GPA-Graded School and Step 1

[studocplsignore]

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Hey everyone,

This might be kind of a silly question, but I'm a MS1 at a DO school and so far classes have been going well for me, although all I've been doing is studying for the next exam (which we have every week). It's worked very well for me so far, but I'm wondering if I'm missing the bigger picture here. I guess my question is - do you think it would be wise to try to divert time to focus more on the USMLE Step 1 using First Aid/other resources rather than put in so much effort to scoring high on pre-clinical exams? I'm fairly certain I can pass my exams, but since it's a GPA-graded school, I'm not exactly sure how a low GPA would look compared to someone who just had all passes.

I don't know very many people to talk to about this subject, so I'm hoping you can help. Thanks!

 

[Textbookversion]

Don't study for step 1 until second year. So no just keep working on your classes.

 

[Apoplexy__]

What? Hell no, don't start diverting time to board studying now...you've only covered like 2-3 months of med school material right? If you looked at board stuff now, there'd be like 2-3 layers of complexity that you wouldn't pick up on at this point because you haven't had the background.

I opened First Aid for the first time during the last 1-2 months of MS1 to supplement the stuff I was being tested on and looking back, I missed about 30% of the board-relevant info covered in those First Aid sections because I didn't understand the significance of what I was reading until I had covered that topic in MS2.

Concentrate on learning things well now, then review them as you go along. The best thing you can do to board prep right now is to keep up on old material.

 

[studocplsignore]

I've thumbed through First Aid recognized some of the stuff in Biochem and Psychology, we go through a traditional didactic system.

Thanks for the responses, I kind of got the idea reading some other people's posts, but I got the idea that maybe I was missing something, especially after hearing about other people studying for Boards for their first two years. I also wasn't sure if I should be spending my time on other things as well, like extracurriculars or something? Thanks!

 

[VisionaryTics]

I've thumbed through First Aid recognized some of the stuff in Biochem and Psychology, we go through a traditional didactic system.

Thanks for the responses, I kind of got the idea reading some other people's posts, but I got the idea that maybe I was missing something, especially after hearing about other people studying for Boards for their first two years. I also wasn't sure if I should be spending my time on other things as well, like extracurriculars or something? Thanks!

Don't prepare for Step 1 as a first year. Don't buy first aid until M2 year and don't start looking at it until January.

If you have classes locked down and a bunch of free time, try to jump on to a research project in the field you're interested in. It's not super important currently, but the summer between M1 and M2 is a nice time to start a research project. If you have no clue what you are interested in with regards to specialty, just do something clinical in a field you're considering. I would stay away from bench research (my personal opinion).

 

[yehhhboiii]

first aid didn't make sense to me until i did cardio
beginning of first year is a pretty terrible time to start looking at first aid

 

[studocplsignore]

Don't prepare for Step 1 as a first year. Don't buy first aid until M2 year and don't start looking at it until January.

If you have classes locked down and a bunch of free time, try to jump on to a research project in the field you're interested in. It's not super important currently, but the summer between M1 and M2 is a nice time to start a research project. If you have no clue what you are interested in with regards to specialty, just do something clinical in a field you're considering. I would stay away from bench research (my personal opinion).

I wouldn't say I have a whole bunch of free time, but I'm not super efficiently using my time right now and doing fine. I am definitely going to do research during the summer, though I'm not 100% sure on what. My interest is in EM, but all I know so far is benchwork (which I despise). Any tips on what to look for in particular and who to ask? Thanks!

 

[Stellar Clouds]

I wouldn't say I have a whole bunch of free time, but I'm not super efficiently using my time right now and doing fine. I am definitely going to do research during the summer, though I'm not 100% sure on what. My interest is in EM, but all I know so far is benchwork (which I despise). Any tips on what to look for in particular and who to ask? Thanks!

Email EM docs at your school and say you are interested in EM and are looking for a research project related to EM. They will have projects or at least point you in the correct direction.

 

[tantacles]

Don't prepare for Step 1 as a first year. Don't buy first aid until M2 year and don't start looking at it until January.

If you have classes locked down and a bunch of free time, try to jump on to a research project in the field you're interested in. It's not super important currently, but the summer between M1 and M2 is a nice time to start a research project. If you have no clue what you are interested in with regards to specialty, just do something clinical in a field you're considering. I would stay away from bench research (my personal opinion).

I largely agree with this, but as an M2, First Aid has been extremely helpful for clarifying pharm, especially when the lecturer is god-awful. If you're going to use FA, use it during second year and for the first half of the year, use it only as an aid. We don't know enough at this point to go through the entire book as a review, but any succinct material that can clarify what you're learning? Golden.