A Radical Change: Studying in Pharmacy School

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jogevp

jogevp

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Hey! I wanted to start a thread about how I'm planning to revamp my approach to studying so that I can be the best I can and learn as much as possible, not just scrape by. I would love to hear from others on what has worked for you or what you would have done differently looking back. So far I have:
  • Cancel any Netflix or other subscription entertainment services to prevent distractions
  • Detail planner
  • Set study goals (read so many pages or memorize so many things before I can do something else)
  • Read ahead (my primary weakness!)
  • Make up my own questions
  • Practice tests
  • Practice cases
  • Study groups
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take this to another forum
 
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If you have a mac download "self control" it allows you to add websites to a blacklist and set a timer to not allow you to access those websites during the set time period (up to 24h). There are also browser extensions to help control distracting content as well.

I say consistency is key, study before and after class and give yourself breaks when you need them. Gym time was my break, find your own.
 
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First thing you should do....

Re-subscribe to Netflix
 
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I don't know how much you study because studying more is not always worth the effort. I'm currently working full time and taking pre pharm pre reqs. I study for about 12 hours/week plus being in class for 8ish hours.

Taking brain breaks are important to studying so for me that means watching Netflix because your brain can only absorb so much information. Really, how did you study in undergrad? And you might say, I'm not in pharm school but I hold a master's degree which I worked full time throughout. I was also a teacher. I have never really had a problem with learning material and distractions. More studying doesn't always correlate to higher grades, working efficiently and figuring out your learning style is way more helpful. Take this: What's Your Learning Style? 20 Questions and learn to study smarter not longer.
 
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slothsrule89 said:
I don't know how much you study because studying more is not always worth the effort. I'm currently working full time and taking pre pharm pre reqs. I study for about 12 hours/week plus being in class for 8ish hours.

Taking brain breaks are important to studying so for me that means watching Netflix because your brain can only absorb so much information. Really, how did you study in undergrad? And you might say, I'm not in pharm school but I hold a master's degree which I worked full time throughout. I was also a teacher. I have never really had a problem with learning material and distractions. More studying doesn't always correlate to higher grades, working efficiently and figuring out your learning style is way more helpful. Take this: What's Your Learning Style? 20 Questions and learn to study smarter not longer.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this quiz is unlike any other learning style quiz I've taken! I never studied in high school (didn't need to) and have bounced back and forth with studying habits in undergrad. I list Netflix as something I need to cut out because I know it is a distraction for me and I will binge-watch an entire season or more once I start. Then I tend to put off studying until the very last minute. I am not studying anywhere near 12 hours a week and know that I need to get in a habit of studying consistently and without distractions at least hour or two a day. I took the quiz and found out I am almost equally auditory, visual, and tactile but mostly an auditory learner, which surprises me since I always thought of myself as strictly a visual learner.
I know it sounds terrible that I've made it through 4 years of college and still don't know how to study, but I really want to get better and this was helpful, thanks!
 
Uhm why unsubscribe from Netflix? It is important to have some leisure activity when you are studying 8-10 hours a day.
 
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jogevp said:
Thanks, this quiz is unlike any other learning style quiz I've taken! I never studied in high school (didn't need to) and have bounced back and forth with studying habits in undergrad. I list Netflix as something I need to cut out because I know it is a distraction for me and I will binge-watch an entire season or more once I start. Then I tend to put off studying until the very last minute. I am not studying anywhere near 12 hours a week and know that I need to get in a habit of studying consistently and without distractions at least hour or two a day. I took the quiz and found out I am almost equally auditory, visual, and tactile but mostly an auditory learner, which surprises me since I always thought of myself as strictly a visual learner.
I know it sounds terrible that I've made it through 4 years of college and still don't know how to study, but I really want to get better and this was helpful, thanks!
Click to expand...
Understanding your learning style is really important in how you perceive information. I would think about recording lectures so you can listen to them again or study groups would be helpful because you would be listening and talking about the material. I think you really need to find an accountability partner. And with any professional job, you have to be self-motivated to keep current on the information. I actually found that harder when I was teaching because I had so MUCH to do. What year are you in right now?
 
I remember binge watching Dexter instead of studying for P2 finals. That kept me sane...
 
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slothsrule89 said:
Understanding your learning style is really important in how you perceive information. I would think about recording lectures so you can listen to them again or study groups would be helpful because you would be listening and talking about the material. I think you really need to find an accountability partner. And with any professional job, you have to be self-motivated to keep current on the information. I actually found that harder when I was teaching because I had so MUCH to do. What year are you in right now?
Click to expand...
I start Pharm school in the fall.
 
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I pretty much never studied in high school or college. In my first year of pharmacy school I tried re-writing all of the lectures. It worked well but it was just too time consuming. I'd walk into the test knowing half of the material like the back of my hand and the other half I would not know very well because I just flat out ran out of time. Using this method I still scored pretty well. Now I kind of do the same thing but instead of writing out the notes I just type them. It's a little faster than re-writing them. At one point I also just tried just reading the PowerPoints/re-watching the lectures and not making any personal notes/outlines at all but I just didn't learn the material very well that way. A lot of the med students like to turn entire lectures into a set of practice questions but I've never really messed around with that myself.

I use the "One Calendar" app on Windows 10. My school gives us calendar feeds so it syncs up nicely. At the beginning of each semester I also go through each syllabus and type up a document of every due date for every assignment, every test and quiz date, and the date of every mandatory class session. It keeps me organized and I don't have to worry about missing something.
 
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jogevp said:
Hey! I wanted to start a thread about how I'm planning to revamp my approach to studying so that I can be the best I can and learn as much as possible, not just scrape by. I would love to hear from others on what has worked for you or what you would have done differently looking back. So far I have:
  • Cancel any Netflix or other subscription entertainment services to prevent distractions
  • Detail planner
  • Set study goals (read so many pages or memorize so many things before I can do something else)
  • Read ahead (my primary weakness!)
  • Make up my own questions
  • Practice tests
  • Practice cases
  • Study groups
Click to expand...

Soon to be graduate here to share my 4 years of I hate my life, studying, and school experience. I just happen to have tried all of the things you mentioned so I'll share some thoughts about them.
  • Cancel any Netflix or other subscription entertainment services to prevent distractions: Bad idea! You need some clear your mind time. There will be days where you will shout and scream (even if internally) and curse everything pharmacy related and toss your things into the darkest corner of your room. What you really need to do is set a limit (use that detailed planner) and keep yourself to whatever that limit is. I would really encourage working on that because you definitely want to have time to relax.

  • Detail planner - Either you do this or you don't. I tried...for one day. Then I said screw it. I rely on my friends/coworkers/randoms to help me stay on track. Often times pharmacy was a day by day thing for me. Tuesday, quiz. Wednesday, exam and quiz. Thursday, journal club. Friday, drink! And study for monday! I also had a lot of super organized and detailed friends that kept me in line. So your daily planner can be a friend :) Don't forget to treat them nicely for their generosity if you rely on them. If you are super organized and can keep a planner, you may wind up have friends love you for helping them stay on track!

  • Set study goals (read so many pages or memorize so many things before I can do something else/Read ahead (my primary weakness!) - I lumped these two together. For my curriculum, I had a hard enough time just staying caught up, let alone trying to get ahead. I think you will find being "ahead of the pack" difficult to do while balancing multiple courses, multiple quizzes/exams, and a boatload of other responsibilities. I'm not saying its not possible, but I would encourage you to see if you can keep up and review up first before you think about investing valuable time trying to get ahead.

  • Make up my own questions - Good plan, but usually most effective once you wait until see how the exams/quizzes are written. In my college, the different course lecturers write the questions to the exams. Each question has a different style. Some lecturers give 4 answer choices. Others give 5. Some tell you what to focus on in class. Others test you on things you're pretty sure were never mentioned in class. So use this method but do it in a smart way.

  • Practice tests - Like old exams? Sure, if they are available.

  • Practice cases - Potentialy useful depending on the lecturer and question style

  • Study groups - I personally studied with a dedicated group. We would each study on our own up until the test day and then review with one another right prior to the exam. We would essentially go through every single lecture in detail and ask questions to one another. This was the most successful method for me to get through my final 2 years of didactic learning. My learning style was to write notes on a microsoft word document while the lecturers present from their handouts. I would then print the word doc I made and take handwritten notes highlighting the most important information and organizing it. The handwritten part was also useful because it allowed me to draw structures or pictures that were emphasized in class. After I studied this handout, I would study with my friends who typically used the lecture handouts to study and we would test one another.
 
This page is so qt.

Don't be too disappointed if all of these plans end up not working. I had all these dreams about the amazing study practices I'd employ in pharmacy school. Lol. When I was swamped with work, though, I didn't multitask as well as I hoped.

You'll be great!

Do your readings (you won't always have the time to read ahead), reread your notes, attend all of your classes (but for sick days, find someone with great notes who will share), make friends (some of them will be lifelong!), don't forget to eat, and save time for fun! Time will fly.

Also, as others have said, don't cancel Netflix. You'll miss it. ^__________^
 
Since we have multiple professors for every class, learning and understanding in different ways is basically essential.
Testing yourself through different forms (quizlet, practice tests, having tutors test you, end of chapter test) is a great way to gauge your understanding of the information. So far it is definitely working for me. Hope it helps :D
 
My suggestions:
  • Skip class and watch lectures at 2x
  • Work as an intern and learn all the dosage forms, indications and side effects- then counsel REAL patients.
  • Review your slides for all the textbook scenarios your professors will emphasize (Yes, you can use Macrobid in renal impairment... but don't pick that answer on the exam!)
  • Study hard, but never too hard that it cuts into your beer time. What else is that work money for?
 
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lionheart555 said:
Soon to be graduate here to share my 4 years of I hate my life, studying, and school experience. I just happen to have tried all of the things you mentioned so I'll share some thoughts about them.
  • Cancel any Netflix or other subscription entertainment services to prevent distractions: Bad idea! You need some clear your mind time. There will be days where you will shout and scream (even if internally) and curse everything pharmacy related and toss your things into the darkest corner of your room. What you really need to do is set a limit (use that detailed planner) and keep yourself to whatever that limit is. I would really encourage working on that because you definitely want to have time to relax.

  • Detail planner - Either you do this or you don't. I tried...for one day. Then I said screw it. I rely on my friends/coworkers/randoms to help me stay on track. Often times pharmacy was a day by day thing for me. Tuesday, quiz. Wednesday, exam and quiz. Thursday, journal club. Friday, drink! And study for monday! I also had a lot of super organized and detailed friends that kept me in line. So your daily planner can be a friend :) Don't forget to treat them nicely for their generosity if you rely on them. If you are super organized and can keep a planner, you may wind up have friends love you for helping them stay on track!

  • Set study goals (read so many pages or memorize so many things before I can do something else/Read ahead (my primary weakness!) - I lumped these two together. For my curriculum, I had a hard enough time just staying caught up, let alone trying to get ahead. I think you will find being "ahead of the pack" difficult to do while balancing multiple courses, multiple quizzes/exams, and a boatload of other responsibilities. I'm not saying its not possible, but I would encourage you to see if you can keep up and review up first before you think about investing valuable time trying to get ahead.

  • Make up my own questions - Good plan, but usually most effective once you wait until see how the exams/quizzes are written. In my college, the different course lecturers write the questions to the exams. Each question has a different style. Some lecturers give 4 answer choices. Others give 5. Some tell you what to focus on in class. Others test you on things you're pretty sure were never mentioned in class. So use this method but do it in a smart way.

  • Practice tests - Like old exams? Sure, if they are available.

  • Practice cases - Potentialy useful depending on the lecturer and question style

  • Study groups - I personally studied with a dedicated group. We would each study on our own up until the test day and then review with one another right prior to the exam. We would essentially go through every single lecture in detail and ask questions to one another. This was the most successful method for me to get through my final 2 years of didactic learning. My learning style was to write notes on a microsoft word document while the lecturers present from their handouts. I would then print the word doc I made and take handwritten notes highlighting the most important information and organizing it. The handwritten part was also useful because it allowed me to draw structures or pictures that were emphasized in class. After I studied this handout, I would study with my friends who typically used the lecture handouts to study and we would test one another.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice! I am now coming up on my last week of my first semester and this was very helpful! I ended up not cancelling Netflix (I ended up cutting it close for studying the night before an exam so who knows if that was really a good idea lol). My learning style also involves actually handwriting and drawing things out. I found out I can't study from other people's study guides. Old tests have been helpful in figuring out how professors write questions, but I really wasn't sure what to expect until I actually experienced it. Again, thanks for the advice and for taking me seriously! (BTW, are you lionpharmacist on tumblr??)
 
I generally advise my students NOT to become ascetic unless that was their inclination already. It works as well as extreme dieting, where for virtually everyone, it makes you unhappier and doesn't solve the problem. Dialing back in moderation and refocusing helps, but make it a conscious incremental approach. You'll get there, but there's no shortcuts or one true way. This reads of a fad diet.

Getting an intern though helps out in studies in moderation. That's what you're going to do anyway, so you might as well get out there and learn under supervision.
 
jogevp said:
Thanks for the advice! I am now coming up on my last week of my first semester and this was very helpful! I ended up not cancelling Netflix (I ended up cutting it close for studying the night before an exam so who knows if that was really a good idea lol). My learning style also involves actually handwriting and drawing things out. I found out I can't study from other people's study guides. Old tests have been helpful in figuring out how professors write questions, but I really wasn't sure what to expect until I actually experienced it. Again, thanks for the advice and for taking me seriously! (BTW, are you lionpharmacist on tumblr??)
Click to expand...

Haha, no, but I will check out whoever that is. Glad to hear this is working out for you! I studied less over time but ended up doing better academically. Definitely would attribute that to figuring out my learning style. At the end of the day whatever works for you is going to be key and if you can have some fun while studying (for me it was with my study group), I think that is best.
 
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Just have fun. You'll learn enough without studying hardcore. 90% chance you'll end up in retail and the person hiring won't even ask about your GPA.
 
Swishers said:
Just have fun. You'll learn enough without studying hardcore. 90% chance you'll end up in retail and the person hiring won't even ask about your GPA.
Click to expand...

Lol @ any boss asking about gpa regardless of setting.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
What's worked for me as a pharmacy student:
1) Subscribe to Spotify/Hulu student account and keep Netflix.
2) Don't read all the material. Consider them as supplemental. There's too much of it, and they're not helpful.
3) Study groups are hit or miss, depending on who you study with. I didn't find them useful.
4) Practice tests are your friend.
 
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