Best "How to excel in medical school...type books and why?

[8675309]

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Please post what you think are the best guides to medical school or how to do well in medical school books and why
Thank you

 

[8675309]

Hasn't anyone used one of these "Guides for medical school" or something texts before or are they that bad?

 

[kimberlicox]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by 8675309:
Hasn't anyone used one of these "Guides for medical school" or something texts before or are they that bad?•

yep...I bought a couple, and got a free one from a drug rep, but frankly never used them.

You don't need the advice they offer. It boils down to:

1) study and study consistently
2) get some exercise so you don't become a blob by 4th year (like I did)
3) don't argue with the faculty; they may be wrong but you're just making things harder for yourself. Choose your battles wisely.
4) buy Step 1 books first year so you know what to focus on
5) ask upper level students for advice on rotations
6) do an away rotation during your 4th year, if only for the fun of it
7) don't scrimp and save on loan monies just to have less debt load if it makes you miserable, malnourished and book light
8)don't assume that you are the "chosen one" just because you're doing medicine. Your patient's jobs and lives are just as important.
9) read and read consistently - even durign 3rd and 4th years
10) have extra scrubs, socks and underwear in your locker so you can feel fresh at all hours

Just some thoughts off of the top of my head.

 

[lilycat]

Thanks for the advice. The last especially -- makes me feel better about all the scrubs I'm stockpiling.

 

[kris]

Two things 8675309,

First, today you made me forget my pin for my bank card. All I have going through my head is that stupid song. What's worse is that I don't even know any of the other words to it. I'm totally serious. I had to wait about an hour before I could think of the pin and get some cash. Sure, it could be that I finished my last final this morning, but I really just blame you!

Second, I searched around one of the links here, the link to recommended books (hint hint), and I ordered one called, can you believe it, "How to Excel in Medical School." It has suggestions for studying each of the different subjects, and I decided to try a couple new things for my virology final. There really isn't much in there that you probably don't already do, but, I did find that explicitly describing certain study skills helped. It's like language. You may use it/do it just fine, even if you don't explicitly know the rules you're applying.

I also found helpful the way it made me explicitly think about the goals achieved during certain kinds of studying. And, I had some revelations about what kinds of things *really* work for me, and only because the book got me thinking hard about it. For example, I learn viral replication processes much better by diagrams, not written steps. When I think about that virus, I pull up the whole diagram in my head, and it's all right there. So I quit studying replication step-wise.

Well, it's a pretty short, easy book, and that's what it's done for me so far.

--Kris

 

[MD-bound]

Hey Kimberlicox,

I thought your advice was right on!!! You pretty much summed up the top 10 things to do for success in med school--arguing with faculty--no winning there, even if you are right. I am still applying, but my experience in grad school with medical students and medical faculty pretty much attest to what you said--by the way another good posting!!!

 

[kimberlicox]

Thanks MDBound. I've thought of some others:

1)always have lollipops and/or a toy in your pocket when doing Paeds
2)when doing Paeds the parents are the patient as well
3)when doing a surgical rotation, have bandage scissors, and bandage supplies handy
4)always carry some extra strength pain reliever; those headaches will crop up often
5)a used book in a subject you aren't very interested in (and will probably get rid of) reads just as good, for a fraction of the price
6) however, its worth having some nice books on the shelves - even if they are just for "looks"
7)ask if you are allowed to wear scrubs outside the OR. Its great if you are, but some faculty don't like it. You wanna make a good impression.
8) have more than 1 lab coat - they get so dirty, so fast. Its nice to have a clean one hanging in the closet when you don't have time to wash the grunge away.
9)always carry alcohol wipes and clean your stethoscope and any other equipment every time you use them. You don't wanna be responsible for transferring little germies now do you?
10) when faced with a deadline/exam and tons of unread material, ask yourself "what is most clinically relevant" and study that
11)get old exams and study them
12)do lots of MCQs for the USMLEs
13)thank everyone as much as you can - the nurses, the PAs, your residents and attendings and your classmates. It is appreciated and your mother would be proud.
14)don't let the attending see you lean against the wall during rounds, even if you've been up for 16 hours and he seems to be going for the world's longest rounding session


Maybe I'll think of some more later!

 

[AcademicTerror]

I know this thread has been dead for nearly 10 yrs but Kimberlicox thank you for advice where ever you are

 

[Winged Scapula]

I know this thread has been dead for nearly 10 yrs but Kimberlicox thank you for advice where ever you are

I'll let her know. 😉