For those that did step 1 studying summer between MS1 and MS2....

[superman3]

what worked? and what didn't worked? how many hours did you study? what programs did you use? etc.

*The point of this thread is not to debate the merits or utility of doing step 1 related studying the summer between MS1 and MS2. I already know and have heard the large majority of the arguments for/against it, so please do not derail the thread with such comments.

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[Oblique]

nothing worked

 

[sinombre]

Agreed, nothing will work. There's a reason the same advice gets repeated here year after year.

 

[xffan624]

I continued my spaced repetition cards from 1st year. That worked great. Took about 30 min of my time everyday. Beyond that, I did nothing.

 

[JP2740]

Agreed, nothing will work. There's a reason the same advice get's repeated here year after year.

We're practicing a new technique here. Just encourage studying, say a few resources. It gets done with the topic earlier and ends up with a pissed off student at the end of the summer, which is super funny. Just let em do it.

 

[Palpaberry]

I read CMMRS leisurely for about 30 minutes everyday to supplement a poor understanding of micro.
I felt good about reading a book over the summer, but in the end I don't think it helped me very much. Most of the details were forgotten by the time it came to really study for Step.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

Although I didn't study in the summer, I did at the end of first year and beginning of second year (I have not taken the USMLE yet but have taken NBME)

I would use FA and USMLE Rx. Go over the FA sections that you have been taught, like the basic sciences etc and complement that with USMLE Rx to make sure you are studying the material right. USMLE Rx (the bank that first aid puts out) isn't the best for simulating board questions, but it makes sure you nail down FA. If you study a couple hours a day, you can cover a lot.

And pathoma if your school has started path

 

[JP2740]

Start reading through FA and uworld and peruse the step 1 forum for advice for students at the end of their second year. Dont trust people who say it doesnt work. They're likely gunners trying to get you to be behind them. This is your future.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

Start reading through FA and uworld and peruse the step 1 forum for advice for students at the end of their second year. Dont trust people who say it doesnt work. They're likely gunners trying to get you to be behind them. This is your future.

I would hate to think people would do that but....it's possible. I know for me personally, the extra work I put in during the end of First year, and thereafter starting as soon as second year, has paid off for me. Some people probably do well studying only 3 months, but like you said people need to do what they know works best for them. JUST DON'T GET BURNT OUT, if you're going to study in the summer, make sure to have fun as well.

 

[JP2740]

*The point of this thread is not to debate the merits or utility of doing step 1 related studying the summer between MS1 and MS2. I already know and have heard the large majority of the arguments for/against it, so please do not derail the thread with such comments.

Did anyone rage internally when reading this? lol. I don't recall anyone ever making an argument for actually studying. These students get bolder and bolder with the years.

 

[Anicetus]

I know i'm only an incoming MS2, but I think it depends on the curriculum of your school. I'm finding it extremely helpful to review concepts from MS1 and annotate in FA for those concepts that I won't really revisit in the MS2 curriculum. So then when I come back to FA closer to the step1 study period, I'll have annotated chapters from MS1 material.

 

[PL198]

I know i'm only an incoming MS2, but I think it depends on the curriculum of your school. I'm finding it extremely helpful to review concepts from MS1 and annotate in FA for those concepts that I won't really revisit in the MS2 curriculum. So then when I come back to FA closer to the step1 study period, I'll have annotated chapters from MS1 material.

more like you'll be incredibly annoyed with yourself for annotating your first aid with useless information from your lectures that just clutters up the whole thing

all the people I know that started annotating FA day 1 of MS1 have like every other word highlighted and the margins look like a printer threw up on them

 

[JP2740]

more like you'll be incredibly annoyed with yourself for annotating your first aid with useless information from your lectures that just clutters up the whole thing

all the people I know that started annotating FA day 1 of MS1 have like every other word highlighted and the margins look like a printer threw up on them

Even the annotations I made in my dedicated period I ended up not reading 90% of them because 1) there's no time for that **** and 2) they're useless

 

[superman3]

Did anyone rage internally when reading this? lol. I don't recall anyone ever making an argument for actually studying. These students get bolder and bolder with the years.

For what it's worth, firecracker as well as some resident physicians actually recommend doing some studying over the summer:
http://blog.firecracker.me/students...mer-between-1st-and-2nd-year-with-firecracker.
http://blog.firecracker.me/students/using-firecracker-between-year-1-and-year-2


Thanks for your sarcasm. super helpful. just because you don't recall an argument, doesn't mean it hasn't been made. just saying.

 

[Anicetus]

more like you'll be incredibly annoyed with yourself for annotating your first aid with useless information from your lectures that just clutters up the whole thing

all the people I know that started annotating FA day 1 of MS1 have like every other word highlighted and the margins look like a printer threw up on them

Let me clarify. When FA only puts one word down for a concept, which it does often, I annotate an important explanation next to it. I didn't mean copy your lecture notes into FA.

 

[The Kraken]

For what it's worth, firecracker as well as some resident physicians actually recommend doing some studying over the summer:
http://blog.firecracker.me/students...mer-between-1st-and-2nd-year-with-firecracker.

Thanks for your sarcasm. super helpful. just because you don't recall an argument, doesn't mean it hasn't been made. just saying.

You mean that a for profit flashcard company recommends using their product over the summer!? Shocking.

 

[PL198]

Let me clarify. When FA only puts one word down for a concept, which it does often, I annotate an important explanation next to it. I didn't mean copy your lecture notes into FA.

if it's only 1 word in first aid then it must be either pretty basic or unimportant.

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[sinombre]

I can't imagine how doing q bank questions the summer after 1st year would be helpful in any way, other than to minimize anxiety in the oblivious and/or naive students who go against the advice of basically everyone who has ever taken step 1. There's just so much material you haven't learned yet. I guess if you only stick to material you've actually covered, like anatomy. But even that would be a huge waste of time because 1) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1 and 2) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1.

If you're foolhardy enough to ignore the advice of those of us who have taken it, at least don't use UWorld. Use USMLE-Rx or Kaplan. Save UW for your dedicated study time.

 

[superman3]

thanks to everybody for their suggestions. i'm not planning to squander my summer away studying, but i would hope that as a med student, studying 1 hour, maximum 2 hours every day would be ok. i'm definitely gonna use the majority of my summer for non-school related activities.....like exercising my liver....for a erm research study...

 

[Shjanzey]

I can't imagine how doing q bank questions the summer after 1st year would be helpful in any way, other than to minimize anxiety in the oblivious and/or naive students who go against the advice of basically everyone who has ever taken step 1. There's just so much material you haven't learned yet. I guess if you only stick to material you've actually covered, like anatomy. But even that would be a huge waste of time because 1) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1 and 2) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1.

If you're foolhardy enough to ignore the advice of those of us who have taken it, at least don't use UWorld. Use USMLE-Rx or Kaplan. Save UW for your dedicated study time.

You are advocating not studying because "you haven't learn stuff yet". Studying is the active process of learning. I don't think that spending time improving yourself is ever a waste of time. To master something you have to repeat it over and over. Personally, I am not willing to gamble my future on the sh.itty advice of "you probably won't remember anyways." I will have a better chance of remembering if I have seen it twice instead of once. Three times is even better. Step 1 is not about being an autistic savant for 6 weeks after a deluge of 2 years of information.

Just be honest. Some people want to have fun during the summer. Fine, that is your perogative. Don't piss on other people if they feel like studying.

 

[Anicetus]

if it's only 1 word in first aid then it must be either pretty basic or unimportant.

I like to think that if something is unimportant it wouldn't be in first aid. We all have different approaches to this. I'm just saying its what I find works for reviewing MS1 and getting the major points out of that year.

 

[sinombre]

You are advocating not studying because "you haven't learn stuff yet". Studying is the active process of learning. I don't think that spending time improving yourself is ever a waste of time. To master something you have to repeat it over and over. Personally, I am not willing to gamble my future on the sh.itty advice of "you probably won't remember anyways." I will have a better chance of remembering if I have seen it twice instead of once. Three times is even better. Step 1 is not about being an autistic savant for 6 weeks after a deluge of 2 years of information.

Just be honest. Some people want to have fun during the summer. Fine, that is your perogative. Don't piss on other people if they feel like studying.

I think you missed the part where I said "you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1" two times.

You're obviously not going to hurt yourself by wasting your summer studying (unless you use UW), you just won't accomplish anything.

 

[ChEMD]

I think you missed the part where I said "you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1" two times.

You're obviously not going to hurt yourself by wasting your summer studying (unless you use UW), you just won't accomplish anything.

This really just isn't true. Obviously your set in your position, but the more times you see something, the better you will remember it the next time you review it. It's that simple. Is it worth it to spend time during your summer studying? That's debatable. What isn't debatable is the fact that you can actually learn something that will stick with you through 2nd year and your dedicated step studying period. I'm not saying you'll remember small minute details, but if someone wants to solidify concepts that they learned during 1st year over the summer, I say go for it, with the most beneficial probably being physiology.

 

[JP2740]

You mean that a for profit flashcard company recommends using their product over the summer!? Shocking.

You wonder how these people make it to med school in the first place LOL. It's like using a testimonial

 

[JP2740]

I can't imagine how doing q bank questions the summer after 1st year would be helpful in any way, other than to minimize anxiety in the oblivious and/or naive students who go against the advice of basically everyone who has ever taken step 1. There's just so much material you haven't learned yet. I guess if you only stick to material you've actually covered, like anatomy. But even that would be a huge waste of time because 1) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1 and 2) you won't retain enough information by the time you have to actually start studying for step 1.

If you're foolhardy enough to ignore the advice of those of us who have taken it, at least don't use UWorld. Use USMLE-Rx or Kaplan. Save UW for your dedicated study time.

Minimize anxiety? When he gets ****ed on the questions bc he's not ready for them I don't see that as minimizing anxiety. This thread sux lol

 

[JP2740]

You are advocating not studying because "you haven't learn stuff yet". Studying is the active process of learning. I don't think that spending time improving yourself is ever a waste of time. To master something you have to repeat it over and over. Personally, I am not willing to gamble my future on the sh.itty advice of "you probably won't remember anyways." I will have a better chance of remembering if I have seen it twice instead of once. Three times is even better. Step 1 is not about being an autistic savant for 6 weeks after a deluge of 2 years of information.

Just be honest. Some people want to have fun during the summer. Fine, that is your perogative. Don't piss on other people if they feel like studying.

thanks to everybody for their suggestions. i'm not planning to squander my summer away studying, but i would hope that as a med student, studying 1 hour, maximum 2 hours every day would be ok. i'm definitely gonna use the majority of my summer for non-school related activities.....like exercising my liver....for a erm research study...

Studying 2 hours everyday is a waste of 2 hours everyday

 

[superman3]

You mean that a for profit flashcard company recommends using their product over the summer!? Shocking.

I'm not sure I follow the point. JP2740 said he didn't recall an argument being made. I merely pointed out one had been made. The fact that it is a for profit company doesn't take away from the fact that an argument was made for summer studying. now you could argue about the underlying reasons for said argument, but that wasn't the point in question. Moreover, I never stated I would use their product. If I was set on doing firecracker for the summer....I would just do it.... rather than making a post to gather opinions.

 

[superman3]

You wonder how these people make it to med school in the first place LOL. It's like using a testimonial

keep wondering....

 

[Psai]

You are advocating not studying because "you haven't learn stuff yet". Studying is the active process of learning. I don't think that spending time improving yourself is ever a waste of time. To master something you have to repeat it over and over. Personally, I am not willing to gamble my future on the sh.itty advice of "you probably won't remember anyways." I will have a better chance of remembering if I have seen it twice instead of once. Three times is even better. Step 1 is not about being an autistic savant for 6 weeks after a deluge of 2 years of information.

Just be honest. Some people want to have fun during the summer. Fine, that is your perogative. Don't piss on other people if they feel like studying.

Yeah what would we know? It's not like we successfully passed step 1 or anything. Step 1 is about learning to integrate information. You don't even know most of what you need to know to do well on the test. Feel free to waste your time trying to pack in bio and microbio minutiae that won't be relevant ever though. You're a loser though if you choose to study for a test that you won't even be taking for over a year when you could be doing something fun or interesting

There is no argument here. Just people with experience trying to tell neurotic first years that their efforts will be wasted just like prestudying for med school is a waste. I don't really care if you waste your time or not but you guys are asking for advice then crying because it's not what you want to hear

 

[JP2740]

Yea go look at the step 1 experiences thread and see how many posters talked about how integral their summer studying was lol. He follows the advice of residents on a firecracker test prep site but not residents and students on the impartial message board. Never mind many of us got excellent scores.

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[Wordead]

It's amazing that sarcastic comments have been taken as good advice.

 

[PL198]

i studied micro and biochem over the summer and ever since then every single nbme/assessment/etc. has a had an * next to the performance bar indicating that my score was at the highest edge of the high performance range. if i hadn't studied a little bit each day during the summer my scores would be down in the average range just like all the people who recommend not studying. it's medical school for crying out loud - study your @ss off and just laugh at the other people advising against it.

micro and biochem are definitely on step 1 lol. many of the questions don't require "integrated knowledge of ALL subjects" in order to arrive at the correct answer. you can either get a head start now while you're not worried about a million other things or you can add it to the stress of 2nd year.

yeah cuz enjoying the last summer of your life/doing research is just too insane to fathom, right?

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[DOFOSHO]

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[JP2740]

I'm not sure I follow the point. JP2740 said he didn't recall an argument being made. I merely pointed out one had been made. The fact that it is a for profit company doesn't take away from the fact that an argument was made for summer studying. now you could argue about the underlying reasons for said argument, but that wasn't the point in question. Moreover, I never stated I would use their product. If I was set on doing firecracker for the summer....I would just do it.... rather than making a post to gather opinions.

This isn't philosophy.

i studied micro and biochem over the summer and ever since then every single nbme/assessment/etc. has a had an * next to the performance bar indicating that my score was at the highest edge of the high performance range. if i hadn't studied a little bit each day during the summer my scores would be down in the average range just like all the people who recommend not studying. it's medical school for crying out loud - study your @ss off and just laugh at the other people advising against it.

micro and biochem are definitely on step 1 lol. many of the questions don't require "integrated knowledge of ALL subjects" in order to arrive at the correct answer. you can either get a head start now while you're not worried about a million other things or you can add it to the stress of 2nd year.

Who are you laughing at? Every single person I know (including myself) who got 260+ would laugh at the idea of studying in the summer. I did research and enjoyed my other time, something more important than ****ing bio hem and micro

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[Psai]

How do you know what our scores are? Does it say it next to our usernames? There's nothing wrong with getting a 210 and laughing at someone who didn't score as well as others on a stupid standardized test is pretty lame

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[DOFOSHO]

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[Wordead]

yes your score is right next to your user name...
i said "laughing at people who are advising against it". nothing wrong with a person making a 210, i just don't think they should be telling other people not to study if they so wish to study.

So a person getting a 210 shouldnt tell other people not to study
And a person getting a 260 shouldnt tell other people not to study

Makes sense. Can a 240 tell you that?

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[PL198]

no one should tell anyone they shouldn't study.

edit: actually, you can tell anyone you want anything you want. i don't really care anymore. to each his own. i guess i'm one of the few people who benefited from studying over break.

you'd think when 99.999 % of people are saying the same thing, it's probably right.

you just don't know enough to effectively study for step 1. just get a good research gig, enjoy yourself and put out a publication. that'll do more for your residency app than studying for step 1 in summer after MS1 will.

 

[wjs010]

Wait, should you do uworld before you even start m2? I don't see how doing questions on something you haven't learned yet would be helpful

 

[NontradCA]

Don't listen to them OP. There's actually a hidden forum with trolless information that these people selectively share which each other. I suggest you email your faculty at school (best to do a random sampling), and ask what the best material to study during the summer is.

 

[DOFOSHO]

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[Elevencents]

Wait, should you do uworld before you even start m2? I don't see how doing questions on something you haven't learned yet would be helpful

You answered your own question.

 

[cs24]

i studied micro and biochem over the summer and ever since then every single nbme/assessment/etc. has a had an * next to the performance bar indicating that my score was at the highest edge of the high performance range. if i hadn't studied a little bit each day during the summer my scores would be down in the average range just like all the people who recommend not studying. it's medical school for crying out loud - study your @ss off and just laugh at the other people advising against it.

micro and biochem are definitely on step 1 lol. many of the questions don't require "integrated knowledge of ALL subjects" in order to arrive at the correct answer. you can either get a head start now while you're not worried about a million other things or you can add it to the stress of 2nd year.

I leisurely studied sketchy micro for the month leading up to my dedicated time and had a sweet little "*" for my performance in micro for all my NBMEs too, and the micro on the real thing was a joke, so probably one there too. Instead of studying over the summer I knocked out 75% of the work for two first author papers, worked less than 30 hrs/wk, wore sandals to work, makd a solid stipends worth of money, went on multiple vacations, spent time with my significant other and family, and overall had a great f****** time. Then I came back to school refreshed and rocked M2 year too. There are a million and one more valuable things you can be doing with your time that (last) summer than step 1 studying.

 

[DocWinter]

to answer your question, I'm reviewing some of the topics over this summer, such as gross anatomy, neuro, micro, and other things I've learned, but want another quick pass to hammer into my brain. Dermatones, brachial plexus, spinal cord tracts, etc.
I spend about 2 hrs a day, and don't press anything, just review, flipping through notes and 1st aid.

Keep in mind, everyone on SDN is in the top of their class, got in with a 3.8/36, is on track for a 260, and is much better looking than average.