Intern year tips?

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plover

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Wondering if any current Derm residents have advice for interns that will start derm next year. Should I study/read this year in prep for next? What should I be doing and what would be a waste of time? Thanks!

Also- if you wanted to comment on timing of Step 3 that would also be helpful.

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Wondering if any current Derm residents have advice for interns that will start derm next year. Should I study/read this year in prep for next? What should I be doing and what would be a waste of time? Thanks!

Also- if you wanted to comment on timing of Step 3 that would also be helpful.

You can, it would probably help, but internship is stressful enough without having to worry about studying. I usually tell interns to just enjoy the year, rest when you can, and there will be plenty of time for reading as a resident. If you really wanted to read, pick one of the core textbooks (Fitz, Rook, Andrews, Bolognia) and try skimming through. I took Step 3 in the spring after an easy elective block.
 
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We have our incoming residents read Lookingbill. It's an easy read that will prepare you enough.

I also took step 3 in spring just after night float block (had an easy night float).
 
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take step 3 as soon as possible and enjoy the rest of the year.
 
Dont' masturbate too much. You'll go blind. Or so I've heard. I'm not typing on a braille keyboard. I swear.

Oh, and like baz luhrmann taught us, wear sunscreen.
 
THANKS for all the replies. I am in a TY so the schedule isn't too bad. I read Lookingbill as part of my med student rotation. Any particular book you would recommend as a first read?
 
THANKS for all the replies. I am in a TY so the schedule isn't too bad. I read Lookingbill as part of my med student rotation. Any particular book you would recommend as a first read?

Lookingbill is something you're gonna want to reread towards the end of the year. Our first year derm residents currently are constantly worried that the med students on the service will show them up, because they've spent a year repleting potassium and managing heart failure, and forget what a dermatofibroma is.

If you're dead set on doing some heavier derm reading during your TY, like asmallchild said you could probably begin to familiarize yourself with one of the core texts (most programs seem to do some combo of Bolognia and Andrews, so that might be a place to start, but you could check with your future program too). Andrews, while much more condensed than Bolognia, tends to be (in my opinion) less than idea to start with, since it sometimes presupposes knowledge on your part, or at least whizzes right by some basic stuff you may not have down yet.

It would be painful as hell, but slogging through some of the more basic/rudimentary/basic sciencey chapters in Bolognia would at least make it less painful when you hit them for real at the beginning of your derm residency. But why taint what will likely be a reasonably good year as far as intern year goes?

FWIW, I did absolutely zero derm reading during intern year, entered derm residency feeling like an idiot, and I still managed to do very well on the in-service exam in February. In a way, it's like the premed dilemma of whether to "pre study" before medical school. Generally, it's not advisable and is a poor use of your time . . . but if you've made up your mind anyway, try to keep it simple/stick with basics to get a lay of the land.
 
Lookingbill is something you're gonna want to reread towards the end of the year. Our first year derm residents currently are constantly worried that the med students on the service will show them up, because they've spent a year repleting potassium and managing heart failure, and forget what a dermatofibroma is.

If you're dead set on doing some heavier derm reading during your TY, like asmallchild said you could probably begin to familiarize yourself with one of the core texts (most programs seem to do some combo of Bolognia and Andrews, so that might be a place to start, but you could check with your future program too). Andrews, while much more condensed than Bolognia, tends to be (in my opinion) less than idea to start with, since it sometimes presupposes knowledge on your part, or at least whizzes right by some basic stuff you may not have down yet.

It would be painful as hell, but slogging through some of the more basic/rudimentary/basic sciencey chapters in Bolognia would at least make it less painful when you hit them for real at the beginning of your derm residency. But why taint what will likely be a reasonably good year as far as intern year goes?

FWIW, I did absolutely zero derm reading during intern year, entered derm residency feeling like an idiot, and I still managed to do very well on the in-service exam in February. In a way, it's like the premed dilemma of whether to "pre study" before medical school. Generally, it's not advisable and is a poor use of your time . . . but if you've made up your mind anyway, try to keep it simple/stick with basics to get a lay of the land.

Another good point to consider is that derm textbooks are usually provided to you by your program. And they tend to be pricy. That alone may push you towards waiting. (Or ask if your internship offers CME money)
 
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Another good point to consider is that derm textbooks are usually provided to you by your program. And they tend to be pricy. That alone may push you towards waiting. (Or ask if your internship offers CME money)

Oh, yeah, definitely don't shell out your own money for any of the aforementioned books. If your TY institution has a library, they may have these books and you could check them out (no one else will be checking out Bolognia, trust me). Or you may have some online access to some of these texts.

My TY had a book fund, but I knew that my derm residency program bought us our derm textbooks, so I put that money towards UWorld for Step 3, and I forget what else.
 
THANKS for all the replies. I am in a TY so the schedule isn't too bad. I read Lookingbill as part of my med student rotation. Any particular book you would recommend as a first read?
I agree with @GuyWhoDoesStuff, that there are some derm residents who will pre-read to PGY-2 bc when they come in on July 1, they don't want to look stupid compared to the bright star MS-4 Derm rotator who is on point July 1 and whose goal is to impress the socks off faculty. I believe this is a little bit of inner ego speaking although program culture and your fellow residents can feed a lot into this.

Since you've already read Lookingbill's, I think you have several options:
  • Read a Derm atlas like a Habif or Fitzpatrick
  • Read a larger text: Andrews, the larger Habif textbook - Clinical Dermatology
There is a new book out there: http://www.amazon.com/Dermatology-E...F8&qid=1405583655&sr=8-3&keywords=Dermatology, which by using the 'Looking Inside' feature seems to be a more digestible version of the big Bolognia text -- Kind of like the way there's a Big Robbins, Medium Robbins, and a Baby Robbins.

Whatever you do - don't spend your own money on this stuff. Either use your internship cash book fund (unless you're using it to pay for Step 3) or check it out from the library.
 
I'm at a chill TY year where I have too much free time. I am continuing derm research from med school, and want to use my time (I get bored sitting around at the hospital).

Are there good resources about what I can start reading (i.e. specific book or study resource recommendations) to prepare myself for derm residency? There's a lot of reading ahead, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to at least be familiar with the new words. What do you all study during residency?

Going to be at a rigorous program so any prep would help. Thank you all!
 
I'm at a chill TY year where I have too much free time. I am continuing derm research from med school, and want to use my time (I get bored sitting around at the hospital).

Are there good resources about what I can start reading (i.e. specific book or study resource recommendations) to prepare myself for derm residency? There's a lot of reading ahead, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to at least be familiar with the new words. What do you all study during residency?

Going to be at a rigorous program so any prep would help. Thank you all!

Moved since this is a topic that has been covered over and over.

You can start with any of the books you had as a medical student. If you are able to get a copy of Andrews, that is considered one of the "briefer" classic textbooks. (Others can rightfully argue it might be too brief for someone who doesn't have much experience with derm). Fitzpatrick does a very thorough job and goes over the basic science concepts very well (others can rightfully argue it can go into the basic science too well and be too esoteric a text). Bolognia has the best pictures/charts but is significantly longer than the rest. Not something I would recommend an intern start reading from start to finish.

You can try for more advanced electives: a dermatology elective, dermpath elective, ID, rheum, etc to give you more exposure to dermatology.

The best advice would be to enjoy your intern year (where are you btw? I've never heard of someone stating their intern year was "chill" with "too much free time"), relax as much as you can, and get ready for residency once you get there. No amount of self-study will prepare you for the absolute deluge of information at the start of residency. Particularly if you are going to a rigorous derm program.
 
Moved since this is a topic that has been covered over and over.

You can start with any of the books you had as a medical student. If you are able to get a copy of Andrews, that is considered one of the "briefer" classic textbooks. (Others can rightfully argue it might be too brief for someone who doesn't have much experience with derm). Fitzpatrick does a very thorough job and goes over the basic science concepts very well (others can rightfully argue it can go into the basic science too well and be too esoteric a text). Bolognia has the best pictures/charts but is significantly longer than the rest. Not something I would recommend an intern start reading from start to finish.

You can try for more advanced electives: a dermatology elective, dermpath elective, ID, rheum, etc to give you more exposure to dermatology.

The best advice would be to enjoy your intern year (where are you btw? I've never heard of someone stating their intern year was "chill" with "too much free time"), relax as much as you can, and get ready for residency once you get there. No amount of self-study will prepare you for the absolute deluge of information at the start of residency. Particularly if you are going to a rigorous derm program.

Any meaningful purpose to reading Jain before OP starts? Or would that be like reading First Aid before starting med school?
 
Any meaningful purpose to reading Jain before OP starts? Or would that be like reading First Aid before starting med school?

It won't hurt.

If you are the type of person that always like to be prepared, it might smooth the transition for you.

I think it's best to just enjoy the time you have as an intern. If your residency is like most derm residencies, you will have PLENTY of reading in the next 3 years.
 
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In case it helps, at my transitional year program, we are given free access to websites such as ClinicalKey, which has an online version (with ability to download pdf) of Bolognia and Wolverton's. I had no idea until a librarian came by to lecture the interns on available resources during lunch. Maybe other people have this too :thumbup:
 
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