Pre-studying for 3rd year

[ExEngineer]

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Long story short I'm taking a leave of absence between 2nd and 3rd year. I have already taken step 1 and I'm joining a research project. Is it beneficial to start lightly studying for clerkships now?

Ps.. I searched for a thread that addressed this question but couldn't find any. Sorry if I missed the one that already discussed this question.

 

[ActinicKeratosis]

Honestly I think you will burn out. I would rejoice in the fact that you don't need to study for shelf exams for a long time. A few days before you start third year it may be worthwhile briefly reviewing how to present, write an H&P, etc... In my experience studying for shelf exams doesn't need more time than the length of a typical clerkship. As soon as you take each clerkship exam you tend to forget the material, onto the next clerkship, rinse and repeat.

 

[riddler]

Agree with above. Most useful thing you can do is prepare for the PRACTICAL aspects of rotations (as mentioned above, how to present (memorizing the order to make sure you're organized, etc.), writing GOOD H&Ps (emphasis on good - you will see plenty of good ones and even more bad ones, and you want to make sure you learn properly how to be in the good category), how to do an admission, how to pre-round efficiently, etc.). Studying (aka trying to prepare for the knowledge aspects of the rotation) will only be marginally helpful, if at all, especially for clerkships like medicine and surgery. You don't know a lot of things before you do a medicine clerkship, and unfortunately you just have to go through the process of rotations to learn. There's just too much. If you're starting on a more specialized clerkship such as OB/GYN, psych, or neuro, some knowledge review would give you more bang for your buck, but, again, the effect is so marginal that you might as well enjoy your time off and start studying on day 1 (or week 1 or week 2 or whenever).

 

[sliceofbread136]

Step up to medicine, first aid for step 2 and you could find some sort of question book like mksap

 

[WheezyBaby]

I did a masters between second and third year. Did all of online med ed while at the gym / driving, and read step up to medicine during the couple months before 3rd year. Ended up honoring everything. Don't think it's essential but it doesn't hurt. I certainly wouldn't force it if you're not feeling it though, last thing you want to do is burn out before clinicals

 

[MSTP18]

FWIW, there are plenty of us who take 3-5yrs off between MS2 and Ms3 and do just fine with almost zero pre-studying (most programs have a refresher course which for us was 40 hours stretched over 2 months)

 

[Terps1011]

Long story short I'm taking a leave of absence between 2nd and 3rd year. I have already taken step 1 and I'm joining a research project. Is it beneficial to start lightly studying for clerkships now?

Ps.. I searched for a thread that addressed this question but couldn't find any. Sorry if I missed the one that already discussed this question.

I am doing the exact same thing this year! I posted the exact same question about 2 weeks ago haha.. great minds think alike

 

[Psai]

I am doing the exact same thing this year! I posted the exact same question about 2 weeks ago haha.. great minds think alike

Yeah I wouldn't go that far