What to do before Med School

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IQ2US

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From May to August, there are a few things I know for sure I will be doing: (1)Spending time with family and friends (2) Reading what I have not been able to while in school and (3) working (just enough for food and what not).
But is there anything for medical school in which I can or should begin to study/look into? I am not talking about serious hours hitting the books, which even if I thought about doing, I would not stick to.

So, any serious advise on subjects/material/resources that I could use before med school? Thanks!
 
Honestly, just enough all the free time you have left. Once med school starts, you'll probably miss the life you have right now.
 
karayaa said:
Shadowing might be the most "useful" activity, if you can explore more specialities and get a better idea of your interests. Some people get a lot out of shadowing, others don't, so ymmv.
Also read this http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-waiting-for-medical-school-to-start.1110090/
Seriously, this is a common question - you're not alone.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link to the thread. It seems like all the advice is take it easy and pursue what you want or maybe have not been able to.

I forgot about shadowing... lol. Definitely something I will think about.

So, am I crazy to think I should spend some time reading/preparing ? If I am doing those three things I mentioned in the OP, why not make the adjustment easier? Is it possible to spread out the pain/torture we are getting into?
 
IQ2US said:
Thanks for the link to the thread. It seems like all the advice is take it easy and pursue what you want or maybe have not been able to.

I forgot about shadowing... lol. Definitely something I will think about.

So, am I crazy to think I should spend some time reading/preparing ? If I am doing those three things I mentioned in the OP, why not make the adjustment easier? Is it possible to spread out the pain/torture we are getting into?
Click to expand...
Yes. The advice of current students is that while it's a nice idea, you can't make a dent in the quantity of info you cover during med school.
 
I wouldn't waste your time shadowing and definitely don't study. If you've never had Anatomy and your school has a heavy 1st block of Anatomy, maybe read Chapter 1 of Moore a few days before you start classes.

If you can find a way to travel, I'd go that route. If traveling just will not be in your near future, maybe pick up a biostats book and learn the basics over the summer so that when it comes time for research, you know your head from your ass. (they don't teach us this in med school, at least not at mine)
 
Oh my God please don't study. Whatever you do, please don't do that. Trust the thousands of students who have gone before you who say it would be a complete waste of time.

Look at it this way: on your first exam, you will forget things that you studied and memorized only a few days/weeks before when the class started. This is simply inevitable given the volume of material. Now, if you can accept that you will forget things during the few weeks before an exam, how much do you think you will remember from months earlier during the summer?

Based off my own anki cards I made during m1/m2, there are approximately 25-30,000 factoids to learn during your first year. Ditto for second year, bringing the preclinical total somewhere between 50 and 60,000. Even if you waste a LOT of your time and learn a couple thousand, it's a drop in the bucket and a drop you will likely forget anyhow once you start drinking from the fire hose of knowledge. Best case scenario, you waste many of your remaining free hours for transient sense of deja vu a few months later when you have to relearn it anyhow.

Unless you live in the same city as your med school, forget the shadowing too. You've done the work, you've been accepted, now relax a little before the pain starts. Here's the part they may not tell you: burnout is real and it will happen to you. Happened to me. Happened to all of my friends. The only questions are when will it hit you and how long will it stick around. Not taking advantage of time to relax and enjoy life is a surefire way to make it happen faster and stay longer. Because of this, pre-studying may actually be even worse than an abject waste of time, it may even hurt you.

Don't do it.
 
operaman said:
Oh my God please don't study. Whatever you do, please don't do that. Trust the thousands of students who have gone before you who say it would be a complete waste of time.

Look at it this way: on your first exam, you will forget things that you studied and memorized only a few days/weeks before when the class started. This is simply inevitable given the volume of material. Now, if you can accept that you will forget things during the few weeks before an exam, how much do you think you will remember from months earlier during the summer?

Based off my own anki cards I made during m1/m2, there are approximately 25-30,000 factoids to learn during your first year. Ditto for second year, bringing the preclinical total somewhere between 50 and 60,000. Even if you waste a LOT of your time and learn a couple thousand, it's a drop in the bucket and a drop you will likely forget anyhow once you start drinking from the fire hose of knowledge. Best case scenario, you waste many of your remaining free hours for transient sense of deja vu a few months later when you have to relearn it anyhow.

Unless you live in the same city as your med school, forget the shadowing too. You've done the work, you've been accepted, now relax a little before the pain starts. Here's the part they may not tell you: burnout is real and it will happen to you. Happened to me. Happened to all of my friends. The only questions are when will it hit you and how long will it stick around. Not taking advantage of time to relax and enjoy life is a surefire way to make it happen faster and stay longer. Because of this, pre-studying may actually be even worse than an abject waste of time, it may even hurt you.

Don't do it.
Click to expand...
Shadowing is not about meeting some standard, or reaching a certain number of hours- it's more to help you identify future goals.
It might be easier to shadow now that you're accepted, and if you have a chance to explore new specialties, or new practice environments, that will give you more direction during med school, why not? You can certainly shadow during med school, w much less hassle, but you'll be much more busy.
 
karayaa said:
Shadowing is not about meeting some standard, or reaching a certain number of hours- it's more to help you identify future goals.
It might be easier to shadow now that you're accepted, and if you have a chance to explore new specialties, or new practice environments, that will give you more direction during med school, why not? You can certainly shadow during med school, w much less hassle, but you'll be much more busy.
Click to expand...

There's more than enough time to shadow during school, and more importantly you'll officially be a student and have access to pretty much anything in the hospital. Some places can get pretty finicky about letting non-student shadowers into ORs and whatnot, thus limiting the fields you could potentially explore. Shadowing a surgical subspecialist in his clinic doing post-op follow-up visits won't tell you nearly as much about that field as spending a day in the OR. If you could really shadow anyone/anywhere AND you had a decent idea about a field you might pursue, then maybe a little targeted time would be worth it. It's still not as good as the same thing done in your actual institution; shadowing in your desired field once you matriculate means you start getting face time and building relationships with people who may become mentors and letter writers, etc.

I promise there is a ridiculous amount of free time during m1/m2. There is more than enough to shadow every non-core field multiple times. There is not enough time, however, to take long trips and do other extended fun things without any lingering stressful thoughts that you should be studying.
 
Think of something you've always wanted to do and do that. Eat good food. Read some good books. Binge watch some shows while you have the time. Try to travel as much as you can. Try a hobby that you have never thought about trying (rock climbing, biking, swimming, photography?, etc.).
 
Can anyone recommend me some good books to read that will help prepare an incoming med student do well in school and on the Step 1?
 
peanutsss said:
Im glad I opened this, I was considering brushing up on biochem and anatomy since Ive been out of school for a number of year. I may not do this per the above.

I personally am planning on quitting my job, traveling abroad, possibly spend the summer training MMA in a foreign country.
Click to expand...

You're on the right track.
 
JackieChanFan said:
Can anyone recommend me some good books to read that will help prepare an incoming med student do well in school and on the Step 1?
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
GTL.

seriously though get into a workout routine so you don't start from scratch in school.

Travel as well.
 
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