How does M2 compare to M1?

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hoqhuuep

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From someone who's having a pretty hard time with M1, how is M2 like for you current second years? How did you transition to the workload as well? Thanks...

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From someone who's having a pretty hard time with M1, how is M2 like for you current second years? How did you transition to the workload as well? Thanks...

I think its easier. IMO it is more interesting - actual medicine as opposed to histo, biochem, etc.

Goodluck - it is worth it in the end!
 
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The description I've always heard: M1 is like someone sticking an umbrella up your butt. M2 is when they open the umbrella.
 
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M2 is perhaps a bit more challenging than M1... but you won't know it until you look back over both years. M2 is definitely more interesting, because it's actual clinical medicine - things you have to know. It does involve more memorization, which was always hard for me.

However, by the time you reach M2, you will have greatly honed your study skills. You'll be a veteran at taking your school's exams. You'll be more relaxed and that makes it much easier to study productively. I thought M2 was more challenging than M1, but I certainly enjoyed it more.

So, focus on M1 - let M2 take care of itself. Trust me, you'll be ready for it by the time you get there. That's how med school works. Good luck!
 
As an M2, Step 1 is always lurking in the back of your mind, especially second semester. Step 1 is the beast that you must slay. I never really thought about Step 1 during my first year, but I sure thought about it alot during my second year.
 
I'll echo others... it's harder in some areas, faster in most areas, and much more interesting in every area. If your study habits are solid, you may not even notice the increased difficulty because it's offset by your actual interest in what you're learning. :)
 
I pretty much agree with everything Non-TradTulsa said. To summarize:

More Work
More Difficult
More Memorization
More Interesting
I concur. I think I studied a fair amount more, but I skipped so many lectures that I probably slept more too.
 
I'm starting to skip lectures now. First year, I went to all of them, even if I knew the professor was awful, just because I had nothing better to do and I thought I'd at least see if they said anything interesting. Now, I don't have the time to go to lecture unless you are going to give me some good stuff. Second year makes you streamline your studying A LOT more than first year, in my opinion.

With that said, I don't think it's harder, it's just different. Certainly the material is more enjoyable and actually applicable to clinical medicine, which is a plus.
 
i'm pretty sure that umbrella was open during anatomy lab because that hurt like hell. as long as i'm not in anatomy lab then i'm happy
 
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M2 is harder, requires way more retention, actually matters, and is a billion times more interesting.

So that makes the longer hours worth it.
 
First year I can remember thinking, "I wish I didn't have to study and could go do stuff."

Now, second year, I find myself thinking,"I wish I didn't have to do stuff and could just study."
 
You'll have a higher alcohol tolerance 2nd year because you've been drinking yourself to sleep all 1st year.

You'll be better at being a medical student second year but it still sucks.
 
Harder parts: more volume, more memorization, classroom/studying burnout, step one beast lingering in your near future
Better parts: information more interesting, big picture coming together, light at the end of the tunnel, have hopefully found your groove so less panic
 
I'm not so sure about the "less panic" part

4 exams in 24 hours is not fun :(
 
I'm not so sure about the "less panic" part

4 exams in 24 hours is not fun :(

For me I gained confidence that that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach was in fact what it felt like to pass. I knew that if I worked my tail off I could usually at least pass despite how impossible it seemed walking in to that test. In turn I was less panicked. Not fun by far, but not "OMG I'm gonna failout of medschool" constantly. During first year if I was guessing a bunch on a test I would immediately assume that I was failing whereas now I have confidence in my guessing superpowers ;)
 
You'll have a higher alcohol tolerance 2nd year because you've been drinking yourself to sleep all 1st year.

You'll be better at being a medical student second year but it still sucks.

My alcohol tolerance actually shot through the roof during M2 because I NEEDED my time off to be time off, and theres only one way to do that ;). It's on like donkey kong as soon as I get done with blocks haha

As for M1 vs M2, M2 is M1 on roids, but it tastes much better (I have no idea what steroids taste like, never had them haha). M1 was super dry and boring, while M2 is rather interesting and a lot more relevant to clinical medicine. Also you're learning how to study during M1, by the time M2 rolls around, you're pretty good at studying which enables you to learn more information in the same amount of time.

All in all, studying well and efficiently during M1 should set you up for M2 success :thumbup:
 
All in all, studying well and efficiently during M1 should set you up for M2 success

That is so true, and a lot of people overlook it, thinking that m1 is useless minutiae without future relevance. But really, having learned your **** first year makes second year so much easier (not actually easy, but at least it doesn't feel like you're drowning--you feel like you're able to tread water).
 
after finishing M1 i felt like i knew 1000 times more then I did the year before

after finishing M2 and Step I studying I felt like I knew 1000 times more then i did at the end of M1

so far it feels the same way this year
 
That is so true, and a lot of people overlook it, thinking that m1 is useless minutiae without future relevance. But really, having learned your **** first year makes second year so much easier (not actually easy, but at least it doesn't feel like you're drowning--you feel like you're able to tread water).

I think a lot of people in my class were frustrated this year because they didn't do anything other than cram before tests in M1. Guess what? That doesn't set you up to remember anything later.
 
Agree with all of above. M1 is really hard, M2 even harder but more interesting, and M3 = just completely different than anything before. Harder in some ways, like lack of sleep and feeling completely out of your element everytime a new clerkship starts or you work up a problem for the first time. Also easier in others, like feeling more at ease talking with patients, not having a test every friggin week, and many times actually having fun with what your doing. The frustrating part for me now is realizing how much from 1st year has been forgotten now that i'm in 3rd year. The holes in my gross anatomy memory have been exposed in full glory during surgery clerkship. At least re-learning is easier than the first go, and it will likely stick now since it is needed to apply to real patients.
 
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