Island Med Student

Okay, since many people have asked, I thought I’d share my Step 1 studying schedule with the world. As I’ve said a million times before, this is simply what works for me. Please don’t take my advice as the gospel. And consult your doctor for actual medical advice! Plus, I still haven’t taken the Step, so that’s yet another reason not to believe me! But I do plan on letting you all know how I actually do. Here are answers to some questions about how I studied.

What books did I use? The core of my studying revolves around First Aid, which I read front to back. But I also had copies of most of the High Yields, Board Review Series, Rapid Reviews, and The USMLE Step 1 Made Ridiculously Simple, which I used as secondary resources, but didn’t necessarily read front to back.

Which questions did I use? I used both the USMLERx and Kaplan QBank online question databases. However, I focused more on the QBank questions, as they seemed to be more difficult.

What are the NBME tests? They are the tests available for purchase off the NBME’s website. They are supposed to be the closest thing to the actual Step. (I mean, they are the ones who actually write the Step!)

What do I mean by Rapid Review? I mean very, very high yield. I will use the Rapid Review section of First Aid, and any other very high yield resources I can find.

Why did I include relaxation time before the test? Because it’s been shown to improve your scores, of course! Give your brain some time to relax and let all the info sink in before you take the test, silly!

Why didn’t I study on the weekends? I basically tried to only study Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. While that was my “goal,” it didn’t always work out that way. But again, that’s what I aimed for. I figured that I didn’t need to torture myself any more than that, and again, breaks help everything sink in.

Why only a month to study? Well, I did fairly well in my classes in med school. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of everything, I just needed to review it all. So, I didn’t spend as much time studying as some people do. This was just a personal choice for me. I’m not sure if it was the right one. We shall see.

Okay, so the schedule is below. Here’s how it works. Let’s take the first day, for example. What I would do is read the appropriate chapter in First Aid for that day. The first day, I read the biochemistry chapter. Then I logged onto the online question databases, and checked “biochemistry” under “disciplines” and “select all” under “organ systems.” I also checked “tutor mode” under “test style” and “unused + incorrect only” under “question reuse mode.” That way, I was doing all the relevant biochem questions, and only being tested on ones that I didn’t get correct the first time. I chose “tutor mode” so that I could immediately get the correct answer, and also an explanation. My goal was to do as many questions as possible for that subject. Somtimes I did them all, and sometimes I didn’t have time for that (which is good, because it saves some for the end when I do “ALL” questions). I would guess that I averaged around 200-300 questions a day. I’d say that’s pretty good.

Okay, I think that’s it. Let me know if you have any questions! Here is the day by day breakdown:

1-May Biochemistry + Questions
2-May Behavioral + Cell Biology / Histology + Questions
5-May Anatomy / Embryology + Questions
6-May Physiology + Questions
7-May Physiology + Questions
8-May Microbiology / Immunology + Questions
9-May Microbiology / Immunology + Questions
12-May Pharmacology + Questions
13-May Pharmacology + Questions
14-May Pathology + Questions
15-May Pathology + Questions
16-May Cardiology + Respiratory + Questions
19-May Endocrine + GI + Questions
20-May Hematology/Lymphatics + Nervous + Musculoskeletal + Questions
21-May Renal + Reproductive + Questions
22-May Review ALL + Questions
23-May Review ALL + Questions
26-May NBME Exams
27-May NBME Exams
28-May Rapid Review
29-May Chill / Rapid Review
30-May Exam

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Many people have written me asking about whether or not they should do their 5th semester here in Dominica at Princess Margaret Hospital. My personal opinion? YES! I thought it was an absolutely fabulous experience, and I think it’s better than going to Miami. I’m sure some people disagree, but this is my own opinion. Here are a list of positives and negatives with regard to staying:

Positives:

1) I think that the experience at PMH is much more hands on. I think a combination of the laws in Dominica and the doctors who teach at PMH makes the learning more interactive. I saw many patients. I was allowed to perform many procedures like starting lines, putting in catheters, doing digital rectal exams, and intubating. From what I’ve heard from students in Miami, you just don’t get that much hands on experience there.

2) You get to see more stuff. Again, from what I know from Miami students, here at PMH you see more stuff. I saw many operations, procedures, histories taken, etc. The exposure is awesome. Not only is there more exposure, but I think you see a broader range of pathologies. I saw someone with tertiary syphilis. You probably won’t get to see this in the States.

3) There are less students here. Less students seems to mean that the doctors have more time to teach. You’re not competing with hundreds of other students for the doctors’ time.

4) You have more time to study here. Again, this is compared to what I know from Miami students. They seem to have more required classroom time, which means less time to study. I can promise you that I had more than enough time to study for 5th semester classes AND plenty of time to study for the Step.

5) It’s cheaper here and there is less traveling involved. This is self explanatory. Not moving means less money spent. It’s cheaper to live here than in Miami. Moving sucks. Not going to Miami means one less move. (You still might move to Roseau, but this is a lot easier than moving to Miami.)

Negatives:

1) You’re in Dominica. Some people simply don’t like living here. If you can’t stand living here for 12 more weeks, I guess you should go to Miami.

2) They have official Step Review courses available in Miami. I’m not sure how they work, but I know they exist. They have review classes here given by Ross professors, but it’s not the same. If you think you absolutely need the courses, you might want to consider Miami. I personally prefer studying without the courses, but that’s just me.

3) PMH is less equipped than the hospital in Miami. There is no MRI at PMH and the CT scanner breaks sometimes. So, you won’t have as much exposure to some technologies. Some people think this is bad, I actually think it’s good. You have to rely more on your history and physical exam skills here. I think it’s a good opportunity to brush up on your important skills. You have the rest of your medical career to learn how to interpret MRIs.

That’s all I can think of for now. I’ll add more to the list later if anything comes up. Let me know if you have any questions!

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Someone recently wrote me asking me specifically how I study information for an exam. As I’ve said before, I’m just writing about what works for ME. I make no claims that this will work for you. But since people are curious, I thought I’d share. Here’s my basic study plan for most exams:

1) I watch the lecture (most people actually attend it…I try to review the lecture notes before I watch). On the same day, I review every lectures’ notes once (I print out the Powerpoint handouts…but also keep an electronic copy).

2) On the weekend, I review all lecture notes a second time (either paper, electronic, or both, depending upon the class…for path, you need to see the pics in color) and make a “high yield” document. This is one big electronic file with short notes arranged by subject and lecture topic. I find this to be a great way of doing it, because I end up with one big searchable file that I can quickly use to find information. I just write down the high yield info, and any mnemonics that I make up. I also read books and look at review materials (like First Aid) on the weekends.

3) On the last few days before the exam, I review the lecture notes for the third time (and reference the “high yield” file if necessary).

4) Then, on the very last day before the exam, I just review my “high yield” document, to help remember the big picture.

Note: Depending on how much time I have, I also like to do practice questions (books, online, etc.). But I don’t do the questions until I think I have a good handle on the info, otherwise I think it’s a waste of time. I also look up the explanations for why I got a question wrong.

Okay, there you have it all ye curious souls!

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Check out my post on Medscape about studying for big exams. And if you desire more, check out this longer post I wrote a while back on studying in general, which has some of the same tips.

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I’ve received some emails from students about making it through their first semester here at Ross University. Here is a list (I’ve probably missed some things that I’ll add later), which may be helpful. If you’re an old skool Rosser like me, feel free to add anything that I’ve missed.

1) The first week is crazy, and you’re figuring everything out. Try to not get stressed out, and just roll with the punches .

2) The printroom is especially crazy the first week. If you need to print stuff, try to do it early in the morning or late at night when the library isn’t a zoo. Otherwise you will wait 100 years to get your stuff, and everyone is freaking out (which is super stressful).

3) Many first semesters are immature and they bitch A LOT! Try not to get dragged down in their crap.

4) Focus on developing a good study schedule that works for YOU. But don’t be upset if you have to try a few different approaches before you figure out one that works for you.

5) Expect lines everywhere (the bank, Subway, library, etc). Nothing will be short and sweet.

6) Figure out how you want to take notes—electronic or paper, etc. If you do choose to go electronic, make sure you back up your data somewhere in case your computer freaks out on you (like mine did). If you decide to print out your lectures, don’t forget to print them double sided (and I like to do 6 slides per page). Otherwise you’ll have more paper than you can handle in a few weeks.

7) Don’t feel like you have to study EVERY second. You don’t. Trust me. Study well, but don’t study every second, otherwise you’ll burn out early. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

8 ) There are many helpful files floating around on campus. Ask any upperclassman, and they will most likely give you copies. If not, let me know and I will be more than happy to give them to you.

9) Getting adjusted to the island isn’t easy. Like most things, it takes time. Try your best to relax and realize that you’re in a new country, with new rules. You can’t expect everything here to be like it was back home.

For more tips on studying, you can check out this post.

Note: The pic above was taken today. Look closely, it’s me, and my pups Scope and Molly in our standard post-studying /post-eating naptime scene.

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Since I keep getting this question, I thought I’d share what I know. The following is simply an ESTIMATE of what you might pay for cost of living here at Ross. Obviously, it will vary based on how many times you go out to eat, blast your AC, etc.

Here is what you can expect to pay per month in US Dollars:

Rent: $300 - $1,200 (This completely depends on where you live and the amenities. See this post.

Water: Usually included in the rent

Electricity: $30 - $225 ($30 if you never use the AC, $225 if you blast it.)

Cable/Internet: Usually included in rent (Otherwise I think it’s around $50.)

Food: $200 - $1000 (Depending on whether you cook your own food or eat at Subway, etc.)

Phone: $20 - $80 (For cell phone minutes. Very few people have landline phones. Also, depends on how much you use them. Skype is way cheaper for calling home!)

Laundry: $25

School Supplies (excluding books): $60

Entertainment: $50 - $300 (Obviously, this depends on what you like to do!)

Okay, I hope that helps!

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I’ve received a lot of emails regarding Ross’s clinical clerkships, so I thought I’d write a short post and tell everyone what I know. I have to confess though, that since I haven’t actually been through the process yet, I can’t claim to know much. The only info I have is from what Ross has told me, and what I’ve heard from students who are in their clerkships or have already graduated. Once I actually begin my rotations, I’ll be able to write more intelligently about them.

You do your first four semesters of basic sciences here in Dominica. You can then do your fifth semester (advanced intro to clinical medicine) in Miami, or you now have the option to do it at the hospital here in Roseau (you have to actually get accepted to do it here, though I’ve heard it’s not all that competitive anymore). You then have to take and pass the USMLE Step 1. Once you’ve done that, you are eligible to begin your clinical rotations at various hospitals. (Actually, there may be a few rotations that you could do w/o having passed the Step 1, but I’m unclear as to how that works, and you’d still have to eventually pass it, but I think they might let you start tentatively.)
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Okay, this is another one of those posts that I’ve had on my “to-do” list for quite some time. I think I’ve received more emails asking about Ross Housing than any other topic. Apologies to any of you who have been waiting for a response from me. I have been seriously busy lately, so I haven’t had the time to respond to a lot of emails. Hopefully this post will answer some of your questions. Here are some answers to some of the most popular questions that I’ve received regarding housing at Ross:
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Since so many people seemed to be interested in the Ross Scholars/Pace program that I mentioned in my last post, I thought I should give some more information about it. The program was developed a few years ago with the idea that some students do not learn best through the standard didactic teaching approach. Instead of just going to class and being lectured to by a professor for hours every day, the founders of the program thought that some students might learn better via a more interactive and independent program. The Scholars Program was born. I’m not actually sure if Mediasite was available before the Scholars program, but I know that the program is based on Scholars students being able to use the site. (As I mentioned in my previous post, Mediasite provides online video recordings of all lectures.)
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This is a blog entry that I’ve been meaning to write for quite a while. Please note upfront that these are simply MY opinions, based on my experience in undergrad and in med school. I am certainly not an expert on studying. I only know what has worked for me, what has not worked for me, and what I have observed from other people. The strategy that I’m currently using seems to work very well for me, but that in no way means that it will work for everyone. I think everyone needs to find their own study groove, though there are some tips that I think can benefit most people. Also please note that some of this advice relates to Ross University specifically. I’ve never attended another med school, so I can’t claim to know how it works at other universities. Here goes:

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