Contemplating summer school before med school?

[Dr Frankenstein]

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I will be attending azcom for class of 2013 and I have been highly advised to take anatomy in college. I was thinking if whether it would be worth it to take anatomy during this upcoming summer. The disadvantage would be no summer break and I wouldn't go into med school as strong. But again It would help me during my course of anatomy at azcom since I have no previous knowledge of it yet. What do you guys think? I would appreciate the advice from current azcom or medical students. Thanks.

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

Take the summer off. Med school anatomy will teach you every thing you need to know.

 

[binko]

I will be attending azcom for class of 2013 and I have been highly advised to take anatomy in college. I was thinking if whether it would be worth it to take anatomy during this upcoming summer. The disadvantage would be no summer break and I wouldn't go into med school as strong. But again It would help me during my course of anatomy at azcom since I have no previous knowledge of it yet. What do you guys think? I would appreciate the advice from current azcom or medical students. Thanks.

What do you mean that you wouldn't go into med school as strong? You're thinking of taking it in the summer after you start med school but before you take med school anatomy, you mean?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Prepared to be hit with "don't even think about taking that class--take a trip, instead!!" x 15. Just a prediction. 😀

 

[binko]

I think it depends on how good you are with memorization. If you think it will come especially difficult to you when you take it in med school, do it in the summer. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

 

[Dr Frankenstein]

Ya i was really leaning towards taking the summer off but than I get people telling me how horrifying that class is when you havent had any previous knowledge of it. Just trying to make my first year of med school a manageable one. And I am pretty good with memorization, not a genius but I have good short term and long term memory.

 

[Gold 5]

Ya i was really leaning towards taking the summer off but than I get people telling me how horrifying that class is when you havent had any previous knowledge of it. Just trying to make my first year of med school a manageable one. And I am pretty good with memorization, not a genius but I have good short term and long term memory.

My .02 cents, it will probably be a waste. Med school anatomy covers primarily every nerve, muscle, bone and artery / vein in the body. I am not sure if a college level class will really cover this in the detail that would really help you. I would recommend a summer trip to some place nice and then once the semester starts, trying to memorize a little anatomy every day. As long as you don't try to cram it, Anatomy is a doable pain in the posterior.

 

[beckhunter116]

Did someone at AZCOM advise you to take it or just friends/family/ect?

I would probably just do some self-study over the summer, while on vacation. Best of both worlds. I've heard good things about the Netter anatomy cards and they have a version for Ipod also.

 

[Semicolon]

Don't even think about taking that class -- take a trip instead!!

 

[engineeredout]

If you post this in the Osteo forum you'll probably get 50,000 replies not to do it. Do a search, people have posted about taking anatomy/biochem/micro the summer before and gotten shut down.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I don't think taking anatomy is a bad idea. I don't know that it will help your grade in anatomy when you get to med school, but as someone who took a few years off between the last time I was a regular student, and the beginning of med school, I can tell you that there is something to be said for staying sharp.

So yeah, take the anatomy. Learn it as well as you can. Go far beyond the scope of the college course, get BRS gross anatomy, and see what you can accomplish.

It won't be the same, but I think this is not a bad idea.

Having said that, there is also something to be said for enjoying yourself this last summer before med school, and I would hardly hold it against you if you decided to spend it working out, going to the lake, drinking beer, and so-on.

Do whatever you want. I don't think that this is necessarily a bad idea at all though. Again, I don't necessarily affect your grade, but it may help your overall comfort level with the material.

I should add that it is unlikely that you currently posess the capability required to learn this material at the level necessary for med school. That is provided to you with the first lecture packet. You will not be able to force this yourself. It comes naturally with the challenge.

Do not convince yourself that you are studying ahead for anatomy. Think of it as more of a familiarization process. You cannot study ahead. Hell, I've taken exams in the morning and gotten an A, and I'm sure if I took the same exam the next day, I'd fail. Never mind trying to remember **** from months before.

 

[Hokie06]

not a bad idea at all, if I was you, I would look into taking summer anatomy at a medical school along with medical students there that are remediating it over the summer.

 

[scpod]

If there were some other kind of benefit, such as you needed one more class to get your degree, then I'd say go ahead and take it. But, it's a big waste of money, time and effort if you are only trying to get ahead for medical school. Why? Because you really can't get ahead. You will never understand this until you get there yourself. I don't expect you to even try to understand it. But, mark my words, you will likely be telling people next year what I am telling you today.

That said, I took Anatomy in undergrad and I'm glad I did... but I needed it to complete a Biology degree. I didn't have to pay any more for it, nor did I spend any vacation time on it. If not that class, I would have had to take something else. You won't get a chcne for this time off again for a while. With my time off before med school I worked as hard as I could to save up extra money. It paid off in many ways because I had to pay for a new apartment, moving expenses, deposits, thousands of dollars in books, new computer and a month's living expenses-- since you don't get financial aid money sometimes for a month after med school begins.

 

[Dr Frankenstein]

I think ima tall the advice and say screw it. Ill just enjoy my summer 🙂

 

[Hokie06]

weakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I think ima tall the advice and say screw it. Ill just enjoy my summer 🙂

If you enjoy the time, you'll thank yourself later. 😀

 

[EEL08]

I think ima tall the advice and say screw it. Ill just enjoy my summer 🙂

This is what I was going to suggest as well. I took anatomy after my bachelors but a few years before med school. First quarter one of the guys at my anatomy table hadn't taken anatomy but I can almost guarantee he did just fine in the class. Just in case you start questioning again whether or not you should take it, please for the love of all that is good and holy, just enjoy your summer!! 😀

 

[CardioPlus]

I think ima tall the advice and say screw it. Ill just enjoy my summer 🙂

👍

 

[fj4288]

I will be attending azcom for class of 2013 and I have been highly advised to take anatomy in college. I was thinking if whether it would be worth it to take anatomy during this upcoming summer. The disadvantage would be no summer break and I wouldn't go into med school as strong. But again It would help me during my course of anatomy at azcom since I have no previous knowledge of it yet. What do you guys think? I would appreciate the advice from current azcom or medical students. Thanks.

I'm in the EXACT SAME problem...I'm looking into taking anatomy this summer since I couldn't get into it this spring semester. The only reason I want to take it is a lot of hte current CCOM students say it is DAMN HARDif you haven't had any exposure to it at all..ugh..wth😱

 

[engineeredout]

I wish I could take something like anatomy this semester instead of the useless crap I need to graduate. ****ing sociology.

 

[ShyRem]

Don't even think about taking a class - take a trip instead!!!

as for anatomy being haaaaaaard: it's generally the first class, and therefore seems like a crapload of material until you figure out how to study the volume of material you are given. Get through your first year, and when you start your second year you'll wish you were back in anatomy 'cuz it'll look eaaaaaaaasy. And way less work. Then boards prep hits. And anatomy looks even easier and more like kindergarten.

Seriously, looking back, I see how easy anatomy was. I just didn't know how to study that much stuff back then.

 

[Bacchus]

I don't even know what "distal" means... but I'm not taking anatomy to find out. Enjoy the summer.

 

[DOquestions]

I will be attending azcom for class of 2013 and I have been highly advised to take anatomy in college. I was thinking if whether it would be worth it to take anatomy during this upcoming summer. The disadvantage would be no summer break and I wouldn't go into med school as strong. But again It would help me during my course of anatomy at azcom since I have no previous knowledge of it yet. What do you guys think? I would appreciate the advice from current azcom or medical students. Thanks.

Just my .02. Take the summer and get ready for medical school. Medical schools teach anatomy for a reason. Get ready mentally for medical school, not some general anatomy class.

 

[DOquestions]

I don't even know what "distal" means... but I'm not taking anatomy to find out. Enjoy the summer.

Dist ance

Dist al

he, he, he

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I don't even know what "distal" means... but I'm not taking anatomy to find out. Enjoy the summer.

You're in for some fun times in the near future, B. 😉

 

[engineeredout]

I don't even know what "distal" means... but I'm not taking anatomy to find out. Enjoy the summer.

Okay we can figure this out. Distal rhymes with crystal which rhymes with pistol which is spelled with six letters like "Norris", so distal must be a term relating to Chuck Norris' beard.

Med school, no problem 👍

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Okay we can figure this out. Distal rhymes with crystal which rhymes with pistol which is spelled with six letters like "Norris", so distal must be a term relating to Chuck Norris' beard.

And "distal" starts with a "D" like "dangerous." So it must mean the very tip of his beard, which is *obviously* the most dangerous part.

 

[Dr Frankenstein]

Actually the most dangerous part of his beard is the sides, he will give u 3rd degree burns if it rubs against ur skin. And so ive heard

 

[pyropig]

Let me put it this way, I just fielded your question to my 3 med student buddies Im studying with and they all laughed.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Let me put it this way, I just fielded your question to my 3 med student buddies Im studying with and they all laughed.

Maybe they're laughing to keep from crying out of regret for not taking summer anatomy. 😉

 

[engineeredout]

Seriously, looking back, I see how easy anatomy was. I just didn't know how to study that much stuff back then.

Share teh secrets!

 

[Dr Frankenstein]

The secret is you have to use study skills like chuck norris and use the chuck nurris flash cars available at www.chucknorris.com

 

[niranjan162]

I heard chuck norris's tears can cure cancer...too bad he never cries.

 

[nevinleiby]

I wish I could take something like anatomy this semester instead of the useless crap I need to graduate. ****ing sociology.

Psych 101, only b/c it was required by LECOM (even though I declined the school anyway). Chatting with the instructor today after getting a 90% on the last test. "Yeah, sorry I'm not doing as well as I normally would. I've been in college for...um...8 years? now and I'm looking at a lot more time....I'll drop off that report that was due two weeks ago later on this week."

I don't even know what "distal" means... but I'm not taking anatomy to find out. Enjoy the summer.

Anyone else just ticked after studying and working your arse off to get into med school that you don't even know the basics of medicine? My wife (2nd year nursing school) occasionally mentions things that she's learning, etc. I'm too busy trying to remember/figure out the chemistry behind the Na+/K+ ATPase that I don't have a chance to take a CPR course to save a persons life (its been years since I did cpr in scouting) or become proficient taking a BP. And that is only the TIP of a huge iceberg of my lack of knowledge.

"Someone! This guy is having a heart attack and needs CPR!"
Pre-med: "Sure! I'll be right back!"

 

[Semicolon]

Anyone else just ticked after studying and working your arse off to get into med school that you don't even know the basics of medicine? My wife (2nd year nursing school) occasionally mentions things that she's learning, etc. I'm too busy trying to remember/figure out the chemistry behind the Na+/K+ ATPase that I don't have a chance to take a CPR course to save a persons life (its been years since I did cpr in scouting) or become proficient taking a BP. And that is only the TIP of a huge iceberg of my lack of knowledge.

"Someone! This guy is having a heart attack and needs CPR!"
Pre-med: "Sure! I'll be right back!"

Haha, I know EXACTLY what you mean. My best friend is a nursing student and he continuously flaunts it by mentioning a whole slew of terminology that I haven't heard before. He tells me, "you don't know s**t until you go to med school". Unfortunately, he's right (but I tell him to enjoy it while he can ).

Even during residency, nurses seem to know more about what to do than new residents (but this is mainly due to nursing students being taught the logistics of medicine rather than the science behind it). Makes up a good team. 👍

However, to my credit, I am still certified in CPR/AED...until this coming June.

 

[nevinleiby]

However, to my credit, I am still certified in CPR/AED...until this coming June.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna slack more in Psych and re-cert this March =)

 

[Dr Frankenstein]

I heard chuck norris's tears can cure cancer...too bad he never cries.

Did u know if it can cure herpes simplex type I or type II? hmm

 

[engineeredout]

Psych 101, only b/c it was required by LECOM (even though I declined the school anyway). Chatting with the instructor today after getting a 90% on the last test. "Yeah, sorry I'm not doing as well as I normally would. I've been in college for...um...8 years? now and I'm looking at a lot more time....I'll drop off that report that was due two weeks ago later on this week."

Yeah! LECOM is the reason I'm taking sociology right now. Damn ambiguous behavioral science requirements

 

[Semicolon]

Being an anthro major makes short work of any behavioral science requirements. 😉