Just wanted to add to this post because I felt like I had completely failed Step 2 CS and was googling programs to apply to with a failed CS - that's how bad I felt. I'm an IMG - 3rd year, took the exam before I finished my cores because of my Caribbean school situation... anyway I figured if my post was helpful to just one person, it'd be worth it.
1) I felt like it was helpful for me to write down a few differentials & mnemonics right before I went in - which I noticed a lot of students didn't do. That helped to build my ICE score cause I was able to write about pertinent negatives in my notes. Also helped because I never missed any social, family, or medication/allergy history.
2) Vitals - straight copied and pasted to my PE section - such an easy point builder too
3) Literally did not do a single PE maneuver without telling them. "Is it okay if I untie your gown?" "Okay, I'm going to tie your gown back now, is that okay?"
4) Even though I didn't practice much, I'd suggest that you do just to get it all down
5) Be friendly, introduce yourself, make eye contact, listen, don't interrupt, didn't palpate pain areas - like common sense things.
Here's some things I did wrong - which might give anyone freaking out some hope...
1) Accidentally told someone we had to rule out cancer - and the patient FREAKED OUT. Not even sure I handled it well afterwards.
2) Put some unnecessary differentials as my 3rd just because of nerves or whatever...
3) Forgot smoking/weed counseling on like 3 cases - do we even counsel for weed since it's legal in a lot of places!?!
4) Didn't say all of my differentials or tests to be ran but wrote them on the note
5) I think I messed up right and left a few times and wrote the wrong anatomical structure for at least one differential
6) Forgot to write sexual history on like 2 patients even though I asked
7) Had a patient with a psych issue that I was super awkward with
8) Forgot an important PE maneuver that would have changed the differential
9) Forgot a lot of pertinent questions for a lot of cases
10) Did some lower extremity reflexes with the patient lying down - IDK what the heck I was thinking
11) Didn't make small talk/ask if they were comfortable/what they thought was causing their problem in almost every case
12) Didn't put ANY pertinent negatives in the differentials section - but read a lot of blogs AFTER MY EXAM that said you can...
13) Answered the challenging questions kind of awkwardly & probably unsatisfactory
14) Some awkward PE moves - only listened to 2 listening posts for most of the patients
15) Told another patient they may have a grievous illness - don't think I should have done that either...
And honestly, probably a lot of other things... halfway through, I felt so defeated, I basically gave up and just tried to get through to end the day... but NONE of my scores touched borderline. I was scared about ICE at first because I had missed so many relevant questions but then after reading other blogs, I was freaking out about CIS. Anyway, there is HOPE! The best thing to do while you're waiting is just occupy your time - anxiety and insomnia about this dreadful exam will drive you insane for two months but like everyone says, there's a good chance that you'll pass and if you don't, it's not the end of the world. There is PLENTY of hope and SO MANY match success stories - even for IMGs! It's a long, hard, crazy road, but it'll be worth it in the end!
Good luck!
