Taking a year off and starting Med school

[rboinpal]

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Hi guys, I've got a question for those of you who have taken a year off before starting medical school b/c I am now in the same boat. I have been doing research for the past year and will be starting medical school in August. I feel as if I forgot everything 😕 How did you guys prepare b4 starting school? Like what books did you read? Did you take some small classes? Or, did you do nothing at all? I feel confident in my knowledge of physiology, but biochem is kinda worrying me. Please let me know how you guys approached this problem. Any response is GREATLY appreciated. 😀 Thanks in advance guys!

 

[sparky5]

Hi guys, I've got a question for those of you who have taken a year off before starting medical school b/c I am now in the same boat. I have been doing research for the past year and will be starting medical school in August. I feel as if I forgot everything 😕 How did you guys prepare b4 starting school? Like what books did you read? Did you take some small classes? Or, did you do nothing at all? I feel confident in my knowledge of physiology, but biochem is kinda worrying me. Please let me know how you guys approached this problem. Any response is GREATLY appreciated. 😀 Thanks in advance guys!

I just went in cold turkey. I feel like they give you everything you need to know. They assume very little and work from there. That isn't to say that you have to work hard to adjust to the new lifestyle, new location, new people, because this was a really hard transition for me. But, I feel like you don't need to do anything before hand. They tell you the books to read, here they give lecture notes which serve as the main resource along with the dictation service. The text is only a reference book. (Anatomy was different, Big Moore and Netter are your bible)

RELAX.. do those things you always wanted to do, since time it limited in med school.
just my take on it

 

[Kosmo]

To the OP and everyone else worried about this: relax for chrissakes.

You've already taken the prereqs, that's all you need. The stuff they want you to know they will teach you. All you need to know about biochem, organic chemistry, biology and other prereqs is that they exist.

If you're worried about the fellow future classmate who's taking a summer anatomy class to prepare, be assured that in retrospect you will be much happier if you went on that cross-country road trip or that back-packing tour through Europe... or even just worked a summer job for some extra cash to spend during 1st-year.
Again, they teach you the **** you need to know.

 

[ptolemy]

I also took a year off and did nothing before med school but the research I was doing for the year. I can't emphasize HOW MUCH I agree with kosmo, RELAX ALREADY! have fun before you start school, then figure out how much you need to study while you're in school when you get there.

 

[rboinpal]

Thanks so much you guys, that truly does help!

 

[trouta]

Dont do anything. Enjoy your year off and just come ready to study. You might find you are actually a bit better off than those that came from college and are still burned out. You have had time to recoup. You will do fine. A year off was the best thing I did as prep for med school. I was able to hit the groud running.

 

[Blue Scrub]

Thanks everyone! Now I really cant wait to hit Europe this summer before school starts....just bought my plane tix last week!!! 👍

 

[DrPharaohX]

During your year off I'd make sure to do at least one if not all of the following:

- Get involved in HIV research, find the cure for AIDS, and get published. Make sure you win the Nobel Prize for this.

- Write a best-sellling book that revolutionizes society's view of our life. It must be New York Time's Best Seller and number 1 on Oprah's list of book recommendations.

- Get your own talk show.

- Perfect your technique for performing open heart surgeries, then complete at least 40 of these surgeries by yourself.

- Become a super star athlete winning millions with more than one endoresement contract. You know...bling bling, cribs, the whole deal. Retire, come out of retirement, then retire again.

I think you'll find all those enriching experiences. I'd sell those plane tickets and start on these suggestions right away.

After all that is said and done I can guarantee you it won't matter before starting med school since you're already accepted.

 

[Vincristine]

Given the fact that pretty much nothing I learned in med school I had ever seen before (except biochem), it wouldn't have mattered if I had gone straight through or not (I didn't). Nothing really prepares you for the work load, change in learning (i.e. MEMORIZING, not problem solving), change in environement, etc, so relax, enjoy the summer, and have fun come fall.