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When I started my prep way back in 2005, I wanted to know how much I should know in order to get a 99. I started going through exam experiences of people who got 99′s, listing down all the study materials they used. A pattern started to emerge. They were all more or . . . → Read More: How Much Should You Study to Get a 99 in Step 1?  
*Enrollments for Askdoc’s USMLE Step 1 Moderated Prep Course MARCH 2012 CLASS will start on February 15, 2012. If you are interested in the course, please enroll starting on the said date. I would like to announce that we will be ready to receive applications for Askdoc’s USMLE Step 1 MODERATED Prep Course . . . → Read More: Accepting Applications – Askdoc’s USMLE Step 1 Moderated Prep Course 
As announced by ECFMG, effective last January 30, 2012, a fee of $50 will be charged for submitting an Application for ECFMG Certification. The Application for ECFMG Certification is a requirement for international medical students/graduates pursuing ECFMG Certification. International medical students/graduates must submit an Application for ECFMG Certification before they can apply to . . . → Read More: Fee to be Implemented for Application for ECFMG Certification 
A lot of times, people presume that with my double 99, prepping for me was a breeze. That I did not go through the same problems every Old IMG went through in my own prep. Nothing was further from the truth. When I was starting my prep, one of my biggest problem was . . . → Read More: Problems of the Old IMG: Have Not Studied for an Exam for a Long Time 
To further enhance the testing methods used in the Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) examination, changes will be introduced in Step 2 CS for examinations and will be delivered beginning June 17, 2012. The reporting schedule for examinees testing from June 17, 2012 through November 3, 2012 will be 2-3 weeks longer than . . . → Read More: Changes to the Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) Examination The United States Medical Licensing Examination or USMLE is a series of 4 examinations you need to take and pass in order to be licensed to practice medicine in the United States. The USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK and USMLE Step 2 CS is required to enter any residency program . . . → Read More: What is the USMLE?
It’s been over a year since I first published “NBME Self-assessment Tests and USMLE Review.” Little did I know it will become the most popular of my post with over 14,000 pageviews in the past year. Since that time a lot of things have changed, hence this update. If you have not read the previous two posts on this topic, please do so as I will not be repeating what I have said there in this post. You can access Part 1 here and Part 2 here. How well does NBME predict your USMLE Score?That has been the number one question asked of me since I wrote about this topic. My answer is still the same. Fairly well. Although correlation is never 100% more like 70 to 80%. However, certain development in the past few years have made the assessment tests less reliable for some people. Continue reading NBME Self-assessment Tests and USMLE Review – An Update  60 comments  Study Methods, USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 3  correlation, nbme, nbme assessment tests, nbme self assessment, NBME self assessment tests, predictability, predictor, score, self assessment tests, step 1, step 2, usmle, usmle scores, USMLE Step 1 Self Assessment, USMLE Step 2CK Self Assessment, usmle world, USMLE World Self Assessment People have been badgering me for sometime now on writing more about how to prep for Step 2 CK. Some even wants me to start a Step 2 CK prep course. However, due to time constraints and the Step 1 Prep Course, it has not come to pass. Lately there had been too many people asking questions about their Step 2 CK preparation and problems they are encountering. Although I still don’t have time to write a full article on it, I have decided to tackle the 4 most common reason that people do poorly in the Step 2 CK. I am also reposting an article about “What to do for Step 2 CK” an older post that needs some rewriting but is still relevant.
1. Not Studying Enough Detail. The most common mistake people make in studying for Step 2 CK is not studying enough detail. You see so many reviewers in the market that purport you can ace the exam by studying the little material it contains. That is a lot of bull. Medicine is a very broad subject and Step 2 CK covers all the most common and even some rare cases.Those little reviewer just does not give you enough detail to do well in this exam. An exception is Kaplan Notes. Very good detail. However, you need to know 85% of it in order to know enough to pass. Higher if you want a higher score. And that is impossible to do unless you do a minimum of 3 revisions. I will discuss the various study materials you can use in another post. Continue reading Most Common Mistakes in Step 2 CK Prep *note: I wrote this way back in 2007 and posted it in prep4usmle. I am reposting it here because many people have been asking about how to prep for Step 2 CK and I am busy to write one. Although this may need a rewrite, it will do until I actually finish and post a new article.
The purpose of this post is to help people prepare for Step 2 CK. I purposefully did not title this as ‘How to get a 99 in Step 2 CK’ even though I got one using these preparation techniques. The reason is that it takes more than knowing how to prepare to get a 99. How much sacrifice and effort you put into your preparation is most important. Some of you may already know me, from my post on how to prepare for step 1. I posted it in answer to a question on ‘What to Do’ in Step 1, and it’s purpose is to guide people in how to prepare for step 1 rather than how to get a 99 even though, again, I got one using those prep techniques. I’m posting a link to that thread: For those who don’t. I am an Old IMG from the Philippines. Graduated way back in 1989 at the top medical college in my country. I took Step 1 last April 24, 2006 and got a 99/256. Took Step 2 CK last November 20, 2006 and got 99/258. Back in late 2004, when I started this journey and like most of you dreaming of 99′s, whenever, I see someone posting that they got 99′s, 2 things always pop up in my mind, wishing that it was me and wondering how it’s done. And always, when I read what they write about how they did it, it talks of what books they read, what lecture they listened to and what QBanks they used. Of course, the problem was, everybody seems to be doing the same things and most of them are not getting 99′s and some are even failing. So the only conclusion I can make is the secret does not lie in the preparation materials rather in how you used the preparation materials. And since different people have different starting points and different capabilities, their preparations and the materials they used must be adjusted accordingly. Someone once asked in this forum if the reason I know so much about USMLE is I had taken it before. The answer is no, this is the first time I am taking all Steps. The reason I seem to know a lot about it is that it has always in my nature to know as much as I can about any task set before me. I have never failed an exam in my life and even though USMLE is supposed to be really tough especially for old Grads, I’m not about to let this be my first time. So, I set out to discover as much as I can about the exam, analyzing it and planning out what I hoped was a coherent well thought out study plan taking into consideration my special situation (a very old graduate) and my own prep capabilities. It is not enough to study hard, one has to study smart too. I believe that with proper prep and hard work, anyone can pass this exam, hence this “what to do”. It is also my belief that with proper prep and really hard work, most can get high 80′s and even 90′s. Someday I’ll probably write a post about how to get double 99′s but for now I’ll stick to proper preparation for Step 2 CK. Continue reading What to Do in Step 2 CK
Today, we will talk more about the NBME self-assessment tests. We previously discussed what the NBME self-assessment tests are and how they impact your USMLE review. You can read the posts here. Now we will cover three important topics. When to use the NBME self-assessment tests, how to use the NBME self-assessment tests and how wise it is to use the USMLE World self-assessment tests instead. Continue reading NBME Self-Assessment Tests and USMLE Review – Part II 218 comments Study Methods, USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK accuracy, AMGs, Bank, best time, confirmatory test, correlation, everything, examination, forum, good chance, kaplan, leeway, measure, measure progress, nbme, nbme assessment tests, nbme self assessment, parameters, predictability, predictor, readiness, reason, review, score, screening, screening test, self assessment tests, similarity, Step, step 1, step 2 CK, step 3, study, test takers, Today, usmle, usmle world, usmleword, usmleworld assessment tests, valuable tool, World
The NBME self assessment test is another of those tools that I feel is responsible for the increasingly high scores in the USMLE. It is a great tool that allows the test-taker to assess his or her readiness for the exam. To a certain extent, if used properly, it is also a useful tool for the examinee to target a certain score, even 99′s and achieve it. Continue reading NBME Self Assessment Tests and USMLE Review 105 comments Study Methods, USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 3 AMGs, Bank, correlation, examination, forum, high scores, important concepts, kaplan, nbme, nbme self assessment, pool, predictability, predictor, readiness, review, score, self assessment tests, Step, step 1, study, time constraint, tough questions, usmle, usmle questions, usmle scores, usmle world, World I would like to congratulate Marlene for successfully passing the USMLE Step 1 with a score of 88/213 which she took last March 27, 2009. She is part of the first batch of enrollees in my prep course for USMLE Step 1 which started last September, 2008. For those who were visiting the . . . → Read More: Congratulations Marlene! USMLE Step 1 88/213 I wrote part of this post in answer to questions from my readers and students. After 2 emails and one answer to comments, I have decided to elaborate and write in more detail as a post that I will share with everyone. |
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