MD & DO Any "all-in-one" guides to excelling in Medical School?

[ChooseWisely1]

I'm an incoming M1 MD this fall. I score well on exams, enjoy research but have this tendency to maneuver myself into unsavory positions.

Example 1: applying late to medical school (I genuinely did not realize the competitive disadvantage)
Example 2: not getting really important healthcare experience and volunteering until a few months before I applied (I thought the experience I had was adequate until I brought it up in conversation with my adviser)
Example 3: dedicating myself to a lab that had no intention of ever putting out a publication in addition to believing that the experience was sub par (to date the lab is 3 years dry - I spent about 1200 hours there)

I would like to learn from my mistakes by being prepared walking through the M1 door. I don't want to disqualify myself from any competitive specialties down the road that may be my calling which is also part of the problem. Two of my four major interests are very competitive: EM, neurology, orthopedics and dermatology.

So, does anyone have any good guides on how to make good decisions regarding research? (I don't want to fall in love with Derm when I've been doing pulmonology research) What is a realistic timeline when working in a lab? Is there a good way to get a first author pub in a medium impact journal by the end of your M2? If there aren't any guides, I would love to hear some success stories right now.

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[Oso]

Goro’s Guide to Success in Medical School

(Idk how much about research is in there but it’s a good place to start as an incoming MS1)

 

[Goro]

I'm an incoming M1 MD this fall. I score well on exams, enjoy research but have this tendency to maneuver myself into unsavory positions.

Example 1: applying late to medical school (I genuinely did not realize the competitive disadvantage)
Example 2: not getting really important healthcare experience and volunteering until a few months before I applied (I thought the experience I had was adequate until I brought it up in conversation with my adviser)
Example 3: dedicating myself to a lab that had no intention of ever putting out a publication in addition to believing that the experience was sub par (to date the lab is 3 years dry - I spent about 1200 hours there)

I would like to learn from my mistakes by being prepared walking through the M1 door. I don't want to disqualify myself from any competitive specialties down the road that may be my calling which is also part of the problem. Two of my four major interests are very competitive: EM, neurology, orthopedics and dermatology.

So, does anyone have any good guides on how to make good decisions regarding research? (I don't want to fall in love with Derm when I've been doing pulmonology research) What is a realistic timeline when working in a lab? Is there a good way to get a first author pub in a medium impact journal by the end of your M2? If there aren't any guides, I would love to hear some success stories right now.

read this:
Med School Rx: Getting In, Getting Through, and Getting On with Doctoring Original Edition by Walter Hartwig

ISBN-13: 978-1607140627

ISBN-10: 1607140624

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

M1 - Do fairly well in your classes but don't go overboard. Learn physio extremely well. It'll make learning "what's wrong" easier if you know "what's normal." Party a lot. Exercise. Eat well. Never sleep <6.25 hours a night.

M1 Summer - Research if you like. Party a looootttt. Go on at least 1 vacation.

M2 - Read FA cover to cover several times. Read pathoma cover to cover. Do Kaplan/Rx --> Uworld. Pass your classes (no more).

Vacation/party break

M3 - Don't be socially awkward. Don't be too eager. Don't take evals too seriously, really (they're half made up). Yes waking up at 445AM for surgery month sucks.

M4 first half - audtions/interviews. It will suck.

M4 second half - Come late, leave early.