Studying for Step II CK

[KBerg21]

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I've heard about First Aid, Crush, and Qbank, but what other materials do people recommend for studying for Step II CK? Do most also use the popular clerkship series books (Blueprints, PreTest, First Aid, etc)?

What is a good length of time to devote to full-time review?

Is it true that most people do better on Step II than I? How are the exams similar/different?

Other than the core clerkships, what material is emphasized on the exam (things like ER, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, etc)?

 

[jennyboo]

My formula for getting exactly the same score I got previously:

2 weeks (book yourself off for 3 weeks as one of them will most likely be procrastination)

Crush Step 2

Any single source of sample questions (I used Kaplan Qbook -- cheaper than the online version)

 

[sblau001]

USMLE World online (do a google search) is the best question bank out there. It's also worth shelling out for there patient cases for the clinical skills part of Step 3 when you get there.

 

[FlindersGrad]

I read the blueprint series. Some people don't like it, but it worked very well for me. Apart from that, I used FA and USMLE world only. No matter what books you decide to use....you should use USMLE world.

 

[Blade28]

I used Crush and Boards & Wards. Studied for about 10 days.

 

[Tater]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is Step Up to Medicine. One might argue against using such a "specific" book, but it covers such a large part of the exam. Plus, it is set up in the format of overview, diagnostics and treatment with just the right amount of detail. The "Step II Review books" all felt too superficial for the exam, even in retrospect. That, of course, is just my opinion. But it helped me rock my Internal Medicine Shelf and Step II.

I studied for 2 weeks, and took the test in July. The other piece of advice I would give, is take this thing as soon as possible after your 3rd year.

If you are hoping for (or needing) a good score, it will not behoove you to wait. Despite most student's best intentions, you will not study more over 4th year than you did 3rd year. You will get tied up with the match process, ERAS, interviews, away rotations, and burn-out. And no one has a study ethic at the end of 4th year. (And if you do, you have issues.) Step II was a huge stress that I got over with early on in the game.

 

[Blade28]

Good advice on timing. I took the test during the second week of my MSIV year.

 

[Gauss]

there is a USMLE forum by the way