northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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Used: Kaplan Qbank, NMS Review for Step 2, brushed up with High-Yield OB-gyn, High-Yield Surgery, and High-yield Internal Medicine.
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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I'd like to add an addendum. The second test from NBME.org that you can buy for $45 was within 4 points of my actual score, and was the closest in level of difficulty of the actual test.
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| nonstopdoc1
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 196
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congrats
what was ur exact score on nbme test no 1 or 2?
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| tasneembanu
Forum Guru
Topics: 96
Posts: 545
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congragulations!thats an excellent score,it would be nice if u could give us some more study tips,since we r all just starting.
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| ELM
Forum Guru
Topics: 28
Posts: 936
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Hey Northstar!
Congrates on your score.... it's great!
Yaeh give us some more tips about your study!!!!!
How was these books that you have used?????? Obviously they have worked well for you....... but most people used Kaplan and BP's.......tell us about your books please... ? How is HY's IM?
Also how long did you study to get that score?????
Are you an IMG?........and lastly how was the test????
Thanks.
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ELM
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| sar
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 639
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Congratulations northstr! :icon_bounce:
It is a great score!
I would like to ask you the same questions that others have asked you.
I am thinking of using Kaplan lecture notes and Crush the boards, any suggestions???? I just got my score for step 1 and I am planning to take step 2 as soon as possible. What would you suggest, can I take in early dec, if I start prep from september????? (I am 1996 graduate)
Good luck for future steps towards residency! :icon_thumb:
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| Ashok
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 40
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HI northstr
Congratulation :P :P :icon_bounce: :-({|=
How are u doing?
That is a marvilous score.
How u did that, i mean what u did to get this score?
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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Hi all,
wow did not think it would generate so many responses.
I studied about 2 months for the exam, which was really hectic because I was on 3rd year rotations. No I'm not an IMG, but I'm sure you all can do just was well/better.
I focused mostly on questions because I felt that a big part of the exam was mainly knowing WHAT they were asking, and teasing out the information, which I could not learn from reading information. For Step 1 I focused mostly on books, and didn't do as well.
I did about 2,900 questions. Kaplan Qbank (about 1200 Qs), NMS for Step 2 (900 questions), Pre-test Clinical Vignettes for Step 2 (500) and the 2 tests from NMBE (368 Q).
My thoughts on each:
KAPLAN Q-BANK: very good for training how to take the test and learning the info, a little harder than real thing. I did 2 blocks of 50 each weekday evening and went through the answers, which REALLY helped to build up my endurance for the real thing.
NMS FOR STEP 2: very good for learning material, questions not like the test.
PRE-TEST CLINICAL VIGNETTES for STEP 2: very standard presentation questions, good if you have time.
NBME TEST 1: SCORE 680
easier than real thing
NBME TEST 2: SCORE 670
most like the real thing, I think I even had some repeat questions.
Released questions from USMLE: A JOKE!! too easy!!
High Yield Int Med: test has lots of Int Med questions, but don't need to go into too much detail learning the entire book, I felt that Qbank and NMS did a good job
High Yield Surgery: helpful if you didn't have a good foundation in surgery, but otherwise skim this book if you have done Qbank and NMS
High Yield OB-GYN: good book, would be good to relearn or skim.
Kaplan lectures: useless to me unless you don't have a good foundation. Gyn lectures no yield. Briefly skim the powerpoint presentations, otherwise not too high yield.
Throughout 3rd year, I tried to use good books. I highly recommend
BluePrints Peds, Surgery, Ob-gyn, perhaps Int Med too but I can't say because I didn't use a core book during that rotation.
Swanson's Family Medcine is probably better for Step 3, I didn't waste my time trying to learn it all.
For the IMGs, don't get discouraged, I don't know how much an advantage US med student has. The key for me was using good books and learning them well.
Hope this helps and good luck guys!!
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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yes I think you can do it, if you can set aside 3 hours each evening, and 1 full day on the weekends (for review). But if I graduated 1996, I would probably feel better if I set aside more time than that (still Sept to Dec, but more hours, because I find that the longer I study, the more I forget unless its intense in a short amount of time).
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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ok if just starting out to study for quick review, but otherwise material covered too spotty. I liked questions because there are only so many topics they can test you on, and in only so many different ways. 
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| nonstopdoc1
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 196
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hi northstr
I did nbme 1 2-3 days before my exam and my score was exactly similar to u i.e. 680. I dont know but i wasn't happy with it. though it helped me a lot as i focused on my few of my weaker aspects.
but i dont think my exam went that good. dont know why. but i think i had to guess in lot of questions which i didn't wanted to.
time was never a prob but still i beleive that for crushing step 2 kaplan is not enough and u need better books than CTB etc.
well now i am hoping to get a decent result.
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No spring skips its turn.
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| noelle
Forum Elite
Topics: 59
Posts: 226
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oyee non stop doc 1 how wa s step 2 easy or same as step1!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: what all did u read :?:
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| sar
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 639
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Thanks northstr for your valuable advice. I will do accordingly.
Thanks again and good luck! :icon_thumb:
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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Thanks Sar!
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| son64
Forum Elite
Topics: 34
Posts: 245
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Congrats Northstr!!!!
What was your average score on Q bank and NMS?
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| northstr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 14
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I did poorly on Q bank and NMS. For Q bank my average was 77%, and NMS, I think something like 65-75%.
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