Reflection

I took my Step 2 CS exam January 12th. This served as chance to reflect on how much I have learned in medical school. I remember getting ready to start third year and memorizing the physical exam and the questions in the history. I thought to myself there was no way I could ever remember each maneuver or remember each part of the history and do it in a manner that pretended to be close to efficient.
Turns out, I did.
I studied about a week for this test (can you say pass/fail?) and only practiced doing a physical once - because even though I have not done much more than a Neuro exam for the past 6 months, once I started, it came back to me easily, flowing out my brain and into my hands like warm syrup on a buttered pancake. I was mostly concerned about making sure if a standardized patient started leading me down the path of HIV/STI's I remembered to ask about safe sex practice...or if another suddenly started coughing uncontrollably, I would offer a tissue, and remember to check for blood in said tissue. All the while coming up with a differential for hemoptysis, which is to say, coughing up blood.
I think I passed. But I'll find out for sure in six - ten weeks.
The next hurdle is Step 2 CK which I have rescheduled to March 28th. I am amazed at how different my state of mind is for this exam compared to Step 1. Perhaps, because I don't feel the fate of a residency position/my career/my happiness/my whole life as I know it rests entirely on this exam as it (sorta) did on Step 1. I have applied, I have interviewed, and hey - by the time I take the exam I will already have matched (or not matched). So take that, residency!
All in a day's work.