First week of med school reflection

[bigindian4891]

Are they integrated? Our exams are integrated, so we have 3 exams in one sitting! Right now it's Histology, Physiology, and Biochemistry Integrated, with a separate Anatomy exam/practical. *Shivers*

Oh man... I think our second year curriculum is integrated, that's a lot for first year! But its definitely good training for integrating topics and getting used to the workload.

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[YayPudding]

Feeling really good post exam. I'd be happy to share what was useful for me if anyone is interested.

 

[poloboy]

Feeling really good post exam. I'd be happy to share what was useful for me if anyone is interested.

How do/would you study for OMM?

 

[YayPudding]

How do/would you study for OMM?

Videos from the OMM Atlas. Drs. Nicholas make all the videos and basically run through every lab and material we should know!

 

[getfat]

Finally took my first real test. Barely passed. It slowly setting in that I'm probably going to bust my but to be a c average student

 

[deleted244469]

Finally took my first real test. Barely passed. It slowly setting in that I'm probably going to bust my but to be a c average student

7-0 = DO

 

[IslandStyle808]

Finally took my first real test. Barely passed. It slowly setting in that I'm probably going to bust my but to be a c average student

Its your first exam, you can't tell anything from that. I knew one classmate that had a C in the first block, but is now one of the top scorers in my school.

 

[wubalubadubdub]

Almost done with this block and I'm in a super interesting predicament.

Just to pass, I need like less than 50% on the next couple of exams (for biochem, I only need 9/53 on the next exam to get a C in the class).

I'm honestly debating just taking it easy these next couple of weeks and lightly listening to lectures.

After all, grades don't matter to someone who isn't going for anything competitive right? Thoughts?

 

[MADD!!!]

Almost done with this block and I'm in a super interesting predicament.

Just to pass, I need like less than 50% on the next couple of exams (for biochem, I only need 9/53 on the next exam to get a C in the class).

I'm honestly debating just taking it easy these next couple of weeks and lightly listening to lectures.

After all, grades don't matter to someone who isn't going for anything competitive right? Thoughts?

Always do your best. When second year rolls around, your med school GPA will be your best indicator of how well you do on boards. Now obviously this is just an indication and not transparent, but the confidence factor is always huge in med school I think.

 

[68PGunner]

Always do your best. When second year rolls around, your med school GPA will be your best indicator of how well you do on boards. Now obviously this is just an indication and not transparent, but the confidence factor is always huge in med school I think.

Typical bs propaganda from school admin. Your Step score is based on how many Qbank questions you have done throughout second year. My school stresses the same bs but when they pull up a list of top ten board scores in the school, 6-7 of the people are in the second quartile, 1-2 of the people people are in the first quartile, and 1 of them is in the third quartile. My point is that you're in a good spot if you're hovering around the average to above average spot.

 

[poloboy]

Typical bs propaganda from school admin. Your Step score is based on how many Qbank questions you have done throughout second year. My school stresses the same bs but when they pull up a list of top ten board scores in the school, 6-7 of the people are in the second quartile, 1-2 of the people people are in the first quartile, and 1 of them is in the third quartile. My point is that you're in a good spot if you're hovering around the average to above average spot.

But doesn't hurt to be in that first quartile if you can! #gunnerlyfe

 

[68PGunner]

But doesn't hurt to be in that first quartile if you can! #gunnerlyfe

Not if it stops you from a sick Step 1 score vs an average Step 1 score. A lot of top 10% from my school scores below average on Step 1. Time is a limited resource. Therefore, you must prioritize it. I'm not going to spend an extra 2-3 hrs remembering some bs that I will never need to know and aren't tested on Step in order to get that extra 8-10% increase for in-house exams.

If those minutiae are tested on Kaplan and USMLERX Qbanks, I will definitely study them and know those stuff by heart. But, there're a lot of bs in your lectures. It's hard right know to filter out the bs because you're still early in the game in your first year. However, there will come a point when you realize the # of hours you need to study to get certain grade and then spend the rest of your time in Qbank quests.

Nobody is going to give a crap about your 1st quartile or top 10% preclinical grade if you score below average on that Step 1. The name of the game is to focus on your limited resources like time on stuff that actually matter for the end game. If you're beasting on your exams like 95+%, you can titrate it down and give yourself an extra 3-4 hrs a day doing board quests for Step 1 or research.

 

[poloboy]

Not if it stops you from a sick Step 1 score vs an average Step 1 score. A lot of top 10% from my school scores below average on Step 1. Time is a limited resource. Therefore, you must prioritize it. I'm not going to spend an extra 2-3 hrs remembering some bs that I will never need to know and aren't tested on Step in order to get that extra 8-10% increase for in-house exams.

If those minutiae are tested on Kaplan and USMLERX Qbanks, I will definitely study them and know those stuff by heart. But, there're a lot of bs in your lectures. It's hard right know to filter out the bs because you're still early in the game in your first year. However, there will come a point when you realize the # of hours you need to study to get certain grade and then spend the rest of your time in Qbank quests.

Nobody is going to give a crap about your 1st quartile or top 10% preclinical grade if you score below average on that Step 1. The name of the game is to focus on your limited resources like time on stuff that actually matter for the end game. If you're beasting on your exams like 95+%, you can titrate it down and give yourself an extra 3-4 hrs a day doing board quests for Step 1 or research.

Totally agree. But you're assuming that those who score in the first quartile don't take as much time out to study for boards.

 

[68PGunner]

Totally agree. But you're assuming that those who score in the first quartile don't take as much time out to study for boards.

Honestly, this depends on your class curriculum. If your curriculum is from RVU, KCU, and TCOM, then I would make class materials priority #1 bc doing well in class translates to doing well on boards. However, if your class curriculum is archaic and outdated in which there's a lot of useless crap being taught and not enough important stuff being emphasized, I would make board prep materials priority #1.

So, the question then becomes how do you know if your class curriculum is geared toward board prep materials. It's easy. Your school average Step 1 will tell the tale. If your school refuses to release Step 1 scores, you should just assume that it's an embarrassing number.

 

[wubalubadubdub]

Honestly, this depends on your class curriculum. If your curriculum is from RVU, KCU, and TCOM, then I would make class materials priority #1 bc doing well in class translates to doing well on boards. However, if your class curriculum is archaic and outdated in which there's a lot of useless crap being taught and not enough important stuff being emphasized, I would make board prep materials priority #1.

So, the question then becomes how do you know if your class curriculum is geared toward board prep materials. It's easy. Your school average Step 1 will tell the tale. If your school refuses to release Step 1 scores, you should just assume that it's an embarrassing number.

I would say 80% of my class material is Step 1 material

Our first anatomy exam tomorrow is on 900+ slides.

And then we have our lab practical in the afternoon.


Oh Joy.

Yeesh! Glad we have non-cumulative exams every couple of weeks.

 

[wubalubadubdub]

Very Jealous. With the exception of Anatomy, all of our exams are integrated Physio/Biochem/Histo for this semester.

Don't feel too bad, the trade off is that we have mandatory attendance.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Our first anatomy exam tomorrow is on 900+ slides.

And then we have our lab practical in the afternoon.


Oh Joy.

Well I was going to make a post but then I remembered I need to go study some more.....

In all seriousnes I'm actually so glad that I've seen most of this early material before, I'm starting to think that it helps more than SDN likes to tout. I feel for my friends who only came into medical school with the basic pre-reqs because they are drowning (well everyone is but some are worse than others).

 

[SurgDoc95]

Well I was going to make a post but then I remembered I need to go study some more.....

In all seriousnes I'm actually so glad that I've seen most of this early material before, I'm starting to think that it helps more than SDN likes to tout. I feel for my friends who only came into medical school with the basic pre-reqs because they are drowning (well everyone is but some are worse than others).

This X10000000000

My classmates who've never taken immuno have been killing them selves this whole block and it's been much easier for me since I took it last year. The minutiae I have to learn but not the big picture items which saves me a ton of time

 

[wubalubadubdub]

Well I was going to make a post but then I remembered I need to go study some more.....

In all seriousnes I'm actually so glad that I've seen most of this early material before, I'm starting to think that it helps more than SDN likes to tout. I feel for my friends who only came into medical school with the basic pre-reqs because they are drowning (well everyone is but some are worse than others).

Yeah, a lot of the high grades in the class are the MSBS students who have seen this stuff before.

That being said, I think it's best to find out how you learn first year so you can handle second year. Everything balances out second year (at least what I've been told.)

 

[68PGunner]

Yeah, a lot of the high grades in the class are the MSBS students who have seen this stuff before.

That being said, I think it's best to find out how you learn first year so you can handle second year. Everything balances out second year (at least what I've been told.)

I absolutely agree with this. Use first year as a trial and error in order to hone your studying habits and routine. In your second year, you need to keep up with class materials while still studying for Step 1.

 

[Scrubs101]

Well I was going to make a post but then I remembered I need to go study some more.....

In all seriousnes I'm actually so glad that I've seen most of this early material before, I'm starting to think that it helps more than SDN likes to tout. I feel for my friends who only came into medical school with the basic pre-reqs because they are drowning (well everyone is but some are worse than others).

Completely agree, took an anatomy lab course last year and we took practicals exactly how we took them here and it was the most helpful thing in the world. Having knowledge from my undergrad courses stick around is so helpful, even if it saves you 30mins of studying now thats 30 more minutes learning the more complex things instead


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[AlteredScale]

Never took anatomy in undergrad and thought that course was going to crush me. I def had to work a lot harder than those who had anatomy prior to but it worked out thankfully and I passed.

I took immunology and pharmacology in undergrad and that helped immensely for multiple courses.


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[IslandStyle808]

Surprise, surprise upper division courses and graduate level courses do actually help. I keep telling people here that those with a background in those subjects does help. Yet it falls on deaf ears sometimes.

However, as for me, I was so far out of anatomy, immunology, microbiology, and other courses that I would have done the same even if I didn't take them...

 

[Ho0v-man]

Surprise, surprise upper division courses and graduate level courses do actually help. I keep telling people here that those with a background in those subjects does help. Yet it falls on deaf ears sometimes.

However, as for me, I was so far out of anatomy, immunology, microbiology, and other courses that I would have done the same even if I didn't take them...

This x 10000000!

It's SDN mantra that extra undergrad courses don't matter, but that's wrong. Or at least that's the case thus far in first semester. My friends who've had these classes before and who've done research in anything biochem related have a huge advantage right off the bat.

As an aside, I've been kind of blindsided by all the laboratory stuff from biology/biochem. I went to a crappy undergrad that just wasn't that great at that stuff and it's definitely caused me some problems.

 

[68PGunner]

This x 10000000!

It's SDN mantra that extra undergrad courses don't matter, but that's wrong. Or at least that's the case thus far in first semester. My friends who've had these classes before and who've done research in anything biochem related have a huge advantage right off the bat.

As an aside, I've been kind of blindsided by all the laboratory stuff from biology/biochem. I went to a crappy undergrad that just wasn't that great at that stuff and it's definitely caused me some problems.

I took the bare minimums in undergrad to get to medical school. I was busting my a$$ during first year just to be above average. However, that work ethic is transferring to my routine in second year. School is so easy now that I'm wondering if I had just turned on the cheat mode button. I enjoy learning everything about medicine now. Those bs biochem crap are now tolerable bc I can tie it to my overall knowledge base, making memorization those facts easier.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I took the bare minimums in undergrad to get to medical school. I was busting my a$$ during first year just to be above average. However, that work ethic is transferring to my routine in second year. School is so easy now that I'm wondering if I had just turned on the cheat mode button. I enjoy learning everything about medicine now. Those bs biochem crap are now tolerable bc I can tie it to my overall knowledge base, making memorization those facts easier.

Hopefully I follow your lead then bc I took the bare minimum too and I've been killing myself just trying to keep up in those courses.

As a testament to this, tonight's the first time I've d**ked around on SDN in 2.5 months.lol

 

[esu aves]

So, based on the other threads here, we should be trying to do research for getting into residencies, right? And is basic research ok?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

This X10000000000

My classmates who've never taken immuno have been killing them selves this whole block and it's been much easier for me since I took it last year. The minutiae I have to learn but not the big picture items which saves me a ton of time

I still don't get why people struggle with Immuno. It's very algorithmic.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Surprise, surprise upper division courses and graduate level courses do actually help. I keep telling people here that those with a background in those subjects does help. Yet it falls on deaf ears sometimes.

However, as for me, I was so far out of anatomy, immunology, microbiology, and other courses that I would have done the same even if I didn't take them...

Honestly, by the time you're in systems what was important in graduate level neuroscience isn't what is important for neurology. Graduate level courses and a strong background in physiology and biochemistry is great for making sure you don't get wiped out and flunk basic sciences. I think of it as something that eases you into real medical school.

 

[Giovanotto]

I still don't get why people struggle with Immuno. It's very algorithmic.

It has a ton of moving parts and I'd say Endo is WAY more algorithmic than immuno. I've already been through it in year 1, and I know it's embarrassing, but if I had to explain it to a 10 year old, I'd be in big trouble. I've been heavily considering re-listening to first year lectures cause I obviously didn't get a good grasp of it the first time around.

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

Honestly, this depends on your class curriculum. If your curriculum is from RVU, KCU, and TCOM, then I would make class materials priority #1 bc doing well in class translates to doing well on boards. However, if your class curriculum is archaic and outdated in which there's a lot of useless crap being taught and not enough important stuff being emphasized, I would make board prep materials priority #1.

So, the question then becomes how do you know if your class curriculum is geared toward board prep materials. It's easy. Your school average Step 1 will tell the tale. If your school refuses to release Step 1 scores, you should just assume that it's an embarrassing number.

How do you tell gauge if your curriculum represents Step 1 material well? --like how does it not waste time in order for you to determine what is step1-worthy and what isn't?

 

[68PGunner]

How do you tell gauge if your curriculum represents Step 1 material well? --like how does it not waste time in order for you to determine what is step1-worthy and what isn't?

What's your school performance relative to the average on the COMLEX and USMLE? That should tell you the picture. Also, schools that have 4-5 hrs/wk of OMM instead of 2-2.5 hrs of OMM typically don't care about your ambition to crush boards and match to a competitive residency.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Honestly, by the time you're in systems what was important in graduate level neuroscience isn't what is important for neurology. Graduate level courses and a strong background in physiology and biochemistry is great for making sure you don't get wiped out and flunk basic sciences. I think of it as something that eases you into real medical school.

This is also true, its not like that advantage will last for all of medical school. However, it does help when you are adjusting to first year.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

It has a ton of moving parts and I'd say Endo is WAY more algorithmic than immuno. I've already been through it in year 1, and I know it's embarrassing, but if I had to explain it to a 10 year old, I'd be in big trouble. I've been heavily considering re-listening to first year lectures cause I obviously didn't get a good grasp of it the first time around.

Endo is the epitome of algorithmic. But Immuno generally is a cross talk t.v show. Know the episode plot and you'll generally know what's going to happen.

This is also true, its not like that advantage will last for all of medical school. However, it does help when you are adjusting to first year.

Undoubtedly.

 

[getfat]

How do you tell gauge if your curriculum represents Step 1 material well? --like how does it not waste time in order for you to determine what is step1-worthy and what isn't?

More clinically related questions. Less questions about minute, small details or random facts posted on the powerpoint.

 

[SurgDoc95]

Have any of you started completely losing track of what day of the week it is? It’s gotten to the point where I know the day based on what labs I have. LOL.

Hell, I forgot today was Saturday (I’ve been studying for multiple exams on Monday). Listening to all of the drunk undergrads outside of my apartment window really hits me in the feels.

If you get a chance, go to a student osteopathic conference in whatever specialty you’re interested in! I just got back from a surgical one in DC and it was honestly the perfect combination of important/helpful advice/motivation and a break from studying. Helps out why we do all the studying into perspective or at least it did for me haha


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[bigindian4891]

Whelp, failed my first exam. Was not expecting it for another month at least...

 

[austintr]

Whelp, failed my first exam. Was not expecting it for another month at least...

It doesn't sound like you're too shaken up about it, but I'll offer my condolences regardless. I failed our second biochem exam (narrowly, but still) and it was the first exam I've failed in almost ten years of education. Sucks man. But it made me more determined and I've been nailing high B's and an A- since then in that class. Keep grinding!

 

[cjcarter]

How's everyone doing? 3 more weeks until finals and idk where the time has gone. I'm tired.

 

[austintr]

How's everyone doing? 3 more weeks until finals and idk where the time has gone. I'm tired.

We had a pretty rough couple of weeks, with a couple of easier ones on deck. Then biochem drops off mid November and it's smooth sailing from there. I just try and keep in mind that after this semester, we're 25% done with pre-clinical work. So that's exciting.

 

[68PGunner]

Wait until Neuro boys and girls. You will be forever changed.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Wait until Neuro boys and girls. You will be forever changed.

Don't remind me...

 

[austintr]

My next 5 weeks are hell.

Next Week: OMT Exam & Practical
Week 2: Anatomy Exam & Practical the following week
Week 3: Integrated Exam (BCH,Histo, Phys, Clinical) the week after that
Week 4: Off
Week 5: OMT Final Exam and Practical.

Hold me.

I do not envy you in the least. As His Holiness, the Reverend AT Still once put it, "you got this fam!"

 

[LutGholein]

My next 5 weeks are hell.

Next Week: OMT Exam & Practical
Week 2: Anatomy Exam & Practical the following week
Week 3: Integrated Exam (BCH,Histo, Phys, Clinical) the week after that
Week 4: Off
Week 5: OMT Final Exam and Practical.



Hold me.

You will succeed friend, you got this man!!

 

[getfat]

I do not envy you in the least. As His Holiness, the Reverend AT Still once put it, "you got this fam!"

Our lord and Savior A.T. Still has some pretty great quotes.

"KEEP IT PURE BOYS KEEP IT PURE!!11!!!"

 

[Roxas]

My next 5 weeks are hell.

Next Week: OMT Exam & Practical
Week 2: Anatomy Exam & Practical
Week 3: Integrated Exam (BCH,Histo, Phys, Clinical)
Week 4: Off
Week 5: OMT Final Exam and Practical.



Hold me.

OMT isn't hard. Just drink the kool-aid and answer every question like a witch doctor

 

[Major]

All I can say right now is that Gross Anatomy is kicking my butt!

 

[cjcarter]

All I can say right now is that Gross Anatomy is kicking my butt!

Anatomy is the WORST omg I have a practical and written exam on Monday and then a biochem exam on Tuesday

 

[Major]

Anatomy is the WORST omg I have a practical and written exam on Monday and then a biochem exam on Tuesday

I feel your pain. We a have a traditional curriculum, and traditionally run anatomy dept. So nothing we are doing with anatomy is correlating with our other classes. I feel like I am all over the place!

 

[Cath Up]

I feel your pain. We a have a traditional curriculum, and traditionally run anatomy dept. So nothing we are doing with anatomy is correlating with our other classes. I feel like I am all over the place!

I have read enough of your posts to know you can get through it. Go Major!