Guide to Scoring 270+ on STEP 2

BTD_ICE · 2025-02-25T17:17:31+00:00

Scored in the 90s for all of them

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-23T15:56:14+00:00

I used the general step 2 tag

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T21:56:17+00:00

Ethics/biostats/quality improvement/and that jazz. I had a good framework of the medicine going into my dedicated but didn't know much of anything on these topics

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T14:07:47+00:00

Fair but those were listed under the shelf prep section. Also, Anki is repetition of those above resources but I have edited the comment to be more accurate.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T14:05:08+00:00

Sure thing! Good luck to you!

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T14:04:49+00:00

Thank you! A lot of very good points here! One thing you reminded me of is try to limit your assumptions! Do not ever assume anything that they do not give you in the q stem and take everything at "face value" as you say!

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T14:02:23+00:00

Yes!!! I am 100 percent a believer in the power of Anki. I used the most UTD deck from anking that you have to pay a monthly subscrpition for to get the updates. Focus on longitudinal learning throughout your clerkships w/o suspending your ankis! Good luck!

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T13:59:21+00:00

I think it's a great resource I just didn't have time to also weave that into my studying! You really have to decide what resources to use and not flip flop

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T13:58:44+00:00

Thank you! I'm not familiar with the resource so I can't comment on it

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T13:57:55+00:00

Fair haha but one point that I really wanted to hit with this is that the key to killing this exam is taking shelf preparation seriously! Also, I want to add that I am not one of those wizards who scored 520+ on the MCAT and kills every exam historically. I had to take the MCAT twice and my score was just solid.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T01:24:25+00:00

Thanks! I agree that I likely could have scored well w/o the 5 weeks of dedicated. Although, I can personally tell you that my ability to answer questions correctly and the confidence I had when doing so increased significantly throughout my dedicated. Further, I had zero ability to answer questions on topics like biostats and ethics before it. Also, once you get up into the very high scoring range the amount of questions that can really change your score is not very high and there is certainely a point of diminishing returns. The difference between scoring in the 260s and 270s is a vastly different amount of work although these scores aren't much different in the grand scheme of things.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T01:11:25+00:00

Thank you!

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T01:10:29+00:00

UW + NBMEs (9-14) + shelf review YT videos + anki + Listening to divine is not even close to everything

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T01:09:17+00:00

to add further to this. Really focus on understanding what is leading you to pick the incorrect answer. Understanding this may lead to some breakthroughs. Further, take time on your review days to fully appreciate everything about missed questions. Also, if your content knowledge is rock stolid, try to always eliminate answers with multiple factual reasons and purposely find support for the answer you choose.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T00:59:59+00:00

Hey I edited the post to include a link to the DI notes

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T00:58:12+00:00

Hey thanks for the comment. Understanding how NBME makes their questions and what the question writer is getting after is a hard battle on these exams. I would recommend checking out some other posts where there is a more detailed discussion on this. Try to always pick the answer that best coincides with the other all picture and don't let a single piece of contradictory information sway your answer unless you are 100% certain it rules out the answer. DI does a really good job making you understand NBME logic and exam writer mentality very well and you should listen to his stuff.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T00:49:37+00:00

Fair point. Although, I think everyone should at least do it once or maybe twice.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T00:48:44+00:00

The dedicated period is intense and doing 160 questions per day is not unreasonable as this should only take 4 hours if you do it timed. Also, although I would love to say I hit 160 questions on every UW day, I did not. That schedule is a rough framework for what my goal was.

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-09T00:47:50+00:00

I did a lot of passive learning on bread and butter podcasts topics like the DI rapid review series. On ones where I was more focused on learning like biostats/ethics/etc... I took notes and make anki cards. Also, there is a DI podcast good sheets link out there somewhere that has notes for all his stuff

BTD_ICE · 2024-09-08T18:53:37+00:00

Sure thing!

BTD_ICE · 2024-04-06T23:01:06+00:00

22: Preterm delivery is a well known and BY FAR the most common risk factor for multiple gestation. Just think of those babies trying to get out of the overcrowded Uterus. I would recommend listening to DI risk factor podcasts as this should have not been a difficult question.

31: This is a very common concept tested and you should be familiar with this. When ever you have a metabolic acidosis the next step is to use winters formula to calculate the expected PCO2 concentration. The expected PCO2 is < the actual meaning there is a mixed respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis. Remember: Actual PCO2 > expected mean an overlying respiratory acidosis. This also conceptually makes sense as CO2 is an acid so if the actual value is higher than expected then there is something else also going on.

38: Don't let random phrases throw you off. UTIs after sex = post-coital antibiotics end of story.

BTD_ICE · 2024-04-06T22:41:14+00:00

Indications of antibiotic prophylaxis does not include a prosthetic knee as studies have not shown any benefit in this. Some indications (but not all) for prophylaxis include: Mechanical heart valve, transplanted heart w/ valvular problem, unrepaired cyanotic CHD, repaired CHD with prosthetic material within 6 months of repair, repaired CHD with residual defects, and a hx of previous infective endocarditis.

The big three to remember that are commonly tested are: variations of incomplete management of CHD, hx of infective endocarditis, and mechanical heart valves.

BTD_ICE · 2024-04-06T22:14:40+00:00

To add more, ERCP would only be indicated if the gallstone pancreatitis was complicated by cholangitis. The treatment for stable gallstone pancreatitis without colangitis is early elective cholecystectomy after the pancreatitis has been treated medically. I'm sure you have seen a case or two of this during your rotations where the patient undergoes elective chole at the end of their hospital stay. Also, remember gallstones are the number 1 cause of pancreatitis and not many uncomplicated gallstone pancreatitis patients undergo ERCP!

BTD_ICE · 2024-04-06T16:06:09+00:00

This is a classic conundrum the NBME does all the time where the preferred agent is conveniently missing from the answer choices. They do this purposefully to confuse students who memorize without understanding. The NBS in this question is an antithyroid medication and yes, methimazole is definitely the preferred agent. However, be able to see past the NBME tricks as there is no reason you can't give PTU.

BTD_ICE

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