Rotation Advice Needed

[Hexanol]

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Hello SDN Community!

I was wondering if you all could just offer up some general advice as we all get started for our rotations and step 1's.

1) What's the best way of studying for your step 1s?
2) did you all take Kaplan or self-study?
3) Should we be looking into getting some sort of smart phone for rotations?
4) is it better to be getting a palm, PDA, blackberry, iphone?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Amy B]

I would totally recommend getting and using a PDA on rotations. I would highly suggest getting Epocrates Essentials as well as a medical dictionary such as Steadmans (PDA version)

 

[Hexanol]

thanks for the advice amy!

if i were to get a PDA, i'd much rather get a smartphone.

so is there any I hsould be looking into more than others?

Blackberry, Iphone, Palm?

Is one better or worse than the other?

 

[cyclohexanol]

Hello SDN Community!

I was wondering if you all could just offer up some general advice as we all get started for our rotations and step 1's.

1) What's the best way of studying for your step 1s?
2) did you all take Kaplan or self-study?
3) Should we be looking into getting some sort of smart phone for rotations?
4) is it better to be getting a palm, PDA, blackberry, iphone?

Thanks a bunch!

1) depends on your style, but most likely it will involve FA, UWorld, a few review books, and 4-5 weeks of 12-16 hour days. There is a thread in the step-1 forum about study strategies and results for people who took step 1 this year.
2) self study
3) yes
4) palm or windows based PDA phone. I personally prefer windows based PDA phones. Palm is fine, but it's a dying platform IMO

Be careful when looking at windows phones, as there is a huge difference between a windows smartphone and a windows PDA phone. You will be able to run far more applications with a windows PDA phone (running windows mobile, instead of windows smartphone edition). Check your carrier to see which PDA phones they offer. I have verizon, so I got the xv6800 and am very happy with it.

 

[AmyO]

What year are you in school? My advice for someone beginning 2nd year of medical school would be to study hard and learn as much as you can 2nd year as that will make studying for Step 1 much easier. Definitely do USMLE world as a question bank. I did do a Kaplan class and I thought it was definitely helpful, but not essential. I did really like the Kaplan biochem book if you can get your hands on one (but again not a must to do well on Step 1). One thing I wish I would have focused more on was molecular biology. I had a ton of transgenic mice ?s on my USMLE step 1!!

 

[Amy B]

thanks for the advice amy!

if i were to get a PDA, i'd much rather get a smartphone.

so is there any I hsould be looking into more than others?

Blackberry, Iphone, Palm?

Is one better or worse than the other?

I have a Blackberry Curve and I love it. I have the internet which is the full internet and not limited like some other phones have. I have epocrates on it which I got free. the camera is good (10MB) and it does good videos as well. I like the full size key board to text fast.

 

[GoBuckeyes913]

Hello SDN Community!

I was wondering if you all could just offer up some general advice as we all get started for our rotations and step 1's.

1) What's the best way of studying for your step 1s?
2) did you all take Kaplan or self-study?
3) Should we be looking into getting some sort of smart phone for rotations?
4) is it better to be getting a palm, PDA, blackberry, iphone?

Thanks a bunch!

1. Reading and doing a ridiculous amount of questions should prepare you well. Personally, I preferred the "Crush" books to first aid, but referenced FA for details I couldnt find in Crush. COMBANK is better for COMLEX, USMLE World better for USMLE. A week or 2 before your COMLEX, go on NBOME site and spend $50 to take the COMSAE. Totally worth it and it will give you an estimated score. I cant emphasize enough on doing questions, don't ever stop.

2. My class got the Kaplan course. While it isn't necessary, it was helpful. Self study, too.

3. Most people get something. It's a quick easy ref when you need to look up info. Personally, I didn't have a PDA or Smartphone, iphone, etc... don't regret it either. I didn't want to rely on it, but thats just my personal pref. You may want one. You definitely don't need it, but its convenient.