In February, I started preparing myself to get ready to eventually take the USMLE Step 2. This meant I had to figure out how to pay for it and needed to sort out some name change details.

In the beginning of March, I paid for a couple months of review questions at USMLE World. At that time, I thought I was about 2 months out from the exam date.

In the middle of March, I shared with you my proposed 8 week schedule. I figured that with rotations still underway, I would have time to study for about 4 hours each day during the week and 8 hours on the weekend. I kept pretty close to that schedule and finished all topics and every USMLE World question by the end of April.

Closer to the end of March, I finally booked my Clinical Skills (CS) and Clinical Knowledge (CK) exams. Due to scheduling conflicts, I didn’t get CS as early in May as I’d hoped and, in turn, had to push back CK a little bit.

And here we are nearing the end of May. I am taking the CS exam this Thursday in Houston. CK is almost exactly one month away.

Monday morning, I was supposed to show up for my first day of a 6-week Pediatrics rotation. Unfortunately, the attending isn’t taking on any students right now. I met with the Graduate Medical Education office here at the hospital and she shuffled up my electives to round out the summer for me. Basically, I will be take three electives (nephro, pain management and neuro) instead of two electives and one core. The time fills up pretty much the same and still gives me ample room to breathe after baby arrives in the fall.

But! Back to the study schedule! That exam is looming hard and fast.

All of my academic advisors keep telling me that my Step 1 score is “okay”, but I need to “do REALLY WELL” on Step 2 to improve my chances of matching in the spring.

Okay, then.

Even though we have a baby on the way this summer, at least I’m not planning a wedding or anything.

I need a job next spring. And if I need to “do REALLY WELL” on this exam in order to get that job, then so be it. I haven’t worked my butt off in awhile and I’m sure it could use the exercise.

And if I can’t take time off from school, I should probably take time off from the internet.

Have a great month! Seeya in July! xoxo

PS: I will continue to log my weekly pregnancy updates and will publish them when I get back. If you need to reach me by email, I am hoping to check-in once a week.

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