Pre-studying

[Poit]

I know I know, don't pre-study. Whatever you cover will be a drop in the vast ocean of med school curricula.

The thing is, I've been out of school for 3 years and I have 2 months before school starts and I'm not doing anything. I'm bored out of my mind. I was thinking of going over a UG level physio book (Vanders) and maybe learning around 50% of the first unit of anatomy our med school covers (head and neck). Is there a better use of my time if I am intent on brushing up on some things before the tidal wave hits?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Carmiche]

A lot of people will say no, but IMO, if it's what you wanna do with your abundance of free time then go for it. Can't do you any harm as long as you're not stressing about it.

 

[RK.md]

Maybe a basic physiology book (ie, skimming over Costanzo) or Netter's flashcards?

...and as you already mentioned, most people are going advocate NOT pre-studying.

 

[MrLogan13]

You're going to do plenty of studying soon. Have some fun in the next two months.

 

[deleted577188]

I pre-studied orgo and some calc and in both cases it worked out excellent. I would never advise someone against pre-studying but you have to remember that SDN is composed of the top 10% of med school applicants. These people are doing full time research and volunteering during their free time, not studying LOL. Seriously though, do whatever you want to do.

 

[deleted393595]

Maybe a basic physiology book (ie, skimming over Costanzo) or Netter's flashcards?

...and as you already mentioned, most people are going advocate NOT pre-studying.

Btw, I'm a huge fan of your blog! I've actually been following it since high school!

 

[vantheman]

Get a job as a scribe... You will learn a good deal about medicine and you will get paid for it... Much more fun too

 

[Mad Jack]

There's not much that would have helped in regard to pre-studying, looking back. Get a hobby or something.

 

[Inventor of Post-Its]

If you're truly intent on brushing up, I don't see why you even had to make a thread about it. As long as you're doing it because you want to, not because you think you need to, knock yourself out.

 

[Hospitalized]

I know I know, don't pre-study. Whatever you cover will be a drop in the vast ocean of med school curricula.

The thing is, I've been out of school for 3 years and I have 2 months before school starts and I'm not doing anything. I'm bored out of my mind. I was thinking of going over a UG level physio book (Vanders) and maybe learning around 50% of the first unit of anatomy our med school covers (head and neck). Is there a better use of my time if I am intent on brushing up on some things before the tidal wave hits?

Start learning an instrument.

 

[drjay16]

Knock yourself out. But there is no need to pre-study. It's not going to help you get a leg up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[eatingcake]

If you're bored, there are other things to do than study. But, if you seriously have no reading to catch up on or hobbies to enjoy to their fullest for another month or so, or if you really enjoy studying for it's own sake, go to town.

What I always feel in these instances, however, isn't boredom, it's some weird antsy feeling that makes me need to be productive. So I'm going to follow what seems to be some sage and practical advice when I'm feeling the itch to get sh^t done:

1. Work on the shallow beginnings of my CV. It's not going to be much, but having the formatting refined and content updated to this point will probably feel like a godsend when I actually want to send it to someone but have no time/energy to work on it (thanks to @operaman for that wisdom).
2. Pre-write scholarship essays for awards that I'm not eligible for now but will be in the next year or two. A lot of scholarships come from foundations and organizations that have singular, long-standing missions so their award requirements and essays stay the same year after year. You can always reach out to them and find out if that's the case, then put the hard time into writing the essays now and only have some basic editing and polishing to do when it's time to send them in.
3. Clean the crap out of my apartment, train/work out a ton, and develop a decent plan of action for having good food in my belly when I have minimal time to prep and cook.

I will also watch a silly amount of tv, read a few silly books, and sit on my silly butt at the beach eating as many lobster rolls as I can stomach and afford.

There are countless other things you can do to prepare for school that don't include actually studying. I'm not 100% opposed to studying if it's something that you find relaxing and enjoyable, but if you don't and just feel the itch to work, you can find other ways to scratch it while giving that bit of your brain some rest.

 

[NickNaylor]

Don't pre-study. It is a complete waste of time and just about anything else you spend your time doing will be more productive.

 

[Goro]

Bone up on Anatomy.

I know I know, don't pre-study. Whatever you cover will be a drop in the vast ocean of med school curricula.

The thing is, I've been out of school for 3 years and I have 2 months before school starts and I'm not doing anything. I'm bored out of my mind. I was thinking of going over a UG level physio book (Vanders) and maybe learning around 50% of the first unit of anatomy our med school covers (head and neck). Is there a better use of my time if I am intent on brushing up on some things before the tidal wave hits?

 

[C@lidoc]

Bone up on Anatomy.

There is no need for that. His first quarter/semester will have him up to speed in no time.

 

[gyngyn]

Improve your Spanish instead.

 

[Psai]

Bone up on Anatomy.

 

[On Eagle's Wings]

Improve your Spanish instead.

If you have a summer with nothing to do, go on a missions internship in another country. I am typing this from a home in Chile where my missionary hosts speak mainly Spanish (they know some English). That will get you up to speed on Spanish in no time. Plenty of work to do down here teaching English to 7th-8th graders and working in construction and fixing homes. You won't be bored, I can assure you, as you will be busy.

 

[Gandyy]

What I've heard about this from other medical students is generally dont do it as its not worth it. However, they say if you absolutely must, try to learn Anatomy as its often their hardest class the 1st year of med school as there is a lot of brute memorization.

It cant hurt to learn Anatomy right?

 

[Donald Juan]

If you're gonna do it, than just do it. Most of the people here telling you not to are doing so because they are gunners who tried that themselves and realized it doesn't work. Because they are the people who when they were sitting around 3 months before M1 said, "Oh, don't study? Screw you I'm gonna study anyways." Then after 2 months of med school they go, "damn, I wish I had enjoyed that summer vacation rather than stressing about med school and going to the library to study when it didn't help at all."

I mean...I of course wasn't that guy...

 

[leonardoson]

I would say do it. I do not have the experience of doing this, but I am reading one of the most highly rated memory improvement books out there right now. The book has already talked about studies of already learned material, or material that has been looked at previously. The amount of time to memorize/remember the material will drop just due to the fact that you have already looked it over. The book mentions studies of young children and adults that have looked at previous information and the amount of time it takes to memorize and learn that information drops significantly. If you have nothing else to do/don't have a super exciting social life then I say, why not? I'm planning on teaching myself calculus this summer before I actually take it in the fall.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

There is no need for that. His first quarter/semester will have him up to speed in no time.

 

[amazing tekkers]

Bone up on Anatomy.

 

[Hustler101]

Enjoy some more of your prime time.