Just got Step 2 scores

[rohsik]

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I was wondering if I should report this score...

I got a 200 on Step 1 and I improved to a 218 on Step 2.

Is 218 good enough to report...

Surprisely, I have gotten good interviews despite my poor performance on step 1

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by rohsik
I was wondering if I should report this score...

I got a 200 on Step 1 and I improved to a 218 on Step 2.

Is 218 good enough to report...

Surprisely, I have gotten good interviews despite my poor performance on step 1

I would report it, since that's probably close to avg on step 2 and your step 1 was prob. a little less than average.


When did you take Step 2? What date?

mike

 

[Seanmd]

Roshik,

Are you interviewing for Internal Medicine?

Where are you interviewing?

What books did you use for Step 2? (I am in the same boat!)

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[rohsik]

Yup.. I am interviewing for internal medicine... I guess the top tier programs that I have heard from so far are Duke, U Michigan, Northwestern, U of Washington and then other good programs as well

For step 2.. I used first aid/boards and wards, Q bank and NMS and of course my favorite USMLE Secrets! I don't think you need to use both first aid and boards and wards together..it might be too much... but I loved usmle secrets.

 

[Seanmd]

That's impressive.

Did you receive Honors in most of your courses? Were you AOA?

The reason why I am asking is because most of these top tier programs have Step 1 minimums.

Should I even apply to these programs?

 

[rohsik]

I wasn't AOA, but I did pretty well in my second and third years courses ... lots of honors and the rest high passes and good letters

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by rohsik
I wasn't AOA, but I did pretty well in my second and third years courses ... lots of honors and the rest high passes and good letters

When did you take step 2? What was the turnaround time?

mike

 

[rohsik]

I took it late nov.. I initially planned to take it earlier, but got lazy once I got my first choice of school and a couple of other top -tier schools.

I studied for about a month.

Maybe I might have gotten more of the top-tier if I had taken it earlier and they had seen the improvement...but too late now ( however, I am not complaining.. i have done ok so far).

 

[Jive Turkey]

Rohsik, I'm in a very similar situation as yourself, I did similarly on my step 1 and similarly on my clerkships.

How much time did you allot to study for Step 2? As it stands, I've given myself about 3 weeks to study and take the test. I'm concerned that I've been away from basic science medicine for so long that i've forgotten a lot of the book knowledge that i (sort of) had when i took step 1. I'd like to get your advice. What would you plan to do if you had to take the exam in say March?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Foxxy Cleopatra]

Jive Turkey such a great name I just had to respond. Seriously, I improved nearly 20 points from Step 1 to Step 2 (got a 250 on Step 2) and I didn't have tons of time to study. I did Crush The Boards, the Kaplan Online lectures, and Q-bank in 2 weeks (I was completely free of clinical duty.) This was done right after I finished 3rd year. Since you have a lot of time, if you feel you have forgotten some of the basics, you may want to re-read something like blueprints, NMS, or high-yield on any topic you may want more review.

I've also heard First Aid for Step 2, Secrets, and Boards & Wards are excellent as well. Either way you choose, make sure the basic rotations are covered as well as some basic neuro, ortho, and stats.

Good luck!
Foxxy C.