what books would you recommend in getting a jump start -just entering

[sherryvec]

just want to be prepared and have some extra time thanks

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[tinkerbelle]

just want to be prepared and have some extra time thanks

You should do a search (use the Search button up top). There are a gazillion threads on this topic. You'll see that most med students don't recommend studying/prepping this summer.

However, I'm not known for my listening skills So I decided to do a little prepping anyways. One of the books I bought to help with learning basic anatomy is Kapit's Anatomy Coloring Book. I've done a few of the pages and I think it's pretty helpful in teaching me the basic terms and the basic parts of the body. Plus, the terms are actually stinking in my head... which is amazing since I usually forget everything two days after I learn it

 

[UCSBMed1]

You should do a search (use the Search button up top). There are a gazillion threads on this topic. You'll see that most med students don't recommend studying/prepping this summer.

However, I'm not known for my listening skills So I decided to do a little prepping anyways. One of the books I bought to help with learning basic anatomy is Kapit's Anatomy Coloring Book. I've done a few of the pages and I think it's pretty helpful in teaching me the basic terms and the basic parts of the body. Plus, the terms are actually stinking in my head... which is amazing since I usually forget everything two days after I learn it

OMG, are you serious?

Look out, another type A personality about to enter med school...

Enjoy your last few months before med school--please! Have you no friends, family, interests outside of school? Geez...

Trust me, you'll have plenty of time to "cram your *ss off" for your courses, and ultimately the boards (like I'm doing right now).

 

[sweetpeamd09]

You should do a search (use the Search button up top). There are a gazillion threads on this topic. You'll see that most med students don't recommend studying/prepping this summer.

However, I'm not known for my listening skills So I decided to do a little prepping anyways. One of the books I bought to help with learning basic anatomy is Kapit's Anatomy Coloring Book. I've done a few of the pages and I think it's pretty helpful in teaching me the basic terms and the basic parts of the body. Plus, the terms are actually stinking in my head... which is amazing since I usually forget everything two days after I learn it

Thank you Tinkerbelle. I bought the coloring book you suggested when I read about it in another thread in which you had posted. I was unable to take Human Anatomy while I was still in school...so I expect it will be very helpful. So far what I've done is sticking. Ok well it's sort of sticking. I have the same kind of forgetfullness issues.

Other than that... I will be out all summer being as crazy as possible b/c I certainly did not do that as an undergrad. Hope you enjoy the coloring book by the pool or on the pretty white sand. Thanks again!

 

[tinkerbelle]

OMG, are you serious?

Look out, another type A personality about to enter med school...

Enjoy your last few months before med school--please! Have you no friends, family, interests outside of school? Geez...

Trust me, you'll have plenty of time to "cram your *ss off" for your courses, and ultimately the boards (like I'm doing right now).

Give me a break. You know absolutely nothing about my personality. And honestly, what do you care what I do this summer? I definitely won't be studying 24/7, but I don't see the harm in whipping out my coloring book when I'm bored (plus i love coloring ). My friend at Hopkins Med suggested I do the coloring book, since I don't know a darn thing about anatomy.... in fact I barely took any bio courses. I was an engineer in undergrad. No offense, but I'd rather listen to him than to some random dude on an anonymous internet forum.

 

[SarahGM]

1. The fact that you were accepted means that the adcoms considered you "prepared" enough to enter med school.

2. Nothing you do these few short (precious) months, on your own mind you, could EVER possibly prepare you for medical school.

 

[tinkerbelle]

Thank you Tinkerbelle. I bought the coloring book you suggested when I read about it in another thread in which you had posted. I was unable to take Human Anatomy while I was still in school...so I expect it will be very helpful. So far what I've done is sticking. Ok well it's sort of sticking. I have the same kind of forgetfullness issues.

Well, I hope the coloring book helps Seriously, people like you are the only reason I post on these threads. As long as someone finds my posts useful, I can deal with all the jerks on sdn

Other than that... I will be out all summer being as crazy as possible b/c I certainly did not do that as an undergrad. Hope you enjoy the coloring book by the pool or on the pretty white sand. Thanks again!

Yeah, I figure this is the last time I'll ever have money... so I might as well spend it on visiting friends and doing things I always wanted to do

 

[03Doc]

I was an engineering student before med school too, and the one thing I realized is that I had forgotten somewhat how to do plain rote memorization. So, I struggled in a lot of classes that needed that like Biochem and Gross.

Ditto on the coloring book, also maybe a book on study skills and memorization.
+ Lippincott's Biochem and Pharm (if you have Pharm 1st year)
+ Step 1 secrets (Step 1 after all is all that matters from your first 2 years) or Boards and Wards Step 1, maybe First Aid.

 

[tinkerbelle]

I was an engineering student before med school too, and the one thing I realized is that I had forgotten somewhat how to do plain rote memorization. So, I struggled in a lot of classes that needed that like Biochem and Gross.

Ditto on the coloring book, also maybe a book on study skills and memorization.
+ Lippincott's Biochem and Pharm (if you have Pharm 1st year)
+ Step 1 secrets (Step 1 after all is all that matters from your first 2 years) or Boards and Wards Step 1, maybe First Aid.

Yeah, that's one of the things that scares me... I can't memorize to save my life. I have to understand things in order to remember them. Hence why I did decently in my engineering classes and not so well in classes which required memorization.

My sixth graders gave me a whole bunch of BN gift cards, so I went ahead and bought First Aid and Lippincott's Biochem. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to study them though The books looked sort of boring. Coloring is so much more fun

 

[Blake]

OMG, are you serious?

Look out, another type A personality about to enter med school...

Enjoy your last few months before med school--please! Have you no friends, family, interests outside of school? Geez...

Trust me, you'll have plenty of time to "cram your *ss off" for your courses, and ultimately the boards (like I'm doing right now).

Here we go again. Another med student who feels threatened whenever classmates work harder than him. Tinkerbelle, don't listen to him and do whatever you feel like doing this summer. You'll meet plenty of med students who act like they're your parents. Screw them and just do your own thing

Good luck with MS1

 

[tinkerbelle]

Here we go again. Another med student who feels threatened whenever classmates work harder than him. Tinkerbelle, don't listen to him and do whatever you feel like doing this summer. You'll meet plenty of med students who act like they're your parents. Screw them and just do your own thing

Good luck with MS1

Thanks, Blake

 

[criminallyinane]

Yeah, that's one of the things that scares me... I can't memorize to save my life. I have to understand things in order to remember them. Hence why I did decently in my engineering classes and not so well in classes which required memorization.

Me too! I am awful at memorization! I used to be good at it back in the day, but now I can't come up with a good mnemonic to save my life. I like things that require conceptual understanding, that's how I remember stuff.

A friend of mine gave me their high-yield gross anatomy book, and since I have never had anatomy, I am leafing through it (not studying it, though) every now and then just to become familiar with the terms. I think stuff like that is more helpful in terms of reassuring ourselves that we can do this, rather than learning anything useful for school. I just like to feel a little more in control than I currently do (that's my type-A coming through) so it helps me feel more calm to just start thinking about these subjects, looking through some books, and trying to remember that I will be able to handle this workload... I think!

 

[KingofKats]

just want to be prepared and have some extra time thanks

Read something in the machiavellian genre. Medschool is a rough place. Everyone tries to play it cool a first but sooner or later you realize that medschool is less like college and more like being a courtier in the service of Louis XIV. Be politically savvy and be prepared. I'm serious.

 

[03Doc]

Sounds like you're being smart about it, Tinkerbelle - don't stress too much this summer, you have plenty of time IN med school for that...

 

[liger1980]

my best friend is at hopkins med -- don't listen to them. they're crazy! j/k. if that's where you're headed, you'll love it i'm sure. Agreed that people play the "i never study, why are you" game all the time, but I would also recommend laying off worrying about medical school right now. I really don't think casual reading right now will help you -- i was also an engineer in undergrad, and let me tell you, that change in thought process is substantial, so really the best way for me to learn the material was to fully delve myself into it during the course. I don't think remembering what the PIP joint is from the coloring book will ultimately help you, but just spending the summer reading or sitting outside certainly will help you relax before you start...I would esp. recommend this if you generally stress out during the school year, and if you're going to a fairly competitive school.
If you really feel compulsive about having to read, I would find out what our first block is on and read up on that. You will forget anything you learned during this casual study period by the time you hit anatomy if it's not what you start on, so maybe the best idea would be lippincott biochem or a basic cell bio book (though i find the subjects painfully boring).
Anyways, best of luck as you embark on this next phase...very exciting!!

 

[Medikit]

Plus, the terms are actually stinking in my head... which is amazing since I usually forget everything two days after I learn it

You stink, Tink

OMG, are you serious?

Look out, another type A personality about to enter med school...

You got her pegged man, keep on stinking in Davis

 

[fun8stuff]

you guys are crazy... if u consider it fun to study and inflict stress on yourself go for it. however, this is one of the last long breaks of your life (before retirement)... my advice would be to have some fun.

 

[UCSBMed1]

You stink, Tink



You got her pegged man, keep on stinking in Davis

I'm actually not in Davis anymore...

Oh and Chico is such the metropolitan area these days. What, they have two stop lights now, or what? You just jealous because the land up there is full of rednecks *and* barren?

To the OP: I'm only trying to help you out. You'll see once you start that you will regret thinking about school this summer. Enjoy it while you can. You can take that advice or leave, it; I'm just looking out for your own well being. Peace.

 

[Medikit]

Oh and Chico is such the metropolitan area these days. What, they have two stop lights now, or what? You just jealous because the land up there is full of rednecks *and* barren?

We just got our third . It's kind of strange that you advertise yourself as from northern California but you like bagging on the best city in the central valley .

 

[almostdoc1]

This thread caught my eye since I was thinking whether or not I should be preparing over the summer. Lucky for me, Jefferson has given us a book to read for our humanities in medicine class. I don't think it is crazy to be worried about how hard it is going to be. Being worried a little will keep you on your toes when it does start. But also, as much as anatomy is a lot of memorization, it is not a curse to only be able to learn by understanding. In fact, its better. If you REALLY understand something, then you will be able to remember it foever. If buying a coloring book and coloring helps you to relax and be prepared, then you should be doing it. Even if it means you have a TYPE A personality. I love coloring too, and was thinking about buying the same book because I enjoy doing that anyway. Besides, it is said that coloring helps people to relax by itself. Good luck to everyone though! Let me know if anyone is heading towards Jeff next year.

 

[DianaLynne]

For those of you who are memorization deprived, let me offer up this ray of hope. I used to be in theatre and it used to kill me to have to learn to memorize my lines. Though with time, my brain actually became better at it. So I'm convinced memorization is a skill and can be learned and practiced.

And for the record, I've been doing some light reading: Harry Potter and my anatomy book and a basic virology book.

 

[fpr85]

Why not just sign up for a non-credit A&P course (6 or 12 week) at your local community college?