Would you rather take Boards part I after 1st year or 2nd?

[KittenMittens]

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Would you rather take Boards part I after 1st year or 2nd? Is one or the other a disadvantage to you?

 

[small]

We took Part I after our first year (in July). Despite the stress of still having classes during the summer while preparing for the boards, I am glad to be done with it and looking forward to spending this coming summer in the clinic. I don't feel like there was anything on Part I we didn't cover in our 1st year, so I can't imagine taking another whole year of material focused towards Part II and then going back to review for Part I! But of course, most schools do just that, and it seems to work fine.

 

[somethinpositiv]

I'd rather take it after 1st year and get it done and over with. At Tufts, we take it after 2nd year. That's probably the main thing I don't like about the Tufts curriculum.

 

[omaralt]

it really depends on what classes you took your first year. if you took all (or almost all) of the classes that are covered on the part I your first year then you definitely want to take it after first year. you'll forget most of that info if you wait another year. and it's nice to get it over with

 

[KittenMittens]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Lurchdubious]

Ditto to the above. I took it after my first year and am very glad I don't have to worry about it anymore.

 

[reapply2007]

Mostly, I didn't want to re-take boards so I studied like a beast to pass the first time. It didn't really matter to me what year in school.

 

[DentStudent2010]

Mostly, I didn't want to re-take boards so I studied like a beast to pass the first time. It didn't really matter to me what year in school.

I sat for the exam after second year but I could have taken it after the first year because of my extensive background in biology, chem, etc.

 

[Drabuisa]

At my school the step I has been given after the second year, but we are slowly transitioning to being able to take it after the 1st. As of now, it becomes available to us in January of the second year. I think that the earlier the better. Get that crap out of the way.

 

[Drabuisa]

Just curious, How do you study for boards while studying for other classes?

It seems almost impossible to do really well if you are taking hard classes. We are in the middle of Pathology and Micro when our boards are available. I just couldn't imagine doing both at the same time.

 

[Lurchdubious]

Just curious, How do you study for boards while studying for other classes?

It seems almost impossible to do really well if you are taking hard classes. We are in the middle of Pathology and Micro when our boards are available. I just couldn't imagine doing both at the same time.

Just go through a few Pathology and Micro cards in the Decks every night. You don't have to have some long drawn out NBDE study session when you've got classes going on.

 

[WannaBeDentist]

After 1st - seems to make more sense and would be easier

During 2nd - might arguably help you retain more down the line with the repeated review

We don't have a choice so it doesn't matter 🙂