MS1 almost done, but...scared..

[TimothyBryce]

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Hey Everyone-

New to SDN here. Great resource!

Anyways, we are on our last block of 1st year here at my school which has an honors/pass/fail system. I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but I would like to get responses to my situation.

I'm almost done with MS1 and it looks like I won't be honoring anything (well, I still have a long shot at 1 of the classes (phys)). When it comes to exams, I'm generally smack dab in the middle. Sometimes a little below, sometimes a little above. But here's the thing. As long as I can remember, it was always been like this. Even in undergrad, I was always average when it came to premed classes and I did enough to get by. I got in to my state school because of two reasons. ONE is the undergrad institution I attended was awesome and TWO, my MCAT scores was a 37, which I think is stellar.

I have always been like this. Average no matter how hard I worked in class, but I always kicked ass on standardized tests. I don't know why that is, I've thought about it a lot.

As I end first year, I feel like I only NOW know how to study this crap. If only I could do it all over again, I'd do ten times better. I've hit my stride now, where I'm going to the gym regularly, studying regularly and efficiently, and doing better on tests (we'll see how the block ends). I really feel like I can carry this into next year.

So, my question is this. Have I closed doors already in terms of residency (I'm not thinking derm, but maybe ENT or Gen Surg or Anesthesiology, maybe IM)? Can I salvage by doing well during MSII and kicking ass on the boards (which I anticipate doing knowing my history, though of course nothing is guaranteed).

Oh, I also got a nice fellowship to do summer research in a well-known lab. I'm interested in that stuff and plan on taking it further.

So, can anyone analyze my chances and what I should do about landing a decent residency in a nice city?

 

[DNM503]

Hey Everyone-

New to SDN here. Great resource!

Anyways, we are on our last block of 1st year here at my school which has an honors/pass/fail system. I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but I would like to get responses to my situation.

I'm almost done with MS1 and it looks like I won't be honoring anything (well, I still have a long shot at 1 of the classes (phys)). When it comes to exams, I'm generally smack dab in the middle. Sometimes a little below, sometimes a little above. But here's the thing. As long as I can remember, it was always been like this. Even in undergrad, I was always average when it came to premed classes and I did enough to get by. I got in to my state school because of two reasons. ONE is the undergrad institution I attended was awesome and TWO, my MCAT scores was a 37, which I think is stellar.

I have always been like this. Average no matter how hard I worked in class, but I always kicked ass on standardized tests. I don't know why that is, I've thought about it a lot.

As I end first year, I feel like I only NOW know how to study this crap. If only I could do it all over again, I'd do ten times better. I've hit my stride now, where I'm going to the gym regularly, studying regularly and efficiently, and doing better on tests (we'll see how the block ends). I really feel like I can carry this into next year.

So, my question is this. Have I closed doors already in terms of residency (I'm not thinking derm, but maybe ENT or Gen Surg or Anesthesiology, maybe IM)? Can I salvage by doing well during MSII and kicking ass on the boards (which I anticipate doing knowing my history, though of course nothing is guaranteed).

Oh, I also got a nice fellowship to do summer research in a well-known lab. I'm interested in that stuff and plan on taking it further.

So, can anyone analyze my chances and what I should do about landing a decent residency in a nice city?

I'm probably not the best authority on this since I am just entering med school in the fall, but it always seems to work out that standardized tests scores are worth more than 4 years of performance in the classroom, anyway. (My problem is opposite yours...always far above average in the classroom but hanging around average on the standardized tests.) Anyway, from what I've heard from med students, your clinical "grades" and comments matter a lot more than what you do in the first two years.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Barring a sudden change of heart towards derm, I'd say you're good to go. Hitting the class average in medical school is nothing to scoff at, and an excellent Step 1 score for most residencies is probably more important than the first two years of course grades combined.

 

[USCTex]

Barring a sudden change of heart towards derm, I'd say you're good to go. Hitting the class average in medical school is nothing to scoff at, and an excellent Step 1 score for most residencies is probably more important than the first two years of course grades combined.

Without a doubt. I'm probably in a pretty similiar boat as the OP, with a lot of Bs first year, and at a state school but I don't think I've shut a whole lot of doors (unless my goal is derm or rad onc or something like that at Harvard or Columbia or Stanford, etc.)

First year is such a small part of your residency application...unless you're failing something, don't even give it a second glance.

 

[Syranope2]

You're fine, probably even for derm if you change your mind. The most important part of med school as far as applying to residencies is your third year clinical rotations grades and your Step 1 score. It's nice to do well in the preclinical years, but it really doesn't matter all that much. At our school, for example, your class rank is determined on the following formula: 10% MS1, 30% MS2, and 60% MS3.

As far as advice goes for you, I'd just say keep up the good work during next year. If you've got your study habits figured out now, that means you have a whole year of applying them ahead of you. Additionally, if you do well/study hard/really learn stuff instead of just memorize it for the test during second year, you'll really be helping yourself out with boards study as well.

Overall, it is DEFINITELY not too late 🙂

 

[pillowhead]

Hey Everyone-

New to SDN here. Great resource!

Anyways, we are on our last block of 1st year here at my school which has an honors/pass/fail system. I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but I would like to get responses to my situation.

I'm almost done with MS1 and it looks like I won't be honoring anything (well, I still have a long shot at 1 of the classes (phys)). When it comes to exams, I'm generally smack dab in the middle. Sometimes a little below, sometimes a little above. But here's the thing. As long as I can remember, it was always been like this. Even in undergrad, I was always average when it came to premed classes and I did enough to get by. I got in to my state school because of two reasons. ONE is the undergrad institution I attended was awesome and TWO, my MCAT scores was a 37, which I think is stellar.

I have always been like this. Average no matter how hard I worked in class, but I always kicked ass on standardized tests. I don't know why that is, I've thought about it a lot.

As I end first year, I feel like I only NOW know how to study this crap. If only I could do it all over again, I'd do ten times better. I've hit my stride now, where I'm going to the gym regularly, studying regularly and efficiently, and doing better on tests (we'll see how the block ends). I really feel like I can carry this into next year.

So, my question is this. Have I closed doors already in terms of residency (I'm not thinking derm, but maybe ENT or Gen Surg or Anesthesiology, maybe IM)? Can I salvage by doing well during MSII and kicking ass on the boards (which I anticipate doing knowing my history, though of course nothing is guaranteed).

Oh, I also got a nice fellowship to do summer research in a well-known lab. I'm interested in that stuff and plan on taking it further.

So, can anyone analyze my chances and what I should do about landing a decent residency in a nice city?

You are absolutely positively fine for whatever you want to do in the future and where ever you want to do it. First year grades mean almost nothing when applying to residency programs unless you just bombed everything. I made straight Bs my first semester of med school and then straight As in second year which is more important for the boards anyway. What really matters is 3rd year which is a whole new ball game so even if you always made average grades before, things might be totally different third year. It's hard during the first two years to see the big picture sometimes, but it sounds like you're doing more than fine.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

.

 

[Taurus]

Sorry to be the one having to break the news to ya, but you're doomed to a career in FM. 😛

 

[Brainsucker]

Sorry to be the one having to break the news to ya, but you're doomed to a career in FM. 😛

NOOOOO!!!

 

[TimothyBryce]

Thank you all for your great responses. This is very encouraging. Who knows, maybe I'll be average next year too, but at least there's potential. What do you guys think of research? I'm working in a basic cancer lab this summer (but i got a decent fellowship from the outside to fund the research). Even though it's summer work, meaning not anything significant will get accomplished, does it still look good? Is it still valued?

 

[dz88]

could you say how you study now? i would like to improve my study skills, like to share?

 

[jennyboo]

What you're going through is totally normal and pretty common. Don't let it discourage you -- all you can give it is your best.

I got average grades with barely any honors all four years, and struggled especially during the first two years just to pass! And still did well on the boards, and matched at a competitive program in a competitive location. You haven't "shut yourself out" of any field or geographic location at all, so banish that thought from your head.

Buy yourself a copy of FIRST AID FOR THE USMLE STEP 1 sometime between now and January (if you don't already have one), and browse through some sample schedules and book lists on this forum in order to develop a board study plan. My medical school was useless at letting students know how to prepare for the boards (hmm, maybe that was why it had a crappy pass rate) and SDN saved my butt.

Do the research if you want to do it, or if you feel strongly that it will help your application in a certain specialty (for example, radiation oncology research for someone interested in rad onc residency). The bottom line is that most medical students don't do any research or if they do, nothing comes of it; most resident selection committees know this and most of us match just fine with or without research. But it will definitely give you something to talk about during interviews.

 

[njbmd]

Hey Everyone-


I'm almost done with MS1 and it looks like I won't be honoring anything (well, I still have a long shot at 1 of the classes (phys)). When it comes to exams, I'm generally smack dab in the middle. Sometimes a little below, sometimes a little above.

So, my question is this. Have I closed doors already in terms of residency (I'm not thinking derm, but maybe ENT or Gen Surg or Anesthesiology, maybe IM)? Can I salvage by doing well during MSII and kicking ass on the boards (which I anticipate doing knowing my history, though of course nothing is guaranteed).

So, can anyone analyze my chances and what I should do about landing a decent residency in a nice city?

Hi there,
Since you are at the end of your first year, newbie, you have more in front of you than behind you. You also have no realistic idea of what you want to do. Until you have done third year, you can't objectively plan your future. You can throw out all those specialties and daydream but until you have done some clinical work, you are speculating at best. Do the best you can with your remaining coursework and find something else to worry about.

There are no crystal balls around here. 😉 Since you haven't completed second year or taken USMLE Step I, you can ace or bomb or stay in the middle. It is largely up to you and your work ethic. Again, find something else to think about. Go to a movie, watch something mindless on the telly. You might also want to do a bit more studying.

njbmd 🙂

 

[NY Musicologist]

OP, you've gotten some great advice from previous posters. I can't add anything to that except my congratulations on having made it through the first year (an achievement in itself, honors or not). Perhaps most importantly, it sounds like you've adopted the ideal attitude for going forward even more successfully than you already have. You've caught onto the learning curve, so have a great summer and pick up in the fall with your improved study/test-taking skills, exercise routine, etc. Best wishes! 🙂

 

[DocVirk]

I definitely know exactly what you're talking about. I can study my gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus off and I'll get a little bit above the average. Or I can sit there and rot my brain watching TV, study for two days before a test, and get a couple points below average.

I know that at my school grades may be presented as 1,2,3 but there's more to it than that. Your actual percent still plays a role in your class rank, so it pays to be above the class average, even if you're not into the honors ranks.

Everything I've heard from anyone who matters (not any of you people 😛 ) is that what really matters is third year. Work your butt off then. Until then, watch Scrubs on Tuesday nights, ER on Thursday nights, and study occasionally on Wednesday...that's what I'm planning on doing.

 

[TimothyBryce]

could you say how you study now? i would like to improve my study skills, like to share?

Again, thank you to all for the great responses and advice. I'm glad to see this thread is helping other people as well.

As far as how I study now, I'm not sure what to tell you...I don't feel like I've changed much at all in terms of studying, I've just become better at it.

For example, my sit down time has increased. Meaning, I can study for 1.5 hours straight pretty well without having to get up and take a break. Before I'd study for like a half hour and then surf the internet for another half hour before hitting the books again. Exercise definitely helps with this. If you work out before studying, you'll get your blood rolling, you'll be breathing better and feeling more energetic to the point where you can sit down and concentrate nicely. Diet is also a big thing. Fruits and veggies help a lot to keep me focused.

Oh, and I don't mean to sound like an authority or anything. I just started putting all this stuff together (now that the year is over 😡 ). I think most med students know how to "study" but it's jut a matter of whether or not they can do it. I also think most students by now are getting the hang of it, which is why despite my improvement, I'm still in the middle (and will probably continue to be).

One last thing...I think the brain is like a muscle you exercise. At the beginning of the year, the idea of sitting down every single night for a few hours of studying was unfathomable and I wasn't able to do it. As time went on, I found what environments make me comfortable, what types of coffee and food I like when I study, and what I can do to keep myself active during the breaks. Eventually, it became feasible to study for extended periods of time, and, hopefully, I'll go beyond my previous expectations. So really, it's just like exercising a muscle to make it stronger.

I don't know if that helps. Reading it over, it sounds like a bunch of BS to me, but maybe some of the seasoned vets can give suggestions...

 

[tupac_don]

Hey Everyone-

New to SDN here. Great resource!

Anyways, we are on our last block of 1st year here at my school which has an honors/pass/fail system. I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but I would like to get responses to my situation.

I'm almost done with MS1 and it looks like I won't be honoring anything (well, I still have a long shot at 1 of the classes (phys)). When it comes to exams, I'm generally smack dab in the middle. Sometimes a little below, sometimes a little above. But here's the thing. As long as I can remember, it was always been like this. Even in undergrad, I was always average when it came to premed classes and I did enough to get by. I got in to my state school because of two reasons. ONE is the undergrad institution I attended was awesome and TWO, my MCAT scores was a 37, which I think is stellar.

I have always been like this. Average no matter how hard I worked in class, but I always kicked ass on standardized tests. I don't know why that is, I've thought about it a lot.

As I end first year, I feel like I only NOW know how to study this crap. If only I could do it all over again, I'd do ten times better. I've hit my stride now, where I'm going to the gym regularly, studying regularly and efficiently, and doing better on tests (we'll see how the block ends). I really feel like I can carry this into next year.

So, my question is this. Have I closed doors already in terms of residency (I'm not thinking derm, but maybe ENT or Gen Surg or Anesthesiology, maybe IM)? Can I salvage by doing well during MSII and kicking ass on the boards (which I anticipate doing knowing my history, though of course nothing is guaranteed).

Oh, I also got a nice fellowship to do summer research in a well-known lab. I'm interested in that stuff and plan on taking it further.

So, can anyone analyze my chances and what I should do about landing a decent residency in a nice city?

Not at all man, you are at the middle, so long as you have a decent USMLE I score, you are pretty much set. Just make sure you improve if you can 2nd year, and do well on rotations. I wouldn't stress at all. IM is not competitive at all, anesthesia and GS are somewhat competitive, but you hardly have to be at top of your class to get in. Just give your best, and let cards fall where they may.

 

[tupac_don]

Again, thank you to all for the great responses and advice. I'm glad to see this thread is helping other people as well.

As far as how I study now, I'm not sure what to tell you...I don't feel like I've changed much at all in terms of studying, I've just become better at it.

For example, my sit down time has increased. Meaning, I can study for 1.5 hours straight pretty well without having to get up and take a break. Before I'd study for like a half hour and then surf the internet for another half hour before hitting the books again. Exercise definitely helps with this. If you work out before studying, you'll get your blood rolling, you'll be breathing better and feeling more energetic to the point where you can sit down and concentrate nicely. Diet is also a big thing. Fruits and veggies help a lot to keep me focused.

Oh, and I don't mean to sound like an authority or anything. I just started putting all this stuff together (now that the year is over 😡 ). I think most med students know how to "study" but it's jut a matter of whether or not they can do it. I also think most students by now are getting the hang of it, which is why despite my improvement, I'm still in the middle (and will probably continue to be).

One last thing...I think the brain is like a muscle you exercise. At the beginning of the year, the idea of sitting down every single night for a few hours of studying was unfathomable and I wasn't able to do it. As time went on, I found what environments make me comfortable, what types of coffee and food I like when I study, and what I can do to keep myself active during the breaks. Eventually, it became feasible to study for extended periods of time, and, hopefully, I'll go beyond my previous expectations. So really, it's just like exercising a muscle to make it stronger.

I don't know if that helps. Reading it over, it sounds like a bunch of BS to me, but maybe some of the seasoned vets can give suggestions...

The more time you read it, the more it sticks in your head. Best thing is to hone in on what kind of detail they test by looking at old tests and then just pound to that level of detail. But the more times you can read it the better. You keep it fresh in your mind. Also try reading the stuff right before the exam, like 3-4 hrs before, it becomes very fresh in your mind. Particularly the more difficult parts, also your guessing ability improves if you look at stuff right before the test. Good luck.

 

[flop]

The best way to do well in the first and second years is to focus. Easier said than done, right? In my experience the key is to keep your eye on the prize. Figure out your interests and realize that the first two years of medical school, while seemingly unimportant based directly on what matters most for residency, is when you lay the groundwork for all the knowledge and skills you will later acquire. When you are a third or fourth year it's really helpful to have a strong grounding in the basic sciences. It makes things more interesting and will make you much more versatile as a clinician. Yes, doing well in the first two years is not critical for residency, aoa, etc (although I would argue that step 1 is less of a typical standardized test and more of a reflection on years 1+2), but this is time to discover your interests. When you can see the long term goal, doing well will come easier. Much of what interests me in medicine comes from recognizing the basics of whatever clinical manifestations. If you fight working during years 1+2 you will miss out on all of this because this knowledge will not be at your fingertips. These are my thoughts and I recognize that some just struggle through the first two years to get to year 3 and remain gratified solely on the idea of treating patients. To each their own.