Studying before medical school

[HelpThisLostKitten]

I know that there are lots of posts about not studying before medical school. One of those main reasons I've noticed was because the "material wasn't detailed enough". But it's currently November right now and I have 6+ months. I would like to spend at least 3-4 of those months studying since I have 1-3 hours while I'm scribing a day. I'd like to keep my studying mentality during this gap year. Would anyone recommend any study material or study material from medical schools that they would like to share?

Oh and if it matters. I'm interested in top specialties like ENT and Opthalmology

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[676188]

Read books you enjoy, it will be your last chance for a while.

 

[Chibucks15]

I know that there are lots of posts about not studying before medical school. One of those main reasons I've noticed was because the "material wasn't detailed enough". But it's currently November right now and I have 6+ months. I would like to spend at least 3-4 of those months studying since I have 1-3 hours while I'm scribing a day. I'd like to keep my studying mentality during this gap year. Would anyone recommend any study material or study material from medical schools that they would like to share?

It always sounds good to 'keep the mindset' but I'm telling ya its a fast track to burnout. We covered all of biochemistry 1+2 in under a month so there really isn't a resource that you can study that will get you the depth and high yield points you're wanting.

Even if you did something like read First Aid, everything in there will be worthless to you because you haven't learned the framework behind it. Enjoy your free time. If you HAVE TO study, then work on a medical terminology book or look at anatomy things. Those will be about the most useful things to let you hit the ground running. Terminology helps a lot when trying to figure out what certain things mean you've never seen before and having a baseline anatomy knowledge is always good.

tldr; Don't study because you will almost guarantee burnout at some point down the line, (its rare for people to be the unique ones and not get bogged down by it, no matter what your confidence in yourself is) and if you have to study, then study anatomy terms. Use Netter

 

[gyngyn]

Don't do it.

 

[HelpThisLostKitten]

My focus was going to be over material that students wish they already took in undergrad (ie biochem, immuno, A&P, etc) and not things that are foreign (ie pharm and things I've never heard of). I know I've always been weak at immuno and phys so I was planning on studying med school material on those topics. Would this still be an issue?

 

[Chibucks15]

My focus was going to be over material that students wish they already took in undergrad (ie biochem, immuno, A&P, etc) and not things that are foreign (ie pharm and things I've never heard of). I know I've always been weak at immuno and phys so I was planning on studying med school material on those topics. Would this still be an issue?

You won't know the depth and the high yield facts that medical school requires you to know. There's also no way you can go at the pace that medical school does. Honestly just enjoy your time you have before the firehose gets turned on and the temperature gets cranked up to 300 degrees.

EDIT: also, subjects such as biochem and all that go into much more detail than undergrad ever did. It just overall isn't worth it for the vast majority of people.

 

[tealeafexplorer]

DO IT. MATURE ZANKI PRE-M1

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

100% do not do this. Enjoy the free time and goofing around with your buddies now, because you wont be able to do it when school starts


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[HelpThisLostKitten]

DO IT. MATURE ZANKI PRE-M1

I'm sorry, but I'm having a difficult time finding this resource

 

[mistafab]

You need to study before med school starts in order to do well. Since you likely have time off, I would break each day (sunday-sunday) into two 4-hour blocks. In each block, go through at least a chapter of a biochem text book. Then, with the remaining time, create practice problems for yourself and quiz yourself. After that, make flash cards with all your questions so that at the end of each day you can flip through those for an hour or two.

 

[Chibucks15]

You need to study before med school starts in order to do well. Since you likely have time off, I would break each day (sunday-sunday) into two 4-hour blocks. In each block, go through at least a chapter of a biochem text book. Then, with the remaining time, create practice problems for yourself and quiz yourself. After that, make flash cards with all your questions so that at the end of each day you can flip through those for an hour or two.

please be sarcastic cuz otherwise this is horrendous advice

 

[HarryPotterLostInNarnia]

I had so many months before my school started, and I was so bored that I wanted to pre-study. So I looked up the past advises on pre-studying on SDN. They all said "don't do it, you'll burn yourself out, enjoy the last freedom you have, etc etc." I didn't believe them. I didn't wanna listen to them. Cuz I was so bored. And I wanted to do well in med school.

After 2 years....
Wow. They were right. They were SO right. Enjoy the freedom!!!!1111
Maybe you will be like me and don't want to listen to them. But bookmark this page, and in just a few years, you will understand. lol

 

[Dr. Brightside]

Honestly paying attention while scribing and looking up diseases/meds you hear about is by far the most helpful thing you can do for your future. I'm in preclinical studies now and even still I feel my time scribing was more useful than almost any studying I did in undergrad. If you got a high enough MCAT score to get into med school, your basic science background is definitely adequate.

Getting in shape, learning to cook, etc will be much more useful

 

[mistafab]

It was the perfect recipe... absolutely atrocious advice coated in a thick layer of very detailed steps to make those who know better laugh - and those who don’t know scared.

please be sarcastic cuz otherwise this is horrendous advice

 

[ChrisTurkletonMD]

I know you're bored but studying is not the answer. You will be able to learn the basic sciences when that time comes. More important to your career and personal happiness is becoming a well-rounded person. Pick up a new hobby, read some good books, work out lots, learn to cook really well, invest in relationships, whatever you want. Just don't study.

 

[Gurby]

I'm sorry, but I'm having a difficult time finding this resource

LMGTFY

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

The best resources to use to pre-study are a flat bench, a squat rack, and a deadlift mat.

 

[Tenk]

I would say don’t do it. If you absolutely have to, buy an anatomy book and just start learning anatomy leisurely.

 

[Lucky Day]

Don't.

 

[getdown]

lol. It never ceases to amaze me that premeds always think they know more than those who've gone through the process. Everyone always thinks they're going to be the outlier and will pre-study to ace all their classes and score that magical 260+ on STEP1. Hilarious.

 

[[Time]]

I'm leisurely reading biochem and anatomy because they're interesting to me. I'm not looking to memorize every single detail - just familiarizing myself with the big picture to keep my foundation solid and build confidence for when shtf

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I'm leisurely reading biochem and anatomy because they're interesting to me. I'm not looking to memorize every single detail - just familiarizing myself with the big picture to keep my foundation solid and build confidence for when shtf

Watch Netflix instead

 

[[Time]]

Watch Netflix instead

I do that a lot too

 

[deleted600623]

I had this feeling for a split second but then I read a bunch of threads recommending not to do it. So I decided to learn a new language because...why not? Seriously don’t do it.

 

[Robin-jay]

I had so many months before my school started, and I was so bored that I wanted to pre-study. So I looked up the past advises on pre-studying on SDN. They all said "don't do it, you'll burn yourself out, enjoy the last freedom you have, etc etc." I didn't believe them. I didn't wanna listen to them. Cuz I was so bored. And I wanted to do well in med school.

After 2 years....
Wow. They were right. They were SO right. Enjoy the freedom!!!!1111
Maybe you will be like me and don't want to listen to them. But bookmark this page, and in just a few years, you will understand. lol

I still wish I pre-studied anatomy a little bit more. It can't hurt to know the brachial plexus, etc. before starting medical school....

However, pre-studying for any other course besides anatomy is a waste of time imo.

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

People who enjoy reading biochem textbooks are probably the same people who argue with a professor over 2 points on an exam

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

People who enjoy reading biochem textbooks are probably the same people who argue with a professor over 1 points on an exam

FTFY I can't stand those people.

 

[676188]

I had this feeling for a split second but then I read a bunch of threads recommending not to do it. So I decided to learn a new language because...why not? Seriously don’t do it.

I do plan on brushing up on my Spanish skills once I’m done with comps, but I’m not pre-studying for M-1.

 

[dr_kateb]

OP do you have no friends?

 

[Prehealth1011]

I still wish I pre-studied anatomy a little bit more. It can't hurt to know the brachial plexus, etc. before starting medical school....

However, pre-studying for any other course besides anatomy is a waste of time imo.

Which you still haven't done. You're in a Podiatry school.
Nothing wrong with that. It's just better for the posters to have some context before they start taking your advice in all these MD/DO threads.

 

[Weirdy]

Which you still haven't done. You're in a Podiatry school.
Nothing wrong with that. It's just better for the posters to have some context before they start taking your advice in all these MD/DO threads.

Even for the pre-pods who havn't started school yet and want to pre-study....we tell them NOT to....

 

[de Ribas]

I know that there are lots of posts about not studying before medical school. One of those main reasons I've noticed was because the "material wasn't detailed enough". But it's currently November right now and I have 6+ months. I would like to spend at least 3-4 of those months studying since I have 1-3 hours while I'm scribing a day. I'd like to keep my studying mentality during this gap year. Would anyone recommend any study material or study material from medical schools that they would like to share?

Oh and if it matters. I'm interested in top specialties like ENT and Opthalmology

Absolutely do not do it. I wasn't the best in undergrad and worried about med school. I thought I needed to do some studying the summer before. I didn't for other reasons, but now that we are approaching the end of the first semester I am glad I did not waste my time. There is no benefit of that. Maybe even a disadvantage.

What I quickly realized is that it is not how long you study or how much material you know, but it is a lot about how effectively you study. Also, very important conclusion I made, knowing how to take tests is a huge plus. Visit your school resources. I never knew I could improve on all my tests by at least 10% by just being a better test taker. Would I know these strategies in undergrad, things would be different.


Some of my classmates study 10-12 hours per day and I see some study even during anatomy lab hours repeating everything from the lab manual. Some study about 4-6 hours per day on average and get same scores or even better.

Good Luck!

 

[Medic741]

For the love of GOD become an interesting person before starting med school. Hobby, travel, live out of a van and mack on climbers or something

 

[de Ribas]

Which you still haven't done. You're in a Podiatry school.
Nothing wrong with that. It's just better for the posters to have some context before they start taking your advice in all these MD/DO threads.

the topic of this thread and the advice is not specific to MD/DO schools.

 

[de Ribas]

Which you still haven't done. You're in a Podiatry school.
Nothing wrong with that. It's just better for the posters to have some context before they start taking your advice in all these MD/DO threads.

then DO students attend Osteopathic schools. You attend osteopathic school and will become and osteopath.

don't make fool of yourself please.

 

[HelpThisLostKitten]

OP do you have no friends?

No I actually had WAYYYY too much fun in college. I believe having a gap year was a result to that so I would like to take medical school more seriously haha. I still have fun on weekends but I just happen to finish my charting pretty quickly so I was trying to study while at work instead of mindlessly browse the web. I’m helping with research too but they’re not near publishing so that’s not my biggest priority.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

I know that there are lots of posts about not studying before medical school. One of those main reasons I've noticed was because the "material wasn't detailed enough". But it's currently November right now and I have 6+ months. I would like to spend at least 3-4 of those months studying since I have 1-3 hours while I'm scribing a day. I'd like to keep my studying mentality during this gap year. Would anyone recommend any study material or study material from medical schools that they would like to share?

Oh and if it matters. I'm interested in top specialties like ENT and Opthalmology

Anatomy is big for nearly every surgical specialty. Start there. Make sure you hammer down your origins, insertions, innervations, arterial supply, venous drain and lymph node drains.

 

[ADSigMel]

I’m about halfway through my first semester, and I actually wish I had at least taken a cursory glance at a few basic science concepts before I started. As in, I had never had cell biology, histology (didn’t even know what that was), microbiology, anatomy, or pretty much any basic science in undergrad beyond Gen Bio. I spent the first two months of medical school school trying to get to the level my classmates were at the year before school even started. If I hadn’t had a really good year of biochem right before med school, I would have failed my first module. So, no, pre-studying won’t put you “ahead” in medical school, but, if you’re like me and don’t have a strong science background, looking at some undergrad biology stuff might at least make you feel less unprepared. If you were a science major, though, pre-studying is unlikely to help you whatsoever.

 

[ciestar]

As stated before... pre-studying won’t help you much at all. If you’re really itching, look at pictures of anatomy and orient yourself with the names of stuff, which CAN help.

But overall.. enjoy your life while you have a lot less to worry about

 

[herdofturtles]

I'm still a premed, so I can't really weigh in on the pre-studying thing but it seems like there's a consensus that it's not worth it..

But, if you are really itching to study something, or just have something to read, it seems like this would be a great time to learn about something that you won't get in medical school - maybe you could try studying business, entrepreneurship, economics, or you could learn Spanish/medical Spanish (or some other language that you see using in your future practice based on where you live), or you could read up on healthcare policy, or you could read up on the history of medicine just because it's interesting, or maybe you've always wanted to know more about Renaissance art or American history or Enlightenment philosophy - any of this can keep your brain sharp and give you something to do before medical school

TLDR; use this time to casually study/read up on something that interests you, and/or is tangentially related to medicine like foreign language/business

 

[de Ribas]

I’m about halfway through my first semester, and I actually wish I had at least taken a cursory glance at a few basic science concepts before I started. As in, I had never had cell biology, histology (didn’t even know what that was), microbiology, anatomy, or pretty much any basic science in undergrad beyond Gen Bio. I spent the first two months of medical school school trying to get to the level my classmates were at the year before school even started. If I hadn’t had a really good year of biochem right before med school, I would have failed my first module. So, no, pre-studying won’t put you “ahead” in medical school, but, if you’re like me and don’t have a strong science background, looking at some undergrad biology stuff might at least make you feel less unprepared. If you were a science major, though, pre-studying is unlikely to help you whatsoever.

I have taken Cell bio twice and it didn't prepare me for med school med cell/histology. The basic cell bio material was covered in like a week. The rest is totally new and in depth information. Maybe histology would be a little more helpful since content is more of histology.

In fact I did a lot better on exams with new material than on our first exam that had some basic cell bio info.

 

[de Ribas]

You got me.
I'll be taking advice about my medical school and board exams (USMLE/COMLEX) etc. from Robin-Jay. It makes perfect sense.

Boards are somewhat different between MDs and DPMs. I thought this thread was more about prestudying for med school. Most DO students and DPMs take similar curriculum with same professors across schools. So it is ok if a DMP student could comment on that.

Robin-jay is podiatric medical student. It is podiatric medicine. And he goes to the College of Podiatric Medicine. Similar as you attend College of Osteopathic Medicine.

You dont want me calling you an osteopath.

There are still MDs that still look down on you, osteopaths and you dont like it. Some MDs are not considering you same as them. If you dont like that, then please dont be one of those people as well.

Thank you

 

[de Ribas]

The topic of the thread is about pre-studying before MEDICAL SCHOOL. The thread is in the pre-medical forum.
The advice was about pre-studying before MEDICAL SCHOOL from a podiatry student.

Then what are you doing here commenting? You are in osteopathic school.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Geez everyone, let’s get some positive energy in this thread. Don’t podiatrist students take the same classes as MDs and DOs anyways?

 

[Weirdy]

Chill guys.

There's enough pissing contests in the real world even after you finish school to compete in.

No need for it here.

Yes there will always be elitism between MD/DO/DPM/OD/RN/whatever initial you want to throw in there.

But for the purposes of pre-studying in general before MD/DO/DPM, what harm is there in sharing a little advice?

 

[Weirdy]

@Robin-jay should have clarified he is in podiatric medical school.

@Prehealth1011 Needs to tone down the edge.

@de Ribas Back off. No need to prove yourself here. Graduate and do a good job with your patients so MD/DO docs respect you.

There are clear differences in our specialties. But for pre-clinicals, it is extremely similar across the board between MD/DO/DPM.

 

[Robin-jay]

You got me.
I'll be taking advice about my medical school and board exams (USMLE/COMLEX) etc. from Robin-Jay. It makes perfect sense.

Woah there cowboy. Lets take a couple step back. I interviewed at DO schools, I know how it goes.

I occasionally advocate podiatry school on these forums because:

They take the same classes as DO students (if you're a DPM student, you literally take the exact same curriculum as DO students). I noticed you're a DO student, not MD. I have no qualms with saying DPM, DO, and MD students all take the same curriculum, excluding the fact that podiatry students take more lower anatomy courses, and DO students take more OMM/OMT based courses.

This means that DO students don't take OMM/OMT instead of gross anatomy. They do both. Podiatry students don't take lower anatomy instead of gross anatomy. They do both. Some universities have the podiatry and DO students in the same classrooms during medical school, evaluated the same way.

For example, if someone goes to a Caribbeans MD school, I will advocate against it because of their drop out rates, lack of residency options, etc. compared to their US MD counterparts.

However, if that person goes through their coursework (which is the same as US MD schools), passes boards, gets a residency, then they deserve all the same respect as any other physician in the US.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I don't even know what is happening here anymore lol

 

[PotGoblinsales10]

You won't know the depth and the high yield facts that medical school requires you to know. There's also no way you can go at the pace that medical school does.

Wait can I ask why not?

How do you feel about first aid books that don't just spit charts at you, but work like the MCAT books:
Like this:
Amazon product

 

[mmmcdowe]

If you are seeking to enhance yourself and do not want to take the solid advice of living your life, developing life habits like cooking/exercise regimens, etc, then I would find a research project in ENT/ophtho and do research at your future medical school. Studying before medical school is not necessary, rarely helpful, and extremely inefficient.