A few questions for current medical students

[jae9970]

Hello all, I have a few questions I want to ask to the current medical school students. Here they are:

1. Speaking of the difficulty of the classes etc, how do "good" (more competitive schools to get into) schools' curriculum compare to less competitive schools'? Is it fair to say the difference is about the same as the difference between prestigious undergraduate universities and not-so-competitive undergraduate universities?

2. How long are the summer breaks, and do you have to do anything during the summer? How long is the winter break? Again, anything you need to do?

3. I love working out and playing basketball. In my undergraduate years, I have been working out every few days and played basketball for a couple of hours at least three times a week. I don't think I can continue to dedicate this much time into my hobbies, but would I be able to play basketball at least once a week?? Is there a gym you can work out / play sports in your school?

4. I know the first two years, it's like high school with pre-determined courses, etc. Are they called M1 and M2? I'm not sure. What are the third year and the fourth year for? Can you describe what 3rd and 4th years are like? And does your life get better, or worse?

5. How are the housing and food? Are dormitory halls good? Are there decent, affordable food available near where you live?

*Note: I realize that some of the answers will be different depending on which school you go to. If so, please say that it depends on the school, and tell me how it is like in your school. Thanks!

That's it for now, I will update with more questions if I can think of any. Your inputs are much appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Hello all, I have a few questions I want to ask to the current medical school students. Here they are:

1. Speaking of the difficulty of the classes etc, how do "good" (more competitive schools to get into) schools' curriculum compare to less competitive schools'? Is it fair to say the difference is about the same as the difference between prestigious undergraduate universities and not-so-competitive undergraduate universities?

2. How long are the summer breaks, and do you have to do anything during the summer? How long is the winter break? Again, anything you need to do?

3. I love working out and playing basketball. In my undergraduate years, I have been working out every few days and played basketball for a couple of hours at least three times a week. I don't think I can continue to dedicate this much time into my hobbies, but would I be able to play basketball at least once a week?? Is there a gym you can work out / play sports in your school?

4. I know the first two years, it's like high school with pre-determined courses, etc. Are they called M1 and M2? I'm not sure. What are the third year and the fourth year for? Can you describe what 3rd and 4th years are like? And does your life get better, or worse?

5. How are the housing and food? Are dormitory halls good? Are there decent, affordable food available near where you live?

*Note: I realize that some of the answers will be different depending on which school you go to. If so, please say that it depends on the school, and tell me how it is like in your school. Thanks!

That's it for now, I will update with more questions if I can think of any. Your inputs are much appreciated.

1. I think very few of us have attended more than one medical school, so we really don't have any way of comparing their level of difficulty.

2. Variable by school, but at mine the summer between M1 and M2 is 2 months. Many of us spend it doing research to help out with residency match, an unlucky few (maybe 5%) have to repeat coursework. There is very little summer between M2 and M3 year, depending on how you schedule your Step I examination. Between M3 and M4 there is no break, but during M4 year you have months "off", although most people choose to do rotations at other schools, go on residency interviews, and study for and take Step II.

3. We've got intramural teams of just about every sport imaginable, and the gym is open pretty much like any other gym.

4. First two years are a lot like high school in the class schedule regard, but you'll probably have a deal of flexibility as far as going to class vs. working from home. Clinical years allow for elective rotations in fields you're interested in, and you more or less are able to choose what order you go in.

5. I don't live in a dorm, but we're in a major metropolitan area so there's tons of restaurants around.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello all, I have a few questions I want to ask to the current medical school students. Here they are:

1. Speaking of the difficulty of the classes etc, how do "good" (more competitive schools to get into) schools' curriculum compare to less competitive schools'? Is it fair to say the difference is about the same as the difference between prestigious undergraduate universities and not-so-competitive undergraduate universities?

2. How long are the summer breaks, and do you have to do anything during the summer? How long is the winter break? Again, anything you need to do?

3. I love working out and playing basketball. In my undergraduate years, I have been working out every few days and played basketball for a couple of hours at least three times a week. I don't think I can continue to dedicate this much time into my hobbies, but would I be able to play basketball at least once a week?? Is there a gym you can work out / play sports in your school?

4. I know the first two years, it's like high school with pre-determined courses, etc. Are they called M1 and M2? I'm not sure. What are the third year and the fourth year for? Can you describe what 3rd and 4th years are like? And does your life get better, or worse?

5. How are the housing and food? Are dormitory halls good? Are there decent, affordable food available near where you live?

*Note: I realize that some of the answers will be different depending on which school you go to. If so, please say that it depends on the school, and tell me how it is like in your school. Thanks!

That's it for now, I will update with more questions if I can think of any. Your inputs are much appreciated.

1. No -- medical education is pretty standard these days, and there are far fewer allo schools than undergrads, so you are likely to see more similarities than differences in terms of the in class education. Plus schools tend to emulate the leaders of the pack, so when big name places started adding clinical experience earlier, all the others followed suit, etc.

2. You get 8-12 weeks for the summer after first year. The summer after second year is spent studying for Step 1. No more summers after that. Winter break is usually from x-mas thru new years.

3. People still do athletic things during the first couple of years of med school.

4. 3rd and 4th year are clinical years. You spend them in the wards (except that you will spend a lot of 4th year lining up your residency). Longer hours but not much, if any, class time.

5. Many med schools don't have dorms and many med students live on their own. Hospital and surrounding area food sux, but is cheap and close.

Hope that helps.

 

[The Buff]

1.) Since you only have to pass what your undergrad institution throws at you, college cirriculums can be wildly divergent. In med school, however, everyone has to pass the boards so everyone learns about the same stuff.

2.) Normally nothing much to do over the 2wk winter break most people get. Over the first summer (3 mo at my school) most people do research or perhaps something involoving clinical experience. Gotta pad that CV sometime. Boards studying takes up most of 2nd summer. No other summers after that.

3.) In the first two years you will for sure be able to work out as much as you want. That goes for pretty much anything that is important to you--the time can be found.

4.) I am only an M2, but it seems like most people enjoy the later years. Most people enjoy the lack of studying after the innumerable hours at your desk during the first two years. Your life might not be "better", but at least there is a change.

5.) Depends on the school. A lot of them do not even have dorms, but some do. If food is important to you, look around a little on your interview day.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

1. No -- medical education is pretty standard these days, and there are far fewer allo schools than undergrads, so you are likely to see more similarities than differences in terms of the in class education. Plus schools tend to emulate the leaders of the pack, so when big name places started adding clinical experience earlier, all the others followed suit, etc.

Agree with this. Probably the biggest differences you'll run into is Problem-based Learning and systems-based modules vs. the traditional setup. That is, many schools are adopting a more clinically-oriented years 1 and 2, with more opportunities for patient interraction and small group discussion with practicing physicians, all constructed to facilitate going through each physiological or anatomical organ system at the same time but from the perspective of each discipline. The traditional way is to take say the biochemistry of the whole body, then move on to the physiology, the anatomy, etc. in a fixed classroom lecture style format taught by PhD's. Some people like it one way over another, and I'm in the unique position of having first year PBL and second year more traditional (and can say wholeheartedly I like the traditional way better, although that may be because my school is still working the kinks out of PBL). But this is definitely something you want to research when applying to schools.

 

[Hurricane95]

My answers to the questions are pretty much the same as the other posters, except that we get far less vacation than other schools. Our winter break for first and second year is three weeks, and after that I believe it's from dec 20 something til the very beginning of jan.

Summer break between first and second year is 5 weeks...less if you have to make something up... now THAT one hurts. There is no summer vacation from then on.

 

[sponch]

Ask 4 med students and you'll get 6 opinions.

1. Speaking of the difficulty of the classes etc, how do "good" (more competitive schools to get into) schools' curriculum compare to less competitive schools'? Is it fair to say the difference is about the same as the difference between prestigious undergraduate universities and not-so-competitive undergraduate universities?

Curricula are pretty standard. Everyone learns the same thing in one form or another. Some have PBL some are more traditional, but they all teach things you will need for the boards and wards.

2. How long are the summer breaks, and do you have to do anything during the summer? How long is the winter break? Again, anything you need to do?


Some people do research between first and second year. Some people spend their last free summer living it up. It's up to you and your career plans. Winter breaks at my school are the same as college, about two weeks.

3. I love working out and playing basketball. In my undergraduate years, I have been working out every few days and played basketball for a couple of hours at least three times a week. I don't think I can continue to dedicate this much time into my hobbies, but would I be able to play basketball at least once a week?? Is there a gym you can work out / play sports in your school?


You will have as much time as you want to make time. It's all about time management and how motivated you are. Some people get lazy about hobbies and end up depressed and overweight, others go off the deep end with exercising.

4. I know the first two years, it's like high school with pre-determined courses, etc. Are they called M1 and M2? I'm not sure. What are the third year and the fourth year for? Can you describe what 3rd and 4th years are like? And does your life get better, or worse?


I have seen M2, MS2, MSII. Doesn't matter. Third year is the most important year of med school (like junior year in high school was the most important year). It's when you do your clerkships -- these are the grades that residency programs care about the most. You can merely pass MS1-2 and honors all your rotations during MS3 and match into a top notch residency program. If there's ever a time to bust your ass, this would be it. Med school is a marathon, don't burn out on basic sciences that you get tired and unmotivated during clerkships. That's a common mistake. 4th year you do subinternships in the field you want to go into and apply for residency. It's basically one long vacation.

5. How are the housing and food? Are dormitory halls good? Are there decent, affordable food available near where you live?

We don't have a dorm. Even if there were dorms, I think most people at this point in their lives enjoy the space and privacy of having their own apartment or house. Housing depends on where you go. Clearly NYC would be expensive and rural TN would be cheap. Food varies regionally and variety of cuisines depends on how big of a metropolitan area you are in. If you're really into ethnic food, don't go to a small town in the southeast or midwest. Alternately if you like fast food, the midwest and southeast is where it's at.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Hello all, I have a few questions I want to ask to the current medical school students. Here they are:

1. Speaking of the difficulty of the classes etc, how do "good" (more competitive schools to get into) schools' curriculum compare to less competitive schools'? Is it fair to say the difference is about the same as the difference between prestigious undergraduate universities and not-so-competitive undergraduate universities?

2. How long are the summer breaks, and do you have to do anything during the summer? How long is the winter break? Again, anything you need to do?

3. I love working out and playing basketball. In my undergraduate years, I have been working out every few days and played basketball for a couple of hours at least three times a week. I don't think I can continue to dedicate this much time into my hobbies, but would I be able to play basketball at least once a week?? Is there a gym you can work out / play sports in your school?

4. I know the first two years, it's like high school with pre-determined courses, etc. Are they called M1 and M2? I'm not sure. What are the third year and the fourth year for? Can you describe what 3rd and 4th years are like? And does your life get better, or worse?

5. How are the housing and food? Are dormitory halls good? Are there decent, affordable food available near where you live?

*Note: I realize that some of the answers will be different depending on which school you go to. If so, please say that it depends on the school, and tell me how it is like in your school. Thanks!

That's it for now, I will update with more questions if I can think of any. Your inputs are much appreciated.

1. No idea.

2. Summer break is normal for the first year, and you are not required to do anything. After that, you basically get no summer. Winter is a week and a half.

3. You can, and yes. There's plenty of time to do this (at least at my school).

4. M1 and M2, or MS-1/MS-2, 1st/2nd year, or Freshman/Sophomore. 3rd year is heavy clinical rotations, 4th year varies a lot but is usually very light most places. I'm only a first year so I'll stop there.

5. We don't have dorms, but we do have a couple on campus apartment complexes, and they are decent and convenient. As for food, well, there's a hospital cafeteria..

 

[jae9970]

First of all, thank you all for your helpful responses.

More questions generated by reading your answers.. haha

a. So there are intramural leagues in med schools too? I was thinking that with only about a few hundred student body and the coursework that requires you to study several hours every day, finding enough people for such activities would be an unlikely event. Is it?

b. Someone said people still do athletic things in the first couple of years of med school. Does this mean that the 3rd and 4th years, students are too busy?

c. When are the board exams, and what's covered for each exam?

d. How does residency process work?? I know the answer to this will be long, so if you know a source or an article which explains this, I'd be grateful for a link to it. Here is how I think it works right now -

"First two years, students study the same materials to do well on the board exams. (kinda like studying for SAT or MCAT) And then, 3rd year, students are exposed to clinical experiences in wards. Then 4th year, students pick a specialty and do more involved clerkship in that field. After the 4th year, students apply for residencies, just like applying for med schools, in a competitive manner. If one did well in the board exams and spend his or her 3d/4th years well, he or she would be accepted into a (perhaps competitive) residency in some other institutions, not necessarily the same med school the student had spent 4 years studying."

Can you correct me where I'm wrong above?



I know my questions are specific and it takes a long time to answer, but I really appreciate your answers.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

We've had intramural teams for pretty much every sport imaginable: flag football, soccer, floor hockey, dodgeball, basketball (several different teams due to turnout). You'll probably only have intramural teams if your school is associated with an undergraduate school, though.

 

[Law2Doc]

After the 4th year, students apply for residencies, just like applying for med schools, in a competitive manner.

This is where you went awry. You will be applying, interviewing and hopefully matching well before 4th year ends.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

First of all, thank you all for your helpful responses.
More questions generated by reading your answers.. haha
a. So there are intramural leagues in med schools too? I was thinking that with only about a few hundred student body and the coursework that requires you to study several hours every day, finding enough people for such activities would be an unlikely event. Is it?
b. Someone said people still do athletic things in the first couple of years of med school. Does this mean that the 3rd and 4th years, students are too busy?
c. When are the board exams, and what's covered for each exam?
d. How does residency process work?? I know the answer to this will be long, so if you know a source or an article which explains this, I'd be grateful for a link to it. Here is how I think it works right now -
"First two years, students study the same materials to do well on the board exams. (kinda like studying for SAT or MCAT) And then, 3rd year, students are exposed to clinical experiences in wards. Then 4th year, students pick a specialty and do more involved clerkship in that field. After the 4th year, students apply for residencies, just like applying for med schools, in a competitive manner. If one did well in the board exams and spend his or her 3d/4th years well, he or she would be accepted into a (perhaps competitive) residency in some other institutions, not necessarily the same med school the student had spent 4 years studying."
Can you correct me where I'm wrong above?
I know my questions are specific and it takes a long time to answer, but I really appreciate your answers.

a. We have a dental school on campus, as well as other graduate programs. For flag football, I think there are 12 teams in the guys league, 8 in the girls.
b. First two years you spend in the books and in lecture with your classmates. Last two years everybody's doing they're own thing at different times and different places. Plus it's more of a physical demand running around the wards all day, whereas first two years you need more of a mental break. I'm a second year though, so don't have any direct experience with this one yet.
c. Varies by school, but at ours each course is followed by a national board exam on that subject that counts as our final exam. It's nationally graded and curved. See NBME.org for more info on these.
The USMLE comes in really 4 parts: Step I covers the entire first two years of school, the Step II CK covers the clinical knowledge learned during 3rd year, The Step II CS grades you more on the art of clinical practice, using actors portraying patients. Both are taken sometime in the fall of 4th year. Step III is taken sometime during residency, maybe right after intern year?
d. The residency match is a little different than the med school app process, since very few M4's don't match somewhere. Matter of fact it's residency spots that go unfilled. Should you not match, your name is thrown into the Scramble and you get whatever unfilled residency the lottery turns up for you. See NRMP.org for more info.

 

[vtucci]

First of all, thank you all for your helpful responses.

More questions generated by reading your answers.. haha

a. So there are intramural leagues in med schools too? I was thinking that with only about a few hundred student body and the coursework that requires you to study several hours every day, finding enough people for such activities would be an unlikely event. Is it?

b. Someone said people still do athletic things in the first couple of years of med school. Does this mean that the 3rd and 4th years, students are too busy?

c. When are the board exams, and what's covered for each exam?

d. How does residency process work?? I know the answer to this will be long, so if you know a source or an article which explains this, I'd be grateful for a link to it. Here is how I think it works right now -

"First two years, students study the same materials to do well on the board exams. (kinda like studying for SAT or MCAT) And then, 3rd year, students are exposed to clinical experiences in wards. Then 4th year, students pick a specialty and do more involved clerkship in that field. After the 4th year, students apply for residencies, just like applying for med schools, in a competitive manner. If one did well in the board exams and spend his or her 3d/4th years well, he or she would be accepted into a (perhaps competitive) residency in some other institutions, not necessarily the same med school the student had spent 4 years studying."

Can you correct me where I'm wrong above?



I know my questions are specific and it takes a long time to answer, but I really appreciate your answers.

A. We have intramural soccer, basketball and softball at my COM. They have also started a running club too. We are getting a new gym in the COM, which will be available for med students-- it is supposed to be done soon so that will be sweet.

B. Athletic things- depends how you define that. Being on a team outside of school, probably not. Working out 3-5+x/week, depends on you. What is important to you, what makes you feel better. What rotation are you on? There are some where getting regular workouts during 3rd year can be challenging. However, I do know students who do it.

C. Step I is after your second year. It covers the first two years curriculum, gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, biochem, genetics, cell + molecular, ethics, behavioral med, physio, path, pathophysio, pharm, microbiology, immunology, histology, embryology, physical diagnosis. Step II has two parts: clinical skills and a written exam. The written is generally taken after your third year in the summer. The skills session must be taken before we graduate.

D. The Match process is a little complicated. There is an algorithim involved whereby the student has a rank order list and the hospital has a rank order list. THe computer than matches student to hospital. Yes, it can be at another institution than your home school and often is. We do away rotations in the 4th year as sort of interview rotations. Generally, you apply for the match in the late summer/early fall and go on interviews to different programs across the country. Hopefully, you will have narrowed your field to one by this point but there are some students who rank programs at more than one specialty (although often people who must stay in an area due to other obligations like family). You are not accepted at multiple residency programs like you can be with medical schools. It is just one. You get the envelope on match day (assuming you matched, if you didn't there is a scramble process, which is too complicated to go into here).

 

[Wizard of Oz]

I am only an M2, but it seems like most people enjoy the later years. Most people enjoy the lack of studying after the innumerable hours at your desk during the first two years. Your life might not be "better", but at least there is a change.

Are you saying that there is a lack of studying during M3? Do you go to a school with no shelf exams? (and how does a poster have only 1 post in 3 months...)

Intramurals was not among my concerns in starting med school, so I never asked about them at the schools I visited. I do almost all of my studying on the elliptical, otherwise I wouldn't exercise or study.

One thing that I wanted to say is that your M4 is not concentrated on one specialty specifically. My school doesn't allow more than 3 rotations in the same specialty (including away rotations). We have a 3-month cap on leaving the school during M4.

With about the only exception I can think of being pathology (help me out here guys), the first year of residency (PGY-1) is usually general enough to help with step III in the non-primary care fields. You can also do sub-internships during M4 to ease the transition (or you can treat M4 as an expensive vacation too).

Woud anybody disagree with the opinion that PGY-1 and M3 are the most rigorous years (outside of maybe general surgery)?

 

[The Buff]

Are you saying that there is a lack of studying during M3? Do you go to a school with no shelf exams? (and how does a poster have only 1 post in 3 months...)

No, we have shelfs and all, but from what I have heard from the upperclassmen if you manage to study an hour per day you are more than OK. This is a huge difference from the first two years, which was my point.

As for the dearth in postings: yo ho, yo ho a lurkers life for me.....