time off for boards?

[marie337]

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How many people are planning to take a month off for board review? We have four weeks to spare in our schedule at my school. I'm debating whether to take August off and study in the sun, or finish early. I have my PE exam in August, so I could just take Step 2 later in the month. Anyone else taking a month off? Will I regret it next year when I have to go 4 weeks longer than everyone else?

 

[Ypo.]

Most students have told me not to blow it off; take the month. I'm taking July off and will take step 2 CS and CK during that time. I'll be glad to be done with them, too.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I'm taking Dec./Jan. off for interviews and am planning to take Step 2 CK mid-December. I'm trying to plan for an easy elective before the time off in December. I'm taking Step 2 CS in the summer, but I'm not planning on any time off for that.

 

[futuredo32]

I'm just taking the Comlex Step 2 (not the USMLE) and I've heard it's on the easier side. I'm not planning to take any time off to study for it. (Hopefully that won't be a mistake🙂 )

 

[Ashers]

I'm taking vacation in Nov to take Step 2 CK and CS. Not sure how long I'll study for either yet, or where I'll take CK -- I registered for CS already.

 

[marie337]

On the one hand, I've been told it's much easier and requires less studying. On the other hand, I have an extra month to use and I'd hate to not put enough time into studying. I keep thinking that I'd rather use my vacation in August than April of fourth year when it's still cold here. I just keep thinking that I'm going to be struck with some terrible illness or family problem that I'll need that extra time for and regret using it early. I'll probably go ahead and take the time off though.

 

[AlternateSome1]

Study during a rotation. Plan on a few solid days of review prior to the exam, then just enjoy your time off. Step 2 CK is more about clinical decision making than knowledge of science errata, so your experiences during your clinical year are going to be more important than a month of cramming. Step 2 CS only requires a day or two to look over the First Aid for the CS book and an understanding of the exam, so don't go overboard with prep for that either.

 

[Ypo.]

For whatever it's worth, 90% of the fourth year students at my school said to NOT make the mistake of only taking a week to study for step 2 CK. (they said don't worry about step 2 CS, though-a few days prep is fine for that).

The only reason residency programs look at step 1 results more than step 2 is because not all applicants will have step 2 completed at the time of application. Step 2 is not necessarily an easier test, just different. What is easier is that I think our shelf exams have prepared us more for step 2 than our first two clinical years prepared us for step 1 (style of the test i mean).

 

[marie337]

For whatever it's worth, 90% of the fourth year students at my school said to NOT make the mistake of only taking a week to study for step 2 CK. (they said don't worry about step 2 CS, though-a few days prep is fine for that).

The only reason residency programs look at step 1 results more than step 2 is because not all applicants will have step 2 completed at the time of application. Step 2 is not necessarily an easier test, just different. What is easier is that I think our shelf exams have prepared us more for step 2 than our first two clinical years prepared us for step 1 (style of the test i mean).

This is what I've heard as well. I did decent on step one and would hate to screw that up by bombing step 2. Also, I'm having a hard time studying during my rotations right now because I'm just burnt out.

 

[WestcoastMedicine]

I am taking off the month of July so I will have three solid weeks and then a week off after the exam. At our school you have to have passed step II before December.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I took a month off and took 2CK after 2 weeks of preparation.

This worked well but I wish I had that vacation month now!

If I were to do it again, I would take it at the end of whatever rotations at your school are particularly light. (ie. afternoons off, no weekends)

 

[drfunktacular]

I took a month off and took 2CK after 2 weeks of preparation.

This worked well but I wish I had that vacation month now!

If I were to do it again, I would take it at the end of whatever rotations at your school are particularly light. (ie. afternoons off, no weekends)

I am planning to take mine in week 4 of my 6 week "psych-ation". Students on some of the inpatient teams get done with their day at 9:30am

Here's hoping I get put on one of those teams so I can get to the library and hit the books! I will have had all the basic MS3 clerkships at that point, and my understanding is that psych comprises like 4-8 Q's on the entire exam, and ridiculously easy ones at that, so I am not too worried about focusing on CK instead of the clerkship.

Whether all of this works out for me, we shall see...