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[link2swim06]

I'm a 4th year med student at a US allopathic school and just finished my last clinical rotation last week. I was an average student in college (3.5 gpa), average MCAT (25, then retook and got a 29), and plan to match in emergency medicine in 3 weeks. I have followed this forum since the start of college and probably will retire from it when residency starts.


Ask me any question about pre-med, application process, or med school you want.

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[deleted407021]

Hey. Thanks for taking your time to help us out!

What was your most difficult or concerning challenge when preparing for medical school?
What kind of curriculum does your school follow and has it worked well for you?

 

[BasilDancingCheese]

Application process. What was the hardest thing to accomplish at the time.

 

[No Limits]

I'm a 4th year med student at a US allopathic school and just finished my last clinical rotation last week. I was an average student in college (3.5 gpa), average MCAT (25, then retook and got a 29), and plan to match in emergency medicine in 3 weeks. I have followed this forum since the start of college and probably will retire from it when residency starts.


Ask me any question about pre-med, application process, or med school you want.

Hey Link2swim06, thanks for doing this. Hope you do stick around and drop in from time to time during residency.

1.What are the biggest misconceptions about medical school in your opinion?

2. What do you think is the best part of medical school?

3. Why Emergency Medicine?

 

[link2swim06]

Hey. Thanks for taking your time to help us out!

What was your most difficult or concerning challenge when preparing for medical school?
What kind of curriculum does your school follow and has it worked well for you?

During pre-med the two hardest things for me were o-chem and the verbal section on the MCAT. The second half of o-chem I straight up BOMBED the first midterm, ended up dropping the class and getting a W. I retook it in the summer and got an A-. I was worried about the W going into med school interviews but was never asked about it once.

The first time I took the MCAT I think I got a 6 on the verbal. Ended up practicing verbal passages a ton, retook and got a 9. I have never been a big reader and I remember studying for the verbal section was a painful process. Like all things in life, if you want it, you will put in the required work.

My med school has a very traditional curriculum. M1/M2 year we just have the normal college length semesters with all the normal med school classes. Also they did occasional PBL sessions. I almost went to a school with an all PBL curriculum. I am VERY HAPPY I did not. PBL sounded really cool as a pre-med. However, it is kind of like the blind leading the blind. It is a very inefficient way to learn imo. 95% of people in my class studied on their own. This is the most efficient way to study because you go at our own pace and can focus on the material you haven't learned. The other 5% studied in small groups or with a partner with varying results.

 

[Ismet]

Any tips for Step 1? Did you find that your performance in M1/M2 correlated with your score?

 

[link2swim06]

Application process. What was the hardest thing to accomplish at the time.

A lot of my success was from following advice from people on SDN. I was able to get accepted to 2 MD and 3 DO schools the first time I applied. Numerically I was below average. However, from the start of college I read what ECs other people were doing and what adcoms were looking for. I started volunteering and doing research my freshman year of college. I got involved with the Red Cross and shadowed a few physicians. I chose ECs which seemed interesting to me. This made it easier to be enthusiastic, work hard, and move into more leadership roles. Also I made sure to take science classes that were easy As. I took a bunch of 300/500 level botany, ecology, and entomology classes which at my school were far easier than gen chem/o-chem. This increased my bcmp drastically.

The hardest thing was probably the MCAT. My first practice test was a 18. I had no idea how I was going to get it up to a 30. I remember getting my first MCAT score back (25) and I was very disappointed. At the end of the day I spent a ton of time and figured out how to improve.

 

[link2swim06]

Hey Link2swim06, thanks for doing this. Hope you do stick around and drop in from time to time during residency.

1.What are the biggest misconceptions about medical school in your opinion?

2. What do you think is the best part of medical school?

3. Why Emergency Medicine?

1. Imo people think med school will be a terrible experience and they will have zero free time. The first couple of months are really hard because you are just starting to figure out how to learn a metric ton of information. However, eventually you will become more efficient, learn how to manage your time and you will have enough free time to do a few things outside of school.

2. The best part of med school will be when you find a clinical rotation that fits your personality and interest. It is when you can finally say "I want to be a <insert specialty> physician." I really enjoyed my EM rotations and would often stay a few hours late to just see a cool procedure or patient.

3. I like EM because it focuses on acute problems. Managing high blood pressure over 20 years never interested me. It is one of the few specialties where you can have the CEO of a big company in the room next to a homeless person next to a psych patient next to a pregnant lady. You literally see and treat anything that comes through the door.

 

[link2swim06]

Any tips for Step 1? Did you find that your performance in M1/M2 correlated with your score?

The only advice is to find a study strategy that works for you. For most people I think that involves doing tons of questions AND carefully taking notes on the responses.

I did poorly on step 1 (199) however I changed my study methods and end up with a better step 2 (253). M1/M2 grade-wise I was a little below average compared to my class.

I went into step 1 reading first aid and pathoma. I did about 1200 uworld questions without really reading the explanations. In retrospect I spent WAY too much time on memorizing rather than learning first aid. I should have focused on uworld and taking notes from uworld explanations. This would have taught the first aid content in a functional/useful way.

For step 2 I did uworld twice, read EVERY explanation, and took massive amounts of notes (700 pages single spaced typed). This is what increased my score.

 

[link2swim06]

Just to put things in perspective, are you an under-represented minority? Thanks

Nope white-male from middle class background. I grew up and went to undergrad in the midwest and ended up in med school in the south (by choice, could have stayed in the midwest).

 

[deleted407021]

Thanks @link2swim06 It sounds like you were quite the underdog. Congratulations on your successes and I wish you the best in the match!

 

[Lya]

The only advice is to find a study strategy that works for you. For most people I think that involves doing tons of questions AND carefully taking notes on the responses.

I did poorly on step 1 (199) however I changed my study methods and end up with a better step 2 (253). M1/M2 grade-wise I was a little below average compared to my class.

I went into step 1 reading first aid and pathoma. I did about 1200 uworld questions without really reading the explanations. In retrospect I spent WAY too much time on memorizing rather than learning first aid. I should have focused on uworld and taking notes from uworld explanations. This would have taught the first aid content in a functional/useful way.

For step 2 I did uworld twice, read EVERY explanation, and took massive amounts of notes (700 pages single spaced typed). This is what increased my score.

If you can go back to your first year, what would you have done differently?

How would you set up your step 1 studying schedule differently? For example, you said you would have spent more time on uworld. Generally speaking, would you have switched from FA to uworld 2-3 months prior to the test date, so that you have more ample time to learn from uworld? (For MCAT, we generally say that we should have 2-3 months of content review followed by at least 1 month prior to the test date solely for completing full lengths and practice questions. I was just curious and want to get a sense of the study schedule for step 1.)

 

[Psai]

FA is an outline of the facts you need to know without much explanation. You memorize these facts to have the foundation to build your knowledge base. UWorld is a question bank that teaches you to integrate and apply that knowledge. You need both, there's no switching from one resource to the other. You don't really need to worry about Step 1 as an M1 and definitely not as a premed.

 

[can12]

Hi, I am new to MCAT. I recently decided to go for medical school. Can u suggest me good books for MCAT practice??

 

[link2swim06]

If you can go back to your first year, what would you have done differently?

How would you set up your step 1 studying schedule differently? For example, you said you would have spent more time on uworld. Generally speaking, would you have switched from FA to uworld 2-3 months prior to the test date, so that you have more ample time to learn from uworld? (For MCAT, we generally say that we should have 2-3 months of content review followed by at least 1 month prior to the test date solely for completing full lengths and practice questions. I was just curious and want to get a sense of the study schedule for step 1.)

I wouldn't do anything different M1 year. Those subjects are poorly represented on step 1 except physiology. Just learn how to study hard and effective for YOU. The people who get good grades M2 year typically get good step 1 scores.



I would have probably done Kaplan qbank from Jan-April of M2 year (just a few questions a day). Then uworld from the end of M2 to step 1. I wouldn't divide content study time and question study time. Always do them together. I would read EVERY explanation (regardless if I got it right or wrong) and write anything I didn't know from uworld in the first aid chapter. Most of the time you will always learn something from the wrong answer explanations or main explanation. Also always do timed blocks.

I am not saying ever to stop using first aid. It's an awesome outline. I'm just saying don't try to 'memorize' it or use it by itself. Your highest yield learning will come from thinking through the practice questions, understanding the responses and then integrating that knowledge into your outline (possibly first aid or maybe you will create your own). By doing this you will have a far superior functional knowledge.

Again this is what works for ME. Some people probably do better by literally reading first aid. But personally I think uworld explanations are underrated and underused. They contain comprehensive content and reasoning.

Best of luck.

 

[RueTay]

How many EM interviews did you get? Did you apply for a backup in case EM doesn't work out? Best of luck in the match!

 

[link2swim06]

How many EM interviews did you get? Did you apply for a backup in case EM doesn't work out? Best of luck in the match!

Thanks!

I applied to a ton of programs.
Got 22 interviews.
Went on 16, ranked them all.

Originally I applied to internal med as a backup but never ended up going on any interviews.

Hoping to match in my top 3 but I'll be happy to match anywhere.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

I'm in the midst of formulating my list. How did you do yours? How can you tell the schools apart other than by whether their average stats line with mine? Were there any "must haves" you included in your list? You said you "could have stayed in the mid-west, but ended up in the south". Can you explain what made the difference for you? What's a PBL curriculum? (problem based learning?) and how come you decided that wouldn't be as good for you vs traditional?

 

[alpinism]

Thanks!

I applied to a ton of programs.
Got 22 interviews.
Went on 16, ranked them all.

Originally I applied to internal med as a backup but never ended up going on any interviews.

Hoping to match in my top 3 but I'll be happy to match anywhere.

Nice. Congrats!

 

[NervousNerd]

I'm a 4th year med student at a US allopathic school and just finished my last clinical rotation last week. I was an average student in college (3.5 gpa), average MCAT (25, then retook and got a 29), and plan to match in emergency medicine in 3 weeks. I have followed this forum since the start of college and probably will retire from it when residency starts.


Ask me any question about pre-med, application process, or med school you want.

Seeing your success gives me a shot in my arm; thank god.

Applying with same MCAT, breakdown, EC's from what you've stated, and slightly higher GPA's. I've been told I'd be luck to even have my folder opened but you give me hope!

Good luck with match day, hope you get your number 1!

 

[T3ckFr3s]

How is your (or perhaps your friends' or classmates') experience with med school waiting lists? Are they a good or bad place to be? Any tips on those on wait lists? Thanks!

 

[link2swim06]

I'm in the midst of formulating my list. How did you do yours? How can you tell the schools apart other than by whether their average stats line with mine? Were there any "must haves" you included in your list? You said you "could have stayed in the mid-west, but ended up in the south". Can you explain what made the difference for you? What's a PBL curriculum? (problem based learning?) and how come you decided that wouldn't be as good for you vs traditional?

First, I would apply to every school in your home state. Most schools give preference to residents (especially state funded schools). If you have strong ties to any additional states, I'd apply all those schools too. I had strong ties in my family to a specific state in the south...this is how I ended up there, despite not being a resident.

Beyond that you should be able to go on their website and learn a good deal about each school (i.e. curriculum, cost, etc.). I applied to a handful of other schools which I thought were within 1 standard deviation of my scores and were in my area of the country.

PBL is problem based learning. It sounds awesome in theory but is very inefficient. I ended up picking my med school more for location and just happened to end up in a traditional curriculum. The problem with PBL is that you try to spend a ton of time to learn a small amount of info. Other schools may run better PBL sessions....but the few our school had were like the blind leading the blind.

Finally, I picked up a few DO schools from the start as a backup. They focus more on ECs and slightly less on numbers. I had plenty of quality ECs and below average numbers. I didn't want to have to apply again and in retrospect it was awesome having an acceptance by Halloween (I didn't get my MD acceptances till May). Every year you have to reapply you will delay your career and lose earning potential.

 

[link2swim06]

Seeing your success gives me a shot in my arm; thank god.

Applying with same MCAT, breakdown, EC's from what you've stated, and slightly higher GPA's. I've been told I'd be luck to even have my folder opened but you give me hope!

Good luck with match day, hope you get your number 1!

I'd highly recommend applying the first day the application is available. Finish your secondaries quickly. Apply to at least 5 DO schools.

Note that your chance at getting into a MD school is highly dependent on your home state. If I was from California I probably never would have even received an interview.

I think I was ultimately successful because I did a lot of ECs and put a ton of hours in over 3 years. Also I applied early and broad. And finally I tried to protect my bcmp gpa with easier courses.

Best of luck!

 

[link2swim06]

How is your (or perhaps your friends' or classmates') experience with med school waiting lists? Are they a good or bad place to be? Any tips on those on wait lists? Thanks!

The magic date for waiting lists is May 15th (unless they changed the date). This is when everyone can only hold one acceptance. Five of my good friends, including myself, got accepted to the school I attend a few days after May 15th.

It might move a little between now and then....but a lot of people....including myself held onto all my acceptances until the beginning of May.

Also of course you have to be towards the front of the list to get a spot.

 

[acslater99]

During your college/medical school years, was there a time where you thought to yourself "What have I gotten myself into?" as if you were not motivated to become a doctor anymore? If so, how did you overcome that situation and was there anything that happened to change your mind and continue your training to become a physician? Thanks.

 

[link2swim06]

During your college/medical school years, was there a time where you thought to yourself "What have I gotten myself into?" as if you were not motivated to become a doctor anymore? If so, how did you overcome that situation and was there anything that happened to change your mind and continue your training to become a physician? Thanks.

Yep...there has been plenty of highs and lows along the way.

There are numerous times I almost failed on this road. O-chem was the first experience...I had to drop the class mid-way through because I bombed the midterm. However, when I retook it I spent 10X more time on the class and succeed. The same story repeats with my MCAT, my step 1 score, etc...

I know it is cliched, but there is a lot of truth in getting back on horse and trying it again.

Exercise is a good way to clear your head. Do something fun once in awhile. Regroup and focus on the next step.