Initially appeared on doktorko.com 5/10/2005.
Q: Planning to cram 4 exams in one year really is a pain. Try as i might to concentrate on step 1 (which i will FINALLY take on may 27) my mind keeps on crossing the bridge. But anyway, would 2 months be enough to study step 2 ck? some people say its a lot like step1, and taking it as soon as you finish the latter is the key.
I have no idea how to prepare for step 3. My clinical acumen is as rusty as a nail in the sea. bahala na siguro.
BTW, how did you get your letters of recommendation? Did you approach your clinicians personally and picked the lors yourself? coz i saw the cover letter and it instructs the physician to mail it to ECFMG. I think that's asking far too much from the writer.
I saw this great website, residentscafe.com and scutwork.com. In the latter, they post reviews of different hospitals and programs. they're entirely biased, of course. But then promdis like me have no other basis for choosing other than hearsay.
A: onga, cramming for 4 exams is a royal pain. but trying to study for a joram exam is even more difficult; if you were able to get through his exams, you should be able to coast through at least steps 1 and 2.
in terms of content, steps 1 and 2 are very similar. step 1 focuses mainly on basic concepts (biochem and pharma) while step 2 focuses mainly on clinical approach. they ask about the same diseases but inquire about different aspects. for example: multiple myeloma: what is the cell responsible and what does it produce (step 1 question)? what tests do you do to diagnose it (step 2 question)? take note that "the initial diagnostic" and "the best diagnostic" are two totally different things. this semantic difference is touched a little bit in step 2 but addressed heavily in step 3.
if you study really well for step 1, think you can take 2-ck within a few weeks. honestly, i think the reason i fared so well in step 1 and relatively poorly in step 2 is because i took step 1 three months after studying for the local boards and step 2 six months out. if i had taken them in rapid succession i daresay i would have aced both.
step 2-cs does not require you to study anything. if you're a medical graduate worth your salt who can go through a complete history and physical in 20 minutes in fluent english, it'll be a cakewalk. they send you a cd containing sample cases and how they want you to do things (knock on the door, confirm the patient's name, shake hands, ask open-ended questions); even if you watch it 1 hour before the exam, you'll get all the relevant info.
you mail the [recommendation] letters to ecfmg (or nrmp) then they fax this off to the programs you applied to. be sure to get letters from people in power. it's all about titles; if you can get a letter from a doctor in the upper echelons of the world health organization, that's sure to turn heads.
never underestimate the power of connections. do you know any [of your school's] alumni in directorial positions in any residency programs in the states? get in touch with them. talk to your dean and your mentors, they should be able to point you in the right direction.
another thing: start writing your personal statement asap. it should be a snapshot of your life that will evoke a lot of emotion and give them an incisive glimpse into your soul (naks). the more tear-jerking and less clinical it is, the better. a good personal statement can make a mediocre application shine like gold. a bad ps can kill a good application. i thinkt there's a lot of samples on the internet. mine sucked to high heavens; buti na lang i didn't get penalized for it.
btw, if you're looking to raise a family, the midwest is a better place to apply to. cleveland, oh, while extremely boring, has the 4th or 5th best hospital system in the states.
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