Need opinions, IMG 1st year wanting to do USMLE

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IMG69

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So i'm an IMG from New Zealand (U.S citizen) now studying medicine in China in english.

I already have a degree in Neuroscience and Micro/Immuno and throughout that degree I basically learnt about every organ system (physio/anat), the content very closely matches med school content except less clinical of course.

So i'm in my 1st of 6 years and i've basically done all the content up to the start of my 3rd year after talking to some of the older students etc and seeing the material.So my question is what should I do in the mean time? I've started getting involved in research etc but it's very difficult when I have 8 hours of class a day which we have to attend.

Should I start familiarising myself with the USMLE material or is it too early? Should I look to get involved in more research? Should I just relax for the time being before the heavy study starts in a few years? I can study with some of the older students who are looking at sitting the USMLE/licensing exams.

P.s i'm not saying it's incredibly easy at the moment or anything, I mean I still have to re-learn all the anatomy etc so it's not like i'm getting 100% on everything because I still have to put the time in.

My end goal is Ortho in the US (I know it's near impossible but i'll give it a dam good go) I'm also allowed to complete my intern year (6th year) in any hospital in the world, it is 52 weeks long and I must do all rotations Internal Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Neurology, Out-patient department, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Otolaryngology.

TLDR; I have a lot of free time at the moment; 2 years basically so should I be investing in USMLE study while I have the time or enjoying myself or what? I can semi cheat to get my research numbers up because I can just translate/correct the research papers from departments and get my name attached which I have already been doing. I'm allowed to do my final year overseas (52 weeks) all rotations, so will do it in the U.S. I think I present a stronger application then most because we actually complete surgeries in our degree, we operate on dogs completing various 'ectomies' which we are graded on (yes some do die), sure this is highly unethical but it gives me the practical experience

So any advice? I want to start USMLE material (light study) since I need a huge score for ortho however I don't want to burn out, i've mainly been thinking of covering the USMLE material by subject - e.g i've got anatomy at the moment so cover USMLE anatomy.

Any and all advice is welcome, just please don't harp on about Ortho being a long shot; i'm well aware of this. Also USMLE can be used for registration for the NZ licensing test so I can always attempt Ortho in NZ as well as i'm very confident I will get a spot in NZ (house officer) and if I get that then I can follow the route to Ortho in NZ.

P.s also don't harp on about not getting a spot in nz it's impossible, it's not I visit each year and follow the news, they have a shortage and the new med school won't be open till I graduate anyway.

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Um. yes. if you want to go the US. Study the USMLE.
it's not too early if you study the content to your current level and then build on it later as an IMG at a school that does not follow the American curriculum. I can't tell how or where your 6 year curriculum will be equivalent to a 2nd year in the US (nor based on your boasting about being at the level of a 3rd year in your curriculum).
 
Alright so I did have the right idea in matching my USMLE stuff to my current subjects, thanks for the verification :)

It's not exactly boasting it's stating a fact which may alter your answers.... considering we do the basic chemistry and physics stuff in first year, equivalent to 1st year medical chemistry or physics in the undergrad med/biology based degrees in america.. So then naturally second year is basic physio, micro etc... Nor did I say I was at the level of a 3rd year, I simply said i have done the content before.. doesn't mean I remember it.
 
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Have you even looked through the material?
I mean. In the time you took to write that post you could have looked and gauged whether you can or should start studying.

To actually write the step 1 you do have to be able to confirm on registering that you finished the equivalent to MS2 in the US. But as you haven't started studying yet. Don't worry about this part yet
 
What i'm basically asking is if starting this early on other subjects e.g pathology is just to early because I believe the equivalent to MS2 (this is purely guessing based off the subjects) would be our 6th semester -7th semester we start surgery, diagnostics and imaging etc.

My biggest worry is burning out because at the moment I have no motivation and i'm also just seeing if anyone comes up with a great idea that I haven't thought of :) Or people posting their experiences with similar predicaments, I mean relaxing while I can or studying for USMLE already both make sense
 
It's not like the entire thing is about pathology.
It also covers physiology, biochem, genetics.

Again, have you looked or glance over any of the material?

Work to your level. if you're at physiology in your curriculum (or whatever 'curriculum' you believe you're at), then review the material for that. etc. etc. if you haven't covered path yet, then don't look at Step 1 material for path (which is basically review material).

Also, look through the threads of USMLE materials in the other forums by students. You can get a lot out of reading through that. It's not like you're the first to ever ask about the Steps or how to study or when to.

And motivation or not, at minimum you need a competitive USMLE step 1 score to even match FM in the US. eventually anyway. Or you can kiss the idea of matching into Ortho in the US g'bye. Doesnt' matter how many lofty ideas have you have about how it should be or how it's going to be, or how great your program and your education is. You're an 'IMG.' that is your label. Remember that.
 
It's not like the entire thing is about pathology.
It also covers physiology, biochem, genetics.

Again, have you looked or glance over any of the material?

Work to your level. if you're at physiology in your curriculum (or whatever 'curriculum' you believe you're at), then review the material for that. etc. etc. if you haven't covered path yet, then don't look at Step 1 material for path (which is basically review material).

Also, look through the threads of USMLE materials in the other forums by students. You can get a lot out of reading through that. It's not like you're the first to ever ask about the Steps or how to study or when to.

And motivation or not, at minimum you need a competitive USMLE step 1 score to even match FM in the US. eventually anyway. Or you can kiss the idea of matching into Ortho in the US g'bye. Doesnt' matter how many lofty ideas have you have about how it should be or how it's going to be, or how great your program and your education is. You're an 'IMG.' that is your label. Remember that.

??? I did say E.g pathology?? I didn't realise I had to list out every subject, I thought the E.g would've implied there is a more than 1 subject. Sorry if I wasn't specific enough I guess. Yes of course i've glanced over the material and it's very similar to what I learnt in my first degree which is great however it's a huge amount of content to memorize and fully understand but yeah just gotta put in the work.

I merely used pathology as an example since I don't start that for about a year and a half, where as physiology is next semester so naturally I will go over USMLE physio.

Yep great thats what I plan to do :)

Yep you're right, it's all just down to hardwork since i'm already at a disadvantage.

Thanks for your input
 
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lol
?? I did say E.g pathology?? I didn't realise I had to list out every subject, I thought the E.g would've implied there is a more than 1 subject.
i don't care. to be honest. If you want to be petty about details sure. it's not my time you're wasting.

but you get the drift anyway.
if you want something, then you have to put in the work. you already chose the harder path. focus on what you need to do.
 
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