If you could do it again

[Ender]

If you were a first year medical student getting ready to start your summer break, and you wanted to start a long term low intensity (or intermediate intensity) program to begin preparation for step 1, what would you do knowing what you know now? I know many of you are thinking,? Another gunner," but I actually am a below average student (I am walking on air when my test scores are above the mean). I should probably spend a lot more time studying, but when I do it is not too effective or in other words not high yield. My biggest problem is remembering things long term because I always seem to cram enough to pass and then it all goes out the window. I have a lot of time this summer and I know many people would say, "Enjoy the summer." If your only option was to study and perhaps make up for not learning the 1st years material too well, what would you do? I figure that if I start now and really internalize the information then when step 1 roles around I won't have to cram my brains out and I will remember everything well. I am also hoping this will help me to do better in my second year. I would love any suggestions about books or step 1 programs or schedules or "mistakes not to make" or anything. Thanks a bunch.

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[Spang]

If you're determined to do something this summer, I would have done this:

1. Get the Goljan CD of path lectures off of eBay and listen to them and use them as you go through 2nd year.

2. If you want to do some reading this summer that will help you in 2nd year and on the boards get Clinical Micro Made Ridiculously Simple and Levinson and Jewetz Micro and Immuno book and read through that.

3. If you're a real glutton start reading the baby Robbins,which in retrospect was probably good enough for 2nd year, even though I used the big Robbins.

Incidently, I would probably just have a good time this summer if I were given the chance to do it again. I'm sure you'd heard people say just do the work in the first two years then all you have to do is review for a few weeks before the boards.

Spang

 

[IlianaSedai]

I'd go with (re?)-reading BRS Physiology.

I actually made do with reading BRS Physio as I took each organ system during second year. So on the first 2-3 days of cardiovascular pathophysiology/pathology/pharmacology, I'd read the corresponding chapter in BRS Physio. It worked well enough for me, but if you desperately wanted to do something during the summer, I think it would have worked just as well for me to move it up to the summer.

I'm not sure it would have worked better, though.

 

[Stinger86]

For reviewing first year material:

Definitely look over BRS Physiology. If you really, really want to you could look at the High Yield Anatomy and HY Neuroanatomy books.

For preparing for second year:

Here's what I did when I felt the need to do something constructive. I read the first five chapters of Robbin's Basic Pathology (basically the General Pathology sections) and answered the correlative chapter questions from Robbin's Review of Pathology. Our first path exam covered all this stuff for the first three weeks, so during this time I was able to focus my attention on Microbiology and other classes, which really freed up my time that first month. I'm not sure if this will help you, but I focused on path no only because it interested me but also because it's a year-long class and covers a ton of information. Good luck

 

[Ender]

Hey thanks for the great ideas. By the way I have heard a few things about this Goljan guy, but who exactly is he and what makes his lectures so good?

 

[Solace]

Man, second year is a real burn-out. You sure you want to do this?

I did a month summer externship after my first year and the residents looked at me at like I was crazy for doing it.

I agree with Spang in reading Micro Made Ridiculously. It is easy but very helpful reading and will cover some pharm also for second year. It is relatively easy remembering most of the stuff in there and once you prepare for boards, the reading would be even easier and quicker to get through.

 

[Stinger86]

What's kinda odd about second year (at least to me) is that a lot of the information concerning specific diseases, organisms, drugs, etc, is difficult to study the summer before and retain for any decent length of time. All these review books are awesome once you've covered the stuff in class and have taken exams over it. That's why I stuck to the general principles kinda stuff as a quick overview during that summer before 2nd year. Dunno, that's just me.

 

[Ender]

All these review books are awesome once you've covered the stuff in class and have taken exams over it. That's why I stuck to the general principles kinda stuff as a quick overview during that summer before 2nd year. Dunno, that's just me.

I am sure you are right about that. I guess I am hoping that a first exposure will help me when I get to lecture and everything else. Also from what I have read it seems like the more familiar you are with the review books you will be using for the boards the better off you will be when you have to study from them.

I have read about people making notes right in their first aid and using that mostly at the end to review. It sound like a good idea but I think you would have to be very familiar with the book in order to know what is in there on a subject and what you should write down.

 

[Spang]

Ok, you might think I'm a geek for doing this, I did get a lot of flack from my classmates, but...I took my First Aid and BRS Path (actually some other too) to Kinko's and had them spiral-bound. It cost $7/each. It is so much easier to read and anotate them this way, and you'll use both of them alot. Very much worth the money in my opinion.

Not exactly on topic, but a helpful hint from your Uncle Spang.


Spang

 

[Ender]

Ok, you might think I'm a geek for doing this, I did get a lot of flack from my classmates, but...I took my First Aid and BRS Path (actually some other too) to Kinko's and had them spiral-bound. It cost $7/each. It is so much easier to read and anotate them this way, and you'll use both of them alot. Very much worth the money in my opinion.
Spang

Hey, thats not a bad idea. I guess I could also just cut of the spine and put them in a 3 ring binder so that I could add pages or diagrams if neccesary. Thanks

 

[Spang]

Not to rag on your abilities, but Kinko's would do that also, and probably do it better!

It is seriously worth it. In fact, I've got my FA spread open as we speak while I was doing NMS questions and making notes in it!

BTW, Clinical Micro Made Ridiculously Simple is another one I had spiral-bound.

Spang