Middle of the class

[dradams]

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I am 2 months into med school and have taken 9 tests so far. I seem to be pretty consistently average thus far. My school does P/F but we are ranked in quartiles using our actual grades. Assuming my grades continue to be about the same, which they probably will, then I will end up somewhere around the middle of the class. I would assume that would also translate into a pretty average Step I score as well. My question is concerning residency options for someone like myself who ends up in the middle. Maybe I should ask which specialties (residencies/fellowships) would be out of reach in my situation?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[njbmd]

I am 2 months into med school and have taken 9 tests so far. I seem to be pretty consistently average thus far. My school does P/F but we are ranked in quartiles using our actual grades. Assuming my grades continue to be about the same, which they probably will, then I will end up somewhere around the middle of the class. I would assume that would also translate into a pretty average Step I score as well. My question is concerning residency options for someone like myself who ends up in the middle. Maybe I should ask which specialties (residencies/fellowships) would be out of reach in my situation?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there,
It is way too early to start putting any specialty that interests you out of reach. While optho, derm, ortho, rads and others are very competitive, you still have lots of school ahead of you and lots of things that are under your control. If you know that you really want to go into a competitive specialty, you can start to do whatever it takes to get your grades higher and you can prepare well for USMLE when the time comes.

It is very easy to talk yourself out of achieving in medical school. It is very difficult to do the problem-solving and do whatever it takes to get the grades that you need. You have resources: peer tutors, review courses, faculty and upper classmen who can help you. Ask for help and keep asking until you get what you need. Why pay thousands in medical school tuition and not utilize every resourse to get the grades that you need to do whatever specialty that you want not the specialty that you think you should "settle for".

If you were sitting at the end of third year with the same performance, you might not have as many options. At this point, there are many things that you can turn around. Don't settle at this point but be proactive. If you do very well from here on out, no specialty is out of your reach. By then, you can choose what you want.

I have seen cases where even with the competitive specialties, desire, interest and turning around a poor early performance has enabled matches. Medical school is a bit like football in that "is isn't over until it is over and there are fourth-quarter comebacks".

njbmd 🙂

 

[dradams]

Hi there,
It is way too early to start putting any specialty that interests you out of reach. While optho, derm, ortho, rads and others are very competitive, you still have lots of school ahead of you and lots of things that are under your control. If you know that you really want to go into a competitive specialty, you can start to do whatever it takes to get your grades higher and you can prepare well for USMLE when the time comes.

It is very easy to talk yourself out of achieving in medical school. It is very difficult to do the problem-solving and do whatever it takes to get the grades that you need. You have resources: peer tutors, review courses, faculty and upper classmen who can help you. Ask for help and keep asking until you get what you need. Why pay thousands in medical school tuition and not utilize every resourse to get the grades that you need to do whatever specialty that you want not the specialty that you think you should "settle for".

If you were sitting at the end of third year with the same performance, you might not have as many options. At this point, there are many things that you can turn around. Don't settle at this point but be proactive. If you do very well from here on out, no specialty is out of your reach. By then, you can choose what you want.

I have seen cases where even with the competitive specialties, desire, interest and turning around a poor early performance has enabled matches. Medical school is a bit like football in that "is isn't over until it is over and there are fourth-quarter comebacks".

njbmd 🙂

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm not necessarily interested in one of those really competitive specialties. I'm not really sure what field I want actually. I guess I was really trying to ask if most things are still open to someone who is in the middle of the class grade-wise? And actually I haven't been doing poorly at all. I am right around the mean all the time - middle B. Keeping that kind of performance up seems very doable. But considering how much I am doing currently, for me to push to the front of the curve seems like it would require a huge increase in time and effort.

 

[njbmd]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm not necessarily interested in one of those really competitive specialties. I'm not really sure what field I want actually. I guess I was really trying to ask if most things are still open to someone who is in the middle of the class grade-wise? And actually I haven't been doing poorly at all. I am right around the mean all the time - middle B. Keeping that kind of performance up seems very doable. But considering how much I am doing currently, for me to push to the front of the curve seems like it would require a huge increase in time and effort.

Hi there,
I may be a case of "working smarter" rather than "working harder". When I was at this point in medical school, I found that I could do some serious adjusting and became more efficient in my studies. A couple of my upperclassmen were very helpful in assiting me with organization. Since medical school is all about managing large volumes in a short period of time, rely on those who have been successful.

I would say that most things if not all things are open to you at this point. Making the adjustments to get your grades higher is also open to you at this point may be difficult but be willing to make adjustments where you can and while you still have so many options. Above all, do not doubt yourself. Medical school is all about having a strategy and being willing to shift when you need to.

Good luck!
njbmd 🙂

 

[unoriginal]

Hi there,
I may be a case of "working smarter" rather than "working harder". When I was at this point in medical school, I found that I could do some serious adjusting and became more efficient in my studies. A couple of my upperclassmen were very helpful in assiting me with organization. Since medical school is all about managing large volumes in a short period of time, rely on those who have been successful.

I would say that most things if not all things are open to you at this point. Making the adjustments to get your grades higher is also open to you at this point may be difficult but be willing to make adjustments where you can and while you still have so many options. Above all, do not doubt yourself. Medical school is all about having a strategy and being willing to shift when you need to.

Good luck!
njbmd 🙂

Do you have any examples of how we can be more efficient? What did you do to be more efficient?

 

[dradams]

Thanks again. I would like to second the other post. How did you become more efficient? Whatever suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fantasty]

I don't really have much to add, except that never give up or "settle". I know plenty of people who did not do well at all during first year, who later went on to match in competitive specialties or competitive programs within less competitive specialties. For some people (at least at our school), it takes getting into pathology, etc, before they really get into the science. And, some do not blossom until the wards. I think the previous advice holds true - just keeping working, and try to improve efficiency. But, don't rule out options at this point - you'll have plenty of time to see what you are truly interested in and then find the best way to get to that goal.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

middle of the class doesn't mean bad usmle scores necessarily.

the amount of info tested in class is more than that tested on the step. also, you must memorize crap according to your school's test schedule, rather than your own schedule. that makes it much harder to manage. sometimes you overstudy for a subject, and understudy for others. it's hard to gauge. plus professors seem to pull questions out of their asses sometimes.

 

[dradams]

Thanks for the encouraging advice everyone.

 

[dradams]

middle of the class doesn't mean bad usmle scores necessarily.

the amount of info tested in class is more than that tested on the step. also, you must memorize crap according to your school's test schedule, rather than your own schedule. that makes it much harder to manage. sometimes you overstudy for a subject, and understudy for others. it's hard to gauge. plus professors seem to pull questions out of their asses sometimes.

I see your point. You are definitely right about some professors pulling questions out of their asses. Sometimes nit-picky crap that I know would not be tested on Step I.

 

[Indebt4Life]

To the OP,
Keep your head up! As a current UM student I can tell you that the first two months are not easy. Develop a style of your own and be efficient. Efficiency is the key. And remember, medical school is not a sprint, it is a long distance race....so keep running and you'll do fine. You are at FAU right?

 

[dradams]

To the OP,
Keep your head up! As a current UM student I can tell you that the first two months are not easy. Develop a style of your own and be efficient. Efficiency is the key. And remember, medical school is not a sprint, it is a long distance race....so keep running and you'll do fine. You are at FAU right?

Yep, I'm at the FAU campus.