Scared of STEP I already...

[DermViser]

Most ppl I know in medical school start from day 1. They at the very least have First Aid and Firecracker and some BRS books or Anki or something. Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending. Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.

You should probably qualify that you were just accepted to medical school and will be starting this Fall. That being said, 6 months of review is WAY more than enough, I'd say almost too much.

"Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending." --- I realize you probably gained admission into a top-tier school but you sound like a complete fool here.

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[Psai]

You've spent 0 days in medical school. You have no idea what you're talking about. You'll find that as you progress through your training, the people who have actually already been through what you're going through have the perspective and experience that you lack. It's a good idea to listen to people who are just as smart as you but know much more.

Firecracker and first aid will basically be gibberish to you because you lack nearly the entire knowledge base that you require to understand them. You won't know what's high yield and what's not. Also, the real value in step 1 studying is integration and concepts. Memorizing a bunch of random facts might help you a little, especially in your school exams, but you will tend to miss the big picture and that's what's important for step 1. First aid is just a list of random facts that are supposed to jog your memory and help you put things together. It's not all-encompassing and does very little to explain anything. They're valuable as an adjunct to your classes but just reading first aid will be a complete waste of time. The people who spent a ton of time making anki cards don't even use them because they are full of low yield facts that don't help much with basic understanding of physiology or disease processes. If you paid attention in class and built a solid knowledge base in the first two years, two months will be more than enough to study.

By the way, saying "well at least the schools I was interested in attending" makes you sound like a huge douche and no one is impressed. Especially from a pompous premed.

 

[mcloaf]

Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.

If you're going to speak authoritatively about things you have no idea about at least do so in pre-allo where nobody will notice.

 

[DermViser]

If you're going to speak authoritatively about things you have no idea about at least do so in pre-allo where nobody will notice.

But he/she is a medical student: Medical Student (accepted).

 

[Espadaleader]

You've spent 0 days in medical school. You have no idea what you're talking about. You'll find that as you progress through your training, the people who have actually already been through what you're going through have the perspective and experience that you lack. It's a good idea to listen to people who are just as smart as you but know much more.

Firecracker and first aid will basically be gibberish to you because you lack nearly the entire knowledge base that you require to understand them. You won't know what's high yield and what's not. Also, the real value in step 1 studying is integration and concepts. Memorizing a bunch of random facts might help you a little, especially in your school exams, but you will tend to miss the big picture and that's what's important for step 1. First aid is just a list of random facts that are supposed to jog your memory and help you put things together. It's not all-encompassing and does very little to explain anything. They're valuable as an adjunct to your classes but just reading first aid will be a complete waste of time. The people who spent a ton of time making anki cards don't even use them because they are full of low yield facts that don't help much with basic understanding of physiology or disease processes. If you paid attention in class and built a solid knowledge base in the first two years, two months will be more than enough to study.

By the way, saying "well at least the schools I was interested in attending" makes you sound like a huge douche and no one is impressed. Especially from a pompous premed.

I think the message of "just do well and master your MS-1 material so you have a strong knowledge base for Step 1 in MS-2. Its a very important test." is a very different response than "Oh, Step 1 isn't a big deal don't worry about it".

You guys/gals are going in this morning. Of course I don't know anything. Duh, I haven't started yet lol. All I know is that the exam is important and it isn't something I can do without doing well in my classes.

As for the "school I attend" comment. I felt some type of way about this medical student that did a seminar talk. He said he studied cold for 4 weeks and that the Step 1 isn't a big deal and is easier than the MCAT, so I kinda felt some people give bad info. That's not directed at you guys. That's not the info @Psai and the others are giving, which is phenomenal.

 

[Psai]

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[Priapism4tooLong]

Don't worry ARK you have 6 attempts

 

[vashka]

You should probably qualify that you were just accepted to medical school and will be starting this Fall. That being said, 6 months of review is WAY more than enough, I'd say almost too much.

"Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending." --- I realize you probably gained admission into a top-tier school but you sound like a complete fool here.

I just finished my MS1 year and I totally agree here. Before I started school I thought my class would be full of gunners who start studying from day 1. In reality, most people care about learning the material but most people are not on SDN plotting from day 1. I was recently hanging out with several classmates and about 10 of my classmates asked me what "Robbins Pathology" is. They have no idea what the USMLE even looks like. Most people don't know what Qbanks are even available. I'm trying to reach SDN status on the step 1 but even I have gained some perspective along this process. Constant studying and pressure on yourself to perform is unhealthy and counterproductive

 

[DermViser]

Oh okay, I'm a little stressed from step studying my bad. It's a very different test from the mcat. But yeah step 1 is pretty much the most important thing you will do in medical school. When you apply to residency, the folder they have about you may have your name and step 1 score on the front.

Good grief, have some perspective! And no that's not exactly how it works, with the ERAS application, they have more info than just your name and Step score when you interview. Just stop it.

 

[Psai]

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[sylvanthus]

Most ppl I know in medical school start from day 1. They at the very least have First Aid and Firecracker and some BRS books or Anki or something. Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending. Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.

Was this a serious response or a troll attempt?

 

[Roxas]

Thanks for the insight into medical school, premed.

So you disagree? Just because I'm not there yet doesn't mean I'm clueless as to how the process works. Would you say then that UG more resembles the clinical years? Cause that was the original discussion.

 

[Roxas]

It's not only about subject matter, but as others have pointed out it does play a role.

How long did you spend studying for the MCAT? How much of MCAT prep was new material that you never learned before? I understand your thinking because I was just like you before I started. I spent our entire first block studying 10+ hours per day and it was fine for maybe a month and then I was miserable. Now I study half that and if I hadn't made the change I probably would have quit.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. You're absolutely right, I would also go nuts doing that for an extended period of time. I probably think that is what med school takes because a few of my med student friends prefer the procrastinate then cram approach. I hope to try and keep more balance than that haha

 

[Kaputt]

QUOTE="Espadaleader, post: 15265469, member: 332531"]Most ppl I know in medical school start from day 1. They at the very least have First Aid and Firecracker and some BRS books or Anki or something. Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending. Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.[/QUOTE]

Nice armchair pontificating, M-0.

Also, this gimmicky Firecracker/Anki BS is silly. People are so obsessed with it. Apparently if you don't use a glorified flash card system you're way behind your peers these days.

I do this everywhere. For some reason writing helps me form memories better than almost anything else. Typing isn't the same.

Absolutely. The tactile process of physically writing something down helps me retain material way better than typing.

 

[GadRads]

Memorizing a bunch of random facts might help you a little, especially in your school exams, but you will tend to miss the big picture and that's what's important for step 1.

I agree our noble premed is full of it.

But memorization is EXTREMELY key in medical school. I just got a novobiocin question wrong on U-world--I just forgot whether the differential was S. aureus/saphro and picked the wrong stuff. Medical reasoning and getting the big picture isn't that difficult, but without the facts you are doomed. Average MCAT for medical students is 32 which more than suggests they can reason. The devil is in the details. Med students aren't dumb. I TA'ed anatomy this year to MS1's and it is A LOT of material that must be known mostly by memorization. I will like to see anyone come reason out the branches of the thyrocervical trunk or the muscle serviced by the long buccal nerve. At most 1/2 the questions I get wrong on u-world are just facts I forgot/don't know/dumb mistakes.

 

[Psai]

That's true, I should have said memorizing a bunch of facts without context. Because I've found that I knew a lot of facts but never really put the picture together before. Like how vasopressin works on v1 to vasoconstrict and adh works on v2 to absorb water but ddavp is also used to treat von willebrand disease because it releases wp bodies from the endothelium. I knew these things individually but I never really put the picture together until recently. If you see that fact about ddavp you can memorize it but if you haven't had hematology yet, it's may not very useful for you.

 

[Omar Little]

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...

There's no secret to success: FA, pathoma, and UWorld. People will start these later or earlier based on how well they retained the information from the first two years. Decide what score you want, how much you remember, and how much you want to study. Use these resources and you will, like the vast majority of students, be fine.

 

[circulus vitios]

Is the summer before MS1 too early to start studying for shelf exams?

 

[Anastomoses]

If you try to study FA in your first semester - you are just killing time and energy. Have at it. Skimming for relevant topics is another thing altogether.

 

[gregoryhouse]

Most ppl I know in medical school start from day 1. They at the very least have First Aid and Firecracker and some BRS books or Anki or something. Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending. Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.

There is a difference between studying first aid as you go along with your classes and studying first aid because you are legitimately preparing for step 1 on the first day of school. Most people who say you only need 6 weeks of studying are talking about dedicated study time.

Of course nobody is doing nothing, because they have classes to study for. The first 2 years of school are essentially preparing you for step 1.

 

[gregoryhouse]

That's true, I should have said memorizing a bunch of facts without context. Because I've found that I knew a lot of facts but never really put the picture together before. Like how vasopressin works on v1 to vasoconstrict and adh works on v2 to absorb water but ddavp is also used to treat von willebrand disease because it releases wp bodies from the endothelium. I knew these things individually but I never really put the picture together until recently. If you see that fact about ddavp you can memorize it but if you haven't had hematology yet, it's may not very useful for you.

I completely agree. Memorization is important but without context its much harder to memorize things. This has happened so many times where i memorize some fact and later learn about it in greater context and it makes much more sense and is much easier to remember.

 

[deleted564496]

Don't worry Ark, I'm nervous too.. I'm sure everybody is, but it will work out just like the first year (hopefully) worked out.

I just finished my first year and got a copy of FA... Part of me wishes I would have gotten it first year and part of me doesn't. I didn't have much structure my first year and rather just focused on learning everything as best I could. Hopefully this works out better when it comes time to start studying for boards. However, I don't have the best long-term memory so I think it would have definitely been helpful to try and do more repetition with those high yield topics.

I'm going to use it second year on the first day before a test just to get an idea of what the HY topics are to try and really hammer them down. Hopefully it works out

 

[notbobtrustme]

Most ppl I know in medical school start from day 1. They at the very least have First Aid and Firecracker and some BRS books or Anki or something. Literally nobody is doing nothing, well at least at the schools I was interested in attending. Anybody who tells you to not to worry or you only need six months to study is full of it.

those people are ******ed and will end up doing worse than people who relax a bit and take it as it comes.

 

[Anastomoses]

those people are ******ed and will end up doing worse than people who relax a bit and take it as it comes.

You don't feel even a little silly make a generalization like that? Like...you know, really?

 

[Psai]

You don't feel even a little silly make a generalization like that? Like...you know, really?

It's pretty true

 

[DermViser]

Also, this gimmicky Firecracker/Anki BS is silly. People are so obsessed with it. Apparently if you don't use a glorified flash card system you're way behind your peers these days.

Don't forget this new thing called Picmonic.

I swear an industry that capitalizes on anal-retentive medical students wanting to have the latest edition of a textbook/review book must be laughing their butts off at us.

 

[DermViser]

Is the summer before MS1 too early to start studying for shelf exams?

 

[Wordead]

It's pretty true

You think it's universally true that the people that go full tilt for 2 years somehow do worse than the laid back people because they're anal retentive? Maybe the ones that have meltdowns, but otherwise...gunners gonna gun.

 

[arkdoc]

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.

I think the poster was referring to the fact that some residencies have a minimum score and they don't consider/look at your app without that. This happens some places and more so with derm, but that isn't 100%. Still better to score high when you can though...says captain obvious.

 

[Psai]

You think it's universally true that the people that go full tilt for 2 years somehow do worse than the laid back people because they're anal retentive? Maybe the ones that have meltdowns, but otherwise...gunners gonna gun.

Nah I think it's true that people who people who start with first aid and anki from day 1 have no idea what they're doing and are wasting their time. You don't need first aid for biochem and anatomy. I agree with the sentiment that medical school starts on day 1.