What 2 study for Step 2?

[tryn2BNMD]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Any advice on what to study for step 2 would be greatly appreciated!

 

[fourthyear]

Boards and Wards is awesome for a quick review of most of those keywords you see in all those question vingettes.

Most people I know used the big NMS Question book for question review. Kaplan is good too, but I think NMS is cheaper and has tons of questions.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to USMLE Forum...

 

[Jim Picotte]

I took it December of 2001 and only 6 days for studying but I used the core blueprint series and the Boards and Wards book. I don't think qbank was available then. I scored very high with this. I used the same regimine for Step 3 as well and scored very high. I think the key was that I used the blueprint series for every shelf exam, then reread them for Step 2 and then again for Step 3 so you just become comfortable with the books. It really doesn't matter what source you use as long as you can tolerate the format of the book and review from it. If I had to pick only 2 things to use it would be boards and wards and probably q bank. The newer clinical cases from blueprints are really excellent as well (very high yield).

 

[Global Disrobal]

I went w/Blueprints (some of them), Crush the Boards, and Q-bank primarily. I studied off of First Aid (Step 2 Edition) for a few days and found it to be not useful.

Good luck

 

[unregistered]

Boards and Wards. This is the only book I read, for about 8 hours of total studying, and I got a decent score. I really think you only need this one book and you can do okay. If you want to destroy step II, on the other hand, then you probably need more. But who cares about step II scores? nobody... unless you fail. I wouldn't waste my time or money on Qbank. just my $0.02.


good luck.

 

[Global Disrobal]

Hey "unregistered"

Not to risk starting a war of words but curosity leads me to ask...

In your recent posts you state that you have not taken Step 2 yet, you have read 80% or so of Harrison's, and you asked about NMS vs Kaplan.

Curious, have you taken the test? If yes, share with us your experience and save the .02 in yourt pocket. If not, get back to the books, and put in more than 8 hours.

And last I checked Step 2 did matter not only for graduation but also for residency.

Later

 

[PTCA]

I don?t have answers, only more questions .I am using b&w, prescription for the boards, a little bit of first aid ,nms for questions and the blueprints
Blueprints peds just seems too much! Does anyone feel the same? Any alternatives?
Do you think crush the boards has anything to add to the above scheme?
Any good questions in print? (like blueprints? are Q&A or clinical cases useful?)

 

[Global Disrobal]

I agree with you on the blue prints. Some of them are just not the appropriate thing to study off of for Step 2. I limited my Blue Prints use for Step 2 to Psych, OB-Gyn, and Medicine. Surg and Peds were good for wards but not the exam I thought.

Crush the boards worked for me, but friends have had good experiences with B&W and Prescriptions as well.

Good luck

 

[snaggletooth]

How is First Aid for Ob/Gyn and Psych for the wards.......how do they compare with the Blueprints series?

 

[Global Disrobal]

Are you refering to First Aid for Step 2 or First Aid for the Wards?

First Aid for Step 2 is ok for the topics you mentioned, but in terms of the wards I think Blue Prints is a better choice. It is brief in nature but does describe material in more detail than First Aid which is naturally in an outline format. For example go to your medschool's book store and look up gyn surgical sections or Ob delivery/postpartum care sections of the 2 books and see the difference. Ultimately it'll come down to your specific taste.

 

[snaggletooth]

No, I'm talking about First Aid for the Psych clerkship and First Aid for the Ob/Gyn clerkship.

 

[Burton]

FYI. There are multiple users who use the "Unregistered" user name. I am one of those who has yet to take the Deuce. There are others who're done.

 

[Global Disrobal]

My bad snaggletooth...can't help ya with those. I'll ask and see if anyone here has used them.

Thanks for the FYI Burton.

 

[Burton]

Originally posted by Global Disrobal
My bad snaggletooth...can't help ya with those. I'll ask and see if anyone here has used them.

Thanks for the FYI Burton.

That actually wasn't me- I apparently forgot to log out of a public computer.

 

[unregistered]

Let me clear the confusion:

"unregistered" is a generic login that multiple ppl use, because the username and password are both "unregistered" so i don't know what other ppl are posting with this username.

In any case, I *did* take Step II, I *did* only study 8 hrs for it reading only B&W, and I did pass it with an okay score (222), and I am currently an intern. No need to get pissy, GD. I'm just passing along my experience, so take it or leave it.

 

[Global Disrobal]

Relax...