A Medical Student Online Community: A Qualitative Analysis of Step 1 Subreddit Posts

IntroductionReddit is a public discussion website parsed into "subreddits" centered around specific topics. Medical students often utilize the Step 1 subreddit to seek peer counsel regarding exam preparation. The aim of this study is to utilize the Step 1 subreddit to (1) qualitatively explore how students utilize this subreddit and (2) to capture the evolving landscape of thoughts and strategies employed since Step 1 score reporting shifted to pass/fail.MethodsThe Reddit Application Programming Interface (API) was employed to collect Step 1 subreddit posts between January 26, 2022, and April 10, 2023. The top 500 ranked posts were analyzed using the grounded theory method for comprehensive thematic analysis.ResultsThematic analysis identified five themes: mental and emotional challenges, academically overwhelming, peer student advice, community support and appreciation, and navigating the pass/fail Step 1 landscape. During exam preparation, students commonly expressed emotions of stress, overwhelmed by the volume of content and the demanding preparation timeline. Students leveraged the Step 1 subreddit to gain advice from peers on selecting and effectively utilizing resources, crafting study schedules, and prioritizing content. The subreddit served as a source of support, where posters extended encouragement and empathy for which students expressed gratitude. Likewise, students were engaged in the process of assessing external guidance and adapting their study strategies to thrive in the Step 1 pass/fail environment.ConclusionsThe analysis of the Step 1 subreddit revealed themes that provide a better understanding of how medical students leverage this forum and insights of educators may use to optimize student support.