09-11-2014, 08:55 AM
Been a follower of the forum for the last few months, never posted but just checked score and it was a success: 219.
I studied on and off for 3 months after finishing med school in my home country. Arrived in the US and stayed with family during my study time. I used UW questions, Jasons, and first aid family med for mcqs and UW 52 software cases for CCS. That was pretty much it as far as materials. I felt comfortable using FA as my text since I used the series for all of the previous steps, didn't want to change it up by using MTB since a lot of previous posts on the forum said it doesn't go as in depth as you need for the test. I came across premier review notes online and they seemed like a good source as well, but I stuck with mine so not to overload. Wrote notes from UW and Jason into FA as I studied and felt it was a pretty comprehensive overview going into test.
Took test in the middle of August, no gaps between days. Day 1: Was nervous going to the prometric center and when they tried to take my fingerprint it was moist and I had to scan it like 3 times. Visibly nervous I guess, I went back to my locker and took a beta blocker and prayed for a minute. I thought question stems were a bit longer than UW but I would mark the first answer that my mind wanted because I was concerned for time. Would finish blocks with usually less than a minute to go. Need to read and process fast or else you are in trouble time wise. Just mark your best guess and keep going. From most of friends and people I talked to that's the norm anyway, unless you are in a US residency like IM/FM/EM. Had several abstracts that asked basic biostats, actually dont need the whole abstract. Drug ads also, I thought were tricky and didn't really know how to interpret. I took no nbme or UW sa so can't compare the difficulty. To UW questions, maybe some on the same level, some maybe easier, most longer and maybe slightly harder. Day 2: questions were shorter and didn't have problems rushing for time, but don't get confident. Use the same strategy and mark your best guess and move. CCS part was not bad I thought, just order basic labs and stabilize pts if needed. Once you think you know the case, dont get crazy with orders, do the initial orders and advance your time. I don't think they have too many cases that really run long for days in simulated time. Cases seemed to end when basic tests and treatment were done. There were two or three that I was not confident about my diagnosis but I tried not to do crazy tests and treatment. If mind goes blank take a look at patients history again and vitals and think of new labs to order.
All in all a tough test, glad I will not repeat it. Step 1 was maybe hardest to study for because it is all hardcore, Step 2 maybe easiest to study for, and CS maybe a test of basic H and P skills. Step 3 tests if you still are interested in studying and if you can focus for a few weeks you can pass, but questions are sometimes or oftentimes things that you will just say I don't know and just have to mark a best guess. Don't dwell, CLICK and MOVE, trust gut first instinct because you are in trouble if you stare at the screen.
Good luck fellow doctors.
I studied on and off for 3 months after finishing med school in my home country. Arrived in the US and stayed with family during my study time. I used UW questions, Jasons, and first aid family med for mcqs and UW 52 software cases for CCS. That was pretty much it as far as materials. I felt comfortable using FA as my text since I used the series for all of the previous steps, didn't want to change it up by using MTB since a lot of previous posts on the forum said it doesn't go as in depth as you need for the test. I came across premier review notes online and they seemed like a good source as well, but I stuck with mine so not to overload. Wrote notes from UW and Jason into FA as I studied and felt it was a pretty comprehensive overview going into test.
Took test in the middle of August, no gaps between days. Day 1: Was nervous going to the prometric center and when they tried to take my fingerprint it was moist and I had to scan it like 3 times. Visibly nervous I guess, I went back to my locker and took a beta blocker and prayed for a minute. I thought question stems were a bit longer than UW but I would mark the first answer that my mind wanted because I was concerned for time. Would finish blocks with usually less than a minute to go. Need to read and process fast or else you are in trouble time wise. Just mark your best guess and keep going. From most of friends and people I talked to that's the norm anyway, unless you are in a US residency like IM/FM/EM. Had several abstracts that asked basic biostats, actually dont need the whole abstract. Drug ads also, I thought were tricky and didn't really know how to interpret. I took no nbme or UW sa so can't compare the difficulty. To UW questions, maybe some on the same level, some maybe easier, most longer and maybe slightly harder. Day 2: questions were shorter and didn't have problems rushing for time, but don't get confident. Use the same strategy and mark your best guess and move. CCS part was not bad I thought, just order basic labs and stabilize pts if needed. Once you think you know the case, dont get crazy with orders, do the initial orders and advance your time. I don't think they have too many cases that really run long for days in simulated time. Cases seemed to end when basic tests and treatment were done. There were two or three that I was not confident about my diagnosis but I tried not to do crazy tests and treatment. If mind goes blank take a look at patients history again and vitals and think of new labs to order.
All in all a tough test, glad I will not repeat it. Step 1 was maybe hardest to study for because it is all hardcore, Step 2 maybe easiest to study for, and CS maybe a test of basic H and P skills. Step 3 tests if you still are interested in studying and if you can focus for a few weeks you can pass, but questions are sometimes or oftentimes things that you will just say I don't know and just have to mark a best guess. Don't dwell, CLICK and MOVE, trust gut first instinct because you are in trouble if you stare at the screen.
Good luck fellow doctors.