How do you manage to study for MS2/Boards at the same time?

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Elbowstoopointy

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Do you just dedicate like 2-3 hrs a day towards board no matter what? I'm confused as to how people study for boards during 2nd year...which is supposedly pretty tough on its own.

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Do you just dedicate like 2-3 hrs a day towards board no matter what? I'm confused as to how people study for boards during 2nd year...which is supposedly pretty tough on its own.

If I had a do over I would have gotten a UWorld subscription early so I could practice it along w/ classes.
 
i don't get why people make such a big deal about differentiating studying for classes vs step 1. It's silly to "study for boards" during the year. What you should do, is use rapid review path, webpath, goljan audio, robbins review, first aid, kaplan or uworld qbank, etc to study for your classes during the year.
 
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i don't get why people make such a big deal about differentiating studying for classes vs step 1. It's silly to "study for boards" during the year. What you should do, is use rapid review path, webpath, goljan audio, robbins review, first aid, kaplan or uworld qbank, etc to study for your classes during the year.

But most of my classes are way more detailed than any of those resources (more detailed...NOT high yield!!). You would fail if you only used RR path and FA to study for classes here...thats the problem.
 
But most of my classes are way more detailed than any of those resources (more detailed...NOT high yield!!). You would fail if you only used RR path and FA to study for classes here...thats the problem.

turkeyjerkey is, of course, referring to using a collection of resources to ensure you get a good breadth of information. If you're concerned about doing well in your courses (which for many schools can help you work towards AOA), use your school's notes/powerpoints to base your "board studying" around. Learn the big picture as well as the stupid details your prof wants you to learn (if you want more than just a passing grade). But then go back and use RR Path or one of the other resources to help reinforce these big picture ideas. Become familiar with the solid Step I resources you're going to want to focus on. Use them to supplement your classroom learning during the year.

Learn the material for class, and I mean really learn it. Don't just sit in a room trying to memorize First Aid for that subject. Learn the stuff well, then go back and read through Goljan's RR Path and see if it still makes sense. Take note of what kinds of things he focuses on, and the connections he makes that you very well may have missed in your class materials.

It's not like Step I tests totally different material than during M2. It just focuses on certain things which, to be honest, are pretty well outlined between First Aid, RR Path, and UWorld. I found the best method for me was working my ass off in class during the first semester, while following along in the appropriate chapters of RR Path. Then during the second semester, I continued this, only adding some Kaplan QBank questions and other little resources here or there.

It's a lot easier to crush the boards when you learn things the first time through and then funnel/compartmentalize the important things for future (read: Step I) use.
 
turkeyjerkey is, of course, referring to using a collection of resources to ensure you get a good breadth of information. If you're concerned about doing well in your courses (which for many schools can help you work towards AOA), use your school's notes/powerpoints to base your "board studying" around. Learn the big picture as well as the stupid details your prof wants you to learn (if you want more than just a passing grade). But then go back and use RR Path or one of the other resources to help reinforce these big picture ideas. Become familiar with the solid Step I resources you're going to want to focus on. Use them to supplement your classroom learning during the year.

Learn the material for class, and I mean really learn it. Don't just sit in a room trying to memorize First Aid for that subject. Learn the stuff well, then go back and read through Goljan's RR Path and see if it still makes sense. Take note of what kinds of things he focuses on, and the connections he makes that you very well may have missed in your class materials.

It's not like Step I tests totally different material than during M2. It just focuses on certain things which, to be honest, are pretty well outlined between First Aid, RR Path, and UWorld. I found the best method for me was working my ass off in class during the first semester, while following along in the appropriate chapters of RR Path. Then during the second semester, I continued this, only adding some Kaplan QBank questions and other little resources here or there.

It's a lot easier to crush the boards when you learn things the first time through and then funnel/compartmentalize the important things for future (read: Step I) use.

Very solid advice. Luckily, our school doesn't use pre-clinical grades for AOA...its actually more of a community service thing or something weird not fully relating to academics.
 
We're allotted between 8-12 weeks to study for boards...so you always have that time. However, I've decided to use boards review books (and Qbanks) to study for MS2. I learn best by answering flashcards/multiple choice questions....for me, the things you're tested on help highlight what's actually important from the source material and how to apply it. Also, clinical vignettes are just way more fun to me than reading Robbins. I learn by "doing and reading" not "just reading". We start disease/pathology blocks at the end of 1st year so I've already gotten a taste of what second year is like. Definitely harder than 1st year material....a lot more in a lot smaller amount of time.

To be honest, I plan to largely ignore our actual lectures in favor of boards material and just sacrifice my B averages for C averages. My class is entirely P/F and they could care less if you got an A, B or a C...so there's no point in busting my ass on those exams considering Step I is infinitely more important in the long run. I think it's a good idea to keep in mind that 1st/2nd year grades are pretty meaningless. But Step I is definitely not.
 
Everyone is different. Some people feel more comfortable having all of the study materials with them the whole year and reviewing throughout the year, while others feel it makes more sense to study specifically for classes, and then spend the 2-4 weeks studying nothing but USMLE topics. You'll have to determine which method works best for you.
 
We're allotted between 8-12 weeks to study for boards...so you always have that time. However, I've decided to use boards review books (and Qbanks) to study for MS2. I learn best by answering flashcards/multiple choice questions....for me, the things you're tested on help highlight what's actually important from the source material and how to apply it. Also, clinical vignettes are just way more fun to me than reading Robbins. I learn by "doing and reading" not "just reading". We start disease/pathology blocks at the end of 1st year so I've already gotten a taste of what second year is like. Definitely harder than 1st year material....a lot more in a lot smaller amount of time.

To be honest, I plan to largely ignore our actual lectures in favor of boards material and just sacrifice my B averages for C averages. My class is entirely P/F and they could care less if you got an A, B or a C...so there's no point in busting my ass on those exams considering Step I is infinitely more important in the long run. I think it's a good idea to keep in mind that 1st/2nd year grades are pretty meaningless. But Step I is definitely not.

You basically share my exact philosophy...I'm in the same boat except we only get 4 weeks to study for it :cool: ...but since I know that ahead of time I think I can make it work. I'm glad we're on strict P/F...my buddy goes to a place that is straight up A B C D F and said it was miserable.
 
Do you just dedicate like 2-3 hrs a day towards board no matter what? I'm confused as to how people study for boards during 2nd year...which is supposedly pretty tough on its own.

2nd year started in August for us. Didn't start using FA and UW until January. Did 25 UW every weekday that correlated with class material for 3/5 or 4/6 weeks per test block (I did not do UW questions the week before test week or during test week). I was pretty dedicated to doing those 25 a day even on Fridays (if I wasn't able to crank out the questions during class or lunch I sometimes pre-gamed with a beer while doing the q's before heading out)

When you first start off doing 25 q's and reading the explanations might take you 1.5 - 2 hrs but you become faster and cut it down to an hour. Step 1 studying was not a huge time commitment until a few months out.

I also read FA and RR that correlated with class material. Also used Goljan and Robbins Review.

Step 1 was in June and I started to dedicate more time to Step 1 in late March/early April.
 
I bought a year long UW subscription and used it for my micro, pharm, biostats/epi, and path classes. I did the respective questions along with the appropriate classes. When I hit path, I also did the physiology sections

Upon finishing those classes, I had a "buffer" class of sorts where I finished off a lot of the miscellaneous stuff (biochem, anatomy, etc). After that I reset the subscription prior to starting my dedicated study period.
 
We're allotted between 8-12 weeks to study for boards...so you always have that time. However, I've decided to use boards review books (and Qbanks) to study for MS2. I learn best by answering flashcards/multiple choice questions....for me, the things you're tested on help highlight what's actually important from the source material and how to apply it. Also, clinical vignettes are just way more fun to me than reading Robbins. I learn by "doing and reading" not "just reading". We start disease/pathology blocks at the end of 1st year so I've already gotten a taste of what second year is like. Definitely harder than 1st year material....a lot more in a lot smaller amount of time.

To be honest, I plan to largely ignore our actual lectures in favor of boards material and just sacrifice my B averages for C averages. My class is entirely P/F and they could care less if you got an A, B or a C...so there's no point in busting my ass on those exams considering Step I is infinitely more important in the long run. I think it's a good idea to keep in mind that 1st/2nd year grades are pretty meaningless. But Step I is definitely not.

Lol no wonder you guys have such a high average step score... if we had 8-12 weeks allotted built in my school would have it shooting through the roof ;)

In all seriousness.... that's a whole lot more time than most other schools have but if you're on a P/F system you definitely have that added pressure taken off of you (unless you're shooting for AOA which I couldn't have cared less about).
 
So do you guys recommend studying FA, RR, and a question bank throughout the year? Are those resources enough?
 
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Lol no wonder you guys have such a high average step score... if we had 8-12 weeks allotted built in my school would have it shooting through the roof ;)

In all seriousness.... that's a whole lot more time than most other schools have but if you're on a P/F system you definitely have that added pressure taken off of you (unless you're shooting for AOA which I couldn't have cared less about).

As some of us like to joke here though....the 8-12 weeks is almost required given that first and second year course material doesn't prepare you at all for boards. We'd all be failing if we didn't have it.

We also benefit from the fact that we only have 15.5 four week blocks for clinics spanning the last two years (meaning...going straight through without any breaks, you can graduate in December of your M4 year). It's very easy to delay clinics a month or two to have extra boards studying time and still even graduate early. Personally, I think 3 months of boards studying sounds like hell on earth.
 
As some of us like to joke here though....the 8-12 weeks is almost required given that first and second year course material doesn't prepare you at all for boards. We'd all be failing if we didn't have it.

We also benefit from the fact that we only have 15.5 four week blocks for clinics spanning the last two years (meaning...going straight through without any breaks, you can graduate in December of your M4 year). It's very easy to delay clinics a month or two to have extra boards studying time and still even graduate early. Personally, I think 3 months of boards studying sounds like hell on earth.

Mmm I dunno, I feel like everyone at their respective school feels like they don't "teach to the boards"... mine taught a lot of stuff covered on the boards but often went into more detail/less detail than needed at times.

And yeah 3 months of dedicated time? I'd go nuts.
 
So do you guys recommend studying FA, RR, and a question bank throughout the year? Are those resources enough?

Should be good enough. It's also not necessary for everyone mind you
 
As some of us like to joke here though....the 8-12 weeks is almost required given that first and second year course material doesn't prepare you at all for boards. We'd all be failing if we didn't have it.

We also benefit from the fact that we only have 15.5 four week blocks for clinics spanning the last two years (meaning...going straight through without any breaks, you can graduate in December of your M4 year). It's very easy to delay clinics a month or two to have extra boards studying time and still even graduate early. Personally, I think 3 months of boards studying sounds like hell on earth.

I think this is spot on. Simply trusting that your school is preparing you is horribly naive. Always look out for yourself...bottom line
 
Yeah, the RR Path looks so dense, so much information.

RR is more than path. It ties together pretty much everything. It's not the best pure path book, but probably the highest yield book in med school period
 
So do you guys recommend studying FA, RR, and a question bank throughout the year? Are those resources enough?

Wow... and here I thought you just bought ONE review book... is it really necessary to buy more than one?

What about M1? I've been told to get First Aid your first year and use it as a supplement to studying. I haven't looked too much into what Step 1 entails, but it seems like it emphasizes M2 a lot more. Any advice?
 
Wow... and here I thought you just bought ONE review book... is it really necessary to buy more than one?

What about M1? I've been told to get First Aid your first year and use it as a supplement to studying. I haven't looked too much into what Step 1 entails, but it seems like it emphasizes M2 a lot more. Any advice?

Here's a thread that may be helpful for you:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=834232

I posted some stuff in there that I'm too lazy to type again. But, in general, I would use First Aid as more of an outline or list/summary of things you should know/understand by the time your specific class is over. I wouldn't emphasize FA over your class notes but rather just get familiar with the layout of the book and where topics are located. Remember to focus on class first, and don't use the 15 pages of FA as a replacement for not studying/going to class for a month. I actually did that for my psych class and barely passed the final.
 
Wow... and here I thought you just bought ONE review book... is it really necessary to buy more than one?

What about M1? I've been told to get First Aid your first year and use it as a supplement to studying. I haven't looked too much into what Step 1 entails, but it seems like it emphasizes M2 a lot more. Any advice?

I never used First Aid during first year. I just bought the book a month ago, and was planning to supplement my studies during the 2nd year. And go hardcore with it in the 2nd semester.
 
I never used First Aid during first year. I just bought the book a month ago, and was planning to supplement my studies during the 2nd year. And go hardcore with it in the 2nd semester.

This. + use it to refresh on MS1 micro/biochem/immuno
 
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