Advice for summer after first year M1

[blkatki]

I recently completed my first year of medical school and I am doing a 2 week summer preceptorship. I would like to know if I should start preparing for the USMLE board exam, do some research, or just take a vacation? I would greatly appreciate any advice or options for this summer. Thanks.

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[tideleonheart]

If your school has a traditional curriculum (where you learn anat + phys in the first year but no pharm and path), then most people will tell you to take a vacation and enjoy it because it will be the last one ever.

If you're in a traditional curriculum and you're gunning for something competitive, you might pick up a little research job in a specialty you're interested in.

If you're systems based (everything like path and anatomy clumped into blocks), then you could consider reviewing what you already covered that year if you're feeling too anxious to actually relax. But by all means, enjoy yourself and take a vacation. If you MUST study, set aside a very small period of time to focus (3 hours per day max) and then put everything out of sight and out of mind.

 

[cfdavid]

I think the post-MS1 externship thing is overrated. Frankly, you don't know enough to get much out of it. Also, you'll get ample exposure to the options in medicine during MS3. Just enjoy your summer. Also, Step I is much more related to what you'll learn in 2nd year for sure.

If you have to study, I'd say do nothing, and just casually read the topics you've already covered in Year 1, in First Aid.

 

[AK_MD2BE]

I have to agree with both of the above.

If you know that you want to do Ortho/Derm/Rad Onc/ENT/Urology, then do some research in that field.

Otherwise, relax. It will literally be your last amount of time off until 4th year (besides 2 weeks off after Step 1).

 

[OveractiveBrain]

I squandered my summer after year 1 with heavy research. I got a bunch of abstracts, a paper in the works, but man was it not worth it.

What i recommend can be summed up in the words of a true lyrical genius, "Get F*cked up, Stay F*cked up"

Or travel.

Whatever you do, DONT GET MARRIED. Unless you're a chick with a hot man-wife who does your dishes.

 

[beethoven]

Are there any other "good" times to do research other than in the summer after MS-1?

 

[Blesbok]

Are there any other "good" times to do research other than in the summer after MS-1?

You can also do it during third year, but it is easier to do it during the summer. Not too mention that you can often get paid to do it during your summer off which helps pay the bills.

 

[beethoven]

You can also do it during third year, but it is easier to do it during the summer. Not too mention that you can often get paid to do it during your summer off which helps pay the bills.

Does NOT doing research in the summer after MS-1 close the door to many of the "competitive" specialities? I have no idea which specialty I want to go into but I really just wanted to do non-school related stuff this summer.

 

[Blesbok]

Does NOT doing research in the summer after MS-1 close the door to many of the "competitive" specialities? I have no idea which specialty I want to go into but I really just wanted to do non-school related stuff this summer.

No, not at all. It just gives you a limb up on others if the rest of your app is similar. If you decide later that you want to go into a competitive specialty, you can usually find research to do at that time.

 

[beethoven]

No, not at all. It just gives you a limb up on others if the rest of your app is similar. If you decide later that you want to go into a competitive specialty, you can usually find research to do at that time.

Good. I just don't see the point in doing research in a field I probably won't end up going into. I just hope there will be other opportunities to do research once I have a better idea of what I want to go into. Most of MS-1 was interesting and at this point I can see myself going into anything!

 

[city girl]

hey, i just completed ms1 also. i opted to do a summer preceptorship in a suburb on the east coast. there is a small research component where i am supposed to do a site related study. i also have a stipend for the 6 weeks. my main reasons were that my school still has a graded system. i saw mostly b's and c's on the transcript.

i don't think i'll shoot for one of the more competitive specialties. but when i go for the family medicine or internal medicine residencies i want to end up at a reputable academic large tertiary care institution.

the problem now is that i'm kicking myself because i feel i'm spending my summer in an obsolete suburb alone instead of at home with family in a wonderful city with lots of great fantastic things to do with friends.

 

[runx]

Does NOT doing research in the summer after MS-1 close the door to many of the "competitive" specialities? I have no idea which specialty I want to go into but I really just wanted to do non-school related stuff this summer.

I've been a little concerned because I wasn't able to set up a rads related research opportunity this summer. I hear its not the most "researchable" field for MS1's, and admittedly, my attempts were somewhat last minute. So I'm doing a few random non-research things that should at least be mentionable in the futre. Hopefully I'm not screwed!

 

[gocoastal]

Start studying for Step 2. I wish I had.
No I don't. I worked on two research projects that both ended by going by the wayside and all I had to show for it was a $1000 stipend and some newfound SAS skills.
Do something fun.

 

[cenparkian]

hey
i am in 2nd year and in my early 3rd year i want to do some observership or externship .As I am a Pakistani so i would have to apply well beforehand bkz of visa delays.so what should i do as in early 3rd year we get enough time to go for externship and i want to avail it well.

 

[njbmd]

Two year old thread that was resurrected for what reason???

 

[turkeyjerky]

Two year old thread that was resurrected for what reason???

Jeez, what has been up you're butt recently?