Recently took Step 2 CS - need some psychologic support

[RastaMan]

So I heard that step 2 is the easiest thing since peeing in a diaper, but I didn't get a great feel coming out of it last week.
For a couple of cases, I realized i had forgotten to ask the key historical questions (eg-sexual history) after I left the room.
In another case, it was obvious the SP was not feeling me, and kept asking me what exactly I meant by what I was saying.
I found it hard to come up with 5 differentials and 5 tests on most cases (felt like i had an 8 hour reasoning mental block).
Also felt like I was always out with 5 or more minutes left on every case.
Anyone with similar experiences that passed? Or failed? Man, shelling out another 1000 bucks would really suck...all I can say after taking that test is it probably has a really ****ty positive and negative predictive value for really predicting your clinical skills.

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[future_OB]

So I heard that step 2 is the easiest thing since peeing in a diaper, but I didn't get a great feel coming out of it last week.
For a couple of cases, I realized i had forgotten to ask the key historical questions (eg-sexual history) after I left the room.
In another case, it was obvious the SP was not feeling me, and kept asking me what exactly I meant by what I was saying.
I found it hard to come up with 5 differentials and 5 tests on most cases (felt like i had an 8 hour reasoning mental block).
Also felt like I was always out with 5 or more minutes left on every case.
Anyone with similar experiences that passed? Or failed? Man, shelling out another 1000 bucks would really suck...all I can say after taking that test is it probably has a really ****ty positive and negative predictive value for really predicting your clinical skills.

I felt exactly the same way. Had the same experience. I dont know what to think. All I know is I am really scared coz everyone else think of it as a very easy exam. I guess all we can do is pray and wait. Just wanted to say youre not alone. I know it doesnt help at all...sorry.

 

[NoSz]

I forgot to counsel the 3 packs a day for 40 years smoker to quit, did not finish one case, nearly smacked one patient in the head for being so annoyingly slow with her answers, never got the stupid leg rest out properly, forgot it at all for at least 2 poor SPs, had the blanket fall on the floor twice, told one really fat SP when she tried to lift her breast for my cardiac exam "It's ok, don't even bother", because no way could I hear or feel anything through her layers of fat (but well- I should not really have told her that), deleted a whole H&P with the push of a button 1 minute before the bell.

Those patients have nothing to do with real life. They don't tell you that they have been vomiting for the last 20 days 10 times a minute unless you specifically ask them. (Do you have nausea?-NO!- Are you by any chance vomiting? - Oh yes, now that you ask....)

I asked one patient in the end, whether there is anything else, she would like to tell me- "No, you need to ask me!" Yeah, right, that's very realistic.

I never forgot to wash my hands and I always started with saying the patient's name and my own name. 3 points already for every patient. And I always asked sexual and drug history. Another 2 points.

I passed. There are people who fail, but really only very few. So start worrying after you know you failed. Otherwise it will be wasted. You will have passed.

 

[inositide]

You can forget to do a lot of stuff throughout the day and still pass comfortable.

They key is bedside manner and treating the patients like royalty. That is thing that is being evaluated the most.

DDx and all the other stuff are important, but not deal breakers.

Horrible bedside manner can hurt you though.

So relax. Everyone walks out feeling like they forgot to do a million things. Most people still pass if they can speak english and are courteous.

 

[robotsonic]

I just took step 2CS and I also feel like I failed. It seemed like everyone I talked to thought it was super easy, but when I left I remembered tons of crap that I should have done. I had a lot of trouble taking the SPs seriously, and I think that made it difficult for me to really assess their problems and counsel. Even doing the fake exam felt ridiculous. I like to think that I'm not this bad with real patients. I'm thinking that I must have failed, but hopefully NoSz and inositide are right...

Ugh, I just don't want to have to pay another $1,000 and do that stupid exam again.