Taking Step 1 at 39 weeks pregnant... need advice

[nevzyv]

Soooo I'm due right about when I planned to take Step 1! Taking a leave of absence is a non-question, I just see no way I could start clerkships 3 days post delivery. I have talked to the administration at my school and the leave of absence is not an issue, though I'd like to minimize the leave length as much as I can. I have searched online extensively to see if there are others who have been in this boat. The latest I have come across is women taking step 1 at 31-32 weeks. Dedicated study time for me starts somewhere in the middle of week 36 - leaving me with 2.5 weeks of dedicated study time before tackling this beast. Unless I take it sooner, cutting that dedicated study time even shorter... I have talked to people and found no consensus, and I know I am unlikely to find it by soliciting advice online, but I'd still appreciate your thoughts. This is first pregnancy for me, so I don't have a previous experience to draw from. Here's what I've come up with so far:

For taking it before delivery
* Baby will not have rendered me completely useless for months post-delivery
* Memory will be semi-intact without hormone/sleep deprivation induced brain fog
* Right out of MS2, won't have forgotten everything I learned in first 2 years of med school
* Can enjoy time with baby in the leave without constantly worrying about the exam looming over my head

For not taking it before delivery
* At week 39 I am about to pop at just about any moment (assuming if I haven't already). I am an anxious sort of person and every ache and pain sending me into panic about going into labor could probably affect my exam performance.
* At week 39 I don't know if I will be in tip-top shape to endure an 8 hour exam.
* 2.5 weeks or less of dedicated study time really makes me uncomfortable, if pregnancy was not an issue I would have taken ~4 weeks.

Other considerations
* I can extend my leave of absence so that I would take step 1 ~5 months post delivery
* I will have help with the baby for these months with at least one of our parents living with us in that duration

Please send your thoughts/ideas/advice/suggestions.

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[GangaMaster]

Should have thought of this before giving it up so easily.


You also have to take into account after your delivery you most definitely won't be studying because you have these amazing creature right next to you. Every second of your mind will be "Am I doing this right?" "How does the baby feel?" "I can't let this baby go" not "So how do I calculate PPV/NPV again?"

 

[sobored]

Tough situation. Do you think it's possible for you to amp up your studying now until the dedicated period so you could pretty much take it as soon as possible once school lets out? I don't know your curriculum, but if you have some lighter course loads coming up then maybe you could really make an extra effort to squeeze in some hours of boards studying every day until your dedicated time period. It just seems like if you wait to take it after giving birth you may be more distracted, etc, so I would think taking it before that would be ideal (maybe some females can provide some insight).

 

[JP2740]

smart

 

[Psai]

Nice timing

 

[BidingMyTime]

While I have no experience with Step 1, I do have experience with stressful exams and with giving birth. My recommendation, if at all possible, take Step 1 before you give birth. I can guarantee that your time after the birth will be severely limited (and that is assuming yours & your babies recovery goes smoothly) I know at 39 weeks you are going to feel tired and exhausted...that feeling isn't going to magically disappear right after birth. Added to that, babies take more time than you would expect, especially your first one when figuring out how to take care of them is brand new. Plus, all the family/friends who will want to visit to see your new baby--another unexpected time suck. And it will be harder to plan your study, before baby you can just sit down and study for as long as you want, after baby (especially if you are caring for the baby while the other parent is at work), you sit down to study and you have no idea when the baby will interrupt you. But you know (s)he will be interrupting you, so it's hard to just totally focus. Breastfeeding is easier in some regards (makes it much easier to feed baby & go back to sleep/study), but breastfeeding will play with your hormones and make you more exhausted at first. Every woman is different, and maybe your experience would be different than mine.....but why not get Step 1 out of the way if you can?

 

[DH410]

Congratulations!

I have no experience with this situation, so I have little to offer you. That being said, I think there are entire forums/web sites for mom/mds. I believe I have seen other mother/mds link to this one below (If this helps, my long history of lurking has paid off 🙂 )

http://www.mommd.com/forum/

Personally, I would bet they have better advice for your situation than I/other 20-something males do.

My take: Soboreds suggestion sounds best.. Depending on your learning style it may not be possible for you, but if I were in your situation, I would focus on step 1 as much as possible now. Learn what you absolutely must from current classes, review rest of time. Then take step 1 as early as you can.

Good luck!

 

[PlayUltimate15]

First baby, how exciting! I am not a mom, but I am a woman. It sounds like you are being very thoughtful about this and are thinking about all of the right questions. If I were in your shoes I would do everything in my power to take Step 1 before delivery. Being a new mom will be hectic enough without also having to worry about this exam. However, babies don't always arrive according to OUR schedules. I am currently on night float for my OB rotation and the unpredictability of babies has really hit home for me!

TL;DR Plan to take Step 1 before delivery. If baby comes early, or if you feel terribly unprepared for Step 1 then change your plans 😉

Congrats!

 

[bashir]

A few thoughts.

First, congratulations!

Second, what is wrong with you people who have nothing to say but douchebaggy sarcastic comments like "smart" and "nice timing"? Call me crazy, but I expect a little more civility on SDN than elsewhere on the internet.

You are in a tough spot and I can see why it would be tempting to try to get Step I out of the way before baby comes. The question is then, is this realistic with the timeframe you have to work with? It seems to me that it is not. I don't see how 2.5 weeks of dedicated study time can really be enough. For me that would hardly be enough to get a first pass through the material, and nothing really seems to stick until the second or third pass. At my school, 4-6 weeks is typical. The only way I could see that working is if you have been a stellar student in the preclinical years AND you would be satisfied with a mediocre or worse Step I score due to being dead set on a specialty such as family medicine or psychiatry where it is unlikely to hold you back. I do think an excellent medical student could pass (with a middling score) at 39 weeks pregnant after 2 weeks studying, so if that sounds like you and your goal, by all means get it out of the way.

That being said, I'm sure BidingMyTime is right about how difficult it will be to study with a new baby at home. If you can't be ready to take it before the baby is born, I think you should extend your leave of absence. Simply refuse to have the exam hanging over your head. Set a date at which you will start studying and up until that date, take your maternity leave seriously and DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE TEST. When it comes, take studying seriously and make sure you have enough help with the baby to allow you to do that.

I speak as a woman with no kids who has taken step I, so you can evaluate my advice accordingly.

MomMD is a great forum but I would hate for people not to feel like they can bring these kinds of questions to SDN. They belong here too.

 

[modsar]

Thats a GREAT time to take the test!!! Honestly, by 39 weeks you are SOOO SICK OF BEING PREGNANT that focusing on step 1 may make the pregnancy a little less obnoxious at that point in time. Hopefully, you'll be focused on studying and the anxiety of step 1 that your pregnancy will fly by and you'll finish the test and be ready to have baby!

BUT... If something happens and you aren't prepared to take the test, or baby comes early, or you are too physically/mentally exhausted to do it then you can always postpone! Dont play the "what if" game for the next few months. You'll drive yourself crazy. I dont even know why I wrote that, because thats probably impossible advice to follow 🙂

I took Step 1 this summer. It was 4 months after having a baby. That's just the way it worked out because I had her in February (she's almost one!!) and I took the test in July. I had 6 weeks of dedicated study time, which was WAY to much! I would have done 4. I started studying in November. I finished one Q band and Kaplan review course by the time I started "dedicated study". I would recommend studying as much for step 1 as for your classes while school is still in session.

If I was 39 weeks pregnant when I took Step 1, it would have been fine. Yea, it hurts and you're huge, but its not like you wake up and all of a sudden BAM.

Also, if you do have the baby early and need to postpone Step 1, I wouldn't worry too much about studying with a newborn. I didn't take any time off after I had her (we were in the middle of renal too! ick😛). They sleep a ton when they are little. The feeding schedule gets exhausting, but you'll find ways to multitask.

PM me if you want to talk more.

 

[modsar]

A few thoughts.

Second, what is wrong with you people who have nothing to say but douchebaggy sarcastic comments like "smart" and "nice timing"? Call me crazy, but I expect a little more civility on SDN than elsewhere on the internet.

Oh gosh, if that's bad wait until you get to third year and have a baby! Medical education is not a forgiving environment for women who are pregnant or with kids. It can be quite hostile, actually.

 

[Porfirio]

Soooo I'm due right about when I planned to take Step 1! Taking a leave of absence is a non-question, I just see no way I could start clerkships 3 days post delivery. I have talked to the administration at my school and the leave of absence is not an issue, though I'd like to minimize the leave length as much as I can. I have searched online extensively to see if there are others who have been in this boat. The latest I have come across is women taking step 1 at 31-32 weeks. Dedicated study time for me starts somewhere in the middle of week 36 - leaving me with 2.5 weeks of dedicated study time before tackling this beast. Unless I take it sooner, cutting that dedicated study time even shorter... I have talked to people and found no consensus, and I know I am unlikely to find it by soliciting advice online, but I'd still appreciate your thoughts. This is first pregnancy for me, so I don't have a previous experience to draw from. Here's what I've come up with so far:
For taking it before delivery
* Baby will not have rendered me completely useless for months post-delivery
* Memory will be semi-intact without hormone/sleep deprivation induced brain fog
* Right out of MS2, won't have forgotten everything I learned in first 2 years of med school
* Can enjoy time with baby in the leave without constantly worrying about the exam looming over my head

For not taking it before delivery
* At week 39 I am about to pop at just about any moment (assuming if I haven't already). I am an anxious sort of person and every ache and pain sending me into panic about going into labor could probably affect my exam performance.
* At week 39 I don't know if I will be in tip-top shape to endure an 8 hour exam.
* 2.5 weeks or less of dedicated study time really makes me uncomfortable, if pregnancy was not an issue I would have taken ~4 weeks.

Other considerations
* I can extend my leave of absence so that I would take step 1 ~5 months post delivery
* I will have help with the baby for these months with at least one of our parents living with us in that duration

Please send your thoughts/ideas/advice/suggestions.

What field of medicine do you want to do?

 

[Anastomoses]

Wow. Even as a female I think your timing on this is...kind of nuts but it's here so...
1. I am amazed that you're able to study even for classes properly, let alone pursue the intensive studying required for Step 1.
2. I suppose if you find yourself properly prepared you can take it pre-delivery and if not, you can just postpone it all and study even more?

 

[Geekchick921]

Congratulations! Ignore those clowns that have nothing constructive to add.

I'm torn on what to tell you. Would it be better to take the exam before birth/without baby at home? Absolutely. But you have to either cut down on your study time or risk your baby making its appearance right before or during your test. First babies are often late, but I'm concerned about this for you. Step 1 is not the MCAT; you can't just retake it if you're happy with your score, as long as you don't fail. If something happens that compromises your ability to perform to the best of your ability, you are stuck.

I was adamant about not deferring when I started med school pregnant with my son, but I had him two months into MS-1, nowhere near a board exam. Were I in your shoes, I think I would defer. I have studied for the MCAT with an 18 month old (Chicklet was a delightfully sweet toddler) and for Step 1 with Chicklet at 4 and Geekling at 18 months (who is much more... rambunctious... than his big sister was). It was challenging, but I think it would be significantly easier with a 5 month old. Baby will be sleeping much better than when they were 0-2 months, and they will still be non-mobile so you don't have to worry about them getting into mischief if you take your eye off them for a second. I think that's your best option, especially since you will have family support.

Good luck with whatever you decide, with your baby and with Step 1!

 

[nevzyv]

Thanks for weighing in everyone!

Congratulations!

I have no experience with this situation, so I have little to offer you. That being said, I think there are entire forums/web sites for mom/mds. I believe I have seen other mother/mds link to this one below (If this helps, my long history of lurking has paid off 🙂 )

http://www.mommd.com/forum/

Personally, I would bet they have better advice for your situation than I/other 20-something males do.

Knowing the demographics of both forums, I posted in mommd before. Either I didn't post in the correct message board or it's a lower traffic forum than SDN, I didn't get much of a response there. I figured it might be worthwhile to post here too and find people who had remotely similar experiences or hear from 20-something males/females who are wise beyond their years 🙂

Second, what is wrong with you people who have nothing to say but douchebaggy sarcastic comments like "smart" and "nice timing"? Call me crazy, but I expect a little more civility on SDN than elsewhere on the internet.

Congratulations! Ignore those clowns that have nothing constructive to add.

No worries, seeking information from an anonymous online forum necessitates filtering out the peanut gallery.

You are in a tough spot and I can see why it would be tempting to try to get Step I out of the way before baby comes. The question is then, is this realistic with the timeframe you have to work with? It seems to me that it is not. I don't see how 2.5 weeks of dedicated study time can really be enough. For me that would hardly be enough to get a first pass through the material, and nothing really seems to stick until the second or third pass. At my school, 4-6 weeks is typical. The only way I could see that working is if you have been a stellar student in the preclinical years AND you would be satisfied with a mediocre or worse Step I score due to being dead set on a specialty such as family medicine or psychiatry where it is unlikely to hold you back. I do think an excellent medical student could pass (with a middling score) at 39 weeks pregnant after 2 weeks studying, so if that sounds like you and your goal, by all means get it out of the way.

I'm torn on what to tell you. Would it be better to take the exam before birth/without baby at home? Absolutely. But you have to either cut down on your study time or risk your baby making its appearance right before or during your test. First babies are often late, but I'm concerned about this for you. Step 1 is not the MCAT; you can't just retake it if you're happy with your score, as long as you don't fail. If something happens that compromises your ability to perform to the best of your ability, you are stuck.

Yeah, that's part of my worry. I don't necessarily want to lock myself out of specialties at this point if I can help it.

Thats a GREAT time to take the test!!! Honestly, by 39 weeks you are SOOO SICK OF BEING PREGNANT that focusing on step 1 may make the pregnancy a little less obnoxious at that point in time. Hopefully, you'll be focused on studying and the anxiety of step 1 that your pregnancy will fly by and you'll finish the test and be ready to have baby!

Haha, that sounds great if it works out like that! And as you put it quite excellently:

BUT... If something happens and you aren't prepared to take the test, or baby comes early, or you are too physically/mentally exhausted to do it then you can always postpone! Dont play the "what if" game for the next few months. You'll drive yourself crazy. I dont even know why I wrote that, because thats probably impossible advice to follow 🙂

 

[evilbooyaa]

While I think the advice that others have given is very useful, I wonder if you would be able to take a year off med school in its entirety? This would leave you with no disadvantage in terms of starting clerkships late (after maternity leave), and thus you could take Step 1 anytime during that year off. And then have the rest of the year off to connect with your child before you have to go into the hospital.

 

[drcrispmd]

Things to consider:
You are going to be uncomfortable at 39 weeks. Do you think you will be able to sit at a computer for 8 hours? At that time women are usually needing to urinate a lot due to baby being low.
What if you go into labor during the exam?
Baby may come early?
What if you were placed in bed rest?
I would start studying now. Start doing UWorld questions now. How far along are you now? On your easier rotation study more. I would take it as soon as you can or wait the 5 months after. Have you talked to your OB? They have been through step 1. Ask them what they think. Congrats and good luck!

 

[windog]

Wear a depends in case your water breaks. Take it now, you won't have time after the baby comes.

 

[RnVt]

I'll be taking it at 32 weeks pregnant with the same amount of "dedicated" study time, but I've been picking away at my worst subjects since Jan and feel like I'm making good progress.

Is there any way you can take the test earlier and carve out study time for yourself over a few more weeks?

My plan is to blow off the last school exam of the year as long as I keep my grades up (which hasn't been a problem so far) and push board questions hard for the last 4-5 weeks. I think you will be ok mentally/physically taking it at 39 weeks, BUT I would be super scared of delivering early and having to take it later...for me, the trade off of less prep time for less stressing about that would be worth it. But only you know what's best for you, and I guess the amount of time you can carve out for study before school ends depends on your school schedule too...

 

[windog]

Also, it depends on if you have bad pregnancy brain. I couldn't remember anything while pregnant

 

[ab76yu90]

II:

Now that more than a year has passed, care to weigh in on what you did and what you recommend for someone in a similar situation? Thank you!