akm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 58
|
I'm taking the CS on Friday (16th) and plan to seriously start studying for the CK from the 18th. I plan on taking the exam in the first week of August, which leaves me exactly 2 months and 2 weeks....(I gave step 1 in April and got an 86).
I just received the Kaplan notes.....I'm just wondering how to start. Should I read all the kaplan books and then do UW,....or should I just read a review like FA and do 2 questions banks (UW and Qbank)...Or, should I just read kaplan IM and peds and do the rest from FA...followed by UW?
From what I heard the most important thing is to do questions.....to finish UW and revise it well. I'm just wondering if its a good idea to read all of kaplan before doing it.....
Any input would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
|
| mukho
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 512
|
Even though Kaplan CK can seem a bit incomplete sometimes i felt they should be largely completed before starting on UW...at least 75%...rest of course depends on how fresh u are from graduation. kaplan surgery is pretty good actually inspite of being so short
What I did was when Kaplan was nearing end, i started UW and then used that to identify where I was lacking and supplemented that with other books like FA/CMDT...i took 3 mnths for prep though...
all the best
|
| egyusmler
Forum Elite
Topics: 17
Posts: 222
|
For that relatively short period of preparation I`d suggest the following:
If U r a fresh graduate with the clinical ideas almost clear in ur mind,so dont pay time for kaplan..Just go with FA and UW.;Read the subject first from FA and then Do the related questions in UW and add what is not mentioned in FA.
If u r not sure of ur clinical sense,I`d say that try to postpone ur test and lenghthen the prep period for another month at least or u need to work hard and read first from a more detailed source like kaplan notes.
BTW If u find some time,I advise u to watch kaplan dvds of ob/gyna,psychaitry and epidemiology or at least those videos of the highlights course.
Good luck
|
| akm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 58
|
Thanks guys for taking the time to share your thoughts......
I graduated in 2007 and took step 1 recently....so some material is obviously clear....however, since I got 86 in step 1 i wanted to raise my score by at least 5 points to get in the 90s for step 2.....The reason why I plan on taking it in the first week of August is because I want to be able to apply for the match early...... I noticed that the Kaplan books are much thinner for Step 2 as compared to step 1.....Anyhow I have to make a plan this weekend and stick to it......see what works and make changes if needed
Currently, I plan to go through the Kaplan notes in 4 weeks.....which will give me about a month and a half to do UW.......we'll see if that works out. Obviously, if I'm not performing on the NBME's than I will not sit for the real thing....and I'll postpone:
On that note, what do you think the realistic deadline is for taking Step 2 and applying for the match? I know the 1st week of August is ideal because then the score will be in before Sep 1st. However, if I delayed it by one or 2 weeks, would that have a significantly negative impact? (If I apply September 14th or so will my chances for interviews really be hurt?).....
Thanks again.....
|
| hottie99
Forum Elite
Topics: 30
Posts: 556
|
dude, that's a lot of time, u will be fine by then, just grind out the kaplan books and do uworld, and make sure u do ur nbmes.. u good to take it within this short time b/c some of t does overlap so u are good with the pathophysio, now it's just learning which dx test is best first, which tx is most effective, like that.. i say use secrets, FA is just incomplete, but if u can add ur uworld notes into the FA, then use that as ur last review book the week before u exam rather than going into kaplan again.. that is my suggestion, but do as u wish, just giving my experience as i found it much more doable then step 1, which is just pure evil in my opnion, hehehehe... good luck friend!!
oh and u wont be hurt if u apply for interviews sept 14, really go by how ur doing on nbme's, if ur not there, dont waste ur opportunity u know.. just go with how ur doing, i understand making the match, but realistically, they wait to read apps b/c people from here ho go to us schools, their dean letters come out nov 1, sto anything before that is just for programs who want to fill their prematch seats, and if u need visa, well maybe tha'ts the best option, other than that, it's just play the game unil nov 1 b/c they will compare ur app with their american grads if u dont need a visa, so applying on sept 1 is not some given deadline, just that desis THINK it's wat u have to do to match.. im not saying wait til december, but nothing bad will come out of it if u apply in october either u know, hahaha... good luck!
|
| akm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 58
|
Thanks alot hottie! I'm a US citizen so there's no issues with visas or anything like that......I'll put getting my highest achieevable score as my first priority (which I'll gauge with the nbme)....Hopefully that will be in the first half of august...but as you said doing well on the exam comes first and foremost....
Well, ...I've got to bust out CS day after tomorrow.....I'm actually looking forward to hitting the CK notes....it'll be so refreshing after drudging through step 1 material....
Thanks again everyone
|
| hottie99
Forum Elite
Topics: 30
Posts: 556
|
glad i could help.. good luck on u cs friday, and u will be fine (that test is literally all about communication and nothing more, hehehee) so u will fine (i dont need a visa either, so im just taking s3 to get my cv looking better and make up for lost time since i finsihed up).. and yes ck is alot, i mean A LOT more sane, step 1 just seems like trivia facts, hehehe.. or how bad can they mess with our minds, ooh wells! anyhhow, good luck friend with the rest of u exams!!
|
| akm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 58
|
One more question: Do you think its better to read all the notes first and then do UW mized, or read one subject and then do the qs in that subject (obgyn, surgery, im, etc......)
I was thinking it may be best to read all the notes then do all the qs mixed, ....but I was wondering what you guys did. Thanks!
|
| mukho
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 512
| | 05/15/08 - 06:42 AM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #9 |
I always felt UW was best utilised as mixed timed blocks....never tried any other way
|
| hottie99
Forum Elite
Topics: 30
Posts: 556
|
hey friend, well here's what i did honestly, if u have the time, and i think u have plenty, if u can get the kaplan bank, get it and do that one subject based, like study watever subj ur reading and doing dvd's with, then do like 50 questions to solidify what u read, that way it's re-inforcing waht you've studied, rite?? take 1 nbme here to see where u 'stand' so to speak...
then after u've done those, and have completed all the books, do the uworld in mixed/timed mode, that way u brain can handle the shifts btwn subjects, and as ur doing this bank, u are reviewing u kaplan second time or better yet, keep on reviewing where u put ur kaplan qbank notes (like add them into FA, i took mine to kinkos and had them debind it and coil it, and added paper btwn chapters, that way i can add notes and review only this book) then knock out another nbme here, and see where u are, and u should be able to go and just blast this test.. like i said i liked secretsz for that final review b4 exam, evcerything was solid in that, and in one way or another was asked on the exam, again it's the highest yield materials so of course they will ask it, best of luck!!! 
|
| angel23
Forum Guru
Topics: 34
Posts: 671
|
hey akm...
welcome!!
i started my preparation on may 5 .....hav to give step 2 by aug 1st week
earlier i was confused wat to do notes or directly qbank...
but now i hav plans to complete my notes with one fast quick read by end of this month
then kaplan qbank then UW
good luck for ur CS!!
Edited by angel23 on 05/15/08 - 05:40 PM
|
| akm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 58
|
Thanks again for your input everyone! I think I have an idea of how I'm going to attack this exam now,...much appreciated!
|
| solitarius
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 71
|
akm,
2.5 months are enough for ck.moreover you are recent graduate and also took step-1 so that will speed up your prep and of course if you remain exact same like your avatar ,then you definately will be somewhere in 90s.good luck for your prep.
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
