Studying for boards?

[TheRussian]

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How many of you second years have started to really hit the books in preperation for USMLE's step I? It seems like all the second years at my school are already spending all their time studying for the boards. I'm just wondering if that's the case at other schools.

 

[Wrigleyville]

Well, at this point I'm just making sure I know or at least recognize the material that is in First Aid on all of the topics we've covered in class. If we haven't gone over it in class yet, or I don't recognize it, I make a point to try and learn it now, so I'm not seeing anything for the first time when I start hardcore studying.

There is no point in putting off all classwork to study for boards, as you'll just have to learn the material you're missing in class for the boards anyway.

How many of you second years have started to really hit the books in preperation for USMLE's step I? It seems like all the second years at my school are already spending all their time studying for the boards. I'm just wondering if that's the case at other schools.

 

[Lebesgue]

Well, at this point I'm just making sure I know or at least recognize the material that is in First Aid on all of the topics we've covered in class. If we haven't gone over it in class yet, or I don't recognize it, I make a point to try and learn it now, so I'm not seeing anything for the first time when I start hardcore studying.

There is no point in putting off all classwork to study for boards, as you'll just have to learn the material you're missing in class for the boards anyway.

Good point.

 

[TheRussian]

So you guys aren't spending your friday nights cooped up in the library studying for boards yet?

 

[pillowhead]

So you guys aren't spending your friday nights cooped up in the library studying for boards yet?

I have spent no more than eight hours studying a little bit of anatomy for the boards only because I really never learned it in the first place. I doubt I'll do much more than learn the back and limbs before the school year is over. There's just no time.

 

[UTCobra]

Alot of 2nd yrs here are studying already. Reveiw courses start next week too. One of the Profs handed out a study guideline, telling everybody what books are good, what sucks, use the charts in this book, etc. In the packet he mentioned you should study for boards 2-3 hrs a night starting in March.

 

[skidmark]

Alot of 2nd yrs here are studying already. Reveiw courses start next week too. One of the Profs handed out a study guideline, telling everybody what books are good, what sucks, use the charts in this book, etc. In the packet he mentioned you should study for boards 2-3 hrs a night starting in March.

When do your classes end; and how many weeks after the end of classes do you have until you take the exam?

 

[UTCobra]

When do your classes end; and how many weeks after the end of classes do you have until you take the exam?

For the 2nd yrs they end at the beggining of May (1 week in I think), then they can take the test any time during their 4 weeks off...then 3rd yr. Its a slightly new schedule this year. They have 1 week of radiology lectures that was moved to right before clinicals.

 

[cytoskelement]

some of my classmates have started pretty fierce review. i've looked over some anatomy and have covered physio the same time my gf is taking it (she's a first year). i feel pretty good about physio after taking pathophys - much better than I did last year when i was learning it "for real".

at my school, we finish classes on May 13th and don't start rotations until july 5th. we can take step 1 anytime during our time off.

 

[Blade28]

I started doing light reviewing around January or February, then hit the books hard for 6-7 weeks before I took the test (in early June).

 

[klubguts]

I didn't even open FA until at least may....was too busy trying to memorize drugs for pharm and finish clinical medicine. Studied for about three weeks in June (all day, six days a week) before starting third year. I'm truly impressed with people who are thinking ahead---wish i would have---instead i gave up the majority of my four week "summer vacation" studying for step 1. Good luck everyone.

 

[macdown]

The M3's and 4's at Creighton recomend we start studying after spring break, which means I need to start tomorrow.

 

[thesocialbeast]

I've been during q-bank questions and reviewing with relevant class material and since Jan. Was going hardcore at first but decided to back off so I won't burn out too out. My goal is to finish q-bank before I start formally studying for the boards in mid-May. Chances are I won't complete all of it but at least come close. I really want to do the questions at least 1.5 times before I take step one in mid-June.

 

[Anandimide]

I know some people that have started and some that haven't done crap but try to keep up with the stuff that's being tossed at us right now (um, I'm in that group). I honestly feel that if I really did try and study for step 1 now, anything that I looked at will not really be there in late May when I start my real studying (6 days/week ~10-12 hrs/day x 3 weeks). Just my opinion....