Inaugural Class Needs Advice

[CryptoMed]

Hey everyone,
I'm part of the inaugural class of a medical school and we just had our first exams. Let's just say that it was so bad they're not counting our midterms. I was hoping someone could suggest some review material that I should look into to supplement my studying, especially for the scientific foundations courses. Board-style review questions would be awesome since our exams have those kinds of questions yet our professors don't give us any to review with. Being an inaugural class, we don't have upperclassmen to turn to for advice, and we're all starting to doubt our abilities. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

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[DrStephenStrange]

Boards and beyond +/- zanki for now. In 2nd year, UFAPS + Boards and beyond +/- zanki and you'll be set for boards.

 

[CryptoMed]

I just got the boards and beyond material, and I have the AnKing anki deck which I believe includes Zanki. However, I don't feel like those are good resources yet as I don't have the foundational understanding of concepts down being in week 5 and those materials appear to be based on already having a good grasp of them.

 

[Tiran145]

Boards and beyond is my fav.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Must be ICOM

ICOM already has 3 classes.

 

[Goro]

Hey everyone,
I'm part of the inaugural class of a medical school and we just had our first exams. Let's just say that it was so bad they're not counting our midterms. I was hoping someone could suggest some review material that I should look into to supplement my studying, especially for the scientific foundations courses. Board-style review questions would be awesome since our exams have those kinds of questions yet our professors don't give us any to review with. Being an inaugural class, we don't have upperclassmen to turn to for advice, and we're all starting to doubt our abilities. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Your Faculty need more help than you do!

Ask them to start an exam review committee. This will help vet bad questions.

Faculty should also be diligent as to item analysis and adjust their teaching accordingly.

Do your faculty give practice items? They better!

 

[Wjldenver]

I believe OP is at Sam Houston State. It is really a risk to go to a new school. It takes a while to work out all of the kinks curriculum-wise.

 

[YeOleBoneWiz]

I believe OP is at Sam Houston State. It is really a risk to go to a new school. It takes a while to work out all of the kinks curriculum-wise.

if ever, DO schools often have the worst faculty. people who couldn't get jobs at MD schools.

 

[Sardonix]

if ever, DO schools often have the worst faculty. people who couldn't get jobs at MD schools.

And the shining light among them is Goro, holding it all together.

(And also on probationary status apparently WTH?!)

 

[cookiegrub]

I just got the boards and beyond material, and I have the AnKing anki deck which I believe includes Zanki. However, I don't feel like those are good resources yet as I don't have the foundational understanding of concepts down being in week 5 and those materials appear to be based on already having a good grasp of them.

I used pathoma, uworld, and anki. These 3 resources will get you far if we are just talking boards. Never got around to B&B but watched a couple videos and think I would have been too slow to go through their videos during dedicated; but I think it would have been a solid resource over lectures.

 

[deleted480308]

And the shining light among them is Goro, holding it all together.

(And also on probationary status apparently WTH?!)

I’m assuming some truth stung a poster somewhere and they got all in their feelings

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

I’ve been using anking and boards and beyond. The B&B is a nice supplement when you don’t understand a topic well or want a different perspective, but anking has helped me immensely in retaining the knowledge that I have learned

 

[Goro]

And the shining light among them is Goro, holding it all together.

(And also on probationary status apparently WTH?!)

Many thanks for the kind words. Falcon is projecting, being stuck at a bad school.

I've met some wonderful Faculty at DO schools. They're there because they want to teach; not everybody wants a lab and the grants rat race. At least at my school, we look for evidence of teaching experience. That's what got me my job.

Granted, it probably IS harder to attract better teachers at the rural schools. In the past, I toyed with the idea of sending a CV to Noorda and MUCOM, but VCOM-LA? ICOM? Burrel? No way!

 

[Damson]

Many thanks for the kind words. Falcon is projecting, being stuck at a bad school.

I've met some wonderful Faculty at DO schools. They're there because they want to teach; not everybody wants a lab and the grants rat race. At least at my school, we look for evidence of teaching experience. That's what got me my job.

Granted, it probably IS harder to attract better teachers at the rural schools. In the past, I toyed with the idea of sending a CV to Noorda and MUCOM, but VCOM-LA? ICOM? Burrel? No way!

What if in 15 years I start my own university in australia and invite you take on a full prof position

In all seriousness btw

 

[Goro]

What if in 15 years I start my own university in australia and invite you take on a full prof position

Not totally kidding by the way

I'm hoping that I will still be alive in 15 years! Getting old sucks!

 

[Damson]

Boards and beyond +/- zanki for now. In 2nd year, UFAPS + Boards and beyond +/- zanki and you'll be set for boards.

What about Brosencephaon?

I heard sources say that Zanki-ing helps memorization but not deep understanding and learning. Thoughts?

 

[Damson]

I'm hoping that I will still be alive in 15 years! Getting old sucks!

yeah you'll be alive. we'll coordinate over a beer

 

[fldoctorgirl]

I heard sources say that Zanki-ing helps memorization but not deep understanding and learning. Thoughts?

Fake news. Zanki helps you nail things down and then you use practice questions to tie the big picture together. The only people who say this are people who are just resistant to getting on board with flashcards. Zanki + practice questions + Pathoma = success.

 

[Cornfed101]

What about Brosencephaon?

I heard sources say that Zanki-ing helps memorization but not deep understanding and learning. Thoughts?

If you don’t try maybe. I’m using Anking, which is based heavily on Zanki and there are tons of stuff you should be reading through in the notes of cards you don’t fully understand.

also get the AMBOSS add on. It links all the medical words in any part of your cards to the AMBOSS database. Super legit

 

[hallowmann]

Hey everyone,
I'm part of the inaugural class of a medical school and we just had our first exams. Let's just say that it was so bad they're not counting our midterms. I was hoping someone could suggest some review material that I should look into to supplement my studying, especially for the scientific foundations courses. Board-style review questions would be awesome since our exams have those kinds of questions yet our professors don't give us any to review with. Being an inaugural class, we don't have upperclassmen to turn to for advice, and we're all starting to doubt our abilities. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

I'm pretty sure I remember my school purposefully making the first exam super hard, but also making it count the least of all exams to "shock" us into studying harder (and it worked), but not ruining our grades. Not to imply this is definitely what's happening, but it might be and its not that unusual for the very first quiz or exam to count less towards your final grades. Most likely people will adjust.

You got great advice above on independent resources to use (half of them barely existed when I went to school), so I won't jump in on those. My biggest advice would be to focus on learning the basic concepts as much as you can. Try to think about how that connects clinically (how this underlying anatomy or biochemical process could become disordered), because I think that helps most people internalize and solidify information rather than rote memorization. But ultimately its up to how you learn best. Don't be afraid to try different methods. We've all been there before, eventually something clicks, and we learn "how" to study (it won't feel like a click, it'll be gradual, but you'll notice it when you think back to the beginning of the year).

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Many thanks for the kind words. Falcon is projecting, being stuck at a bad school.

I've met some wonderful Faculty at DO schools. They're there because they want to teach; not everybody wants a lab and the grants rat race. At least at my school, we look for evidence of teaching experience. That's what got me my job.

Granted, it probably IS harder to attract better teachers at the rural schools. In the past, I toyed with the idea of sending a CV to Noorda and MUCOM, but VCOM-LA? ICOM? Burrel? No way!

Our Physiologist gives the best muscle spindle lecture I've ever seen, in person or on the internet. My wife was an MD student at a major east coast university., and dont think for a minute all of her Instructors were fantastic. She had plenty of duds. I do agree that inaugural classes face tougher challenges as all the kinks get worked out of the faculty and curriculum.

 

[Mass Effect]

Very confused by your post. First you say you just had your "first exams". Then you say they are not counting your "midterms". I have never seen a school where the "first exams" were called "midterms". Are they not counting the scores for your "first exams"? Are your "first exams" being called "midterms"?
Imo "board style" questions are usually just multiple choice questions that require a firm knowledge of the material and the ability to apply that knowledge.
Here are some solid ideas: My Approach to Board Style Questions

There are schools that only have midterms and finals per block.

 

[DO2015CA]

I'm hoping that I will still be alive in 15 years! Getting old sucks!

Dead in 15 years?!? No way, don't believe it. You use the internet too well to be a boomer

 

[Damson]

Dead in 15 years?!? No way, don't believe it. You use the internet too well to be a boomer

Exactly my thought

Though I'd like @Goro to spend bit less time on SDN, more activities that increase longevity. We cannot lose you dude

 

[CryptoMed]

Very confused by your post. First you say you just had your "first exams". Then you say they are not counting your "midterms". I have never seen a school where the "first exams" were called "midterms". Are they not counting the scores for your "first exams"? Are your "first exams" being called "midterms"?
Imo "board style" questions are usually just multiple choice questions that require a firm knowledge of the material and the ability to apply that knowledge.
Here are some solid ideas: My Approach to Board Style Questions

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. Our scientific foundations courses are in two 9-week blocks and considered separate classes. Each class only has two exams, a midterm and final, so the midterm was the first exam. Now that the midterm was not counted, almost all of my course grade will come from a cumulative final.

 

[CryptoMed]

You have all been so helpful. I'm sure I'll figure out a way to rock this class by the final. I'm doing very well in everything else, but the lack of review questions for this one class has really been a killer so far. Def gonna get on those Anki cards and try some other materials mentioned.

 

[Goro]

You have all been so helpful. I'm sure I'll figure out a way to rock this class by the final. I'm doing very well in everything else, but the lack of review questions for this one class has really been a killer so far. Def gonna get on those Anki cards and try some other materials mentioned.

Keep pestering your Faculty on this! Be sure to not only go to Faculty in question, but also thier Chair, the Dean of Curriculum and the Dean him/herself.

 

[bnedr431]

Definitely watch the boards and beyond videos to help learn content. Amboss is another good resource along with the others previously mentioned. If the professors don't provide learning objectives maybe ask if some can be provided for each lecture? I would hope they have focus groups with student affairs or some kind of anonymous feedback mechanism that students can utilize regarding the curriculum.