In AICM, you will be required to sign up for a QBank, USMLE World particularly; and you are required to complete at least 50% of the Qbank before finishing the semester. They require you to start the Qbank after the USMLE Step 1 prep review and at the beginning of the rotations of AICM. There are around 2100 questions from USMLE World QBank and completing 50% of it in 2 months is possible but with full concentration. However, in AICM you are required to complete around 1050 questions, which is 50% of the Qbank, with clinical rotations. In clinical rotations you will have to do presentations for each rotations, you will be at the hospital majority of the day, plus you are required to do overnight on calls for Internal Medicine rotation, and USMLE World is a very difficult Qbank. USMLE World requires a person full concentration and commitment to successfully get the most out of the Qbank. One of my friends, who was on dean’s list in Bonaire, took an entire day to do one block of the QBank because of the extreme difficulty of the questions.
My advice to the upcoming MD4 students is to do USMLE World questions starting from MD4. You will have a lot of time in MD4 semester because MD4 classes not as difficult as MD3 classes. Most MD4 students in SJSM make the mistake of relaxing in the last semester because the hardest semester is over. However, MD4 semester is a perfect opportunity to get started in being better prepared than the previous students. If you are consistent with USMLE World questions then you can finish all of it before MD4 semester is over. If you just do 20 questions a day from USMLE World, and thoroughly go over the answers and explanations then you will have time to study for MD4 classes plus enjoy having fun in the last four months in Bonaire/Anguilla.
If you finish USMLE World questions in Bonaire or Anguilla, then the USMLE Step 1 review in AICM will be very effective in helping you because it will be a very good review. However, if you don’t do the questions then the USMLE review will be a waste of your time, and you have no choice about it because you have to attend it for a grade.
If I knew then what I know now I would not have wasted so much time on the island twiddling my thumbs; therefore, take my advice and start early. I write these blog posts to help my fellow students in SJSM because no one else does; that’s why I take the time to write them because valuable information can make or break a student. The information is presented to you so, it’s up to you to use it, good luck.
7 comments:
thank you for posting the valuable information , i really appreciate it. I am just done with MD1 and also did a round of USMLE world for MD1 relevant subjects . I have been wondering for past few months how effective that AICM course is ? and wanted to ask about it to someone who has already done it. Fortunately saw your blog today so please write about the benefit of AICM if there is any. If not, is there any possibility someone could be waived on doing AICM?
Unfortunately, AICM cannot be waived and it must be completed before taking the Step 1. However, if you are fully prepared to take Step 1 after finishing Basic Science then AICM is worth it. Not only is it a good review plus a good clinical clerkship introduction, but also it knocks out 16 weeks off of your 96 weeks rotation requirements in order to get an MD.
In order for AICM to be worth it make sure you finish all of a QBank and fully understand the explanation in order to be successful.
thanks for d heads up. im freaking out about AICM but its good to have this blog because the school doesnt answer all of our questions
This was really awesome piece of information.
how do you get on the dean's list in bonaire or anguilla? is it every semester?
If AICM requires us to sign up for USMLE World during 5th semester, how would they monitor us if we started and finish in MD4?
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