Gap Year - Already Accepted

[cafaro]

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Hey all - quick background:

I graduated undergrad in May 2011 and recently got accepted for class of 2016. So far during the gap year, I have been working as an Emergency Medical Scribe.

While this is an incredible experience, for the 12 hour shifts four times a week ( a lot of which is down time for me because charting does not take too long) I feel like I could use that time more efficiently. I feel like now that I got accepted I should be doing something to get a head start on medical school material.... I was thinking maybe purchasing a Step 1 book and start reviewing it.

I was wondering what you all think about this idea and if you have any other suggestions.

 

[jkm07]

Enjoy life. Make some $. Don't purchase a Step 1 book.

Congratulations on your acceptance!

 

[kduck]

I would be using all that down time to read all the things I want to read now but will never have time to once med school starts... it's your last chance to do whatever you want with your time! Don't study for med school.

 

[theseeker4]

Hey all - quick background:

I graduated undergrad in May 2011 and recently got accepted for class of 2016. So far during the gap year, I have been working as an Emergency Medical Scribe.

While this is an incredible experience, for the 12 hour shifts four times a week ( a lot of which is down time for me because charting does not take too long) I feel like I could use that time more efficiently. I feel like now that I got accepted I should be doing something to get a head start on medical school material.... I was thinking maybe purchasing a Step 1 book and start reviewing it.

I was wondering what you all think about this idea and if you have any other suggestions.

Enjoy your time without schoolwork to do. Concentrate on leisure reading, gaming, hobbies, travel, etc. because you will not be able to do these when school starts. My bet would be pre-studying for step I before taking any med-school classes would be even less useful than studying for the MCAT before taking any of your pre-reqs, i.e. it is pointless.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

You would be wasting your time studying for the Step 1 tests. It's the equivalent of studying for the MCAT without taking biology, physics, or chemistry. If you really feel the need to begin prepping, I would suggest studying anatomy, since it will be such a huge time commitment next year. You may not have to understand everything, but if you start studying the concepts and maybe muscle groups as well as innervation and blood supply, it would take a huge amount of stress off of you next year. From what I've heard from alot of M1 or M2s, a great way to study for tests and the boards while in medical school is to get board review books and look over the questions for the units you are doing while you are in that unit.

Congrats on the acceptance!

oh, and Gray's anatomy for students is a GREAT book for anatomy. Very thorough and easy to understand.

 

[Frazier]

Hey all - quick background:

I graduated undergrad in May 2011 and recently got accepted for class of 2016. So far during the gap year, I have been working as an Emergency Medical Scribe.

While this is an incredible experience, for the 12 hour shifts four times a week ( a lot of which is down time for me because charting does not take too long) I feel like I could use that time more efficiently. I feel like now that I got accepted I should be doing something to get a head start on medical school material.... I was thinking maybe purchasing a Step 1 book and start reviewing it.

I was wondering what you all think about this idea and if you have any other suggestions.

This is so far from unique. Simple search would show you SDN's consensus opinion on prepping for med school.

I will give you the trend: 9 out of 10 do not recommend it... something about "waste of time".

EDIT: OOPS, that was fast. Look you already have a handful of posters above me exhibiting the aforementioned trend.

 

[Mr Hippopotamus]

Don't buy a step 1 book, it's a waste of time. Enjoy life, make some money. And keep working as a scribe. Those skills WILL be useful in med school.

 

[raltima07]

Eat food. Good food.

 

[bookfreak89]

Didn't expect this in November. This is probably the earliest "Should I pre-study for medical school?" thread on SDN.

 

[bucks2010]

chill man. I think studying for step 1 at this point is like trying to study for the MCAT without having taken any of the prereqs. I've never seen a med student on here recommend pre-studying ... they all say to enjoy the leisure time while it lasts.

 

[kpcrew]

Didn't expect this in November. This is probably the earliest "Should I pre-study for medical school?" thread on SDN.

There were some a few weeks ago.

 

[bookfreak89]

There were some a few weeks ago.

Oh, well, nevermind then.

 

[doctorshateher]

Yeah enjoy your life and free time while you still have it. Pick up a hobby, spend time with family, get into great shape or take the time to enjoy where you are living.

I may be incorrect, but to me studying for Step 1 at this point seems like buying MCAT prep books before starting college -- not enough background knowledge to make any significant gains and not the right priorities for this point in your education.

 

[dbeast]

Being an ER scribe >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [... x10 more pages...] >>> anything you can do to prep for med school. And you get paid.

 

[paul411]

oh, and Gray's anatomy for students is a GREAT book for anatomy. Very thorough and easy to understand.

Lol, no; Gray's sucks (almost as much as the TV show).

Also, DO NOT pre-study. It is completely useless. Wait till you start med school and meet some second years at your school before you start buying books. I haven't bought a single textbook or atlas so far and I kicked anatomy's ass.

 

[CodeBlu]

Eat food. Good food.

I can't do this in medical school?

 

[ShaolinMaster]

Get a job for an airline. Free flights, see the world on your days off. LIKE A BAWSE.
(My plan when i graduate a semester early).

 

[JSU]

Don't waste your free time studying. You may never get anymore of it...