USMLE+Step+2

When to take Step 2

 * I took Step 2 during my very first month as an MS-4 to just get it out of the way. That way, all that MS-3 knowledge is still fresh in your head you don't have to worry about taking it during interview season.

What clerkship to take during Step 2 study time

 * Unlike for Step 1, UT doesn't give you official time off to study for Step 2 (and you don't need it). Take Gohara's Path Case Studies during July. It meets once/day for an hour and the cases actually help you prepare for Step 2. If you're afraid you're going to get closed out of registration since this is so popular, rest assured that Dr. Gohara will add slots over the limit. You just have to email her.

Study Resources

 * A review text: Step Up to USMLE Step 2 (//best//), First Aid for USMLE Step 2, **OR** Crush Step 2
 * USMLE Step 2 Secrets
 * AND**
 * A question bank: USMLE World or Kaplan

Study Plan Rationale


Based on:
 * Two passes: slow phase of study on first pass of all material, then fast phase (covering same material in 1/2 the time)
 * Combined topics from Step Up and Secrets so i would read "similar" things on the same day. ex. the days i read cardio in step up i'd read cardio, hyperlipidemia, hypertension etc in secrets.
 * Two practice tests at various times during the study course (NBME #4, and USMLE world self assessment)
 * Total study days: 31, 2 practice exam days, 2 "flex days" of no study (including day before the exam)

Daily Study Schedule
6/27/2011 Pediatrics, Dermatology 6/28/2011 Ob/Gyn 6/29/2011 Ob/Gyn 6/30/2011 Basic Science & Ethics, Preventive Medicine 7/1/2011 Neurology 7/2/2011 Psychiatry 7/3/2011 Surgery 7/4/2011 Surgery, Gastroenterology 7/5/2011 NBME #4 7/6/2011 Gastroenterology 7/7/2011 Cardiology 7/8/2011 Cardiology 7/9/2011 Nephrology 7/10/2011 Pulmonology 7/11/2011 ID/Immunology 7/12/2011 Heme/Onc 7/13/2011 Heme/Onc 7/14/2011 Rheumatology 7/15/2011 Endocrinology 7/16/2011 PediatricsOb/Gyn 7/17/2011 Ob/GynPreventive Medicine 7/18/2011 NeurologyPsychiatry 7/19/2011 USMLE WORLD SELF ASSESSMENT EXAM 7/20/2011 Surgery, Gastroenterology 7/21/2011 Gastroenterology, Nephrology 7/22/2011 Cardiology 7/23/2011 Pulmonology, ID/Immunology 7/24/2011 RheumatologyEndocrinology 7/25/2011 Heme/Onc 7/26/2011 REST 7/27/2011 TEST DAY

Each of the above "meta topics" refer to the following:

also see attached for rationale


 * Cardiology (53 pages)
 * Step up (32 pages)
 * Secrets
 * Cardiology (14 pages)
 * Cholesterol (3 pages)
 * Hypertension (4 pages)
 * Pulmonology (38 pages)
 * Step up (23 pages)
 * Secrets
 * Pulmonology (6 pages)
 * Radiology (3 pages)
 * ENT (5 pages)
 * Smoking (1 page)
 * ID/Immunology (23 pages)
 * Secrets
 * Infectious Disease (16 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Immunology (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Endocrinology (32 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (17 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Endocrinology (9 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Diabetes (6 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heme/Onc (59 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (23 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hematology (13 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oncology (23 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Surgery (52 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (22 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Surgery (11 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vascular (4 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Orthopedic (9 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shock (3 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Emergency medicine (3 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nephrology (41 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up: Genitourinary (18 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nephrology (10 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Acid base (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Urology (6 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Neurology (42 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (27 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Neurology (10 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Neurosurgery (5 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ob/Gyn (78 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obstetrics (21 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gynecology (21 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obstetrics (23 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gynecology (13 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pediatrics (19 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (11 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets (8 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rheumatology (27 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up: Musculoskeletal (20 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets: Rheumatology (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Basic Science & Ethics (25 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up: Epidemiology & Ethics (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lab medicine (2 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Genetics (6 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Biostatistics (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ethics (3 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Preventive Medicine (14 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Preventive medicine (5 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alcohol (5 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vitamins & minerals (14 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Psychiatry (31 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (18 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets (13 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gastroenterology (52 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (33 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets (19 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dermatology (19 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step up (9 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secrets (10 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ophthalmology (7 pages)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pharmacology (5 pages)