when is the best time to take usmle????

[billsal]

i was just wondering if it was better to take step1 after finishing your basic sciences coureses before doing your clinical rotations because it will be more fresh in your head.of course take a semester or two to study for it.and then go back to school and do my clinical rotations and graduate already completing my step1 and working on my step2.or should i just wait and take them after i finish basic science courses?common sense tell me to do my first option but i could be wrong.

[Anonymous]

the best time to take step 1 is right after your 2nd yr (after basic sciences). u should be spending 2 yrs studying 4 it during the basic sciences and maybe take some time off to review or take a review course. step 2 should be taken sometime after your 3rd yr clinical cores are done. this is the way most u.s. med students do it and lots of u.s. hospitals wont let u do clinicals without step 1 scores anyways. plus step 1 material is from basic sciences and step 2 from 3rd yr cores so it makes more sense. best of luck.

[Anonymous]

can someone with a 17 on the mcat (with a 3.75 science gpa) pass the boards. I am considering not going into medicine b/c I just might not be smart enough

[Cadusma]

If medicine is your dream, then don't let anything get in your way ... go for it!

On the other hand, if you have doubts about pursuing medicine, then take some time off and pursue other interests.