Studying for USMLE and working full-time?

[ally06]

Hello,

 

I'm planning to write the USMLE Step 1 in summer 2008 but also plan on having a full-time job. Has anyone else approached the exam this way, or do most people take 4-6 weeks off and do nothing but study for the test? I've been hearing differing opinions...

 

thanks for your input!

[Becca]

I wrote it this summer. I gave myself 7 weeks "7" days a week.

 

During those weeks, I spent 2 hours a day at the gym (plus 1.5 hours commuting/eating/showering), 1-2 hours a day 3 times a week doing observerships and I rarely studied past 4:30-5pm (I woke up around 5:45). I also took about 6 days off to go away and I planned a wedding (which takes a lot more time than one might imagine lol).

 

In any case, I did very well on the exam so if you wanted to have a full time job just make sure that you don't have other things in your life that you want to do. I definitely used 40-50 hours a week for fun stuff (equivalent of full time hours) but for myself personally, I wouldn't have wanted to be working during those hours---ESPECIALLY going into clerkship because I wanted to be refreshed and renewed.

 

I think it's doable to work full time and study for step 1 (assuming you give yourself enough weeks) but is it really worth it---that's the real question---just make sure you consider your sanity and the fact that the summer after 2nd year is really the last summer you're going to have off ever again.

 

Just my two cents.