What to get through in a 4 week surgery rotation?

[LADoc84]

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[Medstudentquest]

I'm on a surgery rotation right now that is 26 days total (24 left as of today). Our school requires us to read NMS surgery for a mini-shelf exam we have at the end of the rotation and a larger NBME shelf a month later.

How am I supposed to get through NMS and surgery recall, or heck, just even NMS (it is 600+ pages) in 24 days??? I'm already getting out of the house by 6AM and back home by 7PM. So...how and what do you guys recommend I get through?

Thanks.

Why do you have to read NMS?

 

[LADoc84]

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[Medstudentquest]

I should clarify --

The questions for the mini-shelf come straight from the NMS book (I think they may even be the exact questions in the book).

The larger NBME shelf...completely different ballgame. I have no idea what's on that one.

So, at a minimum I need to get through the questions in the NMS surgery book & then use something to prepare overall. It just doesn't seem like a lot can be done in 24 days...esp when the days are long & I am fatigued afterwards.

I think your dilemma is a simple one to solve. If most of the questions on the "mini" shelf exam come from the NMS book, just try to get through as much as you can of the book and make sure you know the answers to the questions. Whatever you don't get through of the book you can read the rest of the month when you prepare for the regular shelf. How much is each shelf worth?

 

[Smurfette]

I read all of NMS during my surgery rotation, working around the same type of hours (or worse) that you describe. I did very well on the shelf exam. NMS is outline format, so that made it a fairly quick read in the grand scheme of things (I read it during the last 2 weeks of my rotation when the fear of the shelf had kicked in). I also would try and read a few pages during down time (while the room was being turned over, etc.).

Keep in mind that your classmates are in your same situation with having to find time to read everything, so it does level the playing field somewhat.

 

[avhart]

Regarding the national shelf, I read BRS Surgery and felt it was excellent prep. Recall is good for pimping but is not good for the kind of surgery decision-making on the shelf: that is all about when to do surgery, what pre-surgery imaging needs to be done to decide, etc....not specific anatomy quiz questions the surgeons ask.