M1 scoring below average

[Toasterstrudels]

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Hey everyone!

New M1 here... I have been scoring below average on the first couple tests of our first block (~10% below average). I feel like my study techniques have been okay (may need to be tweaked a little) and my effort has definitely been up to par. Felt like I have been learning the material well but just made stupid mistakes.

I got to a T30 school and my classmates are all incredibly smart. It has been very humbling scoring so far below the average even though I know my effort is there. I am interested in competitive surgical sub specialties (ortho, optho, etc) so I am really nervous that maybe I am just not up to par for these types of specialties and will not be able to perform well enough. I know Step 1 and I have a lot of time to increase my grades, but I am getting nervous. Is how one starts out medical school usually indicative of how one finishes? Any sort of words of wisdom, advice, or anecdotes of people who started out medical school similarly would be helpful!

 

[mr.applesauce]

I'm going through the same thing. I'm scoring below almost everyone except for like 1-2 classes. I think I have a memory issue because I study all day. I don't even take weekends off like my other classmates do. I know this doesn't help but I know how you feel. Kind of disappointing how the biggest difference between you and your classmates is genetics :/ (as long as you aren't lazy)

 

[kb1900]

I'm going through the same thing. I'm scoring below almost everyone except for like 1-2 classes. I think I have a memory issue because I study all day. I don't even take weekends off like my other classmates do. I know this doesn't help but I know how you feel. Kind of disappointing how the biggest difference between you and your classmates is genetics :/ (as long as you aren't lazy)

disclosure: I am only an m1 finishing anatomy, histo, embryo. About 1 stdv above the avg on all assessments except the first exam (below avg).

It’s not genetics and the fact that you think that is sad (locus of control where art thou). Certainly there are superstars at all levels of the grade distribution. Also, certainly, most people are working as hard as you are.

What’s most likely is that you’re not testing yourself actively enough and/or you’re not efficient with your study time.

Anki + minimizing how much reading/watching (passive learning) I did was crucial.

 

[Techguru2323]

Highly doubt it’s genetics, you are smart enough to make it to medical school so your “genetic potential” is pretty close to that of the majority of your classmates.
Ive scored 2 standard deviations above the mean on every exam but I have put in some much effort and time.
Medical is 90% effort. if you’re putting in the time, your methods are undoubtedly flawed

 

[Toasterstrudels]

Highly doubt it’s genetics, you are smart enough to make it to medical school so your “genetic potential” is pretty close to that of the majority of your classmates.
Ive scored 2 standard deviations above the mean on every exam but I have put in some much effort and time.
Medical is 90% effort. if you’re putting in the time, your methods are undoubtedly flawed

I am still working out the best study methods, hopefully once I find something that works my scores will improve. Mind sharing what your study methods are?

 

[Osteoth]

disclosure: I am only an m1 finishing anatomy, histo, embryo. About 1 stdv above the avg on all assessments except the first exam (below avg).

It’s not genetics and the fact that you think that is sad (locus of control where art thou). Certainly there are superstars at all levels of the grade distribution. Also, certainly, most people are working as hard as you are.

What’s most likely is that you’re not testing yourself actively enough and/or you’re not efficient with your study time.

Anki + minimizing how much reading/watching (passive learning) I did was crucial.

All hail based anki.

 

[Milotic]

Highly doubt it’s genetics, you are smart enough to make it to medical school so your “genetic potential” is pretty close to that of the majority of your classmates.
Ive scored 2 standard deviations above the mean on every exam but I have put in some much effort and time.
Medical is 90% effort. if you’re putting in the time, your methods are undoubtedly flawed

It's more genetics than you think. Someone has to be below average. You just going to tell everyone who got below average that it's possible not to be if they try harder or find the right methods? Someone still will always be below average no matter how hard they try. The exception is if you're totally convinced that a chunk of medical students aren't actually putting in full effort.

 

[mr.applesauce]

It's more genetics than you think. Someone has to be below average. You just going to tell everyone who got below average that it's possible not to be if they try harder or find the right methods? Someone still will always be below average no matter how hard they try. The exception is if you're totally convinced that a chunk of medical students aren't actually putting in full effort.

You get it. Tbh I don't mind if I'm "genetically inferior"... I mean, someone has to be right? I just want to graduate and become a competent doctor.

 

[Techguru2323]

It's more genetics than you think. Someone has to be below average. You just going to tell everyone who got below average that it's possible not to be if they try harder or find the right methods? Someone still will always be below average no matter how hard they try. The exception is if you're totally convinced that a chunk of medical students aren't actually putting in full effort.

Sure, genetics play a role but it’s a misguided approach to automatically assume that is the case. Until you know your effort/efficiency is comparable to other students, genetics should be off the table.
My original point was saying genetics are a factor but 99% of students accepted into medical school are capable of doing the work. Of course there will always be students who excel with relative ease but they make up only a small fraction.

 

[libertyyne]

N=1. I am only half way through a block and was having similar doubts as you regarding my abilities. I scored on average or 10% below class median my first set of exams. I ended up modifying my study techniques and ended up scoring 3 sd+ the last set of exams . I augmented with heavy focus on anki and the course pack. It is possible.

 

[EEtoPre-Med]

N=1. I am only half way through a block and was having similar doubts as you regarding my abilities. I scored on average or 10% below class median my first set of exams. I ended up modifying my study techniques and ended up scoring 3 sd+ the last set of exams . I augmented with heavy focus on anki and the course pack. It is possible.

I feel similar to the OP. What is the course pack? Have you always been a notecard person? I have tried Anki but the questions I miss on exams are more a conceptual mishap than forgetting a key detail. I am right at the average at a state school.

 

[libertyyne]

I feel similar to the OP. What is the course pack? Have you always been a notecard person? I have tried Anki but the questions I miss on exams are more a conceptual mishap than forgetting a key detail. I am right at the average at a state school.

I never did notecards/flashcards was always too lazy to do them and felt like conceptual understanding was the way to good grades. The problem with medical school exams, at least at my school is that they are detail driven factoids that you either know or dont, and even to do procress of elimination on questions you need to know other factoids to narrow down choices. Flashcards/Anki is an excellent way to make sure you have all of the information in your head.

You read a page 3 times and you think you have it all down. You go to test yourself and find out that you missed 5 out of the 10 factoids. You get a false sense of security that you know the material well enough. Anki eliminates that false sense of security, if you know it it gets put away to get tested another day, otherwise it is in your face to learn until you are done.

Coursepacks are just the note packs the school hands out.


This is just my limited experience. I am 95th percentile mcat at my state school, however the kind of thinking required for medical school exams is not the same that was tested on the mcat.

 

[EEtoPre-Med]

I never did notecards/flashcards was always too lazy to do them and felt like conceptual understanding was the way to good grades. The problem with medical school exams, at least at my school is that they are detail driven factoids that you either know or dont, and even to do procress of elimination on questions you need to know other factoids to narrow down choices. Flashcards/Anki is an excellent way to make sure you have all of the information in your head.

You read a page 3 times and you think you have it all down. You go to test yourself and find out that you missed 5 out of the 10 factoids. You get a false sense of security that you know the material well enough. Anki eliminates that false sense of security, if you know it it gets put away to get tested another day, otherwise it is in your face to learn until you are done.

Coursepacks are just the note packs the school hands out.


This is just my limited experience. I am 95th percentile mcat at my state school, however the kind of thinking required for medical school exams is not the same that was tested on the mcat.

Yes, I am about 95th percentile MCAT at my school too but the thinking does seem very different. Thank you very much for this information.

 

[alkylate]

MS4 here. The first weeks/months of medical school really is about learning HOW to study in medical school. Hopefully you're in a pass/fail system which relieves some of the stress but nevertheless, you should try different study methods and see what works best for you as it will come in handy as you progress.
Best of luck!

 

[Toasterstrudels]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I am going to try more active studying (anki, Q's, etc) and to be more efficient with my time. Hopefully I will find a study method that works for me sooner rather than later!

 

[sammiesings]

I never did notecards/flashcards was always too lazy to do them and felt like conceptual understanding was the way to good grades. The problem with medical school exams, at least at my school is that they are detail driven factoids that you either know or dont, and even to do procress of elimination on questions you need to know other factoids to narrow down choices. Flashcards/Anki is an excellent way to make sure you have all of the information in your head.

You read a page 3 times and you think you have it all down. You go to test yourself and find out that you missed 5 out of the 10 factoids. You get a false sense of security that you know the material well enough. Anki eliminates that false sense of security, if you know it it gets put away to get tested another day, otherwise it is in your face to learn until you are done.

Coursepacks are just the note packs the school hands out.


This is just my limited experience. I am 95th percentile mcat at my state school, however the kind of thinking required for medical school exams is not the same that was tested on the mcat.

When you do Anki cards how do you decide what is worthy of a card? Or do you go so far as to make cards for like every line of the coursepack?

I also have a really hard time deciding with cloze and regular cards. Do you mind sharing your strategy on how you decide what type of card you'll use for a particular factoid?

 

[Goro]

Hey everyone!

New M1 here... I have been scoring below average on the first couple tests of our first block (~10% below average). I feel like my study techniques have been okay (may need to be tweaked a little) and my effort has definitely been up to par. Felt like I have been learning the material well but just made stupid mistakes.

I got to a T30 school and my classmates are all incredibly smart. It has been very humbling scoring so far below the average even though I know my effort is there. I am interested in competitive surgical sub specialties (ortho, optho, etc) so I am really nervous that maybe I am just not up to par for these types of specialties and will not be able to perform well enough. I know Step 1 and I have a lot of time to increase my grades, but I am getting nervous. Is how one starts out medical school usually indicative of how one finishes? Any sort of words of wisdom, advice, or anecdotes of people who started out medical school similarly would be helpful!

You're doing fine! Have a little faith in yourself.

About a third of my students do poorly in the first third of OMSI. They learn the hard way that what worked in college doesn't work well for med school. Most people figure it out and then in the rest of the semester, they sort themselves out. Keep in mind that half of your class will be < avg.

Read this:
Goro's Guide to Success in Medical School (2017 edition)

 

[Styrene]

You're doing fine! Have a little faith in yourself.

About a third of my students do poorly in the first third of OMSI. They learn the hard way that what worked in college doesn't work well for med school. Most people figure it out and then in the rest of the semester, they sort themselves out. Keep in mind that half of your class will be < avg.

Read this:
Goro's Guide to Success in Medical School (2017 edition)

True that. Our first class during MS1 was anatomy, and it was a killer for me. Honored everything after that.

 

[TRPMinus]

I'd take a lot of opinions here with a grain of salt. I was told I'd have to change the way I study when I started med school......and I haven't changed a thing. It's all about knowing yourself and adapting when necessary. For instance, I study completely differently for different classes. Some I use PowerPoint slides only. For others I actually read a freaking huge textbook. People think it's a waste of time, but I'm not going to change it when I'm doing well. I tried Anki and dropped it like a hot potato after the first week. Works well for some, just not for me. Bottom line: you do you

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

it is inevitable that once you reach high enough on the pyramid, you will end up average, because your classmates are all just like you. Try your best to focus on your own work, develop good study methods as you said, and focus less (or not at all) on comparing yourself to other people. It will only make you feel inadequate and distract you from the task at hand. You are in competition with yourself and the tests, not with the others (whether true or not, you have to think that way).