A solid framework is key to any successful Step 2 CK study plan. Using the QBank to guide your clerkship studying will thereby help ensure you have a solid framework for the breadth of topics covered in a particular discipline and help make up for the idiosyncrasies of your individual clinical experiences. Moreover, the exam will cover all subspecialties: there will likely be questions on trauma surgery, for instance, to which you may never be exposed if your core surgery rotations are in pediatric bariatric surgery. This is important because the specific topics emphasized by your clinical instructors will inevitably not have perfect overlap with the full breadth of topics necessary for Step 2 CK success: while a rotation on vascular surgery, for instance, may emphasize a detailed understanding of blood vessel anatomy and nuanced considerations for intra-operative decision-making, the surgery questions on Step 2 CK are more apt to focus on big-picture indications for vascular surgery (e.g., recognizing compartment syndrome) and post-operative complications. Doing a “first pass” through the 2 CK question bank during clerkship year will (1) ensure that you have made it through every question at least once before your exam, and (2) help you integrate the knowledge you’re learning in each clinical discipline with the specific subset of knowledge the National Board of Medical Examiners thinks is most pertinent for each discipline. I strongly recommend using the QBank in this way. Many students choose to use the UWorld Step 2 CK question bank to aid in clerkship study and prepare for shelf exams. Studying hard during clerkship year pays dividends in both directions: clinical experiences in which you can put a face and a story to a disease increase the salience of the medical information you are reading, while gaining a deeper understanding of patients’ disease processes will make you a more engaged and effective physician.īecause of this, there is no better time to consolidate clinical medical knowledge pertinent to Step 2 CK than during your core clinical rotations. This involves making associations between patients and disease processes you see on clinical rotations and the textbook versions of their diseases you read about in clinical resources like UpToDate, journal articles, review books, and question banks. As we know from adult learning theory, interleaved practice is crucial to consolidating knowledge and making memories stick. Given this, success on Step 2 starts with concerted studying throughout clerkship year. While basic science questions still show up on Step 2 CK, the most common question types are “What is the most likely diagnosis?” and “What is the next best test?” rather than “What is the mechanism of action of the appropriate antibiotic?” or “What is the makeup of the genome of the most likely causative virus?” as on Step 1. The typical Step 1 question will involve basic pathology, microbiology, disease pathophysiology, pharmacology, or similar basic science concepts. In comparison with Step 1, Step 2 CK is more clinically focused. Of note, I have written a separate blog post regarding strategies specifically for Step 1, so this post will focus more on how to study for step 2, how to score 280 on usmle step 2 ck, how Elite Medical Prep can help, and step 2 CK resources you should check out.īuilding a Firm Step 2 Foundation: The Importance of Clerkship Year for Step 2 CK (2) patterns of study behaviors I have observed in the dozens of students I have tutored that tend to lead to more or less successful test performance.Ģ023 Guide to Creating High-Yield Flashcard Decks on UWorld.(1) the strategies that I employed to be a successful test-taker for the NBME and.So, don’t despair! While I (unfortunately!) don’t have a single gimmick that can guarantee a high score,I would like to emphasize: The harsh truth is that if you want to score in the >99 th percentile on the USMLE to help you score the residency program of your dreams, the work will have to begin early in medical school with concerted efforts to build a solid knowledge base which you can then consolidate during your dedicated study periods.Ĭhances are, though, if you’re reading this post, you are preparing to take Step 2 CK within the next few weeks to months, and are looking for actionable advice about how to set yourself up for success in the here and now to secure your residency program acceptance. I’m going to be honest: if I had a single secret or silver bullet, I would tell you. Having scored in the 270-280 range on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 of the USMLE, I am often asked by students questions like “What’s your secret?”, “How can I plan my study schedule to score that well on the USMLE?”, “If I scored xxx on Step 1, how long should I study for Step 2 CK?”, and “What’s the best study plan for Step 2 CK?”
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