Episode 21. Board exams are a huge part of medical school! Even with the switch to a pass/fail grading system, it is essential to pass on your first attempt. Second year medical students have been obsessively stressing over Level 1/Step 1 board exams for years. Residency, and therefore your future career as a physician, is on the line. Students have struggled with balancing their classwork with board review, but I am here to say that it is possible to succeed with both. I won't publicly share my scores, but I certainly did well enough on both COMLEX Level 1 and USMLE Step 1 and improved my class rank during my second year with the strategies I am choosing to share with you. You don't have to risk burnout or sacrifice your good habits (taking breaks, exercising, spending time with loved ones, etc.) if you plan ahead with a study schedule that works for you. I was in the last medical school cohort that had three-digit score exams. I realize that subsequent cohorts now have even more uncertainty in this process, so I hope to lessen the stress with a few guiding words. Thanks for listening!First Line’s new website is https://poddcaststudios.wixsite.com/firstlinepodcast Scroll down on the home page to find my newsletter sign-up for monthly emails and a form that you can use to send questions, comments, or inquiries. You can include your name and email or remain anonymous.This episode is sponsored by TrueLearn.TrueLearn special discount codes:For $10 off Shelf/COMAT, use code firstline-shelfFor $15 off COMLEX subscriptions, use code firstline-comlexFor $35 off USMLE subscriptions, use code firstline-usmleUse this link to easily find First Line on different platforms and social media platforms: linktr.ee/FirstLinePodcastFirst Line is now available on Spotify & Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Stitcher, Amazon Music & Audible, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, Breaker, Castbox, PocketCasts, Castro, Player Fm, Pod Bean, Reason, Vurbl, and TuneIn.First Line is on Instagram @firstlinepodcast and on Facebook www.facebook.com/firstlinepodcastContent on First Line is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please see your primary care physician (DO or MD) for any medical concerns you have. All ideas expressed are individual ideas of the host and do not represent any organizations the host is linked to.--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/firstline/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/firstline/support