Balancing Step 1 prep with clinical rotations, shelf exams, level/step 2 etc

[Sthpawslugger]

I'm an incoming OMS-III having taken comlex level 1 but postponed Step 1 to a later date, likely by end of February. For those who have taken Step 1 during 3rd year, how did you manage to juggle prep for that exam as well as your 3rd year responsibilities(shelf, succeeding on rotations, prepping for level and step 2, etc? What was your average day- to-day study schedule like? Fwiw, this fall my rotations are in this order: OBGYN, Geriatrics, Psych, Internal Med 1 and 2. An added bonus: I'm married with our first child on the way in 2 months.

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[Alkain]

how did you manage to juggle prep for that exam as well as your 3rd year responsibilities(shelf, succeeding on rotations, prepping for level and step 2, etc?

Anki.

Do you have the option of taking an elective rotation for research?

 

[IntheClouds4ever]

I'm an incoming OMS-III having taken comlex level 1 but postponed Step 1 to a later date, likely by end of February. For those who have taken Step 1 during 3rd year, how did you manage to juggle prep for that exam as well as your 3rd year responsibilities(shelf, succeeding on rotations, prepping for level and step 2, etc? What was your average day- to-day study schedule like? Fwiw, this fall my rotations are in this order: OBGYN, Geriatrics, Psych, Internal Med 1 and 2. An added bonus: I'm married with our first child on the way in 2 months.

Had my kid during the first half of third year. Do you really need step 1 for application (do you plan on doing primary care?) I don’t mean this in a condescending way at all. Studying for clinic, comats, and level 2 with a newborn can be a bit much, at times, much less Step 1. It’s doable to study for step but it’s going to put a big strain on time with your new family. My kiddo is 9 months old and I’m still up 1-2x per night and she’s bright eyed by 7am everyday. Make sure to schedule some time to give your wife some much needed sleep and r&r..

 

[Sthpawslugger]

Anki.

Do you have the option of taking an elective rotation for research?

I do.

 

[Alkain]

I do.

Then I would take that elective rotation for research and take it as your "dedicated".
Intheclouds brings up a good point though. What are you trying to match into?

 

[Sthpawslugger]

Then I would take that elective rotation for research and take it as your "dedicated".
Intheclouds brings up a good point though. What are you trying to match into?

I only have one elective during 3rd yr (January) and since my rotation site doesn't have a residency program, I have to spend thst month at a program with one. So, I had already arranged to do it with ortho (my desired specialty) at hospital affiliated with my school. The rest of my schedule looks like this: February-Primary care/hospital(something new...no idea what it means, but I've known the preceptor a few years so maybe he will cut me some slack to prep for step 1), March-Family Med, April-Gen Surg, May-Peds.

 

[Sthpawslugger]

Had my kid during the first half of third year. Do you really need step 1 for application (do you plan on doing primary care?) I don’t mean this in a condescending way at all. Studying for clinic, comats, and level 2 with a newborn can be a bit much, at times, much less Step 1. It’s doable to study for step but it’s going to put a big strain on time with your new family. My kiddo is 9 months old and I’m still up 1-2x per night and she’s bright eyed by 7am everyday. Make sure to schedule some time to give your wife some much needed sleep and r&r..

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've made a decision to take off one day per week once our daughter is born. My wife deserves it as much as she's sacrificed to marry me and uproot her life in support of my pursuit of medicine. It would be a big help to her to give her personal time and to keep her feeling confident that I'm not going to slack on being a husband or father .

As far as specialties go, I am wanting to do ortho to I definitely need Step 1.

 

[phagocytosis41]

I'm an incoming OMS-III having taken comlex level 1 but postponed Step 1 to a later date, likely by end of February. For those who have taken Step 1 during 3rd year, how did you manage to juggle prep for that exam as well as your 3rd year responsibilities(shelf, succeeding on rotations, prepping for level and step 2, etc? What was your average day- to-day study schedule like? Fwiw, this fall my rotations are in this order: OBGYN, Geriatrics, Psych, Internal Med 1 and 2. An added bonus: I'm married with our first child on the way in 2 months.

it was murder or at least close to it (I'm of course being sarcastic). Very very difficult as I also had trouble adjusting to presenting patients during my rotations.
Studying for the IM, OB, Peds shelves while waking up 5-6 am, performing in the rotations, and studying 4-5 hrs for step 1 and the shelves and doing 40Q UWORLD/day was not fun. Luckily it really payed off as the shelf prep really helped me for pathology for Step 1. I actually am doing way better in my step 1 prep.
Also I have now until end of Jan since I adjusted my schedule to study for step 1.
It was terrible and very hard, but now is the easier part and everything I did helped.