Step 2 and Medicine Sub-I

[jbernar1]

Does anybody know if people who do their junior internship in medicine before they take Step 2 do better than people who do not? Or does it even matter?

 

[Global Disrobal]

This thread is probably better suited for the USMLE forum, but to answer your question: Out of my friends (and I) we basically felt that the sub-I was a good help, but not as much as you think for Step 2. Study the books, sit, take it and get it over with. You'll know the material you need to know without a sub-I!

 

[Kalel]

Originally posted by Global Disrobal
This thread is probably better suited for the USMLE forum, but to answer your question: Out of my friends (and I) we basically felt that the sub-I was a good help, but not as much as you think for Step 2. Study the books, sit, take it and get it over with. You'll know the material you need to know without a sub-I!

Yup, I agree. If your sub-i is like mine, you'll spend most of your time during the sub-i learning basic hospital management skills like writing orders, dosing medicines, and you'll have less free time to read about rare diseases that you will never see anywhere besides the USMLE then you did during your third year clerkship. It's not going to hurt your performance, but if you need to take step II early, I wouldn't put it right after your sub-i because you won't have time to study during it, and I wouldn't post-pone step II just to get your sub-i experience. If you are going into medicine, most the knowledge you learned during third year in ob, peds, and surgery that will appear on step II is most easily recalled right after third year.