What should I do before I matriculate next year?

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Clinicall

Clinicall

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have as much fun as physically possible, doing anything else will be a waste of time and make you miserable
 
Get in great shape and get a workout routine established that you can continue once school hits.
 
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I would memorize the structures in your school s gross anatomy dissector, read a histology atlas, and read all of guytons physiology or an equivalent

If you have guts and want to demolish the usmle step 1 read Robbins basic pathology too

I'm not joking either. Reading all of this could be done in 2-3 months, add 1-2 more months if u decide to read robbins
 
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Spend a lot of time outdoors! After being stuck inside for a couple months solid, one really begins to miss it! Congrats on your acceptance.
 
The first couple of classes in medical school are typically Anatomy (the human body) and Biochem (metabolism). So for the summer before medical school I suggest studying as much human anatomy as possible at the beach, while simultaneously metabolizing ethanol.
 
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I would take it easy, spend time with family, exercise (like DrEnderW said, its a pain to try and get that under control in school), and if you have time, cover some anatomy, and if you have more time some physio and biochem. None of it is really essential, and you'll learn it all alongside everyone else, but if you have time and don't want your brain to rot, why not? Don't do anything intense, this is for fun, not to memorize everything. If I could have spent like a month before school reviewing anatomy & physio before MS1, I would have. I was lazy and stressed out finding a place to live though.
 
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Actually the exercise tip by DrEnder is the best advice I have seen on any of the thousand threads about this.

Seriously, start a 3 day per week exercise routine.
 
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Think of your top 3 or 4 hobbies. Do them always.

Then get two more hobbies, and complete them while drinking on the beach.

In addition to that, go with what was said above and get into a fitness routine. I'd like to add - learn to cook, and bulk is best. You won't have time to cook until you get your bearings and that took me about two and a half months.
 
pick up a hobby. get down an excercise regime. learn to cook. Save money for: gaming system, big screen tv, and ms1 summer vacation. that's all you need my friend.
 
chasm-e-baddoor said:
I would memorize the structures in your school s gross anatomy dissector, read a histology atlas, and read all of guytons physiology or an equivalent

If you have guts and want to demolish the usmle step 1 read Robbins basic pathology too

I'm not joking either. Reading all of this could be done in 2-3 months, add 1-2 more months if u decide to read robbins
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I honestly could not disagree more.

Do whatever you want, even if that means sitting on your ass.
 
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Buckeye(OH) said:
I honestly could not disagree more.

Do whatever you want, even if that means sitting on your ass.
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The reason i would have done that is it would turn 1st and 2nd year + studying for USMLE a casual saunter instead of a grueling marathon - and the only price you pay is reading a few hours per day during a vacation
 
chasm-e-baddoor said:
I would memorize the structures in your school s gross anatomy dissector, read a histology atlas, and read all of guytons physiology or an equivalent

If you have guts and want to demolish the usmle step 1 read Robbins basic pathology too

I'm not joking either. Reading all of this could be done in 2-3 months, add 1-2 more months if u decide to read robbins
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This is easily some of the worst advice I have read on SDN.
 
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DrMaximus said:
Wait, I thought that was sarcastic advice.

Just no.

No. :uhno:
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I hope it's sarcastic.

I took a prematriculation course that covered exact material in my blocks, and can say it was a waste of time. Could've literally stayed home everyday watching Netflix and would have been better.
 
I guess reading a textbook is too challenging for some people lol
 
NontradCA said:
I hope it's sarcastic.

I took a prematriculation course that covered exact material in my blocks, and can say it was a waste of time. Could've literally stayed home everyday watching Netflix and would have been better.
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I think there's a difference between reading a textbook and taking a course that covers material.

I say to read through the textbook because it teaches and explains everything from top to bottom. I wouldnt suggest reading powerpoints, lecture notes, etc before the school year. but a textbook is different.
 
chasm-e-baddoor said:
I think there's a difference between reading a textbook and taking a course that covers material.

I say to read through the textbook because it teaches and explains everything from top to bottom. I wouldnt suggest reading powerpoints, lecture notes, etc before the school year. but a textbook is different.
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Ok but the textbook is not going anywhere and the clock is not running to take an exam. There is plenty of time (literally the rest of your life) to learn medicine. Take some time to be devoid of it after getting accepted.
 
NontradCA said:
Ok but the textbook is not going anywhere and the clock is not running to take an exam. There is plenty of time (literally the rest of your life) to learn medicine. Take some time to be devoid of it after getting accepted.
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After you start, even when you try to be devoid of it, you can't. It becomes a part of your brain that is very, VERY hard to turn off. I wholeheartedly agree with the above.
 
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NontradCA said:
Ok but the textbook is not going anywhere and the clock is not running to take an exam. There is plenty of time (literally the rest of your life) to learn medicine. Take some time to be devoid of it after getting accepted.
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Nobody really has time to focus on all of Guyton and Robbins during med school. If you get a good grasp of it before you start, it's less stressful during preclinical years and board studying. Anatomy becomes a lot easier as well if you are familiar with most of the details. Dissection will be an extremely interactive review, i'd wager.

The biggest advantage is having a much deeper and better grasp and understanding of pathophysiology for USMLE, for which you dont have the rest of your life to learn.

It's obviously not necessary, but I think it can be a big help to lessen the "drinking from a fire hydrant" concept and adds another round of repetition which we all know is vital for digesting information
 
Hey bud, so when I was in your shoes last year, I thought the same thing and wanted to study and be prepared for the sheer volume of information come school time. My advice, do anything BUT that. Travel as much as you can, is my opinion. Once in med school, you will be locked down for a while. I took time off from work about 5 months before school started and traveled. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
 
chasm-e-baddoor said:
Nobody really has time to focus on all of Guyton and Robbins during med school. If you get a good grasp of it before you start, it's less stressful during preclinical years and board studying. Anatomy becomes a lot easier as well if you are familiar with most of the details. Dissection will be an extremely interactive review, i'd wager.

The biggest advantage is having a much deeper and better grasp and understanding of pathophysiology for USMLE, for which you dont have the rest of your life to learn.

It's obviously not necessary, but I think it can be a big help to lessen the "drinking from a fire hydrant" concept and adds another round of repetition which we all know is vital for digesting information
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I think you'd need a special degree of commitment to be able to sit and read Robbins without ever having learning goals or lectures about the path.
 
Clinicall said:
Seems that what people should do before they matriculate is subjective and for the record I wanted a more current up to date opinion rather than one thats from 2005, so yes I do know how to use the search key. I appreciate everyones advice. I do want to do well on the USMLE so maybe it would be a good idea to keep Robbins in mind. However I think I may save up some money and also take some time off to relax before matriculation.
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It's highly unlikely that primary learning done prior to medical school would have any impact on your boards.
 
NontradCA said:
I think you'd need a special degree of commitment to be able to sit and read Robbins without ever having learning goals or lectures about the path.
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So... no PBL for you? We're practically done reading Robbins cover to cover and its only fall MS2. Could never imagine that with Guyton and Hall though. My God, half that book was torture.

Clinicall said:
Seems that what people should do before they matriculate is subjective and for the record I wanted a more current up to date opinion rather than one thats from 2005, so yes I do know how to use the search key. I appreciate everyones advice. I do want to do well on the USMLE so maybe it would be a good idea to keep Robbins in mind. However I think I may save up some money and also take some time off to relax before matriculation.
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Do not touch Robbins until at least 2nd semester. Without all the anatomy, phys, and histo reading it was akin to a middle schooler reading O Chem. It sounded interesting, I thought I understood it... yeah, but no. Now that I actually understand everything I read in it, I can really say how little I got out of what I read 1st semester.

If you want to study A & P or biochem, that's fine. Don't overdo it though. Nothing intense, just reading for fun.
 
hallowmann said:
So... no PBL for you? We're practically done reading Robbins cover to cover and its only fall MS2. Could never imagine that with Guyton and Hall though. My God, half that book was torture.



Do not touch Robbins until at least 2nd semester. Without all the anatomy, phys, and histo reading it was akin to a middle schooler reading O Chem. It sounded interesting, I thought I understood it... yeah, but no. Now that I actually understand everything I read in it, I can really say how little I got out of what I read 1st semester.

If you want to study A & P or biochem, that's fine. Don't overdo it though. Nothing intense, just reading for fun.
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We have PBL. I was saying that it's useless if you're not in medical school. I like Robbins.
 
hallowmann said:
Its a good book... if you've covered histo and phys. Guyton and Hall on the other hand...
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We're systems at my school, a lot of things don't make sense to me. Or they make sense, in the limited knowledge base they are given in, but I don't understand the whys.
 
NontradCA said:
We're systems at my school, a lot of things don't make sense to me. Or they make sense, in the limited knowledge base they are given in, but I don't understand the whys.
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Well our PBL feels completely random at times - not really system or anything based. Like this block they clearly wanted us to cover path of one system, but at this point everyone is just trying to finish Robbins, so I'm doing cards path, CNS path, immuno path, WBCs, infant path, etc. in one block :eek:.

We choose what we want to cover within reason, but we have to fill 700 pages/block (1 block/month), so at this point its all random. Fortunately, this semester (fall MS2) most of the stuff is starting to make sense because we've taken enough sections & pieces of the different systems in 1st year (mainly spring of 1st year).

From what we hear from 3rd years, we end up covering basically all our text books at least once and Robbins once in the fall, and another time in the spring before boards.
 
NontradCA said:
It's highly unlikely that primary learning done prior to medical school would have any impact on your boards.
Click to expand...


I dont get why people say this? Usually their reasoning is that "you wont know it in the context of things"

but to that, i say - knowledge of science is knowledge of science. If you read a textbook on medical physiology, youre going to know medical physiology.

That said, I would not read robbins without learning physiology and histology first (although robbins does explain a certain relevant physiology and histology ). like is commonly said, to truly understand the abnormal (like pathogenesis and pathophysiology ), you have to know the normal.
 
chasm-e-baddoor said:
I dont get why people say this? Usually their reasoning is that "you wont know it in the context of things"

but to that, i say - knowledge of science is knowledge of science. If you read a textbook on medical physiology, youre going to know medical physiology.

That said, I would not read robbins without learning physiology and histology first (although robbins does explain a certain relevant physiology and histology ). like is commonly said, to truly understand the abnormal (like pathogenesis and pathophysiology ), you have to know the normal.
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False. Just because you read an entire textbook, doesn't mean you know jack. Especially considering the vastness of the material in medical physiology.

The minute benefit you would get from reading such a book for a couple hours every day of summer is negligible in relation to how much more fun you can have consuming a few beers and enjoying the sun and friends and family.

OP, do yourself a huge favor and chill all summer until school starts, drink a little drink, chat up some women, spend quality time with friends and family and accumulate a plethora of positive vibes you can reflect on when you hit a crappy week once school starts. Thank me later.
 
Clinicall said:
Is there anything any of you wish you would have done before you started school and what would you recommend I do (i.e. should I work and save up money, travel, do hobbies I love)?
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Enjoy your free time, because you won't have it once you start, you might get some time off if your school gives you a summer break after the first year.
 
Read Song of Ice and Fire series. It'll take you all year
 
JPickos9989 said:
False. Just because you read an entire textbook, doesn't mean you know jack. Especially considering the vastness of the material in medical physiology.

The minute benefit you would get from reading such a book for a couple hours every day of summer is negligible in relation to how much more fun you can have consuming a few beers and enjoying the sun and friends and family.

OP, do yourself a huge favor and chill all summer until school starts, drink a little drink, chat up some women, spend quality time with friends and family and accumulate a plethora of positive vibes you can reflect on when you hit a crappy week once school starts. Thank me later.
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Obviously reading doesnt necessitate knowing. I'm assuming a person capable of getting into medical school can and will understand what he's reading in a physiology textbook.

Knowing physiology to the extent that MS1 will just be a second review will make life easier in MS1 - and we all know repetition over time is better for digesting and absorbing material. It's obviously not necessary but I wish I had done that to make my life in school a bit less gruelling
 
hallowmann said:
Well our PBL feels completely random at times - not really system or anything based. Like this block they clearly wanted us to cover path of one system, but at this point everyone is just trying to finish Robbins, so I'm doing cards path, CNS path, immuno path, WBCs, infant path, etc. in one block :eek:.

We choose what we want to cover within reason, but we have to fill 700 pages/block (1 block/month), so at this point its all random. Fortunately, this semester (fall MS2) most of the stuff is starting to make sense because we've taken enough sections & pieces of the different systems in 1st year (mainly spring of 1st year).

From what we hear from 3rd years, we end up covering basically all our text books at least once and Robbins once in the fall, and another time in the spring before boards.
Click to expand...
My apologies, I just saw this for some reason. Wow that sounds awesome compared to my PBL. Maybe I can try to convince my groups to do that next year for PBL. We have case based learning and it has to be the biggest, most inefficient use of med student time there is. Its med students presenting for half hour, then discussing googled diagnoses on two cases. Then there's low yield questions to answer on the 2nd day. It's literally wasting time, and it's mandatory! Our lectures arent mandatory. And we have it 4 hours/ week v. OMM 2 hours / week. How do I even reconcile this without going crazy?
 
NontradCA said:
My apologies, I just saw this for some reason. Wow that sounds awesome compared to my PBL. Maybe I can try to convince my groups to do that next year for PBL. We have case based learning and it has to be the biggest, most inefficient use of med student time there is. Its med students presenting for half hour, then discussing googled diagnoses on two cases. Then there's low yield questions to answer on the 2nd day. It's literally wasting time, and it's mandatory! Our lectures arent mandatory. And we have it 4 hours/ week v. OMM 2 hours / week. How do I even reconcile this without going crazy?
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I don't know why some schools do CBL/PBL like that. There are a lot of MD schools around this area that do it in the same way as your school, but it really seems like every student I've talked to sees it as a time sink more than anything else. Its like they just decided it was a good idea, so they added it to the schedule without making it take the place of something. You just end up with more mandatory hours.

Ideally, you'd go over the case and really be able to answer why the docs did X, Y, Z tests, and had A, B, C differentials, but that's only really helpful if you are actually reading about those conditions in your books or reviewing in lecture. Maybe you can convince your group to bring in a Robbins pocketbook, an electronic version of Robbins, or something. At least that way you know you're getting good info quickly.

That said, there are moments in time where I'd kill to have some recorded lectures. Reading is great for retention, but it takes me forever and when I'm staring at hundreds of pages everything just starts to blur together. There are also moments where I just want a quick review of something I covered last year in phys or pharm, and FA just doesn't have enough explanation for me.
 
hallowmann said:
I don't know why some schools do CBL/PBL like that. There are a lot of MD schools around this area that do it in the same way as your school, but it really seems like every student I've talked to sees it as a time sink more than anything else. Its like they just decided it was a good idea, so they added it to the schedule without making it take the place of something. You just end up with more mandatory hours.

Ideally, you'd go over the case and really be able to answer why the docs did X, Y, Z tests, and had A, B, C differentials, but that's only really helpful if you are actually reading about those conditions in your books or reviewing in lecture. Maybe you can convince your group to bring in a Robbins pocketbook, an electronic version of Robbins, or something. At least that way you know you're getting good info quickly.

That said, there are moments in time where I'd kill to have some recorded lectures. Reading is great for retention, but it takes me forever and when I'm staring at hundreds of pages everything just starts to blur together. There are also moments where I just want a quick review of something I covered last year in phys or pharm, and FA just doesn't have enough explanation for me.
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It'd be nice if we could get everyone to use an actual medical path book for the ddx, answering questions. That'd make a lot of sense.

Why don't you have recorded lectures? All mandatory?
 
NontradCA said:
It'd be nice if we could get everyone to use an actual medical path book for the ddx, answering questions. That'd make a lot of sense.

Why don't you have recorded lectures? All mandatory?
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All mandatory, but even so with our curriculum we have very few actual lectures, it's all mainly PBL, so we mainly read hundreds of pages of medical textbooks and take huge exams on it.
 
I would have take a classes in anatomy and neuroanatomy, make your first year so much easier.
 
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