Anybody worried they are not being prepared well for the boards?

[theDr.]

Anybody worried their school isn't preparing them for hte boards or that your gonna forget what you learn or have forgotten by the time boards come?

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[Law2Doc]

Anybody worried their school isn't preparing them for hte boards or that your gonna forget what you learn or have forgotten by the time boards come?

I think you want to post this on the allo board, not the pre-allo. No one applying to med school (hopefully) has even begun to start studying for boards.

 

[virilep]

eh, why worry. hundreds of med students take them and usually 98-99 percent of people at the school I'm lookin at pass. I mean, we were worried about the MCAT freshman year. and we got through it. so why worry about the USMLE. i hear it's hell. but more doable than the MCAT.

 

[japhy]

more doable than the mcat? what do you mean by that?

the boards are nasty. 3-5 weeks of 10-12 hours study days. yeah, most everyone passes, but damn, it hurts worse than the mcat ever could

 

[virilep]

more doable means. there's a correlation to the amount u study to how well u do. like u can study ur ass off for the MCAT and still not break a 27. but the boards is more about knowledge and memorizing. if u ask this same question to MS3 and MS4's in the allo section, u'll get the same response.

 

[Uegis]

viriliep, i think these are medical students. One of them registered in 2002, the other one in 1999 when most of the people here weren't even in college yet! But your input is similar to what i hear from others: studying for the boards is more straightforward, but still hell.

 

[sunsweet]

I agree; most med students/residents that I've talked to say that the MCAT was the worst test they had to take, including the boards.

 

[Blue Scrub]

I agree; most med students/residents that I've talked to say that the MCAT was the worst test they had to take, including the boards.

thats great to know

 

[Sparky Man]

Anybody worried their school isn't preparing them for hte boards or that your gonna forget what you learn or have forgotten by the time boards come?

Good question. I worry about them right now. I don't have multiple acceptances, but you never know what March will bring. This would mean I may have to choose between problem based learning (pbl) and a traditional curriculum. I am worried that pbl won't prepare me for step 1. Then again, i've heard they do great on step 2. I go back and forth with this on all the time. I am left wondering if the traditional curriculum is a lot of hell for nothing, or if it's beneficial long-term. Will pbl prepare me so much better for the transition to the clinic? Anyone else think about this?

 

[Blue Scrub]

I heard from the Dean at Drexel that PBL and IFM (normal lecture-based) students perform similarly during rotations and on the boards, that was just at his school though, Im not sure about other schools......I think it just depends on how you like to study.......are you more of a person that learns talking about problems with other people, or more of a study on your own time person? Either way, I think you'll be OK Sparky

 

[SocialistMD]

I agree; most med students/residents that I've talked to say that the MCAT was the worst test they had to take, including the boards.

I disagree. Maybe it was because I didn't know better when I took the MCAT, but I thought it was a lot easier and less stressful than Step 1.

 

[Sparky Man]

I heard from the Dean at Drexel that PBL and IFM (normal lecture-based) students perform similarly during rotations and on the boards, that was just at his school though, Im not sure about other schools......I think it just depends on how you like to study.......are you more of a person that learns talking about problems with other people, or more of a study on your own time person? Either way, I think you'll be OK Sparky

Hey, thanks Blue Scrub! I have always been better studying by myself, but I do like talking out problems once I have gone over it myself. I always learn something extra from someone else's interpretation. I think I'll like the flexibility PBL offers.

 

[automaton]

more doable means. there's a correlation to the amount u study to how well u do. like u can study ur ass off for the MCAT and still not break a 27. but the boards is more about knowledge and memorizing. if u ask this same question to MS3 and MS4's in the allo section, u'll get the same response.

where are you getting this information? lol

 

[automaton]

I agree; most med students/residents that I've talked to say that the MCAT was the worst test they had to take, including the boards.

let me be one of those that disagree very strongly

 

[Blade28]

I agree; most med students/residents that I've talked to say that the MCAT was the worst test they had to take, including the boards.

Sorry, can't agree with you there. I'd put the tests in this order (decreasing difficulty/anxiety):

Step 1 > Step 2 CK > MCAT > Step 2 CS

 

[Blue Scrub]

Hey, thanks Blue Scrub! I have always been better studying by myself, but I do like talking out problems once I have gone over it myself. I always learn something extra from someone else's interpretation. I think I'll like the flexibility PBL offers.

No prob Sparky! I study the same way...Good luck with everything!

 

[gujuDoc]

Sorry, can't agree with you there. I'd put the tests in this order (decreasing difficulty/anxiety):

Step 1 > Step 2 CK > MCAT > Step 2 CS

Hey Blade,

What does Step 2 CK mean, vs. Step 2 CS????? Just curious.


To the original person that said the MCAT is worse then USMLE, that is totally opposite of what I have heard about the Boards.

Actually, I've quite well heard from the former dean of admissions at USF med school, as well as from several med students over the years, that the Boards make the MCAT look like a piece of cake. Especially once you get into step 3. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there is also an oral part to the step 3 part of the Boards.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I think you want to post this on the allo board, not the pre-allo. No one applying to med school (hopefully) has even begun to start studying for boards.

please do NOT giving me something to worry about before i even start med school

 

[wiryMD]

more doable means. there's a correlation to the amount u study to how well u do. like u can study ur ass off for the MCAT and still not break a 27. but the boards is more about knowledge and memorizing. if u ask this same question to MS3 and MS4's in the allo section, u'll get the same response.

The MCAT was a joke compared to the Step1. A lot of people study there a** off and still barely break 200. I don't think I have ever studied for an exam so long in my life, and still felt entirely unprepard...but I passed, and life continues

 

[wiryMD]

Hey Blade,

What does Step 2 CK mean, vs. Step 2 CS????? Just curious.


To the original person that said the MCAT is worse then USMLE, that is totally opposite of what I have heard about the Boards.

Actually, I've quite well heard from the former dean of admissions at USF med school, as well as from several med students over the years, that the Boards make the MCAT look like a piece of cake. Especially once you get into step 3. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there is also an oral part to the step 3 part of the Boards.

Step 2CK is for Clinical Knowledge, the "paper" exam, Step 2 CS, is clinical skills, you do a set of standardized patient exams, write up soap notes, and the like.... not hard

 

[sunsweet]

thats weird, maybe the people I've talked to just felt that at least you can study for the boards whereas for the mcat, you can be very well prepared and still do bad. just what I've heard, can't really say anything from a personal standpoint yet!