Will be an M1 this fall - How do I best prepare for applying to NSG residencies?

[11262729NSG]

I will be a M1 this fall at a top 10 medical school program. The general consensus in Reddit and SDN is that I shouldn't think about medical school at all and just "enjoy my summer". However, as a non-traditional and an older medical student-to-be with family, I do not think that is really a practical option for me.

Browsing through multiple forums and the cached pages of Uncle Harvey, it seems pretty straightforward. For my M1 year, I am getting the impression that I just need to do well in school, slowly prepare for the USMLE, and start research (please correct me if I am wrong). However, there are a few questions that I'd like to ask:

1. My undergraduate publications and research interests were mainly in cancer research. I would like to do basic cancer research in medical school as well since I am comfortable with it. Would doing basic research be disadvantageous compared to clinical research with respect to publication volume?
   
2. Does membership in honors societies matter at all?
   
3. I have started going through Pathoma and annotating the book with some things that Dr. Sattar says verbally so that I wouldn't have to waste time during medical school doing this (I do this because it has helped me a lot in undergraduate school). My goal is to finish this before medical school starts. I have also started doing Brosencephalon's Anki deck regularly for the chapters related to Pathoma. What USMLE related things should I be doing during my M1 year? I read online that people suggest only studying during the dedicated period, but I am wondering if that is not the case.
   
4. I am moving to my medical school area with my family. This may sound like a silly question, but is it necessary to socialize too much with other students? I do not plan on being the guy who never talks with others, but I am thinking that I would like to devote most of my time to my family and my studies.
   
5. Do you guys have any other advice for someone about to start his M1 year in a few months?
   

As a side note, I'm hoping to enter an academic neurosurgery program. Of course, I might change my mind later regarding the academic portion, but this is the goal for now.

[Guest]

Yeah, relax man

[chill]

(02-16-2017, 05:23 PM)11262729NSG Wrote: I will be a M1 this fall at a top 10 medical school program. The general consensus in Reddit and SDN is that I shouldn't think about medical school at all and just "enjoy my summer". However, as a non-traditional and an older medical student-to-be with family, I do not think that is really a practical option for me.

Browsing through multiple forums and the cached pages of Uncle Harvey, it seems pretty straightforward. For my M1 year, I am getting the impression that I just need to do well in school, slowly prepare for the USMLE, and start research (please correct me if I am wrong). However, there are a few questions that I'd like to ask:

1. My undergraduate publications and research interests were mainly in cancer research. I would like to do basic cancer research in medical school as well since I am comfortable with it. Would doing basic research be disadvantageous compared to clinical research with respect to publication volume?
   
2. Does membership in honors societies matter at all?
   
3. I have started going through Pathoma and annotating the book with some things that Dr. Sattar says verbally so that I wouldn't have to waste time during medical school doing this (I do this because it has helped me a lot in undergraduate school). My goal is to finish this before medical school starts. I have also started doing Brosencephalon's Anki deck regularly for the chapters related to Pathoma. What USMLE related things should I be doing during my M1 year? I read online that people suggest only studying during the dedicated period, but I am wondering if that is not the case.
   
4. I am moving to my medical school area with my family. This may sound like a silly question, but is it necessary to socialize too much with other students? I do not plan on being the guy who never talks with others, but I am thinking that I would like to devote most of my time to my family and my studies.
   
5. Do you guys have any other advice for someone about to start his M1 year in a few months?
   

As a side note, I'm hoping to enter an academic neurosurgery program. Of course, I might change my mind later regarding the academic portion, but this is the goal for now.

The biggest piece of advice: Go to the nearest massage parlor and relaaxxxxxx. All of us have type A personalities but this is another level.

1)no its not disadvantageous
2)yes. AOA does. Those random honor societies that just make you pay a fee, no.
3) You don't need to learn medicine before medical school. Medical school will teach you medicine.
4) You do not need to socialize with people if you don't want too.
5) Enjoy the next half year before you start

[Guest]

I bet 2 things happen...1) you decide not to do neurosurgery 2) no one wants to socialize with you in your medical school anyway because you verbalize things such as your post. Basically, none of it should be an issue. Either way, relax.

Or you're trolling...hopefully.

[Guest]

Yeah, lighten up dude

[Guest]

I would suggest getting laid, seems like you could use it

[socrates]

(02-16-2017, 05:23 PM)11262729NSG Wrote: I will be a M1 this fall at a top 10 medical school program. The general consensus in Reddit and SDN is that I shouldn't think about medical school at all and just "enjoy my summer". However, as a non-traditional and an older medical student-to-be with family, I do not think that is really a practical option for me.

Browsing through multiple forums and the cached pages of Uncle Harvey, it seems pretty straightforward. For my M1 year, I am getting the impression that I just need to do well in school, slowly prepare for the USMLE, and start research (please correct me if I am wrong). However, there are a few questions that I'd like to ask:

1. My undergraduate publications and research interests were mainly in cancer research. I would like to do basic cancer research in medical school as well since I am comfortable with it. Would doing basic research be disadvantageous compared to clinical research with respect to publication volume?
   
2. Does membership in honors societies matter at all?
   
3. I have started going through Pathoma and annotating the book with some things that Dr. Sattar says verbally so that I wouldn't have to waste time during medical school doing this (I do this because it has helped me a lot in undergraduate school). My goal is to finish this before medical school starts. I have also started doing Brosencephalon's Anki deck regularly for the chapters related to Pathoma. What USMLE related things should I be doing during my M1 year? I read online that people suggest only studying during the dedicated period, but I am wondering if that is not the case.
   
4. I am moving to my medical school area with my family. This may sound like a silly question, but is it necessary to socialize too much with other students? I do not plan on being the guy who never talks with others, but I am thinking that I would like to devote most of my time to my family and my studies.
   
5. Do you guys have any other advice for someone about to start his M1 year in a few months?
   

As a side note, I'm hoping to enter an academic neurosurgery program. Of course, I might change my mind later regarding the academic portion, but this is the goal for now.

Seem of to a good start.  Focus on school, boards, and research.

Can I ask how you found this site?  I reddit deleted the link to this site there and I don't think anyone has mentioned this site on SDN.

[Focus]

I would focus more on trying to find a lab to start working in this summer. Studying for step 1 or medical school now is a much lower yield option when compared to starting to build up a research basis in a lab, especially if the goal is to do basic science where the longer you have before applications the better since paper turnover is slower but often higher impact.

[Guest]

It is odd for a guy who is older and who is so dedicated to his family to want to pursue the longest residency and the one specialty that affords the least amount of time for family. Perhaps you should think this through more carefully. Not withstanding, best thing you can do early on, get as close as you can to the NS department at your home program. Spend all of your free waking hours there to help out, do research, shadow, etc. If you are serious about neurosurgery, unfortunately the reality is that family will have to be a lower priority for the next 11 to 13 years.

[11262729NSG]

(02-16-2017, 09:31 PM)socrates Wrote:

(02-16-2017, 05:23 PM)11262729NSG Wrote: I will be a M1 this fall at a top 10 medical school program. The general consensus in Reddit and SDN is that I shouldn't think about medical school at all and just "enjoy my summer". However, as a non-traditional and an older medical student-to-be with family, I do not think that is really a practical option for me.

Browsing through multiple forums and the cached pages of Uncle Harvey, it seems pretty straightforward. For my M1 year, I am getting the impression that I just need to do well in school, slowly prepare for the USMLE, and start research (please correct me if I am wrong). However, there are a few questions that I'd like to ask:

1. My undergraduate publications and research interests were mainly in cancer research. I would like to do basic cancer research in medical school as well since I am comfortable with it. Would doing basic research be disadvantageous compared to clinical research with respect to publication volume?
   
2. Does membership in honors societies matter at all?
   
3. I have started going through Pathoma and annotating the book with some things that Dr. Sattar says verbally so that I wouldn't have to waste time during medical school doing this (I do this because it has helped me a lot in undergraduate school). My goal is to finish this before medical school starts. I have also started doing Brosencephalon's Anki deck regularly for the chapters related to Pathoma. What USMLE related things should I be doing during my M1 year? I read online that people suggest only studying during the dedicated period, but I am wondering if that is not the case.
   
4. I am moving to my medical school area with my family. This may sound like a silly question, but is it necessary to socialize too much with other students? I do not plan on being the guy who never talks with others, but I am thinking that I would like to devote most of my time to my family and my studies.
   
5. Do you guys have any other advice for someone about to start his M1 year in a few months?
   

As a side note, I'm hoping to enter an academic neurosurgery program. Of course, I might change my mind later regarding the academic portion, but this is the goal for now.

Seem of to a good start.  Focus on school, boards, and research.

Can I ask how you found this site?  I reddit deleted the link to this site there and I don't think anyone has mentioned this site on SDN.

Thank you for your response.

I found this after browsing Uncle Harvey, which let to another forum and eventually this website.

(02-19-2017, 08:06 PM)Focus Wrote: I would focus more on trying to find a lab to start working in this summer. Studying for step 1 or medical school now is a much lower yield option when compared to starting to build up a research basis in a lab, especially if the goal is to do basic science where the longer you have before applications the better since paper turnover is slower but often higher impact.

That makes sense. I've been looking into potential research mentors, but unfortunately I cannot get involved until I actually move right before school starts. Trying to get all my ducks in a row before I move with my family OOS.

(02-20-2017, 09:19 AM)Guest Wrote: It is odd for a guy who is older and who is so dedicated to his family to want to pursue the longest residency and the one specialty that affords the least amount of time for family. Perhaps you should think this through more carefully. Not withstanding, best thing you can do early on, get as close as you can to the NS department at your home program. Spend all of your free waking hours there to help out, do research, shadow, etc. If you are serious about neurosurgery, unfortunately the reality is that family will have to be a lower priority for the next 11 to 13 years.

I understand your point. I think it boils down to my wanting to pursue both my career goals and be as involved with my family. I might think that I will be able to do it, but maybe I won't be able to in the future. We'll see.

Thank you for your suggestion. I did read something similar somewhere regarding getting involved with the NS department at my home program. That and getting involved in research sounds like the most important things to establish once I start this fall.