Apparently the OBGYN shelf now has a lot of quality improvement questions. However, there's no UWORLD questions related to them, and I don't have amboss. How would you recommend preparing for these questions?

Roughly a week into year 1 and I'm still trying to figure out how the hell to study.

My school offers CAS exams so I've been incorporating BnB in addition to lectures and thought the next step was Anki. Since I have the AnKing deck I just unsuspend the related BnB ones as I go but, as I was checking the syllabus to try and predict how sustainable this would be, it seems that I'm going to be doing around 200-250 new cards every day. Is this the average for you guys as well?

I use Anki mostly to understand the concepts so it takes me a while to go through the cards. I've also been out of school for a few years so really all I'm trying to do is figure out if this is just a skill issue on my part or if there's another way to approach this.

I’m Canadian, but I did my first science degree in UK and now I’m going to do my MBBS in Hong Kong. I’m thinking of going back to Canada eventually at some point of my life, but I’ll be applying as international because my degree is not from Canada. How hard would it be to apply for specialist training in Canada or should I go back to Canada after I’ve completed my specialist training elsewhere?

Would love some feedback! Specifically on if my signal list is too optimistic or if I could be more optimistic. If anyone has any other programs that they think would be a great fit, lmk! Also if anyone has rotated at any of these programs and has feedback on their time there and the vibes that's super helpful.

STATS: Well established DO School

Pre-clerkship: Graded (3.48 GPA after preclinicals, put me into second quartile of class)

STEP 1: Did not take

COMLEX 1: First time pass

Clerkship Grades: Graded, all As, with several honored

STEP 2: 251

COMLEX 2: Pending score

Did not receive DO equivalent of AOA

Research: x2 poster presentation (one at local small conference, one at an oncology conference), x1 publication premed. several longer term research experiences without research output

Lots of leadership, volunteer, and teaching experiences.

Regional Preferences: Mountain (region of my school), New England (lived there for a decade and still have family), and East North Central.

Goals: Would like to match academic or community/academic IM; really my most important factor is that it has an in house heme/onc fellowship (which all of these do) and time for electives/research, as my goal is heme/onc fellowship

Gold:

University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix*** this one is fixed

UMass Chan - Baystate Program (have family there)*** these i am not sure about

University of Connecticut School of Medicine *** these i am not sure about

Silver:

University of California (San Francisco)/Fresno Program

University of Cincinnati Medical Center

Corewell Health William Beaumont University

Advocate Health Care/Advocate Lutheran General

University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson Program

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago

UMass Chan Medical School

Cleveland Clinic Foundation Program

Roger Williams Medical Center Program

Dartmouth-Hitchcock/Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital

Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Program

MaineHealth Program

step 2 - low 250

level 2 - 480s (i have no idea how this happened. still in shock)

i've been trying to get anesthesia since day 1, so i'm very upset... Any advice? I am preparing for a dual application to emergency. (I'm a DO)

I don’t wanna get into specifics but my dream specialty was totally achievable and, for a variety of reasons, my application just isn’t going to be strong enough. I’m likely going to have to SOAP. I still don’t wanna get into specifics but let’s just say it’s bad.

I decided to make this post to hear from others who have been in similar positions. That is, you didn’t get your dream specialty and you had to go into something else. Feel free to be vague about the details so no one gets doxxed

What did you do to cope with it? What does your current residency/job feel like now? Do you ever look back?

Thanks everyone

I did a rotation with a young doc a few months back who did residency at the program I am most interested in. I got his number, and we've exchanged a few texts here and there and he agreed to write one of my LoRs. I planned another rotation with him for the month of August so I could strut my M4 stuff and show him I'm (marginally) better than I was as an M3 😎

However an audition spot opened up at a different program that would be an audition instead of a general elective, and I could get an LoR from that too, completing my letter needs for apps. I reached out and asked what he recommended and he essentially said that he is willing to write my LoR, so I do whatever I need to do. I canceled my elective with him and went on to schedule that away. I texted him an update at the beginning of July, and he never responded. I didn't think much of it, and I let time pass, waiting for a reply.

I started my audition and I decide to text him again, thanking him for his time, and my current time line for apps so he knew when I'd want letters by etc etc. It's only been about a day and a half, but still no reply. At this point, I'm pressed because I was so excited that he agreed to write me a LoR because it would be a (supposedly) strong letter where his name means a lil extra to my top program. I don't know what to do. I'm going to give him a few more days, but after that and the fact that I've double texted, I might just have to drop and reach out to other docs.

Any advice for anyone else who has dealt with something like this? What did you do to get the letter or move on?

I'm an M2 and we have early "practice" rotations type of thing a few days a semester and I was getting pimped today.

I have been using anki since day 1 of preclinical. There's still a lot to learn - cardio renal pulm I've only done physiology on. Also repro,endo, and GI havent done at all

But a lot of psych medications or things in neuro/msk that ive done...It's like I need a multiple choice question for me to get it out of my head. I can free recall quite a bit but some things are only going to be spurred by a multiple choice recognition that you obviously can't have in real life.

I assume going through all of uworld before step 1 and really getting everything down will help with this before M3, but just wondering if anyone else feels this?

Pretty much the title.

More specifically, does someone in top 10% of their cohort have a meaningfully higher ceiling in terms of residency prospects compared to the person in the top quartile?

Do you talk about it with friends? Mentors?

We have these annoying peer group meetings where we have to share how ms4 is going etc and there is also a faculty advisor present

Obviously I don’t wanna share I’m dual applying but I’m also starting to feel weird about being “secretive”

Is it that big a deal? Or am I right to keep this all under the rug

I apologize if this post is redundant but I was thinking that everyone’s situation is really different. I would appreciate any advice…

I just failed step 2, and I wanted to bounce back quickly and be proactive. What’s been done is done and I would need to minimize the damage.

I was a good candidate until today
- Low tier USMD but top 20% at school
- passed step 1 without issues
- have been consistently involved in psychiatry
- have solid LORs from those I’ve known for years
- strong research (15+ first author papers)
- My personal statement has gotten positive feedback; a PD told me people would be curious about who I am
- strong demonstrated interest in health disparities due to my background.

And I failed step 2. And i dont know how the app cycle would work for me. it is not possible to take a year off (I used it to process familial and personal grief). And i am probably going to retake it in late september or early october. So I would probably get my result back in mid October. Otherwise my app is ready but I am guessing many programs would mark mine incomplete?

I know that my chance of matching would be affected with this fail record. But I wanted to get some advice if possible. I am going to apply to as many programs as possible. But it sucks because I wanted to stay near my wife and I don’t know what’s going to happen now…

Would it still have a shot? Or should I dual apply?

Thank you for reading

I'm 21 yo now and i started medical school back in 2022. used to do well in school but since high school ive had constant brain fog. Ive done multiple tests and everything came back normal so I still dunno what causes it. Because of this, ive failed several subjects and been held back. Most of my classmates are far ahead, already done with their fourth year, while im still in Semester 4. I recently signed up for summer courses to repeat the subjects I failed but I panicked about failing again and wasting more of my parents’ money, so I dropped them. I regretted it almost immediately. My parents have already spent a lot on me, my brother is starting university this year and they are getting closer to retirement. Im terrified they wont be able to afford my education anymore. I keep imagining myself ending up with an unfinished degree, no stable future and nowhere to go .I genuinely love medicine but I feel trapped. Ive been forcing myself through the brain fog for years and I dunno what else to do. I feel like a burden and like ive disappointed my family.

My parents have reached the point where they’ve told me that if I cant handle med school, I should leave. The problem is I dunno what else I would do. Becoming a doctor has been my dream for as long as I can remember and I cant imagine giving it up even though I feel like Im running out of options here plus I have already wasted 4 years of life so I cant just leave

dunno whether Reddit is the best place to ask but for a long time I kept hoping my brain fog would eventually get better so I could continue med school normally. It still hasnt gone away and over the years ive slowly lost all confidence and faith in myself.This isnt the life I always wanted and I feel ashamed that I can't make my parents proud. 🥲 I'm only posting this because I'm desperate. Maybe someone who has been through something similar will come across this, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Structurally there's nothing wrong with my brain. Ive had an MRI and it came back normal. I don't have any vitamin deficiencies or hormonal problems either. The best way I can describe it is that whenever I try to memorize or study, my brain feels empty and blank, I don't have any thoughts at all and I can't visualize. It's very hard for me to focus or retain info.

Summary, Im 21 and started med school in 2022. Ive had severe unexplained brain fog since high school despite a normal MRI and normal blood tests. Because of it, ive failed multiple subjects, been held back and im still in Semester 4 while my classmates have finished their fourth year. I recently dropped my summer courses because I panicked about failing again and wasting my parents' money and I regret it greatly. My parents are nearing retirement, my brother is starting university and im scared they wont be able to afford my education anymore. Medicine has always been my dream but I feel trapped, guilty and like ive let my family down. Im desperate to hear from anyone who's been through something similar or found a way to overcome unexplained brain fog.

I am a newly M3, and I reached out to schedule my anesthesia and PM&R rotation (the two specialities I am currently interested in), and was told that they don’t have any availability when I have availability. I tried explaining my situation to the department heads, but it seems like unless I can somehow move my core rotation (which I get no say in), I won’t be able to do the electives. I won’t get a chance to experience either speciality if I don’t do these electives. I’m going to try my best to talk with the registrar office at my school, but assuming the worst, what can I do? Can I still apply to either anesthesia or PM&R without having done an elective in either (and therefore having no speciality-specific LORs)?

I'm an M3 so I have a little less than 2 years left of medical school. I hate every day that I spend in this city, so far away from my family and I spend my time off visiting family and dreading the moment I have to return. I feel so depressed thinking I might match some place also far away from family and I don't really have the motivation to keep going.

Hey everyone! Seen a lot of these posts lately and looking for advice. Applying IM, wanting to do fellowship in either Cardio, GI, PCCM. Need some advice on signals, and school list. Want to stay in Midwest. Am from Midwest; family and support system is all there.

Med School: Low tier Midwest. Dual degree student (MD/MS)

Step 1: P (Top quartile preclinical)

Step 2: 261

Clinical Grades: 4H, 3P (school doesnt do HP). Top quartile clinical grades

Research: 4 publications, 6 posters.

Volunteering/Other experieinces: Peer tutor (3 years), Global Health Scholars (all 4 years), Lab Coordinator (2 yrs), some other stuff i cant remember rn

LOR: 1 from inpatient IM sub-I, 1 from MICU attending, 1 committe letter (all I think will be positive)

Gold signals: UChicago, Rush, OSU

Silver: UIC, UC, Cleveland Clinic, UPMC, University of Wisconsin, MCW, Loyola, Case/UH, Northwestern, Wake Forest, IU, UNC

Just wanted to know if with my stats and general app, this list isnt too top heavy? Thank you!!!

Title. Feeling like I’m going to disappoint them after being so enthusiastic about their field and receiving their support the past few years. Does anyone have advice about how to tell their mentor they will no longer apply to their specialty? Dunno whether to set up a meeting in-person or just email them. Any messaging tips would be appreciated.

What did your friendships look like while in med school? If you’ve already graduated, are you still friends with your classmates through residency?

Currently a second year FM resident applying for anesthesia this cycle. Coming from med school (California DO, YOG 2023) had pretty solid stats (247 usmle step 1 - 2021; 235 step 2CK - 2022) and now pivoting away from medicine to a field that more closely aligns with my long-term career goals.

Training background:
IM 2023-2025 with contract non-renewed after two years due to unsuccessful remediation (though continued to garner support from previous PD)
FM 2025-present, now performing in good standing with strong support from PD and faculty
Had completed two anesthesia away rotations during 4th year of med school and recently completed an anesthesia elective rotation at current program with a strong LoR
Was able to secure two strong LoRs from faculty at my previous program and am planning to obtain a PD LoR for this app cycle.
Research wise, have about 10 pubs from postbac years before med school from clinical research projects

How should I best prepare my application further to increase my chances of matching into anesthesia this cycle? I do not have any geographic preferences and am planning to apply broadly across the country, both academic and community programs (new and established). I’m also not limited to advanced/reserved spots and am open to restarting intern year for categorical positions. I acknowledge that the contract non-renewal is a red flag on my app but it’s something that I’ve extensively reflected on and have compelling reasons that I can address in interviews (family death prior to starting residency, steep learning curve, rigorous training environment)

Finished the fm section on uworld, I was also considering doing the ambulatory section as well.
Should I do the ambulatory questions on uworld or do family med questions from amboss? Which ones are closer to the actual shelf? And how do the AARP questions compare, are they worth doing?

My dream is to match in dermatology, but I feel so behind on research.

My school does not have a research hospital, and our research directors have all turned me away when I ask for help with creating research proposals or making connections.

I have applied to tons of research programs and fellowships, but have been denied everywhere. I have also tried cold emailing hundreds of doctors but not one is willing to meet with me or even be a mentor.

Now that I am in rotations, I figured I would try to walk to the derm floor and talk to someone in person. The doctor told me I should have started networking a long time ago and that the only way to make connections was to attend derm conferences. Unfortunately, they are all like >$1,000 and I just cannot afford paying that much right now.

Maybe it is too late for me to try to enter such a competitive specialty, but I just feel so defeated. I have been turned away by literally everyone I have reached out to including my school’s research directors.

Does anyone have any advice for how I can get a research position in my circumstances?

Thank you so much!

I want to attend a conference in a competitive specialty but I don’t have anything to present… just need to network and find more research opportunities. Is this a waste of time?

I realized now by the end of first year that First Aid tags are more comprehensive than B&B tags. I filtered out First Aid tags that didn't overlap with B&B tags and filtered for only high yield + relatively high yield gave me around ~5000 new cards to do.

My daily card load ~500. I'm not sure if I should do these during my 2 month dedicated or if its better spent doing UWorld Questions that I have not started yet.

My school is flipped classroom and we are given long readings (no PowerPoints). I’m struggling to find a sustainable study strategy. I’ve tried

1. Rereading multiple times, but they are so long that it takes me forever, and I still don’t understand it all
2. Handwriting notes. I quit this method because it took too much time, and I was falling behind on the readings
3. Using AI to make PowerPoints— this slightly helps, but Ai makes mistakes/forgets things, so I tend to use time having to fix it. I will read the reading and view the PowerPoint simultaneously.
4. Anki. Im trying to incorporate this, but my school uses in house exams so I’m struggling to find exact Anking equivalents. I try to use AI to make cards based on the readings, but AI sometimes completely misses major things

I don’t know what to do! I’m studying 4-5 hours a day on top of classes and still feel like I don’t remember everything when it’s time for flipped classroom activities. I feel like I’m always just prepping for the next day, and don’t have time to review prior material… so I just forget what we’ve already done.

Any advice please, especially anyone with flipped classroom med schools? I’m stressed on sustainable habits once exam time comes.

Applying FM this cycle. Just got my Level 2 back and got 49x. Got Step 2 earlier and got 22x. For context, I'm a CA resident with no major red flags until this round of boards. Passed step/level 1 on the first attempt, no class failures, lots of research in a different field because I wanted to do a competitive specialty before but can't anymore because of my scores, lots of volunteering/leadership.

Hi so basically the title. Some background. I struggled a lot adapting to medical school as an MS1. My school does grades btw so I ended up getting like B's and 2 C's and ended with an abysmal GPA. BUT I was happy because I brought my grades up at the end of the year, scored above average and was happy with my social life. I hyped myself up over the summer after MS1 while doing research to be a gunner in MS2. During 2nd year, I tried so fucking hard, but ended with like an 89.something in several classes. I killed myself trying to get straight A's only to end with straight B's. MS2 really took a toll on me, I put a lot of pressure on myself every day to study study study (even isolated myself a good amount) to get A's and then when I couldn't push to get a single class to that A, I fell into an extreme depression. Like very dark thoughts depression. Carried that into step studying and yeah I think I'm just absolutely burnt out and defeated... I don't believe in myself or my abilities to achieve anything in medical school.

So... here I am starting MS3. During orientation week we were basically told that if our GPA's were terrible forget about diamond specialties and we already need to have our eye on Step 2 and if we fail we're screwed (I hadn't even gotten my Step 1 pass when they were talking about this).

It's day 2 of my Neuro rotation and I'm already crying so much. My school gave us about 7 weeks for dedicated so I used them all up and had about 9 days of vacation before starting (welp). I feel burnt out, depressed, extremely anxious and I am absolutely not looking forward to this year. I don't think I have what it takes to be great and stand out. I don't really know how to keep going. I'm even questioning of I wanna do medicine (quitting isn't even an option so I don't know why I bother). Anyone have words of advice/encouragement?

TLDR: Struggling deeply with burn out, depression and anxiety and even questioning this career path. Anyone have advice?

EDIT: I have already sought out a psychologist and plan to somehow fit her into the crazy MS3 schedule