Navigating Step 2 As a Non-traditional Medical Student

You’ve made it through Step 1 (hooray!), and you find yourself preparing for Step 2. Step 2 is another mountain to conquer on your journey to becoming a physician. It is a tough road, but it doesn’t have to be terrible! Whether you took a few years off prior to medical school or you are an IMG navigating the USMLE testing world, being a non-traditional medical student comes with a unique set of concerns as you prepare for Step 2. This blog will highlight frequently asked questions for non-traditional students who are preparing for their Step 2 exam. 

How can I adjust my schedule to study while also maintaining my job or keeping up with my family?

Balance is a recurring word in medical school, but near impossible to achieve! Nonetheless, balance is certainly worth striving for as you study for Step 2. For non-traditional medical students juggling family or work, finding balance can be tricky.. I always recommend a structured study schedule to my students to help them achieve balance. That study schedule often includes one day off per week and hard stops on study times. For example, I encourage my students to study Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm, with a hard stop at 6pm. The hard stop ensures that you have adequate time for family while also motivating you to study well throughout the day. You can’t just keep pushing off tasks until midnight.

Another key to balancing studying while working or saving time for family is to ensure high-quality studying. High-quality studying means that the time you spend completing questions or working on UWorld are focused and energized. You are not distracted by social media or friends texting you. The Pomodoro method can be a great method for focus if you have trouble with deep focus. You will set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on your task, then you can take a 5-minute break. Repeat this cycle 3-4 times and then you can plan for a longer break. Whatever study schedule or study tips you might use, make sure to take time off to relax with your family and enjoy life outside of the textbooks as well.

Kick Off Your Studying

Use our Step 2 study schedule as a foundation, then adjust it to fit your needs. If you have other obligations, you may need to extend your study period by spreading out tasks. While a longer timeline can make retention more challenging due to less dense studying, you can counter this by incorporating 1–2 hours of Step 2 podcasts or Anki practice daily to keep concepts fresh and reinforce your learning.

Is Step 2 just another version of Step 1?

Step 2 can easily feel like another version of Step 1, but there are some key differences between the two that are important to note as you prepare. First of all, Step 2 has different content that is covered. You will notice there is less basic science and more biochemistry. Additionally, the question types can feel different as the questions in Step 2 are often proposed as the “next best step” questions. These questions can often feel more ambiguous as two answers are often “correct” actions to take, but you have to decide what is the next best step for the workup of the patient. Ultimately, Step 2 has similarities to Step 1, but it should be approached in a slightly different manner. Read our blog on the differences between Step 1 and Step 2 to learn more.

Is UWorld enough for Step 2, or do I need additional resources?

UWorld is absolutely necessary as you prepare for Step 2. It should be your most utilized resource. That said, there are plenty of other resources that can supplement your studying. In addition to UWorld, I recommend that you take 3-5 Step 2 NBME practice exams prior to test day. This will help give you a target test score as well as prepare you for the most USMLE-like exams. (And don’t forget the free 120). I also always recommend Anki or a flash card resource to help with active recall. Don’t let anki dominate your day, but proper use of anki can certainly help you achieve that high-quality studying discussed earlier. 

How can I manage test-day anxiety?

Test-day anxiety happens for everyone, but if you are a non-traditional medical student you might feel as though your anxiety is heightened just a bit more as you navigate additional stressors. That said, it shouldn’t be. There are plenty of non-traditional medical students who excel on Step 2, oftentimes because of their unique background.

When it comes to test day anxiety, I always recommend some meditation/deep breathing exercises for test day. Box breathing is a great technique where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and hold for another 4 seconds. You may repeat this pattern 3 or 4 times as needed. It can be nice to practice one box breath every 10 questions. It resets your brain (and I promise the few seconds lost on the test are worth the nervous system reset it can provide!). Additionally, make sure that you are prepared. Have a “practice test day” where you eat the same breakfast, complete 7 blocks as you would for test day, and schedule your breaks exactly the same. This will help give you an extra boost of confidence walking in to test day knowing that you have already done this before! 

Non-traditional students make some of the very best residents and physicians that we have serving our patients. Their unique backgrounds and stories bring important values and perspectives to patient care. Just because you are a non-traditional medical student doesn’t mean that Step 2 has to be any harder for you, but you may just plan for it a bit differently. If you need help planning for your Step 2 studying, feel free to reach out for a free consultation to learn more about Step 2 tutoring.