when to do subI, take step 2 etc

[idealist]

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Searched for answers to these already, but am still wanting more. I am done with my cores as of aug (will have just finished surgery) & will be a 4th yr. I am now pretty sure I want to do psych (tho I was thinking about family for a while too & sometimes get sad about leaving the rest of medicine behind).
Come Sept, scheduling is up to me. I have heard it's a good idea to take step 2 right away, which I kind of hear, since I will have just finished the covered cores, so I was thinking about doing this in Sept.
I also want to try to do an away elective at Duke (cause I'm interested in their psych res), but I am a bit of a ways away from figuring that out (have to get my school to arrange some sort of visiting relationship with them, apply etc). I was thinking about doing that in Octoberish tho.
So, my question to you is. what are the thoughts about when to do a subI. Does everyone have to do 1? My school offers a psych subI, and I was told it is pretty chill & with a really cool woman I want to work with (you get out by like 1 apparently). So do you think it is not a bad idea to do my subI in Sept while studying for step 2?
Thnx!

 

[Law2Doc]

...So do you think it is not a bad idea to do my subI in Sept while studying for step 2?
Thnx!

Horrible idea IMHO. I don't know how you are defining "pretty chill", but if your sub-I is like most, you will have very little time to study compared to the typical elective. Many people take one of the traditionally easy electives during the month they need to study for Step 2.

 

[Dral]

Take time off if your school allows it. Don't try to study during your subI. Take your SubI and get your letter(s). Then study for Step2...Take it not too far away from your core rotations, but really, FA and UW...get through them, take S2, done and done. Those two things prepare you for the step more than enough if you've at least paid enough attention during your cores to get a good base of knowledge.