can someone tell me why i failed - zzzmm

[ArchivalUser]

I took my step 2 cs exam in december in LA

I had simple cases from the material that everyone uses. I studied for month with a partner. Used FA and Uworld.

I finished all cases in time, washed hands, draped properly, took out foot rest, asked 1 question at a time, did focused physical exam only.

I finished notes in time as well, wrote them according to how uworld has, no garbage or any clutter...got my result yesterday and I failed in ICE == i really dont understand why though, the cases were regular simple cases and i am very sure i covered important points about it and wrote it properly in my note. MY bar is wayyy below the border line performance gray area...something not right ?, should i re-check ?.

it doesnt make sense to me, can someone help ?

[ArchivalUser]

and I have no problem with english, i speak very fluent understanding english. just in shock, cant believe it.

the cases were simple ones, so if i asked right questions and the patients marked them in the check list and i wrote it properly in the note then HOW COME MY ICE PERFORMANCE BAR SO LOW

it looks like this:
Lower perform borderline higher perform

ICE *xxxxxxx / /

CIS / / xxxxxxx

SEP / / xxxxx*

[ArchivalUser]

i think that the patients only grade your SEP and CIS by their checklists. then i think at a later time, actual physicians read and grade your PT notes in ICE. i passed in LA. however, my ICE was barely passing: 6xs in gray borderline area and 5xs in white lower performance area. take a few days off and relax yourself. then begin studying again and u will pass.i know it hurts now. but use this as motivation to pass and u will.

[ArchivalUser]

hey REYSK you mean 6xs in the gray borderline area dn 5Xs in TO THE RIGHT OF THE BORDERLINE AREA ?...cause if they are to the left then isint that failing ICE ?

[ArchivalUser]

my ICE bar was: LOWER BORDERLINE HIGHER


XXXXX{XXXXXX}

if i had just 1 more X to the left of the gray borderline area (in the lower performance)- i would have failed ICE

[ArchivalUser]

Hi zzzmm,

sorry to hear the bad news. ICE is data gathering and presentation. Therefore, you could've gone wrong in two areas. 1) You probably did not ask the appropriate question to elicit the right answers or 2) your patient note was not good. Not I or anyone else can tell where you went wrong specifically, because we weren't there. If you truly believe that you did fine you can ask them to review it.

My advise would be to work with someone that is knowledgeable, someone that can point out your mistakes and correct you. Other than that stay strong, one failure is not the end, like reysk said just get back to studying and make sure to pass the next one.

step2csbuddy
step2csbuddy.com

[ArchivalUser]

My ice bar was also in borderline area with xxx beyond borderline. But I thought I had done well in ice.
The only thing I can think off is I listed 3 dd for all cases with 3rd diagnosis always as a stretch highly unlikely. I think I lost points because of that .
Did u support ur dd with history and pe points.
Ice is patient note graded by physician and p/e graded by sp. patients don't have any history checklist remember.

[ArchivalUser]

u had a asterix is ICE in the lower range ?

[ArchivalUser]

sorry to hear that zzzmm

what I would suggest is supporting your dd is important with as many points you gather in the history and and also go through the sample pt notes given @ usmle.org you will get a better idea about how to write the pt note.

good luck

[ArchivalUser]

HEy CRUSHER07

YEs I supported my DD with PE points if they had any, but i also put negative finding to support my DD is most likely. But again my cases were so so simple, i had practiced similiar ones and i did well. I took uworld course and wrote notes according to their teaching. Also, if your DD is wrong then whole case is wrong and you dont get points for it ????
can you please skype with me for couple of cases and give me feedback, help me out please ?


Hey REYSK
But you have 5xs to the left of the borderline area ?..that is still considered pass ?. i did not know that. I thought any x to the left of borderline area is fail.
In my report : it is like this
Lower -----Borderline ------Higher
*xxxx

I dont have any x in the borderline area. But again based on cases i had, they were so so easy, just not making sense.
can you please skype with me for couple of cases and give feedback or any tips, i will be thankful.
let me know.