studying during residency

[deleted746658]

what resources do you all use to study during residency? qbanks? textbooks? reading journals? other things like NEJM 360?

also, how much do you all study on average per week?

thanks

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[xoggyux]

Well, during recidency you study for multiple things and not all resources are equally efficient at preparing you for the different "obstacles" or goals that you will have.
Also, not everyone absorbs information in the same way. My advice, and what worked for me pretty well is as follows:
In services + IM boards = Use MKSAP + UWORLD Qbank for IM boards. You don't really need more than that provided that you concentrate in what you are doing and absorb the knowledge reasonably well. Within MKSAP there is a billion different "mini" resources, I am only talking about the questions, flashcards and MKSAP textbooks and all that is nice to have but the efficiency of those resources to boost your test-taking skills just isn't worth it.

For everyday function as a resident (and attending in the future). Uptodate. Anything that is your bread and butter you must know like the back of your palm pretty much within the first 3-6 months of internship. After this, those bread and butter (CHF, COPD, DKA, etc) should not need you to review every time you get an admission. However, anything a bit rarer (SLE, Vasculitis, Mycobacterium Marinum infection, etc. should prompt at the very least a review of the main Uptodate article, and that applies to everytime you get one of those admissions that you have not seen in lets say 6 months.

Finally, there is the expansion of your general medical knowledge, bragging rights among other residents and attendings, and continuity of medical education. For this, subscribe to any one journal (just one, you won't have time to be reading dozens) and make sure that at the very least you read the first page of any article that applies to your specialty. I like NEJM.

As for how much? Well, i'd say 15mins every day regardless of how tired you are. That should be about 10 questions if you are doing a Qbank or 1 article otherwise. If you have downtime (you were done with your notes, but you are still on call waiting for your next patient and you are just checking your facebook, then do 30mins of studying first, then do whatever you want). If you get at least 2days in a row, I'd say 1h extra for that week (either during your days off, or if you really really want to relax or travel or something, then you find a way to study an extra 1h through the week in exchange for the days off.

Honestly, that + a half-decent, or even mediocre, residency should prepare you well for your in-services, boards and attending/fellowship.

 

[Chemist0157]

You can read journals to stay up to date with medicine in general, but new guidelines/therapies take time to trickle into testing. Qbanks are the easiest thing to do. You will find yourself doing a lot of "spot checks" when certain topics arise while seeing patients.

 

[deleted746658]

Well, during recidency you study for multiple things and not all resources are equally efficient at preparing you for the different "obstacles" or goals that you will have.
Also, not everyone absorbs information in the same way. My advice, and what worked for me pretty well is as follows:
In services + IM boards = Use MKSAP + UWORLD Qbank for IM boards. You don't really need more than that provided that you concentrate in what you are doing and absorb the knowledge reasonably well. Within MKSAP there is a billion different "mini" resources, I am only talking about the questions, flashcards and MKSAP textbooks and all that is nice to have but the efficiency of those resources to boost your test-taking skills just isn't worth it.

For everyday function as a resident (and attending in the future). Uptodate. Anything that is your bread and butter you must know like the back of your palm pretty much within the first 3-6 months of internship. After this, those bread and butter (CHF, COPD, DKA, etc) should not need you to review every time you get an admission. However, anything a bit rarer (SLE, Vasculitis, Mycobacterium Marinum infection, etc. should prompt at the very least a review of the main Uptodate article, and that applies to everytime you get one of those admissions that you have not seen in lets say 6 months.

Finally, there is the expansion of your general medical knowledge, bragging rights among other residents and attendings, and continuity of medical education. For this, subscribe to any one journal (just one, you won't have time to be reading dozens) and make sure that at the very least you read the first page of any article that applies to your specialty. I like NEJM.

As for how much? Well, i'd say 15mins every day regardless of how tired you are. That should be about 10 questions if you are doing a Qbank or 1 article otherwise. If you have downtime (you were done with your notes, but you are still on call waiting for your next patient and you are just checking your facebook, then do 30mins of studying first, then do whatever you want). If you get at least 2days in a row, I'd say 1h extra for that week (either during your days off, or if you really really want to relax or travel or something, then you find a way to study an extra 1h through the week in exchange for the days off.

Honestly, that + a half-decent, or even mediocre, residency should prepare you well for your in-services, boards and attending/fellowship.

is there a specific UWorld for IM? like beyond the step 3 qbank

 

[pgy0246]

I tend to do question bank and then look at the explanation the most helpful
I also consolidate my knowledge with MSAKP, Washington Manual, and the ICU book by Marino

 

[deleted746658]

I tend to do question bank and then look at the explanation the most helpful
I also consolidate my knowledge with MSAKP, Washington Manual, and the ICU book by Marino

what qbank(s) do you use?

 

[deleted746658]

^^ anybody?

 

[gutonc]

^^ anybody?

There's a whole ABIM study megathread that answers your question.

 

[xoggyux]

is there a specific UWorld for IM? like beyond the step 3 qbank

Yes, UWorld - #1 Test Prep for USMLE, ABIM, ABFM, NCLEX, SAT, ACT & MCAT. You should not be concerned about this until your last year of residency or if you are doing badly despite using up the rest of the resources. My rationale is that it cost like $500 for 1 year and you might want to save this for the last year prior to your boards.
There are plenty of other things to do until then. MKSAP, Uptodate, Pocket medicine and Step3 Uworld + a medical journal of your choice should keep you busy for the first 2 years IMO.