m1 summer review

[dorian24]

Hi all, I'm trying to figure out the best way for me to review M1 material over the summer so I don't forget things. I was hoping for some advice on how to do this. Here are some things I need in my review plan ...

1) Anki (Bros Deck)
- During the school year, I’ve been editing pre-made cards and adding little notes in my own words in the “extra” section of the card.
- Organization really helps me. I’ll probably review by organ system.
2) Context: I need to put a fact in relation to some other fact or else I’ll forget it really quickly.
3) Pictures/Diagrams: I am a very visual learner – I remember diagrams on tests.
4) Dr. Najeeb’s Videos: I just found these recently and have found that I really like his explanations, and his explanations tend to stick in my long-term memory.

I'm trying to figure out how to put all these moving pieces together. Should I also learn pathology with pathoma over the summer along with reviewing all the normal physiology? Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!

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[LyMed]

Before I start, I just want to ask: how much of First Aid have you covered in M1? In those pages/chapters, is there something you're missing?

 

[dorian24]

Before I start, I just want to ask: how much of First Aid have you covered in M1? In those pages/chapters, is there something you're missing?

I don't know how much of first aid we've covered, as I haven't really used it throughout first year. we've done anatomy, physiology, neuro, and biochemistry.

 

[OUMED2K16]

Hi all, I'm trying to figure out the best way for me to review M1 material over the summer so I don't forget things. I was hoping for some advice on how to do this. Here are some things I need in my review plan ...

1) Anki (Bros Deck)
- During the school year, I’ve been editing pre-made cards and adding little notes in my own words in the “extra” section of the card.
- Organization really helps me. I’ll probably review by organ system.
2) Context: I need to put a fact in relation to some other fact or else I’ll forget it really quickly.
3) Pictures/Diagrams: I am a very visual learner – I remember diagrams on tests.
4) Dr. Najeeb’s Videos: I just found these recently and have found that I really like his explanations, and his explanations tend to stick in my long-term memory.

I'm trying to figure out how to put all these moving pieces together. Should I also learn pathology with pathoma over the summer along with reviewing all the normal physiology? Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!

I just took Step 1 earlier this summer and my advice to you is to do very little review over the MS1 summer. For one, you likely aren't going to remember any of what you study when dedicated comes around and a break can be really refreshing. Also you really will need a prolonged break before MS2. It was the most challenging year of school I've ever had and it really wears you down mentally and emotionally. You don't want to be in constant study mode from first year, throughout the summer, into second year, and then into Step 1 studying. You'll burnout and your score will reflect it.

If I were you, I would lightly review this summer. Maybe casually read through sections of firstaid and pathoma you all covered first year (our school did organ system blocks so first year we covered GI, biochem, micro, blood, endocrine, and pharmacology). Other than that you really won't be improving your step 1 score by studying this summer. It's too far out to really retain detail and integration needed for step 1/nbme questions.

The absolute best study plan for step 1 is to take your classes seriously first and second year. If you have a solid foundation and really know that material cold throughout those two years, step studying is a breeze. I have a lot of classmates that have yet to take the exam, but they're all stressing because they can't retain the mountains of information tested on step 1. The reality is you can't really alter your score that much in a few weeks of dedicated. You'll hit a peak that is indicative of the effort and time you spent learning the material the first time around. I mean seriously, does anybody really expect to alter their score by 20-30 points in a couple of weeks on material accumulated over 2+ years? It isn't really possible. Sure you can improve a score from 200 to 230 from the beginning of studying until you take the exam, but that was due to being unfamiliar with the information in the beginning and relearning what you already knew at the end of dedicated. That person was always going to max out at 230 which reflects the time they put in over years of learning.

If you have to cave in to a type A personality (I would know), your best bet is to start studying for step in January of your second year with light review and once classes end move over to dedicated. Don't push classes to the side and only study for Step, that's foolish at best. Supplement what your school is teaching you with first aid and pathoma/brs physiology, especially if they administer nbme unit exams for your finals.

Other than that just relax and enjoy a break.

 

[dorian24]

I just took Step 1 earlier this summer and my advice to you is to do very little review over the MS1 summer. For one, you likely aren't going to remember any of what you study when dedicated comes around and a break can be really refreshing. Also you really will need a prolonged break before MS2. It was the most challenging year of school I've ever had and it really wears you down mentally and emotionally. You don't want to be in constant study mode from first year, throughout the summer, into second year, and then into Step 1 studying. You'll burnout and your score will reflect it.

If I were you, I would lightly review this summer. Maybe casually read through sections of firstaid and pathoma you all covered first year (our school did organ system blocks so first year we covered GI, biochem, micro, blood, endocrine, and pharmacology). Other than that you really won't be improving your step 1 score by studying this summer. It's too far out to really retain detail and integration needed for step 1/nbme questions.

The absolute best study plan for step 1 is to take your classes seriously first and second year. If you have a solid foundation and really know that material cold throughout those two years, step studying is a breeze. I have a lot of classmates that have yet to take the exam, but they're all stressing because they can't retain the mountains of information tested on step 1. The reality is you can't really alter your score that much in a few weeks of dedicated. You'll hit a peak that is indicative of the effort and time you spent learning the material the first time around. I mean seriously, does anybody really expect to alter their score by 20-30 points in a couple of weeks on material accumulated over 2+ years? It isn't really possible. Sure you can improve a score from 200 to 230 from the beginning of studying until you take the exam, but that was due to being unfamiliar with the information in the beginning and relearning what you already knew at the end of dedicated. That person was always going to max out at 230 which reflects the time they put in over years of learning.

If you have to cave in to a type A personality (I would know), your best bet is to start studying for step in January of your second year with light review and once classes end move over to dedicated. Don't push classes to the side and only study for Step, that's foolish at best. Supplement what your school is teaching you with first aid and pathoma/brs physiology, especially if they administer nbme unit exams for your finals.

Other than that just relax and enjoy a break.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not looking to actually start cramming material, I just want the foundations to be in place so that when I actually do start studying next year, it'll make my life a lot easier. I think your advice about first aid/pathoma is good. I might just go through a few cards from Bros each day and just annotate the cards in my own words so that there's some context to the cards. That way, when I start reviewing next year, it'll trigger much more easily. I know I learned the material really well the first time around, so I don't want all that hard work to go to waste

 

[Gorne]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not looking to actually start cramming material, I just want the foundations to be in place so that when I actually do start studying next year, it'll make my life a lot easier. I think your advice about first aid/pathoma is good. I might just go through a few cards from Bros each day and just annotate the cards in my own words so that there's some context to the cards. That way, when I start reviewing next year, it'll trigger much more easily. I know I learned the material really well the first time around, so I don't want all that hard work to go to waste

Reviewing anything over the summer is a waste of time. People who do well on Step 1 do well consistently say they did not review over the summer, it will not add a single point to your score.

Enjoying your last summer and living like a real person /doing some research is much better than reviewing M1 material.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

If it helps, I'm also type A in your same shoes and all I'm planning on doing is lightly reviewing micro twice a week just so I won't forget.

 

[iBS1972]

I just took Step 1 earlier this summer and my advice to you is to do very little review over the MS1 summer. For one, you likely aren't going to remember any of what you study when dedicated comes around and a break can be really refreshing. Also you really will need a prolonged break before MS2. It was the most challenging year of school I've ever had and it really wears you down mentally and emotionally. You don't want to be in constant study mode from first year, throughout the summer, into second year, and then into Step 1 studying. You'll burnout and your score will reflect it.

If I were you, I would lightly review this summer. Maybe casually read through sections of firstaid and pathoma you all covered first year (our school did organ system blocks so first year we covered GI, biochem, micro, blood, endocrine, and pharmacology). Other than that you really won't be improving your step 1 score by studying this summer. It's too far out to really retain detail and integration needed for step 1/nbme questions.

The absolute best study plan for step 1 is to take your classes seriously first and second year. If you have a solid foundation and really know that material cold throughout those two years, step studying is a breeze. I have a lot of classmates that have yet to take the exam, but they're all stressing because they can't retain the mountains of information tested on step 1. The reality is you can't really alter your score that much in a few weeks of dedicated. You'll hit a peak that is indicative of the effort and time you spent learning the material the first time around. I mean seriously, does anybody really expect to alter their score by 20-30 points in a couple of weeks on material accumulated over 2+ years? It isn't really possible. Sure you can improve a score from 200 to 230 from the beginning of studying until you take the exam, but that was due to being unfamiliar with the information in the beginning and relearning what you already knew at the end of dedicated. That person was always going to max out at 230 which reflects the time they put in over years of learning.

If you have to cave in to a type A personality (I would know), your best bet is to start studying for step in January of your second year with light review and once classes end move over to dedicated. Don't push classes to the side and only study for Step, that's foolish at best. Supplement what your school is teaching you with first aid and pathoma/brs physiology, especially if they administer nbme unit exams for your finals.

Other than that just relax and enjoy a break.

This. This. This. This. This. Every word.

 

[ngc 2170]

Reviewing anything over the summer is a waste of time. People who do well on Step 1 do well consistently say they did not review over the summer, it will not add a single point to your score.

Enjoying your last summer and living like a real person /doing some research is much better than reviewing M1 material.

agree

Relaxing and enjoying life is preferable even to research, but clinical projects aren't that time consuming anyway

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

A close friend of mine says his program has covered Neuro, Cardio, Pulm, Renal, MSK, and GI so far.

Therefore, he split up his break to where the first 4-5 weeks, he'll be chillin'.

The last 6 weeks, he will be covering the blocks mentioned above (1 block a week) via USMLE RX and KAPLAN Qbanks and ANKI.

Normally... somebody would call him crazy for doing that... but I actually get it.

The dude literally is a loner (exact words from his mouth... not mine). Has no friends back home (all are married and left the place). No GF (was in a mentally abusive relationship in the past that turned him off to the idea of dating somebody for a while... still tinder's tho).

His parents live out of the country half of the time and he will have a 5 bedroom house in the middle of nowhere to himself.

I told him he better get a 250+ lol

Gotta do what you gotta do!