Are you a medical student preparing for your residency program? If yes, you’ll need to go through the USMLE Step 2 CK to get residency in a program of your choice. While this exam is generally considered straightforward, it’s not as easy as many people think it to be. Therefore, it needs adequate preparation. But what preparation is sufficient? You don’t have to combine so many resources to make good scores. You just need to find a resource that suits and maintains a good study routine to get yourself ready for the exam. Here’s an article that highlights everything you should know about the exam, including tips to help you prepare better.
What Does USMLE Step 2 Consist of?
What Does USMLE Step 2 Consist of?Step 2 CK assesses an examinee’s ability to apply medical skills, knowledge, and understanding of clinical science essential to provide patient care under supervision. It includes an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion. Step 2 CK is specially designed to ensure that adequate attention is given to the principles of clinical sciences and basic parent-centered skills needed for safe and competent medical practice.
Step 2 CK is a one-day, computer-based, multiple-choice exam that lasts for about nine hours. The exam is typically divided into eight blocks of 60-minutes each, with test formats typically varying within each block. The total number of questions in the overall exams may change from time to time, but it’ll never exceed 318 questions.
According to the USMLE official website, the Step 2 CK exam includes questions from the following content areas:
- Internal medicine
- Pediatrics
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Psychiatry
- Preventive medicine
- Surgery
- Other areas relating to care provision under supervision.
A significant part of the exam involves describing clinical situations, and you’ll be tasked to provide one or more of the following:
- Prognosis
- Diagnosis
- Preventive measures
- Indication of underlying disease mechanisms.
How Difficult is USMLE Step 2?
When people try to explain how difficult the USMLE Step 2 is, they do so by comparing it against Step 1. Since preparing for Step 2 mostly means that you’ve cleared Step 1, it’s easy to see why people compare the two to tell the difficulty level of one. Unfortunately, you’ll see so many people undermine the difficulty level of Step 2. While the contents are pretty straightforward, there’s still so much work to do. Remember that Step 2 includes clinical test questions that you’ll meet in your future patient.
But in general, we recommend doing both Step 2 and Step 1 in order. Both exams require vast application skills, quick thinking, and reading between the lines. However, the unpredictable nature of the Step 2 CK means that more people consider it more difficult. This shouldn’t scare you, especially if you’ve given time to adequate study. Also, make sure to use the correct resource during your preparation stage. The QBank UWorld is a fascinating option to try when preparing for the exams.
How Long Should You Study for Step 2?
After interviewing over 500 medical students and making our own mistakes, we’ve learned what it takes to achieve a top score on the USMLE exam. One thing is sure – how you devote the limited time you have to prepare is more important than having so much time to prepare.
The best students begin preparations from the first day of their clinical rotation. However, we’ve highlighted three preparatory steps that can help you understand how long it’ll take for you to prepare.
First, we recommend spending at least one hour daily on practice questions during each of the big five (medicine, surgery, pediatrics, gynecology, and psychiatry). If you jump any questions, mark them and return to them when you have the chance to. It’ll also be great if you can complete the NBOME® or NBME® self-assessment at the end of the rotation.
Secondly, make it a habit to spend at least 30 minutes every day before sleeping on random practice questions relating to past rotations you’ve learned. In other words, keep practicing what you’ve previously learned for better retention.
Thirdly, make Step 2 CK a priority. Usually, we advise students to enroll for the exam within the first few months of finishing their core clinical rotations. Ensure that you have at least a month of free time before the exam. This one month is when you’ll need to lock yourself up in the library and stay there until you’re ready for the exam.
5 Tips to Do Well on USMLE Exam Day
The USMLE Step 2 is a marathon, not a sprint. Therefore it requires consistent dedication and commitment to preparation. During the 2-3 months allotted for preparing for the exams, you’ll need to spend a significant amount of your day preparing for them. Unfortunately, not many people know the right ways to prepare. To help you, here’s a review of valuable tips that will put you in the right mental state to pass the exams.
Set Realistic GoalsÂ
One important thing that students should know about this exam is that it’s pretty straightforward. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a walkover. You still need to put in the right level of work to ace it. However, while putting in work, you must create an achievable plan and stick to it. Start your preparation early and create a Step 2 study schedule that won’t disrupt your other activities. Don’t overwhelm yourself with work. Most people do well with practicing 100-200 questions daily, and going more than that may result in tremendous fatigue.
Take Breaks Between Study Times
Usually, we recommend taking 10 minutes breaks for every one hour you study. This will allow you to relax and recharge for the next study section. If you’re taking a break, make sure it’s a complete break. Avoid checking email, texting, going on Facebook, etc. Instead, go outside or take a short walk. This can help your brain rest at the time so that you will be able to retain further information.
Focus More on High-Yield Topics
These topics feature the highest number of questions, so it’d be best to pay more attention to them. Remember that all questions are worth the same points in the USMLE Step 2 exams, and you won’t get penalized for answering a question wrongly. So why not focus more on a section that guarantees you more questions?
Complete a Light Review
One common mistake examinees make is studying until the day of the exam. While it can be tempting to study without breaks, this can cause exhaustion on exam day. You’ve worked hard for months to prepare for the test, so it’s only right to give your brain some rest before the exam. Keep study sessions light the day before the exam.
Ideally, you shouldn’t spend more than one hour or two studying the day before the test. Use the day to unwind and get as much sleep as possible in preparation for the exam day.
Use The Right UWorld for Step 2 Resources
There are many resources designed to aid easier preparation for the USMLE Step 2 exam. The bottom line is to choose a few resources that hit the point and use them consistently. Similar to other USMLE exams, UWorld for Step 2 is highly favored among examinees. Remember that you also need to master question strategy and speed before the exam. Fortunately, UWorld offers you an option to purchase further practice cases to help you prepare better for the case scenarios. You can find abundant information and samples like the USMLE Step 2 CK Question Bank on the official USMLE website.
Wrapping Things Up: How to Prepare for USMLE Step 2?
There you have it, a detailed article that offers tips and advice to help you prepare better for the USMLE Step 2 CK. Remember that the USMLE is a crucial exam that tests your readiness for residency programs. Medical school is already difficult, with so many lectures, tests, and practicals to combine. You don’t want to add those with the stress of needing to write the USMLE Step 2 twice. So it’s important to give everything you can to your preparation. Fortunately, there are so many resources out there to help. But before you choose a resource, do your due diligence to ensure it suits your study style. There are many of these resources online, and we’ve recommended a few in this article. You can also leverage other tips in this article to get the best out of your preparation.
