My STEP 2 ck experience:
Hi guys!
I finished my exam 3months ago and scored 269.
I got busy, so sharing my experience now. I really thank all group members for their help. I owe
this group a lot as it not only helped me to study but also to stay in high spirits in that stressful
time.
Regarding preparation, I believe time it takes to prepare varies for everyone and so do the
material to be studied . The only way to know you are ready is self assessments and try doing
them online. In my opinion taking step 1 before step 2 really helps.
Study material used:
Skimmed through kaplan all sub, Mtb2 med and mtb 3 for other subjects+ UW 70 % in 2 months.
Took 2 months break for CS which I don’t recommend as your tempo breaks and you start
forgetting things(try doing in continuity). You can skip kaplan medicine specially if you have done
step 1.
Then spent 5 more months in total after CS:
Stage 1: completing leftover UW and revising part UW that I did before as most of it was
evaporated + CMS(clinical mastery series), taking one form each day and discussing the confusing
ques for 2 hrs daily with 2 of my friends.
8 weeks out:
NBME 4:265
NBME 7: 244
Stage 2: I worked on my weak topics as suggested by UW, NBME’s. Revised Gyn, Surgery vignettes
(Kaplan) as they were weak. I wanted to revise only incorrect ones from UW but charts and tables
kinda made me look through most of it(around 70 pc).
4 weeks out:UWSA:265
Stage 3: I couldn’t find a date in my nearest test center, so I had to book a date 4 weeks away. I
revised CMS with a friend, covered ethics questions from conrad book + biostat UW ques bank.
Psych notes by Khaled(from uptodate) http://www.mediafire.com/
…/Psychiatry+notes+%28UW++UTD%29.r… are really useful and probably only reliable source I
found for ck psych. Did UW charts/tables and misc stuff pain mx, hospital mx etc from materials in
files section in last days
3 days out:
FRED: 93 %
Use UW as pure learning tool and not for self assessment. UW concepts are imp. Also, do go
through the concepts that they are asking in CM series and NBME’s. Say they are asking one ques,
look that up and similar topics you can think about , frame similar ques for yourself. They don’t
repeat ques, none I could find exactly repeated. But you get to know their pattern. Use CM series
as a subject outline for you. Those concepts are super important. Whatever you feel is not well
covered in our usual sources, look up online for more info.
The real exam is gonna be full of alien questions and others too simple or repetitive that you
suspect yourself of missing out something. Make sure that you don’t waste time on those and
keep moving despite of the fact your mind will force you to spend more time. I believe their
marking to be probably more liberal than NBME as the exam looks tougher but you end up
scoring about same. It’s all about staying confident during exam despite of the weird ques and
time management. Simulation is really important specially if it is the first exam that you are taking,
building that 9 hour sitting endurance, distributing breaks as per your convenience. Use NBME’s
to simulate, try copying the environment e.g. doing in a library, a place different from your study
room. Any questions are welcome. Will be glad if I can be of help to anyone. Good luck guys 
PS: List copied from forum – imp step 1 topics for CK (fa step 1)
Behavioral science 50-63 73-86
AD, AR diseases & Genetic $ 87-91 110-114
Vitamin def. & excess 92-96 115-119
Metabolic disease 106,107,111 126,130,134
Glycogen storage diseases 113-114 136-137
G+ve & G-ve Bacteria 129,136 152,159
Rickettsial diseases 144 167
Mycology 146 169
HIV associated disease 169 192
Microbiology by system ( nice pics) 170-178 193-201
Igs & Immune response 203 226
Important immunology topics 209-217 232-240
Important oncology stuff 232-236 255-259
Drug toxicity and side effects 252-255 275-278
Oncology drugs 403-407 426-430
Nerves of upper & lower limps 411-416 434-439
Lab values in bone disease 421 444
MSK ( derma and rhuema pics ) 424-438 447-461
Neurology vasc. Sup. & strokes 458-463 481-486
Spinal cord lesions 467-470 490-492
Visual field defects 481 504
Neurocutaneous & CNS tumors 487-489 510-512
Epilepsy drugs 492 515
psychiatry ( all of it ) 500-520 523-543