MD & DO One month into MS1 - what else should I be doing?

[Osteosaur]

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So I've made it past my first block of exams with high passes, and feel I at least have a few hours a night to relax and be human. I'm a little over a month into classes now. I'm feeling a bit stretched but I'm making it so far, I guess. But I know residency apps are going to be around the corner in three years:

--What else do I really need to be doing as an MS1 at this point? I understand a lot of people do retrospective chart reviews over the summer. I'd love to get back into research but I don't know when I'd be jumping the gun to email (doctors? PhDs?) about doing that. Should I really be getting started now?

--So far I didn't take aim at any research positions in clubs. I almost feel like I should have, but I didn't want to overcomit having no idea how exams would go. Honestly I'm even barely getting emails from the clubs I've joined. How important are they anyway?

Our class doesn't' really have advising or anything at this point, so I'm not sure where to even ask for help. I'm getting mixed answers from upperclassmen and always feel like an idiot for asking.

 

[bananafish94]

What else do I really need to be doing as an MS1 at this point? I understand a lot of people do retrospective chart reviews over the summer. I'd love to get back into research but I don't know when I'd be jumping the gun to email (doctors? PhDs?) about doing that. Should I really be getting started now?

Sounds like you're off to a great start. You don't necessarily need to start now, but doing research over the summer is always a good idea and it's never too early to think about that stuff. Does your school have a fellowship/grant for students to do paid research in the summer between M1 and M2? I know that mine and several in the area have something like that - if so, there might be a list of PIs looking for students to help with projects out there. If not, you could always send out some emails to researchers in fields you're interested in and see if they can point you in the right direction.

So far I didn't take aim at any research positions in clubs. I almost feel like I should have, but I didn't want to overcomit having no idea how exams would go. Honestly I'm even barely getting emails from the clubs I've joined. How important are they anyway?

Clubs are not important for residency other than to add a little bit of color to the application, so you should only do them only if you get personal fulfillment from it.

 

[ciucia53]

I would second what bananafish94 said, and keep an eye out for a summer research grant. Otherwise, I would take these first few months of M1 to really get settled into school and figuring out how you study best. I started looking for a PI around November.
If you're looking for something else to do, maybe look into doing some volunteer work where you see patients, just to give you a reminder of why you wanted to do medicine.

 

[Save a life]

So I've made it past my first block of exams with high passes, and feel I at least have a few hours a night to relax and be human. I'm a little over a month into classes now. I'm feeling a bit stretched but I'm making it so far, I guess. But I know residency apps are going to be around the corner in three years:

--What else do I really need to be doing as an MS1 at this point? I understand a lot of people do retrospective chart reviews over the summer. I'd love to get back into research but I don't know when I'd be jumping the gun to email (doctors? PhDs?) about doing that. Should I really be getting started now?

--So far I didn't take aim at any research positions in clubs. I almost feel like I should have, but I didn't want to overcomit having no idea how exams would go. Honestly I'm even barely getting emails from the clubs I've joined. How important are they anyway?

Our class doesn't' really have advising or anything at this point, so I'm not sure where to even ask for help. I'm getting mixed answers from upperclassmen and always feel like an idiot for asking.

Are you going for a competitive specialty or residency?

If you know you want to be an orthopedic surgeon at UCSF, then yes, start doing stuff. Get involved, do research, shadow, get honors. Otherwise, if you’re undecided or looking into less competitive fields, chill out. You have years to build up your resume.

 

[831929]

All of this will depend on your career goals:
1. Shadow a doc in the specialty you are interested in. Might find out you really do like it, or maybe you won't like. Also a great chance to get on into research with them if you get along.
2. Only do clubs if you want to. It isnt undergrad anymore. You dont need 100 volunteer hours or whatever. Only do think you like and are going to be passionate about when asked at residency interviews.
3. Want something extremely competitive? Looking at a specific program? Want to explore another state/city/institution over summer? Lots of options. Look at NIH, specialty-specific societies for summer research opportunities. The sooner the better since you might have additional time to find funding if it is not directly provided.
4. If you are looking to eventually work in private practice, community hospital, in a not academic heavy field, then just do really well in school and do well on boards (220-230+). And then go ahead and take the summer to enjoy the last summer vacation you have.

The biggest take away from this is to make sure you start thinking about what you want out of your career because that will determine how you will spend the next 4 years of medical school.

 

[Goro]

So I've made it past my first block of exams with high passes, and feel I at least have a few hours a night to relax and be human. I'm a little over a month into classes now. I'm feeling a bit stretched but I'm making it so far, I guess. But I know residency apps are going to be around the corner in three years:

--What else do I really need to be doing as an MS1 at this point? I understand a lot of people do retrospective chart reviews over the summer. I'd love to get back into research but I don't know when I'd be jumping the gun to email (doctors? PhDs?) about doing that. Should I really be getting started now?

--So far I didn't take aim at any research positions in clubs. I almost feel like I should have, but I didn't want to overcomit having no idea how exams would go. Honestly I'm even barely getting emails from the clubs I've joined. How important are they anyway?

Our class doesn't' really have advising or anything at this point, so I'm not sure where to even ask for help. I'm getting mixed answers from upperclassmen and always feel like an idiot for asking.

You're doing great! Just take care of yourself, and perhaps think about what you'd like to do over the summer. Emailing your school's PIs right now is fine. I get them from our OMSIs in the first week of orientation!
BTW, I LOVE the avatar!!!!

 

[Osteosaur]

Are you going for a competitive specialty or residency?

If you know you want to be an orthopedic surgeon at UCSF, then yes, start doing stuff. Get involved, do research, shadow, get honors. Otherwise, if you’re undecided or looking into less competitive fields, chill out. You have years to build up your resume.

Neurology, probably. Are there any good resources out there for seeing what a strong residency app looks like? Not sure if DO makes a difference. I do have resources available for research on campus and have a few publications from before matriculation under my belt.

1. Shadow a doc in the specialty you are interested in. Might find out you really do like it, or maybe you won't like. Also a great chance to get on into research with them if you get along.

What should I be looking to get out of medical school shadowing as opposed to premed shadowing? "This is what my day to day for the rest of my life will be?" How much time did you devote to it before you "knew"?

I understand a lot of med students do retrospective chart reviews for research? Are most physicians willing to just teach that or are there some skills you need to cultivate ahead of time to get involved?

It is unfortunate that medical education today does not offer mentors, thus it is incumbent upon medical students to find them solo.

Your main tasks after studying throughout medical school, is honing your interpersonal skills. Your professors can be your first guinea pigs. Practice on them as to how to develop professional relationships. Once you perfect the skill of collegial collateral relationships, you can dove tail these during rotations.

I have seen many physicians crash and burn during grand rounds, tumor boards, conferences and peer meetings because they lack the basic skills of getting along well with others. With the advent of the internet, these skills are rarely found being developed by people. You would do well to network, network, network.
Many careers are launched because someone took an interest in you. Start now. And you will launch nicely

Should I be looking to network heavily with physicians pre-rotation? I imagine the end-goal of building these relationships is a strong letter for the match?

You're doing great! Just take care of yourself, and perhaps think about what you'd like to do over the summer. Emailing your school's PIs right now is fine. I get them from our OMSIs in the first week of orientation!
BTW, I LOVE the avatar!!!!

Are most students still setting up projects for the summer, as opposed to during the year? Its really hard to imagine myself at a bench.

And thanks... it alone makes going to a DO school worthwhile

 

[cubsrule4e]

Just enjoy where youre at right now. Youll never be there again.

 

[Goro]

Are most students still setting up projects for the summer, as opposed to during the year? Its really hard to imagine myself at a bench.

And thanks... it alone makes going to a DO school worthwhile

Honestly don't know. I've only had 1-2 students that I know from our MS program ask me about summer research.

 

[kb1900]

Neurology, probably. Are there any good resources out there for seeing what a strong residency app looks like? Not sure if DO makes a difference. I do have resources available for research on campus and have a few publications from before matriculation under my belt.



What should I be looking to get out of medical school shadowing as opposed to premed shadowing? "This is what my day to day for the rest of my life will be?" How much time did you devote to it before you "knew"?

I understand a lot of med students do retrospective chart reviews for research? Are most physicians willing to just teach that or are there some skills you need to cultivate ahead of time to get involved?



Should I be looking to network heavily with physicians pre-rotation? I imagine the end-goal of building these relationships is a strong letter for the match?



Are most students still setting up projects for the summer, as opposed to during the year? Its really hard to imagine myself at a bench.

And thanks... it alone makes going to a DO school worthwhile

Neurology is a great field to shadow during the preclinical years. Even more so if you’ve done neuro anatomy/ neuro path already.

 

[831929]

Neurology, probably. Are there any good resources out there for seeing what a strong residency app looks like? Not sure if DO makes a difference. I do have resources available for research on campus and have a few publications from before matriculation under my belt.



What should I be looking to get out of medical school shadowing as opposed to premed shadowing? "This is what my day to day for the rest of my life will be?" How much time did you devote to it before you "knew"?

I understand a lot of med students do retrospective chart reviews for research? Are most physicians willing to just teach that or are there some skills you need to cultivate ahead of time to get involved?



Should I be looking to network heavily with physicians pre-rotation? I imagine the end-goal of building these relationships is a strong letter for the match?



Are most students still setting up projects for the summer, as opposed to during the year? Its really hard to imagine myself at a bench.

And thanks... it alone makes going to a DO school worthwhile

You just shadow for like a day or two. Not to see just see the field but more so to make a connection. If you click with them, like their personality and the research they do, you ask to participate. Over the summer is your only chance to get bench stuff in if you like that.

 

[pbrocks15]

Study. Study. Study. Enjoy life. Enjoy life. Enjoy life. Stay happy.