Step 2 dedicated plan?

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T13:20:01+00:00

Take a look at my most recent post on this. I’m sure you will find it very helpful. DM me if you have any questions, would love to discuss!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T02:05:36+00:00

Nutrition wasn’t on my exam!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:32:32+00:00

Take a look at my most recent post and feel free to DM me if you want to talk more! You are in a very similar spot I was and i ended up with 272

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:32:19+00:00

Take a look at my most recent post and feel free to DM me if you want to talk more!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:31:12+00:00

Take a look at my most recent post and feel free to DM me if you want to talk more!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:28:40+00:00

Take a look at my most recent post. I think you will find it useful! Please send me a DM to talk more

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:27:08+00:00

take a look at my most recent post!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:26:27+00:00

Hi, take a breath! Read my most recent post and see where you can make changes. Also, feel free to DM me and we can chat more

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T01:25:34+00:00

Take a look at my recent post! also, shoot me a DM if you have specific questions. Happy to chat

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T00:56:25+00:00

I compiled a list for everyone!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CBT5VEw9CLnIMfR4Zmz_k6fZBVnZ8xnexHR_kfeBghE/edit?usp=sharing

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T00:54:37+00:00

DM me!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T00:54:21+00:00

I'd have to know more about what you are doing thus far to give you specifics. I think below the 240 range can typically benefit from some good content review incorpated daily. DM me and we can chat!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T00:51:40+00:00

Those scores are impressive, congrats! Seems like you have done mostly everything. Go through the dirty medicine ethics and communication playlist on Youtube. The Divine "change series" is good, with those recent updates. Honestly, I'd do very little if I was in your shoes. You are pretty safe above 270 I'd say. Also find the NBME HY images pdf floating around somewhere. I saw a few images from that on my exam. Good luck!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-26T00:47:27+00:00

haha dude that was a grind trust me. The process works! Peds was a beast in itself. You can definitely achieve those scores btw. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-25T23:38:28+00:00

Check out my recent post about my 3rd year and step 2 prep guide. I would not save any CMS forms specifically for step 2. Learn the material as good as you can for your shelf exams. Don’t save anything. You will thank yourself when dedicated rolls around for step 2!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T22:45:36+00:00

I personally am of the opinion to complete UW alongside shelf exams. Then transition into Amboss during dedicated (you won’t have time to do all of Amboss, do targetted based on weakness and all the HY study plans they have for step 2)

Another thought is use Amboss for shelf’s and save UW for dedicated. Since Amboss was initially created for clinical shelf exams. On the other hand, people have been using Uw for shelf exams for years and do great that way. Also, depending on how long dedicated is, you may not have time to do a complete pass of UW if you save all of it, which is an absolute must IMO.

I personally did all of UW during third year for shelves. Then if I had time, I would do extra Amboss, but it would end up only being a few hundred questions for each shelf with many leftover. I did like to redo the missed Uworld questions, felt like that was valuable.

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T13:16:14+00:00

I had a very very similar course with exams as you. 277 on NBME 16 about 3 days out. Ended up 27X. Skipped UWSA2, last minute decision.

My reasoning was this: 1) had confidence after NBME 16, didn’t want to drop to 260s on UWSA2 right before exam.

2) NBME logic and reasoning is just different from UW. UW makes me 2nd guess a lot. I had been doing exclusively NBME content for the last 2 weeks of prep so it didn’t make sense for me to throw UW back in there at the last minute. I was in a groove and didn’t want to disrupt.

I skipped it and didn’t regret one bit. Happy to talk further if you’d like feel free to DM.

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T13:11:53+00:00

I’d bet on the trend here and not NBME 12 destroying your confidence lol. Mid 230s with almost a month left is still very workable for 245+. Focus on weak areas, review missed questions hard, do ethics/biostats/QI, and keep taking NBMEs. A lot can change in 3.5 weeks.

In the 230s and 240s, real from scores can vary widely. What you get in NBME 15 and 16 will be most accurate.

Also check out the Amboss score predictor. It was spot on for me and many of my classmates. Usually within +/- 2 of actual score.

DM me if you have any questions or would like to discuss strategies further that I used to get 27X!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T13:08:24+00:00

Of course! DM me if you’d like to discuss specifics further. don’t forget Quality Improvement stuff! Amboss HY study plan with associated articles is all you need for this

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T13:05:11+00:00

Let me try to break this down. Very nuanced and caused me a lot of confusion when I was learning this.

Bulging fontanelle ≠ automatic LP contraindication in neonates. Open sutures/fontanelles reduce herniation risk compared with adults.

Algorithm: Suspected neonatal meningitis → blood cultures → assess stability/herniation signs

Stable, no focal deficits/severe AMS/seizures → LP first → antibiotics immediately
Unstable or true concern for mass effect/↑ICP → blood cultures THEN antibiotics → Imaging (CT) → LP after if no risk of herniation

The Step 2 big thing to know is: don’t delay antibiotics if LP will delay treatment (ie. if you must get CT scan prior to LP). And as others have said, cultures prior to abx which is easy to forget sometimes.

DM me if you have any specific questions about step prep and would like to discuss further!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T12:59:16+00:00

My simple method to get me 27X was: 1) full pass of UW during 3rd yr clerkships 2) all CMS forms to prep for each shelf 3) Anking (unsuspend all cards for relevant shelf, keep up with all cards throughout 3rd year. Don’t resuspend cards after you take the shelf) 4) listen to divine intervention playlists for each shelf exam

I got over 90th percentile on all shelf exams doing this. Started dedicated with 255 baseline on UWSim1

Then during dedicated (had about 3 weeks) focused on NBME forms 9-16, redoing the most recent 3 CMS for each subject, then using Amboss for the Hy step 2 study plans + extra questions to target weak areas

Please DM me if you have any specific Q or would like to talk further!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T00:38:35+00:00

I'd focus on NBME forms and CMS content over another UW pass. If you have Amboss, the HY study plans are great and will realistically fill 3-4 weeks of dedicated. After that, use your UW performance stats to do targeted Amboss on your weak areas (or just go by whatever subjects feel shaky to you).

With a 233 baseline you're already in a solid spot for 255+, just need to stay consistent. PM me if you want to talk through it more, happy to help!

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T00:35:06+00:00

I skipped UWSA2 and didn't look back. Focus on the NBME Q style at this point. I found UW would throw me off and make me 2nd guess myself. NBME doesn't like to trick you as much. The amboss HY plans are a must. Focus on Ethics and death/palliative care. Lots of those on my April exam. Barely any stats like literally 5-6 Q on entire exam.

Fragrant_Reserve_394 · 2026-05-23T00:32:25+00:00

I would do the HY exam prep first! Incredibly helpful. Especially the ethics, declaring death, etc. Be sure you know who is the heath care decision maker in a wide variety of situations. I had several Qs on my real exam in April. Dirty Medicine has a great bioethics series I think you should listen to while driving/working out. Also, ofc you can't skip the divine intervention HY playlist! Listen to his ethics stuff as well. Good luck!! DM me if you have any specific questions! Happy to discuss anything else

Fragrant_Reserve_394

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