Step 2 & Level 2

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Step 2 & Level 2

EVERY detail of my prep is listed in this blog post!! WOO!

Overview

Step 2 prep did not feel as daunting as Step 1 prep because to prep for each shelf exam I had been using UWorld throughout the year. Starting in about April, days I wasn’t in clinic I would try to do either 40 UWorld or 80-100 Amboss questions a day (I could get through the Amboss bank a lot faster because I started using it once I was close to finished or finished with the UWorld Qs on the same block). 

My last shelf exam was surgery. I finished my first pass of the UWorld Q bank and repeated my surgery incorrects before that shelf exam. Right after that exam I went into my dedicated which was 3 and a half weeks. 

Resources I used during dedicated: UWorld, Anki, Amboss, YouTube (for biostats), OnlineMedEd (just a handful of times). 

During my dedicated I redid all of my UWorld incorrects and flags. I did not repeat the entire Q bank. I had a little over 2200 Qs to do. Every day I did anywhere from 120-140 total questions a day. I usually did around 100-120 on UWorld and then at night would do targeted Q blocks on Amboss on a specific shelf topic (like ob or psych). If I wasn’t doing a specific shelf topic at night I would watch bio stats videos or review videos for one of my weaker units. 

I no longer used the Anking deck once dedicated started. I made cards for my UWorld incorrects, and would only do those cards for about an hour a day. I would do 50 new cards a day and the reviews related to my UWorld incorrects. 

Diagnostics

I did a LOT of diagnostics for Step 2. I took 8 self-assessments not including the old and new free 120s. One diagnostic was in Feb which was really early, but it was free so I said ok lol…. the rest of my self assessments I did after early May. I took the Lecturio SA, Amboss SA, the 3 NBMEs, Uworld 1, UWorld 2, and a school-administered COMSAE.  

The dates and order I took the practice exams (based on my exam date of 6/16) were: 

  • 5/5 NBME 9 
  • 5/10 Amboss SA
  • 5/15 Uworld 1
  • 5/25 COMSAE 
  • 6/3 NBME 10 
  • 6/10 NBME 11 
  • 6/14 Uworld 2 
  • 6/15 old Free 120
  • 6/16 new free 120 

For my fellow DO student friends!!

I did not do an additional Q bank for Comlex Level 2 specifically. I did about 200 OMM specific questions through True Learn after Step 2 and before my Comlex Level 2 exam and during that time I also went through a 230 slide comprehensive PowerPoint one of our faculty members put together twice. 

My score 

In terms of diagnostics I scored one point under my NBME 11 diagnostic score and 7 points under my UWorld 2 score. So that will tell you how predictive those exams were for me! I went up 30 points from the start of dedicated to my final score. 

Daily Schedule

This isn’t EXACT, because some days I did a little more/less.

  • 8-11:30 Do 3 UWorld blocks 
  • 11:30-12 Start UWorld review
  • 12-12:45 Lunch 
  • 12:45-5 Finish UWorld Review 
  • 5-7 Workout, walk, dinner
  • 7-8 Anki 
  • 8-10 Targeted Q block or videos 
  • 10-10:30 Relax and get ready for bed 

General Takeaways

  1. Prepping well for shelf exams will prep you for Step 2/Level 2. 
  2. Walking out of Step 2 I felt horrible. Only about 20% (or less) of the questions felt manageable the rest felt very challenging.
  3. Walking out of Comlex Level 2 I felt amazing. I felt confident in 80% of my answers (which I think feels good for a board exam!!). 
  4. Cheering for you ALWAYS. Remember to take care of yourself throughout the process. Sleep, movement and mindset have always been key for me. You’ll prep your best when you’re in the best headspace so do what you can to get there.