Step 2 CS Samples

Sample Videos

The purpose of this sample videos is to provide brief idea about product. You will get access of 60+ most frequently asked Step 2 CS Cases (videos + documents) in your account once subscribe the service.

Sample Documents

However, these are same cases as you seen video above. The purpose of this sample Documents is to provide brief idea about product. You will get access of 60+ most frequently asked Step 2 CS (videos + Documents) in your account once subscribe the service.

Step 2 CS Exam Overview

Overview

Step 2 CS is part of USMLE Step 2 exam, uses standardized patients to test medical students and graduates on their ability to gather information from patients, perform physical examinations, and communicate their findings to patients and colleagues. This service is intended to help examinees prepare
for the Step 2 CS component of the USMLE. Persons preparing to take the Step 2 CS examination should also view the sample video available at our website

Examination Blueprin

These cases we prepared are kinds of patients and problems normally encountered during medical practice in the United States. Most cases are specifically designed to elicit a process of history taking and physical examination that demonstrates the examinee's ability to list and pursue various plausible
diagnoses.

Presentation categorie
• Cardiovascular
• Constitutional


• Gastrointestinal
• Genitourinary
• Musculoskeletal
• Neurological
• Psychiatric
• Respiratory
• Women's health
• The selection of cases is also guided by specifications relating to
  
  • Acuity
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Type of physical findings presented in each case

Examination Length

Your Step 2 CS administration will include twelve patient encounters. The examination session lasts approximately 8 hours, and two breaks are provided. The first break is 30 minutes long; the second break is 15 minutes long. You may use the restrooms before the exam and during breaks. A light meal will be served during the first break. The test center is unable to accommodate special meal requests. However, you may bring your own food, provided that no refrigeration or preparation is required. Smoking is prohibited throughout the center.

Patient Notes

Step 2 CS examinees will be required to type patient notes beginning mid-2011. Examinees will not be permitted to handwrite the note, unless technical difficulties on the test day make the patient note typing program unavailable. Please check the USMLE website (www.usmle.org) for information about the date on which this change to the testing procedures will occur.

Step 2 CS Tips

Doorway:

Write all the five DD in abbreviated form before entering patient room. This will help to ask atleast one pertinent history for each of the DD. This will serve you well and in the end one should always have couple of minutes in hand to conclude everything.

History:

When asking about personal history make a note on your scrap paper, the number of cigs/day, alcohol intake and sexual practice. We strongly advice to write the family history as well. Some students don't do that and hey do not able to recollect when they start writing the patient notes. Also this will help, to remind yourself to councel the SP. So make a mark on any relevant personal history to remind yourself to councel in the end.
Testimonial: 'I did not even councel a single patient regarding their personal habits and I was lucky becasue only two SPs gave history of smoking and for one I did not councel regarding alcohol.' - Dr. Ahmed Khan

Whilst washing hands:

Ask SP if it is okay if you can talk to him whilst washing and ask if he was able to understand you properly. The bottom line is never stop talking even for a second.

Examination: After draping ask the SP, if they are comfortable and tell them what you are examining. If in one of your DDs, you need to exam pelvic/rectal/breast exam tell did them you will have to do these at a later time. Its remembered whilst writing the notes. Be very apologetic when SP reveals signs of tenederness and be very gentle in your examination and remember the SPs are examined by 12 examinees. Remember to extend the table for abd examination. Please always be supported the SP’ perticularly when you made the lay down for the abdomen exam. These little things show empathy and that is very IMPORTATNT.

Conclusion:

Always summarize the history, and check with the SP that if you have got it right, explain what you think, give two DD, and explain about the investigation, for example, if you are to mention CT scan, ask him does he/she understand what a CT scan means etc. Now before you go check your scrap paper for personal history and see if you need to councel re smoking, alcohol, safe sex practice and leave by asking if SP has any concerns or questions he/she needs clarification.

Notes:

Always start from the DD and Inv. Then go back to history and examination. Please write the notes and if you are to type, practice on the usmle webite. Practice patient notes at home and time yourself. Certain abbreviations are allowed and know it well since it will save time. So know all the abbreviations that are allowed. You have this in the first aid.

After the exam: Never come to any forums and see if anybody who have taken the exam with you or after you have got the results. This will stress you out. DELAY DOES NOT MEAN FAILURE.
Testimonial: "I did the mistake and somebody who took the exam with me passed in 4 weeks and mine took 7 weeks." - Natalia

Materials:

Please use the material available on our website.
Testimonial: "I read cases in usmletutoring.com regarding how to explain to the patient the examination part and pschy history and that helped me lot in exam" - Victoria Basil

Preparation time:

In ideal world you will need atleast two weeks but 3 weeks is more than enough. Please prepare all the cases on usmletutoring.com and if you need e-mail support than let us know.

About the exam:

If you get uncopeartive patient or if you need to examine CNS you will have lot of time constraint so develop a strategy early whilst preparing. There is no time to think during the exam so practice well. YOU CAN DO IT. There is 80% pass rate, so you are more likely to pass. But, 20% do fail, so take the exam very seriously.

Lastly

Just because you have passed does not make you a master of this exam. So what you have to write so far is your humble experience and these are the things that people will do to make themself very confident about Step 2 CS exam.