If you could go back what would you do different?

[justD.O.it]

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This is pretty much directed at any current MS-2 and beyond. If you had it all to do over again, would you do anything different? Study more/less, go out more/less, join more/less organizations, etc. Please bestow your wisdom upon mere first year 🙂

 

[TCOM-2006]

This is pretty much directed at any current MS-2 and beyond. If you had it all to do over again, would you do anything different? Study more/less, go out more/less, join more/less organizations, etc. Please bestow your wisdom upon mere first year 🙂

if you can manage your time well, and don't overcommit, you should be able to be pretty well rounded. let your world revolve around your test schedule the first 2 years. at TCOM we had a test about every 1.5 - 2 weeks, so i would always try to: go out and have fun the night after the test (or at least once a week - even if you're tired!!) catch up on all my organizational involvement and get my errands done the next day or two, and then start studying again full time. don't do any organizational or other stuff the other days unless you absolutley have to. however, give yourself a daily fun things to do (for me - it's the daily show with jon stewart - weeknights at 11/10central). try to limit your email / internet time too. get out if the house to study if it's too distracting. try to get consistent sleep if possible.

limit your organizational involvement to just 1 or 2 things - and focus on being really good at them (better to do this than to overcommit and be innefective for 5 different organizations). my advice on getting involved in leadership, is - do something that you enjoy and do something that gives you a chance to make connections for the future and at a state or national level (ie - AMA, AOA, etc). don't invest your time as the treasurer for the scribe service, unless it's something you enjoy. [for those of you who might be the treasurer of the scribe service - thank you - truly selfless work, and i appreciate it 🙂 ]

now did i always live by these rules? no way, and i didn't even realize how much time i was investing in leadership stuff my first and second year until now. although i think i'll be just fine for residency - i do wish that i had spent more time studying.

 

[dcratamt]

If I had to do it over again I would study less and drink and party a lot more. That is what some of my classmates did.......of course now they do have it to do over again. Kind of ironic huh? 😕

 

[babyruth]

I would probably study more.... Study for boards harder I guess. I took too many naps, so now I am trying to get used to a Monday-Friday clinical rotation schedule. We'll see how it goes.

 

[macman]

Mainly in terms of rotations-I would have read more. It was very tempting, esp. in 3rd year to take it easy after 2 years of basic science hell.

I also realize now that there is no magic formula for doing well on rotations. Some say 'be aggressive' others say be 'laid back'-well I tried both with varying results. In the end I guess you just be friendly, helpful, and hard working.

 

[Willie B]

I would Run, Run very fast, to get away. Actually, forget running, jump on a plane and get away .


Just kidding. I wouldn't worry so much about just passing.

 

[novacek88]

I would have spent more time trying to understand concepts as opposed to merely memorizing them. You are going to forget things anyway but if you genuinely understood something the first time, it's much easier to apply that information and remember it when it comes to looking over that information again.

 

[Dies Irae]

Wow, am I the only first year med student who is not completely freaked out about starting school? 🙂

More importantly...should I be freaked out?

 

[Chrysanthemum]

Wow, am I the only first year med student who is not completely freaked out about starting school? 🙂

You and I both my friend.