Would like to get your advice on my situation

[Joao]

Hi,

I am having a major dilemma whether I should take the board now or later. I would appreciate if you could offer me some advice on this matter.

I am an MD/PhD student about to begin PhD work. First 2 years of medschool was mediocre at best. I passed alrite but I put only 50% of my effort due to laziness/enjoying life. Because I felt that my path, micro, etc foundation was mediocre at best, I decided to take 5 months off after 2nd year to prepare for the board. First 3 months were terrible; very inneficient and unfocused. This month has been great. Thus far, I have been putting solid 9+ hours everyday. Although I still have 1 more month to prepare, I feel like I am running out of time and will not be able to review everything I need to review solidly (as I said, my basic sci foundation is not good).

Now I am debating whether I should postpone the board till after PhD. I could diligently review the board material little by little for about 3 years while I do research and take off 2 months after PhD for a focused preparation.

While I want to get done with the exam, I would like to obtain a good board score to help me land a spot in a competitive recidency program and partially absolve my mediocre yr 1,2 record.

Thanks for reading this long post and for your opinions!

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[Time]

I think you will have a hard time doing that. You will have to take classes during the first 2 years. Those will have very little to do with medicine at the best. And those may be more demanding than med school classes. In addition to that you will have to work in a lab. depending on which one you get to be in, you will have litlle/no time to think outside the 'research'.

and then there will be presentations to do, seminars to attend, etc....

in addition - and i think that this may be your worst enemy - you would have unnecessary stress to deal with.

the only advantage i can think of is that you would be better off than most of your classmates (mdphds) when back to m3.

not impossible to do, but you will have a VERY hard time doing it, while others will have fun. and given your current problems, dont you think that you may have to face the reality of cramming and actually taking the boards AND doing your thesis defense at the same time.....?

my 2 cents....

Hi,

I am having a major dilemma whether I should take the board now or later. I would appreciate if you could offer me some advice on this matter.

I am an MD/PhD student about to begin PhD work. First 2 years of medschool was mediocre at best. I passed alrite but I put only 50% of my effort due to laziness/enjoying life. Because I felt that my path, micro, etc foundation was mediocre at best, I decided to take 5 months off after 2nd year to prepare for the board. First 3 months were terrible; very inneficient and unfocused. This month has been great. Thus far, I have been putting solid 9+ hours everyday. Although I still have 1 more month to prepare, I feel like I am running out of time and will not be able to review everything I need to review solidly (as I said, my basic sci foundation is not good).

Now I am debating whether I should postpone the board till after PhD. I could diligently review the board material little by little for about 3 years while I do research and take off 2 months after PhD for a focused preparation.

While I want to get done with the exam, I would like to obtain a good board score to help me land a spot in a competitive recidency program and partially absolve my mediocre yr 1,2 record.

Thanks for reading this long post and for your opinions!

 

[uhhuh]

This is just my opinion but if you aren't sure you're ready after several months with only the boards to study for, how could you possibly think you'd be more ready after trying to study during grad school?

If it was me, I'd really try to bust my tail for the next month and go ahead and take it. Most students only have 1 month anyway. Of course if your scores on the nmbe cssa or q bank are saying you'll fail a week or 2 before the exam then maybe consider it. However, right now you should be focused on studying hard rather than thinking about putting the test off. You have no way of knowing how prepared you'll be after 1 month of intense studying.

Just my opinion, but to me it just sounds like you'd like to put this off a little longer out of fear and insecurity rather than evidence that you'll do poorly.

I'm not trying to be harsh or anything - just trying to tell you how it sounds.

 

[GenSurg]

I'd take the test and get it over with. With a PhD, your application for residency is going to look great. If you study for another month, you will probably do well and be on your way to MGH or BW for rad onc or ent.

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[saco]

I would absolutely advise against that. Study hard and get it over with. Finishing up a PhD four years from now will be stressful time especially when you have deadlines such as specific time in the year when you can join M3. Once you gey the PhD it will offset some of the deficiencies in your score. Especially since you'll be mostly applying for residencies with some research component. Just do it. 8 years is already a long time for med school, why extend.

 

[beanbean]

Take it now! Step one is something you never really feel ready for and I can't imagine trying to relearn all of M1 and M2 after getting your PhD.

Are you using Qbank? How is your average? Taken any practice exams yet? If you have been studying hard over the last couple of months you have probably reatained more than you think. Don't study everything to the depth that you needed to know it for classes. Expand on what is in FA and know it cold. Some subjects are higher yield than others, don't waste too much time in one of these areas and neglect the important subjects. Lastly, follow the advice of SDN and you will do fine.

 

[Evil Monkey]

take it now. you don't need to ace it since you are a MD/PhD. In our MSTP program, even students with less than average step 1 scores get into top programs. your publication record will open up a lot of doors regardless of your performance on step 1. do the best you can on it, but don't delay too much. 5 months is a crazy-long time to prepare.