Traditional wisdom says to take the summer off to recharge between first and second year as that is the only summer you will have off agin in a long time.
Conventional wisdom and advice also say that one should prepare for the USMLE/COMLEX the same way you prepped for the MCAt and other standardized tests.
So what does one do when these two pieces of advice collide??
I know from the first time I took the MCAT with about 5 months prep that I am the type of person who needs more than 5-6 months to prepare. The last time I took the MCAT, I prepped for the better part of a year, spending time on the areas where I was weak. And my score was siginificantly better becuase of it.
Yet I am not supposed to be doing anything this summer, I am supposed to be relxaing....that is what many of my fellow students are doing. They are taking vacations, enjoying time off and just chilling out.
Yet, since I am not traditional, I am chosing notto follow traditional advice. As of a few days ago I officially started the prep for the USMLE/COMLEX Step 1 exams I will be taking next year around this time. I am taking this summer to review the areas in which I am stronger as well as shore up the areas in which I am weaker.
Sometimes I feel like I am playing chess while others are playing checkers. I am thinking eighteen moves ahead and planning and carefully thinking about what steps to take and what path is the best. I am thinking about how to best maximize my chances at getting a residency in this area, since we have the house here and my husbands job is here when I know that is the furthest thing from some of my classmates mind. But I think it is just part of being a non-traditional student. We need to think ahead, we need to plan ahead. Our lives are much more complicated than our traditional counterparts....we have other factors and people to consider....we do not always have the luxury of picking up and going just anywhere.
So here is to breaking the cardinal rule :)
Good for you! It depends on what you are thinking you may want to go in to- but my husband also recommends now to 1st years that if they want something competitive, this summer is the perfect time to discuss a research project with your school too. He wishes he had.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be happy with your choice when all of your classmates are stressing and cramming in April =)
I read all of your posts. Congratulations, on getting through with first year. I am sure you will become a great doctor one day...
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog! I am also a very "nontraditional applicant," and I found your blog while working on my secondaries. I am terrified for so many reasons. Reading about your experience gives me hope and assurance that this is possible. Thank you again and congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongrats and good choice!! Non traditional do have a lot on their plate. I finished my DDS 10 years ago as a traditional student and hopefully start next fall as a non - traditional DO student!!
ReplyDeleteWith the exam being a year away you can study at your own pace -- exactly what I would have chosen to do!