When should I take Step 2 CS?

[Eat Oatmeal]

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US med student here trying to figure out when the best time is to take the CS component. Some people are saying to do it during my interview month while others say do it early, right after my CK. Any input? Thanks.

Also, how long should I study for it?

 

[-Goose-]

EARLY.

I'm a 4th year about to take this stupid thing and I'm really wishing I already had...

 

[Frugal Traveler]

EARLY.

I'm a 4th year about to take this stupid thing and I'm really wishing I already had...

Agree! When you sign up for the test, the eligibility period is 1 year (double check if it is still so). A few programs are requiring it to rank you, but the majority do not.

I have posted before that I regret putting 2CK and 2CS off until later in the year. Gathering motivation at this point in the year is insanely hard! Take it early while the fire still burns inside .

If your school has OSCEs, then you are ahead of the game. I would study either First Aid for Step 2CS or the Kaplan Step 2CS book (go look at both books to see which one fits your learning style... I really liked the Kaplan Step 2CS book because it explained things clearer than the FA book). I studied here and there... probably equal to 5 days. The most important part is to go to the official USMLE Step 2CS web page and just become familiar with the exam.

Overall, it will be an awkward experience, and you will be sweating it waiting for the score for 2 months (despite 97 % of American medical students passing on the first attempt). You will be glad to have it done!

 

[Eat Oatmeal]

Agree! When you sign up for the test, the eligibility period is 1 year (double check if it is still so). A few programs are requiring it to rank you, but the majority do not.

I have posted before that I regret putting 2CK and 2CS off until later in the year. Gathering motivation at this point in the year is insanely hard! Take it early while the fire still burns inside .

If your school has OSCEs, then you are ahead of the game. I would study either First Aid for Step 2CS or the Kaplan Step 2CS book (go look at both books to see which one fits your learning style... I really liked the Kaplan Step 2CS book because it explained things clearer than the FA book). I studied here and there... probably equal to 5 days. The most important part is to go to the official USMLE Step 2CS web page and just become familiar with the exam.

Overall, it will be an awkward experience, and you will be sweating it waiting for the score for 2 months (despite 97 % of American medical students passing on the first attempt). You will be glad to have it done!

Thanks. That is what I figured as well. People were just saying that it gets too crammed to study. How hard do I need to study for it anyways?

 

[thesauce]

Thanks. That is what I figured as well. People were just saying that it gets too crammed to study. How hard do I need to study for it anyways?

Go through First Aid for CS about 4-5 days before the exam. That should be enough.

 

[mdc848]

I agree that you should definitely take it early. I took it in December and thinking back, it was late. I had ZERO motivation to study and it was kinda hectic during interview season. I was sweating serious bullets thinking I had failed it and would have to take it again. In that scenario, you may not get your scores back in time for graduation! If I had to do it all over again, I would have scheduled it right after 3rd year. I studied a total of about 2 weeks using First Aid.

 

[Euchromatin]

I agree with other posters that you should schedule as soon as possible and get it over with. It would be particularly ideal to do it soon after your own med school's OSCE. I had to wait to schedule mine until I had gotten my next disbursement of student loans...and the earliest dates available were in February.

I haven't gotten my scores back yet, so take my study advice with a grain of salt. Most PGY-1s I talked to said they studied for about 3 days (including on the train/plane/other traveling) and felt that was too much and unnecessary. So I went on the website and read the bulletin, watched the orientation video and spent two days flipping through FA.

 

[thedrjojo]

I avoided it during my AI/letter achieving rotations and instead took it end of october when I was originally scheduled for a required PM&R rotation (ended up changing it so did take it when I was on service with the PD at the program I want to go to, so sometimes the best laid plans...). Our school required it to be taken by early November, so that also limited what we could do... But I would avoid doing it June-September unless you have time planned to be off.

 

[5twilight5]

I agree with the above peeps, take it early! I can't believe I still have to take this test although will be celebrating st. pattys day in chicago after exam so some sort of reward for me ha! BUT I wish I had taken it right after my end year 3 osce in June or atleast at the end of July after my Step 2 CK...it is very hard to sit for an hour looking at the FA or whatevery you may use to refresh your PE skills bah