smitha
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 236
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Hello guys!!!!!!! 
The day everybody waits and wishes for it to be completed is DONE for ME!!!!!!!! I've taken my step2 exam on the 12th of this month.Finally, iam happy that i cud finish it and take a breath!!!! phew!!!!!
It was a 9 hrs exam with 1hr break included in it,which cud be spaced as we wish,and 46qs per block(368 qs in total), .............But according to me, the breaks we take early shud be shorter and the time shud be saved for the last blocks , for us to have more time to relax between blocks in the later half of the exam, coz our brain is DAZED after the 4th or 5th block......haaaaaa, believe me!!!!!!!
Now coming to the qs...........They included 3 categories.......Good ones, easy/str8 forward ones and silly ones..............Again every category had lengthy as well as short qs ..........A lengthy q was never always TOUGH..........a lengthy q which was boring to start, ended with a simple q which we know the answer pretty well, and on the contrast, shorter ones were sometimes twisting................
I will give one example of each type of qs here..........as iam not supposed to post the real qs of usmle on the forums, iam sorry for that..........
1. silly q.........a fat woman having all sorts of food, diet coke etc and has bloating and flatulence..........wat's the reason for the flatulence :roll: :roll: .............options were.......gluten, asparatame,sucrose etc..........i went for asparatame.........for me, it's real silly and funny q..........anyways, probably USA do needs us to know about this coz THIS IS AN AMERICAN DIET :wink: !!!!!!!!!!!
2. Good q.........can't remember the exact format of good qs coz they were good but non-recollectable..........but MOSTLY based on pathophysiology part, diagnosis and management part.............
3. easy/str8 forward q...........given a picture of melanoma, was asked about the prognostic factor in this ds………options were, color, width, thickness, borders etc………. I went for thickness……….
All the topics in medicine , sugery, peds and gyne/obg were covered broadly…………..
INTERNAL MEDICINE……HTN, CCF,DM, DKA, electrolyte disturbances, lipid profile and risk factors and management, arrhythmias…….AF, VF,WPW;Angina, 2EKGs…..(I recoginised them as AF and WPW syn), ;pics of melanoma, basal cell ca., 2 xrays(achalasia, widened mediastinum),
GERD, Achalasia, UGIB , LGIB, bedsores, lyme’s disease, psoriasis, scabies,pityriasis rosea, infective endocarditis,COPD, adenoca. Of lung,sarcoidosis, ARDS, bronchiectasis, asthma,chronic lead poisoning,anemia of chronic ds, sickle cell anemia,hemophilia A,TTP, HUS, CLL,zenker’s diverticulum,scleroderma,SIADH, DI, hypercalcemia,hypermagnesamia,cushing’s ds,grave’s ds,JRA,RA, sjogren’s syn,gout, septic arthritis,polymyositis,wernicke-korsakoff syn,SAH, intracerebral hemorrhage,fresh water drowning, allergic contact dermatitis, hypersensitivities (types),HOCM, AR,cardiac tamponade,Vit. B12 deficiency,multiple myeloma,meningitis,otitis media,pharyngitis(viral/strep),pneumonia,Pulmo.TB,STDs(syphilis, AIDS,HERPES), osteomyelitis,Allergic interstitial nephritis,all the metabolic and electrolyte disorders(SHUD BE VERY THOUROUGH),nephrolithiasis,PTE, CNS------d/ds of head ache, diplopia;
Multiple sclerosis, parkinsonism,STROKE, localizing lesions,
D/ds of back pain, cholelithisis, PBC ,d/ds of facial pain.
PEDS--------leg calve perthes ds, SCFE management, osteomyelitis,RASHES, VACCINATIONS(know them VERY WELL), child psychiatry(ADHD, AUTISM, ASPERGER ), Intussusception, Child immunology(di george syn), normal milestones(to diff from abnormal ones which he gives),febrile seizures. Croup.
SURGERY------TRAUMA mostly and orthopedics(splly child),hemorrhoids,intestinal obstruction, testicular cancer, testicular torsion,BPH,carpal tunnel syndrome…..
OBGYN-----placenta previa, abruptio, CPD, vaccinations and Igs in pregnancy,STDs in pregnancy and management, Birth control for diff types of pt.s in diff settings,prenatal testing, all carcinomas and screening for cervical and breat ca., postmenopausal bleeding, HRT,adnexal masses, urethritis, cervicitis,cystitis, cystocele,incontinence(stress),fibroids,amenorrhea(primary and secondary).
PSYCHIATRY-------schizophrenia, personality disorders, bipolar ds,LOOOOOOOTS of qs on antipsychotics and anti depressants..........their actions and S/Es.
Added to the above topics there were overlapping qs from basic sciences too……….qs about drugs and bugs/micro, anatomy-------which nerve involved or plexus involved etc………
This is wat I can remember and reproduce for now, guys…….anything I can add, I’ll do it eventually……….
So, when u look at these topics, it’s clear that, NOTHING IS EXCLUDED basically………they try to cover most of the topics……..and infact I had same topic q repeated in the same block ………for eg: hypercalcemia management was one q and diagnosis was another q in the SAME block………so u never know……….
Hope this helps …………I WISH ALL OF U GOOD LUCK AND GOOD SCORES!!!!!!!!!
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| fsbrmd
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Thank you so much for sharing this :P
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| doc4life
Forum Guru
Topics: 131
Posts: 240
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Thanks for the information.
What r the books and other sources that we need to study for step 2 ?
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| smitha
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 236
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I've used Kaplan notes all thru......for me, they r a must!!!!!!!! :roll:
I've done MCQs from Kaplan Q bank, Q book, NMSR, a part of FPR/Swanson's, kaplan 8 hrs simulated CD,USMLE CD,some MCQs from my step3 southland's tutorials(optional), and looooooooot of qs from FORUMS(prep4usmle and usmle.net).........
I referred first aid for step1 and step2, CMDT,harrison's, washington's manual,high yield psychiatry,blueprints pediatrics and surgery,CTB step2, webpath CD for pictures and some more sites which were posted in between on the forums...........
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| Anno Domini
Moderator
Topics: 293
Posts: 727
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Hi Smitha , congrats .I am sure that you are going to ace the exam.
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| chints_21
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 9
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thanks smitha
I am starting myprep for step 2...can u guide me which books I should use primarily and which mcq books u have referred/..I mean the best books to refer...any other software..etc.
thanks...
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cbshah
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| smitha
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 236
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Thanx a lot anno........
And as for chints.........it depends on wat u've studied or the books used before ..........the so called BIG BOOKS r for reference only henceforth in ur prep..........i wud advise u to start with kaplan notes first for theory and then Kaplan Q book or NMSR for MCQs..........it'll be better if u start both at the same time if u r fresh with the subject but, if ur not, it's better u give a 1st reading of the notes and then start mcqs along with the 2nd reading............
As for the other books, i've already given u the list above.......
ALL THE BEST!!!!!!!!!
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| chints_21
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 9
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thanks, smitha...for yr helpful guidance...
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cbshah
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| lahar
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hi smitha,
thanks for sharing ur exam experience with us. it was very useful.
wish u all the best for gr8 score! i guess u have done the exam very well.
i have my exam in two weeks.
what is ur advice for me to study in the last 1 week that could be high yield for the exam?
i am scoring 76% in NMS . Q bank 75%.Q book 70%.
i have not yet done Mock exam . do u think that it is worth doing ? can i do that or just leave that?
how much of score in kaplan simulated Cd and usmle CD will help me to get 90s?
what were ur scores in q bank , NMS,kaplan simmulated CD, and usmle CD? which one u feel as very close to the real exam?
ur timely advice is vey much appreciated.
thank u .
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| smitha
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 236
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HEY LAHAR..........
First of all.........stay cool ........coz even if u panic, there's nothing which is gonna resemble ur exam.........believe me.......
All these mcqs which ur done with, r DEFINITELY useful in training ur brain in the pattern that u shud think........a q might have 1 pointer or 2 pointers, we can NEVER SAY!!!!!!!when we tend to do sooooo many mcqs, we tend to think multidirectional which will help us in the exam........and most importantly not only JUST thinking, but thinking spontaneously.........which is wat is needed there with the clock ticking there in the blocks......... :roll:
And as of ur prep in these last 2 weeks, STAY IN TOUCH WITH MCQS MCQS AND MCQS.........watever they might be........easy, tough ,silly......
If u have Crush the boards, go thru it, it's quite helpful now..........
Mock exam..........i've not done that though..........but don't be in atrend to finish anything too.........if u have revised the MCQs which u were wrong and now, ur confident about them and have time, go for the new one---mock exam!!!!!!!!
With ur scores ranging in 75%, u shud be doing just fine..........coz as the saying goes amongst many people /exam takers, anything touching 75s wud give u score in 90s , in the exam............. :roll: :roll: ........iam not sure about that until i get my result..........
And my scores were.............
NMSR---75%, Q bank---78%,Q book--80%,kaplan simulated---76%, usmle CD--- 88%(1 wk prior to exam) and of course, 100% 2 days before the exam........haaaa, coz i knew the answers!!!!!!!!!! :wink: :wink:
SO, fianlly i'd like to say, NOTHING IS CLOSE TO THE EXAM PROPER BUT MAYBE the length of qs of kaplan simulated CD will match the exam ones...........and again, not all qs in the exam r that long........
THESE mcqs help us in the exam..........how????/ u will be able to see & feel the advantage while ur taking the exam..........it's unexplainable........so, keep doing MCQS........
ALL THE BEST FOR UR EXAM!!!!!!!!!!!
Do share ur xperience too after coming back, from the exam........it helps other people ............
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| drzakimavli
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 3
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hello any advice for step2 CK...exam is on 16 jan. currently doing q banks uw and kaplan scoring 57 n 61 accordingly
any suggestions are highly appericiated
thanks
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| falcon
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 93
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Hi, smitha
Congratulation. Did u listen DVDs . How many months u studied.
Best of luck for ur exam
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| dr.roh
Forum Guru
Topics: 159
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Smitha did her exam in 2003
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| deja_vu
Forum Senior
Topics: 6
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dr.roh wrote:
Smitha did her exam in 2003
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Step-1:Pass, Step-2:Passss, CS:May-20'08@Houston..
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| caduceus_indya
Forum Elite
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Posts: 330
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___________________
success is a journey not a destination
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 42
Posts: 242
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But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint-Isaiah 40:31
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| USMLEGladiator
Forum Elite
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___________________
Be positive. Get some experience. Do observation at least. Get strong LoRs. More importantly-focus on your scores.
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| Krit
Forum Junior
Topics: 15
Posts: 42
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so
any new Smitha again?
what r these NMSR
whre r they avialble software of books or online payment?
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| mytime
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 38
Posts: 3,195
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:rofl: And to think I copy pasted 
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"Samay sai phelay na kuch hua hai na kuch hoga!" - B. Gita
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| dr_enigma
Forum Newbie
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Good effort...keep it up smitha..
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| deja_vu
Forum Senior
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drzakimavli wrote:
hello any advice for step2 CK...exam is on 16 jan. currently doing q banks uw and kaplan scoring 57 n 61 accordingly
any suggestions are highly appericiated
thanks
SMEETHHA HERE.
what is UW? when I passed there was only UV and it caused harm to skin and helped to get activeVitD.
In my era number of IVs you get was equal to number of points you score in step2CK.
(From deja_vu: please dont take it on heart buddy)
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Step-1:Pass, Step-2:Passss, CS:May-20'08@Houston..
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| deja_vu
Forum Senior
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falcon wrote:
Hi, smitha
Congratulation. Did u listen DVDs . How many months u studied.
Best of luck for ur exam
Hi falcon, Smeetha here..
I studied whole my life and still studying.  Haven't seen or listened to any DVDs since like years. Not even a single movie from harry potter or Die Hard series. 
Thanks for wishes. My fellowship exams starts next week.
(Deja_vu: you too please dont take this on heart. Let kid have some fun)
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Step-1:Pass, Step-2:Passss, CS:May-20'08@Houston..
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| paheli
It'sAllAboutGoodKarma
Topics: 151
Posts: 1,980
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oh, my God, deja, you're hilarious!!!!
smeeeeetha here..........lol!!!!
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Prepare as if you're the worst, Perform as if you're the best! As you dream, so you manifest. So, DREAM BIG!! When you face hardship, remember, God never gives you more than you can handle. Success is the best revenge! He's my boyf! And, yea, I'm lying...:-(
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 42
Posts: 242
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its a sticky.....
smitha seems immortal...hey smiths hope ur fellowship exam was great
give us some inside tips for that too...
long live smitha an her fans...
___________________
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint-Isaiah 40:31
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 42
Posts: 242
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by the way ,congratulations smithee......u deserve it...have a great day
___________________
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint-Isaiah 40:31
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