When did you all start studying for Step 1? I read and annotated Step 1 this summer (I had a 1 1/2 hour commute each way to my internship) but that's about it.

Also, did anyone else go to a Systems Medical School? I purposely chose a Systems Based School, but now I'm wondering if I'm going to need to change my study approach from the first year basic science since we are in systems.

Thanks!

Is any school not systems based anymore?

A lot do course based still. (I really wanted systems based, so that was an important factor for me in applying.)

My school also does block scheduling, which means we finish our systems in 2-6 weeks. I'm not sure how other schools do their scheduling...

We are systems based, also blocks (so 4 weeks for pulm, 5 for cardio, etc.). I personally hate systems based, as it separates out the anatomy from the physiology from the pathology. Then, you get to Step 1 and have to integrate everything, so it definitely takes more of a shift in mindset.

I'm going to first give you the whole "well, really you should be studying throughout the year as you learn the course material." :rolleyes: Riiiiiight. (Ok, maybe to some extent, because I did follow along in First Aid as we went through the systems).

Now, I'm going to tell you that I realistically REALLY started studying (as in starting committing First Aid to memory, doing UWorld) the day after we took the basic sciences NBME on our last day of M2. I studied for five weeks and did well. I don't think I could have studied any longer than that; I was starting to feel burnt out that last week and ending up taking the last couple days off from studying to rest.

And if anyone tells you that you need anything other than First Aid and Uworld (and maybe BRS phys depending on your level of comfort with phys), they are lying.

I thought everyone had switched to systems. I will withhold my opinion.

Ok. That's exactly what I'm doing. I feel much better.

What's UWorld? I have BRS (I was a big fan of the practice tests first year) but I'm getting the feeling they aren't too terribly helpful for Step 1.

Question bank. http://www.usmleworld.com/

You NEED to do these questions. There are 2000, and I went through the whole bank twice. The questions are modeled from actual USMLE questions, and IMO, are actually more difficult than the real thing. Also, the interface is the same as on the actual test. Go through the questions, and read the explanations THOROUGHLY. I honestly think I learned just as much from UWorld as I did from First Aid. Plus, I had probably a dozen questions on the actual test that were nearly identical to the ones in the test bank.

If your school is anything like mine, people will be coming in all year trying to sell you one question bank or another (especially Kaplan). UWorld is the best.

Awesome! Thank you so much!

I am taking my MCAT on Friday...you guys are scaring me with all of this Step 1 stuff! :p any last-minute MCAT tips?!

Get a good night's sleep!:)

Posting to celebrate the end (and survival) of another 6 months of medical school.

And now I'm going to relax for the next two weeks, because when I get back, it's back to Psych (worst clerkship EVER), and the start of "omg you need to start thinking about your electives for next year/OMG YOU NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT THE MATCH/RESIDENCY."

:(

LOL What's a psych clerkship like? I know why my position makes me want to gouge my eyes out at time but it's fun to hear how other disciplines experience it.

Oh and congrats! What year are you now?

Oops, missed this last week.

It's not psychiatry as a specialty that is making me miserable; I'm pretty neutral about that as a whole (interesting, but not for me). It's the quality of teaching and the (lack of) organization that are making me want to scream on a daily basis.

And I'm halfway through my third year. I'm starting to see the light at the end. :D

I am SO SICK of Systems. I just want to study for Step 1 and get it done with.

In exciting news, I just accepted a Teaching Assistant Position! The bad news is that I will graduate a year later.

It's a really awesome position. I get to do research, clinic hours, teach a few lectures, and more. I also have tuition paid + a stipend for the rest of my time in school.

I agonized over the decision for a while because it's really hard to accept I am not going to graduate with my class. But, I think it's the best decision overall for what I want to do with my career.

Congratulations!