Blueprint Med School Blog (formerly Cram Fighter & Med School Tutors)

The blog for Blueprint Medical, supporting your MedEd journey with our exam study planner, tutoring, residency consulting, and advanced boards.

Transition from M2 to M3: Learning from Books to Learning from Patients

When I was preparing for USMLE Step 1, I distinctly remember my anxiety building as the exam approached. This anxiety, though unpleasant, was met and balanced by another powerful emotion: excitement. I was excited by the prospect of finally putting the exam in my rearview mirror, and by the idea that, once it was over

May 01, 2023

Clerkship Pitfalls: What Is Situational Awareness in Healthcare?

Situational awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of the immediate environment and the events that are occurring in it—or, as stated in Endsley’s situational awareness models, “the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near

Feb 28, 2023

Which “Scrubs” Character Are You in Your Clinical Rotations?

Scrubs is consistently described as the most accurate (and fun) medical show out there. If you’re a fan of the series, then kick back and read on to find out which character you mirror the most! Dr. Cox If another medical student asks you a question, and your first reaction is unbridled rage, you might

Feb 23, 2023

3 Tips to Help You Study For Your Internal Medicine Shelf Exam

As a med student, shelf exams serve as important milestones for you to measure your learning progress and identify areas where you need improvement before Step 2. Shelf exams are often seen as a dry-run for the USMLEs and provide you with valuable experience in taking standardized exams. By evaluating your understanding of the material,

Dec 15, 2022

How to Get Standout Letters of Recommendation for Your Residency Application

The other night, I got a text from a number that I didn’t have saved: “Hey Brian, I don’t know if you remember me but I was a student who rotated with you last year. I wanted to ask some questions about anesthesia if you have a moment.” I always end my teaching assignments with

Dec 13, 2022

How to Ace the Surgery Shelf Exam

The general surgery clerkship is known for being one of the most challenging rotations for third-year medical students. You spend long hours in the wards and operating room, navigate a hectic schedule with frequent calls, and find yourself left with little time to study in between. After weeks of this busy schedule on different surgery

Nov 17, 2022

Best Shelf Exam Study Resources: A Comparison & Breakdown

Balancing your clinical responsibilities with studying for shelf exams can be daunting. What’s more, there are so many resources it can be equally intimidating to figure out how to study. However, your shelf exams are crucial for setting yourself up for success on Step 2 (especially important now that Step 1 is pass/fail), so it’s

Nov 10, 2022

Medical School: Expectation vs Reality

I don’t know about you, but before starting medical school, I was excited. Having not grown up with a medical background (no one in my immediate or extended family worked in medicine in the U.S.), I gained all of my initial perceptions about the medical field through media. It may sound silly, but my first

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