Staying productive during M1/M2 summer

[Groy]

While I plan on relaxing, spending time with family, and enjoying myself of course, I'd still like to be fairly productive over the summer.

Does anyone have an opinion on whether it's more valuable to spend some time reviewing year 1 material (normal physiology, structure and function) or to read ahead and start diving into year 2 material (pathology, micro, etc)?

Any anecdotes or suggestions are appreciated!

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[Gurby]

If you didn't get on the Zanki/FC train during first year, now is a good time to start...

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Personally I’m keeping up with my Anki and reviewing some old material while doing research. Still plenty of time to relax!

 

[Psai]

Personally I’m keeping up with my Anki and reviewing some old material while doing research. Still plenty of time to relax!

?????

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Personally I’m keeping up with my Anki and reviewing some old material while doing research. Still plenty of time to relax!

Personally, Im planning to do this! Love the mindset

 

[wanderingorion]

If you didn't get on the Zanki/FC train during first year, now is a good time to start...

toot toot motherf*****s

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

If you didn't get on the Zanki/FC train during first year, now is a good time to start...

Quick question, I know Zanki and personalized Anki are really good. But what’s up with Firecracker? Is it really as useful as everyone says?

I was planning to supplement Pathoma, Sketchy, First Aid, and BRS to my PowerPoints. As well as test myself with Zanki, personalized Anki based on lectures, USMLE Rx and Kaplan QBank (because I already bought the book like a *******)

 

[HybridEarth]

Just finished step 1. I wouldn’t change much in what I did, but if I really had to do anything else, i would say I would have started uworld over summer after M1 and did the questions on all the topics you’ve learned. The nice thing with uworld is that it shows you exactly what level of detail you will need to know for step 1, and what things in first aid are or aren’t worth your attention. Just my two cents.

 

[Gorne]

You literally do not have to do anything other than research over the summer. Don't let anyone trick you into wasting time reviewing a damn thing.

 

[Elessar]

Research is the only thing you should do over the summer that you won’t regret later. Those pubs are worth every hour of vacation you lose!

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

You literally do not have to do anything other than research over the summer. Don't let anyone trick you into wasting time reviewing a damn thing.

Research is the only thing you should do over the summer that you won’t regret later. Those pubs are worth every hour of vacation you lose!

Would it be a bad idea to review first year content during the summer then?

 

[Gurby]

I imagine that people who score higher than they need to on Step 1 end up wishing they had spent more time relaxing, and people who don't score high enough wish they started preparing earlier. I'd rather be in the former camp ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Groy]

I imagine that people who score higher than they need to on Step 1 end up wishing they had spent more time relaxing, and people who don't score high enough wish they started preparing earlier. I'd rather be in the former camp ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Agree 100%, I'll relax when I'm dead.

 

[Elessar]

Would it be a bad idea to review first year content during the summer then?

Yes that’s a bad idea. Unless you’re doing Anki and keeping up with the cards throughout MS2 (which is what I did), you’ll forget everything you studied over the summer.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Yes that’s a bad idea. Unless you’re doing Anki and keeping up with the cards throughout MS2 (which is what I did), you’ll forget everything you studied over the summer.

That doesn’t make any sense. How would reviewing Anki + Zanki cards used during M1, cause me to forget everything i reviewed over the summer?

 

[Gurby]

That doesn’t make any sense. How would reviewing Anki + Zanki cards used during M1, cause me to forget everything i reviewed over the summer?

I think he means more like passively looking over old powerpoint presentations or something would be a waste of time, and I agree. Doing Anki and keeping up with reviews = remembering!

 

[DocWinter]

These damn posts come up every year.
You're fooling yourself if you think your M1/2 summer is going to make a difference in your step 1 study or outcome. There's a reason 6 weeks of dedicated study is recommended.

You guys above talking large about sleeping when you're dead and not regretting your score really haven't experienced the grind of medical school in its entirety. I'm officially a doctor now and I tell you, just sit back, enjoy the summer, and crank out your work when fall comes. It won't make a difference in your step score.

 

[Gurby]

These damn posts come up every year.
You're fooling yourself if you think your M1/2 summer is going to make a difference in your step 1 study or outcome. There's a reason 6 weeks of dedicated study is recommended.

You guys above talking large about sleeping when you're dead and not regretting your score really haven't experienced the grind of medical school in its entirety. I'm officially a doctor now and I tell you, just sit back, enjoy the summer, and crank out your work when fall comes. It won't make a difference in your step score.

And yet, many high scorers have echoed that consistent hard work throughout the first 2 years was a big part of their success.

I think it comes down to what your goals are and what your ability level is:
I... a) am not a genius, and b) would like to score >250. Therefore I'm going to need to put in work.
If you... a) are a genius, or b) would be content with a 230, then maybe keeping up with Anki reviews over the summer is a waste of time.

 

[Lawpy]

I imagine that people who score higher than they need to on Step 1 end up wishing they had spent more time relaxing, and people who don't score high enough wish they started preparing earlier. I'd rather be in the former camp ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Agree 100%, I'll relax when I'm dead.

Yeah I agree here. I'm just surprised people on SDN are so keen on recommending taking vacations, relaxing and other stuff. Like I get the dangers of burnout but as long as I'm efficient in my work and can get regular sleep, I'm content in working everyday and relaxing in my breaks.

 

[DocWinter]

It's cool guys. You can lead a horse to water...

Consistently, people who have gone through the process of boards and who have actually taken one or more of these beasts will try and give you advice against it, but you're young, full of energy and already know better than everyone, so why bother.

 

[Lawpy]

It's cool guys. You can lead a horse to water...

Consistently, people who have gone through the process of boards and who have actually taken one or more of these beasts will try and give you advice against it, but you're young, full of energy and already know better than everyone, so why bother.

I'd rather spend the time studying well and doing research to improve my application and get good boards scores while still relaxing and having fun in my breaks than take a vacation for few months and getting bored. Efficiency is important.

 

[Gurby]

you're young, full of energy and already know better than everyone

 

[Groy]

You're fooling yourself if you think your M1/2 summer is going to make a difference in your step 1 study or outcome.

I started this thread to try to figure out the most efficient way to stay productive and at least partly keep up the routine of studying during the summer, not to boost my step score, but so that I wouldn't completely veg out. As I said in the initial post, I'm still going to relax plenty, but I'd like to at least keep up the routine of cracking open the books.

Also, I don't think the other posters are overlooking burnout or being presumptuous, I think they'd simply rather be in a position where they regret having not relaxed than having not studied. I think that's a perfectly logical sentiment.

Though I do see your points, maybe it won't make a huge difference in the long run. I can certainly appreciate both opinions here.

 

[Gorne]

I started this thread to try to figure out the most efficient way to stay productive and at least partly keep up the routine of studying during the summer, not to boost my step score, but so that I wouldn't completely veg out. As I said in the initial post, I'm still going to relax plenty, but I'd like to at least keep up the routine of cracking open the books.

Also, I don't think the other posters are overlooking burnout or being presumptuous, I think they'd simply rather be in a position where they regret having not relaxed than having not studied. I think that's a perfectly logical sentiment.

Though I do see your points, maybe it won't make a huge difference in the long run. I can certainly appreciate both opinions here.

Honestly, what would be the most productive thing to do outside of research is to shadow/find mentorship in fields that interest you. When you're a 2nd year and studying for step 1 or a 3rd year and either on rotation or studying for shelves/step2, there is little time to stray and check out the specialties outside of core rotations. I wasted time dabbling between two of these third year instead of devoting all my effort towards one, which is what you usually have to do to be competitive.

ENT, Ortho, EM, Radiology, IR, derm, neurosurg, are all fields M3's get very little exposure to and you're expected to make a decision about where you're headed very soon.

 

[ortnakas]

Recent graduate here:

Research is a good idea.

Mission trips won’t help your application and are ethically questionable (not an expert I won’t go into it more than that, google/search function yourself) but do one if that’s your thing.

Volunteering isn’t a huge application booster, but again, go for it if it floats your boat. Helping your community is always a good thing.

Shadowing also does nothing for your application, but go for it if you have a connection in a specialty you’re honestly curious about (ie you’re not out looking for LORs, you’re finding out “hey what does [specialty] do all day?”)

Other than that, traveling if you have the money or binging Parks & Rec on Netflix (or Arrested Development) is significantly higher yield than reviewing M1 or attempting to prestudy M2. Alternatively, if you haven’t seen Game of Thrones yet, you’re seven years behind and should get on that.

I know people who wished they’d studied harder or differently, but not one person who wishes they’d had less fun for their “last summer.”

 

[Gurby]

Honestly, what would be the most productive thing to do outside of research is to shadow/find mentorship in fields that interest you. When you're a 2nd year and studying for step 1 or a 3rd year and either on rotation or studying for shelves/step2, there is little time to stray and check out the specialties outside of core rotations. I wasted time dabbling between two of these third year instead of devoting all my effort towards one, which is what you usually have to do to be competitive.

ENT, Ortho, EM, Radiology, IR, derm, neurosurg, are all fields M3's get very little exposure to and you're expected to make a decision about where you're headed very soon.

Saw this meme on Reddit a while back, seems apropos to this thread:

 

[Gorne]

Saw this meme on Reddit a while back, seems apropos to this thread:

This is actually exactly how it is. You have all the time in the world if you have an outstanding application deciding between lesser competitive specialties. If you want a surgical subspecialty or any competitive program. You need to make that decision ASAP and move your application in that direction as early as the summer between M1/M2.

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Personally, I’m working 2 jobs this summer to stay afloat and make ends meet. Im also working out to get into shape. Don’t really have the time to study/review/research or the motivations for it honestly. That’s just me though...

 

[bigindian4891]

I haven't opened up a book since finals and am enjoying every second of it. I followed the advice of our upperclassmen, and will worry about boards when it is time to worry about boards.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Recent graduate here:

Research is a good idea.

Mission trips won’t help your application and are ethically questionable (not an expert I won’t go into it more than that, google/search function yourself) but do one if that’s your thing.

Volunteering isn’t a huge application booster, but again, go for it if it floats your boat. Helping your community is always a good thing.

Shadowing also does nothing for your application, but go for it if you have a connection in a specialty you’re honestly curious about (ie you’re not out looking for LORs, you’re finding out “hey what does [specialty] do all day?”)

Other than that, traveling if you have the money or binging Parks & Rec on Netflix (or Arrested Development) is significantly higher yield than reviewing M1 or attempting to prestudy M2. Alternatively, if you haven’t seen Game of Thrones yet, you’re seven years behind and should get on that.

I know people who wished they’d studied harder or differently, but not one person who wishes they’d had less fun for their “last summer.”

I second GoT haha.

To OP:
I was a middle of the road preclinical student. Wasn't ever gunning for anything super competitive and my step score is pretty respectable for those goals. I did research over the summer and binge-watched the hell out of GoT. Also had friends in town a couple times. I would've regretted studying over that time period. 2nd year took a lot out of me and having that reserve from the beginning was damn-near a blessing so that I could continue to build a strong foundation for new material.

Unless you're one of those students that has been struggling AND you want something super competitive then you may need to start reviewing over the summer. If you're the average student/stronger student then starting review around fall/winter holidays is more than enough time to bust out a decent/very good score. I didn't truly start reviewing until like a week or so before dedicated which started mid-March. That, I do regret - I could have busted out a 240+ although it would have been overkill.

 

[Groy]

To OP:
I was a middle of the road preclinical student. Wasn't ever gunning for anything super competitive and my step score is pretty respectable for those goals. I did research over the summer and binge-watched the hell out of GoT. Also had friends in town a couple times. I would've regretted studying over that time period. 2nd year took a lot out of me and having that reserve from the beginning was damn-near a blessing so that I could continue to build a strong foundation for new material.

Unless you're one of those students that has been struggling AND you want something super competitive then you may need to start reviewing over the summer. If you're the average student/stronger student then starting review around fall/winter holidays is more than enough time to bust out a decent/very good score. I didn't truly start reviewing until like a week or so before dedicated which started mid-March. That, I do regret - I could have busted out a 240+ although it would have been overkill.

I appreciate this thoughtful reply very much. Thank you!