WuStudyPlanforUSMLEStep2CK
BooksYoullNeed:
1. FirstAidfortheUSMLEStep2CK(FA)thisbookisprobablyaMUST,asitprovides
averygoodreviewofallimportantsubjectareastested,andinthebackhasalistofrated
reviewbooksthatyoushouldtrytoget.(Whileyoushouldusebooksthatworkbestfor
you,trytogetthemosthighlyratedbooks,astheratingsrepresentaconsensusamong
manystudentswhotookthetestandknowwhichbookshelpedthemost.)
2. BoardandWards(B&W),byAyalaandSpellberganotherimportantbooktoget.Itis
evenhigheryieldthanFirstAid,andisperhapsthebestreviewbookfortheCK.Read
thisbook56timesbeforethetestandmemoriseeverythinginthisbook.Itwillhelp
tremendously.
3. CrushStep2:TheUltimateUSMLEStep2Review,ORUSMLEStep2Secrets,both
booksbyAdamBrochertthesebooksareveryhelpful.Theyprettymuchcoverthe
exactsamecontent,indifferentformats,althoughSecretsisslightlymoredetailed.
Therefore,gettingeitheronewillsuffice.However,ifyouhappentohaveboth,byall
means,useboth.Itwillbesimilartoreadingthesametextbooktwice,butindifferent
forms,whichisbetterbecauseyouareaskedonthetesttobeabletoapplywhatyou
knowinvariousways.Soithelpstolearnthingsfromnotone,butmanyperspectives.
4. Kaplannotestheseareprettygood,actually,butdontrelyonthem.Readthemvery
fasttogetagoodoverviewandunderstandingofthematerial.Igotfreecopiesfroma
friend,butifyouhavetopayalottogetthem,itisprobablynotworthit,astheother
resourceswillsuffice.
5. UCVsasforStep1,UCVsaregreatforfamiliarisingyourselfwithkeymedical
conditionsandbuzzwords.ClinicalvignettesareevenmoreimportantforStep2thanfor
Step1.
6. Forspecificsubjects,i.e.Medicine,Surgery,Ob/Gyn,Pediatrics,Psychiatry,justtryto
getthehighestratedreviewbookslistedinthebackofFirstAid.Iftworeviewbooks
havethesamerating,justusetheoneyouhave,orcanobtainatacheaperprice,oryou
likebetter.ForMedicine,IusedStepUpandHighYield.ForSurgery,IusedNMS
SurgeryCasebook.ForOb/Gyn,Peds,andPsych,IusedBlueprints.
PracticeQuestions:
1. Youllneedtopracticealotofquestionsunderexamconditionstogetcomfortable.The
bestratedQBankisUSMLEWorld(theoneIused).Ithinkitsexcellent.Makesureto
dothemunderexamconditionsi.e.timed,randomblocksof46(orisit44now??)Qs
atatime,justliketherealtest.
2. GetthepracticequestionsfromtheofficialUSMLEWebsitehere:
http://www.usmle.org/Examinations/step2/step2ck.htmlAlsoreadyeverythingonthe
websiteabouttheStep2.Thesequestionsarefreeandareasclosetotheactualtestas
youcanpossiblyget.Sodothemclosertoyourtestdatetoseewhetheryouarereadyor
not.
3. NMSReviewforUSMLEStep2isalsoagreatquestionsource.Ithinktheolderedition
isbetter(andyoucangetitformuchcheapertoo).
Sample4WeekStudyPlan(thiswastheoneIused):
Day1+2.Psychiatry+Biostats+Ethics.Itisgoodtoreviewfromthemosthighyieldbooksto
getanoverview,thenmoveonsuccessivelytothemoredetailedbookstogainadeeper
understanding,andfinallybacktooneortwomosthighyieldbookstoreallymemorizekey
facts.Thekeyideaistoreadfastwithoutlosingcomprehension,andlearnthematerialfromas
manydifferentsourcesasyoucan,becauseStep2testmany,manydifferentthings,andthat
whichonereviewbookneglects,anotherreviewmightfillthegap,andviceversa.Youcanread
inorderaslistedinBooksYoullNeed,ordeterminetheorderthatworksbestforyou.For
example,youcanstartthedaybyreadingFA,thenB&W,thenCrush/Secrets,thenKaplan
notes,thensubjectspecificreviewbooks,thenUCV,thenbacktoFAorB&Wtoreally
memorizethethingsinit.Makeacheckofflistofbooksyouneedtoread,thesectionstoread,
thenumberofpages,andtheamounttimeyouplantoreadeachone.Forexample(thechapter
andpagenumbersmaynotcorrespondtoyours,asIprobablyusedoldereditions):
Day1.
78:30AM:FA15pages
8:30AM12PM:B&WPsych,Rad,andAppendix45pgs
1212:30PMLunch
12:304PMCrushch16,17,32+MisctopicsinImmuno(ch13),Genetics(ch14),Geri(ch15),
Pharm(ch29),Rad(ch30),Lab(ch31),Photo(ch33),Si&Sx(ch34)
48PM(includetimeforDinner)Secretsch.18(26pgs),ch2125(25pgs),ch3741(16pgs)
810ishUSMLEWorld46randomquestions,timed.Thenreviewallanswersthoroughly
Day2.
7AM1PMKaplannotesandlunch
14PMBlueprintsPsychreadthewholebook
46PMUCVPsych,Dinner
68PMRereadFAandB&W
810PMUSMLEWorld46Q+reviewafterwards
Day3.IMEndocrine.Justrepeatthedrill.Forexample:
78:30AMFA10pgs
8:309AMB&W7pgs
910AMCrush27pgs
1011:30AMSecrets33pgs
11:30AM1PMLunch,KaplanNotesch2,4(36pgs),SecIII(27pgs)
12:30PMStepUpch442pgs
2:303:30PMHighYieldch226pg
3:305PMFAMedicineEndosection36pg
56PMUCV
68PMRereadFAorB&W
810USMLEWorld46Q
Day4.Neuro+Ophtho.Justdothesameasbefore.Yougettheidea.Deviseyourownschedule
forthedaythatyoucankeep.Readalltherelevantsectionsinthegeneralreviewbooksforthe
subjectoftheday,thenreadthesubjectspecificreviewbooks,andbacktoFAorB&W,then
questions.
Day5.Cardio.
Day6.Pulmonary
Day7.Renal
Day8.MSK=Rheum+Ortho
Day9.Heme/Onc
Day10.GI
Day11.GI+Catchup(trustme,youwillfallbehindschedule)+ID
Day12.ID
Day13.ID+Derm
Day14.Derm+Catchup
Day15.EM+Surgery
Day16.EM+SurgeryCatchup
Day17.Morecatchup+OB/Gyn
Day18.OB/Gyn
Day19.OB/Gyn+SelfTest(youcanuse46blocksofUSMLEWorld,ortheequivalentin
anotherquestionbank/book)
Day20.Peds
Day21.MorePeds
Day22.FulllengthTest(9blocks)trytosimulateactualtestconditionasmuchaspossible
Day23.RapidReviewofeverythinginB&W+catchup+morepracticequestionsiftimepermits
Day24.AnotherFulllengthTest
Day25.CrammingDay1RereadFA,B&WforPsych,Endo,Neuro,Cards,thenpracticeQs
Day26.CrammingDay2RereadFA,B&WforPulm,Renal,MSK,Heme/Onc,GI,then
practiceQs
Day27.CrammingDay3RereadFA,B&WforID,Derm,Surg,EM,thenpracticeQs
Day28.CrammingDay4RereadFA,B&WforOB/Gyn,Peds,thenpracticeQs
Day29.LastDayofstudyingFinishallunfinishedUSMLEWorldquestion,ifyouhavent
already(youshouldhave).TrytoskimthroughFAorB&Wagain.Relax,andhaveagood
nightssleep.
Day30.Takethetest.
Sample2wkStudyPlan:
Ifyouonlyhavetwoweekstostudy,youneedtousethemosthighyieldbooks.Forgetall
subjectspecificreviewbooksnow.ForgetKaplannotes(toomuchreading).JustuseFA,B&W,
andUSMLEWorld,+/Crush/Secrets/UCV.
Forasampleschedule,justcombineevery2consecutivedaysinthe4wkstudyplanaboveinto
1,forexample,Days1and2becomesDay1,Days3and4becomesDay2,etc.
MakesuretogothroughallofUSMLEWorld,andallofFAandB&W.ItisbesttoreadFAand
B&Watleast3timestoreallygetitdown.Goodluck.
Sample6wkStudyPlan:
With6wks,youhavetheluxuryofmoretimeforamorethoroughreview.Spreadoutthe4wk
studyplanabove,sothateachDayinthatschedulebecomeadayandahalfinyour6wk
schedule.Youcanusetheextratimetoreadadditionalreviewbooks,rereadFAandB&W,or
domorepracticequestions.MakesuretoknowFAandB&Wreallywell,andreadthem57
timeseach.Havefun.
Tips:
1. Distractionsaretheworstenemyofefficientstudying.Avoidthematallcosts!!Stayfar
awayfromthecomputerexceptforusingQBanks.Thatincludesemailsaswell.Justset
upavacationmessageinyouremailsootherswillunderstand.Inyourstudyperiod,
especiallytowardstheend,makesureyoudonothingelseexceptstudy,eat,drink,use
bathroom,andsleep.
2. Setrealisticgoals.Donotsetreadingplansthatyoucannotpossiblyfulfill.Eventhen,
youwillinevitablyfallbehindattime.Letitnotdiscourageyou,butcatchupassoonas
youcan.Ifyoufinishataskbeforeschedule,great!Dontusethatasexcusetodo
somethingfun,however.Instead,startdoingthenextitemonthelistimmediately.Trust
me,youwillfallbehindeventually,soyoushouldgetanearlystarttoprepareforthat.
3. SometimesthequestionsinUSMLEWorldcanbetough.Benotdismayed,butratheruse
thatasmotivationtostudyevenhardertoovercomeit.
4. Withanyreviewbookyoudecidetouse,pleasesetyourownschedulesoyoucan
eventuallyreadallofitatleastoncebeforeyoutaketheexam.Youdontwanttobeheld
accountableforknowingsomethingonexamdaythatyoudidnotread,butcouldhave.
