The first two years of medical school are challenging based on how much information you have to learn, but you also have the most free time. The material must be learned, but you can (mostly) set up your day however you want. Enjoy that free time, play basketball, go to the beach, get rip roaringly drunk, do whatever you like to do. This time will pass, and so will your free time, unfortunately
Medical students have a tendency to be competitive. The first week of anatomy is a lot like the animals on the Serengeti, sizing up lunch. I advise you to just get over it, and it's better if you don't join in. All of you (mostly) will be attending physicians one day, and these people will be your colleagues. Medical students need to look out for each other, don't tear others down. Every one of your classmates is an impressive individual
You are also impressive, you deserve to be in medical school. Don't get feelings of inadequacy based a few tests, or if it "seems" like everyone is doing better than you. You just need to pass. 7-0 equals DO.
The Step 1 is a drag. EVERYONE will obsess over it. It is an important test, you should study hard and do as well as you possibly can. However, if you don't score as high as you would like know this 1) HALF of all medical students are below 50% (contrary to what it seems like on SDN, 90% of students can not possible score in the 90th percentile) 2) You will still match if you don't have a great score, however some competitive specialties REQUIRE high Step 1 scores. Best to be realistic with yourself. See below for more. 3) A lot of programs in a lot of specialties are most interested in getting a "good fit" for their program. This means that many people with lower Step 1 scores will be ranked higher than some people with higher Step 1 scores. 4) In conclusion, study hard, do as well as you can, then get the F*** over it!
Unless you are going into Dermatology, research is NOT that important. Research is really helpful to get into medical school, but once your in doesn't matter that much. Sure it is nice if it is on your application, but most PDs just don't care. You should do research ONLY if you love it. Don't be wasting that precious free time just because you want to pad your application.
The third year of medical school is for many (me included) the hardest year of training. There is a combination of being thrown into the deep end, the generally dismissive way most people will treat you, and the constant feeling that you are dumb, out of place, or just in the way. I promise you it will pass. You will get through it. Many people have feelings of depressions during this time, if you are suffering don't keep it inside. Talk to someone. It feels better to get it out.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY likes their Ob/Gyn rotation, it is only 1month! Sometimes you thrive, this rotation you just need to survive.
If your school allows you, try to pick a clerkship site that 1) has a good culture of including the medical student as an important part of the team 2) has lots of residencies, especially the ones you may be interested in. Generally you have a better chance at matching at your base site. Of the two, I think think #1 is far more important to your overall well being
Don't feel "behind" if you don't know exactly what specialty you want when you start. Most of the people who are dead set on a certain field from the first week of medical school will change their mind before they graduate.
However, come the winter of your 3rd year of medical school, you really need to pick a specialty. It is important to rotate through programs that you might want to do residency at (we call these audition rotations), which are done in the fall of 4th year. These can fill up in competitive fields by March or April of 3rd year, so you want to be proactive about setting these rotations up.
If you are applying to a competitive specialty, be honest with yourself. Always shoot for your dreams, but it is a good idea to have a back-up in mind, and to take some interviews in a less competitive specialty at an ideal residency. Family medicine as a whole may not be competitive, but the really cool FM programs are. This has to be done VERY tactfully though, you don't want the programs knowing they are second choice....If they find out and ask you about it, just be 100% honest.