Scared of STEP I already...

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Arkangeloid

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So I'm seeing the 2nd years in the library studying for STEP I, and it's frightening. There's one dude who sits studying in the same room of the library, and according to some of my MS2 and MS3 friends, he never leaves it except to use the restroom. He's been doing this for weeks. He hasn't shaved at all, nor does he appear too concerned about the rest of his appearance.

I mean, I'm having troubles with time management and motivation already, but will I get through STEP I if that's the dedication it takes? I'm scared...

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I'm sure he eats, exercises somewhat, etc. too. Reminds me of this: http://www.gomerblog.com/2013/11/homeless-medical-student/

That being said, why are you worrying about him? He's probably aiming for a really really super high score, 260 or greater.

We are friends and gym buddies, and I haven't seen him at the gym since the MS2s left to study for STEP1. :(

Hmmm, I didn't figure him to be the 1st quartile super tryhard type, but yeah, he could be going for 260+.
 
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We are friends and gym buddies, and I haven't seen him at the gym since the MS2s left to study for STEP1. :(

Hmmm, I didn't figure him to be the 1st quartile super tryhard type, but yeah, he could be going for 260+.
One doesn't have to be in the first quartile, to work hard throughout medical school. Just bc you're in the first quartile, doesn't mean you're a gunner. Just bc you're not in the first quartile, doesn't mean all your specialty options are gone.
 
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Step 1 studying was the worst 5.5 wks of my life. I left my house once per week to grocery shop. Saw no one. Barely interacted with other humans. Every day was scheduled out and very boring and repetitive.

Also "going for a 260" is a ridiculous thing to say. The people who actually got 260s and 270s studied less than I did mostly because they had done so well in class that they were just polishing around the edges for the most part. If you don't put 110% of your effort into step 1 then you are a fool and selling yourself short. There is no alarm that goes off when you've studied enough to achieve a certain score. The material is endless.
 
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Step 1 studying was the worst 5.5 wks of my life. I left my house once per week to grocery shop. Saw no one. Barely interacted with other humans. Every day was scheduled out and very boring and repetitive.

Also "going for a 260" is a ridiculous thing to say. The people who actually got 260s and 270s studied less than I did mostly because they had done so well in class that they were just polishing around the edges for the most part. If you don't put 110% of your effort into step 1 then you are a fool and selling yourself short. There is no alarm that goes off when you've studied enough to achieve a certain score. The material is endless.
Or maybe 250s. And yes while there is no alarm, there are NBMEs which are pretty accurate in gauging how you are doing. Yes, you'll be studying a lot, but there are tons of schedules out there where you're not ONLY just studying.
 
So I'm seeing the 2nd years in the library studying for STEP I, and it's frightening. There's one dude who sits studying in the same room of the library, and according to some of my MS2 and MS3 friends, he never leaves it except to use the restroom. He's been doing this for weeks. He hasn't shaved at all, nor does he appear too concerned about the rest of his appearance.

I mean, I'm having troubles with time management and motivation already, but will I get through STEP I if that's the dedication it takes? I'm scared...
That guy in your library is @Ionian
 
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So I'm seeing the 2nd years in the library studying for STEP I, and it's frightening. There's one dude who sits studying in the same room of the library, and according to some of my MS2 and MS3 friends, he never leaves it except to use the restroom. He's been doing this for weeks. He hasn't shaved at all, nor does he appear too concerned about the rest of his appearance.

I mean, I'm having troubles with time management and motivation already, but will I get through STEP I if that's the dedication it takes? I'm scared...

I know a few classmates who studied in the library while their wives brought them lunch and dinner every day for about two months. I woke up at the same time, ate at the same time, went to the gym at the same time, and studied at the same time every day for 6 weeks. It paid off for all of us, and a couple of them are now junior AOA. We all put in the work, undoubtedly, and the only people who had issues with us studying so much were the ones who ended up not doing as well; they spent all of their time bickering and projecting their insecurities onto their harder working classmates instead of actually studying--these people were the real gunners as far as I can tell. To my knowledge, none of us who dedicated an insane amount of time towards studying regretted doing so. The opposite is rarely true. If that "one dude" decides that living in the library and not shaving is what is necessary to do well on Step, then let him be. Don't be a gunner.
 
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I know a few classmates who studied in the library while their wives brought them lunch and dinner every day for about two months. I woke up at the same time, ate at the same time, went to the gym at the same time, and studied at the same time every day for 6 weeks. It paid off for all of us, and a couple of them are now junior AOA. We all put in the work, undoubtedly, and the only people who had issues with us studying so much were the ones who ended up not doing as well; they spent all of their time bickering and projecting their insecurities onto their harder working classmates instead of actually studying--these people were the real gunners as far as I can tell. To my knowledge, none of us who dedicated an insane amount of time towards studying regretted doing so. The opposite is rarely true. If that "one dude" decides that living in the library and not shaving is what is necessary to do well on Step, then let him be. Don't be a gunner.
They weren't studying?
 
So I'm seeing the 2nd years in the library studying for STEP I, and it's frightening. There's one dude who sits studying in the same room of the library, and according to some of my MS2 and MS3 friends, he never leaves it except to use the restroom. He's been doing this for weeks. He hasn't shaved at all, nor does he appear too concerned about the rest of his appearance.

I mean, I'm having troubles with time management and motivation already, but will I get through STEP I if that's the dedication it takes? I'm scared...

I agree, it seems really scary. I got my brand-spanking new copy of First Aid today. It was very overwhelming just flipping through looking at all of the things I'm expected to know after the next 2 years, but I just keep telling myself that somebody dumber than me has done it, so I'll be fine.
 
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I agree, it seems really scary. I got my brand-spanking new copy of First Aid today. It was very overwhelming just flipping through looking at all of the things I'm expected to know after the next 2 years, but I just keep telling myself that somebody dumber than me has done it, so I'll be fine.
At least you were smart enough to get First Aid BEFORE med school starts so you can research how to use it effectively.
 
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They weren't studying?

Not as hard as they could have been, I guess. It was the same crowd of people who would post on FB about how hard they party while being in med school~!@ "Look at us! We're not studying! Unlike those losers at the library who never go out!" The funny thing is that the people at the top of our class who did well on Step were mostly married or had awesome hobbies that didn't involve getting sh**faced every weekend. Some classmates really rubbed me the wrong way during the preclinical years (as you can tell), and some had the audacity to call me a gunner because I started to take things seriously during second year instead of going out with them like I used to do. A lot of them were my friends, so that's probably why I'm still bitter about it.

Anyway, in the end, a few of them repeated the year, a few of them had to retake Step I during third year, and a few of them did well below the national average. Some of them did okay. I'm pretty affable IRL and have an entirely different circle of friends now. It's crazy how life turns out sometimes, and it's only going to get crazier. Match day is going to be rad.
 
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Why do you say that?
With so many new med schools opening up both MD and DO, and with more students coming out, if you're going for something "competitive", Step 1 will probably end up being more of importance. Well, it may be different for you, since many of the osteopathic residencies will still look mainly at COMLEX scores, not USMLE scores.
 
Not as hard as they could have been, I guess. It was the same crowd of people who would post on FB about how hard they party while being in med school~!@ "Look at us! We're not studying! Unlike those losers at the library who never go out!" The funny thing is that the people at the top of our class who did well on Step were mostly married or had awesome hobbies that didn't involve getting sh**faced every weekend. Some classmates really rubbed me the wrong way during the preclinical years (as you can tell), and some had the audacity to call me a gunner because I started to take things seriously during second year instead of going out with them like I used to do. A lot of them were my friends, so that's probably why I'm still bitter about it.

Anyway, in the end, a few of them repeated the year, a few of them had to retake Step I during third year, and a few of them did well below the national average. Some of them did okay. I'm pretty affable IRL and have an entirely different circle of friends now. It's crazy how life turns out sometimes, and it's only going to get crazier. Match day is going to be rad.
Yup, it's amazing how much things change in med school. You'd think the "I only want to do the bare minimum" crowd would only be in undergrad. You can't just say that, and then expect to waltz into any residency you want. A lot of it is a defense mechanism of "I'm mad that you're studying more than me". Don't get me wrong, you do need some type of balance, and total isolation is definitely not the answer in med school, either.

Med students, however, are sometimes known to be very sore losers, just bc they are not always on top all the time. A lot that type believe they are entitled to a residency, esp. a competitive residency (esp. if they come from a physician family). No med student is entitled to any residency, as any PD will attest to.
 
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lol i don't see the point in getting first aid before med school starts. Don't they update them like every dec? Its pretty easy how to figure out how it works. But its not a book to learn from.

I didn't say it's a book to "learn from". It's a measly $40 bucks (it's available online too). The key is to use the book to learn how to use it effectively through your basic science years. The NBME website which has resources to show you how test questions are written by the USMLE test writers.
 
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I didn't say it's a book to "learn from". It's a measly $40 bucks (it's available online too). The key is to use the book to learn how to use it effectively through your basic science years. The NBME website which has resources to show you how test questions are written by the USMLE test writers.

yeah, sorry didn't mean to say you said that. i was saying that too O grady. i guess its cheap, but i wouldn't start looking at it before med school, thats a one way ticket to gunnerville, USA.


Edit: not that its bad being a gunner, but i dont think starting this early is going to change your step 1 score.
 
lol i don't see the point in getting first aid before med school starts. Don't they update them like every dec?

Its pretty easy how to figure out how it works. But its not a book to learn from.
I've seen multiple threads saying that familiarizing yourself with first aid as your go through M1/M2 is a good way to see what is more board relevant. For example, I'm taking UG biochem right now, and it was interesting to see where my class has overlapped with FA, as well as where it hasn't.

Trust me, I'm definitely not studying from it anytime soon. I was just flipping through it out of curiosity.
 
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yeah, sorry didn't mean to say you said that. i was saying that too O grady. i guess its cheap, but i wouldn't start looking at it before med school, thats a one way ticket to gunnerville, USA.
Yes, understanding how the USMLE works and how they test information differently from classes, takes loads of time and is "a ticket to Gunnerville USA". :rolleyes:
 
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I've seen multiple threads saying that familiarizing yourself with first aid as your go through M1/M2 is a good way to see what is more board relevant. For example, I'm taking UG biochem right now, and it was interesting to see the where my class has overlapped with FA, as well as where it hasn't.

Trust me, I'm definitely not studying from it anytime soon. I was just flipping through it out of curiosity.

lol you prolly should listen to them. I think i've forgotten how to study anyway.
 
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I hope not or I'm going to feel really dumb...

Let me warn you now: First Aid is going to look like gibberish to you if you don't understand the material, which tends to happen at an insanely fast rate during second year as you learn to integrate information. Learn the material first, and use First Aid as a review; the book is not all-encompassing, and it is not a learning tool. The best thing you can do is to pay attention in class, even if you think the details you are learning are irrelevant and will not be on Step I (you are probably wrong). Look at it this way: no amount of studying for 6 weeks can replace 1.5 years of learning. Familiarize yourself with it, but don't treat it like a bible.
 
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I've seen multiple threads saying that familiarizing yourself with first aid as your go through M1/M2 is a good way to see what is more board relevant. For example, I'm taking UG biochem right now, and it was interesting to see the where my class has overlapped with FA, as well as where it hasn't.

Trust me, I'm definitely not studying from it anytime soon. I was just flipping through it out of curiosity.
Yup: http://www.firstaidteam.com/wp-content/uploads/study-timeline-usmle-step1.pdg_.pdf

Esp. to see which parts of Biochem are important for the USMLE, and which aren't. If you read the beginning each section has study tips specifically.
 
Let me warn you now: First Aid is going to look like gibberish to you if you don't understand the material, which tends to happen at an insanely fast rate during second year as you learn to integrate information. Learn the material first, and use First Aid as a review; the book is not all-encompassing, and it is not a learning tool. The best thing you can do is to pay attention in class, even if you think the details you are learning are irrelevant and will not be on Step I (you are probably wrong). Look at it this way: no amount of studying for 6 weeks can replace 1.5 years of learning. Familiarize yourself with it, but don't treat it like a bible.

Yup: http://www.firstaidteam.com/wp-content/uploads/study-timeline-usmle-step1.pdg_.pdf

Esp. to see which parts of Biochem are important for the USMLE, and which aren't. If you read the beginning each section has study tips specifically.
I'll keep this stuff in mind, thanks guys.
 
Let me warn you now: First Aid is going to look like gibberish to you if you don't understand the material, which tends to happen at an insanely fast rate during second year as you learn to integrate information. Learn the material first, and use First Aid as a review; the book is not all-encompassing, and it is not a learning tool. The best thing you can do is to pay attention in class, even if you think the details you are learning are irrelevant and will not be on Step I (you are probably wrong). Look at it this way: no amount of studying for 6 weeks can replace 1.5 years of learning. Familiarize yourself with it, but don't treat it like a bible.
I agree don't actually "study" it right now. Use it to get down the logistics: what resources to use, how to use FA along with classes, etc. Also, don't think that just bc it isn't in First Aid, that means it's not important. The authors even say First Aid is not meant to be an all-encompassing book. That's why people annotate it.

It's a great book to recall things, and can make learning things a little bit easier. (Not all the mnemonics will work well for you, YMMV).
 
I agree don't actually "study" it right now. Use it to get down the logistics: what resources to use, how to use FA along with classes, etc. Also, don't think that just bc it isn't in First Aid, that means it's not important. The authors even say First Aid is not meant to be an all-encompassing book. That's why people annotate it.

It's a great book to recall things, and can make learning things a little bit easier. (Not all the mnemonics will work well for you, YMMV).

out of curiosity what was your step1 score?
 
haha you are probably right. If you were PyschiatryViser i probably wouldn't have asked you that question.
For any specialty, USMLE Step 1 is one piece of an entire puzzle. It's not like the score is your golden ticket to any specialty:
 
That was my thought, although I didn't know if getting it this early was a fast-track to gunner status or something.

MS4s at my school have recommended I get FA now, not so much to study from this early, but to skim through and get a rough idea of how and when to incorporate it into my studying throughout the first two years. Starting studying now would be crazy, I think. I can barely understand what the hell I'm looking at when I look at some of the graphs/tables.
 
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MS4s at my school have recommended I get FA now, not so much to study from this early, but to skim through and get a rough idea of how and when to incorporate it into my studying throughout the first two years. Starting studying now would be crazy, I think. I can barely understand what the hell I'm looking at when I look at some of the graphs/tables.
And go to the NBME website to see how they write NBME/USMLE style test questions.
 
Step 1 studying was the worst 5.5 wks of my life. I left my house once per week to grocery shop. Saw no one. Barely interacted with other humans. Every day was scheduled out and very boring and repetitive.

Also "going for a 260" is a ridiculous thing to say. The people who actually got 260s and 270s studied less than I did mostly because they had done so well in class that they were just polishing around the edges for the most part. If you don't put 110% of your effort into step 1 then you are a fool and selling yourself short. There is no alarm that goes off when you've studied enough to achieve a certain score. The material is endless.

There's a dude who just graduated who actually was like that and stopped studying after 4 weeks because he was done and then he just waited for his test date. He must have done well because he matched a top IM program.
 
There's a dude who just graduated who actually was like that and stopped studying after 4 weeks because he was done and then he just waited for his test date. He must have done well because he matched a top IM program.
How long did he wait? How many weeks do you usually get to study?
 
Step 1 studying was the worst 5.5 wks of my life. I left my house once per week to grocery shop. Saw no one. Barely interacted with other humans. Every day was scheduled out and very boring and repetitive.

Also "going for a 260" is a ridiculous thing to say. The people who actually got 260s and 270s studied less than I did mostly because they had done so well in class that they were just polishing around the edges for the most part. If you don't put 110% of your effort into step 1 then you are a fool and selling yourself short. There is no alarm that goes off when you've studied enough to achieve a certain score. The material is endless.

I have the advantage of a 6 year retrospectiscope...but step one studying really wasn't that bad.

I woke up at 7:30 every day, ate breakfast and fooled around on the internet til 8. Then I went into a regimented study routine from 8 until 6 pm. Then I went to the gym for an hour, ate for an hour, and did some questions from 8-10. Repeat 6 days per week, times 5 weeks.

Sure there was a lot of stress. But I showered, shaved, worked out, and generally was a normal human being at night. I went out one night per week and did something on Sundays to make it a more relaxing day.

You don't have to be some weird bearded hobo living in the library for a month. I generally found that the students who spent a lot of time on the medical campus (i.e. around other students) stressed themselves out way too much as a result.
 
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How long did he wait? How many weeks do you usually get to study?

I think it's possible to have around 2 months max with no vacation but a lot of people do 6-7 weeks. This dude said he studied for a month and chilled for a week. He was a great TA too, really awesome at explaining things.
 
I think it's possible to have around 2 months max with no vacation but a lot of people do 6-7 weeks. This dude said he studied for a month and chilled for a week. He was a great TA too, really awesome at explaining things.
He's definitely not the norm (of course, if you're able to Anatomy TA on top of MS-2, then you're already on the higher end of the curve). That being said, 8 weeks of time after classes are over to drive it in, is definitely more than enough time.
 
He's definitely not the norm (of course, if you're able to Anatomy TA on top of MS-2, then you're already on the higher end of the curve). That being said, 8 weeks of time after classes are over to drive it in, is definitely more than enough time.

8 weeks would have meant a really nice long vacation for me after step 1...

Our dean told us it seemed like most people reach the point of diminishing returns around week 5.
 
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Stay on top of things, don't get discouraged and use resources out there. Don't be afraid of asking for help, just about every medical school has a "pass program" where they help marginal students get over the hump to pass Step 1, look into it.

for now, get a six pack or 10 and enjoy the ****ing summer.
 
I think it's possible to have around 2 months max with no vacation but a lot of people do 6-7 weeks. This dude said he studied for a month and chilled for a week. He was a great TA too, really awesome at explaining things.

yea, if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably take my exam today instead of in 2 weeks. I just got my CBSE assessment a couple days ago and I was very happy with it.
 
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8 weeks would have meant a really nice long vacation for me after step 1...

Our dean told us it seemed like most people reach the point of diminishing returns around week 5.
Maybe some people use the full 8 weeks if they've done no review at all for 2 years? Doing 10-12 hour days for that amount of time is no joke, and would be completely exhausting. Definitely doesn't help you do well on exam day, if your brain is fizzled out from having to be "on" for that amount of time.
 
yea, if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably take my exam today instead of in 2 weeks. I just got my CBSE assessment a couple days ago and I was very happy with it.
Doh! Could have been a 2 week vacation.
 
I've been using the first few weeks to read books like the taus method, I was really weak in immuno and micro
 
For any specialty, USMLE Step 1 is one piece of an entire puzzle. It's not like the score is your golden ticket to any specialty:


lol thanks oh wise and great one! a low score is thrown out in a lot of specialities though, like derm.
 
lol thanks oh wise and great one! a low score is thrown out in a lot of specialities though, like derm.
Not necessarily. There are people who do research years to mitigate this and successfully match (and not just in Derm). Look at Charting of Outcomes released by the NRMP.
 
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Not necessarily. There are people who do research years to mitigate this and successfully match (and not just in Derm). Look at Charting of Outcomes released by the NRMP.

what are the average scores of derm residents and pysch residents?
 
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