I respectfully disagree. Archer videos I’m sure are fine but the videos are too long and OP will waste valuable time. I say this because I’ve been there. I think it can add value maybe towards the end of ones prep but even then I wouldn’t waste time.
The best way to master ccs is to do the cases, you’ll pick up pattern and tricks here and there. Remember from previous usmles, blasting through as many questions and Anki cards is superior to watching hours of videos of someone lecturing you. Master the material and then cram away.
Success on CCS requires blasting through as many cases as you can multiple times. Hence why both uworld ccs cases and ccscases.com. Both are beneficial in their own way and have their advantages and disadvantages. I would say start off with ccscases.com but then end with uworld. Sometimes they can glitch but it won’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
also the simulated time can be changed on ccscases.com but not uworldccs. At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s matters and people exaggerate how important it is to simulate time. As someone once said in a forum, ccs is all about memorizing the work up and then regurgitating it on the software. That’s literally it.
It got to the point where I was doing practice ccs cases and didn’t even need to refer to the explanation, just what workup I missed and I would keep repeating the case until I mastered it.
Exam time came, the 2 sec lag occurred with each order I placed. This was just a little different from how I had prepared. Didn’t matter. My brain adjusted and I was used to it. I felt very comfortable because I had repeated the ccscases multiple times and was prepared for any trap or scenario they threw on me. I did fine. You will too.
I 2nd everything Jspar1 said. Archer is good and has a role in your CCS prep but doing the actual cases is the key. Another thing is you need to memorize order list for a particular chief complaint. If case says, "palpitations," then who cares if its a 15 year old or a 55 year old, you must order everything that you have memorized such as iv access, pulse ox, oxy, CBC, CMP ,ESR, UA, TSH, EKG, TROPONIN, URINE TOX, CHEST XRAY, ECHO ,MAG, PHOS etc.
I say this because I have failed it and will be retaking. On the day of the test, I forgot to order alot of things because of 1) nerves 2)I did not make a conscious effort to memorize the order set. I did UW and ccscases and felt, if I just "practice" the cases then I will remember to order the appropriate workup. Just saying "oh I will remember to order the basic stuff. I know palpitations need certain workup so I pssshhh I got this" did not work for me. In hindsight, my order set for same chief complaints was totally different for a young patient versus the old and only 3 cases ended quickly. Every other case dragged out and I remembered myself sitting there and trying to run through different things to order and I forgot alot of things. So just memorizing it and like a robot ordering everything is the way to go, at least for me.
As far as Archer goes, I used archer and watched almost all of those video's. I watched the main strategy video like 5 times. I do think it is helpful but memorizing the order set is way more important than anything else. Also, previously I ordered hcg and advance the clock to get the results before adding anything else and I am not doing that this time around. Now, I just add hcg, and everything else on the initial screen (after PE) and I have scored 90%+ on every ccscases.com Obviously, don't order CT without knowing the result of hcg.
So I speak from personal experience and please for the love of god, ccs is very important. However, it is only 25 - 30% and even if you kill ccs, ignoring other 70% of the test isn't ideal. So yes, CCS is very important but so is other 70% of the test. Archer preaches "CCS and only CCS is the way to go", it's absolutely correct but ccs should not be the priority. And I am speaking from my experience so sitting in front of the computer, and "thinking" through the orders is not the way to go. Be a robot and just order same workup for palpitation regardless of patient is a 21 year old or 121 year old.
Archer is really good but there is nothing better than your personal experience from previous sittings.
