MS1–MS2: Structuring Research So Step Studying Doesn’t Collapse

The biggest reason MS1 research “explodes” during Step season is simple: nobody structures it on a timeline. You will.

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Big-Picture Timeline: MS1 to Dedicated

(See also: Your Gap Year in Research for more details.)

At this point, before anything else, lock in the skeleton of your 2‑year plan. Everything else fits around this.

Global Timeline Overview

• MS1 Fall: Explore, sample projects, learn basic skills. No long-term promises yet.
• MS1 Spring: Commit to 1–2 focused projects with realistic timelines.
• MS1 Summer: Heavy research block + early, light Step foundation.
• MS2 Fall: Maintain low-burden research tasks; ramp Step content.
• MS2 Spring (pre-dedicated): Wind research down to almost-zero commitments.
• Dedicated (6–10 weeks): Research off or near-off, with preplanned minimal tasks only.

Keep this principle in mind the entire time:

If a project cannot be mostly wrapped or safely paused by 8–10 weeks before dedicated, it’s the wrong project or the wrong timing.

Now, month-by-month.

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MS1 Fall: Exploration With Guardrails (August–December)

Your job in MS1 fall is not to publish. It’s to position yourself with the right mentors and projects that won’t wreck Step.

August: Orientation + Capacity Setting

At this point you’re just starting school.

1. Weeks 1–2: Learn your bandwidth

   • Track:
     • Hours per week spent on classes, labs, review.
     • Sleep and stress levels.
   • After two weeks, define:
     • “Comfortable” study baseline (e.g., 45–50 hrs/week).
     • Maximum extra time you can add without burnout (usually 5–10 hrs).

2. Week 3: Define your research budget

   • Decide a hard weekly cap for research this semester:
     • Competitive but realistic: 3–5 hrs/week for most MS1s.
   • Write it down:
     • “Until December, I will not exceed __ hours/week on research.”

3. Week 4: Clarify goals

   • Identify:
     • Target specialty interests (even if vague): e.g., IM, ortho, peds.
     • Desired outcome by end of MS2: e.g., 2–3 abstracts + 1 publication.
   • This prevents you from saying yes to random, low-yield work.

September: Mentor Hunting and Project Scoping

Now you deliberately look for research, but slowly.

1. Weeks 5–6: Mentor search

   • Use:
     • Department websites (filter by “publications last 2 years”).
     • Student listservs.
     • Upperclassmen, especially MS3s/MS4s who matched in your interest.
   • Aim to talk to 3–5 potential mentors:
     • 15–20 minute meetings.
     • Ask: “What types of projects do MS1s usually do with you? Typical timelines?”

2. Week 7: Evaluate mentors

   • Favor mentors who:
     • Have a track record of getting students on papers/posters.
     • Can outline concrete next steps.
     • Understand exam seasons and respect boundaries.
   • Red flag:
     • “We’ll just see how it goes, you can do 15–20 hours/week once things pick up.”

3. Week 8: Project selection

   • At this point, pick no more than 1 active project to start.
   • Ideal MS1‑friendly projects:
     • Case reports/series with defined scope.
     • Chart reviews with clear data dictionary.
     • Retrospective database analyses with existing IRB.
   • Avoid first:
     • New prospective trials.
     • Wet lab projects requiring rigid bench hours.

October–November: Skill Building Without Time Sink

The next 6–8 weeks are for learning workflows without drowning.

1. Week 9: Define the project timeline on paper

   • Sit with your mentor and map:
     • Current stage (idea, IRB, data, analysis, writing).
     • Target completion points:
       • Data collection done by: __.
       • Analysis done by: __.
       • Draft submitted by: __.
   • Confirm the finish line is before February of MS2 or is easily pause-able.

2. Weeks 10–12: Learn tools

   • Assign 1–2 “learning sprints”:
     • Basic Excel/Sheets analytics.
     • REDCap interface if chart review.
     • Citation managers (Zotero/Mendeley/EndNote).
   • Time-box:
     • 1–2 hrs/week for tools, within your 3–5 hr total budget.

3. Weeks 13–15: Light deliverables

   • Aim for:
     • One small, concrete deliverable by end of November:
       • A draft data collection sheet.
       • A literature summary table.
       • A first outline of a case report.
   • Check weekly:
     • Did I stay under my research hour cap?
     • Is my class performance stable?

December: End-of-Semester Audit

1. Week 16: Performance check

   • Review:
     • Exam scores vs class average.
     • Burnout scale (basic: 1–10; if you’re 7+, research load is too high).
   • If grades slipped or stress is high:
     • Plan a lighter research January.
   • If stable:
     • You can consider expanding to 5–7 hrs/week in spring, but only if necessary.

2. Winter Break Plan

   • Decide:
     • Research hours per break week (0, 5, or 10).
   • Use this time for:
     • Data cleaning.
     • Literature review.
     • Drafting introductions/discussion sections.
   • Do not start new projects over break.

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MS1 Spring: Locking Projects and Front-Loading Work (January–May)

This semester, you commit and front-load. By May, most moving parts should be defined or nearly done.

January: Refine and Commit

1. First 2 weeks back

   • Reconfirm with mentor:
     • Updated timeline for your project.
     • Realistic expectations:
       • “I can do __ hrs/week during spring.”
   • Decide:
     • Keep current project only, or add a second, ultra-light project (like a review article).

2. Mid-January: Research weekly structure

   • Assign specific blocks for research:
     • Example:
       • Tuesday 4–6 pm: data abstraction.
       • Saturday 10–12: writing/editing.
   • Protect them like class time.
   • Use a task system:
     • Simple: Notion, Trello, or a spreadsheet.
     • Columns: “This week”, “Blocked”, “Done”.

February–March: Maximal Progress Window

This is your highest-yield research period of MS1.

1. Goals by end of March

   • Aim for at least one of:
     • Data collection >75% complete.
     • Draft of a case report >70% written.
     • Abstract drafted for a specific conference (e.g., ACP, AHA, ASCO).

2. Weekly structure at this point

   • 3–7 hrs/week total:
     • 2–4 hrs: repetitive tasks (data pulls, chart review).
     • 1–3 hrs: analysis/writing.
   • Every Sunday:
     • Plan 2–3 specific research tasks:
       • “Abstract 15 charts.”
       • “Write methods section paragraphs 1–3.”
       • “Insert 5 updated references.”

3. Step Prep Seed (low intensity)

   • Late February–March:
     • Begin light Step foundations:
       • 30–60 mins/day: Anki for preclinical material.
     • This is NOT “Step studying” yet. It’s just ramping your memory system.

April: Converting Work to Outputs

By now, raw effort should start turning into presentations or manuscripts.

1. First half of April

   • Push for:
     • Internal deadlines:
       • Abstract submission date.
       • Target journal for case report.
   • Ask explicitly:
     • “Can we aim to submit this abstract/manuscript by early June?”

2. Second half of April

   • Shift focus:
     • From collection to analysis and writing.
   • You want:
     • As few moving parts left as possible going into summer.

May: End MS1 With a Clear Summer Plan

1. Early May: Deliverable checkpoint

   • You should have at least one of:
     • Abstract submitted or ready for submission.
     • Manuscript in late draft stage.
     • Data analysis near completion with clear next steps.

2. Late May: Summer structure agreement

   • For each active project, define:
     • Week-by-week summer goals.
     • Estimated total hours.
   • Confirm:
     • “By end of summer, I should be at __ stage so that MS2 fall is light.”

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MS1 Summer: Heavy Research, Light Step Base (June–August)

This is your power window. At this point, you load research while your class load is light or zero.

Early Summer (June): Kick-Off and Priorities

1. Set total weekly hours

   • Example target:
     • 25–40 hrs/week research (if full-time).
     • 5–7 hrs/week Step foundation.
   • Decide fixed off-days to prevent burnout.

2. Week 1 of summer

   • For each project, create a 4–8 week Gantt-style plan:
     • Week 1–2: finish data.
     • Week 3–4: analysis.
     • Week 5–6: first full manuscript draft.
     • Week 7–8: revisions and submission.

3. Step base daily

   • 30–60 mins/day:
     • Light UWorld or AMBOSS questions in systems you’ve covered.
     • Daily Anki.
   • Not your main job yet; just build familiarity.

Mid-Summer (July): Conversion and Submissions

1. By mid-July you should aim to:

   • Have:
     • 1–2 abstracts submitted or planned.
     • At least one manuscript draft circulating with your mentor.

2. Weekly structure at this point

   • 4 days/week heavy research.
   • 1 light admin/writing day.
   • Step:
     • 10–15 questions/day + active review.

3. Guardrail: Don’t start new big projects

   • If approached:
     • Ask, “What’s the realistic submission timeline?”
     • Decline if it will still be in heavy data collection by MS2 spring.

Late Summer (August): Transition to MS2 Mode

1. First half of August

   • Push all projects to coasting or near-finished mode:
     • Data: 100% done.
     • Manuscripts: 70–90% done.
     • Posters: in design stage.

2. Second half of August

   • Shift emphasis:
     • Research: 5–10 hrs/week max.
     • Step: gradually up to 1–1.5 hrs/day.
   • Meet each mentor:
     • “Once MS2 starts, I’ll have __ hrs/week. Let’s identify tasks that fit that.”

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MS2 Fall: Maintenance Mode While Step Ramps (August–December)

At this point, your main identity is “Step examinee who also has tidy research,” not the other way around.

August–September: Stabilize MS2 + Research Drip

1. First 4 weeks of MS2

   • Primary focus:
     • Adapting to system-based blocks.
     • Integrating Step resources with coursework.
   • Research:
     • Cap at 3 hrs/week:
       • Replying to emails.
       • Light edits.
       • Small figure/table updates.

2. Early September: Research review

   • For each project, assess:
     • Stage: awaiting review, revisions, or submission?
     • Remaining tasks that only you can do.
   • Convert:
     • Large tasks → small weekly items:
       • “Fix intro paragraph 2.”
       • “Update 3 references to newer studies.”

October–November: Step Gradual Ramp, Research Wind-Down

1. By October

   • Step prep:
     • 1–2 hrs/day integrated:
       • Systems-based QBank blocks.
       • Consistent Anki.
   • Research:
     • Aim to close:
       • New data collection.
       • Any new study ideas (say “after Step”).

2. November: Formal wind-down conversations

   • Meet each mentor:
     • Frame it clearly:
       • “From February onward, I need to sharply limit research for Step 1/2. Can we outline what’s realistic before then?”
   • Agree:
     • Which tasks must be finished before dedicated.
     • Which can wait until after exam.

3. Thanksgiving to early December

   • Try to reach:
     • All data work completed.
     • Any manuscripts either:
       • Submitted, or
       • In mentor’s hands for slower revisions.

December: Pre-Dedicated Planning

1. First half of December

   • Create your Step timeline:
     • Dedicated start date.
     • Target exam date.
   • Then overlay research:
     • January: 2–3 hrs/week max.
     • February: 1–2 hrs/week or 0.
     • March (if still pre-dedicated): admin tasks only.

2. Second half of December

   • Get explicit with mentors:
     • “Between [dedicated start] and [exam date], I need to be fully off research, aside from the rare 10-minute email. Let’s plan for that now.”
   • Identify:
     • A co-author or senior resident who can temporarily handle urgent matters.

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MS2 Spring: Protecting Pre-Dedicated and Dedicated (January–Exam)

This is where most students lose control. You’ll decide in advance what’s allowed and what’s not.

January: Final Push and Handoffs

1. January weeks 1–2

   • Finish anything time-sensitive:
     • Abstracts for spring conferences.
     • Final revisions on near-submission manuscripts.
   • Hard cut date:
     • Pick a no-new-work date (e.g., Jan 31).
       • After this date, you agree not to start new analyses or sections.

2. Mid to late January

   • Step prep:
     • 2–3 hrs/day.
     • UWorld/AMBOSS in structured blocks.
   • Research:
     • 1–2 hrs/week:
       • Track-changes edits.
       • Short email responses.

February: Taper to Maintenance Only

1. Early February

   • Communicate again:
     • “From [date], I’ll be closing my research time until Step is done.”
   • Identify:
     • One “emergency only” contact method (email or text).
     • Types of things you will respond to:
       • Authorship forms.
       • Final approval of your name on a submission.
     • Types you won’t do until after Step:
       • New analyses.
       • Major rewrites.

2. Mid to late February

   • Step:
     • 3–5 hrs/day (depending on curriculum schedule).
   • Research:
     • Zero scheduled hours.
     • Only true emergencies, capped at <15 minutes each.

Dedicated (6–10 Weeks Before Exam): Research OFF by Design

At this point, you should have essentially no active research responsibilities.

1. 1–2 weeks before dedicated starts

   • Send a final pre-dedicated email to all mentors:
     • Confirm:
       • Dedicated start and exam date.
       • That you’ll be slow to respond.
     • Suggest:
       • “If a deadline arises, feel free to move forward; I’m happy with my current authorship position.”

2. During dedicated

   • Rules:
     • Don’t log into project folders.
     • Don’t accept meetings.
     • Only respond to:
       • Urgent authorship documentation.
       • Journal conflict-of-interest or copyright forms.
   • Maximum:
     • 10–15 minutes/week on research-related email.

3. After exam

   • Within 1 week:
     • Send “back on board” emails.
     • Review where each project stands.
     • Decide what to resume and what to retire.

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Practical Checklists by Phase

At the Start of MS1

• Defined weekly research hour cap.
• Made a list of 3–5 potential mentors.
• Clarified long-term research goals (abstracts, publications, specialty).

Before MS1 Summer

• Each project has:
  • Written timeline.
  • Clear summer tasks.
• No new high-maintenance projects queued.
• Light Step foundation plan in place.

Start of MS2

• Research cut to maintenance mode (≤3 hrs/week).
• Step resources chosen (QBank, deck, primary text/video).
• Mentor expectations reset for MS2 priorities.

Three Months Before Dedicated

• All data collection finished.
• Active manuscripts either submitted or in revision.
• No new commitments accepted.
• Firm “research off” dates shared with mentors.

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Final Anchor Points

1. Your Step performance will matter more than squeezing in one extra poster. Protect Step time ruthlessly.
2. The projects that fit best from MS1–MS2 are those that can be front-loaded and then coast, not those needing constant unpredictable attention.
3. The single biggest differentiator is communication: if you tell mentors your bandwidth early and often, you can have both solid research and uncompromised Step studying without collapse.