We share our observations and our statistics about the best USMLE Step 2 CK resources for med students to use while preparing for Step 2 CK.

What are the top resources that medical students are using to study for the USMLE Step 2 CK? In this article, you’ll find Cram Fighter’s statistics on the most popular USMLE Step 2 CK resources and our observations about what works for med students in their third year.

Top 20 Step 2 CK Resources

You will notice substantial differences between popular Step 1 and popular Step 2 resources. While First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 is often called the “Step 1 Bible,” First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK ranks only fifth most popular. In general, med students agree that a question bank and a supplemental textbook works well for Step 2 CK preparation.

Using Step 1 and Shelf Resources

We find that med students preparing for Step 2 CK often revisit sections of Step 1 resources. For this reason, we’ve made available resources like SketchyMedical for Step 2 studying. As this blogger says, if you had a positive experience with a resource during Step 1 studying, you may want to use it again in M3.

We also find that med students rely on Shelf resources to help them prepare for Step 2 CK. This is especially true of Internal Medicine resources.

 Med students often view internal medicine as the core foundation of medicine, and Step 2 CK is definitely internal medicine heavy

Pavan, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, NY

Pavan, a student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, told us that many med students view Internal Medicine as “the core foundation of medicine.” Plus, “Step 2 CK is definitely internal medicine heavy,” he says, so relying on resources like Step-Up to Medicine and Case Files Internal Medicine makes sense when preparing for Step 2 CK. To see a complete list of Step 2 CK resources we support, check out our Supported Resources page or test out a Step 2 study schedule with our 7-day free trial.