Failed class and Step 1

[Girfaroo]

I went through a tough time during the fall (physically/emotionally/etc.) and ended up failing a block (not by much). The rest of the year has been going well, thankfully. Anyway, I'm worried on how I'm going to schedule all my studying after classes end. We get 8 weeks total to study/take Step 1, but 4.5 weeks into it, I now have a two-day exam that I need to pass to pass the block I failed. I'm taking Step 1 3 weeks after that (with only 4 days off before 3rd year starts...).

I'm also doing DIT, and I don't know how I'm going to fit everything in. I know studying for this block exam is also going to help me prepare for Step 1, but I'll be spending a disproportionate amount of time on it (not to mention that our class material is far more in-depth than what you need to know for Step 1). I'm sure I will pass this exam, but I don't want to do so at the expense of my performance on Step 1.

Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Or does anyone have any words of encouragement/advice?

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[dukejen04]

I went through a tough time during the fall (physically/emotionally/etc.) and ended up failing a block (not by much). The rest of the year has been going well, thankfully. Anyway, I'm worried on how I'm going to schedule all my studying after classes end. We get 8 weeks total to study/take Step 1, but 4.5 weeks into it, I now have a two-day exam that I need to pass to pass the block I failed. I'm taking Step 1 3 weeks after that (with only 4 days off before 3rd year starts...).

I'm also doing DIT, and I don't know how I'm going to fit everything in. I know studying for this block exam is also going to help me prepare for Step 1, but I'll be spending a disproportionate amount of time on it (not to mention that our class material is far more in-depth than what you need to know for Step 1). I'm sure I will pass this exam, but I don't want to do so at the expense of my performance on Step 1.

Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Or does anyone have any words of encouragement/advice?

What's on this block exam? If you're doing DIT (I just finished it, so I know how time consuming/draining it can be), skip ahead to the lectures that correlate, do 30-40 practice questions, and move on. At this point, you just need to pass your class/2nd year/whatever. Your big goal should be a decent score on the step. Don't get bogged down in unnecessary detail.

Based on experience- spending a day on the corresponding DIT lectures and a day on Pathoma, I was already well-above the mean with no extraordinary talent required. Figure out what's most important-in this case, not failing 2nd year- and doing decently on the Step. Make your study plan accordingly! It's doable!!!

 

[dukejen04]

And for the record- I definitely don't want to be discouraging!!! I've found that med school is totally a cost/benefit analysis, and there's nothing intellectually challening about it, it's all about learning the material. It's a volume/regurgitation thing, with a tiny amount of ability to integrate some relationships between things.

Try not to get too stressed about it, be logical about what REALLY matters, make a plan, and just do it. I promise, it is completely doable. Stress and lack of confidence is the biggest killer in these situations.

 

[Girfaroo]

What's on this block exam? If you're doing DIT (I just finished it, so I know how time consuming/draining it can be), skip ahead to the lectures that correlate, do 30-40 practice questions, and move on. At this point, you just need to pass your class/2nd year/whatever. Your big goal should be a decent score on the step. Don't get bogged down in unnecessary detail.

Based on experience- spending a day on the corresponding DIT lectures and a day on Pathoma, I was already well-above the mean with no extraordinary talent required. Figure out what's most important-in this case, not failing 2nd year- and doing decently on the Step. Make your study plan accordingly! It's doable!!!

It's micro and immuno, so definitely relevant Step 1 stuff. But I know that First Aid/any other Step 1 book has way less detail than I'll have to know for this exam.

My plan is to start my DIT video access a couple weeks before this exam and make sure I get all the immuno and micro lectures out of the way then. And hopefully I'll have enough time after this exam to watch the other videos and finish studying.

 

[DOMan79]

It's micro and immuno, so definitely relevant Step 1 stuff. But I know that First Aid/any other Step 1 book has way less detail than I'll have to know for this exam.

My plan is to start my DIT video access a couple weeks before this exam and make sure I get all the immuno and micro lectures out of the way then. And hopefully I'll have enough time after this exam to watch the other videos and finish studying.

clearly you need to worry about passing your block exams...if you fail, you'll repeat the year, I assume...and you won't even be sitting for the step 1...

 

[Girfaroo]

Just in case anyone is following this....

I met with my professor yesterday, who is amazing in helping students and is known to predict students' Step 1 scores, and learned 2 things:
1) Based on my Organ Systems grade, I should do pretty well on Step 1.
2) I shouldn't study for Step 1 until after this remedial exam, which means I'll be starting 3rd year late. I'm really bummed because no one bothered to tell me this before, and that this remedial exam is affecting my life beyond 2nd year. But if I get an awesome Step 1 score, I guess it will be worth it.

 

[shan564]

In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure a small delay in your 3rd-year start time will seem inconsequential. If I'd had the option to do that, I would have done it... instead, I'm taking time off during 4th year to study for Step 1 (I'm in Australia, so I didn't have to take it at the end of 2nd year).

 

[DOMan79]

In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure a small delay in your 3rd-year start time will seem inconsequential. If I'd had the option to do that, I would have done it... instead, I'm taking time off during 4th year to study for Step 1 (I'm in Australia, so I didn't have to take it at the end of 2nd year).

agreed..who cares about the delay...you'll still graduate on time...just less vacation time