted to smack the M.D. I work with who informed me, in the most snotty tone, that *of course* I thought step 3 was easier, because I took the COMLEX (read: SO much easier than the USMLE). Ahem, [insert two choice words here].

 

[YEAH]

I definitely agree Step 2 was no joke, although not as horrid as Step 1--study well, though.

Haven't taken Step 3. Could anybody from the camp that didn't think Step 2 was a joke tell me how Step 3 compares to the other Steps?

Thank you.

P.S. Sheesh. Step 3. It feels like Step Zillion.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

I read it on the first aid somewhere,
u study 2 months to take step 1, study 2 days for step 2, and just bring a 2b pencil to take step 3.

is it relative true that step 2 and 3 are easier? do have to take kaplan, etc to pass those two exams?

Yes, although step 2 is longer...and more draining.....as long as you remain alert...it will seem easier!