How Can I Maximize My MS1 Year - Weird Situation

[Mean Green Raider]

Hey everyone,
I am lucky enough to have been accepted to the medical school where I am currently a graduate student (So I'll be starting this upcoming August). I know "What should I do during my first year?" is a super common question, but I feel like my situation is a little different, so I could use some advice.

I am in a 2 year masters program where the first year we take the MS1 curriculum with the MS1s (First pass at the MS1 classes) & then the 2nd year we TA the MS1 curriculum (Second pass at the MS1 classes). As a result, when I officially start next year as an MS1, it will be my 3rd pass on the curriculum, so I expect I won't have to spend nearly as much time on learning the material. What's more, as part of my degree I am doing a medical education research project about making differential diagnosis algorithms for common NBME/STEP1 diseases and disorders. To put these together I've been reading Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 1st Aid, etc. I've been taking in-depth notes about pathophys, symptoms, lab values, treatments, etc. for about 200+ disorders so far.

So basically, curriculum-wise, I should have a decent amount of flex-time during my 1st year. I'm not 100% sold on what specialty I want to go into, but my top 3 choices right now are probably EM, IM, & ENT. With that in mind, what can I do with that extra flex-time I'll have during MS1 to maximize my chances of getting a good residency spot? Should I try to do some research? Should I super commit to school & try to go for 100% on every test (We'll be P/F but with internal rankings)? Should I shadow a bunch of different specialties? Should I try to get ahead on MS2/rotation stuff to stay ahead of the curve? Should I focus on mastering my clinical skills?

Any advice would be super helpful! Thanks so much!!

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[slowthai]

Mature AnKing step 1 and 2 and just crank out those pubs.

I'd run through all the step 1 cards this year and then all the step 2 cards next year. Concurrently, I'd go crazy with ENT research.

 

[deleted905798]

researchhhhhhhh all day; I would also recommend doing Anking even though STEP will be P/F, don't necessarily need to go ham on it or mature 100% but I've found it to be a great foundation and would do it even if I wasn't taking STEP graded

 

[AnonymousDoctorGuyPerson]

Hey everyone,
I am lucky enough to have been accepted to the medical school where I am currently a graduate student (So I'll be starting this upcoming August). I know "What should I do during my first year?" is a super common question, but I feel like my situation is a little different, so I could use some advice.

I am in a 2 year masters program where the first year we take the MS1 curriculum with the MS1s (First pass at the MS1 classes) & then the 2nd year we TA the MS1 curriculum (Second pass at the MS1 classes). As a result, when I officially start next year as an MS1, it will be my 3rd pass on the curriculum, so I expect I won't have to spend nearly as much time on learning the material. What's more, as part of my degree I am doing a medical education research project about making differential diagnosis algorithms for common NBME/STEP1 diseases and disorders. To put these together I've been reading Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 1st Aid, etc. I've been taking in-depth notes about pathophys, symptoms, lab values, treatments, etc. for about 200+ disorders so far.

So basically, curriculum-wise, I should have a decent amount of flex-time during my 1st year. I'm not 100% sold on what specialty I want to go into, but my top 3 choices right now are probably EM, IM, & ENT. With that in mind, what can I do with that extra flex-time I'll have during MS1 to maximize my chances of getting a good residency spot? Should I try to do some research? Should I super commit to school & try to go for 100% on every test (We'll be P/F but with internal rankings)? Should I shadow a bunch of different specialties? Should I try to get ahead on MS2/rotation stuff to stay ahead of the curve? Should I focus on mastering my clinical skills?

Any advice would be super helpful! Thanks so much!!

Was/am in the same situation as you. Have a crap load of free time - I spend most of it doing other things for my CV (and things I enjoy doing of course) so working for $$$, crap ton of research, leading/starting projects, etc.

Just do what everyone else would be doing if they were trying to be competitive but more of it.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Research and anki. Also use some of that extra time to do something you enjoy outside of medicine.

 

[LoverOfPie]

I am in almost the exact same position as OP. I started doing step 1 anki because I am so mind-numbingly bored during my gap year.

That being said, I also want to begin research at my accepted school where I also did my master's. Do you think I can just start cold-calling/cold-emailing researchers at my school? Should I instead reach out to the school assistant dean for medical student research?

Also my program director wants me to do research with him, but I'm not really interested in his specialty. Should I just suck it up and do that because some research is better than no research?