USMLE Step 2 CK Exam - FIVE Steps to Guarantee a Score Over 230 Some people will tell you to run out and grab this or that study guide, swearing that it is "the only" guide that you need. But there is a problem with this approach, and this is that the majority of study guides on the market are very superficial high-yield guides, going into little or no detail about each topic it touches. If you really want to score well above average on the CK exam, you have to dig deeper, you have to go that extra mile in order to succeed in surpassing the average and knocking this exam out of the ballpark.
Many medical students aren't really sure how they should approach an exam in order to significantly surpass the average, but the answer truly is not to simply read a review book and do a few questions. The key is to take the high-yield information that is being presented to you in books and on the wards, and take this information one-step further, learning everything you can about it, even the smallest detail you can find.
Here are FIVE steps that can help you secure a score of more than 230 on your USMLE Step 2 CK exam:
1. Figure out what is truly high-yield information
This is the first and most important step in preparing for your Step 2 CK exam. The best place to find this information is in a study guide that is written specifically for the CK exam. A word of caution here is to purchase a study guide that gives you complete information, not simply one or two supposedly high-yield quick facts. You really want to find something voluminous, because truly learning medicine requires lots of information, so don't cut yourself short here by purchasing something because it is smaller than the rest of the guides on the market. On the other hand, don't feel like you have to have full books on each individual subject, because this is not necessary for Step 2 CK preparation.
2. Take the "high-yield" information and dig deeper
This is the step that most people will unknowingly miss, and in turn it will really hurt their score. The key to "digging deeper", is to realize that each topic being presented to you is simply an introduction, and in no way a multidimensional look at that topic. In order to best prepare yourself for the CK exam (and your career in medicine), you should learn the surface information for the topic (ie. the basics), then learn some secondary, tertiary, and quaternary information. Be sure to review the histology, pharmacology, anatomy, pathology, and physiology for each topic. In doing this, you will have a well-rounded knowledge base for each topic on the test. Just a note - this sounds like a lot of work, but most of this information will come back to you from your Step 1 exam, and in the end it will go a long way in helping your score.
3. Take this "deep" high-yield information and apply it to a question bank
Using a question bank as a study supplement is absolutely essential these days, and with the highly targeted information being presented in the qbanks, it is going to go a long way in your quest for a 230 + score on the CK. The key to making the best of your qbank efforts is to go through them relatively slowly and take meticulous notes. These notes are going to be added to your study guide in order to fill in each and every piece of information you may be missing.
4. Fill in the cracks of your current knowledge with your new qbank knowledge
The second-to-last step in fully setting yourself up for a great score is to take your qbank notes and to fill them into your study guide. If your study guide is a PDF document, simply print it out and you will have plenty of room to write in the hundreds of important points you grabbed from doing your question bank.
5. Read your super high-yield preparation guide at least THREE times
Now that you have gone deeper to learn as much as you could about each superficial topic presented in your study guide, taken it a step further by filling in the cracks with all of your qbank information, you are ready to sit down and round out your test preparation by absorbing every last nugget of information in your study guide. Studies have shown that the absolute best way to commit something to your memory is by seeing it at least THREE times. The best approach to doing this can be either reading each chapter three times through, then moving onto the next, or by reading your guide all the way through three individual times. You will know what is best for you from experience. If you want to truly ensure you won't forget anything on test day, you can read each chapter three times in a row, then once you are done, read the guide once through. This will ensure you remember everything, even the first few chapters that you might have forgotten a bit about.
These are FIVE steps you must take in order to ensure you get a score well above average on your CK exam. If you are a weaker test-taker this information may be what you need to propel your scores that much higher, if you are a strong test-taker then this information will help you stay strong and possibly do even better on this test than the Step 1.
Many medical students aren't really sure how they should approach an exam in order to significantly surpass the average, but the answer truly is not to simply read a review book and do a few questions. The key is to take the high-yield information that is being presented to you in books and on the wards, and take this information one-step further, learning everything you can about it, even the smallest detail you can find.
Here are FIVE steps that can help you secure a score of more than 230 on your USMLE Step 2 CK exam:
1. Figure out what is truly high-yield information
This is the first and most important step in preparing for your Step 2 CK exam. The best place to find this information is in a study guide that is written specifically for the CK exam. A word of caution here is to purchase a study guide that gives you complete information, not simply one or two supposedly high-yield quick facts. You really want to find something voluminous, because truly learning medicine requires lots of information, so don't cut yourself short here by purchasing something because it is smaller than the rest of the guides on the market. On the other hand, don't feel like you have to have full books on each individual subject, because this is not necessary for Step 2 CK preparation.
2. Take the "high-yield" information and dig deeper
This is the step that most people will unknowingly miss, and in turn it will really hurt their score. The key to "digging deeper", is to realize that each topic being presented to you is simply an introduction, and in no way a multidimensional look at that topic. In order to best prepare yourself for the CK exam (and your career in medicine), you should learn the surface information for the topic (ie. the basics), then learn some secondary, tertiary, and quaternary information. Be sure to review the histology, pharmacology, anatomy, pathology, and physiology for each topic. In doing this, you will have a well-rounded knowledge base for each topic on the test. Just a note - this sounds like a lot of work, but most of this information will come back to you from your Step 1 exam, and in the end it will go a long way in helping your score.
3. Take this "deep" high-yield information and apply it to a question bank
Using a question bank as a study supplement is absolutely essential these days, and with the highly targeted information being presented in the qbanks, it is going to go a long way in your quest for a 230 + score on the CK. The key to making the best of your qbank efforts is to go through them relatively slowly and take meticulous notes. These notes are going to be added to your study guide in order to fill in each and every piece of information you may be missing.
4. Fill in the cracks of your current knowledge with your new qbank knowledge
The second-to-last step in fully setting yourself up for a great score is to take your qbank notes and to fill them into your study guide. If your study guide is a PDF document, simply print it out and you will have plenty of room to write in the hundreds of important points you grabbed from doing your question bank.
5. Read your super high-yield preparation guide at least THREE times
Now that you have gone deeper to learn as much as you could about each superficial topic presented in your study guide, taken it a step further by filling in the cracks with all of your qbank information, you are ready to sit down and round out your test preparation by absorbing every last nugget of information in your study guide. Studies have shown that the absolute best way to commit something to your memory is by seeing it at least THREE times. The best approach to doing this can be either reading each chapter three times through, then moving onto the next, or by reading your guide all the way through three individual times. You will know what is best for you from experience. If you want to truly ensure you won't forget anything on test day, you can read each chapter three times in a row, then once you are done, read the guide once through. This will ensure you remember everything, even the first few chapters that you might have forgotten a bit about.
These are FIVE steps you must take in order to ensure you get a score well above average on your CK exam. If you are a weaker test-taker this information may be what you need to propel your scores that much higher, if you are a strong test-taker then this information will help you stay strong and possibly do even better on this test than the Step 1.
