So, just a little fyi -- and yes, this actually happened at TCOM during one of our exam reviews in Neuro -- the policy was that any question that got less than a 70% pass was discussed in the exam review. A practicing, BC neurologist read the question -- it had to do with the different propagation properties of the various nerve fibers -- the neurologist looked up at the class, over at the course director who was a Ph.D, and then looks back at the class and stated, " This is a question written by a non-clinician who wants to test your ability to remember clinically useless minutiae. We don't use this or these terms as practicing clinicians". The course director then pipes up with, " I wrote that question.". They looked at each other for about 30 seconds and then proceeded with the rest of the exam review.
Ph.D's typically control 1st and 2nd year -- they have no clue what is clinically applicable but 1st and 2nd year isn't about being clinically useful. It's about building a base of knowledge so that you can successfully pass the boards -- and Ph.D's have to teach in order to maintain their labs which is what they like to do -- some have a chip on their shoulder and like to stick it to med students any chance they get since they generally know the topic with more depth than clinicians but society views a Ph.D differently than a D.O./M.D. and it makes some of them angry. Whatever.
So, key here -- figure out what's going to be on the boards and know that stuff well and in detail -- as I've stated elsewhere, get a copy of FA for Step 1 to use as a guide, take that thing down to Kinko's and get the cover removed. Have it 3 hole punched and put it in a binder -- annotate as needed and throw in notes/ppts over details you need to remember -- by the time you hit studying for step 1, you've got a personally made study guide for review that you created. I would pre-read the pertinent sections before starting each class to guide you as to what is important and at least know that well (i.e. medically well - be able to reproduce it from memory on a blank sheet of paper) and then work on the rest of it.
And don't forget -- most schools really don't care individually about students or how good of a doctor you'll make -- it's all about can you do well on the boards since that's how they get to put the blurbs in their recruiting information and hence get more/better applicants to choose from and hence stay employed...that may be a bit jaded/cynical but don't believe for a minute that it's not partially true -- so -- it's a hard balance to strike -- learn the material well by learning the material and NOT focusing on boards the first 2 years but then start your board focus during the last 6 months all the while focusing more on what you need for boards if that makes sense -- year 3 is where you really start to learn medicine....
️
.
