Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Step 2 Studying

I allotted about 5 weeks for the studying. I started halfway through my ER rotation at Morristown Memorial where I was required to do only 11 shifts. So I did majority of them in the beginning and left with 5 for the last half, which left me quite a bit of time to read. I finished reading Crush Step 2 during the time. After the rotation, I started Nephrology for 2 weeks which was only half days at St Michael's Medical Center. During the 2 weeks, I did USMLEWorld, any where from 2-3 sections a day during the weekdays and on the weekends around 3-4 sections a day. For those 2 weeks, I finished about 75% of USMLEWorld. I then took 2 weeks off to finish studying and take COMLEX CE on 7/7, USMLE and COMLEX Step 2 on 7/11 and 7/16. By the time I took USMLE, I finished 90% of USMLEWorld. I then signed up for COMBANK for the last 5 days before COMLEX Step 2. For COMBANK, I had less than 100 questions left by the time I took COMLEX Step 2.

I didn't really studied hardcore until my Nephrology rotation, starting the qbanks. As I was doing the qbanks, I would go over the right and worng answers and add the information that I didn't remember to Crush. Then for about 2 hrs before bed time, I would re-read Crush. I think by the end, I have read Crush twice. Overall, I would say, I spent about 3 weeks in studying.

The materials I used:
Boards and Wards (throughout the year)
Step Up Medicine (throughout the year)
Crush Step 2
USMLEWorld
COMBANK
COMLEX Review: Clinical Anatomy and OMM

Statistics:
Comprehensive Core Shelf: 66% (before starting to study)
USMLEWorld: started 40% and ended with 56 to 65%, overall avg 54%
NBME 2008 free questions: 80% (I think. I don't remember exact score)
COMBANK: started 60% and ended with 74%, overall avg 68%

Now, wait and see how the studying compares to score.

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