Didn't Crush USMLE Step 1? Redeem Yourself With Step 2 CK

[MedSchoolTutors]

Didn't Crush USMLE Step 1? Redeem Yourself With Step 2 CK

(Originally posted on the Med School Tutors Blog.)

You've been here before, only between second and third year of medical school, it was that dreaded Step 1 exam of the USMLE. Now you're back and before you stands Step 2 CK of the USMLE, but is it really all that important to do well on Step 2 CK if you have done well on Step 1? Or, what if you did poorly on Step 1; can you actually improve on that score?

To answer the first question, it depends. There's actually no clear-cut answer with specialties and specific residency programs placing emphasis on Step 1 over Step 2 CK and vice versa, and there's not a real consensus across the board either.

To answer the second question, the answer is a resounding yes. Also, even if you did really well on Step 1, are you just gonna “go sit” for Step 2 CK and put that awesome Step 1 score at risk of being next to a mediocre Step 2 CK score? Probably not. In fact chances are that if you did well on Step 1, you are still going to want to do well on Step 2 CK of the USMLE.

At Med School Tutors, we work with tons of students who have done both poorly and who have had amazing Step 1 scores as they prepare for Step 2 CK. So how long should you study for this test? Step 2 CK is a pretty fun test to study and prepare for if you're taking it at the end of your third year because it is something you have been doing all year round. Within 2 to 4 weeks, you are able to intensely review all of the clinical medicine you have experienced throughout your clinical rotations. The great part about studying for Step 2 CK is that if you take it before your fourth year, it can even boost your clinical knowledge and performance during your subsequent sub-internships but when to take it is a very personal decision to make.

But how do you tackle that vast amount of clinical knowledge and then apply it to answering Step 2 CK questions? Click here.