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Eligibility For The USMLE Step 1, 2

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THE USMLE? Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS

outside the US and Canada, listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools as meeting ECFMG eligibility requirements, and  that meets other eligibility criteria of the ECFMG.

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William L. Rodman : Founder of National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)

A smart doctor, or a good one

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Step 2 CK

DURING THIRD YEAR ROTATIONS…

I consider my most important and intense preparation to be what I did in preparing for each rotation’s shelf exam. 

Ob/Gyn (upper 80s): Kaplan Ob/Gyn + Uwise + OME + Uworld

Psych (upper 90s): Kaplan psych + FA for Psych + OME + Uworld

Neuro (upper 80s): Blueprints + Kaplan IM neuro + OME + Uworld

Medicine (upper 80s): OME + Uworld

Peds (lower 70s): Kaplan peds + Uworld

Family (lower 90s): Case Files + SUTM Ambulatory + OME

Surgery (upper 80s): Pestana + SUTM GI + OME + Uworld

I only finished approx 70% of Uworld before I reset it for dedicated time.

DURING DEDICATED TIME…

Uworld Self Assessment: I didn’t touch any Step 2 prep material prior to dedicated time. I took UWSA1 first to figure out my baseline, which ended up being in the high 220s. I think coming off surgery followed by my medicine SubI bumped by score quite a bit.

Online Med Ed Videos: I don’t learn from questions if I don’t have a very clear view of the big picture. That’s nearly blasphemy, I know. But for me that’s the very painful truth I learned during Step 1. So I spent the first half of my dedicated time burning through the OME notes and videos. I can’t give these videos enough praise. Really. I’m almost certain that I would not have done well during third year, shelfs, or Step 2 had it not been for these videos. They are clutch. Shelling out $70 for the notes was totally worth it. 

Uworld + Anki: I took blocks on timed random and then slowly worked through the explanations. Instead of taking notes into a word document, as I’d done for Step 1, I decided to turn my notes into anki questions. This worked really, really well for me. Your mileage may vary. I only finished approx 80%, but I completed every category except for internal medicine.

First Aid for Step 1: behavioral sciences section ONLY to review for biostats and ethics. 

After over-complicating my Step 1 prep, I went pretty low resource for Step 2. The online med ed notes served as my “book” for Step 2. For each OME video topic, I read through the notes and then watched the video, annotating any additional information directly into the notes as I deemed necessary. After I had finished all the OME videos, I started working my way through Uworld. My anki cards kept me continually reviewing facts and integrations I learned from Uworld. I also reviewed the note packets I’d put together during third year when I was preparing for each shelf. No additional practice tests or resources. I took the real deal just hoping for the best. 

My final score was the in 260s.

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You can read here more about United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).