Step 2 CS without Psych, OB or Peds

[agranulocytosis]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I've scheduled my CS for 16 days from now and I have less than 2 days to decide whether or not I should delay taking my exam until later this year, most likely October. The only rotations I've done so far are FM, IM and Surg with Psych, OB and Peds still remaining.

Now, I don't have any worries about matching in 2010 because of the way my school works, so I will be likely matching in 2011. Therefore, I'm really considering pushing my CS back until later this year because there's no need to take it so early.

What do you guys think? Are those 3 rotations really necessary to pass the test?

 

[Law2Doc]

So I've scheduled my CS for 16 days from now and I have less than 2 days to decide whether or not I should delay taking my exam until later this year, most likely October. The only rotations I've done so far are FM, IM and Surg with Psych, OB and Peds still remaining.

Now, I don't have any worries about matching in 2010 because of the way my school works, so I will be likely matching in 2011. Therefore, I'm really considering pushing my CS back until later this year because there's no need to take it so early.

What do you guys think? Are those 3 rotations really necessary to pass the test?

There will be a ton of OB psych and peds on the test. It would be foolish to take it before you have at least some of those if you have the option.

 

[pseudoknot]

There will be a ton of OB psych and peds on the test. It would be foolish to take it before you have at least some of those if you have the option.

CS, not CK.

 

[Law2Doc]

CS, not CK.

My bad -- I misread. In terms of those courses you may have teen patients in person or child patients by phone (peds), depressed patients and patients requiring a MMSE (psych) and will be expected to ask about possible pregnancy of any young women with abdominal symptoms, and "order" pelvic exams for potential STD patients (OBGYN). All of this you can probably learn on your own, but you will have to sit down and do it.

 

[agranulocytosis]

My bad -- I misread. In terms of those courses you may have teen patients in person or child patients by phone (peds), depressed patients and patients requiring a MMSE (psych) and will be expected to ask about possible pregnancy of any young women with abdominal symptoms, and "order" pelvic exams for potential STD patients (OBGYN). All of this you can probably learn on your own, but you will have to sit down and do it.

I feel as though the OB part wouldn't be difficult for me to learn on my own since the pelvic exams are to be ordered on the Patient Note as part of the work up, but the Psych and Peds portions I would most definitely need work with.

If anyone has taken the CS without having taken Psych or Peds, please respond!

 

[SOUNDMAN]

I took the PE exam (DO equivalent) without having done Psych, and I was fine.

 

[Nuriko]

For Peds, understand that youre not going to actually see a patient. Either you will call the parent and get information, or you will be talking to the mother/father in person. In either case, the encounter will just be history, with no physical exam. As there is no physical, your differential will include almost ANY systemic illness you can think of (pyelo, meningitis, sepsis, gastroenteritis, etc.) and your workup will be just about any diagnostic test (LP, UA/culture, blood cultures). The ONLY thing youll have to learn is how to take a proper pediatric history w/ birth history, development, feeding, etc.

 

[Law2Doc]

For Peds, understand that youre not going to actually see a patient. Either you will call the parent and get information, or you will be talking to the mother/father in person. In either case, the encounter will just be history, with no physical exam. As there is no physical, your differential will include almost ANY systemic illness you can think of (pyelo, meningitis, sepsis, gastroenteritis, etc.) and your workup will be just about any diagnostic test (LP, UA/culture, blood cultures). The ONLY thing youll have to learn is how to take a proper pediatric history w/ birth history, development, feeding, etc.

Well, there are a LOT of pediatric ailments you won't have much exposure to simply from IM, so unless you've studied for the peds shelf exam, you might be flailing to come up with ddx for some things. Additionally, you may have teenager patients who technically fall under the category of peds, and they can be evasive and have a host of peer pressure related questions, you might not know to ask.

 

[agranulocytosis]

Well, there are a LOT of pediatric ailments you won't have much exposure to simply from IM, so unless you've studied for the peds shelf exam, you might be flailing to come up with ddx for some things. Additionally, you may have teenager patients who technically fall under the category of peds, and they can be evasive and have a host of peer pressure related questions, you might not know to ask.

Do we do physical exams on those teenaged Peds patients?

As a side note, I've decided to stick with my original test date, which is a week from now. Prep's been going well so far, and I feel that I can obtain the pertinent histories from those cases that first seemed troublesome.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Law2Doc]

Do we do physical exams on those teenaged Peds patients?
...

Yes.