Advice from med students

[Kitra101]

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Hello -

I just got accepted to school and have a year off until then ( I am a re-applicant). I am currently working at a dermatology clinic to make some money for tuition. However, I will have some spare time and wanted to get some advice about things I could do to prepare. I know that many people say that I should take the year to relax before school as it is a long road, but it is a road I am very excited to go down. I want to prepare this year to be the best I can be in medical school. Also, should I look into doing research over the summer before starting as an M1? Would it help me get ready and/or help for match?

any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[Agent Splat]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about "getting ready." You'll have all of your 4 years of med school to get ready.

If research is something that really interests you (beyond a resume builder), then it might be something fun. But personally I'd use that year to do a little travel, cultivate a hobby, take piano lessons, etc.

You'll have the rest of your life to dedicate to medicine, I recommend discovering new things on your own for awhile.

Whatever you decide, it's your choice, have fun with it!

congratulations on your acceptance!

 

[cindy4443]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about "getting ready." You'll have all of your 4 years of med school to get ready.

If research is something that really interests you (beyond a resume builder), then it might be something fun. But personally I'd use that year to do a little travel, cultivate a hobby, take piano lessons, etc.

You'll have the rest of your life to dedicate to medicine, I recommend discovering new things on your own for awhile.

Whatever you decide, it's your choice, have fun with it!

congratulations on your acceptance!

Congratulations on your acceptance. My advice, spend as much time doing what you like to do in your free time. You have years to spend in medicine, so enjoy what you can now. I find free time for hobbies, travel, SLEEP (nap, nap, nap while you still can!) hard to come by as an M1.

 

[JonnyG]

call the school and find out if you can test out of any subjects then take the classes at an easy school. I was able to test out of histology and it makes life so much easier. More time to spend on subjects that are hard.

 

[Long Dong]

Hello -

I just got accepted to school and have a year off until then ( I am a re-applicant). I am currently working at a dermatology clinic to make some money for tuition. However, I will have some spare time and wanted to get some advice about things I could do to prepare. I know that many people say that I should take the year to relax before school as it is a long road, but it is a road I am very excited to go down. I want to prepare this year to be the best I can be in medical school. Also, should I look into doing research over the summer before starting as an M1? Would it help me get ready and/or help for match?

any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks

I'd keep on working in the derm clinic to make that chedder. It might also help if you wanted to match derm (one of the most competitive matches). If you really wanted to prepare then you might wanna read Board Review Series Physiology or Hight Yeild bio chem, molecular bio, histo or anatomy. But only if you have already taken these courses in undergrad, so might save you some time to study for classes that you've never taken before in med school.

 

[orientedtoself]

Do whatever it is that makes you happy! Take a pottery class, do yoga, travel, spend time with friends and family- whatever you like to do. If you really need some medical reading while in the sauna, I would suggest Robbins Pathological Basis of Disease and Wheater's Histology. You can kind of teach yourself from those. You can't really learn anatomy until you have your cadaver. I graduated from college mid-year, and I took a couple of courses at a community college before starting med school- EMT-Basic course and phlebotomy. The phlebotomy course has been moderately helpful in medical school, just because it gave me several hours to learn the skill. I also think it would be a great idea to continue working in the clinic if you're interested in Derm.

 

[tupac_don]

Hello -

I just got accepted to school and have a year off until then ( I am a re-applicant). I am currently working at a dermatology clinic to make some money for tuition. However, I will have some spare time and wanted to get some advice about things I could do to prepare. I know that many people say that I should take the year to relax before school as it is a long road, but it is a road I am very excited to go down. I want to prepare this year to be the best I can be in medical school. Also, should I look into doing research over the summer before starting as an M1? Would it help me get ready and/or help for match?

any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks

It's pointless to study ahead, unless you have old lecture notes from someone, and you specifically just study those notes and try to answer test q, from some old exams. Otherwise it's pretty pointless. And it will only work for something like histo or embryo not anatomy, b/c anatomy is so much easier, once you go and look at the body it makes thing stick in your mind. But honestly, studying is imminent once you are in med school. I would just chill and enjoy your time. Best of luck.

 

[boilerbeast]

Make as much money as you can and save it so you can have a little more fun when you're in med school (and maybe not be as indebted when you finish). Plan an awesome trip. If you were a non-science major, you might try a biochem or immuno class...just to learn the lingo. Most of my non-science major buddies were dumbfounded the first few weeks of class. Don't be the girl that raises her hand in the first lecture and asks, "What's a kinase?"

AND...

Find a husband (or a wife)!

Most of the people in my class are married/engaged/involved and since you study 24/9, you can't go out and mingle and frolick like a 20-something should do.

I feel like I'm wasting the pretty! (Anyone else read He's Just not that Into You?) Random. Okay. Back to biochem. Yaaaaaaaaaay pathways.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

The best thing I did on my year off was travel South America, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia... you get the point. And I've only taken the prereqs - so most people would've taken some upper division. I'm very glad I didn't do that. You are going to be studying so much in medical school and won't be traveling or doing whatever you please for a while - at least not for what you now refer to as an appreciable time. Just have fun. Trust me. And if research interests you, then do research.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

I agree with a lot of people that you should enjoy your time off. It's hard to study for your classes ahead of time because you don't know what to focus on. I try to think about if I had tried to study ahead for my classes how far off the mark I would have been. But, you asked what to do to study, and I don't think we're going to talk you out of it, so we might as well help point you in the right direction. Since you can't know what your school will focus on, if you pick board review books, at least you'll be learning stuff you need to know for the boards and it won't end up being a waste of your time (see below).

I'd keep on working in the derm clinic to make that chedder. It might also help if you wanted to match derm (one of the most competitive matches). If you really wanted to prepare then you might wanna read Board Review Series Physiology or Hight Yeild bio chem, molecular bio, histo or anatomy. But only if you have already taken these courses in undergrad, so might save you some time to study for classes that you've never taken before in med school.

 

[OddNath]

I guess if you *really* do feel like studying, you could pick up some Netter anatomy flashcards. I just had a long, Saturday night date with those badboys (exam Monday).

Do enjoy this time-- it's not that the rest of your life absolutely ends in med school (I still take naps, cook and chill with friends and family a fair amount), but you'll just have much less time to keep up your ping pong skills or whatever non-science skills you value.

And of course, congratulations!

 

[EvoDevo]

call the school and find out if you can test out of any subjects then take the classes at an easy school. I was able to test out of histology and it makes life so much easier. More time to spend on subjects that are hard.

Second and third and fourth this. Each class you pass is one less that you have to deal with, especially with all the other crap going on. And if it only takes you an hour a day to get up to speed, it'll be time well spent.

 

[curlycity]

Stock up on sleep and money. Travel and make a few photo albums to flip through later, and stories that start with "so I was hitchhiking on this totally empty gravel road in Costa Rica, at night," ...

And if you have a strong urge to learn something, and you haven't done this already, I recommend obtaining a good background in the history and philosophy of medicine. World history, politics, economics, and literature in general. Read Laurie Garrett's books, etc., whatever topic / author interests you, one a week or so. The one thing that will help a lot in med school is a strong sense of historical context and an understanding of the whole "system" (in quotes b/c there isn't one), because med school is looking at everything so close up (e.g. biochem pathways) it's easy to lose your perspective and be puzzled during debates about the future of healthcare or legal issues or socializing medicine. Docs can be leaders or victims of the future of health care, and we're in a huge flux right now. So if I were going to recommend a way to prepare, a good liberal arts-style medical education with your year off would be it. A library card and a spot by the pool and you're ready. Especially if you already have formed strong opinions, take a chance to read the other side - it will only strengthen or broaden your positions.

Congrats and have a great time!

 

[Kitra101]

People are talking about "testing out" of courses. Is that something that is commonly done? Would that be beneficial or harmful? In your opinions, is research something that helps for applying to residency programs?

Thanks

 

[tigress]

People are talking about "testing out" of courses. Is that something that is commonly done? Would that be beneficial or harmful? In your opinions, is research something that helps for applying to residency programs?

Thanks

My uncle once told me that the biggest mistake he made in med school was testing out of biochemistry. Then again, that was a long time ago. But he was very serious, and I, at least, am going to take his advice. Besides, if you know a subject well, won't it just be easier to honor it? Not that it won't still be extra work to prepare for tests, but it won't be as big a deal since you know the material already.

 

[EvoDevo]

My uncle once told me that the biggest mistake he made in med school was testing out of biochemistry. Then again, that was a long time ago. But he was very serious, and I, at least, am going to take his advice. Besides, if you know a subject well, won't it just be easier to honor it? Not that it won't still be extra work to prepare for tests, but it won't be as big a deal since you know the material already.

Nope, sorry. I don't think that it's a mistake at all.

Look, you only have so many hours in the day in med school. And there are going to be times when you're going to have to choose btwn subjects A, B, and C to study for that day. My roommate tested out of Biochem [I tried but didn't make it] and he has, on average, another 10 hours a week [class time + study/review time] to concentrate on [and honor] other subjects. The one thing that you will find in med school is that your time is the most precious thing that you have. Capiche??? 😉

I used to think that testing out wasn't a big deal. Now that I'm actually *in* class, I'd love to have the extra time for other subjects.

Of course, the caveat is that having tested out of the class doesn't exempt one from dealing with the subject on the U-Smelly or on the wards, so you ought to know it. But with proper prep this shouldn't be a problem at all and will allow you to enjoy school a bit more than normal.

Just one MS1's opinion.

*edit* You'd think that it would be "easy" to honor the exam, but that isn't necessarily the case. If your school has a relative grading system [like UTSW] then your efforts might not ---> honors/A. Or, more likely, the professors will ask incredibly detailed questions that wouldn't necessarily fly on an exemption exam, because they have lots more questions available to them over the course of the course. Whereas the exemption exam is either going to be the Biochem shelf or something very close to it; and in that case they're only going to test you on stuff that's basic and found in Lippincott's Illustrated Review book. 👍

 

[Minerva25]

People are talking about "testing out" of courses. Is that something that is commonly done? Would that be beneficial or harmful? In your opinions, is research something that helps for applying to residency programs?

Thanks

Testing out doesn't sound like a bad idea, per se. But you would be alienating yourself from your classmates, and depending on your marital/dating/location status - your classmates may be your only link to sanity for those first few months.

Plus, not all schools even offer that as an option. I'm fairly certain that mine didn't, anyway.

I would reiterate (reitirate?) the idea of having fun. If you ARE interested in a hard residency (derm, radiology, etc.) then I'd say try to get started doing research in that dep't at the school you'll be going to. More impressive than research for research's sake would be ongoing projects that yield several publications.

If you're interested in a less competitive field - then blow off this next year and do something that you can look back on in the middle of an excruciating test and think 'Well, if this test kills me, at least I know that one time I did the coolest thing ever imaginable.'

Cograts and good luck!

 

[EvoDevo]

Testing out doesn't sound like a bad idea, per se. But you would be alienating yourself from your classmates, and depending on your marital/dating/location status - your classmates may be your only link to sanity for those first few months.

Don't think that this really happens. Besides, if the OP is a class-goer otherwise, not attending one or two [maybe three] classes out of them all isn't going to do a thing with regard to alienation. And if he doesn't end up being someone who does go to class then it's a moot point anyway.

 

[njbmd]

Testing out doesn't sound like a bad idea, per se. But you would be alienating yourself from your classmates, and depending on your marital/dating/location status - your classmates may be your only link to sanity for those first few months.

Plus, not all schools even offer that as an option. I'm fairly certain that mine didn't, anyway.

I would reiterate (reitirate?) the idea of having fun. If you ARE interested in a hard residency (derm, radiology, etc.) then I'd say try to get started doing research in that dep't at the school you'll be going to. More impressive than research for research's sake would be ongoing projects that yield several publications.

If you're interested in a less competitive field - then blow off this next year and do something that you can look back on in the middle of an excruciating test and think 'Well, if this test kills me, at least I know that one time I did the coolest thing ever imaginable.'

Cograts and good luck!

Hi there,
I went into medical school with a Ph.D in Biochemistry and I took the course. This was an easy Honors for me and I could devote lots of time to my other courses anyway. I would not test out of anything that I could get Honors in easily. AOA looks better on your ERAS application for residency than most anything else.
njbmd 🙂

 

[ear-ache]

To the OP,

I would do some research; especially if you are considering derm (still keep the derm clinic job though). Come year four, when you are applying to residencies, research gives you a step up on applicants with similar board scores/grades. It also gives you something to talk about during those long awkward interviews. Doesn't hurt for AOA either...

 

[JonnyG]

I would still tell you you are crazy not to test out if you have an oppurtunity too. Medical schools may present the material in a way you were not taight in the past and therefore it is no longer an easy grade. You don't alienate any classmates since you still see them all the time for anatomy