USMLE Step 2 Study Plan

[AirKnowsTrout]

Hey all, I'm taking Step 2 soon and Plan on using Uworld, SUTM, and Onlinemeded videos. Do you think this is enough to do well? Or do I need some study book for non-IM topics too? I was in the 260s on step 1 and have been in the upper 80s to low 90s on my shelfs (except OB which sucked) for reference, but I'm like 9 months removed from IM shelf because IM was my first rotation.

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[stepone2015]

I was 250s on Step 1 and was also ~14 months from IM.

I did FA 2CK and UW. I made it half way through FA before getting too bored to finish. I finished UW once and went through roughly 75% of my incorrects due to time constraints. I blocked out a solid month of study time and probably used roughly 75% of that time, studying less as the month went on 2/2 burn out and apathy. I also did watch the leukemia section of Pathoma videos and the Emma Holiday videos, but I really don't think they got me a single point. I'd still watch them because they give a nice break from UW/FA.

I also took zero notes - literally nothing from FA or UW. I took a crap ton of notes for Step 1 and realized afterwards they were totally useless. The stuff I couldn't remember from FA/UW passes for Step 1 were the useless minutia.

Still did very well (almost 20 points more than Step 1, with CK >265). Honestly, shelf studying and studying during rotations forms the basis of Step 2 knowledge. UW/FA etc is really just a review. I did a full UW pass during 3rd year, which helps it all come back really quick. My shelf scores were really nothing special. It ranged from mid 70s to mid 80s, with a high of like 88, overall average of like 78ish.

Also, I found NBMEs/UWSAs to be highly inaccurate for CK. I've seen many people saying they are dead on, but for me, they were predicting 240-250.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I was 250s on Step 1 and was also ~14 months from IM.

I did FA 2CK and UW. I made it half way through FA before getting too bored to finish. I finished UW once and went through roughly 75% of my incorrects due to time constraints. I blocked out a solid month of study time and probably used roughly 75% of that time, studying less as the month went on 2/2 burn out and apathy. I also did watch the leukemia section of Pathoma videos and the Emma Holiday videos, but I really don't think they got me a single point. I'd still watch them because they give a nice break from UW/FA.

I also took zero notes - literally nothing from FA or UW. I took a crap ton of notes for Step 1 and realized afterwards they were totally useless. The stuff I couldn't remember from FA/UW passes for Step 1 were the useless minutia.

Still did very well (almost 20 points more than Step 1, with CK >265). Honestly, shelf studying and studying during rotations forms the basis of Step 2 knowledge. UW/FA etc is really just a review. I did a full UW pass during 3rd year, which helps it all come back really quick. My shelf scores were really nothing special. It ranged from mid 70s to mid 80s, with a high of like 88, overall average of like 78ish.

Also, I found NBMEs/UWSAs to be highly inaccurate for CK. I've seen many people saying they are dead on, but for me, they were predicting 240-250.

How were your UW averages (during your first and second passes)?

 

[stepone2015]

How were your UW averages (during your first and second passes)?

UW during 3rd year was probably like 60%ish. During dedicated, it started at like 61% and rose to 78% at the end.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

UW during 3rd year was probably like 60%ish. During dedicated, it started at like 61% and rose to 78% at the end.

Thank you. I was about to swallow a cyanide pill after seeing people scoring >80% and I'm only stuck at 65%.

 

[AkGrown84]

Thank you. I was about to swallow a cyanide pill after seeing people scoring >80% and I'm only stuck at 65%.

Same. Sitting over here at 61% in UW. :/

 

[recycledpaper]

I just got hit with a rough UW patch as well. But there's no reason to be upset if you are getting concepts wrong that you've never learned. A lot of people use UW as a learning tool for that reason. Just gotta keep plugging away. We all gonna make it.