Customer Reviews

Deja Review USMLE Step 2 CK , Second Edition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The previous edition of this book got so many positive reviews, I figured I'd give it a shot. I didn't like it at all. I think in the right circumstances, this book might be okay. But I used it mainly for step 2 preparation and found it to be pretty much useless. I read through the first few pages of the Infectious Disease chapter and spent more time confirming errors than finding useful info. For example, it says to initiate HAART on CD4 Counts > less than 500. The actual recommendation is on people with counts less than 350. In pregnant HIV+ patient it says to just use Zidovudine (that was the old recommendation, currently it is treatment with 3 drug HAART --- the idea was that a new edition would catch these errors).

Let's keep going, it has Levofloxacin listed as the treatment for pyelonephritis (this is a possible treatment, but by no means first line). Very next question, it has bacterial vaginosis listed as an STD. Just plain awful. I'm wasting more times finding errors in this book then getting useful information.

I agree that a few errors are acceptable, because every book has them. But there are only 15-20 facts per page, and if one of them on each page is incorrect, that makes for a pretty useless book. I would not recommend it cause there are many better options out there for a similar price.

I tried and tried and tried to read this book, but my eyes just glossed over the pages. It was more like lists of unexplained facts than recall. It's more due to the way I study - I'm not a crammer. Look at a few example pages to see if it's for you. You will be surprised at how boring this book is to read. I used Step 2 Secrets and liked it a lot more. I also just got my results back from Step 2 and am very pleased.

Great little book to help you get some study done anywhere, any time. I carry it with me to playgrounds, read it in our backyard and while supervising my bous in thier bath. Quick Q& A format allows you to get high-yield info instantly without wading through paragraphs of stuff. Having said that - just as the book itself suggests, it is a reivew aid, not a primary text.

I found this book pretty well laid out for my review.

Did see a few errors but I did not think it was major, I just made corrections and it made me think about the subjects as well.

My feeling is if you do not know these subjects after passing step one then you are in trouble anyway.

The book allows space for notes which is important for me.

I love this book because it allows me to make fast recall, and goes into the high yield points for CK. I recommend it for fast recall CK exercises.