Step II CS Experience

[VTMedStudent]

I am definitely a new member to SDN -- actually spent 5 minutes just trying to figure out how to start a new thread, so I'll just have to see what happens.

I took my CS in Philly yesterday and was pretty surprised by its difficulty. I read FA and studied for a solid 5-6 days before, which was actually pretty sufficient as I am from a US school with solid SP experience built into our curriculum. Nonetheless, I could have prepared better and am disappointed by what seems like too many critical mistakes. Here they are, feel free to learn from them or comment.

I am assuming since there is a 98% pass rate +/-, you can afford a ton of mistakes, but since ICE is most common area of failure for US med students, it has definitely gotten me worried... Would love feedback, etc. thanks.

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[septoplasty]

I am definitely a new member to SDN -- actually spent 5 minutes just trying to figure out how to start a new thread, so I'll just have to see what happens.

I took my CS in Philly yesterday and was pretty surprised by its difficulty. I read FA and studied for a solid 5-6 days before, which was actually pretty sufficient as I am from a US school with solid SP experience built into our curriculum. Nonetheless, I could have prepared better and am disappointed by what seems like too many critical mistakes. Here they are, feel free to learn from them or comment.

I am assuming since there is a 98% pass rate +/-, you can afford a ton of mistakes, but since ICE is most common area of failure for US med students, it has definitely gotten me worried... Would love feedback, etc. thanks.

This is the most common feeling after exams, I suggest looking at the million other threads where people have freaked out after having self determined "critical" mistakes and then later passing it with high performance.

Unless you didn't wash your hands, didn't use the word "sorry" once in your encounter, or smelled like doggy doodoo.. you'll pass.

 

[Merrily]

Dude..Join the club!

I took CS about a couple of weeks ago. I am DREADING every minute of waiting for the score. There are times where I feel as though I did decent. Then there are those times that I want to crawl into a hole because I feel like I did TERRIBLE.

Reflecting on that day:
- Knocked (except on one case which I thought was a PHONE case, but then I saw the mother in the room - so I knocked as I opened. I FEEL TERRIBLE whenever I remind myself of it)!!!
- Was empathetic
- Asked relevant questions (I think) to get a few differentials
- Did CV, Pulm exam on everyone + the appropriate exam related to their disease after putting gloves on.
- The few cases I did Abd exams on, I COULD NOT maneuver the damn examining table - so I had to help the patients up! Aaaah!!!
- Did closure on all the cases except one where I was 90% through, and I ran out of time!
- On the aforementioned case where I forgot to knock - TOTALLY threw me off because of the bad start. So, TOTALLY forgot to ask PMH, PSH, Allergies, Meds. WHO DOES THAT??? Obviously, freaking out about it!!
- I did NOT run out of space for the PN - umm..does that mean that I did not ask enough qs? :O

Man!! What an experience.

Ugh. I hate this!!!

 

[VTMedStudent]

nh

 

[footcloud]

Good luck! Do you actually have to explain to the patient what you're doing in detail? I am used to doing that in school OSCE's where there's a physician examiner in the room. But there's no physician here, so do you just tell the patient, "I'm looking at your neck vein" and don't go on about how it can indicate blah blah...?

 

[septoplasty]

Oh man, just took this "beast" today and man is it different!

Now that I think about it, I forgot various things, particular PE's, maybe even a few questions, ugh.. worse feeling on earth!

 

[Valadi]

Your information gathering is just one part of the exam. There are like 6 other graded areas. If you did everything else great but failed to ask a few key questions/exam findings then you'll still be fine. I've been doing subspecialty research for a year before I took it and missed a STROKE patient, but still passed fine because I smiled, empathize, knock, wash hounds, and make sure they understand what's going on. If you do that, you'll be fine.