When to write CS????

[kdentist]

I am writing on behalf of a friend who is in a Canadian Medical School 4th year. She has already matched for resedency in Canada and will start in July 08. She wrote her USMLE step 1 two years ago. Will be writing her step 2CK in May 08 and is wondering when she should write step 2 CS? She also writes her Canadian Boards in May 08.

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[Rogue_Leader]

She should check with her school to make sure there aren't any requirements regarding having taken or passed the CS before graduation, as well as checking with her residency to make sure they don't require that the CS has been taken or passed before starting the program. At this point, if she takes the CS before May 17, she wouldn't get her results until June 18. If after May 17, then the results wouldn't come in until August.

Available spots for the CS are pretty much filled through the next few months, but there are random spots available if you aren't picky about where you take the exam, or taking the exam during the evening session.

At this point, if she's slated to graduate this spring, she's all set on the clinical coursework she'll need for the exam, and wouldn't need much more preperation than a weekend with First Aid for the CS. I would think that she should take the CS as soon as is convenient for her.

 

[kdentist]

She has been matched in Canada so she is writing these US exams just in case she decides to go for felloship 3 years down the road!!

Her only question is after writing the CS in first week of May when is a good time to write her CK?

 

[Rogue_Leader]

Is she taking the CS or the CK in May? Your first message said CK and your second said CS. In any case, if it's not required for anything immediately, then I think it's just OK to suggest that she get them out of the way before starting internship, because taking the CS will require 1-2 days off to travel to the site and back. The CK will require about 2 weeks of moderately intensive study which she really wouldn't have time for during internship, so it's much better to study during a light rotation during 4th year. The CS and the CK do not overlap too much in terms of content tested, so there's not overall rule about when you should take the two in relation to each other (I took my CS 4 months before taking the CK).

 

[kdentist]

My mistake!

Yes she is writing ck in May!

And thanks for the info that she can get the CS out of the way!