Click here to share your STEP 2 CK experience in this database
User Name
obcoolj
IMG
AMG
Status
Residency aspirant
Exam on
19-01-2009
Result on
10-02-2010
Result
Pass
Attempt No
1
2 Digit Score
98
3 Digit Score
236
USMLE WORLD Score
66%
UW Percentage Completed
100%
NBME 1 score
200
NBME 2 score
215
USMLE CD score
Kaplan Q bank
Kaplan Q book
Kaplan Simulated score
Duration of preparation
1 Month
Experience:
1. usmle world,usmle step2 secrets, step up to medicine
2. much easier to study for than step 1. felt usmleworld questions very similar
3. was allowed to wear own earplugs which is new from step 1. it was hard to stay focused and not get tired at the end of sections. definitely needed the caffeine and redbull between breaks especially for last 2 sections. hated using those fat erasable markers and 2 sheets of eraser boards. should have practiced using them while taking practice tests instead of looseleaf paper.
4. do usmle world all the way through before you take the test.definitely have caffeine for the afternoon part of the test. it really helped me finish as i was getting exhausted physically and mentally.
Experience:
Kaplan LN 2008-2009
UW Q bank
Kaplan Vide lec of Conrad Fishcer
Behav science
Obg
Preventive Med
Biostat
Repeatedly read UW q explanations- try to read Kaplan & UW atleast thrice
Give online nbme 2 or 4 2 weeks before exam then repeat the weaker subjects
Experience:
1. USMLE WORLD Question bank
- Materials from M3 Clerkships
- Lectures from M2 courses
2. Two weeks of preparation
3. Exam day was long, difficulty of questions very similar to USMLE World
4. During preparation the most important thing is to be honest with yourself about what you know and what you don't know and trying to fill any gaps in your knowlegde base. There is no room for ego during test preparation.
Experience:
1)Study Kaplan first,follow up by your textbooks.This helps you to do a targeted study.UW is again must after the initial reading.
2)keep cool on exam day.Believe that you are the best and nobody is going to do better than you.The day prior to exam must not be stressful.Do not worry about results.This is not an elimination test.
Experience:
Exam preparation time: ( Total 4 months)
First reading - Kaplan Lecture notes (including discussion with study partners) :
Internal Medicine - 8 days
Paediatrics : 7 days
OBGYN : 6 days
Surgery : 7 days
Psychiatry: 5 days
Total : 33 days
Video tapes: 20 days
MCQs:
Q Bank : 7 days
Q book : 5 days
USMLE WORLD : 18 days
USMLE WORLD Revision : 5 days
Kaplan Lecture Notes Revision 1:
Internal Medicine : 7 days
Paediatrics: 4 days
OBGYN : 31/2 days
Surgery : 3 days
Psychiatry: 2 1/2 days
Total : 20 days
Kaplan Lecture Notes Revision 2 :
5 days
Exam day experience:
Most of the actual exam questions had the same pattern like USMLE WORLD questions. I felt as if most of the questions were vague and when I completed all the blocks I had no idea how much I would score. The first 4 blocks went on fine. After lunch, the last 4 blocks were very vague and I thought I screwed up. In most of the questions, two choices seemed to be correct and I found it difficult to narrow down. I thought my step 2 ck score would be less than that of STEP 1 (95). But thank God, I got a 99.
My suggestions for exam takers:
1. Stick to a single source of lecture notes.
2. Do not waste time reading huge textbooks like Harrison or Davidson or CMDT. Even Washington Manual or Oxford handbooks are not necessary. Just read Kaplan notes and start practicing MCQs. The more you practice and revise MCQs, the better would be your score.
3. Keep cool. Tension brings down your efficiency.