USMLE-time to study

[bluejay99]

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Hey guys, so what's the optimal amount of time to study for boards? I'm scheduled to take my exam on July 16th and my classes get out May 27th (so I have 7 weeks total in between). I would like to take a couple days off after the end of second year and have a day off every week while prepping for boards. Do you guys think this is feasible considering I haven't done much studying so far besides highlighting most of first aid and some DIT questions? (I'm doing DIT and haven't done any qbank yet.) Do I have a good test date or should I move it forward or back?

I know this is probably kind of a boring post, but I'd really appreciate some advice.🙂 Thanks!

 

[TexasPhysician]

I found 5 weeks to be ideal for me. At 3 weeks, I still felt weak in some areas. By my 6th and final week, I was beginning to be burnt out and really didn't care much anymore.

 

[ArcGurren]

5-7 weeks is usually about how much time people take out; I'm on my 6th and final week of studying right now

 

[ztaw15]

The general consensus at my school is 3-4 weeks, and most people, myself included, seem to come out of it wishing we had called it at three. I was burned out a few days before the test, for sure.

 

[RadOncRocks]

Its funny everyone I talk to who has NOT taken the test says, "Ah man you've got to start studying in January and then 6 weeks of dedicated if you want to pass."

Then if you talk to people who have already taken it they say, "Ya four weeks is plenty, I was starting to get burnt out and that last week or two was a waste."

 

[raynor123456]

Its funny everyone I talk to who has NOT taken the test says, "Ah man you've got to start studying in January and then 6 weeks of dedicated if you want to pass."

Then if you talk to people who have already taken it they say, "Ya four weeks is plenty, I was starting to get burnt out and that last week or two was a waste."

I think there is a two-fold explanation for that:
1. Some people intended on getting started early, but just couldn't bring themselves to do it.
2. Some people started studying WAY early, but then decided they'd rather have you believe that they only put in a few hard weeks of work and then rationalize to themselves that the rest of that studying wasn't really step 1 studying.

I think more people fall in the latter group than the former, but to some degree the former group drives the latter.

The best thing to do is to be honest w/ yourself in decided how much time you might need. Some people need more than others.