subject: How To Rock The USMLE CK Exam [print this page] How To Rock The USMLE CK Exam How To Rock The USMLE CK Exam
Some say it is the easiest of all the USMLE exams, others may disagree, but no matter what your opinion on the USMLE Step 2 CK exam may be, it is of extreme importance that you realize that this test could make or break your chances of landing the residency of your dreams.
You want a great residency, you want to get into the field of your choice, and because of this it is important to do very well on this exam. If you did well on Step 1, then the Step 2 CK is your chance to solidify yourself as a top-notch candidate, and if you didn't fare so well on Step 1, the CK exam is your chance to shine and prove that you are a solid candidate.
So what do you have to do in order to do well on this test?
Well, it is tougher to find the time to study for the CK like you studied for Step 1, because you most likely took a couple months to study after you finished your basic sciences. There are ways to do well even with less time to study, and we will now discuss a few of the techniques used by others who have been quite successful on the CK exam.
1. Organize two less-intense rotations back-to-back
The shorter rotations in medical school are only 4 weeks in duration, and some are notorious for being quite easy as far as time is concerned. For example, if you are interested in a rotation that only meets 2-3 times per week for a few hours, find out which ones they are and organize two of them back-to-back. Once you have done this, set up your CK exam to coincide with the end of the 8 weeks of these rotations. This should give you plenty of time to sit and study intensely for the CK while you can use your hospital time as down time from studying.
2. Keep your studying as simple as possible - 1 review book + 1 question bank
You probably know by now that the questions on the boards don't ask you things straight out of the books, rather they ask you secondary and tertiary questions that you have to dig deep to answer, Open up your study guide and start chipping away at your questions, and while you learn new nuggets of information about each discipline, jot them down in your study guide. Once you have finished doing your question bank in a comprehensive manner, you will have a study guide full of the basics from each discipline, as well as the details that you are most likely to encounter on the CK exam.
This strategy is the best way to get the most information possible while still keeping things as simple as possible. After you've done this and reviewed everything for a couple weeks, you have all you need in order to score well on the exam.
Do you want to know how I managed to score well above the mean on the Step 2 CK exam?
Get a copy of my USMLE Step 2 CK BIBLE, which is the exact comprehensive study guide I put together to score well above average on my exam.
For more information, click here: USMLE Step 2 CK BIBLE
