USMLE Requesting advice/opinion: Step 2 CS before CK, in relation with scheduling Step 1 after a significant gap.

[TiberSeptim]

I'm a non-US IMG out of practice for a while. I already have booked a Step 2 CS date around late January 2020 that cannot be extended. I have been studying for Step 1 recently, with the most recent NBME from a few weeks back at around 230. I haven't yet registered for Step 1 yet. While I have a somewhat decent understanding of what Step 1 requires of me, Step 2 CS however, I'm not too sure of. I was wondering about the likelihood of passing Step 2 CS this January without having studied for CK, and having been out of practice. I was considering a few scenarios, and would appreciate if you could comment which one seems more realistic/better; or suggest an alternative approach.

1) (If I get a decent score > 235?, at another NBME in a week from now), Get a date for Step 1 mid-late December > Prepare for and give CS late January > Continue with the rest

2) Start CS preparation immediately, with or without maintenance level time to Step 1 > Give CS late January > Give Step 1 late March > Continue with the rest

3) Continue with Step 1, and give the exam ~ late January > Re-register for Step 2 CS mid-late February, hoping to get a date before Mid July > Arrange for the rest around it.

With the first two sequences, If my current situation means the likelihood of passing CS isn't high enough, it makes an easy decision to go with the third. However, if it isn't particularly difficult to manage CS without CK knowledge, and possible to prepare for it in 1 or 2 months, they become more viable, as I wouldn't have to deal with the uncertainty of securing a CS date later. Scenario 1 would makes sense If it would be possible for someone in my circumstances to prepare for CS in a month; and Scenario 2, If it would be safer to use 2 months for it. Regarding Step 1, I'm confident that if I indeed am around 235 or so right now, I should be able to manage to push it a bit in a dedicated month.

Thanks.

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[RaiImposs]

I'm a non-US IMG out of practice for a while. I already have booked a Step 2 CS date around late January 2020 that cannot be extended. I have been studying for Step 1 recently, with the most recent NBME from a few weeks back at around 230. I haven't yet registered for Step 1 yet. While I have a somewhat decent understanding of what Step 1 requires of me, Step 2 CS however, I'm not too sure of. I was wondering about the likelihood of passing Step 2 CS this January without having studied for CK, and having been out of practice. I was considering a few scenarios, and would appreciate if you could comment which one seems more realistic/better; or suggest an alternative approach.

1) (If I get a decent score > 235?, at another NBME in a week from now), Get a date for Step 1 mid-late December > Prepare for and give CS late January > Continue with the rest

2) Start CS preparation immediately, with or without maintenance level time to Step 1 > Give CS late January > Give Step 1 late March > Continue with the rest

3) Continue with Step 1, and give the exam ~ late January > Re-register for Step 2 CS mid-late February, hoping to get a date before Mid July > Arrange for the rest around it.

With the first two sequences, If my current situation means the likelihood of passing CS isn't high enough, it makes an easy decision to go with the third. However, if it isn't particularly difficult to manage CS without CK knowledge, and possible to prepare for it in 1 or 2 months, they become more viable, as I wouldn't have to deal with the uncertainty of securing a CS date later. Scenario 1 would makes sense If it would be possible for someone in my circumstances to prepare for CS in a month; and Scenario 2, If it would be safer to use 2 months for it. Regarding Step 1, I'm confident that if I indeed am around 235 or so right now, I should be able to manage to push it a bit in a dedicated month.

Thanks.

I'm a non-US IMG out of practice for a while. I already have booked a Step 2 CS date around late January 2020 that cannot be extended. I have been studying for Step 1 recently, with the most recent NBME from a few weeks back at around 230. I haven't yet registered for Step 1 yet. While I have a somewhat decent understanding of what Step 1 requires of me, Step 2 CS however, I'm not too sure of. I was wondering about the likelihood of passing Step 2 CS this January without having studied for CK, and having been out of practice. I was considering a few scenarios, and would appreciate if you could comment which one seems more realistic/better; or suggest an alternative approach.

1) (If I get a decent score > 235?, at another NBME in a week from now), Get a date for Step 1 mid-late December > Prepare for and give CS late January > Continue with the rest

2) Start CS preparation immediately, with or without maintenance level time to Step 1 > Give CS late January > Give Step 1 late March > Continue with the rest

3) Continue with Step 1, and give the exam ~ late January > Re-register for Step 2 CS mid-late February, hoping to get a date before Mid July > Arrange for the rest around it.

With the first two sequences, If my current situation means the likelihood of passing CS isn't high enough, it makes an easy decision to go with the third. However, if it isn't particularly difficult to manage CS without CK knowledge, and possible to prepare for it in 1 or 2 months, they become more viable, as I wouldn't have to deal with the uncertainty of securing a CS date later. Scenario 1 would makes sense If it would be possible for someone in my circumstances to prepare for CS in a month; and Scenario 2, If it would be safer to use 2 months for it. Regarding Step 1, I'm confident that if I indeed am around 235 or so right now, I should be able to manage to push it a bit in a dedicated month.

Thanks.

I would say, give yourself about 2 months to prepare for step 2CS.

So options 2 and 3 seem plausible to me.

Scoring for the CS is now automated, you wouldn’t want to fool around with the preparation.