Seeking Practical Advice from Zero to Hero Med Students

[TerraceHouse]

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Currently in my 2nd year of the preclinical years.

I hate being average.

Up to this point, I haven't failed any courses. A few close calls but at the same time, managed to get A's a couple times.

I feel like I've max'd out my time input & effort and still only score around average even on flawless weeks.

My 2 weaknesses are:
1) inefficient memorization - I can look at something 3-4x and still miss that question about a fact about Selenium in my endocrine exam
2) weak ability to concentrate for long periods of time - perhaps a sign of lack of sleep but there's times where an hour goes by and I'm still looking at the same PPT slide and was zoned out in a completely other world

I want to score A's on course exams and want to score 90th percentile on boards.

During preclinical years, I can count on my hand the # of times I've decided to do something other than studying. So it's not like I'm not trying or out there having fun, I'm grinding everyday and drilling the top kids in our class their methods and I've tried them all and found success at times but never consistently. I've tried Anki (worked well some courses, other times- did worse because it took so long to make the cards I'd be making new cards into the Saturday before the exam), tried taking notes/not taking notes, watching lecture capture/not watching lecture capture, working in groups/solo. They all led to success at times but not to success at other times.

I know there are real gunners out there but I feel like I have to work as hard as gunner (in the work ethic aspect not in a the being a d-bag way) just to score average.

Just want desperately to defy the projected outcome of my future scores and board score. Would like advice from someone who was average or below average during their first 1.5 years of preclinical and managed to do outstanding towards the end/on boards.

I know some are just more gifted at recall but I refuse to just accept my position based on my memorization/recall ability. Apologize for this post being so self-centric, I know medicine is about helping others but... just tired of striving for excellence and not meeting that. Feels like being on a team that misses the playoffs year after year.

 

[Crayola227]

Dude, just continue to work hard, learn about yourself, try new things, find balance, keep perspective.

Welcome to life. You decided to join the pack of the top 10% or whatever and find yourself in the middle. You're not the worst & you're not the best, of a very selective and elite group. Get over it.

 

[Crayola227]

Besides it's a whole new ballgame afyer Step 1, when you start the clinical years, and another sport entirely when you start residency.

When you get to be an attending, the challenges change entirely again, and really look nothing like the didactic years besides reading.

Again, perspective. What's gonna really make you a good doctor? You don't know quite yet but that's really what you gotta figure out.

 

[intubesteak]

Sounds like you are trying to pound details into your head with a hammer. I also suck at memorizing...so I avoid it and instead try to conceptualize everything possible and only memorize what's absolutely necessary. Its also wayyyy more enjoyable to just soak up the material and think about things rather than just trying to anxiously cram every detail into your brain, motivating yourself with fear of failure. Also you might want to set some time aside for relaxing/refreshing your brain so that when you are studying, your brain is more fresh. For me, my wife and I watch a show on Netflix before bed, drink a small glass of (cheap) wine, and eat a piece of chocolate, basically every single night hah. Friday evening are sacred-NO studying. Sometimes I feel like I should skip Friday night or evening netflix to study, but sometimes relaxing is the most productive thing to do. FWIW for the first few exams I scored about average and worked my tail off--now scoring 1 sd above average (not killing it by sdn standards, but plenty good enough for me) and feel more balanced.

 

[cbrons]

Currently in my 2nd year of the preclinical years.

I hate being average.

Up to this point, I haven't failed any courses. A few close calls but at the same time, managed to get A's a couple times.

I feel like I've max'd out my time input & effort and still only score around average even on flawless weeks.

My 2 weaknesses are:
1) inefficient memorization - I can look at something 3-4x and still miss that question about a fact about Selenium in my endocrine exam
2) weak ability to concentrate for long periods of time - perhaps a sign of lack of sleep but there's times where an hour goes by and I'm still looking at the same PPT slide and was zoned out in a completely other world

I want to score A's on course exams and want to score 90th percentile on boards.

During preclinical years, I can count on my hand the # of times I've decided to do something other than studying. So it's not like I'm not trying or out there having fun, I'm grinding everyday and drilling the top kids in our class their methods and I've tried them all and found success at times but never consistently. I've tried Anki (worked well some courses, other times- did worse because it took so long to make the cards I'd be making new cards into the Saturday before the exam), tried taking notes/not taking notes, watching lecture capture/not watching lecture capture, working in groups/solo. They all led to success at times but not to success at other times.

I know there are real gunners out there but I feel like I have to work as hard as gunner (in the work ethic aspect not in a the being a d-bag way) just to score average.

Just want desperately to defy the projected outcome of my future scores and board score. Would like advice from someone who was average or below average during their first 1.5 years of preclinical and managed to do outstanding towards the end/on boards.

I know some are just more gifted at recall but I refuse to just accept my position based on my memorization/recall ability. Apologize for this post being so self-centric, I know medicine is about helping others but... just tired of striving for excellence and not meeting that. Feels like being on a team that misses the playoffs year after year.

Then dont be average. You can be a good doctor without getting outstanding board scores. Your ability to memorize pointless garbage from peds and ob =/= performance as a general internist or surgeon.



Sent from my SM-N910P using SDN mobile

 

[Anicetus]

Currently in my 2nd year of the preclinical years.

I hate being average.

Up to this point, I haven't failed any courses. A few close calls but at the same time, managed to get A's a couple times.

I feel like I've max'd out my time input & effort and still only score around average even on flawless weeks.

My 2 weaknesses are:
1) inefficient memorization - I can look at something 3-4x and still miss that question about a fact about Selenium in my endocrine exam
2) weak ability to concentrate for long periods of time - perhaps a sign of lack of sleep but there's times where an hour goes by and I'm still looking at the same PPT slide and was zoned out in a completely other world

I want to score A's on course exams and want to score 90th percentile on boards.

During preclinical years, I can count on my hand the # of times I've decided to do something other than studying. So it's not like I'm not trying or out there having fun, I'm grinding everyday and drilling the top kids in our class their methods and I've tried them all and found success at times but never consistently. I've tried Anki (worked well some courses, other times- did worse because it took so long to make the cards I'd be making new cards into the Saturday before the exam), tried taking notes/not taking notes, watching lecture capture/not watching lecture capture, working in groups/solo. They all led to success at times but not to success at other times.

I know there are real gunners out there but I feel like I have to work as hard as gunner (in the work ethic aspect not in a the being a d-bag way) just to score average.

Just want desperately to defy the projected outcome of my future scores and board score. Would like advice from someone who was average or below average during their first 1.5 years of preclinical and managed to do outstanding towards the end/on boards.

I know some are just more gifted at recall but I refuse to just accept my position based on my memorization/recall ability. Apologize for this post being so self-centric, I know medicine is about helping others but... just tired of striving for excellence and not meeting that. Feels like being on a team that misses the playoffs year after year.

Yeah unfortunately everyone is different. You sound similar to me. I even study more and Facebook less than some people who breeze the material once and score top 10%. It's the worst when people just assume "you're not doing it right" and then jump to "well that's impossible you either need to get off SDN or see a psychiatrist for a reading problem because studying that much MUST result in good grades because that's the natural order."

Ignore those people. The best advice has already been said which is to do the best you can, slowly modify and adjust your study skills as you go to something that fits your style of learning but unfortunately with medical school you can't just expect results like you could from college or high school with giving it your all. Like we were made different physically, our brains and mental capabilities were made different too.

Just to be sure and safe, it may give you peace of mind to see a learning specialist to rule out a hidden reading disorder.

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

I put classwork on the back burner to prepare for Step 1 (did qbanks like a madman, never went to non-mandatory classes, streamed lectures 2.5x speed). I was definitely at the bottom of the 3rd quartile during preclinical years because of that.
Then I got my step 1 score: never looked back.
During 3rd year I worked my ass off to prepare for the shelf exams and somewhat impress my attendings. Received great clinical grades.
Went into residency applications with a Step score >240, Research, good LOR from some well-known people, and ended up second quartile.

Self-ego stroking aside, it just goes to show you that your performance on step 1 and your experience in 3rd/4th year sets the floor for residency. Pre-clinical grades are insignificant in comparison.

 

[TerraceHouse]

I put classwork on the back burner to prepare for Step 1 (did qbanks like a madman, never went to non-mandatory classes, streamed lectures 2.5x speed). I was definitely at the bottom of the 3rd quartile during preclinical years because of that.
Then I got my step 1 score: never looked back.
During 3rd year I worked my ass off to prepare for the shelf exams and somewhat impress my attendings. Received great clinical grades.
Went into residency applications with a Step score >240, Research, good LOR from some well-known people, and ended up second quartile.

Self-ego stroking aside, it just goes to show you that your performance on step 1 and your experience in 3rd/4th year sets the floor for residency. Pre-clinical grades are insignificant in comparison.

I hope to follow your path.

 

[sholamd]

It sounds like you have some flaws in your study strategy. I wonder if you've tried multiple approaches, tested out other things to see if they work better for you. I have a "Study Strategy Troubleshooting Guide for Medical Students" and it might be worthwhile to look at it and see where you could improve.