USMLE STEP 2 , Core Concepts for USMLE STEP 2 CS: A focused and goal-oriented approach (Volume 1),Umesh Sharma MD,2010

Sayin Üyemiz,

Paylaşımınız için teşekkürler. Kaynakla ilgili Kaynak Bilgi Bankası'na ilk girişi yapmış olduğunuz için 30 USMER puanı almaya hak kazandınız. Katkılarınızın devamını dileriz.

Sevgiyle,

USMLE STRATEJi MERKEZİ

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
I wrote this book, because I could not find a book that carefully integrates core clinical concepts with the content of CS Exam. Sure, there are many books on the market, but these books are crammed with every possible detail and present a strategically unbalanced approach of preparing for the USMLE Step 2 CS. If you ask me what kind of book I personally like, my favorite book is simplified, concept-oriented, and focused on passing the exam. I cannot emphasize enough that CS exam has three components that you need to pass separately. Try to balance your preparation so that you are not tipped over to one aspect while leaving loopholes on others. You are welcome to use the mnemonics if you are comfortable with, but exam circumstances can subtly change making your mnemonics planned time wastage. You should empower yourself with a wealth of knowledge and skills in such a way that you do not flap over with common clinical encounters tested in CS Exam. This book is written in the form of lectures and practice sessions. The intent of the lecture format is to speak to you directly, as if we were in the classroom together. What I have written in this book is a reflection of what I heard from you during the exam preparation and after the actual exam. I have spoken to quite a few candidates who have failed the exam, even though they believed everything went smoothly. Finally, what you do as a medical student transitioning to become a physician makes me proud. I have spoken to several of you in the classroom, wards, cafeteria, and pubs. The journey you have ventured earns great respect and does not deserve a tearful approach to prepare for any exam. Do not read this book-just enjoy it! Remember to keep the big picture alive while details get filled in. Go to your favorite park or a café and start reading this book. Have a pencil handy, as I will make you write some patient notes. Again, I wish you the very best and look forward to working with you.
From the Author
How This Book is Organized and How to Use It

Chapter 1 is a lighthearted approach to introduce the basic structure of CS Examination. This chapter aims to make you familiar with the three different areas of your clinical competence (Integrated Clinical Encounter, Communication and Interpersonal Skills, and Spoken English Proficiency) tested in CS examination. Try to visualize exactly what the exam board is expecting out of you and see how well prepared you are for each of these components. This chapter also touches base (with an example) on how a patient note should be written.
Chapter 2 focuses on explaining how the exam is set up for you and the exam etiquette you are expected to demonstrate. Emphasis has been made on coherent history of present illness, smooth transition from present illness to past, importance of surgical history, and practical tips on personal, family, and social history. Similarly, this chapter will enable you to develop an organized and systematic approach of performing a physical exam. A perfect closure to your encounter leaves a positive impression on your Standardized Patient (SP). There are multiple examples presented in the text to familiarize you with this final and critical piece of interaction with your SP, which takes place just before you leave the room (in other words, just before your performance is ranked).
Chapter 3 discusses some important case scenarios that constitute a major chunk of our day-to-day practice. Remember, USMLE cases are largely representative of the general population. I want to make sure I teach you these cases in a classroom style, so that you have a solid working knowledge of what needs to be done and what to expect out of any diagnostic workup you recommend.
Chapter 4 largely focuses on assisting you to make a good workup plan. At the end of the encounter, your SPs want to know what investigations you would like to order and in what way these tests will help them. Remember, ordering generic tests of no significance to your encounter can sometimes hurt the outcome. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to allergies before you order drugs or dyes. Similarly, X-rays and CT scans for pregnant patients should be avoided. Patients with metal hardware in their body should not get an MRI.
Chapter 5 explains the unique words or terminologies used by SPs that can pose challenges to some candidates, especially International Medical Graduates. This can sometimes spuriously manifest as poor communication skills or deficiency in spoken English proficiency. I have made a couple of trips to my local pharmacy and included most of the medications that your SPs could say they are using over the counter.
Chapter 6 is about applicable health screening questions. Some of you may think it is not too important to ask health screening-related questions. But what if your SP asks,"Doctor, shall I go for colonoscopy this year?" This is one of the shortest chapters; just read it once.
Chapter 7 is self-explanatory. In my opinion challenging questions is a misnomer because your SPs do not intend to challenge you with difficult and hard-to-answer questions. These are the questions you would ask your doctor if you were your SP's patient. I agree that some of the questions can pose ethical, moral, or legal dilemmas. But they are not expecting you to be one hundred percent accurate on this. All you have to do is a) understand the question; b) answer the question in a professional and empathetic manner; and c) understand the limitations of your knowledge and your role.
Chapter 8 is about pediatric patients and telephone calls. Some candidates really love sitting inside a closed room, making a phone call. Others worry that there is no eye contact and that they are allowed to make only one call. Both types of candidates are right to some extent. However, you will have ample time to take the history, you will not need a physical exam, and patient notes will be shorter because you are not required to complete the physical exam. Anyway, practice this with your friend so that your nerves are not triggered at the time of the real exam.
Chapter 9 is about pregnancy and menopause. Remember, pregnancy is not a disease, but there are certain things you want to ask a pregnant patient in order to not miss a pregnancy that is unsafe or not going well. Similarly, menopause is inevitable for female patients and USMLE expects you to be familiar with common signs and symptoms of menopause and how to address them.
Chapter 10 is devoted to teaching you physical examination skills. A lot of candidates find it hard to provide specific instructions during a physical exam. Certainly, the skills need and comes by some practice. However, this chapter will set up a simplified but systematic approach to physical exam so that you do not become lost, overwhelmed, or oblivious.
Chapter 11 sets you up in an auto-correction mode. This chapter helps you instantly correct some of small errors you might make during the exam. I added this chapter because I do not want you to spend the entire day (if not longer) regretting every little thing that did not go the way you expected.
Chapter 12 is unique in the sense that it emphasizes a common sense approach to history taking. Clinical history is not much different from what you ask to satisfy your daily curiosities. This chapter will help you solve your cases using a common sense that makes you a broader and more critical thinker.
Chapter 13 includes Mega Stations. Mega Stations are snapshots of your entire encounter, including case scenario, history taking, physical exam, case closure, and counseling skills. This chapter also includes the patient notes specific to these case encounters. More important, I have included the feedback provided by the SPs to individual physicians about their performance in a very critical but constructive format.
Chapter 14 constitutes the biggest chunk of this book. This chapter provides ample case scenarios presented in a USMLE-like format. Read the question carefully, practice with your friends and family, and go ahead and write the patient note. After this, use the information provided to check how well you have done and whether there is anything you have missed. After all, Step 2 CS exam is all about practice, and this is why I have compiled so many cases for you to practice.
Chapter 15 provides you some examples of patient notes. There is no hard and fast rule to write a patient note, but the examples will provide a skeleton for you to formulate your own style.
Finally, you have the right to use this book the way you want. Your instructor may use this book as a quick reference or a supplement to bigger textbooks available on the market. However, realize that no matter how they want to use this book, I did not write this book for your instructors. I wrote Core Concepts for USMLE Step 2 CS for you.

Kaynak:http://www.amazon.com/Core-Concepts-USMLE-STEP-goal-oriented/dp/1453608044/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&qid=1289460696&sr=8-44