04-24-2007, 06:17 PM
After the long waits, finally its here. I just received my score report. Right after the exam, I did not share my exam experience bcoz I am not really sure with my performance. It was totally a different experience for me.
My Step 2 Ck preparation:
Kaplan books: Studied for 6 months. Averaging 3-4 hrs/day in the first 2 months, then 5-7 hrs/day in the next 2 months then finally 10-12 hrs/day in the last 2 months.I also watch the kaplan videos of IM (only selected topics cause I dont have the complete copy), OB and GYNE (I really like their presentation) and Psychiatry. Did not watch Peds and Surg (according to this forum, they are just reading from the book).
Watching the kaplan videos will really take your time, but nevertheless, they are worth it. I just watched it once.
Kaplan Q book - 67%. I answered 1 block after each revision. Then the next block after my 2nd revision. I answered this for 6 months.
Kaplan Q bank - 70%. This is the downloaded version I got from the forum.
UW - 55%. I subscribed it for 1 month only.
I did not do NBME cause I believe this is an assessment test only. Even if I got low or high in NBME, I will still stick to my exam date. I am tired of this preparation. That is the reason why I didnt do it and I dont want to waste my $45.
I didnot read FA or any other review books. I was able to read kaplan around 4 times. I would rather stick to 1 review material and read them many times than having lots of books and never able to read them back.
During the last 2 weeks of my review, I browsed my kaplan books once more, only the important ones and I answered at least 50-100 questions a day. As they say, do answer as many questions as you can, as this is the key in passing the exams and of course PRAYERS!
My exam:
I started my exam around 8:30 and finished almost 5:30. IM (45%), Psych (25%), Ped (10-15%), OB-GYNE (10-15%) and surg (5%). I was not expecting to have so many Psych questions. They are usually asking me for the diagnosis and little about the management. The Dx most of the time are the complicated ones, not just the simple ones like major depression or adjustment disorder, etc. I got about 6 chest x-ray films (they are difficult and confusing). 1 abdominal film (dont know the answer). Around 2 derma pictures (skin CA), 3 ECG (easy except for 1). I got lots of hema questions. No questions about Pulmonary embolism nor MI (didnt expect this). Study ortho esp SCFE,DDH, Legg-calves (they will surely ask you on this topic).
They dont usually give the clue that we usually see in UW or Kaplan QBank. You really need to figure it out. (Again, I was not expecting this)
After the exam, I could hardly think of the questions they asked me.
Believe it or not, I marked at least 15 questions each block. The time is enough for me to finish the block but never had the chance to review the marked items.
I was not expecting to get this score, really. I got 227/92. I thank all the members in this forum especially to diamapache and dollywolly123 who in one way or the other made this exam a successful one.
thank you!
My Step 2 Ck preparation:
Kaplan books: Studied for 6 months. Averaging 3-4 hrs/day in the first 2 months, then 5-7 hrs/day in the next 2 months then finally 10-12 hrs/day in the last 2 months.I also watch the kaplan videos of IM (only selected topics cause I dont have the complete copy), OB and GYNE (I really like their presentation) and Psychiatry. Did not watch Peds and Surg (according to this forum, they are just reading from the book).
Watching the kaplan videos will really take your time, but nevertheless, they are worth it. I just watched it once.
Kaplan Q book - 67%. I answered 1 block after each revision. Then the next block after my 2nd revision. I answered this for 6 months.
Kaplan Q bank - 70%. This is the downloaded version I got from the forum.
UW - 55%. I subscribed it for 1 month only.
I did not do NBME cause I believe this is an assessment test only. Even if I got low or high in NBME, I will still stick to my exam date. I am tired of this preparation. That is the reason why I didnt do it and I dont want to waste my $45.
I didnot read FA or any other review books. I was able to read kaplan around 4 times. I would rather stick to 1 review material and read them many times than having lots of books and never able to read them back.
During the last 2 weeks of my review, I browsed my kaplan books once more, only the important ones and I answered at least 50-100 questions a day. As they say, do answer as many questions as you can, as this is the key in passing the exams and of course PRAYERS!
My exam:
I started my exam around 8:30 and finished almost 5:30. IM (45%), Psych (25%), Ped (10-15%), OB-GYNE (10-15%) and surg (5%). I was not expecting to have so many Psych questions. They are usually asking me for the diagnosis and little about the management. The Dx most of the time are the complicated ones, not just the simple ones like major depression or adjustment disorder, etc. I got about 6 chest x-ray films (they are difficult and confusing). 1 abdominal film (dont know the answer). Around 2 derma pictures (skin CA), 3 ECG (easy except for 1). I got lots of hema questions. No questions about Pulmonary embolism nor MI (didnt expect this). Study ortho esp SCFE,DDH, Legg-calves (they will surely ask you on this topic).
They dont usually give the clue that we usually see in UW or Kaplan QBank. You really need to figure it out. (Again, I was not expecting this)
After the exam, I could hardly think of the questions they asked me.
Believe it or not, I marked at least 15 questions each block. The time is enough for me to finish the block but never had the chance to review the marked items.
I was not expecting to get this score, really. I got 227/92. I thank all the members in this forum especially to diamapache and dollywolly123 who in one way or the other made this exam a successful one.
thank you!