Balancing studying/reviewing STEP 1 material over the summer with research

[CuriousMDStudent]

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Title sums it up. I'm in my summer between MS1 and MS2 and my summer is coming to an end in about a month. I'm doing research this summer but I've been finding it hard to study as well. I was wondering if people had tips/advice on how they stuck to a schedule while studying during the summer. Like did you guys use an app or make an excel document?

 

[SweetBurger]

Title sums it up. I'm in my summer between MS1 and MS2 and my summer is coming to an end in about a month. I'm doing research this summer but I've been finding it hard to study as well. I was wondering if people had tips/advice on how they stuck to a schedule while studying during the summer. Like did you guys use an app or make an excel document?

i do 6-8 hours research from 8am to whenever i end. Then i do question banks and go to the gym until its times to sleep (throw in some videogames too). Basically i dont have a schedule i just pick a topic and kind of dive in and try to pick up on things i didnt learn during m1. People might disagree but i think just doing anything and getting better at a topic is useful and will hopefully help for not dying during dedicated.

 

[Vyzzle]

Title sums it up. I'm in my summer between MS1 and MS2 and my summer is coming to an end in about a month. I'm doing research this summer but I've been finding it hard to study as well. I was wondering if people had tips/advice on how they stuck to a schedule while studying during the summer. Like did you guys use an app or make an excel document?

I worked full-time + had a research position + some tutoring during the M1/M2 summer (~60-65hrs/wk). So all I did was stay on top of Anki, still killed Step 1.

With Step 1 going P/F is there a particular reason you're stressing using this time during your break? Even before P/F, many folks did nothing over the summer and still killed step. Sounds like burnout will do more harm than the 'good' that'll come from extra studying.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Planning on tackling Step 1 in September since its pass fail. Did maybe 10 hours of research per week (retrospective chart reviews), lots of beach days. Headed to do Kilimanjaro tomorrow.

 

[Lucca]

Planning on tackling Step 1 in September since its pass fail. Did maybe 10 hours of research per week (retrospective chart reviews), lots of beach days. Headed to do Kilimanjaro tomorrow.

This is the most appropriate way to do M1 summer.

 

[operaman]

Even before p/f I don't think study during the M1 summer makes much of any difference. The only possible exception might be if you had some sort of life crisis that led to a major problem with a singular subject area and you need some additional in-depth work on it while you don't have the pressure of new material. If you turned in a relatively consistent performance during M1 then the time is better spent on research and relaxation.

I always like to point out that by the time you get to the end of your dedicated study time you will notice yourself forgetting things you reviewed at the beginning of your dedicated study time. How much will you really remember from the year before your dedicated time? Outside of plugging giant holes in your knowledge base I just don't see the utility in wasting precious free time on step review a year in advance.

 

[aldol16]

Anki