Experience with MS1 after only completing required per-reqs in college?

[Delrey]

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Hey guys,

Just looking for some insight from current/past medical students. I'm an incoming first year and I'm already concerned about not being prepared enough once school begins this fall and have been thinking about going against the grain and prestudying this summer.

Despite graduating with a BS in Neuroscience (and a BA in a nonrelevant major), I never took anatomy, biochemistry, or genetics in college. Other than my upper level neuroscience courses, the only science courses I took in college were the prereqs. After speaking with a few people in my class and combing through our curriculum, I've begun to have a lot of concerns about being able to keep up with the material without having any prior background to difficult subjects like biochem or anatomy.

I know the golden rule on SDN is to not prestudy the summer before med school, but I'm not looking to have a head start over my classes but rather just keep my head above water. I don't think I would do anything too crazy in regards to prestudying. I'm still working at my clinical research job finishing up last minute papers but I think if I reduce my workload there a bit, I can start reviewing for school and still enjoy my summer. Basically, I'm interested in any stories from people in my shoes (ie entered with only taking prereqs) and whether or not prestudying has ever been beneficial (or if its actually really a waste of time). Thanks in advanced!

 

[loltopsy]

I'm trying to reduce my 'trolling to constructive post' ratio, and trolling these types of threads are too easy/obvious. On that note...

Most incoming M1s are in your position. Quite a lot didn't even major in science. Classes are taught as if you have zero background in them. Chill out.

Source: SDN troll and taken SMP with med students.

 

[notbobtrustme]

all your undergrad years can be summed here:

V=IR
Le Chatlier
some enzymes bull****

That's been my experience from the first year. If you have a good grasp of those three things, you are pretty much set in terms of prior knowledge.

 

[J ROD]

Everything you will need to know will be taught to you.

It might help to see have seen it before but not necessary.

Just be prepared to study and take on the material.

 

[Lefty Doodle]

I was worried about this too. Even up to a couple of months into M1 I was like "I should have taken this, I should have done the summer program instead of hiking." And yes, some parts of M1 were easier for some people because they had done the above. But I think the most important part of success is getting a study style the works for you.

I know people who are smarter than me and had way more science than me who failed at least one class during M1 because they weren't disciplined and consistent about studying. I freaked out at the beginning of M1, studied all the time and then gradually eased up, and I never struggled to pass.

Good luck! My first year of medical school was one of the most enjoyable years of my life!!

 

[VisionaryTics]

For the love of God, just make a damn sticky about this. It's only going to get worse as summer goes on.

You are not unique. Really. You aren't. You will do great if you go in refreshed and study hard.

 

[AlmostAnMD]

For the love of God, just make a damn sticky about this. It's only going to get worse as summer goes on.

You are not unique. Really. You aren't. You will do great if you go in refreshed and study hard.

BS comment about not being unique. The overwhelming majority of my peers had significant science in their background. While not necessarily "unique", that comment seems to imply a large # of people with absolutely no science over the bare minimum are in each class. At my own school (a fairly representative midwestern school) 85% had BS degrees, and the BA's (I personally know most of them) had a lot of science outside of the requirements (biochem, physio, micro).

I'm one of the very, very few people that literally took the bare minimum prereqs.And reading through your posts, you majored in neuro FFS! I majored in Japanese. Biochem sucked for me. Just taking O-chem really wasn't good preparation at all. Biochem and anatomy are the only classes I haven't honored so far (HP'd).

So I just rolled with it. Prestudying is a waste of time. You couldn't possibly prepare yourself anyway, just let it ride. Besides, you're way more prepared than I was, and I'm not the smartest guy around and I still manage somehow.

 

[Cali2]

There is very little basic science in medical school, and the bits you need to know, they will teach you. With a neuroscience background, you have all the skills you need to learn the effectively intro level genetics/biology/chemistry you'll be taught.

Think of it as a good thing that you didn't waste undergraduate course time on anatomy/genetics/other medical school subjects. That was your time to learn other things and you will get plenty of medicine in medical school.

 

[grt398]

all your undergrad years can be summed here:

V=IR
Le Chatlier
some enzymes bull****

That's been my experience from the first year. If you have a good grasp of those three things, you are pretty much set in terms of prior knowledge.

Listen to this poster. I took only the 4 prereqs, absolutely zero other science classes, and after the first block (think first few weeks of med school) that was taught to get us all on the same footing for basic science, it made zero difference.

 

[Vermicious Knid]

you'll be fine

 

[yehhhboiii]

great idea go for it op👍

 

[adenocard]

everyone will have high and low points in their understanding

 

[Anastomoses]

BS comment about not being unique. The overwhelming majority of my peers had significant science in their background. While not necessarily "unique", that comment seems to imply a large # of people with absolutely no science over the bare minimum are in each class. At my own school (a fairly representative midwestern school) 85% had BS degrees, and the BA's (I personally know most of them) had a lot of science outside of the requirements (biochem, physio, micro).

I'm one of the very, very few people that literally took the bare minimum prereqs.And reading through your posts, you majored in neuro FFS! I majored in Japanese. Biochem sucked for me. Just taking O-chem really wasn't good preparation at all. Biochem and anatomy are the only classes I haven't honored so far (HP'd).

So I just rolled with it. Prestudying is a waste of time. You couldn't possibly prepare yourself anyway, just let it ride. Besides, you're way more prepared than I was, and I'm not the smartest guy around and I still manage somehow.

I don't understand...what preparation does one need for biochemistry? It's like 3% chemistry, .002% Ochem and 97% memorizing the order of rxns/pathways...and the names of little enzymes.

 

[sonofva]

Hey guys,

Just looking for some insight from current/past medical students. I'm an incoming first year and I'm already concerned about not being prepared enough once school begins this fall and have been thinking about going against the grain and prestudying this summer.

Despite graduating with a BS in Neuroscience (and a BA in a nonrelevant major), I never took anatomy, biochemistry, or genetics in college. Other than my upper level neuroscience courses, the only science courses I took in college were the prereqs. After speaking with a few people in my class and combing through our curriculum, I've begun to have a lot of concerns about being able to keep up with the material without having any prior background to difficult subjects like biochem or anatomy.

I know the golden rule on SDN is to not prestudy the summer before med school, but I'm not looking to have a head start over my classes but rather just keep my head above water. I don't think I would do anything too crazy in regards to prestudying. I'm still working at my clinical research job finishing up last minute papers but I think if I reduce my workload there a bit, I can start reviewing for school and still enjoy my summer. Basically, I'm interested in any stories from people in my shoes (ie entered with only taking prereqs) and whether or not prestudying has ever been beneficial (or if its actually really a waste of time). Thanks in advanced!

dude i barely knew what all the names of the heart chambers were when i matriculated. i'm an m3 now...

 

[st0w]

Don't waste your time. Enjoy your summer. They'll teach you all you need to know. Also, there are a **** ton of threads about this already, it doesn't need to be posted again. You yourself even referred to the "golden rule" of not studying over the summer. What more do you expect to get from people by asking that same question here again?

 

[evilbooyaa]

BS comment about not being unique. The overwhelming majority of my peers had significant science in their background. While not necessarily "unique", that comment seems to imply a large # of people with absolutely no science over the bare minimum are in each class. At my own school (a fairly representative midwestern school) 85% had BS degrees, and the BA's (I personally know most of them) had a lot of science outside of the requirements (biochem, physio, micro).

I'm one of the very, very few people that literally took the bare minimum prereqs.And reading through your posts, you majored in neuro FFS! I majored in Japanese. Biochem sucked for me. Just taking O-chem really wasn't good preparation at all. Biochem and anatomy are the only classes I haven't honored so far (HP'd).

So I just rolled with it. Prestudying is a waste of time. You couldn't possibly prepare yourself anyway, just let it ride. Besides, you're way more prepared than I was, and I'm not the smartest guy around and I still manage somehow.

You. Are. Not. A. Unique. Snowflake.

Say it over and over and over again. A BS degree does not necessarily mean they have biological science exposure.

OP: Don't pre-study. Because you understand that you are talking about going against the grain, you seemed to have gotten some legit responses.

FULLY agree with VT. We need a sticky at the top. It doesn't need to have a lot text, just needs a title of "All INCOMING MS1s, read this before posting!". Inside it should just say "DO NOT PRE-STUDY" in the biggest font available on this forum.

 

[username456789]

Do not pre-study.

I was once in your shoes, a silly pre-med worried about keeping up with the science major kids. I only took the pre-reqs in college, and had been out of school for two years when I started med school. I never took a biochem or genetics course in undergrad.

I just hit the ground running. It's ok to build up an appropriate amount of apprehension (but you're going a bit overboard); use that to fuel your studying once medical school begins. Trust me, I read the posts of others before me who gave me this very same advice and for a while I scoffed at it, thinking I knew better. I definitely didn't, and I'm very very glad I did not waste my summer with that "pre-studying" garbage.

FWIW, since you asked for our "experience" during M1 . . . I honored every single class (and honored every single class during M2, crushed Step 1 and 2, honored most clinical rotations, and matched my #1 Dermatology residency).

And I didn't open a single book the entire summer leading up to M1.