studying for rotations

[dr1234]

Hi everyone, can anyone tell me how/what is the best way to study during rotations. Is it better to just read randomly the textbooks assigned to us (in addition to FirstAid, blueprints,etc.) ?? since there is no lecutes and no guidance as to what to read specifically.
Thank you.

[NYladoo]

Hi everyone, can anyone tell me how/what is the best way to study during rotations. Is it better to just read randomly the textbooks assigned to us (in addition to FirstAid, blueprints,etc.) ?? since there is no lecutes and no guidance as to what to read specifically.
Thank you.

Depends on the rotation. IM: Uptodate.com, journal articles, Cecil's/Harrison's, USMLE STEP 2 Review books (kaplan is good). You can't just use source, you need multiple to learn things well.

OB/GYN: Blueprints, Uptodate.com, and OB/GYN text (if you're interested in going into OB/GYN).

Pediatrics: Blueprints, USMLE STEP 2 Review books, Uptodate.com (do you see a pattern?), and other books your preceptor may recommend (my preceptor lent us several texts at the start of the rotation).

Surgery: USMLE STEP 2 Review books, Blueprints, text recommended by school (I found it help when grilled by one particular attending), Baby Moore (if you need a review of anatomy), and of course, uptodate.com.

Psych: Blueprints, USMLE STEP 2 Review books, and uptodate.com.

Just my opinion based on experience.

[rokshana]

you forgot surgery recall!

[NYladoo]

you forgot surgery recall!

I couldn't recall the title, lol. :);)

[clive]

does the school/hospital give you access to uptodate?

[NYladoo]

does the school/hospital give you access to uptodate?

I think most if not all hospitals have access to uptodate.

[mortigitempo]

I say you party it up, go out to the city every other day, start up a band, watch a lot of movies, see baseball games on a nightly basis.... and then take 2 months, kill your boards like a mo-fo.... and all is good. Its all about your Steps. Sure, it feels good to get an "A" in your clinical rotations, but my experience from match and interviewing is as a FMG, they look at your Step scores. I know a couple of friends who had all B's for clinicals but outstanding step scores and matched at some stellar institutions.

[NYladoo]

I say you party it up, go out to the city every other day, start up a band, watch a lot of movies, see baseball games on a nightly basis.... and then take 2 months, kill your boards like a mo-fo.... and all is good. Its all about your Steps. Sure, it feels good to get an "A" in your clinical rotations, but my experience from match and interviewing is as a FMG, they look at your Step scores. I know a couple of friends who had all B's for clinicals but outstanding step scores and matched at some stellar institutions.

ORRRRRRRRRRRRRR.... you could study, work hard AND match into a stellar program AND become an excellent physician. Scoring highly on the Steps and matching into a competitive residency shouldn't be an end point, but a stepping stone towards a lifelong career. Also, by not working your hardest during clerkship, you gives the naysayers more fuel for making disparaging statements about IMGs/FMGs and their quality vs. American medical graduates.

[mortigitempo]

ORRRRRRRRRRRRRR.... you could study, work hard AND match into a stellar program AND become an excellent physician; not one that knows what to do sometimes or when needed, but all the time.

I never said don't study at all. Just read now and then. 3rd and 4th year of medical school are supposed to be a joyous vacation. You should be learning for fun, not stressing yourself out like when we were in the islands trying to study for tests written in German and translated to English. Then when Step 2 rolls around, you'll realize that everything you picked up in the hospital was worthless because everyone does something different than the "standard". So why confuse yourself even more? Besides, say you want to go to Radiology... why should you care about how to do a DNC on a 16 year old who doesn't know how to use birth control properly and whose 28 year old BF just knocked her? Just get that nice step score and relax till residency. Thats where the real hard work and studying comes.

[NYladoo]

I never said don't study at all. Just read now and then. 3rd and 4th year of medical school are supposed to be a joyous vacation. You should be learning for fun, not stressing yourself out like when we were in the islands trying to study for tests written in German and translated to English. Then when Step 2 rolls around, you'll realize that everything you picked up in the hospital was worthless because everyone does something different than the "standard". So why confuse yourself even more? Besides, say you want to go to Radiology... why should you care about how to do a DNC on a 16 year old who doesn't know how to use birth control properly and whose 28 year old BF just knocked her? Just get that nice step score and relax till residency. Thats where the real hard work and studying comes.

It's about having a strong work ethic and working your way towards becoming the type of physician you would like to be.