Studying for Step 1 during rotations?

[flyinkstar89]

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Anyone have advice about/experience with studying for USMLE during 3rd year rotations? Is it even possible? I originally planned to take it with COMLEX but felt unprepared, so I decided to postpone it until my first vacation (end of July).

Thanks!!!!

 

[MRSAful Fate]

It depends 100% on the rotation. If you are on surgery just forget about it. If you are on something really chill that lets you out early or has lots of downtime (like psych or a really slow inpatient service) then it is possible. Some of my classmates did this, some of them planned on doing this and ended up not taking the test because they never had time to study. My personal advice is to just take it with the COMLEX, you will forget a lot of the stuff really fast as soon as you get out of study mode and it will be hard to catch back up. But good luck to you.

 

[Trogghunter]

I postponed step 1 and took it during my 2nd rotation. My first was surgery and my second was IM, inpatient, both services were super busy. I told them that I was taking step 1 and they understood that I'd have to study a lot but didn't give me much slack. I had 3 full days of surgery and 2 half days/week. When I got home all that I did was qbank, like 50-100. I did qbank in downtime and I had a FA on my tablet that I read. I spent my weekends studying sun up-sundown, but I scored 95th% on step 1 and landed my no 1 residency. Competitive university acgme IM. It all depends on what you're willing to sacrifice, but a month or 2 won't kill you, despite constant anxiety. Yeah those 2 months were pretty awful tho. pm me if you have questions. I didn't take usmle, though I did study for it through my 3rd rotation in case I didn't smoke the comlex. I also studied for comlex as if I were taking usmle(FA, Kaplan books, UW at the end)

 

[AMEHigh]

It'll probably be rough but it's definitely possible. It also depends on which rotation you are on.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

....

 

[Ckerkman11]

I postponed step 1 and took it during my 2nd rotation. My first was surgery and my second was IM, inpatient, both services were super busy. I told them that I was taking step 1 and they understood that I'd have to study a lot but didn't give me much slack. I had 3 full days of surgery and 2 half days/week. When I got home all that I did was qbank, like 50-100. I did qbank in downtime and I had a FA on my tablet that I read. I spent my weekends studying sun up-sundown, but I scored 95th% on step 1 and landed my no 1 residency. Competitive university acgme IM. It all depends on what you're willing to sacrifice, but a month or 2 won't kill you, despite constant anxiety. Yeah those 2 months were pretty awful tho. pm me if you have questions. I didn't take usmle, though I did study for it through my 3rd rotation in case I didn't smoke the comlex. I also studied for comlex as if I were taking usmle(FA, Kaplan books, UW at the end)

This is impressive. If i were in the same situation, would you recommend starting with family med or IM? I have an option of which to begin with. I still want some study time.

 

[Ckerkman11]

This is impressive. If i were in the same situation, would you recommend starting with family med or IM? I have an option of which to begin with. I still want some study time.