10-01-2011, 02:40 AM
Im really glad!! My step 1 wasnt too great and i just threw myself into Step 2 ck prep. had passed CS last october. I had about 1 and half months to prep and had to do well in the CK to have a fighting chance it seemed.
I started my Ck preps with UWORLD qbank since I had just done step 1, but I started active prep by the last week of June and took my exam on the 2nd of August.
I started UWORLD qbank on the 28th of MAY. This I did along MTB 2CK and was done with one read by the end of June. I had completed 50% of Uworld by the time I had done one read of MTB2 ck. I focused on tutor mode for 60% of Uworld and by the time i completed Uworld by the first week of July I had gone through kaplan Medicine and videos as well. I read the other subjects like pediatrics,Obstetrics and Gynecology,surgey and rushed through psychiatry in the tail end but did not read it so much since I was strong in it in step 1 but found out I should have done more because it is a lil bit more difficult than step 1 psych. I did videos for random topics in obs and gyne especially on incontinence..which was very useful...
I started UWORLD for the second time goin through all right and wrong options but was only able to complete another 90% before exam day.
I read MTB 2 ck a total of 2 times.
I did NBME 2-218 3weeks to exam,
UWSA-222 two days to exam
NBME 4-204 a day before exam.. I was scared stiff before the NBME because of memories of my step 1 and I was scared of screwing up and all that put pressure on me so I was messing up with lots of easy questions. My wife and my buddy encouraged me. I was studying with my buddy for this exam for the last few days before the exam. Before this I had been studying and working which we all know is not as easy thing to do but had to be done.
After the NBME 3, I decided against going for the exam and was going to return to work. So I called my wife and told her I was not taking the exam anymore, she said she understood and asked me to get some sleep. My buddy encouraged me and said he was sure i would do well if I could just take the pressure off but i stuck to my guns and told him i would do some other time. I had a goodnights rest without the thought of going for the exam the next day and my buddy barely slept..lol
Next morning I woke early and got on skype with my wife and she asked me how I was and I said great, she asked if i rested well and i was really well rested and she was like why dont you go for the exam since I was well rested and did not have the pressure of the exam on my mind. I saw reason with what she said and I was very encouraged by her words.. I had a bath and got ready and told my buddy i was going for the exam, he was glad i listened to my wife and he told me it would be great..so we got on the train and we were at the prometric center. we discussed a few concepts on the train but by the time I started the exam i was shocked to see the new question format with the drug ads and abstracts..we thought it would start on the 3rd of aug and thought by doing it on the 2nd of august we would escape this and and the delay in score reporting but we were there now so had to face the exam head on. I took breaks after every 2 blocks, I took redbull for the first time for an exam and this was very useful since i was well rested it kept me alert and awake..I read every line as carefully as I could. I forgot to mention I had done FRED 2 days before the exam and practicing the new questions helped. Anyway ran out of break time and had to do 4 blocks with just 5 mins break in between each but stayed in and just closed my eyes after each block to relax and collect my thoughts while thinking about my wife and our new baby praying for me..along with other members of my family..Those thoughts helped me and helped me fight on..
After the exam I felt i had done ok but then started doubting I had done well later but this time i didnt remember making mistakes like my step 1 and even questions I checked later were correct.but stopped checking cos i didnt want to discover mistakes..lol!
It was a long 8 weeks before results were released..I got my result on friday 30th by 9am which was unusual but was well received..I opened it and 99/230. Im glad because my wife believed in me when I didnt..lol! my buddy really encouraged me and ofcourse he did really well getting a 245/99 too..so we both ended up doing great and it just really goes to show that hardwork pays and Gods favour and blessings through loved ones and family are priceless.
well my score was a bit close to UWSA but my buddies score was close to NBME 4, but I know people that study and dont do NBME and do really well. Well im glad thats over and will hope for the best for residency matching and prep for step 3 now.. I discovered that First Aid for CK is not as bad as people say it is,.. I discovered this late and couldnt use it but will advice at least one read of it after all reads..
I have been following this forum for a long time and I have learnt from so many people..I dont remember names but everyone had contributed alot to me. I hope this helps someone out there because thats what medicine is about..helping people... I will be glad to answer any questions from my experience..
I started my Ck preps with UWORLD qbank since I had just done step 1, but I started active prep by the last week of June and took my exam on the 2nd of August.
I started UWORLD qbank on the 28th of MAY. This I did along MTB 2CK and was done with one read by the end of June. I had completed 50% of Uworld by the time I had done one read of MTB2 ck. I focused on tutor mode for 60% of Uworld and by the time i completed Uworld by the first week of July I had gone through kaplan Medicine and videos as well. I read the other subjects like pediatrics,Obstetrics and Gynecology,surgey and rushed through psychiatry in the tail end but did not read it so much since I was strong in it in step 1 but found out I should have done more because it is a lil bit more difficult than step 1 psych. I did videos for random topics in obs and gyne especially on incontinence..which was very useful...
I started UWORLD for the second time goin through all right and wrong options but was only able to complete another 90% before exam day.
I read MTB 2 ck a total of 2 times.
I did NBME 2-218 3weeks to exam,
UWSA-222 two days to exam
NBME 4-204 a day before exam.. I was scared stiff before the NBME because of memories of my step 1 and I was scared of screwing up and all that put pressure on me so I was messing up with lots of easy questions. My wife and my buddy encouraged me. I was studying with my buddy for this exam for the last few days before the exam. Before this I had been studying and working which we all know is not as easy thing to do but had to be done.
After the NBME 3, I decided against going for the exam and was going to return to work. So I called my wife and told her I was not taking the exam anymore, she said she understood and asked me to get some sleep. My buddy encouraged me and said he was sure i would do well if I could just take the pressure off but i stuck to my guns and told him i would do some other time. I had a goodnights rest without the thought of going for the exam the next day and my buddy barely slept..lol
Next morning I woke early and got on skype with my wife and she asked me how I was and I said great, she asked if i rested well and i was really well rested and she was like why dont you go for the exam since I was well rested and did not have the pressure of the exam on my mind. I saw reason with what she said and I was very encouraged by her words.. I had a bath and got ready and told my buddy i was going for the exam, he was glad i listened to my wife and he told me it would be great..so we got on the train and we were at the prometric center. we discussed a few concepts on the train but by the time I started the exam i was shocked to see the new question format with the drug ads and abstracts..we thought it would start on the 3rd of aug and thought by doing it on the 2nd of august we would escape this and and the delay in score reporting but we were there now so had to face the exam head on. I took breaks after every 2 blocks, I took redbull for the first time for an exam and this was very useful since i was well rested it kept me alert and awake..I read every line as carefully as I could. I forgot to mention I had done FRED 2 days before the exam and practicing the new questions helped. Anyway ran out of break time and had to do 4 blocks with just 5 mins break in between each but stayed in and just closed my eyes after each block to relax and collect my thoughts while thinking about my wife and our new baby praying for me..along with other members of my family..Those thoughts helped me and helped me fight on..
After the exam I felt i had done ok but then started doubting I had done well later but this time i didnt remember making mistakes like my step 1 and even questions I checked later were correct.but stopped checking cos i didnt want to discover mistakes..lol!
It was a long 8 weeks before results were released..I got my result on friday 30th by 9am which was unusual but was well received..I opened it and 99/230. Im glad because my wife believed in me when I didnt..lol! my buddy really encouraged me and ofcourse he did really well getting a 245/99 too..so we both ended up doing great and it just really goes to show that hardwork pays and Gods favour and blessings through loved ones and family are priceless.
well my score was a bit close to UWSA but my buddies score was close to NBME 4, but I know people that study and dont do NBME and do really well. Well im glad thats over and will hope for the best for residency matching and prep for step 3 now.. I discovered that First Aid for CK is not as bad as people say it is,.. I discovered this late and couldnt use it but will advice at least one read of it after all reads..
I have been following this forum for a long time and I have learnt from so many people..I dont remember names but everyone had contributed alot to me. I hope this helps someone out there because thats what medicine is about..helping people... I will be glad to answer any questions from my experience..
can you tell more about your exam experience how was exam like more of uw,mtb or do we need to read something more n what was ur FRED score?