Redo M1

[Visualvitals]

I apologize for the excessively long post. After lurking on here for years I finally created an account.

Here’s a little about me: 31 year old non trad student recently accepted to a DO school with mandatory attendance and a block system. I believe it’s basic sciences 1st year then systems 2nd.

Here’s the question: if you could go back to M1 what would you do differently in terms of utilizing resources?

From what I’ve read on here and heard from my friends that are in / have gone through medical school I should use:

Class power-points
FA
FA - basic sciences
Lippincott
Savarese
Zanki or firecracker And just unsuspend as I go
Boards and beyond videos

What are your guys thoughts on this? Seems like a lot of additional resources that can get time consuming.

Also before everyone jumps down my throat hear me out on this next part lol should I look over some undergrad Biochem material? Like memorize some of the pathways again? Any anatomy? It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve taken a class.

Thanks for all of your help


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Rusrus]

I apologize for the excessively long post. After lurking on here for years I finally created an account.

Here’s a little about me: 31 year old non trad student recently accepted to a DO school with mandatory attendance and a block system. I believe it’s basic sciences 1st year then systems 2nd.

Here’s the question: if you could go back to M1 what would you do differently in terms of utilizing resources?

From what I’ve read on here and heard from my friends that are in / have gone through medical school I should use:

Class power-points
FA
FA - basic sciences
Lippincott
Savarese
Zanki or firecracker And just unsuspend as I go
Boards and beyond videos

What are your guys thoughts on this? Seems like a lot of additional resources that can get time consuming.

Also before everyone jumps down my throat hear me out on this next part lol should I look over some undergrad Biochem material? Like memorize some of the pathways again? Any anatomy? It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve taken a class.

Thanks for all of your help


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

First off, congratulations on your acceptance!

I highly recommend utilizing B&B and Zanki year round as it helps with clarification of course material as well as facilitates long-term retention. First Aid is decent but I personally think that it isn't worth the time first year; as for Savarese, I personally haven't used it but my classmates who do simply say to review the questions at the end of each chapter prior to a quiz/exam and you should be fine.

I wouldn't recommend reviewing any new material prior to beginning as the pace by which new content is presented to you will quickly overshadow what you've covered as well as highlight different key points. I would recommend you establish a good study schedule and watch some videos on how to use Anki.

 

[Visualvitals]

First off, congratulations on your acceptance!

I highly recommend utilizing B&B and Zanki year round as it helps with clarification of course material as well as facilitates long-term retention. First Aid is decent but I personally think that it isn't worth the time first year; as for Savarese, I personally haven't used it but my classmates who do simply say to review the questions at the end of each chapter prior to a quiz/exam and you should be fine.

I wouldn't recommend reviewing any new material prior to beginning as the pace by which new content is presented to you will quickly overshadow what you've covered as well as highlight different key points. I would recommend you establish a good study schedule and watch some videos on how to use Anki.

Hey thanks for the input I appreciate it! That sounds good to me. I was super excited when I got accepted and that quickly turned into nervousness about failing out lol.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Id hold off on buying anything. I did the same thing and now have a few things I bought that I never have and probably won't ever use. Get a good feel for how your school does things, how you learn, etc. Definitely get Anki though. That helps anyone, no matter how they use it (downloading zanki, making your own cards, etc) and its free

 

[Gurby]

 

[Chibucks15]

Take advantage of the free trials of stuff like boards and beyond, etc. You might find something that really helps. I wish I would've found B&B sooner

 

[Visualvitals]

Awesome thanks a lot guys. I downloaded Anki and I’m going to play around and get a feel for it.

What’s the story with uworld? I’ve also seen that a few time on here


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Visualvitals]

Also if planning to take usmle is doing it 3rd year really a big advantage?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[gensurghopeful]

I use class power points pretty exclusively and get B's or A's in my classes. I do use Pathoma for my path courses during each block bc it seems to be the hardest class since it's all SDL's.

PS. after block 1 (basic science), you get into systems pretty sure.

 

[dwmok001]

I apologize for the excessively long post. After lurking on here for years I finally created an account.

Here’s a little about me: 31 year old non trad student recently accepted to a DO school with mandatory attendance and a block system. I believe it’s basic sciences 1st year then systems 2nd.

Here’s the question: if you could go back to M1 what would you do differently in terms of utilizing resources?

From what I’ve read on here and heard from my friends that are in / have gone through medical school I should use:

Class power-points
FA
FA - basic sciences
Lippincott
Savarese
Zanki or firecracker And just unsuspend as I go
Boards and beyond videos

What are your guys thoughts on this? Seems like a lot of additional resources that can get time consuming.

Also before everyone jumps down my throat hear me out on this next part lol should I look over some undergrad Biochem material? Like memorize some of the pathways again? Any anatomy? It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve taken a class.

Thanks for all of your help


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

For real do zanki on the daily. Add the cards that are relevant to your classes and slowly chug through them. Make sure that you have the two deck system where you first learn the card and then later move it to the continuous review deck. The continuous review deck definitely helps for boards. Its a lot of work but me and a few other people doing it are seeing it's fruits after a few practice exams in 2nd year. Definitely wish I started in first year since then I wouldn't have to spend as much time now learning the cards and trying to play catch up.. also I hate flash cards but the spaced repetition is the key differentiator in helping you learn and memorize not just short term but long term

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

 

[Visualvitals]

For real do zanki on the daily. Add the cards that are relevant to your classes and slowly chug through them. Make sure that you have the two deck system where you first learn the card and then later move it to the continuous review deck. The continuous review deck definitely helps for boards. Its a lot of work but me and a few other people doing it are seeing it's fruits after a few practice exams in 2nd year. Definitely wish I started in first year since then I wouldn't have to spend as much time now learning the cards and trying to play catch up.. also I hate flash cards but the spaced repetition is the key differentiator in helping you learn and memorize not just short term but long term

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

Awesome thanks! I downloaded Anki and the zanki deck. I suspended all the cards but I was just looking through and it seems like it will take forever to unsuspend relevant cards after a lecture even by using the search by tag function. Any tips how to do it quickly?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Rusrus]

Awesome thanks! I downloaded Anki and the zanki deck. I suspended all the cards but I was just looking through and it seems like it will take forever to unsuspend relevant cards after a lecture even by using the search by tag function. Any tips how to do it quickly?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

You can type ctrl+A or command+A to select all the cards once you're browsing the deck and just hit suspend twice to unsuspend them all.

I personally don't suspend any because although some cards maybe out of scope for your exam, you'll have to know it eventually and I'd rather study it on the front end.

 

[Visualvitals]

You can type ctrl+A or command+A to select all the cards once you're browsing the deck and just hit suspend twice to unsuspend them all.

I personally don't suspend any because although some cards maybe out of scope for your exam, you'll have to know it eventually and I'd rather study it on the front end.

Ah ok, so for example if your taking Biochem you’ll unsuspend all of Biochem zanki cards regardless if you covered it in class and just do them?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Rusrus]

Ah ok, so for example if your taking Biochem you’ll unsuspend all of Biochem zanki cards regardless if you covered it in class and just do them?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

That's exactly how I do it.

I also move the cards into a separate deck, e.g. Year 1 > Biochemistry > Metabolism, just so I can keep track of the cards that I've already done.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Also if planning to take usmle is doing it 3rd year really a big advantage?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Doing it before 3rd year is a big advantage. I wouldn't plan on doing it during 3rd year, you will have enough going on.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Ah ok, so for example if your taking Biochem you’ll unsuspend all of Biochem zanki cards regardless if you covered it in class and just do them?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Yes. This is what I do. I actually try and start the Zanki deck a few weeks before my block starts (I've only been able to do this this semester, though, since I was able to get ahead during winter break). It has really helped me with being prepped for what I'm going to see in lecture.

Other than that, I think you have too many resources. BNB definitely...I haven't started using it yet, but I'm about to get it and start for my next block after all the amazing things I've heard about it. UWorld isn't necessary till dedicated IMO, but definitely not till second year if you're just doing basic sciences first year. FA is helpful for quick review of things, but also not necessary.

I'll go ahead and say that the necessity of powerpoints depends on the style of professors/exams at your school. At our school, during M1 a lot of classes are taught by PhDs and sometimes the things they teach us in lecture straight up contradict FA or Zanki, but you have to roll with it for exam purposes. So, I watch and outline my lectures, but that's it as far as class material.

Practice questions are key, and once you start, M2s will be able to give you tips on which ones are good to use for your courses.

 

[Visualvitals]

Yes. This is what I do. I actually try and start the Zanki deck a few weeks before my block starts (I've only been able to do this this semester, though, since I was able to get ahead during winter break). It has really helped me with being prepped for what I'm going to see in lecture.

Other than that, I think you have too many resources. BNB definitely...I haven't started using it yet, but I'm about to get it and start for my next block after all the amazing things I've heard about it. UWorld isn't necessary till dedicated IMO, but definitely not till second year if you're just doing basic sciences first year. FA is helpful for quick review of things, but also not necessary.

I'll go ahead and say that the necessity of powerpoints depends on the style of professors/exams at your school. At our school, during M1 a lot of classes are taught by PhDs and sometimes the things they teach us in lecture straight up contradict FA or Zanki, but you have to roll with it for exam purposes. So, I watch and outline my lectures, but that's it as far as class material.

Practice questions are key, and once you start, M2s will be able to give you tips on which ones are good to use for your courses.

This is awesome thank you fldoctorgirl ! So the general consensus seems to be zanki, FA, BNB are good starting points


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Chibucks15]

B&B has page numbers to the 3 most recent FA versions that go along with the videos so I just take notes in FA with what he says in the videos

 

[Medic741]

I would have started using pathoma and physeo as soon as possible. Physeo has a phenomenal biochem section and both a relevant pretty much as soon as you start path/phys courses.

 

[Ukdavis23]

I apologize for the excessively long post. After lurking on here for years I finally created an account.

Here’s a little about me: 31 year old non trad student recently accepted to a DO school with mandatory attendance and a block system. I believe it’s basic sciences 1st year then systems 2nd.

Here’s the question: if you could go back to M1 what would you do differently in terms of utilizing resources?

From what I’ve read on here and heard from my friends that are in / have gone through medical school I should use:

Class power-points
FA
FA - basic sciences
Lippincott
Savarese
Zanki or firecracker And just unsuspend as I go
Boards and beyond videos

What are your guys thoughts on this? Seems like a lot of additional resources that can get time consuming.

Also before everyone jumps down my throat hear me out on this next part lol should I look over some undergrad Biochem material? Like memorize some of the pathways again? Any anatomy? It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve taken a class.

Thanks for all of your help


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

When I was in school a couple years ago I used Sketchy Micro, Class Power points and Kaplan books for text resources, and I used Uworld firecracker and Kaplan Q bank for questions to help prepare for tests. That helped me do pretty well in 1st and 2nd year

 

[Hippocrates II]

Yes. This is what I do. I actually try and start the Zanki deck a few weeks before my block starts (I've only been able to do this this semester, though, since I was able to get ahead during winter break). It has really helped me with being prepped for what I'm going to see in lecture.

Other than that, I think you have too many resources. BNB definitely...I haven't started using it yet, but I'm about to get it and start for my next block after all the amazing things I've heard about it. UWorld isn't necessary till dedicated IMO, but definitely not till second year if you're just doing basic sciences first year. FA is helpful for quick review of things, but also not necessary.

I'll go ahead and say that the necessity of powerpoints depends on the style of professors/exams at your school. At our school, during M1 a lot of classes are taught by PhDs and sometimes the things they teach us in lecture straight up contradict FA or Zanki, but you have to roll with it for exam purposes. So, I watch and outline my lectures, but that's it as far as class material.

Practice questions are key, and once you start, M2s will be able to give you tips on which ones are good to use for your courses.

Do you find you have the time to do zanki on top of studying for our tests? I've tried doing zanki twice now, but it's a multiple hour per day commitment that doesn't seem to cover enough of our classes. I feel like I would fail the tests if I relied on zanki but maybe I'm missing something. I want to do it but I'm pretty sure I would be studying until 10 pm every day if I added it on to what I'm already doing.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Do you find you have the time to do zanki on top of studying for our tests? I've tried doing zanki twice now, but it's a multiple hour per day commitment that doesn't seem to cover enough of our classes. I feel like I would fail the tests if I relied on zanki but maybe I'm missing something. I want to do it but I'm pretty sure I would be studying until 10 pm every day if I added it on to what I'm already doing.

Yes, I'm keeping up with Zanki-- at least with all of my due reviews each day, and mostly with my new cards although I do skip doing new ones for a day every now and then if we get super busy. I'm not relying on it 100%, though. I still watch our lectures, outline them, and use lecture-specific flashcards. It only takes me about an hour every day to do whatever I have to do with Zanki. Also, the material on the cards correlates really well with what we've been learning this block, since most of our lectures have literally been straight up out of Constanzo/FA...I can pick things up word-for-word from my Zanki cards that are in our powerpoints. The fact that I've been able to complete units ahead of time since winter break has been really helpful, because I'm already fairly familiar with the material by the time we get to it in lecture. Only negative is, I went through the repro deck first because I didn't realize we were doing all endo on our first test, all repro on our second test ha. But still, very helpful.

I will make an honest disclosure that my grades still aren't fully where I want them to be 100% of the time....there are blocks/exams where I do really well, and blocks where I don't do as well as I'd like. However, I am no longer close to not passing like I was in our first few blocks, so I'm satisfied with my performance.

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Just to add another perspective to the conversation: I focused exclusively on school lectures/Costanzo Physiology for 1st year (no First Aid, no Zanki, made thousands of my own of Quizlet flashcards, etc.) & it worked very well for school exams.

I switched in 2nd year 1st semester to Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma/Sketchy then added UWorld in semester 2 for my QBank. Zanki is clutch if you like flashcards. I could probably sit for any exams I have previously taken through school this year (since starting Zanki) and score about the same as I did on exam day because of it.

As for year 1 material, I un-suspend year-1 cards from Zanki as I need them (related to pathology/pharmacology I'm learning that I don't remember/never learned.)

(unpopular opinion) I don't think you need to do Zanki in year 1. The harder you work in year 1, the better it will stick & the faster it will come back to you when you need it. Plus you don't have to deal with a years' worth of Zanki reviews burdening you every day of your year 2 curriculum; you only deal with the ones you actually need to see b/c you are selectively un-suspending the year 1 content. But hey if you wanna do it the entire 2 year more power to ya! Ain't nothin wrong with that.

Savarese: In year 1 I read through the section before I watched my school lectures & it helped a lot because school lectures are over the top IMO (I can only drink so much Kool-Aid at once.) It's also really good if your OMM class is cumulative (it is straight to the point and all high-yield/big picture stuff.)

Pre-Studying: Don't you dare.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

(unpopular opinion) I don't think you need to do Zanki in year 1. The harder you work in year 1, the better it will stick & the faster it will come back to you when you need it. Plus you don't have to deal with a years' worth of Zanki reviews burdening you every day of your year 2 curriculum; you only deal with the ones you actually need to see b/c you are selectively un-suspending the year 1 content. But hey if you wanna do it the entire 2 year more power to ya! Ain't nothin wrong with that.

Doing Zanki phys by organ system in first year basically exactly mirrors our lectures in class, so it just eliminates having to make your own Quizlet cards. I don't really think it's pointless, it's just an alternative method-- imo, making your own cards is really time consuming when there's already a perfectly made deck ready for you. Also, it doesn't really increase your burden next year, especially if you plan on having most of Zanki matured by dedicated; starting from this year just means I get to do less new cards per day once next year rolls around, so the review amounts per day is probably actually less.

Regardless, this just shows that there's no single way that works for everyone, and it just takes a bit to find the method that works for you. Once you do, if you stick to it, things get easier!

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Doing Zanki phys by organ system in first year basically exactly mirrors our lectures in class, so it just eliminates having to make your own Quizlet cards. I don't really think it's pointless, it's just an alternative method-- imo, making your own cards is really time consuming when there's already a perfectly made deck ready for you. Also, it doesn't really increase your burden next year, especially if you plan on having most of Zanki matured by dedicated; starting from this year just means I get to do less new cards per day once next year rolls around, so the review amounts per day is probably actually less.

Regardless, this just shows that there's no single way that works for everyone, and it just takes a bit to find the method that works for you. Once you do, if you stick to it, things get easier!

I didn’t say it was pointless. And I started the post by saying I was offering a different perspective. Most people on SDN advocate the “all or nothing” mentality of Zanki, and there isn’t much representation from people in the middle.

I was saying that, despite what the SDN dogma says, you don’t need to start Zanki 1st year in order to effectively utilize it.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

I didn’t say it was pointless. And I started the post by saying I was offering a different perspective. Most people on SDN advocate the “all or nothing” mentality of Zanki, and there isn’t much representation from people in the middle.

I was saying that, despite what the SDN dogma says, you don’t need to start Zanki 1st year in order to effectively utilize it.

My apologies, I think I misinterpreted your post. Agree with you that it's not necessary!

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

My apologies, I think I misinterpreted your post. Agree with you that it's not necessary!

I definitely agree that Zanki covers almost all classroom material tho (w/ the exception of the PhD minutia that we’ll never need again.)

And you’re right that it takes a long time to make your own flashcards. My mental health was crap first year ‘cause I spent so much making/memorizing those cards. Zanki has helped that tremendously.

 

[FrechToastFries]

Just to add another perspective to the conversation: I focused exclusively on school lectures/Costanzo Physiology for 1st year (no First Aid, no Zanki, made thousands of my own of Quizlet flashcards, etc.) & it worked very well for school exams.

I switched in 2nd year 1st semester to Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma/Sketchy then added UWorld in semester 2 for my QBank. Zanki is clutch if you like flashcards. I could probably sit for any exams I have previously taken through school this year (since starting Zanki) and score about the same as I did on exam day because of it.

As for year 1 material, I un-suspend year-1 cards from Zanki as I need them (related to pathology/pharmacology I'm learning that I don't remember/never learned.)

(unpopular opinion) I don't think you need to do Zanki in year 1. The harder you work in year 1, the better it will stick & the faster it will come back to you when you need it. Plus you don't have to deal with a years' worth of Zanki reviews burdening you every day of your year 2 curriculum; you only deal with the ones you actually need to see b/c you are selectively un-suspending the year 1 content. But hey if you wanna do it the entire 2 year more power to ya! Ain't nothin wrong with that.

Savarese: In year 1 I read through the section before I watched my school lectures & it helped a lot because school lectures are over the top IMO (I can only drink so much Kool-Aid at once.) It's also really good if your OMM class is cumulative (it is straight to the point and all high-yield/big picture stuff.)

Pre-Studying: Don't you dare.

Fellow KCU student here. So are you saying that for second year you didn't use lecture slides etc. and only used Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma? That's what I was planning on doing but wasn't sure how it would work out. Don't you have to spend like hours reading Robbins (that's what the second years tell me), so how did you balance that with Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma? Or did you do Zanki on the side to review for boards only?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

Fellow KCU student here. So are you saying that for second year you didn't use lecture slides etc. and only used Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma? That's what I was planning on doing but wasn't sure how it would work out. Don't you have to spend like hours reading Robbins (that's what the second years tell me), so how did you balance that with Zanki/FA/B&B/Pathoma? Or did you do Zanki on the side to review for boards only?

Ill DM ya in a bit; not tryina derail the thread

Edit: it won't let me DM you you; you'll have to DM me.