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Step II Official 2020 Step 2 CK Experiences With Scores Thread
Started by libertyyne
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Step 1: 245
UWorld Second Pass: 86%
NBME 6: 260 (4 weeks out)
NBME 7: 248 (3 weeks out)
UWorld 1: 260 (2 weeks out)
NBME 8: 263 (1.5 weeks out)
UWorld 2: 262 (5 days out)
Old Free 120: 91% (3 days out)
New Free 120: 84% (3 days out)
Step 2: 257
Marked about 10-15 questions per block. Time wasn't an issue not because it was easy, but because some of the questions are so BS that there is literally no point in sitting there and think on them. You could have given me another year to study for this and there is no way in hell would I be able to prepare for a good chunk of that test since the questions are just so whack. Counted about 20 wrong right off the bat. I've seen people outperform, underperform, or score nearly the same as UWorld 1/2. It all literally boils down to luck. All of my friends who are now in residency have always told me Step 2 was easier than Step 1. I feel like Step 2 has definitely changed compared to the past and has gotten harder. The only thing you can do is study the contents of UWorld so you can get as many of similarly related questions right as possible on the real test. The rest of the questions like ethics, quality improvement, biostats, step 1 questions, and wtf step 2 questions are just luck of the draw. In all honesty given the way this test is headed, I would try and take it before September. Who knows what other whack questions they can add when they expand on the social science section -_-
UWorld Second Pass: 86%
NBME 6: 260 (4 weeks out)
NBME 7: 248 (3 weeks out)
UWorld 1: 260 (2 weeks out)
NBME 8: 263 (1.5 weeks out)
UWorld 2: 262 (5 days out)
Old Free 120: 91% (3 days out)
New Free 120: 84% (3 days out)
Step 2: 257
Marked about 10-15 questions per block. Time wasn't an issue not because it was easy, but because some of the questions are so BS that there is literally no point in sitting there and think on them. You could have given me another year to study for this and there is no way in hell would I be able to prepare for a good chunk of that test since the questions are just so whack. Counted about 20 wrong right off the bat. I've seen people outperform, underperform, or score nearly the same as UWorld 1/2. It all literally boils down to luck. All of my friends who are now in residency have always told me Step 2 was easier than Step 1. I feel like Step 2 has definitely changed compared to the past and has gotten harder. The only thing you can do is study the contents of UWorld so you can get as many of similarly related questions right as possible on the real test. The rest of the questions like ethics, quality improvement, biostats, step 1 questions, and wtf step 2 questions are just luck of the draw. In all honesty given the way this test is headed, I would try and take it before September. Who knows what other whack questions they can add when they expand on the social science section -_-
D
deleted1038938
I've never heard that from anyone. People usually told me it's easier to SCORE on Step 2 but you'll feel a lot worse. on the bright side - congrats on your score!!! i hope i can get a similar range
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Can anyone comment on the reliability of the Comsae score for Level 2? Qs are much shorter and felt much easier, but wondering if maybe the scores correlate? Like, at all?
Cannot agree with this statement more. Exactly how I felt. Especially "You could have given me another year to study for this and there is no way in hell would I be able to prepare for a good chunk of that test since the questions are just so whack."
Some questions were literally three sentences long. "Five year old male comes to your office with fever, rhinorrhea and headache. He has no nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or past medical history. What's the next step?" and then three of the five the answers choices all sounded good.
The exam is suppose to be 50-60% IM, right? So I focused a lot on IM. Meanwhile, on the actual exam I felt like I was drawing on none of the IM material I had accumulated during dedicated. Felt like I was using random info that I had picked up somewhere along the line during 3rd year. Idk, guess that the way they separate the 226ers (me) from the 260ers.
Oh, and heads up, I had about five or six MVA/trauma next step questions that I was completely unprepared for.
Just to draw a contrast, I had exactly zero MVA/trauma questions. Which is important to consider because there truly is no way to outsmart the exam via prep. I do wish I would have spent more time on EM concepts though. I had a butt load of weird EKG stuff, like 3-4 per block at least and none of them were the typical stuff you’d learn studying cardio. I wish my school had us take EM during 3rd year because it would have served well for this exam.
No MVAs.. I had 5 different colonoscopy questions that were not your typical uworld style
Fully agree 100%. As many have said above the questions you get are a total crap shoot.
All you can do during dedicated is expose yourself to as much information as possible and cross your fingers that the material you know is the material that shows up on the exam.
A few days out from test day. Planning to take the free 120 and cram Divine ethics/risk factors over the next couple of days. Hoping for a 250+, but I’m more happy to just get this over with. The burnout is real
UW1 - 264 (2 weeks out)
UW2 - 257 (5 days out)
Man level 2 was garrbageee. How is this even a licensing exam?? Way too many law/ethics and tons of hospital admin questions. Hope to god I pass haha
curiomurio
New Member
For those of you planning on taking this after September 2020, what resources are you guys planning to study for the "systems-based practice, patient safety, legal/ethical issues, and professionalism" changes that are coming?
A lot of people say "why are you worrying these are easy and who cares if there are more of these?" However, in my experience, these are not easy nor intuitive in many circumstances. I'd rather have a question about medicine (even if it were a "wtf question") which I had the opportunity and resources to prepare for instead of a question about these "soft skills" where I have to rely on my intuition. So far, these kinds of questions had always been so underrepresented, I'd never worried about them and felt okay getting these wrong now and again. However, if these are going to be represented more heavily, I'd really need to find a book or somewhat comprehensive resource to learn the main points of these "soft skills".
Thank you,
CM
A lot of people say "why are you worrying these are easy and who cares if there are more of these?" However, in my experience, these are not easy nor intuitive in many circumstances. I'd rather have a question about medicine (even if it were a "wtf question") which I had the opportunity and resources to prepare for instead of a question about these "soft skills" where I have to rely on my intuition. So far, these kinds of questions had always been so underrepresented, I'd never worried about them and felt okay getting these wrong now and again. However, if these are going to be represented more heavily, I'd really need to find a book or somewhat comprehensive resource to learn the main points of these "soft skills".
Thank you,
CM
I pick whichever answer choice makes me cringe the most (lol jk not but really).
Is there an official announcement about these changes after 9/2020?
Unfortunately my test date earlier this summer got cancelled so I might also be facing this change :/
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deleted1038938
mine got canceled and i've had sub-is and makeup clerkships :/ they havent made an announcement yet. i was hoping they'd come out and say they'd delay these changes until november or january.
Hi all,
I'm having a hard time understanding the discrepancy between my NBME practice test scores and UWSA1 taken today:
Step 1: 248
UW first pass: 62%
NBME 6 (baseline): 230
NBME 7: 236
Old free 120: 86%
NBME 8: 237
UWSA1 (taken today): 252
UW second pass (currently halfway through): 81%
7/26 EDIT: UWSA2: 265 + New Free 120: 75% (taken on same day)- will edit this post with my final score. Exam in a few days!
Should I assume the NBME's underpredict or the UWSA1 score overpredicted for me? I had the original pre-dedicated goal of 255+ however after doing pretty poorly on the NBMEs I adjusted my expectations to 245+. Is a 250+ attainable? I only have a little under 2 weeks until my exam. Gonna be taking UWSA2 and the new free 120 a week from now. My schedule has been all sorts of messed up due to make-up third year rotations due to covid, so I was also considering moving my test back to a few months from now if UWSA1 didn't go well. I really just want a 250 so as not to drop from my step 1 score.
Thanks!
I'm having a hard time understanding the discrepancy between my NBME practice test scores and UWSA1 taken today:
Step 1: 248
UW first pass: 62%
NBME 6 (baseline): 230
NBME 7: 236
Old free 120: 86%
NBME 8: 237
UWSA1 (taken today): 252
UW second pass (currently halfway through): 81%
7/26 EDIT: UWSA2: 265 + New Free 120: 75% (taken on same day)- will edit this post with my final score. Exam in a few days!
Should I assume the NBME's underpredict or the UWSA1 score overpredicted for me? I had the original pre-dedicated goal of 255+ however after doing pretty poorly on the NBMEs I adjusted my expectations to 245+. Is a 250+ attainable? I only have a little under 2 weeks until my exam. Gonna be taking UWSA2 and the new free 120 a week from now. My schedule has been all sorts of messed up due to make-up third year rotations due to covid, so I was also considering moving my test back to a few months from now if UWSA1 didn't go well. I really just want a 250 so as not to drop from my step 1 score.
Thanks!
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My NBMEs ranged from 235-239... UWSA1: 251 and UWSA2: 258... Ended up with a 254 on CK. I think you are on track for a 255. Keep at it
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That's great to hear and somewhat of a relief. Congrats on the score, I'd be ecstatic to score around that. I'll keep grinding and update my post once I get my final score.
How did you feel the difficulty of UWSA2 compared to SA1 and the real thing? I felt so lost and unsure during this exam, was frankly quite surprised to see the score report
I thought UWSA1, UWSA2 and the free 120 were all difficult and thats how the real exam felt. I thought step 2 was legit the hardest exam of my life and was shocked at my score, but then again thats how I felt after UWSA1/2 and the Free 120.. so overall I would say they are good practice exams because they get the stress hormones going
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Get used to that feeling
What questions did you guys do for FM shelf?
Want to preface this by saying I did bad on Step 1 and just wanted to show improvement prior to applying. My practice test scores don't mean anything. It's about test day that matters. I'm so thankful I showed improvement and hope that gives some comfort to some people that were worried that they couldn't improve.
NBME 6 - 271
NBME 7- 291
NBME 8 - 289
UWSA 1- 262
UWSA 2 - 273
New Free120 - 96.7%
Step 1 - 209
Step 2CK - 232
Like I said, I'm thankful I improved and I will gladly take my score. I felt like trash walking out of the exam and had a panic attack that I wasn't gonna pass. I'm relieved. Good luck to everyone who finds out today.
NBME 6 - 271
NBME 7- 291
NBME 8 - 289
UWSA 1- 262
UWSA 2 - 273
New Free120 - 96.7%
Step 1 - 209
Step 2CK - 232
Like I said, I'm thankful I improved and I will gladly take my score. I felt like trash walking out of the exam and had a panic attack that I wasn't gonna pass. I'm relieved. Good luck to everyone who finds out today.
Nice job, man! The hard work paid off.
I just got angry about the fact that I will be relearning biostats two days before the exam again... and then again for step 3 lol.
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Im so sick of getting blocks of 55%, 75%, then 62% in Uworld. Like legitimately every day, theres no consistency.
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AnatomyGrey12
I'm torn on the NBME's. On one hand I don't think they are predictive at all, but on the other I do think there is utility in seeing how the NBME test writers think about certain topics. There is definitely a pattern in what they ask about that I noticed on Step 1, and have heard from the people I know that have already taken Step 2.
Yeah I'm having the same dilemma. I think I've decided on just doing the free 120 + UWSA2 on saturday to at least see some NBME style qs. I still have a decent amount of knowledge gaps to fill that I think I should focus on this week. But who knows may throw in an audible and try one friday if I get off early, also just too tired getting back from rotations to do a 5hr exam lol.
That sounds like a good plan. I found the NBMEs useful for practice but I took them early on. I wouldn’t do them that close to the real deal. Step 2 is a pretty grueling test so I’d focus on your weak areas, take the new free 120, and make sure you’re fresh for test day
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For those that took the exam, any recommendations for studying for biostats? I was planning on doing the Randy Neil videos a couple days before and all the UWorld Biostats which I've been saving for the end. Should I do AMBOSS and the UWorld biostats add-on? Step 1 FA? I've always been weak on this topic
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AnatomyGrey12
They aren't their real scores lol, the poster says that. No one is getting a 291 on an NBME. The scale doesn't go that high, and only goes that high in theory on the real thing.
I'm notoriously bad at high stakes exams. It's been this way as long as I can remember. I think practice exams just don't simulate the real thing for me and I'm in a different mind set on actual test day. Still trying to figure out what it is. I'm thankful for the score I got because I left the exam feeling like poop.
All of those are good resources. I’ll add that Divine has a podcast over Biostats and and then another one over biases. I felt like those two had me prepared for most of what I saw on test day. Watch those two a a day or two before your exam, and I think you’ll be good.
Just took the beast yesterday, I thought it was a fair exam. I was originally planning on testing in September but landed a few big time rotations in the upcoming months so I decided to just get it over with. I decided to take UWSA1 last Saturday and was happy with my score. I took UWSA2 the next day and got the same score so I signed up for the exam 2 days out and then did both free 120s the next 2 days leading up to my test. I finished uworld over a month ago so I was kind of scared about not having the material fresh in my head, but I honestly feel that more studying wouldn't have helped me.
I would definitely do both free 120s close to the test. I feel like I had at least 5-6 questions that were repeats from the 120s or uwsa (literally 3 questions on my first block were either in the 120s or similar to uw!). I had a lot of preventative medicine on mine and luckily I'm on family med now so it wasn't bad. Biostats was a breeze. I didn't have a single "military" question where being in the military had anything to do with answering the questions, it was just irrelevant info mentioned in the stems. Hardly any surgery which is definitely my weak point. Lots of judgement calls between 2 answers with stuff like risk factors.
I'm really anxious to find out my scores bc I kinda took the test on a whim and thought it was easier than I expected. I did well on step 1 but scored a bit below my projections in part because I was so nervous and put so much into that test for 2 straight years. For some reason I wasn't nervous for step 2 (probably bc I'm burnt out) so I might have done better even though I studied way less for it.
I did dorians deck religiously throughout M3, did uworld/amboss throughout the year, and got mid to upper 80s on my NBME shelfs throughout 3rd year.
I would definitely do both free 120s close to the test. I feel like I had at least 5-6 questions that were repeats from the 120s or uwsa (literally 3 questions on my first block were either in the 120s or similar to uw!). I had a lot of preventative medicine on mine and luckily I'm on family med now so it wasn't bad. Biostats was a breeze. I didn't have a single "military" question where being in the military had anything to do with answering the questions, it was just irrelevant info mentioned in the stems. Hardly any surgery which is definitely my weak point. Lots of judgement calls between 2 answers with stuff like risk factors.
I'm really anxious to find out my scores bc I kinda took the test on a whim and thought it was easier than I expected. I did well on step 1 but scored a bit below my projections in part because I was so nervous and put so much into that test for 2 straight years. For some reason I wasn't nervous for step 2 (probably bc I'm burnt out) so I might have done better even though I studied way less for it.
I did dorians deck religiously throughout M3, did uworld/amboss throughout the year, and got mid to upper 80s on my NBME shelfs throughout 3rd year.
Sorry for the late post, forgot to post on Wednesday.
DO student, Average COMAT score =120.5 (range 128-113).
Prep: mainly used UW, OME, and the Divine podcasts.
Step 1: 236, Level 1: 641
UW first and only pass (used COMQUEST for shelf exams): 73%
UWSA1: 253
UWSA2: 258
Old free 120: 91%
New free 120: 80%
Step 2 CK (took 7/11): 256
I actually felt decent about the exam and I finished super early so I was worried that I bombed since everyone always feels like trash after. But luckily I did better than I thought I would and am so glad this is over. Level 2 on the other hand tho....
DO student, Average COMAT score =120.5 (range 128-113).
Prep: mainly used UW, OME, and the Divine podcasts.
Step 1: 236, Level 1: 641
UW first and only pass (used COMQUEST for shelf exams): 73%
UWSA1: 253
UWSA2: 258
Old free 120: 91%
New free 120: 80%
Step 2 CK (took 7/11): 256
I actually felt decent about the exam and I finished super early so I was worried that I bombed since everyone always feels like trash after. But luckily I did better than I thought I would and am so glad this is over. Level 2 on the other hand tho....
Yeah dude those are 90th percentile +. Killer comat scores, not at all surprised by the 256. Clearly this person figured out how to crush these exams.
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hahaha thanks guys...wish I could say I figured it out, I always felt like I guessed on half the questions on every comat
I’m debating submitting for a rescore. I literally can’t figure out how I landed 11 points below my lowest NBME. I have met a ton of people in my class now who tested 6/22 and fell way below their practice averages.
DO students are going to do well then given Comlex and comat vague garbage lol
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AnatomyGrey12
I legit had someone tell me that they felt like Step was a twilight zone experience that seemed like a COMAT on steroids with how vague it was, and felt it closer to the actual COMAT's than to UWorld. Not sure what to think of that lol, it will be interesting to see what happens in a few weeks.
On another note is everyone else having as hard of a time motivating themselves to study like I am? I feel like I am literally crawling into my dedicated. It takes everything I have just to get through some Divine podcasts, very minimal anki cards, and very casually do repeat UWorld questions (I'm talking like 20 a day....)
Dude you’re a BAMF and could crack 250 in your sleep. Have a chill dedicated and go crush that thing.
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AnatomyGrey12
Thanks for the support bro! A 250 would be amazing right about now.
I'm like 36hrs out from my exam and this has been how I've felt the entire time.... lol honestly just can't wait to be done with all these high stakes exams, they 100% fork with my head a bit too much. Just gonna listen to some divine tomorrow and try not to cry too loudly during my exam
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This makes me so scared . I just took it yesterday and felt that the test was really tough. I was originally scheduled to take it in September (6 weeks out) with no dedicated and have to study during my sub-I. But I decided to change my schedule a bit so I had 2 weeks of dedicated and took it yesterday. Now, I am thinking I should have taken the 6 weeks study during sub-I vs. 2 weeks dedicated. Maybe I would have been better prepared?
At the time I took step 2, I thought it was the most challenging and ambiguous test I had ever taken. It is a common feeling for even the most prepared students.
Hopefully everything went well for you. Best to focus on what you can control moving forward. Best wishes to all of you!
Just edited my post from last week with my UWSA2 (265) and new free 120 (75%) scores in case it helps other people for comparison. Not sure how I even made that jump in 7 days, and honestly it feels like I just got extremely lucky. I think that Free 120 score is more accurate tbh. However I'm hoping this will at least guarantee me a 250 which is literally all I even wanted in the first place LOL. Exam is in a few days, will update post with my final score whenever I happen to get it
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Ive been crushing my netflix cue. Got through 4 seasons of 22 episodes this month alone.
Havent done more than 200 anki cards a day.
My next question for the group. I have two months till my exam, but realistically one month because I have a sub I in august.
Is uworld and dorian sufficient?
My first pass uworld during rotations was 80% with roughly 80% complete.
My first pass amboss was ~70% with roughly 70% complete IIRC.
Anyone have month long study plans Etc
Are ya binging supernatural by chance??
I didn't stick with dorian so can't comment. But I've been hitting around mid 260s on UWSAs with around that UW first (only) pass %. Only thing I can recommend besides what you're already doing is Divine Intervention podcasts here and there. I'd say just keep doing what you're doing and you got a shot at 270+ IMO.
