Study for Step 1 during summer after m-1

[lookleft]

I know many will tell me to not waste my time studying for step 1 after my m-1 and to enjoy my only summer off. That being said, I am still planning on studying, not intensely but maybe 4 days a week for 4-5 hours per day while I am also planning on doing some research. The reason I want to start early is because I am a reptitious learner. I need to let info soak in and then go over it a number of times and this system has worked best for me in the past.

With what I am planning on doing what you suggest to focus on. I was thinking about trying to run through first aid, I know that much of what is in the book I have not covered yet but since I have learned everything else in med school on my own I figured I would learn this stuff as well.

So is it reasonable to think I will be able to master first aid during the summer?

What other suggestions would you offer me. I know path and pharm are big subjects on step 1, would I be better off on foucsing on those with brs or something else.

Thanks

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[uthopeful]

I am not sure if memorizing FA would be helpful this early but it may work for you and I am sure it can't hurt. It seems like path and pharm are two of the heavy hitters on the boards, so maybe your time would be better there. I am also an m-1 and would be interested in others thoughts

 

[peach4me]

I am not sure if memorizing FA would be helpful this early but it may work for you and I am sure it can't hurt. It seems like path and pharm are two of the heavy hitters on the boards, so maybe your time would be better there. I am also an m-1 and would be interested in others thoughts

do it!

 

[doc05]

that would be a foolish use of your time. research=helpful, esp. if you publish.

don't bother studying for step 1 because without doing 2nd year, you'll never "master" the concepts.

 

[scootad.]

if you wanna waste your summer away, go ahead! first aid is not supposed to be used alone and without having done 2nd year 80% of it will be like trying to learn the chinese language without having taken a course. and the minutia you *do* memorize, rest assured you will long forget 10 months later after your brain is pulverized by 2nd year of medical school.

but if you insist

*in all seriousness, the only thing possibly worthwhile might be to browse over brs physio if you didnt use that along with your 1st year physio course, but even that probably wont help much 10 months later when you will read it again*

 

[la gringa]

my advice for step 1 has always been...

- learn the material well when you study it in class
- use the BRS type books to supplement studying for M2 stuff
- then study as much as you can in 4-6 weeks for the actual exam

and you won't feel good after taking the real test, no matter how you did!!!

 

[uthopeful]

I am a m-1 and I was looking at the schedule that our 2nd years have, they only have about 4-5 weeks after m2 to study for the boards, with so much to know how can you possible memorize, re-memorize everything for the boards.

Is the test more of a memorization thing or understanding concepts. If it more of an understanding and critical thiniking test then why would it hurt to learn the concepts early. From my previous expereinces I tend to remember concepts long term but straight memorization only sticks with me for a few weeks.

I would appreicate advice from those who have some expereince. Thanks

 

[la gringa]

4-5 weeks is plenty... you'll burn out by then anyway. the things you did most recently in M2 you'll remember very well. traditional M1 subjects are not heavily represented on the test.

the test is a mix of concepts and memorization i'd say - certainly you have to know a lot of details but the questions require a couple of steps of knowledge to get to the answer they want, so it's a bit more than rote memorization.

fwiw i studied about 5 wks, used kaplan books and online stuff as well as qbank, plus the robbins path question book and the blue and red brs books. did first aid and qbank only the last week of studying. got a 241 on step 1. studied 2.5 weeks w/ mostly qbank and a couple of other question books for step 2, got a 243.

 

[Ergo]

Doc05 is RIGHT! This is the BEST time for you to become a more competitive applicant for anything by doing a research project. Wok your rear off and take some initiative by doing a small experiment that can be written up and published. Or, help others or do a chart review retrospective but GET A PAPER PUBLISHED. More important to get something on your CV in any field than to study for step 1 now.

Actually, the chair of my plastics program did her med school research in cardiology. Of course, its always a little better to research in your field but there are plenty of topics that apply to nearly any residency application. Examples: Wound healing research is relevant to all medical fields, especially any surgical specialty. Cardiology useful. etc. You get the idea.

I tried to memorize First Aid and BRS patho between first and second, and did learn a little - but ultimately its about efficiency. It was a low yield use of my time, as I restudied it all later in GROSS detail for boring second year classes.

POINT: (finally) YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR STEP 1 STUDY.

 

[Ramoray]

I personally think its a good idea to study during the first summer. Personally i did and found it really helpful howeever i wouldnt study spec. for step 1 i would review and learn well first year material esp. if there was somethign u were weak in because for one it all shows up again in path and 2nd year and a good understanding of the first year stuff is key to do well and grasp second year. Also it is all on boards so it is a good review. Esp if you didnt spend adequate time on physio or bchem i would review those as those are both pretty important in 2nd year and for boards. Anatomy not so much and neuro mildly but all can be reivwed

 

[dukeblue01]

I can only speak from my experience but I suggest that you focus on research and enjoying your last true summer off. I focused on research in Cards that summer and was able to get 2 publications out of it. Then I worked very hard second year, and studied full time for 5.5 weeks for Step I. In the end I rocked Step I, and had publications to add to my CV. I also had a great time that summer after my 1st year, goofing off, golfing, and drinking with my friends during my free time. Trust me, do not waste this last bit of free summer studying for a test that is more than a year away.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Ergo]

Second year reviews EVERYTHING covered in first year again in greater detail.
That first summer is your last chance to do research in time to get it published before applications for residency are submitted October 4th year. Papers take a while to write, and second year requires a super heavy time commitment for reading. On top of that It often takes a year to get a written paper into a journal, and its not really special on your application until its in print. Trust me, Im there.

So, what that means it you cant wait until you have your junior AOA or senior honors for rotations to decide to write a research paper to boost your application competitiveness. theres not time to write something of great value, so its obvious that you scrambled at the 11th hour.

 

[slickrikk]

I know many will tell me to not waste my time studying for step 1 after my m-1 and to enjoy my only summer off. That being said, I am still planning on studying, not intensely but maybe 4 days a week for 4-5 hours per day while I am also planning on doing some research. The reason I want to start early is because I am a reptitious learner. I need to let info soak in and then go over it a number of times and this system has worked best for me in the past.

With what I am planning on doing what you suggest to focus on. I was thinking about trying to run through first aid, I know that much of what is in the book I have not covered yet but since I have learned everything else in med school on my own I figured I would learn this stuff as well.

So is it reasonable to think I will be able to master first aid during the summer?

What other suggestions would you offer me. I know path and pharm are big subjects on step 1, would I be better off on foucsing on those with brs or something else.

Thanks

having taken step 1 last year, I have learned one thing.
do not be a ****** and waste the last summer of your life studying for an exam which is a year away. first yr med students don't know @!#$. you won't know @#$% until you begin second year and realize that you haven't learned @#$%. path, micro, and pharm make up 99% of the boards and trying to study it now is a waste of time. u will get this stuff up the rear during 2nd year but if u insist on getting it up the chute during your only great summer then by all means let it rip.

go drink a beer and sit on the beach.... that's my advice.
study your ass off during second year and you'll kill the boards; trust me

peace

 

[lookleft]

So everyone seems to think research is a huge plus, I would agree with that, but if you don't get your name on a paper is it still a huge plus or does it not really help that much.

What is the best way to get into a project where you can get your name one a paper, beside of doing your own project. Is it okay to tell researchers or advisors that you have a strong interest in getting your name on a paper.

I don't have any research experience so I am not sure how the whole process works. Also how helpful would doing research in public health or preventive medicine be if I am not planning on going into primary care. I ask because I have an mph and figure it is one area where I am able to contribute more to.

Does it make a huge difference whether you do research in your "traditional sciences" like path, micro, etc or something more along preventive care. Obviously it probably depends on what field you want to go into, but what if you are not really sure what field you want to go into.

Thanks

 

[scootad.]

email people who just matched from medical school who are going into a specialty you are interested in, ask them who they did research with and if they got their name on a pub. also contact your school's own department and ask them for names of faculty willing to work with students and get them involved on projects. do a pubmed search and see how much these people publish. when you meet with the faculty ask them specifically if the project will lend itself to a first author publication.

if you are not sure what specialty you are interested in, consider doing a radiological research study as radiology intersects all specialties these days and the projects are typically easy to organize and complete.

 

[Bermiedoc]

if you want to study during the sumemr after first year go ahead. you can study and do research if you want. that said i would recomend studying ahead for second year. start working on path, micro and pharm. find out what books you will need buy them or check them out fo a library and start learning the stuff. i wouldn't stress out over it though but it will [re[are you for second year and thus the boards.