Link
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 4
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Hey guys,
For those of you that have started rotations: In your opinion/experience, what are the pros/cons of starting rotations before step 1? This is the situation that I find myself in, and I need a bit of perspective on this issue. Thanks!
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| retroviridae
Forum Guru
Topics: 29
Posts: 871
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pros are that it gives you perspective on the clinical questions. Cons are will you have the time to study for your step I while trying to master your clinical subjects. I took my exams years after finishing step I subjects in school, so I may be wrong on this, but I didn't think you really needed clinical experience to answer the step I questions. They are all designed to be clinically relevant, but in reality, they are not testing things you do or use on the wards. So my bias would be to get the test out of the way so you can focus on your clinics. Others may have a different opinion.
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| pinkangel
Forum Elite
Topics: 8
Posts: 272
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Link,
I was in the same position as you in 2001. I am an AMG who failed Step 1 before starting my clinical rotations at my US med school. I recommend getting it out of the way before rotations as the knowledge tested on the exam is fundamental to understanding and reinforcing the clinical concepts taught on the wards.
I got pimped by residents and attendings alike, especially in surgery, and did miserably. Basic things like what drugs cause a disulfuram like reaction, what type of drug is metronidazole, what is the virus implicated with roseola? Stuff like that I didn't know. :oops: My school didn't require students to pass step 1 prior to going onto clinical rotations, so I just followed the crowd and miraculously passed all my rotations. I graduated with the rest of my class in 2003 and passed Step 2 on my first attempt. If I had passed Step 1, I'm sure I would have gotten a much higher score on Step 2 because I didn't really understand the why behind the what - as Dr. Goljan says in his famous lectures. It's so important to know the why, especially during your clinical years. Otherwise, it will be hard to gear up for internship and survive if you don't know why you're giving your patient the treatment that your team and attending ordered.
If you need further convincing, go read the first entry of my diary - Pinkangel's daily diary on this forum.
Hope this helps. I wish you the best of luck.
pinkangel
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| Link
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 4
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Hey Pinkangel and Retro,
Yeah, it won't take much to convince me that taking the step 1 before rotations is ideal. It seems that the administration at my school will not allow me time off to study for the boards, and instead have scheduled me to start rotations starting New Year's Day with Ob/Gyne.
I took a semester long leave of absence during my first semester of second year because my mom passed away from metastatic breast cancer. I came back to school during my second semester of second year. And I am right now finishing up the semester that I had missed. I go to an osteopathic school, so since the USMLE is not required to graduate, they won't give me time off to study for it, nor will they give any time off to MS-3's. It's policy. So, I'm left with trying to study for step 1 while on rotation. It's a big mess. Don't know what to do about it.
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| lmbebo
Forum Elite
Topics: 36
Posts: 338
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how long has it been since you took the COMLEX?
is it absolutely necessary that you take the USMLE? You might want to ask if its really worth taking the USMLE on studentdoctor.net if you haven't already.
I'm not sure what the policy is about osteopathic students applying for residency and if they can withhold usmle scores or not.
Or if you take teh USMLE and don't score nearly as strong as you did on the COMLEX, issues like that.
worth looking into it.
I got lambasted at my pcom interview when asking about this stuff.
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| rofah2003
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 16
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Hi Link,
I am new to this forum but not new to the Steps. I say think long and hard before you jump into taking that test. Clinicals actually did help me but I am a visual learner and found it easier to put concepts into my mind when I actually saw a patient with COPD or heard a murmur on a live person. Anyway, it is a beast of an exam and like some others, I sort of rushed into taking Step 1 (more than once :roll: ) before I was ready.
Nothing wrong with studying while you are in your rotations and then taking a serious chunk of time to devote just to that once they are over. It sounds like you have gone through a lot and I am sure it wasn't easy. Since this is something tough you DO have control over it, think before you comit to it.
Either way, best of luck!
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