Separate Cards in Current Block From Old Blocks

I just finished my first block of M1. I want to keep up my reviews from previous blocks, but I also need to focus on in-house exams as well.

I'm wondering what the best way to separate new cards from old cards would be? Ideally, I would like to just spend around 1 hour a day going through old reviews and the rest of my time focusing on in-house stuff and then I could go back to my old reviews if I have the time and energy.

I'm wondering if anyone has a good way to do this?

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u/topiary566 — 1 day ago
▲ 1 r/step1

Long-term Habits for Step 1 Prep?

OMS-1 here. My goal is to hopefully take step 1 as early as possible so I have time to chill after M2.

As for what I'm doing, I'm just going through bootcamp and unsuspending anking corresponding with in-house sections and I'm hoping to keep up with my reviews in perpetuity so it is more fresh.

I was talking to a third year and he recommended just watching one sketchy pharm or micro video every day regardless of what section you're doing in house and unsuspending the corresponding anking cards.

I'm wondering if anyone else has any more other term habits they would recommend early on to make step 1 studying less crammed?

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u/topiary566 — 7 days ago

How to approach research now with ERAS changes?

What's the best strategy with ERAS applications with the changes to research?

I'm your stereotypically ortho gunner and I was already mentally getting prepared to start pumping out low-impact research. I'm assuming it's gonna be more quality over quantity and I just want a few really high impact clubs with a reputable lab, but idk if anyone has any ideas what the best strategy is now?

Either way, I hate that research is so emphasized and I would rather spend my time volunteering or just learning medicine better, but this is the game we're all playing.

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u/topiary566 — 12 days ago

Matching Ophtho out of a DO school

I'm just starting OMS1, but I'm very interested in ophtho after working as an ophtho tech and doing some overseas medical work at an eye hospital.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any MD acceptance so I'll be fighting a bit of an uphill battle. I'm wondering what tips there are other than the general advice of doing well in classes, getting into research early, and doing well on step 2?

I'm in Philly so there are a lot of connections here with eye hospitals. My school doesn't seem to have many direct research opportunities so I would have to start cold emailing and applying for programs.

I'm also wondering what kind of signs tell if a lab is good research for medical students or not and if it's a good idea. In my experience during undergrad I was in a very good lab, but it was not good for students. It was all vivarium work and they only published very good research infrequently in high impact journals which is great for science but not the best resume boost and I spent way too much time taking care of mice.

I am considering a research year as well. Would it would be better after M2 or after M3?

Either way, i'd be happy to do FM (I'd be happy with any specialty tbh), but I like eyes a lot and want to build some foundation earlier on if possible. I might decide during rotations that I want to do something else, but I figured I should just aim for the most competitive one that I'm interested in.

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u/topiary566 — 23 days ago

Do non-medical publications have any use for residency applications?

I'm just starting M1, but I got a MA in theology over a gap year. I really enjoy academic theology and might continue studying it on my own and maybe expand on some of my master's projects to go deeper and publish something for funsies.

I'm wondering if Residencies would care in the slightest? Of course spending the time on something medical related would be better purely from a career standpoint and I'm gonna spend plenty of time doing that, but I like to have intellectual hobbies outside of school.

I might just go and do this regardless if I have the time, but I'm wondering if it could be useful at all.

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u/topiary566 — 1 month ago
▲ 31 r/ems

Oxygen saturation in the teens?

I had an overdose the other day, and when we picked up him the pulse ox went into the teens. I thought that thing was gonna go single digits for a second. That was with a good pleth, tachycardic, and normotensive. Bro was also soaking wet with agonal respirations, pin, hx of drug abuse, reported normal earlier in the day, and we found a straw and some goodies in his pockets (and idk what they’re cutting with these days) so we were pretty sure nothing else was happening besides the drugs. My man was fried and probably would have went into arrest 10-15 minutes later. We ventilated, got good chest rise, put in an NPA, and narcanned which rose the SPO2 to the 70s with a BVM at 15 lpm, and flew to the hospital.

I’m wondering if that saturation could have been accurate at all or if anyone has seen a saturation like that. I’ve seen it go into the 50s but never close to single digits with good pleth and perfusion on a warm body. Not sure if he’s got an anoxic brain injury or if he’s fully cooked, but we did everything we could.

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u/topiary566 — 2 months ago

How much to take out in loans

I got accepted to a school and my tuition will be 55k. With rent and living expenses, my total cost per year will probably be around 80k. My parents said they can pay my first year of tuition, but can't pay the housing and living expenses. After that I'm gonna be on my own.

From working over a gap year, I've saved around 50k sitting a HYSA.

Plan A is to just take out the 50k of federal this year and take out 50k every year.

Plan B is to hold off on federal loans this year and start taking them out year 2. I can cover living expenses out of pocket years 1 and 2, but then years 3 and 4 I might have take out some private loans on top of federal loans to cover the difference.

I tried some private loans, but the best interest rate I got was 12% since my parents won't cosign so that isn't an option unless I can find a better rate in the 3rd or 4th year.

Either way, I'll live. However, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

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u/topiary566 — 2 months ago

Ways to max Roth IRA in medical school

Not gonna go into too much depth on the details, but I mathed out my situation and I'd like to continue maxing my Roth IRA in medical school.

However, I don't plan to work at all (at least for the sake of making money) to focus on school. I was thinking of picking up some shifts as an EMT or something, but I'd rather spend the time studying or doing ECs which are useful for a residency app or things I'm actually interested in. I'm wondering if there are things like research stipends or some other ways to get taxable income as a medical student.

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u/topiary566 — 2 months ago

How do residencies view global health research?

So I'm matriculating into med school this summer and currently gooning off my last few weeks before starting.

Over the last year I was involved in some global health stuff, and I have a strong interest in the subject. Mainly in making things which are actually sustainable and don't disappear when the white doctors leave.

Some of the organizations had a lot of data for me to go through and reports for me to write, and I figured that it could be publishable if I worked with them and put it together well enough. They also seemed interested as they wanted to publish for publicity and have organized measurable outcomes of what they are doing. I told myself I would take it easy for my first block or two of med school and just focus on my grades for now and add stuff later if I have the time and work capacity for it.

My plan for the next 4 years (since I like making general plans) is to start researching some more general global health stuff and start writing about it since that's what I'm genuinely the most interested in. I don't know what specialty I want to do yet ofc, but I will eventually pivot research more towards that specific specialty in a global context.

I'm wondering if residencies care about this kind of stuff at all, and I'm wondering if this is a reasonable plan or not.

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u/topiary566 — 3 months ago

What surgeons are the most needed in third world countries?

Not sure if this is the right subreddit, but the more mainstream pre-med and medical school subreddits have a hate-boner for anyone who shows interest in global health.

I'm currently matriculated into medical school. Still too early to know what specialty, but I'm starting to think surgical vs non-surgical and hear out what these kinds of lifestyles would look like. My goal is to practice and hopefully train local practitioners in a mid-sized town or in a capital city.

I've hung out with some GPs and EM doctors who do this kind of stuff, but I haven't met any surgeons before so I'm looking for some perspectives. I'm assuming general surgery residency would be best, but I'm wondering what kind of fellowships and specializations are most needed/useful overseas.

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u/topiary566 — 3 months ago
▲ 41 r/premed

Rescind a Guaranteed Next Year Acceptance

So I got a guaranteed next year acceptance at a DO school very late into the cycle. I wouldn't mind going to the DO school and I like their program. I was also looking to take a year off anyways and was already enrolled in a masters program in a humanity (for the sake of learning) so I don't mind taking the extra time.

However, I do have an interest in global health and might consider practicing abroad down the line. MDs have better global reciprocity than DOs, so I would rather have an MD. I'm wondering if it would be ethical to reapply to MD schools next cycle and rescinding the DO school if I get accepted.

I'm aware I will probably have to pay a 2,000 dollar DO deposit, but if I get accepted into an MD program, I wouldn't mind giving the DO school the donation since they were willing to take me.

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u/topiary566 — 3 months ago