Boards

[MattSmith45]

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I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

First off, what year are you? Second, how are you studying?

 

[AlteredScale]

I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

End of 1st year during the summer you should probably spend time reviewing the material and spend time to prepare yourself for board prep through your second year. That means buying all the necessary board review books and Qbanks and sticking with some sort of schedule that allows you to compliment what you are learning in class to what you may see on boards.

 

[MattSmith45]

End of 1st year during the summer you should probably spend time reviewing the material and spend time to prepare yourself for board prep through your second year. That means buying all the necessary board review books and Qbanks and sticking with some sort of schedule that allows you to compliment what you are learning in class to what you may see on boards.

I'm a first year. Do you mean during the summer to start reviewing 2nd year material?

 

[Tri4thlete]

I'm a first year. Do you mean during the summer to start reviewing 2nd year material?

Review the material you went over in your first year, no need to look ahead. Make sure you have a solid foundation going into second year. You don't need to go CRAZY studying over the summer, but studying some of your weaker subjects will definitely help.

 

[DrUlnarParodox]

Honestly.... I'd probably accept the Army Health Professions scholarship. Will give you a good shot at specializing in an area that you wouldn't be competitive in other wise. Before people jump on me, I have nothing but respect for military medicine. I'm not saying it's less competitive, just saying one of their selling points at our school was that you can specialize easier.

 

[Mjolner]

Honestly.... I'd probably accept the Army Health Professions scholarship. Will give you a good shot at specializing in an area that you wouldn't be competitive in other wise. Before people jump on me, I have nothing but respect for military medicine. I'm not saying it's less competitive, just saying one of their selling points at our school was that you can specialize easier.

I've got so much respect for the military medicine folks.

 

[asdf123g]

Honestly.... I'd probably accept the Army Health Professions scholarship. Will give you a good shot at specializing in an area that you wouldn't be competitive in other wise. Before people jump on me, I have nothing but respect for military medicine. I'm not saying it's less competitive, just saying one of their selling points at our school was that you can specialize easier.

Never heard that one before...

 

[Jinxapotato]

I was told by second years that previewing pathology a bit in the Summer, and do board prep from the beginning of the 2nd year helps. If you haven't had it before you probably won't get all the pathology down in the Summer, but I was told that doing this will help you integrate things much better as you start learning pathology (high yield on board). Then again, I'm also a 1st year, just saying whatever I heard from the 2nd years.

 

[yanks26dmb]

forgive my ignorance....

when people say path is high yield...are they referring to being able to look at slides and understand or identify what's going on/what cells are involved OR understanding how a disease, etc. is causing its symptoms?

 

[Jinxapotato]

I THINK it's more about how disease work, pure histology seems to be gone by that point... please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Derivations]

As a second year, I wouldn't recommend that a first year should study pathology over the summer. That would be kind of a waste of time similar to how trying to learn anatomy before getting into medical school would have been a waste of time. There is just too much and you won't remember most of it.

But if I could go back to this past summer I would have spent more time reviewing biochem because at least at my school we do not cover that at all second year and I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to fit that into my very limited board prep time, because I've honestly forgotten most of it. Physiology as well, but you do get some physio review in path just due to the interconnected nature of the two classes (not much though). Get biochem and physio down pat and you'll be ready to hit the ground running 2nd year. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[racerwad]

Honestly.... I'd probably accept the Army Health Professions scholarship. Will give you a good shot at specializing in an area that you wouldn't be competitive in other wise. Before people jump on me, I have nothing but respect for military medicine. I'm not saying it's less competitive, just saying one of their selling points at our school was that you can specialize easier.

This is not necessarily true. The military has less positions in any given specialty overall. While there are also less mil match participants, the ratios can be more unfavorable than civilian, depending on the specialty. In addition, there is not an even distribution of programs in each branch; a given branch may not even have the specialty you may be interested in. Finally, opting out of the mil match and going civilian is not always an option - it varies by branch, specialty and needs (of the military, not you) who can apply for a waiver.

 

[DopaDO]

I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

Class rank means nothing. Rock Step, get some research under your belt, and get killer letters and you have a good shot if you are normal.

 

[scoKraz4]

Don't do anything for boards over the summer between ms1 and ms2. It won't be efficient so it will be a waste and you want to build momentum for the coming year of studying. If you really feel you need to do something then pick 1 or 2 topics from the previous year and relearn that really well.. but don't go crazy over it.

 

[docbsb2015]

What about for a school that already starts organ systems first year with path in them? Would you guys recommend revisiting those systems with something like pathoma over the summer?

 

[deleted564680]

You should read pathoma over and over on a bi-weekly basis, take 1000 qbank questions every two weeks, and make sure to squeeze in BRS physio and FA in a systems based approach. This will probably take you 8-10 hours/day and you should start now or you'll never get higher than an average score!!!

🙂

 

[docbsb2015]

You should read pathoma over and over on a bi-weekly basis, take 1000 qbank questions every two weeks, and make sure to squeeze in BRS physio and FA in a systems based approach. This will probably take you 8-10 hours/day and you should start now or you'll never get higher than an average score!!!

🙂

I was hoping you'd say that! Looks like I am already behind!! Btw.. cubs are makin moves

 

[Mjolner]

You should read pathoma over and over on a bi-weekly basis, take 1000 qbank questions every two weeks, and make sure to squeeze in BRS physio and FA in a systems based approach. This will probably take you 8-10 hours/day and you should start now or you'll never get higher than an average score!!!

🙂

This is way to passive of a plan. He's gonna be a fry cook if he hasn't memorized FA by MS0.

 

[docbsb2015]

So I take it you guys don't recommend brushing up with pathoma then? lol

 

[asdf123g]

You should read pathoma over and over on a bi-weekly basis, take 1000 qbank questions every two weeks, and make sure to squeeze in BRS physio and FA in a systems based approach. This will probably take you 8-10 hours/day and you should start now or you'll never get higher than an average score!!!

🙂

are you being sarcastic? Can't tell.

 

[Goro]

Do better in your classes? That's the strongest correlation to boards performance I seen with my students. There are no magic ways to the goal here; it's going to take grunt work.

I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

 

[apr27]

I am sitting at slightly above average in my class. How do I turn it around and do very well on the boards? I really don't think I can break into the top 20% class rank and I want to do a competitive speciality. I understand as a DO that's even more difficult...

-Don't worry about your class rank. Good chance it won't be brought up. During your clinical years, it's a different story.
-I wouldn't recommend going over anything over summer. I'm literally praying for a break right now. Take advantage of it. On one hand, I wished I went over the basic pathology chapters of pathoma.

Steps
-Develop a schedule. Stick to it. Master 3, maybe 4, sources. #UFAP
-Work hard.
-Get a 270.
-Match ortho.

Joking aside, first 2 points are essential and don't worry about everyone else's UWorld scores.

 

[HotLunch96]

-Don't worry about your class rank. Good chance it won't be brought up. During your clinical years, it's a different story.
-I wouldn't recommend going over anything over summer. I'm literally praying for a break right now. Take advantage of it. On one hand, I wished I went over the basic pathology chapters of pathoma.

Steps
-Develop a schedule. Stick to it. Master 3, maybe 4, sources. #UFAP
-Work hard.
-Get a 270.
-Match ortho.

Joking aside, first 2 points are essential and don't worry about everyone else's UWorld scores.

You forgot to include: Increase max benchpress

 

[MedicaMagus]

What about max deadlift?

 

[apr27]

If you don't lift, you can't do ortho. It will be brought up during your audition rotations.

 

[HotLunch96]

What about max deadlift?

Always skip leg day

 

[just_SAIYAN]

If you're real serious about ortho wear your weight lifting belt to class over your clothes... Always! Let ppl know what's up.

If you don't know what a weight lifting belt is you can forget about ortho.