Am I doing this wrong? Advice for an auto-didact

[AbuSina]

So I'm currently between my 3rd and 4th years of undergrad, I'm mainly studying for the MCAT right now (5-6 hours a day). When I'm not, I sometimes enjoy reading this pathology textbook I found online that is for med students or I look up how to read chest x-rays online trying to stick to reliable sources. I skim through and read things here or there that look interesting, but I lately got to thinking why not be more systematic about it? Why not go through each chapter of the textbook in order and learn it just like I would for a class, i.e. self-teach?

Would this be detrimental to my future education in med school, sort of like coming in with a glass already full and therefore not suited to properly absorb information there? Is it a waste of time? Should I just study for the MCAT in the time it takes me to learn this stuff?

I'll mention again that I enjoy reading these things and I have no illusions that it's the best way to prepare for the MCAT. Thanks for any advice!

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[ProspectiveKidd]

Its really a waste of time to pre study any medical school curriculum; especially when you're studying for the MCAT. If and when you do matriculate you will have the proper materials and professional instructors to learn the material correctly and in a much shorter time frame.

 

[Crayola227]

yeah don't put cart before horse just focus on MCAT

if you want to study things to prepare for medicine:

only undergrad course I regularly recommend are biochem, the full year, and statistics & probability
if you don't have to take them learn them anyway
learn Spanish (or another language if you have other specific goals in mind)
get a firm grip on humanities like psychology, sociology

I have a whole list of books you could read that I think would help your education that I'll bother to type out if you ask

 

[Cotterpin]

So OP is asking if it's okay to read a textbook for fun. Why not? Read a book if you're interested in reading it.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

So OP is asking if it's okay to read a textbook for fun. Why not? Read a book if you're interested in reading it.

There's nothing okay about enjoying reading a pathology textbook.

 

[AbuSina]

yeah don't put cart before horse just focus on MCAT

if you want to study things to prepare for medicine:

only undergrad course I regularly recommend are biochem, the full year, and statistics & probability
if you don't have to take them learn them anyway
learn Spanish (or another language if you have other specific goals in mind)
get a firm grip on humanities like psychology, sociology

I have a whole list of books you could read that I think would help your education that I'll bother to type out if you ask

Sure, I'd appreciate that list.

And yes, I suppose I underestimated how much effort it would take to commit all this pathology to memory, it's really interfering with my MCAT studying. I'll stick to reading the occasional NEJM article.

 

[hoot504]

Sure, I'd appreciate that list.

And yes, I suppose I underestimated how much effort it would take to commit all this pathology to memory, it's really interfering with my MCAT studying. I'll stick to reading the occasional NEJM article.

Haha. If you make it where you want to, boy are you gonna facepalm someday thinking about this thread.

You don't even have the knowledge to understand NEJM, no offense.

Study for the MCAT. In your spare time, practice at not being so pretentious.

Good luck

 

[AbuSina]

Haha. If you make it where you want to, boy are you gonna facepalm someday thinking about this thread.

You don't even have the knowledge to understand NEJM, no offense.

Study for the MCAT. In your spare time, practice at not being so pretentious.

Good luck

Haha you're probably right. In truth, I use stuff like that to procrastinate and make myself feel like I'm doing something productive : / but I don't like being like every other pre-med focusing on just studying for the mcat, it feels too lived in and typical I guess...