Step 1 and M3 rotation help

[tvelocity514]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help me on any or all of these Q's please.

1.) *** Can anyone suggest a good rotation schedule if you want to honors surgery and IM as your 2 main ones please**** So far I was thinking IM, elective, OBGYN, surgery, elective, peds, psych/neuro, family **.
I only get 3 electives and need to use them as best as I can which is why I was doing IM and surgery so early (was going to do one that you should probably want to do IM before and 2 that you want to do surgery before). Any advice from M3+'s would be greatly appreciated!


Edited the rest of the questions since they have already been answered. Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Moko]

1.) *** Can anyone suggest a good rotation schedule if you want to honors surgery and IM as your 2 main ones please**** So far I was thinking IM, elective, OBGYN, surgery, elective, peds, psych/neuro, family **.
I only get 3 electives and need to use them as best as I can which is why I was doing IM and surgery so early (was going to do one that you should probably want to do IM before and 2 that you want to do surgery before). Any advice from M3+'s would be greatly appreciated!


Also, I just had a few quick questions about step 1

2.) Can you bring your own earplugs/headphones (like if you had noise canceling headphones?). I know they have some there for you but didn't know if you could bring your own.

3.) I'm taking step 1 at the same place I took my MCAT (lol nostalgia). I remember the lockers weren't that big though. The thing I was reading about step 1 said you can bring a cooler though with food and drinks. What if it doesn't fit in your locker? Does it matter?

4.) Apparently you can look through first aid or your notes during break time? So you can bring first aid with you and just put it in your locker and take it out when on break? Just wanted clarification on this.

5.) Do they have tables when you eat lunch/snack (e.g. if you use 15 minutes of your time at 12 for lunch) - or is it in the chairs you have to wait to be called back in with no table? (This might vary at place to place)

6.) Can you get your phone out during breaks? I'm wondering how you can keep time if there is no clock outside the room (hopefully there will be). Can you wear a watch?

7.) I just need my permit printed out, a drivers license, and my school id to take the test correct?

8.) Do you have to get permission to bring your medicine with you (e.g. migraines, ADHD, HA, indigestion), or can you just bring it in your cooler

My thoughts:

1) Ask 3rd and 4th years at your school as this may be school dependent. For me, I found pediatrics to be a great rotation to take before medicine (getting used to rounding and presentations), which in turn helped for floor management of surgical patients. Other electives to consider is radiology, which was helpful for reading x-rays during medicine rounds. If you truly love both medicine and surgery, look into emergency medicine too--which I would recommend taking after your medicine and surgery rotations so you can make the most of the experience.

4) Yes you can bring First Aid and look through it during breaks.

 

[J ROD]

I would suggest taking IM and EM before Surgery. As far as all those other questions, relax.....damn.

You took the MCAT. Same game.

 

[tvelocity514]

My thoughts:

1) Ask 3rd and 4th years at your school as this may be school dependent. For me, I found pediatrics to be a great rotation to take before medicine (getting used to rounding and presentations), which in turn helped for floor management of surgical patients. Other electives to consider is radiology, which was helpful for reading x-rays during medicine rounds. If you truly love both medicine and surgery, look into emergency medicine too--which I would recommend taking after your medicine and surgery rotations so you can make the most of the experience.

Thanks, I definitely will. Unfortunately, only like 3 students in the past 2 years have gotten honors in surgery apparently. Our school is A, B+, B, C, Fail - and most students get a B. Apparently a B+ is a "really good grade" but it would still be nice to try and get an A for honors if possible. That's why I was asking this question - so that I could do my best. Shelf only counts 25% of our grade with 25% OSCE and 50% evals over the course

 

[hmockingbird]

2. I don't think so but it should be on the website
3. There was someone at my test station for step 2 CK who brought a huge bag with tons of snacks. I'm not sure if that's going to apply to every test center though or if they were just making an exception
4. Yes
5. In all the centers I've been to it's just chairs
6. I don't remember if you can wear a watch - I think you can but it can't be digital. But you can use your phone
7. I don't remember, it should be on the website or email you got from the test center
8. I think you mainly need permission to take medication during the actual test and can keep whatever in your locker. Again, you need to read the USMLE and test center's emails and website. Those will answer most of these questions. In any case you can basically do whatever you want during the break so if you felt better keeping it in your car, you can go out to your car.

 

[tvelocity514]

2. I don't think so but it should be on the website
3. There was someone at my test station for step 2 CK who brought a huge bag with tons of snacks. I'm not sure if that's going to apply to every test center though or if they were just making an exception
4. Yes
5. In all the centers I've been to it's just chairs
6. I don't remember if you can wear a watch - I think you can but it can't be digital. But you can use your phone
7. I don't remember, it should be on the website or email you got from the test center
8. I think you mainly need permission to take medication during the actual test and can keep whatever in your locker. Again, you need to read the USMLE and test center's emails and website. Those will answer most of these questions. In any case you can basically do whatever you want during the break so if you felt better keeping it in your car, you can go out to your car.

Great, thank you!

 

[Moko]

Unfortunately, only like 3 students in the past 2 years have gotten honors in surgery apparently. Our school is A, B+, B, C, Fail - and most students get a B. Apparently a B+ is a "really good grade" but it would still be nice to try and get an A for honors if possible.

Can't blame you for trying your best .

Is it really true though that only 3 students got honors? Was that from course directors or is it just the perceived stringiness propagated by 3rd/4th years? Rumors like that float around at my school too but the actual grade breakdowns shown by administrators told a different story. Best of luck

 

[tvelocity514]

Can't blame you for trying your best .

Is it really true though that only 3 students got honors? Was that from course directors or is it just the perceived stringiness propagated by 3rd/4th years? Rumors like that float around at my school too but the actual grade breakdowns shown by administrators told a different story. Best of luck

I actually asked the director of our M3/4 year and she said it was true. Apparently they try and tell some of the surgeons that you can't give most people a B etc but it hasn't worked so far lol. She said that they send your grade and where it was compared to the class out to the residencies though and apparently it hasn't hurt people in the past. I was really worried about it Bc if someone from another school had honors and I was number one in my class but got a B+ I thought it would be worse for me- but she said that's not the case and residencies will still see you were the highest scorer in that rotation. So fingers crossed that's true haha