what is a good review book for step 3?

[PM&Radam]

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What is a good review book to use for step 3? I will probably do Kaplan QBank like I did for step 2, but I am also looking for a review book to go through. I used that Brochart book "crush the boards" for step two, I see there is one for step three which I have not seen, but someone told me it is just rehashed and largely the same as the step 2 book. is that true? At any rate, that is the format of book I am looking for, hi yield stuff.

any suggestions?

 

[timtye78]

Crush Step 3 was excellent preparation for COMLEX III (DO boards). Most MD friends of mine said CS3 was excellent for the USMLE III, and my current interns who are MDs are using the text currently with confidence.

 

[cjw0918]

I heard Swanson's Family Practice Guide was a good review book.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

People on the USMLE forums (not the SDN one) are saying how Crush Step 3 is quite redundant with Crush Step 2. Then some of them say how there's this new book called "Strong Medicine for Step 3" which is supposed to be good for the exam. Similar length, somewhat different style than Crush Step 3. I would say you can use either CS3 or Strong and you probably can't go wrong reading one of them.

 

[VentdependenT]

CS2 is CS3 with a little fat cut off and some more pictures.

Strong medicine is a good book but not sure how much it'll payoff for step III. Guess I'll find out.

 

[drlee]

I took and passed Step 3 a couple of months ago. My best recommendation would be to just read over Crush the Boards for Step II (which I used) and do questions like Kaplan Q-bank or www.USMLEworld.com I read Swanson's almost in its entirety but TRUST me, it was a complete waste of time! You won't retain anything because the explanations take forever to read. What I would recommend would be to read over the Emergency Medicine section, Pediatrics, as well as the Geriatrics portion of Swanson's. The topics covered in these sections are all high-yield. UMSLEworld.com also has 88 CCS cases which cover high-yield hypothetical scenarios. These take a long time (1 week or so) to go over but definitely well worth it..

 

[timtye78]

I reviewed Swanson FP review almost exclusivley,for Step 2, due to good reviews, and was disappointed with my results. Suffice it to say, I glanced through it again while studying CS3, and I would agree that it is a bad choice for Step 3 review.

Another book that had rave reviews from some ortho and gen surg buddies was USMLE Step 2 Secrets (Secrets Series) which was a complete waste of time as well for Step 2. Another book that fell on its face, and is a waste of money in my opinion was the Appleton and Lange Review for Step 2.

My friends that did the best on their boards consistently used NMS and Kaplan Question banks.