Preparing for intern year

[Iliketoytles]

Hey all,

Been a while since I last posted on SDN. I've been accepted into an IM program and will be starting in June. I don't really plan on taking any vacations before residency other than just relaxing + video games + netflix.

Just a few questions:
1) Looking back, is there anything you wished you did prior to starting residency... like reading up on something (dosing, how to use IV drips/PCA pumps, etc.), studying for COMLEX 3 (I'm a DO student)??

2) How did y'all study for COMLEX 3 and when did you take it?

3) Any books y'all recommend reading up on before or during intern year? I currently have Pocket Medicine and am considering Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics since it seems far more reasonable a read than Harrison's.

Thanks!

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[cbrons]

Hey all,

Been a while since I last posted on SDN. I've been accepted into an IM program and will be starting in June. I don't really plan on taking any vacations before residency other than just relaxing + video games + netflix.

Just a few questions:
1) Looking back, is there anything you wished you did prior to starting residency... like reading up on something (dosing, how to use IV drips/PCA pumps, etc.), studying for COMLEX 3 (I'm a DO student)??

2) How did y'all study for COMLEX 3 and when did you take it?

3) Any books y'all recommend reading up on before or during intern year? I currently have Pocket Medicine and am considering Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics since it seems far more reasonable a read than Harrison's.

Thanks!

Just released book

You could read through on subjects you are interested in
The book is actually free online through my school's library. If you have a subscription through the library to AccessMedicine, both that book and Harrison's are free.

 

[laconfidential]

1) Wish I had gotten in better shape before intern year...let my exercising fall off during 4th year. I found it hard to re-establish good habits when working a ton.

2) I did Uworld and some of the OMM questions from COMquest. Cut my losses on the peds, ob stuff for the most part. Got > 800 fwiw.

3) I used my pocket medicine as an intern. My Washington manual has been steadily collecting dust for nearly 4 years now. Don't read beforehand-this is your last break before s*** gets real, enjoy it.

 

[Instatewaiter]

There is very little you can do to prepare for intern year. You may try, but it won't help. So it is better to enjoy your time now.

My honest advice is not to study. You are expected to be an absolute idiot when you show up as an intern.

Buy a Washington manual or whatever thing you will carry in your pocket during intern year and flip through it to get familiar with how it is structured. Don't try and learn from it, just understand what it has in it so you can look it up when unsure of what to do.

 

[xbmcmed]

Washington Manual, Pocket Medicine, etc.

Is there a clear winner for the best pocket resource for interns? Have you guys found any consistent preference amongst interns, or is it a "whatever works for you" thing? I understand that whatever we pick, we should stick with it, but I really want the best!

 

[gutonc]

Washington Manual, Pocket Medicine, etc.

Is there a clear winner for the best pocket resource for interns? Have you guys found any consistent preference amongst interns, or is it a "whatever works for you" thing? I understand that whatever we pick, we should stick with it, but I really want the best!

IMHO, Washington Manual is far too much for a daily pocket reference.

Pocket Medicine and UTD PRN.

 

[Iliketoytles]

Great advice.

I decided I will use Pocket Medicine and UTD as my main pocket resources for intern year... and until then, I'll just go through COMBANK 3 and review my step 2 stuff until I can take COMLEX 3 ASAP (hopefully July or August?!)

Thanks all!

 

[Crayola227]

there was already a big thread, in either the General Residency forum, Internship, or this one, where we gave people resources to actually help them DURING intern year, a few things that might help to look at,

AND TOLD THEM ANY STUDYING THAT IS RELATED TO STEP 2 AFTER YOU HAVE TAKEN IT IS BEYOND POINTLESS.

Don't waste your free time studying. Or, if you do, don't pick the least helpful thing you could possibly study. It's just sad.

Not to be mean, there's just a lot of these threads right now, and there's a lot of really great info in them.