list of books to keep from rotations for step 2 studying?

[automaton]

are there any special books i should be keeping for step 2? i have a bunch of books from my first rotation that i'd like to unload if possible. i figure i won't do much reading, but maybe question books? seems like most people are somehow prepared for step2 without really studying for it, but i can't imagine how i'd remember all the minutiae without re-doing all the questions... or are there enough comprehensive question books?

maybe we can start a list?

surgery books:
family:
medicine:
psych:
peds:
neuro:
ob/gyn:
emergency:

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[electra]

Here's my two cents, having taken already....

Surgery: Didn't have many questions about surgery. More questions concerning areas of surgery, i.e., biliary tract disease, appendicitis, colitis, rectal bleeding. Fluids. Blood.

Family: This is peds + medicine.

Peds: Blueprints in Pediatrics.

OB: Blueprints in OB-GYN, Case Files in OB-GYN.

Psych: HY Behavioral Sciences, Case Files in Psychiatry

IM: Blueprints is ok. NMS is good.

ER: I don't know that you need one for the test. You DO need to look up and read on EMTALA.

Neuro: Blueprints in Neurology is good.

I think you will find that most of the questions on the Step II exams are not minutiae based, rather, they are case-based and designed for you to say to yourself, "I recognize this patient."

I would recommend a knowledge of basic lab values, so that you do not have to keep flipping back and forth in the test. Examples would be your basic electrolytes/CBC.

 

[electra]

Also, for those of you use Palms on rotations, there are the Pre-Test books available on Palm. These are a comilation between McGraw-Hill (the publisher of the Pre-Test series) and Brainglue. I believe there is a thread on the forums with a link to the Brainglue site.

I reviewed the pediatrics program and it was quite good.

 

[automaton]

thanks electra! do you think we will have enough time (and motivation) to do pretest or appleton and lange question books for step 2, or do most people just rely on qbank? i ask because it seems like you recommend keeping mostly the "textbooks", but i prefer doing questions as my primary mode of studying.

 

[electra]

Well, questions are certainly important, especially as you get to the end of study time. I thought the Qbank was a little easier than the actual test. But the exam itself was well written and I felt really good when I left the testing center. However, my recommendation would not be to use questions as a primary study tool to learn the information. That format really doesn't test your knowledge, does it? And the questions can really only be used one time as a surprise tool before you just recognize the question. That, to me, is not a confidence builder.

I think the ultimate study method would be to sit down with a schedule and figure out how to go through the books and annotate a copy of first aid for step 2. Or, clip together the board emphasized areas of the subject and review those in book form. Then go do questions. Because then the questions ask you "do you recognize this patient? And why is it NOT this othe patient?"

None of those books listed above are especially long. And if you used them on rotation, I think you will find the reviewing to be uncomplicated and go quickly as far as book time is concerned.

Just my .02

 

[Pox in a box]

Bump