Newbie from the Step1 Forum!

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Torquer

the chan-chan man
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So i just jumped in from the Step1 forum! Hello hello! Took my exam on the 17th of November.

Things are different in this forum! There was a very cool and helpful thread in the step1 forum named 'Scores and Experiences' and it was restarted every year. I didnt find anything like that here.

Where would you suggest someone like me who's entirely new to the step2 course, materials etc should go?

Good to be here! thanks🙂
 
There's a similiar thread here to--it's the UW scores and step 2 cores thread with like 80 pages of posts.

As for materials, I think most people go for for a general review book, such as master the boards, FA, or Step up, and the UW qbank. This works well for most people, including myself; although that's really referring to American MS4s.

Thinking about it, the ideal method, if you have the time and energy, would be to go through all the Kaplan notes and the Kaplan qbank, followed by a few weeks with a general review book (doesn't really matter which) and UW. This should get you above 250.
 
So i just jumped in from the Step1 forum! Hello hello! Took my exam on the 17th of November.

Things are different in this forum! There was a very cool and helpful thread in the step1 forum named 'Scores and Experiences' and it was restarted every year. I didnt find anything like that here.

Where would you suggest someone like me who's entirely new to the step2 course, materials etc should go?

Good to be here! thanks🙂

Pick one:
First Aid Step 2
Step Up Step 2
Master The Boards Step 2

Pick one:
USMLE World qbank
Kaplan Qbank

and then, of, course, my usual


First Aid Step 2 or Step Up Step 2

and

Uworld

Gets you a 230. Average. This has now worked for 15 students that I've tutored. Average to below average medical students at a US allopathic school getting average scores on the Step 2. The way you make this better is by adding something. People have also suggested master the boards by Conrad Fischer. If you are going to use Kaplan, I suggest just using Kaplan's Step 2 materials.

By "add something" I mean add Usmle Secrets or the other book you didnt do in the "or" (if you did FA, also do SU; if you did SU, also do FA). If you have time and opportunity I strongly recommend Kaplan Step 2 online or live lectures. It takes about 6-8 weeks, but is there for augmentation.

When I say "augmentation" what I mean is this. First Aid, Step Up, Secrets, etc. give you the content you are almost guarenteed to see on the exam. It is the content that is worth learning all the time. What they all leave out is the peripheral content. To push above a 240 you have to learn 10 things you wont use for every 1 you will. That's alot of effort. You have to know all the "core" material found in the review books, then a ****ton of more details. Since the questions are random, and all material is fair game, you have to know far more than you will need to get a higher score. The way you get that is with a program designed to give you those details.

I personally got a 258 (246 step 1) doing Uworld, First Aid, and Kaplan's Lecture series. I am not a good multiple choice test taker (I fall for traps and distractors like no one's business) but I consider myself a pretty solid success. Totally worth the effort of the Kaplan Course. I am was an allopathic AMG.
 
I ask you the same question I did je, why don't take a vacation before even thinking about step 2? lol

don't make me feel bad, I was thinking about not studying nothing at all in the next 2 years xD
 
Pick one:
First Aid Step 2
Step Up Step 2
Master The Boards Step 2

Pick one:
USMLE World qbank
Kaplan Qbank

and then, of, course, my usual


First Aid Step 2 or Step Up Step 2

and

Uworld

Gets you a 230. Average. This has now worked for 15 students that I've tutored. Average to below average medical students at a US allopathic school getting average scores on the Step 2. The way you make this better is by adding something. People have also suggested master the boards by Conrad Fischer. If you are going to use Kaplan, I suggest just using Kaplan's Step 2 materials.

By "add something" I mean add Usmle Secrets or the other book you didnt do in the "or" (if you did FA, also do SU; if you did SU, also do FA). If you have time and opportunity I strongly recommend Kaplan Step 2 online or live lectures. It takes about 6-8 weeks, but is there for augmentation.

When I say "augmentation" what I mean is this. First Aid, Step Up, Secrets, etc. give you the content you are almost guarenteed to see on the exam. It is the content that is worth learning all the time. What they all leave out is the peripheral content. To push above a 240 you have to learn 10 things you wont use for every 1 you will. That's alot of effort. You have to know all the "core" material found in the review books, then a ****ton of more details. Since the questions are random, and all material is fair game, you have to know far more than you will need to get a higher score. The way you get that is with a program designed to give you those details.

I personally got a 258 (246 step 1) doing Uworld, First Aid, and Kaplan's Lecture series. I am not a good multiple choice test taker (I fall for traps and distractors like no one's business) but I consider myself a pretty solid success. Totally worth the effort of the Kaplan Course. I am was an allopathic AMG.

Wow thanks Overactive! that cleared up everything very nicely. So according to your advice I'll be going with Kaplan Notes (since i have time), some videos which i feel necessary, First Aid, and UW. Pretty much how I went about Step1. Would you advise adding Step up/Crush with FA?
Thanks for the help! And great score btw.

I ask you the same question I did je, why don't take a vacation before even thinking about step 2? lol

don't make me feel bad, I was thinking about not studying nothing at all in the next 2 years xD

haha jfg, you and i both know you're going to start studying soon. you're on the step2 forum arent you? 😉
thing is im in the flow to study right now, plus i want to capitalize on my step1 knowledge.
 
I couldn't resist... It was stronger than me LOL It would be better to do it now but I don't have time.. I'll do it in 2013.
 
Goodluck! im in a family medicine rotation for 2 months so i think i can squeeze through hopefuly.
 
quick question. If i wanted to use master the boards and first aid, which one should i read first? thanks!
 
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