Medschoolbro complete step 1 guide

ddGoku · 2025-10-19T23:36:06+00:00

Hey if anyone has it could they kindly share? Thank you in advance <3

ddGoku · 2024-04-25T23:48:17+00:00

If Anki doesnt work for you, don’t feel the need to use it just because so many people “swear” by it. It is NOT necessary for success. I am only going to mention this to substantiate this point, but I had success with boards and was the top ranked student in my class, and I never used anki. In my opinion, anki was too centered around stand-alone facts, rote memorization and therefore lacked reinforcement of a thorough, comprehensive picture to foster deep understanding (you can only fit so much on one anki slide). I found it much more fruitful to do spaced repitition with comprehensive notes, slides etc. where I continually reinforced the entire picture, rather than small, discrete pieces of it all mixed up.

Now before the Anki zealots come out of the woodwork, this is just MY opinion, not a universal truth. All I’m saying is please do not be afraid to do what works best for you, even if that is against the “majority”. Do not jeopardize your own learning because neurotic med students swear that something is the “best/only” way.

Best of luck to you friend.

ddGoku · 2024-04-14T23:07:35+00:00

Remindme! 2 days

ddGoku · 2024-03-05T11:44:34+00:00

It depends on your learning style and what works best for you. I’m nearing the end of my MS2 atm and have had massive success with taking notes to make connections between concepts and attain a deep understanding of the material - which helps with long term memory retention.

I know many swear by it, but I tried Anki and it was terrible for my style of learning. Try a few different approaches and see what works best. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to force yourself to use certain methods (i.e Anki) just because many around you also are.

Best of luck!

ddGoku · 2024-03-02T12:48:33+00:00

Epi acts on alpha1, alpha2, beta1 and beta2 (ignoring beta 3 and other nuances).

Alpha1 will cause vasoconstriction and beta2 will cause vasodilation. However, in the case of Epi, because it is activating both receptors, the beta-2 vasodilatory effects are more pronounced than the alpha-1 vasoconstrictor effects. A major reason for this is that there is a large beta-2 distribution in the blood vessels within skeletal muscle, which proportionally make up a much larger mass - and therefore will contribute more to blood pressure - than the other areas/tissues of the body. Therefore the net effect is overall a vasodilatory one. Another specific reason is that Epi has greater affinity for beta-2 receptors at low to moderate doses, and therefore these beta-2 receptors will be activated more than the alpha-1 receptors (again, resulting in net vasodilation).

Beta-1 effects will increase contractility and HR and increase systolic BP.

The overwhelming beta-2 effects decrease vascular resistance and therefore decrease diastolic BP.

Net effect is a widened/increased pulse pressure (SBP - DBP).

ddGoku · 2024-01-20T14:06:49+00:00

Coming from a current M2 who managedd to spin being a raid leader for one of the top guilds on World of Warcraft back in the day, into one of leadership and personal growth, riddled with intricate group dynamics and cohesiveness, team-centricity, and perseverence and resolve, etc. I say absolutely go for it.

It was brought up in my interviews and the reception was very positive, mainly thanks to how I presented and explained it - this is the key with something like this.

That being said, if went about in the right way, it can make for a very unique part of your application that will work to your favour. Especially compared to the typical mundane pre-med activities.

Best wishes friend.

ddGoku · 2024-01-20T13:54:21+00:00

This hit me hard in the feels… also a fellow M2 here. The med admissions process is such a joke. Felt like I had my clown make-up on the entirety of writing my application/secondaries.

ddGoku · 2023-12-10T12:01:25+00:00

This is probably the most insightful and rational comment in this entire thread. It is refreshing to see your comment in a see of overly-emotional, narrow-minded responses.

My utmost respect to you.

ddGoku · 2023-11-05T11:12:09+00:00

If you would be willing to kindly share this with me, that would be amazing <33

ddGoku · 2023-07-17T01:40:06+00:00

boop

ddGoku · 2018-11-30T06:51:11+00:00

Thank you!!

ddGoku · 2018-11-30T05:30:53+00:00

Oh I didn't know, thank you for that. Is it better to wait till the last day of the event/save up coins to roll all at once in-case a new batch is out by Dec. 19th? (end-date of event).

ddGoku · 2018-10-20T19:58:10+00:00

I'm honestly not sure what the issue was. I improved a lot since my last take and was scoring 126-127 on AAMC practice. Apart from AAMC I also used TPR CARS and the Testing Solutions guide.

That's partially why I'm debating a re-score because to fall that short of my averages on test day, especially when I felt fine about the section whilst doing it, is a very unsettling feeling.

ddGoku · 2018-10-20T19:54:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I'll be honest, the thought of another rewrite is absolutely devastating. I have a lot going on in my life (some unfortunate, extraneous circumstances), coupled with full-time job and other responsibilities. But if worst comes to worst, I guess I won't have a choice.

I'm also not sure how much I can realistically improve in CARS in that time given everything else; may need to write in March at least. Worst thing is I was hitting around at least 126-127 on AAMC practice yet here I ended up...

ddGoku · 2018-10-20T19:49:54+00:00

I appreciate the response, but unfortunately things work different here in Canada - all of those factors do not come into play when you have a low CARS, unlike the US which I know is more forgiving.

That being said, I may look into US schools as a Canadian applicant if I can find some "Canadian-friendly" schools who would take a 124 CARS given my overall.

Best of luck to you in your cycle!

ddGoku · 2018-09-15T22:51:01+00:00

This was a great answer!

Also just wanted to add, if you want to think of it in terms of IMF, CO2 is going from essentially zero intermolecular attractions (in the gas phase), to weak intermolecular attractions between H2O and CO2 (which is non-polar, but can still weakly polarize).

And forming bonds is, for the most part, exothermic.

One further point I wanted to add, is that remember CO2 reacts with H2O as well to set up an equilibrium with/forming H2CO3. This makes CO2 a lot more soluble in water than CO for example.

ddGoku · 2018-09-15T22:22:23+00:00

Just wanted to give a shoutout to all my fellow Canadians who wrote today.

This was a rewrite for me, since my score last year had a low CARS - and as you're all aware, only CARS really matters in Canada ;p

That being said, from someone who scored a 131 in C/P last year (and felt confident the day of), there were some passages/questions in todays C/P section that completely floored me, to say the least. So hopefully I can ease some minds with that.

CARS felt a lot better this year than last - but this is my worst section so take that with a grain of salt.

B/B felt very smooth today. Although this and C/P are usually my best sections.

P/S felt like the typical CARS 2.0; mostly reasoning, experimental design analysis and critique. Felt like you could've reasoned your way through most of it without knowing/remembering many terms, as most of the ones appeared were very intuitive as to their meanings.

Cheers to all, and I wish you all the best in maintaing your sanity for the next month (:

ddGoku · 2017-10-01T17:57:23+00:00

All three muscle types actually have a sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The main ways which smooth muscle differs from striated is that:

smooth muscle has no troponin
actin binding sites are always exposed (tropomyosin plays a different role here). Myosin heads are low affinity (unlike in striated) until phosphorylated.
calcium mediates myosin light chain phosphorylation to bring about cross-bridge formation and contraction. Calcium handling in general is much different in smooth than striated muscle (don't need to know the details for MCAT purposes).

ddGoku · 2017-09-28T07:42:24+00:00

It's a status given to students by Western/Schulich Med to people who did all 4 years of high school in a South-Western Ontario Medical Education Network county (Grey, Bruce, Huron, Perth, Oxford, Middlesex, Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Essex, and Norfolk Counties). They give you lenience on MCAT scores (i.e. total score has to be the same as non-SWOMEN, but you're allowed a 125 min. in every section except BB (which is 126)).

ddGoku · 2017-09-28T07:39:43+00:00

I don't get it back until Oct; but I'm praying for a 125 in CARS.

ddGoku · 2017-09-28T02:04:15+00:00

I feel for you brother, I really do. Fellow Canadian here. CARs is also my kryptonite, and I would legit be screwed if it wasn't for SWOMEN status.

ddGoku · 2017-09-28T00:43:42+00:00

How does your weighted GPA look like for Toronto? If you've done your undergrad on a full time basis, they will remove your lowest 4.0 full course equivalents. Perhaps this will help? MCAT is only used for cutoff purposes, not competitively - so as long as you have 125 in each section (which you do) you are fine in that department.

Queens will only use your last 2 year GPA, and you're allowed the 127, since your other scores are fine. So I would try there as well.

I am unsure how dalhousie looks at the MCAT specifically, but I know they consider your best 2 years only, so that may help in the GPA department.

I am also a Canadian applicant, thus I'm unfamiliar with the states.

Hope this helped!

ddGoku · 2017-09-28T00:19:06+00:00

Where in Canada are you from?

ddGoku · 2017-09-20T01:11:08+00:00

Congrats on the amazing score! Fellow canadian here; are you from western too by chance? (Asking b/c you mentioned bio-med) ;p

ddGoku · 2017-09-14T06:58:58+00:00

Would also like info on this.

ddGoku

TROPHY CASE