Hi All
I am taking my USMLEs 12 years after graduating from med school. I had planned to take step 1 after 10 months of preparation but it took me about a year and a half to be comfortable and confident enough to attempt it. I want to go for the 2017 residency match and so far I have only done my step 1 . I need to know how long does it take to prepare for step 2 ? I need to plan my CS accordingly so I have all my results by September next year to submit the application.
All kinds of advice will be appreciated.
Thanks.

Hi.
I'm an IMG, graduated in 1998.
I know how hard it is to prepare for Step 1.
I would advise you to take CS as soon as you can. You can prepare for that in 2 months. Get a SP and practice the patient encounter until you have no flaws on your history taking and physical. Be assertive when taking the history, and move fast (but perform all the necessary maneuvers) when doing the physical. You need to set your encounter in a way that you'll be almost in robot-mode. Question-question-question... (ask all the possible questions, whatever the complaint is), then do your physical according to the major complaint.
I've done my CS in May 2014. 2 CK, I've done 3 months after Step 1, and it was a great help. 1.5 months of UW, and one reading (with notes) from MTB. Got 237.
Now preparing for Step 3.

Good luck!