So how are people doing on step 2

[pathstudent]

I will be taking it next month and have enjoyed reading the "step 1" thread. How about a step 2 thread? It will be interesting to see if the scores are also that much higher with thye current step 2. That is incredible that over ten percent of the current step 1 scores are over 260, and that about forty percent are over 240.

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[pathstudent]

comments from test takers????

 

[pathstudent]

let's get this party started!

 

[LoneSEAL]

pathstudent, i guess no one want to crash your party

 

[pathstudent]

Thanks for responding.

I can't wait until I take step 2 and can click my score.

 

[LoneSEAL]

Good luck to you. When's D-day for you?

I know you've been ranting and raving about the astronomical step 1 scores so I'm curious as to how high of a score are you shooting for on your Step 2 exam? 260+?

 

[pathstudent]

A 260? Please...it would be nice...but I am not a 260er. I am hoping to at crack 230. I think that is still considered a nice score. Although it is probably not in the top 25%.

I am taking it in a week. I will let you know how it went in four-six weeks.

I won't tell you the real score. Only that I am a) devastated b) really bummed C) bummed d) fine with it e)happy f) thrilled g) out of my mind

from that you will basically know about how i did.

 

[governaitor]

bump

 

[kcrd]

why is everyone taking step 2 so early? I'm only about 1/2 done my core 3rd year rotations. I can't imagine taking step 2 without having completed 3rd year.

 

[Jaded Soul]

Originally posted by kcrd
why is everyone taking step 2 so early? I'm only about 1/2 done my core 3rd year rotations. I can't imagine taking step 2 without having completed 3rd year.

I think that these are mostly 4th years who are taking Step 2. I'm not planning on taking it until at least the second half of Year 4, which seems like a long 12 months from now.

 

[FarEastGrapplr2]

just curious... what books are you using for step2?

thanks and good luck

 

[ckent]

Most people take step II sometime during their fourth year because fourth year is far less rigorous then third year and step II tests subjects that are covered in your required third year rotational schedule. I used first aid for step II, prescription for the boards, and I did around 1/5 of the questions in NMS and just about all of the questions in Q bank. I found Q bank to be the most useful resource, many of my questions on step II were very similar to those I rememberred seeing in q bank. I haven't gotten my score back yet so I don't know how successful I was at studying though. I studied very lightly, I read through first aid and Rx 1-2 times, then I basically just did questions and read answer explanations while doing the questions.

 

[stickyrice]

I think the conventional wisdom that step 2 is easier than step 1 is definitely true, but only to an extent.


It's much easier to pass step2 but I think it is just as hard to do well in step 2 as step 1.

I did better than one standard deviation on step 1 and then took step 2 late so it didn't matter for residency apps. Of course I didn't study as hard as step 1 ( about 1/4 or 1/5 the amount) and I scored 30 points less on step 2. I still passed without a problem though.

The funny thing is I came out of step 2 feeling pretty good vs. feeling not so good after step1. But it's probably pretest bias- since I knew that all I needed to do is pass.

I recommend doing all of Qbank and even doing all the wrong questions again. I only got through 2/3 of the questions. If I had to study again, I would focused 80% of my time on questions and 20% reading either crush step2 vs boards and wards.

That's my 2 cents. Also, if you want to do well on step2 then take it early in your 4th year. That added pressure helps you to study. man, it was hard to study for step 2 when I took it this late.

 

[Skrubz]

i'm not stickyrice, but my opinion is that if you want/need to rock the step 2 to bolster your app, you should take it early in the fourth year, when much of the third year information is still fresh in your head. it probably works even better if you do your sub-intership (especially if it's medicine) earlier and take the step 2 right after.