• Home
  • Live Chat
  • Login
  • Contact Us
  • Call 877-225-8384

The Pass Machine

Pass Guaranteed Board Review

  • Board
    Courses
    • Addiction Medicine
    • Anesthesiology BASIC
    • Anesthesiology ADVANCED
    • Cardiovascular Disease
    • Critical Care Medicine
    • Emergency Medicine
    • Family Medicine
    • Gastroenterology
    • General Surgery Qualifying
    • General Surgery Certifying
    • Geriatric Medicine
    • Hospice & Palliative Medicine
    • Infectious Disease
    • Internal Medicine
    • Medical Oncology
    • Nephrology
    • Pain Medicine
    • Pediatric Anesthesiology
    • Pediatric Critical Care
    • Pediatrics
    • Pulmonary Disease
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Lightning Reviews Mini-Courses
    • USMLE Step 2 CK QBank
    • USMLE Step 3 QBank
  • CME
    Courses
    • Lightning Reviews Mini-Courses
    • Update on Women’s Health: Evidence Based Screening and Prevention
    • Update on Women’s Reproductive Health
    • Update on Anti-Obesity Medications
    • Update on Vaccinations
    • USMLE Step 3 QBank
    • USMLE Step 2 CK QBank
    • Invent Our Future
  • Personal Finance
    & Career Courses
    • The Art of Smart
      FREE Career Seminars
    • Invent Our Future
    • Wealth Management
    • Personal Finance For Women
  • FREE Board
    Resources & Info
    • EXACT Exam Prep Accelerator
    • Board Exam Topics
    • Board Exam Pass Rates
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
  • Residency &
    Fellowship Program
  • Discounts &
    Group Sales
    • Ambassador Referral Program
    • Group Discounts
    • Multi-purchase Discounts
  • Exam
    Blog

Categories

  • All Posts
  • Anesthesiology
  • Board Certification
  • Board Exam
  • Cardiology
  • Family Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Surgery
  • Group Practice
  • Internal Medicine
  • Medical Innovation
  • Obesity Management
  • Oncology
  • Pediatrics
  • Physician Advice
  • Sleep Medicine
  • USMLE
Open text books on a table with colored pencils lined up with two students, one seated and one standing, using pencils to point at the open books they are holding.

USMLE Step 2 CK Content Tests Clinical Knowledge Base

March 31, 2023 by Michael Sapko, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Board Exam, USMLE Tags: board exam, career options, clinical knowledge, how to pass the USMLE, residency options, Step 2 CK, USMLE, USMLE Content, USMLE Step 2, USMLE Step 2CK

Last updated on June 7th, 2023

Learn More About USMLE Step 2 Content

Now that Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) has become a pass/fail exam, your USMLE Step 2 CK score is more important than ever in deciding your medical residency and career options. In this article, we will review the USMLE Step 2 CK content of clinical science and knowledge examination.

USMLE Step 2 CK Content Outline

The main goal of the USMLE Step 2 CK examination is to assess your clinical knowledge and basic patient-centered skills. It also examines how well medical students can apply this knowledge and clinical understanding of medical sciences, especially in providing supervised patient care, promoting optimal well-being, and preventing diseases. After all, medical students take this exam before being let loose on the wards as interns, that is, after completing the third year of medical school. The overarching goal of the USMLE Step 2 CK is to ensure that test takers possess the knowledge for the safe and competent practice of supervised medicine in the United States.

The USMLE Step 2 CK is a one-day standardized examination administered in eight 60-minute blocks. Each block of the Step 2 CK will have up to 40 questions, and the entire nine-hour exam will not include more than 318 questions. USMLE Step 2 CK content is weighted for topics selected from the major clinical areas. However, it concentrates only on organ systems, normal and pathological processes, and therapy principles.

Step 2 CK USMLE Content

Step 2 of the USMLE assesses the clinical science knowledge base of medical students and how well that knowledge is applied in clinical situations. While you will learn a tremendous amount about the practice of medicine during your internship and residency, Step 2 CK is intended to determine whether you have the level of knowledge and skill necessary to practice medicine under the supervision of residents, fellows, and attending physicians. Patient safety is the top priority.

While a small portion of USMLE Step 2 content will cover normal and abnormal processes, the vast majority is designed to assess knowledge of pathological processes. The exam encompasses 18 subject areas:

  • General Principles of Foundational Science
  • Immune System
  • Blood & Lymphoreticular System
  • Behavioral Health
  • Nervous System & Special Senses
  • Musculoskeletal System/Skin & Subcutaneous Tissue
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Respiratory System
  • Gastrointestinal System
  • Renal & Urinary System & Male Reproductive
  • Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Puerperium
  • Female Reproductive System & Breast
  • Endocrine System
  • Multisystem Processes & Disorders
  • Biostatistics & Epidemiology/Population Health/Interpretation of Medical Literature
  • Social Sciences: Legal/Ethical Issues & Professionalism/Systems-based Practice & Patient Safety

While some sections are more heavily represented than others, successful students will study all the above areas through reading, review, and comprehensive QBank practice.

While the USMLE Step 1 focused on foundational science concepts, patient history, and physical exam, USMLE Step 2 delves more deeply into diagnosis, laboratory results, imaging studies, drug treatments, clinical interventions, mixed management, and outcomes. To a lesser degree, Step 2 CK assesses professionalism and patient safety issues.

Generally speaking, if you had a core clerkship in a particular area, it is fair game to be tested on the USMLE Step 2 CK. Disciplines tested include

  • Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Surgery
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Psychiatry and Neurology

Assume that about half the questions on the USMLE Step 2 CK test date will be on medicine, and up to a third will cover surgery. That said, you should prepare by answering dozens of practice questions in all of these disciplines.

Find USMLE Success With a Comprehensive QBank

Most students find the best methods to prepare for the USMLE include the use of a comprehensive question bank. With 4,200+ multiple-choice questions written specifically for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam, medical students can get the most questions of any QBank available. At The Pass Machine, we guarantee you’ll pass your USMLE Step 2 CK exam, or we’ll give you 100% of your money back and a free subscription renewal. Our unique QBank system allows you to study through flashcard mode or practice exam mode to let you prepare in the most efficient ways possible. For elite medical prep, be sure to check out the USMLE QBanks we offer to help you prepare to ace your USMLE exams.

About Michael Sapko, MD

View all posts by Michael Sapko, MD

Filed Under: All Posts, Board Exam, USMLE Tagged With: board exam, career options, clinical knowledge, how to pass the USMLE, residency options, Step 2 CK, USMLE, USMLE Content, USMLE Step 2, USMLE Step 2CK

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • All Posts
  • Anesthesiology
  • Board Certification
  • Board Exam
  • Cardiology
  • Family Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Surgery
  • Group Practice
  • Internal Medicine
  • Medical Innovation
  • Obesity Management
  • Oncology
  • Pediatrics
  • Physician Advice
  • Sleep Medicine
  • USMLE
New App

Pass Guaranteed Board Courses
  • Home
  • Login
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Work With Us

Government Sales – SAM.gov
Unique Entity ID: LQWHFPP2KLB8

Customer Care: 877-225-8384
M-F, 8:00am – 6:00pm (CST)

American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies, LLC BBB Business Review
  • American Physician Institute Facebook link American Physician
  • American Physician Institute Surgery Facebook link Surgery
  • American Physician Institute Anesthesiology Facebook link Anesthesiology
  • American Physician Institute Psychiatry Facebook link Psychiatry
Twitter linkLinkedin linkYouTube link
  • www.AmericanPhysician.com
  • www.BeatTheBoards.com
  • www.ThePassMachine.com
  • www.MasterPsych.com
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • American Board of Anesthesiology®
  • American Board of Emergency Medicine®
  • American Board of Family Medicine®
  • American Board of Internal Medicine®
  • American Board of Pain Medicine®
  • American Board of Pediatrics®
  • American Board of Preventive Medicine®
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology®
  • American Board of Surgery®
  • PeerPoint – CME Accreditation Services
  • Board
    Courses
  • CME
    Courses
  • Personal Finance
    & Career Courses
  • FREE Board
    Resources & Info
  • Residency &
    Fellowship Program
  • Discounts &
    Group Sales
  • Exam
    Blog

© 2023· American Physician Institute

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service

Manage Cookie Consent

To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent

To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}