What do the best M1's medical students in do?

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Jose rubio

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Hi all,

I think this question has been in the mind of most brand new medical students. All those cute fresh faces that quickly turn into horror after they start realizing what they got themselves into. We have all been there at one time or another and we can relate to the struggle. Having said all, sometimes we forget that they need as much guidance as the one that we got from someone before us, or as they one that we seek into our predecessors. We all know that medicine is a life-learning process, and that we all are mentees, we can also be mentors and that we should give back. So here I pose this question. If you think that you are on top of your class, leave your comment here and tell us what you did that put you at the top. Comment to your background and how you keep motivated. That way we can take that into account. Also those that are struggling with everything but that somehow are still passing those exams (Neuro... anyone?), I am curious to hear from those too and speaking to their strategies that they know don't work so that others that have not tried them can learn too.

It's crazy to think that medical students are at a higher risk for depression and self-harm that other graduate students. we are supposed to be doing exactly what we think we want to do for the rest of our life. Sometimes we get so caught up in things that we kinda take for granted that we are in medical school. Some of us forgot how we used to be those pre-meds just dreaming of the day that we would get that letter of acceptance. In any case, I am looking forward to hearing from you. Let's help each other and help a brother out.

Thanks,

Joe
 
Jose rubio said:
Hi all,

I think this question has been in the mind of most brand new medical students. All those cute fresh faces that quickly turn into horror after they start realizing what they got themselves into. We have all been there at one time or another and we can relate to the struggle. Having said all, sometimes we forget that they need as much guidance as the one that we got from someone before us, or as they one that we seek into our predecessors. We all know that medicine is a life-learning process, and that we all are mentees, we can also be mentors and that we should give back. So here I pose this question. If you think that you are on top of your class, leave your comment here and tell us what you did that put you at the top. Comment to your background and how you keep motivated. That way we can take that into account. Also those that are struggling with everything but that somehow are still passing those exams (Neuro... anyone?), I am curious to hear from those too and speaking to their strategies that they know don't work so that others that have not tried them can learn too.

It's crazy to think that medical students are at a higher risk for depression and self-harm that other graduate students. we are supposed to be doing exactly what we think we want to do for the rest of our life. Sometimes we get so caught up in things that we kinda take for granted that we are in medical school. Some of us forgot how we used to be those pre-meds just dreaming of the day that we would get that letter of acceptance. In any case, I am looking forward to hearing from you. Let's help each other and help a brother out.

Thanks,

Joe
Click to expand...

Your post just comes off as elitist. As someone who is just starting medical school you're asking for advice from the top medical students as if the other ones don't have any valuable advice.

Also, every question on SDN deals with some factor of how to do well in med school. What aspects do you want to hear about.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Jose rubio said:
Hi all,

I think this question has been in the mind of most brand new medical students. All those cute fresh faces that quickly turn into horror after they start realizing what they got themselves into. We have all been there at one time or another and we can relate to the struggle. Having said all, sometimes we forget that they need as much guidance as the one that we got from someone before us, or as they one that we seek into our predecessors. We all know that medicine is a life-learning process, and that we all are mentees, we can also be mentors and that we should give back. So here I pose this question. If you think that you are on top of your class, leave your comment here and tell us what you did that put you at the top. Comment to your background and how you keep motivated. That way we can take that into account. Also those that are struggling with everything but that somehow are still passing those exams (Neuro... anyone?), I am curious to hear from those too and speaking to their strategies that they know don't work so that others that have not tried them can learn too.

It's crazy to think that medical students are at a higher risk for depression and self-harm that other graduate students. we are supposed to be doing exactly what we think we want to do for the rest of our life. Sometimes we get so caught up in things that we kinda take for granted that we are in medical school. Some of us forgot how we used to be those pre-meds just dreaming of the day that we would get that letter of acceptance. In any case, I am looking forward to hearing from you. Let's help each other and help a brother out.

Thanks,

Joe
Click to expand...

Agree with poster above.

I wasn't gonna say anything, but the part "
Also those that are struggling with everything but that somehow are still passing those exams (Neuro... anyone?), I am curious to hear from those too and speaking to their strategies that they know don't work...."

I expected that you would have asked what they are doing that IS working.

If people are struggling to pass and haven't failed, and I'm struggling, I wanna know what the struggling are doing to stay in school, not what the gunners pulling down all HPs are doing. Clearly there's a difference between the two groups, but if you're struggling to keep head above water thinking if you just watch Michael Phelps and follow his strokes is gonna make you a championship swimmer, well, we're not applying commonsense here.

You're new to SDN. Welcome. We can be tough crowd but if you can deal with the attitudes, there is soooooo much amazing advice here.
Doctors have a culture of beating each other down to keep our humility. We gotta keep it from crushing souls, too, though.
Just realized if you're getting razed here it's because of the personality types, it's partly blowing off steam, and it's partly just a certain sense of humor.

So, don't ask how to be at the top of the class. That's sort of immaterial to being a good doctor (although it does matter for specialty applications).
Instead, ask how you can be the best YOU can be. That is what the race and your practice will ultimately always be about until you retire.
Ask for help with what you're struggling with. Give background on what type of learner you are or what you've tried.
 
68PGunner said:
Gun 7-8 hrs Mon-Fri and gun 10 hrs on Sat-Sun and you should be good to go regardless of your initial knowledge base in comparison to your peers during first year.

My answer to all problems is to outgun everyone.
Click to expand...

Sounds weak.

Most of the gunners at my school did 12-16 hours a day.

EDIT: to add, I'm not even kidding. Which makes it funnier I think.
 
Last edited:
Lol I love these kinds of people.
"I will only take advice from the best. Those of you who have tried and failed to meet all but the highest standards of my rookie fantasy need not apply"

You are probably not a superspecial snowflake. Your class rank and match ability is probably 70% determined at this point. Work hard and study, no supersecret formula here
 
Last edited:
Remember that it is 2 years of hard work in the classroom that will help set you up for the rest of your life?

The answer will always be study hard. There is no secret formula. A lot of the people who come in and struggle likely aren't approaching things the right way. If you can get into medical school, you can graduate medical school.
 
Jose rubio said:
Hi all,

I think this question has been in the mind of most brand new medical students. All those cute fresh faces that quickly turn into horror after they start realizing what they got themselves into. We have all been there at one time or another and we can relate to the struggle. Having said all, sometimes we forget that they need as much guidance as the one that we got from someone before us, or as they one that we seek into our predecessors. We all know that medicine is a life-learning process, and that we all are mentees, we can also be mentors and that we should give back. So here I pose this question. If you think that you are on top of your class, leave your comment here and tell us what you did that put you at the top. Comment to your background and how you keep motivated. That way we can take that into account. Also those that are struggling with everything but that somehow are still passing those exams (Neuro... anyone?), I am curious to hear from those too and speaking to their strategies that they know don't work so that others that have not tried them can learn too.

It's crazy to think that medical students are at a higher risk for depression and self-harm that other graduate students. we are supposed to be doing exactly what we think we want to do for the rest of our life. Sometimes we get so caught up in things that we kinda take for granted that we are in medical school. Some of us forgot how we used to be those pre-meds just dreaming of the day that we would get that letter of acceptance. In any case, I am looking forward to hearing from you. Let's help each other and help a brother out.

Thanks,

Joe
Click to expand...
Preclinical grades don't mean a whole hell of a lot. The top people in my class had a not-so-secret strategy of studying all day every day, it isn't rocket science. There are no shortcuts, there is only hard work, and the strategies that work for one person aren't guaranteed to work for another.
 
Crayola227 said:
Sounds weak.

Most of the gunners at my school did 12-16 hours a day.
Click to expand...
The gunneriest gunners at my school basically lived in the library. Always has a study room reserved, were never seen doing anything but gunning, aside from celebrating after exam weeks, which would then be followed by six more weeks of solid gunning.

Gunning ain't easy, OP.
 
Mad Jack said:
The gunneriest gunners at my school basically lived in the library. Always has a study room reserved, were never seen doing anything but gunning, aside from celebrating after exam weeks, which would then be followed by six more weeks of solid gunning.

Gunning ain't easy, OP.
Click to expand...

You forgot the couple hours after each exam where they argue every question they got wrong, taking the professor back to English class with gems like "the question asked for LEAST likely, but your answer would not happen at all'" -- followed by their weekly complaint session with the Dean when the teacher doesn't relent.

My question is what PD would willingly want these people in their program?
 
To follow up, preclinical grades are a predictor of Step I success, and that's it.
Mad Jack said:
Preclinical grades don't mean a whole hell of a lot. The top people in my class had a not-so-secret strategy of studying all day every day, it isn't rocket science. There are no shortcuts, there is only hard work, and the strategies that work for one person aren't guaranteed to work for another.
Click to expand...
 
Mad Jack said:
The gunneriest gunners at my school basically lived in the library. Always has a study room reserved, were never seen doing anything but gunning, aside from celebrating after exam weeks, which would then be followed by six more weeks of solid gunning.

Gunning ain't easy, OP.
Click to expand...

You didn't actually mention or describe any gunning in there. Only working hard.
 
Azete said:
You forgot the couple hours after each exam where they argue every question they got wrong, taking the professor back to English class with gems like "the question asked for LEAST likely, but your answer would not happen at all'" -- followed by their weekly complaint session with the Dean when the teacher doesn't relent.

My question is what PD would willingly want these people in their program?
Click to expand...

While this is true for a lot of gunners, most of the people who have spotless records at my school don't go constantly b**** to admins. It's the people who are immature and borderline failing. We literally had one of them start yelling at a professor in front of the entire class.
 
Azete said:
You forgot the couple hours after each exam where they argue every question they got wrong, taking the professor back to English class with gems like "the question asked for LEAST likely, but your answer would not happen at all'" -- followed by their weekly complaint session with the Dean when the teacher doesn't relent.

My question is what PD would willingly want these people in their program?
Click to expand...

If they can pull the wool over the adcoms eyes, they can still pull the wool over the PD's eyes also. A one day interview interaction is not nearly enough time to discern a person's true nature.
 
Crayola227 said:
Sounds weak.

Most of the gunners at my school did 12-16 hours a day.

EDIT: to add, I'm not even kidding. Which makes it funnier I think.
Click to expand...

How di they fit 12-16 hrs a day in their schedule without being tired or burnt out? Do they do 3 hours block or something
 
Chillbo Baggins said:
Eh, they are a big part of AOA selection, which can be very important depending on specialty choice.
Click to expand...
AOA status was ranked 22nd on the list of things that PDs consider in resident selection. Even in a highly competitive specialty like dermatology, it was still ranked 22nd, and only 30% of PDs used it as a selection criteria at all.
 
Mad Jack said:
AOA status was ranked 22nd on the list of things that PDs consider in resident selection. Even in a highly competitive specialty like dermatology, it was still ranked 22nd, and only 30% of PDs used it as a selection criteria at all.
Click to expand...
Touche. I forgot about the director feedback form; I was just thinking of Charting the Outcomes where like 90% of derm matches were AOA.
 
Chillbo Baggins said:
Touche. I forgot about the director feedback form; I was just thinking of Charting the Outcomes where like 90% of derm matches were AOA.
Click to expand...
It's probably one of those "people who are more likely to have all of the criteria derm PDs are looking for are more likely to be AOA because the criteria overlap" than AOA being in and of itself an important factor.
 
OP, there is a very similar thread that is still active that may have answers for you, if you look for it.
 
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