Which USMLE Step is the most difficult?

[StepTaker]

Me and my friends have all noticed that step 1 is the most difficult of all steps, however, today I met a new friend who insisted that step 3 is the most difficult one!

So let's start a poll and see what you think about it..

[OM-85]

I think it depends if the student is old grad or fresh grad

Fresh grads find step 2 CK more difficult
Old grads find step 1 more difficult

Step 3, because it's not life deciding and critical, residents find it easy as they just need to pass

[Hanadi]

Step 2 CK is totally of different level than step 1. Of so much higher level... Step 1 is like a test for students, where u don't have to think, (sometimes have to), but basically you just have to know the answer. The answer is just looking at you and screaming " Pick me! Pick me!". Step 2 is the whole different story... You have to be a doctor here, not a second grade student anymore and you have to think...

[kalyan]

Originally Posted by steptaker

Me and my friends have all noticed that step 1 is the most difficult of all steps, however, today I met a new friend who insisted that step 3 is the most difficult one!

So let's start a poll and see what you think about it..

step 3 is the most vague and difficult

[lemontea88]

How bout we put it this way, which step did you spend the most time studying for?

[rasheed]

Originally Posted by lemontea88

How bout we put it this way, which step did you spend the most time studying for?

There are threads for this question, check them out here:
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-st...-step-1-a.html
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-st...step-2-cs.html
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-st...step-2-ck.html
How long it takes to prepare for USMLE Step 3?

[Sabio]

Looking at this official USMLE.org web page
http://www.usmle.org/Scores_Transcri...m_passing.html

We can see that the minimum passing score is lowest for Step 2 CK (184) and it's 185 and 187 for Step 1 and Step 3 respectively.

This indicates a statistical evidence that Step 2 CK the hardest to pass!!

I guess that students and specially old IMG grads are most overwhelmed by Step 1 as they have forgotten the basic sciences and the material is huge but when it comes to passing it would probably be that CK is the real hurdle.

[GNND85]

Originally Posted by Sabio

Looking at this official USMLE.org web page
http://www.usmle.org/Scores_Transcri...m_passing.html

We can see that the minimum passing score is lowest for Step 2 CK (184) and it's 185 and 187 for Step 1 and Step 3 respectively.

This indicates a statistical evidence that Step 2 CK the hardest to pass!!

I guess that students and specially old IMG grads are most overwhelmed by Step 1 as they have forgotten the basic sciences and the material is huge but when it comes to passing it would probably be that CK is the real hurdle.

specially when we consider the fact that CK has more questions than Step1 so 184 in CK is far easier than 185 in Step1

[Perla431]

I think the CS exam is the most difficult one specially for those who do not have English as a native language

[cardalla]

Can't believe it how Step 2 CS is being regarded as the easiest

[hottrkc]

Originally Posted by Hanadi

Step 2 CK is totally of different level than step 1. Of so much higher level... Step 1 is like a test for students, where u don't have to think, (sometimes have to), but basically you just have to know the answer. The answer is just looking at you and screaming " Pick me! Pick me!". Step 2 is the whole different story... You have to be a doctor here, not a second grade student anymore and you have to think...

You have to be a doctor here, not a second grade student anymore and you have to think.

[add1]

There is no second grade
all the steps are extremely difficult
but more importantly exhausting
even Step 1 requires logical
thinking and analysis
Step 3 probably because it is the longest