BOTH Class of 2018 Study Thread

Your USMLE Scores Increased, Guaranteed!
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
ortnakas

ortnakas

DO
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Physician
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Messages
3,257
Reaction score
5,118
A lot of us loved our study thread for Step 1, so why not recreate it for Step 2?

I know we won't be thinking hardcore about USMLE/COMLEX until next spring/summer, but figured we could use this for strategizing now, and for shelf exams too.

Paging: @W19 @gobigorgohome22 @Entadus @Ibn Alnafis MD @AlgernonMed @TheShaker @Mad Jack @NontradCA
Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8 users
Sort by date Sort by votes
KP2AZ said:
I feel you on that. I'm replacing MTB's IM section with Step Up to Medicine, then doing all the smaller subjects with MTB.
Click to expand...

Seems like a solid idea. SUTM is great. I'm doing OB right now and it's just missing a ton. Like nothing on leiomyoma. Nothing on the workup of primary and secondary amenorrhea, not much on the female cancers. It's scary!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
How is your UW average? And by killing COMAT, you mean honoring all of them? Any other sources besides UW?

My school gives us the number that NBOME reports. 100 is median with 10 being STDV. 110+ is Honor.
Click to expand...

I'm a 1,000 questions in with an average of 68% on uworld. I've honored all my comats except omm. Our school gives honors for 92+ which is a scaled score based off our % correct or something like that specific to our school. I just took the IM comat 4 weeks ago and got a 100 scaled score with the class average of 85 scaled. I'm also using FA for step 2 which I really like. I've annotated some of uworld into it and most of it is already in there.

I'm also going to take NBME practice exams a week prior to make sure I'm in the right range.

The difference is just taking it 9 weeks early. Is 8 weeks of family really going to help me for step 2? When I can only study maybe 2 hours some nights? My schedule now for the next 4 weeks is 4 half days a week only.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
KP2AZ said:
More power to you if that works. Is it a particularly difficult FM rotation that is a major time commitment (more than just 9 to 5)?
Click to expand...

Just an 8-5 rotation M-F plus I love to workout 3 days per week which takes 2 hours each session and I work about 5 weekend days per month (can study some at work). My rotation now is 4 half days a week... So huge difference in time...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
MelMcT2009 said:
For those of you using MTB, what do you think of the massive amount of material left out? I've been using it lightly for awhile and can't decide if I should just switch to FA. MTB seems to be missing a ton of important topics.
Click to expand...

I've been using FA and uworld (not all the questions) for most of my comats and I've been doing very well based on my scaled scores our school gives us. So I feel FA is pretty complete.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
MackandBlues said:
I've been using FA and uworld (not all the questions) for most of my comats and I've been doing very well based on my scaled scores our school gives us. So I feel FA is pretty complete.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

Nice! I'm pretty much just using questions (Uworld, COMBANK, USMLErx), and have just been referencing books when needed, which is why I'm so late to realize that MTB is lacking lol. It's worked out well for COMATs doing it this way, just not sure how it'll hold up for USMLE
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
MackandBlues said:
I'm a 1,000 questions in with an average of 68% on uworld. I've honored all my comats except omm. Our school gives honors for 92+ which is a scaled score based off our % correct or something like that specific to our school. I just took the IM comat 4 weeks ago and got a 100 scaled score with the class average of 85 scaled. I'm also using FA for step 2 which I really like. I've annotated some of uworld into it and most of it is already in there.

I'm also going to take NBME practice exams a week prior to make sure I'm in the right range.

The difference is just taking it 9 weeks early. Is 8 weeks of family really going to help me for step 2? When I can only study maybe 2 hours some nights? My schedule now for the next 4 weeks is 4 half days a week only.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
It certainly can be done but I feel I'd still need true dedicated time to fully prepare.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ortnakas said:
No dedicated sucks, I'm sorry! I thought all schools gave you at least a couple of weeks. (We have one block you can use for studying without risking going off-schedule)
Click to expand...

We have 2 weeks but I need a vacation!!! Lol only 6 days plus then I'd be using my other week to test which was my original plan. We do get 2 vacation months in 4th year to use as we want but July-Sep I will hopefully be on audition rotations.

So going to power through and make my dedicated these next 3 weeks. I'm seriously having step 1 flashbacks. Not fun. Also I forgot how to study for more than 30 min at a time....


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
ortnakas said:
Me too. UWorld giveth and UWorld taketh away-- I got a 70% on one block and was pleased with myself, then followed it up with a 30%. When do you take the shelf?
Click to expand...

The accuracy I get an 88% on one block and 73% in the next but at this point I'll take anything above a 70% per block. 470 questions left to go...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Members don't see this ad :)
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
My average is in the 60's too. It worries me, but I've also seen posts by people who scored well on step2 despite a low UW. If UW your primary source of preparation, then you shouldn't worry too much. That's what I've been told. Just do your best and hope for things to fall in place.
Click to expand...
What is (was) your Uworld average for the IM section?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
W19 said:
@MelMcT2009

I am using Uworld and Step Up for IM. I used Uworld and Kaplan Qbanks for peds which got me around mid 80 in the shelf.
Click to expand...

Nice. I hate that there isnt a "gold standard" for step 2 like there was for step 1! I've pretty much just been using question banks. We will see how that works out!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
My average is in the 60's too. It worries me, but I've also seen posts by people who scored well on step2 despite a low UW. If UW your primary source of preparation, then you shouldn't worry too much. That's what I've been told. Just do your best and hope for things to fall in place.
Click to expand...

It's not getting any better; I am terrified right now. Did not get even 50% in my last 4 blocks.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
W19 said:
It's not getting any better; I am terrified right now. Did not get even 50% in my last 4 blocks.
Click to expand...
Yeah, UWorld sometimes trolls you. I was scoring 70+ on few blocks then I got hit with a gnarly one that I scored 56% on. How much of the Qbank have you done?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Yeah, UWorld sometimes trolls you. I was scoring 70+ on few blocks then I got hit with a gnarly one that I scored 56% on. How much of the Qbank have you done?
Click to expand...

The beginning was horrible but my average slowly started shifting upward as I did more questions. But even at the end I still had a couple of odd blocks with 65% then go back to getting >80% . Just ride the wave @W19
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
AshNiffler said:
The beginning was horrible but my average slowly started shifting upward as I did more questions. But even at the end I still had a couple of odd blocks with 65% then go back to getting >80% . Just ride the wave @W19
Click to expand...
For me it was up and down from the beginning. Most of my blocks were 65-75 with few being in the 50's and 80's. Unfortunately, more of the 50's than the 80's, so my overall up to this point (93% done) is 66%.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
For me it was up and down from the beginning. Most of my blocks were 65-75 with few being in the 50's and 80's. Unfortunately, more of the 50's than the 80's, so my overall up to this point (93% done) is 66%.
Click to expand...

It's a first pass and all things considered I didn't have high expectations. I always do random tutor mode and sometimes I just pick an answer so I can get to the explanation. Uworld is more of a textbook for me for step 2. I use the NBME for assessment.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SUTM is literally the most annoying thing to read.

Someone needs to invent a frequently-updated resource on high-yield topics for CK. Like UpToDate but wayyy less stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
AshNiffler said:
It's a first pass and all things considered I didn't have high expectations. I always do random tutor mode and sometimes I just pick an answer so I can get to the explanation. Uworld is more of a textbook for me for step 2. I use the NBME for assessment.
Click to expand...
More like textbooks, lol. A friend of mine took screenshots using his phone of all the tables/figures/diagrams and turn them into a PDF textbook. ~400 pages!!! That's not inlcuding the actual text in the explanation, which would amount to much more than that.

I too use it as a learning tool (tutor, untimed). It's more important to learn the material at this point than simulating the real test.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
More like textbooks, lol. A friend of mine took screenshots using his phone of all the tables/figures/diagrams and turn them into a PDF textbook. ~400 pages!!! That's not inlcuding the actual text in the explanation, which would amount to much more than that.

I too use it as a learning tool (tutor, untimed). It's more important to learn the material at this point than simulating the real test.
Click to expand...
agreed

lol Jesus, whatever works for him I guess. My step 2 prep is the reverse of my step 1 prep but I'm trying to make it in time for September so I don't have a choice.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
For me it was up and down from the beginning. Most of my blocks were 65-75 with few being in the 50's and 80's. Unfortunately, more of the 50's than the 80's, so my overall up to this point (93% done) is 66%.
Click to expand...
66% in that monster is good IMO... That can easily get you a 250+ if you do a second past. I am at 59% so far and that has crushed my spirit...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
AshNiffler said:
The beginning was horrible but my average slowly started shifting upward as I did more questions. But even at the end I still had a couple of odd blocks with 65% then go back to getting >80% . Just ride the wave @W19
Click to expand...

I do it by subject since I am using it to study for the shelf... My highest score was in a psych block (84%)...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
W19 said:
66% in that monster is good IMO... That can easily get you a 250+ if you do a second past. I am at 59% so far and that has crushed my spirit...
Click to expand...
59% is not bad. You still have a lot of room for improvement and your score will only increase from this point and on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm at 1600+ questions done and still at 69% overall... Trying to finish my first pass and reading FA for the second time. UWorld really loves the Lyme disease. Every other question its like "recent camping trip to X".


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
For me it was up and down from the beginning. Most of my blocks were 65-75 with few being in the 50's and 80's. Unfortunately, more of the 50's than the 80's, so my overall up to this point (93% done) is 66%.
Click to expand...

Ive got 7% left too haha. Psych?
MackandBlues said:
I'm at 1600+ questions done and still at 69% overall... Trying to finish my first pass and reading FA for the second time. UWorld really loves the Lyme disease. Every other question its like "recent camping trip to X".


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

Because we know that Lyme disease is super high yield for the real world
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
MackandBlues said:
I'm at 1600+ questions done and still at 69% overall... Trying to finish my first pass and reading FA for the second time. UWorld really loves the Lyme disease. Every other question its like "recent camping trip to X".


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
That's a solid performance. How was you step1 if you don't mind me asking?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
My exam's at the end of this month and I'm doing my second pass of UWorld with an 85% average. With my dedicated study time, I'm doing about 3-4 blocks a day and have about 1400 more questions to go. I've also finished and reviewed 4 CMS exams.

I haven't bothered with MTB for quite some time. I read it more than once, but I don't find it to be very helpful. It's an okay book if you need a general overview of what the exam covers or if you've been away from rotations for a while. Like others have pointed out, you don't necessarily need any one book as a source. I rely more on UWorld, my UWorld notes, and flashcards I made during my first pass of UWorld. Their question bank seems to be quite adequate.

After this pass of UWorld, I'll be focussing on my remaining 8 CMS exams, one or two NBMEs, and the UWorld Sim exams. My weakest area, I think, is Biostats.

Let me know if any of you are looking for a study partner to go over CMS exams and NBMEs, or to go over any questions/concerns regarding topics. I could always use some brushing up on Biostats.

Best of luck to everyone.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
colonelmustard said:
My exam's at the end of this month and I'm doing my second pass of UWorld with an 85% average. With my dedicated study time, I'm doing about 3-4 blocks a day and have about 1400 more questions to go. I've also finished and reviewed 4 CMS exams.

I haven't bothered with MTB for quite some time. I read it more than once, but I don't find it to be very helpful. It's an okay book if you need a general overview of what the exam covers or if you've been away from rotations for a while. Like others have pointed out, you don't necessarily need any one book as a source. I rely more on UWorld, my UWorld notes, and flashcards I made during my first pass of UWorld. Their question bank seems to be quite adequate.

After this pass of UWorld, I'll be focussing on my remaining 8 CMS exams, one or two NBMEs, and the UWorld Sim exams. My weakest area, I think, is Biostats.

Let me know if any of you are looking for a study partner to go over CMS exams and NBMEs, or to go over any questions/concerns regarding topics. I could always use some brushing up on Biostats.

Best of luck to everyone.
Click to expand...

I'll be doing the NBMEs starting 4/12. I could always use the help. My test is 4/19


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
How are you doing on UW. IIRC you destroyed step1/level1
Click to expand...

81%. My blocks seem to be very inconsistent though like you guys are describing. I've just been doing it along with whatever rotation I'm on, and I think my grades were better towards the start of M3 when step 1 stuff was still really fresh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0 Downvote
MelMcT2009 said:
81%. My blocks seem to be very inconsistent though like you guys are describing. I've just been doing it along with whatever rotation I'm on, and I think my grades were better towards the start of M3 when step 1 stuff was still really fresh.
Click to expand...
Wow. impressive.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
  • Question
Serious Study partner 2CK NYC (June- July 2018)
Replies
1
Views
595
jokes of life
J
F
  • Question
USMLE Step 2 CS Study Partner NYC/Skype Exam: End of April 2018
Replies
1
Views
969
july9th2018
J
M
  • Question
Official 2018 COMLEX Level 2 CE Experiences and Scores Thread
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
271
Views
84K
rev0
rev0
Schwifty
  • Question
Official 2022 Step 2 CK Experiences With Scores Thread
Replies
47
Views
12K
scorpiondr_intospace
S
I
  • Question
Comlex PE 4/23/2018 - looking for study partner
Replies
0
Views
642
Ifeelya
I
Top