MS2 burned out!!!!!

[doraxplorer]

Hi SDN,

I just need to RANT. Feel free to join me if you're feeling the same. Advice from people farther up the ladder will be much appreciated, too!

I am an MS2, "winding down" towards my last class exams and shelf exams all within this month of March. Then we head straight into Step 1 studying with the test in the first week of May. I feel like I am dead tired and the only thing keeping me going is fear. I took a day off last weekend to not study and I could not even enjoy it because I felt so guilty! My school has a semi-condensed curriculum so winter break was essentially our last break. I feel like a few days off (i.e. a SPRING BREAK) would do good for my sanity, but I guess I should have looked more into that while deciding between schools. Too late now! Still bitter though haha. The thought of finals followed by shelfs followed by step 1 studying is nauseating. I have the urge to "take the day off" every day, yet guilt and fear and the ticking clock prevents me from doing so. And even if I do I'll probably be too anxious to enjoy it anyway.

End Rant. Thanks for reading.

Anyone feeling the same way? How are you coping?

I am so jealous of those of you who have spring break! There is nothing I want more badly than spring break right now

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[Morzh]

What shelf exam do you have before you start clinicals? Or is it the comprehensive end of basic sciences thing? That one is actually useful because it's a good gauge of where you stand re: step 1. Sounds like you have about 5-6 weeks between then and your exam date. That's plenty of time, you can give yourself a "spring break" if you really need it. Maybe try just 4 days?

Having a good step 1 study plan prepared ahead of time can ease your anxiety quite a bit. I also started feeling immensely better a couple weeks into my dedicated studying, once material started coming back and I got the sense that what once seemed insurmountable was now within reach.

The fear will be there no matter what, Step 1 is a terrifying exam. But you're right, fear is a great motivator.

 

[MrGrrrMonster]

I would suggest taking a deep breath and trying to relax. If you need time off you should take it. It would probably be more beneficial to do so prior to beginning step 1 studying ( for what it s worth, I finished "finals"/ last core rotation exam and took a week off before studying for step 1). Depending on your study plan, it is extremely doable to study for step 1 in 4 weeks if it is devoted study time ( you could probably even do it in less, though I took 4 weeks). Best of luck and don't stress too much as it is counter productive! I wish you the best.

 

[Jabbed]

If you're going to take a day off, blow a decent amount of effort/money on it and insure that you have one hell of a vacation day.

Then the next day, sit down, stfu, and start re-learning what tetrahydrobiopterin is.

 

[Mad Jack]

Shelfs before MS3? Wtf, that doesn't even make sense...

 

[mcloaf]

These feels, I know them.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Yeah take a break before you start your Step 1 studying. If you have more than 4-5 weeks in between your end of classes and Step 1, take a few days off and don't worry about it. Or just take a few days off in the middle.

 

[Jabbed]

Shelfs before MS3? Wtf, that doesn't even make sense...

There are shelf exams for pre-clinical course work, but they are not as widely used by schools as the clinical shelf exams.

 

[Mountaineer12]

Shelfs before MS3? Wtf, that doesn't even make sense...

I have 5 in May: path, pharm, micro, some sort of clinical skills one, and the basic science exam. We have to pass all of them with at least a 12th percentile to even be allowed to take Step 1. No pressure.

 

[Chga]

I'm no where near MS2, but you've made it pretty far.... keep going and a small vacation this summer away from all this would be great for you.....in the mean time, maybe go and get a massage or something. You've got this, best of luck.

 

[Jabbed]

I have 5 in May: path, pharm, micro, some sort of clinical skills one, and the basic science exam. We have to pass all of them with at least a 12th percentile to even be allowed to take Step 1. No pressure.

tbf if you're not able to score 12th percentile on those shelves you're not ready to take step 1 in the first place..

 

[Mountaineer12]

tbf if you're not able to score 12th percentile on those shelves you're not ready to take step 1 in the first place..

True, I think that's our school's reasoning for doing it that way. There are always at least a few who don't pass though (we've taken all the first year shelves, too). It's just annoying.

 

[mdeast]

End of MS2/Step 1 is the absolute lowest point of medical school. I'd plan on a 1-2 week vacation between MS2 and MS3.

Don't worry. It gets better. Clinics is way more fun (though also way more hours). It all comes together by the end of MS4. Just tough through it and find how to support yourself.

 

[Psai]

tbf if you're not able to score 12th percentile on those shelves you're not ready to take step 1 in the first place..

11% of students are going to score below the 12th percentile

 

[Morzh]

End of MS2/Step 1 is the absolute lowest point of medical school.

So true. This cannot be overstated. OP, if you can just get one more gust of wind behind you, enough to power through step 1, the worst will be over. Then take some time off to recup and reflect on the mountain you just summited.

 

[Jabbed]

11% of students are going to score below the 12th percentile

Yes, and 11% of students are going to score under 200 on step one..

 

[doraxplorer]

Thank you to everyone for the encouraging words! I really just have to take this into perspective. Everyone does manage to get through this so I will too! Back when I was having trouble transitioning to medschool as a new MSI, someone told me to "just study and take the test." I have to stop thinking of all the ways in which things could go wrong and just take it step by step. I'm probably going to take a day or two after finals and take a day trip somewhere.