Starting school - Need help

[spongebobdoc]

I just concluded my app cycle and will be attending a DO school in the fall. I regret not using SDN as a premed because I felt like it helped me in the regular app cycle. I aim to match anesthesiology or IM with a fellowship later on (will decide this after shadowing in the fall). I have a few questions about my school and what I should focus on.

My school has GPAs and utilizes a A-F grading system and ranking system. Should I focus on passing? Or getting the highest GPA possible? Will step be more important in regards to grades?

My school also has in house exams. I want to use step one decks to prepare ahead of time, but I know it won’t be enough to pass in house exams. Should I study from these decks then fill in gaps from lectures? Should I use decks other students have used from schools as well as Anking?

Regarding research, how many pubs would I need for anesthesiology? I am currently involved in an online research project where I’ll get a pub (surgically related). I also have an unrelated medical poster presentation.

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[theletterB]

I would highly recommend focusing entirely on nailing this first semester and getting a gauge for how your school's in-house exams go. At the end of the day, you need to pass those in-house exams first before you can take your boards, so those are your priority. Once you know you're passing is when you can shoot for top 10% of the class. It's a nice plus on your application, but if you're just not that student it doesn't matter. As long as you're 50th percentile in your class that's a good predictor for passing your boards.

Use whatever helps you get those passing in-house scores. If it's all of the board study materials in addition to studying your lecture material (Anki, Sketchy, Boards n Beyond, Pathoma) then do that. I personally loved Sketchy for pharm and micro, and Boards n Beyond as a supplement (sometimes substitute) for lecture material. But do not just start adding board study materials for the sake of Level 1.

To my knowledge anesthesia is not a research heavy specialty. But you may change your interests as you progress into your clinical rotations, so it's a good thing to have. But like I said, in-house exams are your priority. Then comes everything else, including research, as you can handle it.

It may seem like Level 1 and 2 (Step 2 especially if you stick with anesthesia) are these big looming clouds over you, but they're not. Your school most likely offers dedicated study for them, and you'll pass them when you need to. How you study is a path we all have to pave for ourselves in medical school, find it and stick with it. Make sure it includes time outside of medicine.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

The match game is evolving rapidly. Keep up with the changes. SDN is a great resource along with charting Outcomes to gage how well DO's match each specialty. Research for gas used to be unnecessary, now more and more applicants are showing up with publications. Things will only get more competitive in the next 3 yrs as more grads from.new schools, MD and DO enter the match. Also, get good LORs and audition well. A letter from a Chief or someone the program knows will also help.

 

[spongebobdoc]

I would highly recommend focusing entirely on nailing this first semester and getting a gauge for how your school's in-house exams go. At the end of the day, you need to pass those in-house exams first before you can take your boards, so those are your priority. Once you know you're passing is when you can shoot for top 10% of the class. It's a nice plus on your application, but if you're just not that student it doesn't matter. As long as you're 50th percentile in your class that's a good predictor for passing your boards.

Use whatever helps you get those passing in-house scores. If it's all of the board study materials in addition to studying your lecture material (Anki, Sketchy, Boards n Beyond, Pathoma) then do that. I personally loved Sketchy for pharm and micro, and Boards n Beyond as a supplement (sometimes substitute) for lecture material. But do not just start adding board study materials for the sake of Level 1.

To my knowledge anesthesia is not a research heavy specialty. But you may change your interests as you progress into your clinical rotations, so it's a good thing to have. But like I said, in-house exams are your priority. Then comes everything else, including research, as you can handle it.

It may seem like Level 1 and 2 (Step 2 especially if you stick with anesthesia) are these big looming clouds over you, but they're not. Your school most likely offers dedicated study for them, and you'll pass them when you need to. How you study is a path we all have to pave for ourselves in medical school, find it and stick with it. Make sure it includes time outside of medicine.

Thank you for your help. I’ll definitely try to focus on getting good grades on my exams first before focusing on anything else.

 

[spongebobdoc]

The match game is evolving rapidly. Keep up with the changes. SDN is a great resource along with charting Outcomes to gage how well DO's match each specialty. Research for gas used to be unnecessary, now more and more applicants are showing up with publications. Things will only get more competitive in the next 3 yrs as more grads from.new schools, MD and DO enter the match. Also, get good LORs and audition well. A letter from a Chief or someone the program knows will also help.

I definitely want to keep up with this website and make sure I’m proactive because I kinda wasn’t in undergrad.

 

[Splenda88]

The match game is evolving rapidly. Keep up with the changes. SDN is a great resource along with charting Outcomes to gage how well DO's match each specialty. Research for gas used to be unnecessary, now more and more applicants are showing up with publications. Things will only get more competitive in the next 3 yrs as more grads from.new schools, MD and DO enter the match. Also, get good LORs and audition well. A letter from a Chief or someone the program knows will also help.

Because 500-600k salary and 8-10 wks vacation are nice.