I Am Done with Step 2 CK!!

Simulated Exam Screen with Heart Mitral Valve (score95.com)

I haven't written in a very long while, because I was overwhelmed by that anxious, itchy feeling of not knowing how you've done on a very important exam. As you know already, I was wondering what would happen if I did very poorly or didn't pass. But last Wednesday I got my Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) results back, and not only did I pass, I passed comfortably. No 'squeaking by' like with Step 1. What a wonderful Christmas present! And maybe I'll stop making careless mistakes in lab now. A huge weight has been lifted. I'm hungry again. I care about life again. And I'll start posting more frequently now that I have a little more time to devote to writing.

B and I went to LA this past weekend so he could visit old law school friends and I could take Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills). It's an in-person exam set in a simulated clinic. The exam was so odd. We were in a long hallway with over twenty doors, and standardized patients behind every door, and proctors in the hall, and buzzers and announcements going overhead. I felt under time pressure and could not do a lot of physical exam, sadly, so I hope that is okay in terms of whatever grading rubric they use. And it's a pass/fail exam, so I just hope I pass. I don't need a good score :) I am not allowed to say anything about the actual content of the exam, but it was just a weird experience. They are all actors. For one patient, I wasn't sure if he was "supposed" to be malingering -- that is, pretending to have symptoms for some other benefit. But he was an actor, which meant I was pretending to be concerned about his pretend symptoms while trying not to act as though I thought he was pretending to pretend. And they say it isn't an acting exam.

So, in a word: Phew!!