step 2 CS yesterday

[MudPhud20XX]

So I took my CS yesterday in Philly and I am really upset that half of the cases for me were very vague.... I also ran out of time in a couple of cases, so couldn't even rap it up for the patients.
Some patients (I know they were acting) were so reluctant to cooperate and it really made the situation awkward. This is prob my fault as well.

By the way, I am an AMG with an average step 1 score (hasn't taken step 2 CK yet) and I had few friends in my upper class who didn't pass and did not match at all last year, so I did not take this exam lightly to begin with and spent $1,500 doing the Kaplan CS course including the 1 day mock exam a month ago, however, I just felt like it didn't prepare me enough. Half of the cases weren't even similar from First Aid. I felt like there was a curve ball in pretty much every case I had.

I felt like everyone was doing a good job except for me as I was just upset in every case I had yesterday either b/c I felt that the case was so vague I just couldn't come up with a good diff dx or I ran out of time except for 2-3 cases.

Is this a usual feeling after CS? I just want to know if others had similar feeling but still passed this exam. I've seen a number of posts stating that they have failed CS despite of having solid step 1 and 2 CK scores. I am beginning to feel like this CS is a BS. I mean we all passed our own med school clinical exams we do starting from 1st year.

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[W19]

There are many threads here about people who thought they did horrible and yet still passed...

By the way, words are Philly is the worst testing center and even my school told us to avoid that center if we could, and I am a US student. Almost everyone at my school I talked to weren't sure how they did, and all of them passed, but a lot of them were borderline on the ICE section. Anyway, I am scheduled to take it at the end of this month.

 

[MudPhud20XX]

Thanks for the feedback. So the rumor was right. I wish my school has warned us too. Seriously, half of the cases were really vague. More I think about it I feel I am in deeper trouble. Worst case, I will just have to retake it. Dang.

 

[W19]

One question: Can you use the copy/paste function in the CS note?

 

[MudPhud20XX]

One question: Can you use the copy/paste function in the CS note?

Sorry for the late response. Yes you can copy and paste, but there is no spelling error function.

 

[el_duderino]

The SPs I had in Philly were ridiculously uninterested and uncooperative. Just talking to them was uncomfortable.

 

[MudPhud20XX]

The SPs I had in Philly were ridiculously uninterested and uncooperative. Just talking to them was uncomfortable.

Hey tell me about it man, I had the same. I tried to be really accommodating, but the SP looked at me like I was an alien creature. I mean how many pts do you actually get to see acting like that in the real clinic? Almost none....

 

[Enzymaticdegradation]

I feel terrible! 70% of me thinks I failed. Cannot wait for 2 months. And the raised cut off is making it worse....

 

[MudPhud20XX]

The terrible feeling will get worse. I've already mentally prepared in case I fail, I will have to drive for either Lyft or Uber (not joking, seriously) for a year before I re-apply for my residency next year since I won't have a chance to retake the CS before the ranking in Feb. I hate this BS exam. Really pisses me off. Anyway, my apology for venting. Did you take yours at Philly?

 

[MudPhud20XX]

Sorry can't help but to post this link here: Sign the Petition

I agree that CS is prob a good exam for foreign grads who are not from the US, but really for AMG, what a waste of money and time. The worst is it really adds to your anxiety of matching. One of my friends who has never failed any exams during med school who had solid step 1 and 2 scores, she failed CS, currently jobless. She is one of the most dedicated, selfless, and compassionate person I've ever seen and this exam really caused necessary hardship to her. (She failed the note taking part, most likely due to the recent the raised cut-off.)

 

[MudPhud20XX]

Then, pls sign to end this BS CS: Home (Endstep2cs.com)

 

[el_duderino]

Sorry can't help but to post this link here: Sign the Petition

I agree that CS is prob a good exam for foreign grads who are not from the US, but really for AMG, what a waste of money and time. The worst is it really adds to your anxiety of matching. One of my friends who has never failed any exams during med school who had solid step 1 and 2 scores, she failed CS, currently jobless. She is one of the most dedicated, selfless, and compassionate person I've ever seen and this exam really caused necessary hardship to her. (She failed the note taking part, most likely due to the recent the raised cut-off.)

They can't just get rid of it. It's a cash cow. They make, what, $35 million in revenue on the exam every year? Instead of getting rid of it like they should, they're going to start inexplicably failing more people so that it appears more rigorous or something. It's nonsense.

 

[MudPhud20XX]

They can't just get rid of it. It's a cash cow. They make, what, $35 million in revenue on the exam every year? Instead of getting rid of it like they should, they're going to start inexplicably failing more people so that it appears more rigorous or something. It's nonsense.

That gives us more good reason to reject this BS CS. Endstep2CS.com started by Harvard Med students, check out there link folks: Next Steps...

 

[Twomonty17]

Sorry can't help but to post this link here: Sign the Petition

I agree that CS is prob a good exam for foreign grads who are not from the US, but really for AMG, what a waste of money and time. The worst is it really adds to your anxiety of matching. One of my friends who has never failed any exams during med school who had solid step 1 and 2 scores, she failed CS, currently jobless. She is one of the most dedicated, selfless, and compassionate person I've ever seen and this exam really caused necessary hardship to her. (She failed the note taking part, most likely due to the recent the raised cut-off.)

So I hate step 2 cs, but they raised the cutoff this year so I'm guessing shes an M4. If that's the case she was probably jobless already.

 

[MudPhud20XX]

So I hate step 2 cs, but they raised the cutoff this year so I'm guessing shes an M4. If that's the case she was probably jobless already.

She is one year ahead of me, had 5 interviews last year, but when the they realized she failed CS, their hands were tied.

 

[sss2g2]

Completely normal. It would be rare if you failed. Play odds my friend. Chances are you passed.

 

[Amikacin]

So I took my CS yesterday in Philly and I am really upset that half of the cases for me were very vague.... I also ran out of time in a couple of cases, so couldn't even rap it up for the patients.
Some patients (I know they were acting) were so reluctant to cooperate and it really made the situation awkward. This is prob my fault as well.

By the way, I am an AMG with an average step 1 score (hasn't taken step 2 CK yet) and I had few friends in my upper class who didn't pass and did not match at all last year, so I did not take this exam lightly to begin with and spent $1,500 doing the Kaplan CS course including the 1 day mock exam a month ago, however, I just felt like it didn't prepare me enough. Half of the cases weren't even similar from First Aid. I felt like there was a curve ball in pretty much every case I had.

I felt like everyone was doing a good job except for me as I was just upset in every case I had yesterday either b/c I felt that the case was so vague I just couldn't come up with a good diff dx or I ran out of time except for 2-3 cases.

Is this a usual feeling after CS? I just want to know if others had similar feeling but still passed this exam. I've seen a number of posts stating that they have failed CS despite of having solid step 1 and 2 CK scores. I am beginning to feel like this CS is a BS. I mean we all passed our own med school clinical exams we do starting from 1st year.

I had the EXACT same experience. Took it 4th Nov. I am expecting to get my results tomorrow and failing this exam will totally ruin my chances of matching this year.

 

[Hank.moody]

There are many threads here about people who thought they did horrible and yet still passed...

By the way, words are Philly is the worst testing center and even my school told us to avoid that center if we could, and I am a US student. Almost everyone at my school I talked to weren't sure how they did, and all of them passed, but a lot of them were borderline on the ICE section. Anyway, I am scheduled to take it at the end of this month.

Hi I am an IMG planing to schedule my step 2 cs, can you plz suggest me testing center as I read there are not very good reviews about Philly. I shall be thankful.

 

[W19]

Houston > Atlanta > Chicago....

 

[Xorthos]

I took it back in Atlanta and everyone was super friendly. I spent 5 minutes talking to one guy about what his favorite flavor of hot wings were And talking about grilling out (after telling him to avoid spicy food/flavors)

The key is ask the right questions and have good patient rapport. Remember, those “actors” are grading you too, and aside from their checklist of “must dos” it’s entirely subjective except the note. And honestly, my notes were terrible and I didn’t finish about half of them due to time...still passed with room to spare.

 

[Hank.moody]

I took it back in Atlanta and everyone was super friendly. I spent 5 minutes talking to one guy about what his favorite flavor of hot wings were And talking about grilling out (after telling him to avoid spicy food/flavors)

The key is ask the right questions and have good patient rapport. Remember, those “actors” are grading you too, and aside from their checklist of “must dos” it’s entirely subjective except the note. And honestly, my notes were terrible and I didn’t finish about half of them due to time...still passed with room to spare.

Thanks buddy!!

 

[Hank.moody]

Any idea about Los Angeles center…? Sorry asking a lot

 

[MudPhud20XX]

Houston > Atlanta > Chicago....

Good to know in case I have to re-take it. lol.

 

[valleyrekt]

Terrible experience with the CS...what a terrible, fake, phony, bull**** acting exam in front of fake acting patient in fake, made-up contrived scenarios. I would have done better donating all of my money to charity and gone to drama/acting school. I can't believe idiot medical students put up with this exam. What a scam.

 

[valleyrekt]

In disbelief they actually use the exam to "weed" out students from earning their medical degree, and from going on to residency. True thievery.

 

[W19]

Everyone in the medical community knows this exam is a scam, but no one is willing to do a damn thing about it...

 

[valleyrekt]

It is because of this exam that I regret pursuing a medical degree. Putting my entire career on the line with 12 random civilians off the street getting paid $12-15/hour to judge whether my information and gathering skills, and communication skills are good enough to be an intern in a residency program.

 

[el_duderino]

So you're saying you didn't pass.

 

[Anicetus]

It is because of this exam that I regret pursuing a medical degree. Putting my entire career on the line with 12 random civilians off the street getting paid $12-15/hour to judge whether my information and gathering skills, and communication skills are good enough to be an intern in a residency program.

Man you’re blowing up this forum today. Part of medicine is a game of “not falling through the cracks”. If my kids told me they wanna be a doctor I’d ask them “would you still do it if there was a 4% chance your career could be ruined in one day?”

 

[W19]

Man you’re blowing up this forum today. Part of medicine is a game of “not falling through the cracks”. If my kids told me they wanna be a doctor I’d ask them “would you still do it if there was a 4% chance your career could be ruined in one day?”

This exam can really get people work up... I passed it but still angry that I had to spend $2000 for that joke of an exam...

 

[Anicetus]

This exam can really get people work up... I passed it but still angry that I had to spend $2000 for that joke of an exam...

Oh yeah I’m sure you’ve seen it back in fall but I was riddling these threads with hateful thoughts about the exam. I would’ve rioted if I failed.

 

[valleyrekt]

Took it in December, interview at 9 places for IM/FM throughout the year, found out at the end of January that I didn't pass because of a failed CIS. In disbelief. Terrible nightmare, terrible experience, NBME does not give any feedback on what went wrong or what the hell happened...match 2018 is gone for me.

 

[Anicetus]

Took it in December, interview at 9 places for IM/FM throughout the year, found out at the end of January that I didn't pass because of a failed CIS. In disbelief. Terrible nightmare, terrible experience, NBME does not give any feedback on what went wrong or what the hell happened...match 2018 is gone for me.

Ask for a regrade if possible and sign up for the next possible date and don’t tell the programs anything. If a movement is started, I’m down.

 

[el_duderino]

Took it in December, interview at 9 places for IM/FM throughout the year, found out at the end of January that I didn't pass because of a failed CIS. In disbelief. Terrible nightmare, terrible experience, NBME does not give any feedback on what went wrong or what the hell happened...match 2018 is gone for me.

What kind of school do you go to?

 

[jac22]

Anyone have any ideas about what we can do about this ?

 

[el_duderino]

Anyone have any ideas about what we can do about this ?

About what?

 

[jac22]

About what?

The fact that the nbme is arbitrarily failing students on Communcation skills on step 2 cs ...

 

[el_duderino]

I don't think they're arbitrarily faialing anyone. Why do you think they are?

 

[alstigy]

My exam is in Philadelphia next week. I'm a Canadian IMG. Reading about all these horrible experiences at that center is scaring me. Should I reschedule to a different center?

 

[el_duderino]

I don't see any reason to suspect that Philly has a higher fail rate. The SPs just aren't friendly or chatty. Stick to business, and don't notice the guy's Eagles hat and talk about the Super Bowl.

 

[shemer77]

Friend of mine took CS in philly as well. He said he made a football joke during each one of his physical exams and he always got a good laugh or smile. Otherwise they were kinda moody. Those were his experiences but others have good experiences so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[theepadika]

Good to know in case I have to re-take it. lol.

did you pass?

 

[MudPhud20XX]

I did : ) and already half way through my intern! Have been doing very well and communicating well with patients/staff/co-interns/attending. I have been getting great evals by my attendings as well! CS is just an exam we have to pass to get where we want to. I really still think CS is a waste of our money and time.