Dominican Republic

Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna Lank:
I want to inform you that I have passed the Step 2 CS. I want to thank you for your help. It has been a long ride for ride for me since I had to take the exam a second time and wait for 2 whole months to see the results. After failing the first time, I took your workshops.
I want to encorauge you to keep helping people pass this exam by giving them a real picture of what is expected from the examinee on the exam. The lesson that I can draw from this experience is that to pass this exam more than any other you have to know exactly what it is that they are evaluating. I had never failed any exam ever in my life, and I felt devastated when I learned that I had failed the first time on what appeared to be the easiest of all exams. But I am a warrior and I believe that people should learn from their mistakes. I think that I failed the 1st time because I went into the exam to get a medical Hx and do a physical exam because I thought that was mainly what the exam was about. The result was that I passed 2 thirds of the exam but I compromised the 1/3 that I think can be easily overlooked with time pressure over your shoulders which is the CIS. But thanks to your teachings I went into the exam the second time with a different mentality and it worked.
Thank you very much.
Junot Diaz, M.D., Dominican Republic
Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna:
I feel a great sense of relief, happiness, and above all gratitude.
I think things happen for a reason. When I failed the CS on my first attempt, I was shocked and deeply saddened; I had never failed anything in my life. After I went through all the typical stages of grief, I came to the conclusion that this too must have happened for a reason.
I believe that the reason was to get a better understanding of what this test is really about. After taking your workshop, it was obvious to me that there was so much misinformation out there.What I learned at C3NY was short and simple, but to me it made a world of difference. I feel that the helpful recommendations, suggestions, and ideas you gave us helped me, not only for the CS but for my career in general.
I must confess: I did not study for the second attempt as I did for the first one. I felt that what I had learned at C3NY was not something that could really be studied, but rather something that you absorb slowly and contemplate on, and then use because it makes so much sense!!!
And this approach worked, just like you said it would Dr. Swartz.
Thank you for your help!
Regards,
Cathy G., M.D., Dominican Republic
Dear C3NY Team:
I apologize for not contacting you sooner, but I would like to thank you very much, because thanks to the advice I received in the course I was able to pass my exam. The course was very helpful, specially because it gave me the confidence I needed to confront the SPB4s.
C3NY did an excellent job at preparing me for the exam, everything Dr. Swartz said during the three day course was extremely useful. Dr. Swartz is an excellent teacher, because he taught us step by step how to confront each case. He also gave us key information on how to write the patient notes, I was able to use all the information during my exam, which helped me to succeed.
For me what helped me the most was the confidence Dr. Swartz gave me. Simple breathing exercises before entering each examination room, to smile to the SP, always keep eye contact and the conversation flowing, I think all these hints were what helped me.
I think the workshop is perfect the way it is, because it covers everything we need for this exam, from the greeting exercise to the information we need to write the patient note.
This is an excellent workshop, the best there is! Thank you again because without your help I would not have been able to pass the exam.
Thank You Dr.Swartz, Anna Lank, and the rest of the team.
Glenda Alberto M.D., Dominican Republic

Cuba

Dear Anna Lank,
I took Step 2CS, just 2 months after the C3NY workshop (2006), and I passed the exam, but importantly, I felt very comfortable during the exam.
The C3NY was a very rewarding experience for me, and it was a positive turning positive point in building my confidence to practice medicine in the USA. Here’s a little history about me. I graduated in 1984 from a Cuban medical school. I practiced clinical medicine for 10 years and after that I only did research (Ph.D., post Doc, faculty work) in Spain and USA for almost 15 years. I was very dubitative about coming back to clinical work, but Dr. Swartz’s lectures changed my life and woke up my clinical spirit.
I’m a PGY3 now, very happy with my new life as a clinician in the USA. Moreover, I have a daughter (age 3 years), 1 son (1 year) in medical school and one will start pre-med soon. My gift to them will be to pay for their C3NY workshop.
All of the best for you and Dr. Swartz!
Thanks again for your help.
Cesar A. Santana, M.D., Cuba
Hello Ms. Lank,

This is Yandy Chang. I am happy to let you know that I received my Step 2CS score today, and I passed.

I took the C3NY Workshop in May 2017. In the group photo, I was the tall guy with the light blue shirt behind Dr. Swartz. Thank you very much for your help, as well as that of Dr. Swartz and the SPs. The workshop changed my perspective on what the exam really was like.

Many thanks!
Yandy Chang, M.D., Cuba
Hello Anna,

I just learned that I pass my Step 2CS exam. I want to thanks all of you for your help and your great work, thanks to Dr Swartz, Charles and all the staff!

Thank you so much!!!
Jenny Caballero, M.D., Cuba

Cayman Islands

Greetings Dr. Swartz,
I took the Step 2CS class back in April 2016. I go to St. Matthews University and, if you remember, my mom had been your student at Mount Sinai.
In April, I actually did not have a scheduled date because my school wanted me to first complete a class. I ended up taking Step 2CS in Philadelphia on August 16th! My reporting period began this Wednesday – and wouldn’t you know – my score report was in my inbox on Wednesday at 8:30am!! PASS PASS and PASS! I went through all the emotions Dr. Swartz!
After the exam I was so worried about everything that I may not have done – did I wash my hands long enough? Was my physical exam sufficient? Did I remember to write such and such in the note? … Lord knows I almost gave myself an ulcer.
Now, I can’t even thank you enough for the techniques that you showed us during the course. Those 15 minutes, personally, went by feeling like 5!!! Thankfully, I was never short on time or ran out of time. I truly appreciate you and those three days of prep so much more after having taken the exam.
Without making this an essay, I just want to tell you thank you again for helping me and students like me through this crazy time of our medical journey! I cannot repay you, Anna or the SP’s for what you’ve taught me and the confidence that you gave me walking into that exam!
A million thank you’s,
Candace Griffith, Cayman Islands

Canada

Hello Anna,
As promised, I am emailing you to let you and Dr. Swartz know that I have successfully PASSED USMLE Step 2 CS on my first attempt. I just received the score report, and I am thrilled at the outcome.
I could not have done that without your guidance. Both you and Dr. Swartz were a tremendous help and inspiration. I am so thankful to have taken C3NY and have learned from such excellent mentors. I can confidently say that both you and Dr. Swartz were the reason for me passing Step 2 CS, especially on my first attempt. You made a positive impact in my medical career and although we only spent 3 days together, you and Dr. Swartz inspired me to keep pushing forward and never give up on my dream of becoming a physician. C3NY is the definition of putting patients first!
Thank you once again!
Warm regards,
Ivan Escudero, M.D., Canada
Dear Dr. Swartz,
Hope you are doing fine. I took your course in mid-September, and I have successfully passed Step 2 CS on September 28 in Houston. The result has just arrived today, and I am thrilled. I want to thank you very much for the great course and for all your help.

D.N., M.D., Canada
Good afternoon Dr Swartz,
I’ve got some terrific news for you!! I just got my CS result and I passed!!!! I’m ecstatic!! I don’t have words to describe the gratitude I feel towards you and the entire C3NY team!
When I came out of the exam centre I knew I had bombed it. But it all turned out extremely well in the end. Looking back I had made quite a few mistakes but I always remembered what you had taught us at the workshop.. proper introduction, be polite, take a good focused history and most importantly for me – don’t come out early!!! Anna’s ‘coffee shop’ technique worked wonders for me as well.
Once again, I don’t have words to describe how indebted I am to you. You are a Godsend Dr Swartz!!
God bless you and thank you so much once again.
I will stay in touch and will keep you informed regarding the whole match season and Residency process.
Syed Ahmed Hussain, M.D., Canada
Dear C3NY Team,
I am Rishanthi Sivakumaran, and I was part of the group in April of 2012; I did my CS exam on May 10, and I am happy to say that passed!
I am very grateful for the C3NY team and especially Dr. Swartz for the wonderful prep course and for boosting my confidence! I loved the constructive criticism because that helped me to concentrate more on the areas I needed to brush up on!
Thank you C3NY!!
Rishanthi Sivakumaran, M.D., Canada
Hi Dr. Swartz,
I just want to take this opportunity to thank you and Anna for an amazing C3NY course I took back in January, 2014. I’m happy to tell you both that I learned today that I passed Step 2CS!
Best wishes,
Ravi Sahni, M.D., Canada
Hello Dr. Swartz and Anna!
I have great news!! I received my CS score report today and I PASSED!!!
The feeling is incredible and now I am so relieved…
I’m quite happy with my score report as well; it actually indicates I did better in all three areas (ICE, CIS, SEP) than what I had expected.
Thank you so much for all your help… it definitely would have not been possible without C3NY!
I have attached the PDF score report to this email.
Thanks again,
Tasneem Hasan, M.D., Canada
Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna,
PASSED!
Before the course, I had read through some of the standards texts for the Step 2CS exam, which made the exam seem unbelievably easy (like a simple “motor reflex”). On the first day of the workshop, well my anxiety levels skyrocketed, when Dr. Swartz and Anna introduced the exam with a very different approach (the “out-of-the-box approach”). I had almost 3 weeks before the exam, and I was not sure how I would transform the approach that I had become accustomed, to an approach that would definitely give me many problems gathering all the relevant points within a short period of time. But Dr. Swartz told me that it was achievable. Boy, he was right on the dot!
I was soon to discover that Dr. Swartz’s technique although difficult to conceive, but was a full proof technique to achieve a PASS result. Not only did he help me PASS the exam, his technique helped me PASS with flying colours. Also, he has significantly impacted my future approach as a clinician.
The three days of his workshop, although “ego deflating” were more importantly “life altering” and “eye-opening”. In retrospect, it would have been very difficult for me to have achieved a PASS without C3NY.
Thank you, Dr. Swartz and Anna!
Hunaid Hasan, M.D., Canada

Hunaid Hasan, MD, Canada, Video Testimonial

Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna,
I am very excited to share the news that I passed the Step 2 CS exam. I am truly grateful for all the support you have given me during the preparation in January 2016 at C3NY. I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to learn under your guidance and benefit from your vast knowledge and expertise. I was eagerly waiting all these days to make you proud.
I took the exam on February 12th, 2016, and it was nerve racking to wait for the result as each day passed by. If there is one thing I could to change for this exam, it is the length of time that we have to wait for the news.
There it is, at last! I wouldn’t have been able to do it without your help and C3NY will always be a memorable experience in my journey!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Best Regards,
Nimmi Nagothu, MD, Canada
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank,
I took your workshop in October 2015 and recently found out that I passed Step 2 CS. I wanted to thank you for being a part of my preparation for the exam. The workshop helped me tremendously in my timing and in communicating with the SPs. I followed your advice and kept calm on the real test day.
If anyone asks for tips on how to prepare for CS, I will definitely refer them to the C3NY workshop.
Thanks for everything!
Sincerely,
Sara B., Canada
Hi Dr. Swartz,
I hope you remember me from your course back in December of 2007.
I’m writing you now to tell you that I passed the Step 2 CS exam. I really found out back in February…the reason I waited so long to write this e-mail though is a credit again to you. Not only did your course give me the confidence to pass the exam, I was subsequently able to enter the match. I was just placed today at Schneider Children’s Hospital for residency in pediatrics…my top choice.
I wanted to thank you for all your help and the confidence you instilled. You do a wonderful “chesed” (kindness) for people.
G. B., M.D., Canada
Dear Dr. Swartz,
Hi, I passed thanks for the course and tips….I followed your advice. I actually almost had a panic attack on the first station…and the breathing got me through it was more relaxed after station 1…I almost passed out on station 1 honestly…given my practice station in your course was a disaster the rest of the exam went really well however. Your tips helped thanks.
Thanks for a great course …lots of great tips you can’t find in text books…I noticed most people said that when they left the workshop including me!
Dr. Rick, Canada
Dear Anna & Dr. Swartz:
I took the Step 2 CS workshop in December 2011 (I was one of the members of the group from Poznan, Poland). I took my Step 2CS exam in the beginning of May 2012, and I have just received my score today. I am delighted to inform you and Dr. Swartz that I have passed!
Thank you very much for all the tips and tricks on how to approach Step 2CS, not to mention the great time I had in that workshop. Please also thank all the SPs for me.
I would definitely recommend C3NY to my friends.
T.L., medical student, Canada

Bermuda

Hi Anna,
This is Kevin Alban. I took your Step 2CS program back in Nov. 07. I think it started on Nov 14. I and another student from the class practiced together, and I took the exam at the end of November 07 in Atlanta.
I recently got my results back. I passed!!! It was amazing.
I am very glad that I did take Dr. Swartz’s program because it was spot on in the way to approach the cases. From the important communication to organization of what to expect and how to approach the different encounter scenarios.
Thanks again. You have a really good program!
Kevin Alban, Bermuda