Grades and step 1

[831929]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey guys,

M2 here. Was wondering if not being able to honor many classes correlates with lower step 1. Honored one class and just high passing the rest so far (close to honoring a few of them). would like to keep my options open with field/location so was hoping to get in the upper 230s lower 240s but now starting to worry a bit.

 

[Redpancreas]

Hey guys,

M2 here. Was wondering if not being able to honor many classes correlates with lower step 1. Honored one class and just high passing the rest so far (close to honoring a few of them). would like to keep my options open with field/location so was hoping to get in the upper 230s lower 240s but now starting to worry a bit.

Hang in there, it can be done with the right attitude. A good way to think about it is if you give second year your best effort and really fight for every possible point you'll be primed to have a good showing on Step 1. It's usually the people who do bare minimum and think they're going to ace Step 1 who struggle with Step 1.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Potentially. But much of your Step 1 performance comes from how effectively you review and reconsolidate pertinent information while studying. Having a good knowledge base certainly helps.

Correlation? Probably. A strong one? Probably not. Work hard, have a good plan going forward, and you will set yourself up to do well.

 

[831929]

Thanks for the replies! Since I cannot seem to honor many classes (typically get in 88-89 range) should I just start using board prep material to study for class and keep high passing? Would getting honors help me at this point? I believe I am somewhere in the top 30-40% of class, usually get 5(+/-2) above average on exams but if I cannot honor is it better to just focus on step? Thanks again for all the replies! I am hoping for an academic program (currently still doing research also).

 

[Redpancreas]

Thanks for the replies! Since I cannot seem to honor many classes (typically get in 88-89 range) should I just start using board prep material to study for class and keep high passing? Would getting honors help me at this point? I believe I am somewhere in the top 30-40% of class, usually get 5(+/-2) above average on exams but if I cannot honor is it better to just focus on step? Thanks again for all the replies! I am hoping for an academic program (currently still doing research also).

No. You'll have plenty of time to do that when the time comes.

 

[Osteoth]

Nah, I would just download an Anki deck (Zanki) and review old material 1-2 hours a day so you stay fresh with all that stuff. If you do that consistently throughout you should be in great shape when you get to STEP.

 

[831929]

Nah, I would just download an Anki deck (Zanki) and review old material 1-2 hours a day so you stay fresh with all that stuff. If you do that consistently throughout you should be in great shape when you get to STEP.

It seems hard to find the extra 1-2 hours a day haha. I might not be optimal with studying and that could be the problem in regards to time but I am usually not too bad

 

[Osteoth]

It seems hard to find the extra 1-2 hours a day haha. I might not be optimal with studying and that could be the problem in regards to time but I am usually not too bad

Substitute Boards & Beyond / Pathoma for your classes & don't get drunk on weekends. You should be able to do it. What is your daily schedule like?

 

[831929]

No. You'll have plenty of time to do that when the time comes.

in regards to some outside resources, my curriculum is old school in that we have organ systems and IandI second year. Would using pathoma instead of my organ systems class lectures be enough? It seems like pathoma is very detailed and I prefer his lectures to some of ours.

 

[831929]

Substitute Boards & Beyond / Pathoma for your classes & don't get drunk on weekends. You should be able to do it. What is your daily schedule like?

No mandatory lectures except a few labs. I typically get up by 7 or 8 am and start working through either lectures (making anki cards) or reviewing cards. Have been having problems with anki lately since IandI requires big picture stuff and anki is more for factual info. I take a 2 hour gym break and sometimes if i am having a bad study day I give up and play xbox for a few hours lol. Trying to overcome that distraction (and social media)

 

[831929]

Substitute Boards & Beyond / Pathoma for your classes & don't get drunk on weekends. You should be able to do it. What is your daily schedule like?

also I dont really drink or do much on weekends. I guess my major issue with time is distraction, difficulty focusing. was never a top-notch student so have been trying to overcome that since late college. formed bad study habits and now have difficulty with staying focused

 

[Styrene]

Hey guys,

M2 here. Was wondering if not being able to honor many classes correlates with lower step 1. Honored one class and just high passing the rest so far (close to honoring a few of them). would like to keep my options open with field/location so was hoping to get in the upper 230s lower 240s but now starting to worry a bit.

There are tons of papers about this out there.

 

[Coupd'Cat]

Maybe, but that doesn't have to apply to you as an individual. Personally, I did middling/average for most of my preclinical classes, failed 1...or 2 exams? Can't remember (but it washed out in the end, passed the class itself). Studied harder for Step 1 and got >240. 'Tis possible. Self-reflection on studying habits helps (as does taking care of yourself -- smart studying + well-deserved breaks)

 

[Osteoth]

No mandatory lectures except a few labs. I typically get up by 7 or 8 am and start working through either lectures (making anki cards) or reviewing cards. Have been having problems with anki lately since IandI requires big picture stuff and anki is more for factual info. I take a 2 hour gym break and sometimes if i am having a bad study day I give up and play xbox for a few hours lol. Trying to overcome that distraction (and social media)

also I dont really drink or do much on weekends. I guess my major issue with time is distraction, difficulty focusing. was never a top-notch student so have been trying to overcome that since late college. formed bad study habits and now have difficulty with staying focused

Don't make your own Anki cards. I did this for M1-M2 and I wasted 100s (!) of hours making and refining my own cards. Highly HIGHLY recommend just downloading a deck (Zanki).

Watch Pathoma/B&B for the associated section of the day (aka if you have lectures that day on Endocrine histo, Hashimoto's, Graves), then download the corresponding Anki cards into your "Current" deck, and start blowing through.

When I started that strategy I could get through ~50 new cards an hour & ~100 reviews.

So lets say you have 4 lectures that day, so thats at max 6 videos if its like pharm + histo + path + w/e. That shouldn't take you longer than 4 hours. Since you have the videos you can rewatch them and don't bother taking notes since Anki will be your "notes".

Once you finish your lectures, take your gym break, eat lunch w/e, then start doing Anki. If you start with your lets say 100 new cards/day thats 2 hours. Take another break, then come back and do your 200 reviews. Thats another 2 hours.

Total hours/day not exceeding 8 hours I think this strategy would serve you exceedingly well if you maintained it consistently throughout MS1-MS2.

EDIT: Oh yeah, during MS2 buy USMLERx and do the corresponding section the week before your block exam. If you have done B&B/Pathoma + Anki during the first X weeks of the block you should be able to crush it.

There are tons of papers about this out there.

You're not being constructive. Link him to one or give him some advice.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Substitute Boards & Beyond / Pathoma for your classes & don't get drunk on weekends. You should be able to do it. What is your daily schedule like?

>_>

 

[Osteoth]

>_>

Its tough, but honestly man you're a medical student now. Not saying never go out and never let 'er rip, but we all graduated college, its time to move on.

I'm saying this as a former degenerate that quickly realized my tricks from undergrad would not fly in med school. Paying it forward.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

Nah, I would just download an Anki deck (Zanki) and review old material 1-2 hours a day so you stay fresh with all that stuff. If you do that consistently throughout you should be in great shape when you get to STEP.

My question for this is how did you get past the fact that many Zanki cards give the answer in the card sometimes without (at least in the moment) testing knowledge?

 

[Osteoth]

My question for this is how did you get past the fact that many Zanki cards give the answer in the card sometimes without (at least in the moment) testing knowledge?

Its hard when you're starting out determining when a card is good vs. bad, but its kinda sad how as you memorize more and more things about a specific organ system the big picture starts to come together.

For example, "Pt comes in with Graves, brother has Hashimoto's, what pharmacotherapy would you give in the first trimester of pregnancy that functions similarly to the autoantibodies in the pathology the brother has", you can answer that by straight memorization based on the following made up "cards":

Pathology identification
"What type of thyroiditis is Graves associated with?" --> Hyperthyroidism
"What type of thyroiditis is Hashimoto's associated with?" --> Hypothyroidism
"What autoantibodies is Hashimoto's associated with?" --> Antithyroid peroxidase, Antithyroglobulin

Treatment identification
"What is the function of Propylthiouracil?" --> Inhibition of thyroid peroxidase & 5'deiodinase
"What is the function of Methimazole?" --> Inhibition of thyroid peroxidase

Treatment refinement
"What thioamide is given in the first trimester of pregnancy?" --> Propylthiouracil

These disparate six cards combine to give you the whole picture of the question. This is a more difficult example, but not something that I would think is out of the realm of the USMLE. The hard part about getting these 2+ step questions right is that all the facts have to be at the tip of your fingers, ala why flashcards are king.

 

[831929]

Don't make your own Anki cards. I did this for M1-M2 and I wasted 100s (!) of hours making and refining my own cards. Highly HIGHLY recommend just downloading a deck (Zanki).

Watch Pathoma/B&B for the associated section of the day (aka if you have lectures that day on Endocrine histo, Hashimoto's, Graves), then download the corresponding Anki cards into your "Current" deck, and start blowing through.

When I started that strategy I could get through ~50 new cards an hour & ~100 reviews.

So lets say you have 4 lectures that day, so thats at max 6 videos if its like pharm + histo + path + w/e. That shouldn't take you longer than 4 hours. Since you have the videos you can rewatch them and don't bother taking notes since Anki will be your "notes".

Once you finish your lectures, take your gym break, eat lunch w/e, then start doing Anki. If you start with your lets say 100 new cards/day thats 2 hours. Take another break, then come back and do your 200 reviews. Thats another 2 hours.

Total hours/day not exceeding 8 hours I think this strategy would serve you exceedingly well if you maintained it consistently throughout MS1-MS2.

EDIT: Oh yeah, during MS2 buy USMLERx and do the corresponding section the week before your block exam. If you have done B&B/Pathoma + Anki during the first X weeks of the block you should be able to crush it.



You're not being constructive. Link him to one or give him some advice.

Thank you for the solid and detailed advice! I got USMLERx and have been trying to do more B&B but I am still slightly worried that it wont cover the small details or highlighted topics that our professors decide are important/put on the exam. I know you may not have a tip on this since every curriculum is different but I do not want to drop to below high pass since class rank at our school still plays a role (as i have been finding out more recently)

 

[Osteoth]

Thank you for the solid and detailed advice! I got USMLERx and have been trying to do more B&B but I am still slightly worried that it wont cover the small details or highlighted topics that our professors decide are important/put on the exam. I know you may not have a tip on this since every curriculum is different but I do not want to drop to below high pass since class rank at our school still plays a role (as i have been finding out more recently)

It really depends on two things, your previous base of knowledge as well as your inherent academic ability.

If you are able to consume the knowledge presented in the classroom quickly and efficiently, then by all means utilize the lectures provided by your professors as a primary resource.

I know from first hand experience as well as by the experiences of those around me, however, that this can be overwhelming, and when it really comes down to it, AOA (most important outcome of class rank) is down the list of important factors in your residency application, whereas STEP1 is far and away the most important factor.

So if you can keep up, go for it and consume everything. I just know many people have trouble doing that.

 

[Goro]

Hey guys,

M2 here. Was wondering if not being able to honor many classes correlates with lower step 1. Honored one class and just high passing the rest so far (close to honoring a few of them). would like to keep my options open with field/location so was hoping to get in the upper 230s lower 240s but now starting to worry a bit.

There's published data from multiple med schools that shows a strong correlation between Step I score and pre-clinical GPA.

 

[MSTP18]

There's published data from multiple med schools that shows a strong correlation between Step I score and pre-clinical GPA.

How meaningful is the data at this point when so many schools (especially the ones that take the best test takers) are p/f?

 

[Goro]

How meaningful is the data at this point when so many schools (especially the ones that take the best test takers) are p/f?

Great question!!!

Obviously, the data were taken from schools that have grades, but schools will still have your class rank, so they (but not you) know how well you're doing. The big risk with P/F grading formats is that with students not having to worry about numbers, they are lulled into a false sense of security by at the worse, merely passing. This says that a student has achieved minimum competency, but what about mastery?

The trade off is a positive one, as students are less stressed. I am definitely in favor of less stressed students, but what effect this all will have on your Boards scores is a huge black box. I suppose there has to be some data somewhere about Board scores at P/F schools, but I'm not privy to that.