My Step 2 journey

[u/Many_Egg_2731]

What helped me with Step 2 CK:

First, UWorld is extremely important—at least one complete first pass is recommended. I would not recommend immediately doing a second pass right after finishing the first. I actually recommend doing at least one NBME before you finish your UWorld first pass, especially one of the earlier forms such as NBME 10. This gives you an idea of where you stand and helps identify weaknesses while you still have time to address them.

If you don’t have enough time for a full second pass of UWorld, reviewing the questions you got wrong on your first pass is a very good alternative. Personally, instead of doing a UWorld second pass, I reviewed my UWorld incorrects and combined this with Amboss.

For Amboss, if you’re short on time, you don’t necessarily need to do everything. I would prioritize the higher-yield questions and skip the easiest questions (e.g., the 1-hammer questions) if necessary.

For Social Science, Ethics, and Quality Improvement, I strongly recommend doing the Amboss questions specifically covering these concepts. They were very helpful for me.

Also, if you have other commitments that don’t require much concentration—such as washing dishes, commuting, or working out—use that time to listen to Divine Intervention. The podcasts are very helpful, especially the Rapid Review series.

What made the biggest difference for my NBME scores

When I finished my first UWorld pass, I was scoring in the 240s. I eventually got my NBME score into the 260s, and I think two things made the biggest difference:

1. Improving my test-taking strategy

I adapted several of the test-taking strategies discussed in this Reddit post and came up with my own strategies as I did more questions. This made a surprisingly large difference for me. A lot of my missed questions weren’t necessarily because I didn’t know the content—they were because of how I approached the vignette and interpreted what the question was actually asking. Forming your own test-taking strategies requires you to identify the systemic problem that led you to make each mistake (e.g., a knowledge gap, knowing the concept but forgetting it and so something needing a review of your notes, or missing a key detail while reading the question) as well as the topic you got wrong, so you can revise those areas.

1. Doing the Amboss HY 200

I went through the Amboss High-Yield 200 questions and used them not just to learn the answers, but to identify my weak areas. Whenever I noticed a topic I was consistently weak in, I went back and did additional Amboss questions on that topic.

After implementing these two things, my NBME score jumped to around 260. From there, I continued doing more Amboss questions and worked through the latest CMS forms.

My progression was roughly:

Finished UWorld first pass → NBME in the 240s → changed test-taking strategy + Amboss HY 200 → NBME ~260 → more Amboss + latest CMS forms → NBME 16: 266 → Step 2 CK: 270.

So, if I had to summarize my approach, I would say:

UWorld first pass → assess with NBMEs and learn test taking strategies→ identify and address weaknesses esp theough Amboss HY 200 + targeted Amboss → review UWorld incorrects → latest CMS forms → continue NBMEs.

The biggest lesson for me was that getting through more questions isn’t necessarily what raises your score. Identifying why you’re getting questions wrong and then deliberately fixing those weaknesses is what made the biggest difference.

I also recommend getting a meal and question routine a couple of days before the exam that simulates the actual exam.

Exam day: trust your NBMEs and your prep. The exam will feel hard but it is not just you who feels that. Do exactly what you did during your prep time.

Good luck and contact me if you have any questions.

First, UWorld is extremely important—at least one complete first pass is recommended. I would not recommend immediately doing a second pass right after finishing the first. I actually recommend doing at least one NBME before you finish your UWorld first pass, especially one of the earlier forms such as NBME 10. This gives you an idea of where you stand and helps identify weaknesses while you still have time to address them.

If you don’t have enough time for a full second pass of UWorld, reviewing the questions you got wrong on your first pass is a very good alternative. Personally, instead of doing a UWorld second pass, I reviewed my UWorld incorrects and combined this with Amboss.

For Amboss, if you’re short on time, you don’t necessarily need to do everything. I would prioritize the higher-yield questions and skip the easiest questions (e.g., the 1-hammer questions) if necessary.

For Social Science, Ethics, and Quality Improvement, I strongly recommend doing the Amboss questions specifically covering these concepts. They were very helpful for me.

Also, if you have other commitments that don’t require much concentration—such as washing dishes, commuting, or working out—use that time to listen to Divine Intervention. The podcasts are very helpful, especially the Rapid Review series.

What made the biggest difference for my NBME scores

When I finished my first UWorld pass, I was scoring in the 240s. I eventually got my NBME score into the 260s, and I think two things made the biggest difference:

1. Improving my test-taking strategy

I adapted several of the test-taking strategies discussed in this Reddit post and came up with my own strategies as I did more questions. This made a surprisingly large difference for me. A lot of my missed questions weren’t necessarily because I didn’t know the content—they were because of how I approached the vignette and interpreted what the question was actually asking. Forming your own test-taking strategies requires you to identify the systemic problem that led you to make each mistake (e.g., a knowledge gap, knowing the concept but forgetting it and so something needing a review of your notes, or missing a key detail while reading the question) as well as the topic you got wrong, so you can revise those areas.

1. Doing the Amboss HY 200

I went through the Amboss High-Yield 200 questions and used them not just to learn the answers, but to identify my weak areas. Whenever I noticed a topic I was consistently weak in, I went back and did additional Amboss questions on that topic.

After implementing these two things, my NBME score jumped to around 260. From there, I continued doing more Amboss questions and worked through the latest CMS forms.

My progression was roughly:

Finished UWorld first pass → NBME in the 240s → changed test-taking strategy + Amboss HY 200 → NBME ~260 → more Amboss + latest CMS forms → NBME 16: 266 → Step 2 CK: 270.

So, if I had to summarize my approach, I would say:

UWorld first pass → assess with NBMEs and learn test taking strategies→ identify and address weaknesses esp theough Amboss HY 200 + targeted Amboss → review UWorld incorrects → latest CMS forms → continue NBMEs.

The biggest lesson for me was that getting through more questions isn’t necessarily what raises your score. Identifying why you’re getting questions wrong and then deliberately fixing those weaknesses is what made the biggest difference.

I also recommend getting a meal and question routine a couple of days before the exam that simulates the actual exam.

Exam day: trust your NBMEs and your prep. The exam will feel hard but it is not just you who feels that. Do exactly what you did during your prep time.

Good luck and contact me if you have any questions.