Medical School

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

What happened to the nice, supportive medical school thread?

I'm going back to that thread:

1. How did you guys manage to not concentrate on your Step 1 Results for 6 weeks? I literally keep dreaming about the questions I got wrong and it's driving me insane.....

2. Any tips for prepping for third year? I'm really excited to get out in actual clinical education but I know it requires a LOT more independent study.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

I'm going back to that thread:

1. How did you guys manage to not concentrate on your Step 1 Results for 6 weeks? I literally keep dreaming about the questions I got wrong and it's driving me insane.....

2. Any tips for prepping for third year? I'm really excited to get out in actual clinical education but I know it requires a LOT more independent study.

I was in a wedding and went to Disney World right after taking Step I (it was the first year it was computerized so we had to wait until August for our results no matter when we took it ).

Have a good summer. That's all the prep you need for third year because when you get back you'll be at the hospital ALL THE TIME! My husband says, "You never thought 8am would be a late day." Get ready to get up EARLY. I loved it, but it was overwhelming for some. There are lots of good clinically oriented books with names I can't remember but the have "pearls" and "pocket" in them. We swore by Mosby's Practical Guide to the Care of the Medical Patient. It is a pocket book that is wire bound and very practical with how to do procedures, how to tell a patient's family they died. Samford's Guide (antibiotic coverage) and a Pharmacopia can be added to your phone nowadays. The Recall series is good. "Surgical Recall" saved my life when I was being pimped more than once...and I matched in surgery and did two years before switching to Radiology. Harriet Lane Manuel for Peds is good...I never bought one, though. I just borrowed from my intern when I needed it. Peds was lame. . The rest you can just wing it as you go. Have fun!

[thewasher418]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

I'm going back to that thread:

1. How did you guys manage to not concentrate on your Step 1 Results for 6 weeks? I literally keep dreaming about the questions I got wrong and it's driving me insane.....

2. Any tips for prepping for third year? I'm really excited to get out in actual clinical education but I know it requires a LOT more independent study.

1) By taking Step 1 on June 24, and starting third year about 2 weeks later. No time to dwell on it!!

2a) Start getting used to waking up earlier.

2b) Figure out which study methods work for you and stick with it. I preferred Case Files and review books (like Blueprints), other people swore by UWorld questions. If you're learning the material don't let others make your methods feel inadequate.

2c) Never throw a classmate under the bus. It's not a good look.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by thewasher418

1) By taking Step 1 on June 24, and starting third year about 2 weeks later. No time to dwell on it!!

2a) Start getting used to waking up earlier.

2b) Figure out which study methods work for you and stick with it. I preferred Case Files and review books (like Blueprints), other people swore by UWorld questions. If you're learning the material don't let others make your methods feel inadequate.

2c) Never throw a classmate under the bus. It's not a good look.

AMEN

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

I'm going back to that thread:

1. How did you guys manage to not concentrate on your Step 1 Results for 6 weeks? I literally keep dreaming about the questions I got wrong and it's driving me insane.....

2. Any tips for prepping for third year? I'm really excited to get out in actual clinical education but I know it requires a LOT more independent study.

OH MY! Why are results taking six weeks now? I thought they typically did a release every third Wednesday. That's a long time to wait!

I spent my three weeks volunteering at a camp, then I went to Chicago and the Outer Banks. In fact, I was lounging on the beach in Corolla, NC when my score came in and had to run back to our house because I couldn't get a good enough signal on the beach to download them.

As for prepping for third year..... seriously, enjoy the time off. You will go from having all the time in the world to working crazy long hours (depending on the clerkship). You can study beforehand if you want, but don't go crazy. My favorite books this year have been all of the Case Files, Step Up to Medicine, Blueprints for OB/Gyn, First Aid for Peds, First Aid for Psych, Surgical Recall, and NMS Surgery. Also, find some source for questions (I prefer UWorld over Pretest). DON'T fall behind in your studying! Cramming for shelf exams sucks!

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Have a good summer. That's all the prep you need for third year because when you get back you'll be at the hospital ALL THE TIME! My husband says, "You never thought 8am would be a late day." Get ready to get up EARLY. I loved it, but it was overwhelming for some. There are lots of good clinically oriented books with names I can't remember but the have "pearls" and "pocket" in them. We swore by Mosby's Practical Guide to the Care of the Medical Patient. It is a pocket book that is wire bound and very practical with how to do procedures, how to tell a patient's family they died. Samford's Guide (antibiotic coverage) and a Pharmacopia can be added to your phone nowadays. The Recall series is good. "Surgical Recall" saved my life when I was being pimped more than once...and I matched in surgery and did two years before switching to Radiology. Harriet Lane Manuel for Peds is good...I never bought one, though. I just borrowed from my intern when I needed it. Peds was lame. . The rest you can just wing it as you go. Have fun!

I'm excited for Peds! Thanks for all the advice.

Originally Posted by thewasher418

2b) Figure out which study methods work for you and stick with it. I preferred Case Files and review books (like Blueprints), other people swore by UWorld questions. If you're learning the material don't let others make your methods feel inadequate.

Does UWorld do questions for the shelf exams? Or just a Step II subscription?

Originally Posted by thewasher418

2c) Never throw a classmate under the bus. It's not a good look.

THANK YOU. I hate, hate, hate people who do that.

Originally Posted by Kappamd

OH MY! Why are results taking six weeks now? I thought they typically did a release every third Wednesday. That's a long time to wait!

That might be me being gullible. It was what I heard from a classmate.

Originally Posted by Kappamd

As for prepping for third year..... seriously, enjoy the time off. You will go from having all the time in the world to working crazy long hours (depending on the clerkship). You can study beforehand if you want, but don't go crazy. My favorite books this year have been all of the Case Files, Step Up to Medicine, Blueprints for OB/Gyn, First Aid for Peds, First Aid for Psych, Surgical Recall, and NMS Surgery. Also, find some source for questions (I prefer UWorld over Pretest). DON'T fall behind in your studying! Cramming for shelf exams sucks!

I heard Step Up is golden for Step II. What did you think?

Thanks for all the advice!

[thewasher418]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

Does UWorld do questions for the shelf exams? Or just a Step II subscription?

I believe it was just the step 2 question bank. Some say that leads to a better score on Step 2 because you end up going through the questions multiple times.

[AOII Angel]

IMHO, step II is cake.

[thewasher418]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

IMHO, step II is cake.

You know the saying about what is required to be prepared for each Step..

Step 1- 2 months
Step 2- 2 weeks
Step 3- #2 pencil



However I do acknowledge that some people don't do as well as they'd like on Step 1 and then have to put in a bit more preparation for Step 2 in order to improve their score.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by thewasher418

You know the saying about what is required to be prepared for each Step..

Step 1- 2 months
Step 2- 2 weeks
Step 3- #2 pencil



However I do acknowledge that some people don't do as well as they'd like on Step 1 and then have to put in a bit more preparation for Step 2 in order to improve their score.

Exactly!
Then there are some people who are just more clinically adept and naturally do well on Step 2 and 3 without any effort. I know plenty of people who were high scorers on Step 1 who bombed Step 2 because it's not basic science-y. They are the same people who dropped significantly in class standing between second and third year.