Best way to retain information while studying?

[spacemanspiff]

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since this test is so jam packed with information, what strategies do you guys have to help retain as much information as possible? i know being in med school we should all know how to study by now, but with so many study sources, limited time, and an insane amount of information, are there any tips that you guys have to make the material stick in your head? i'm tired of reading/highliting because nothing is retaining, thanks!

 

[oyyoyy84]

identify which 0ne is more important and high yield. study the more important one..subjects which need understanding must study first.. the rest can cram months before exam....

 

[amrmd]

for me i think repetition is the best way for retention. Well... most songs we hear get stuck in our head especially if we hear it every now and then. But of course knowing which one to retain is another aspect. I would suggest that those weak spots which you always forget should be given more emphasis and try to joke around the terms or put mnemonics...it doesn't need to make sense as long as it helps retain what you read

 

[Pepsy]

rote memorization wont help as much esp. for boards. Repetition plays a huge role in my opinion. Esp. for pharm and micro maybe. In those cases, its good to use 'associations'. even including a funny picture helps. (yay cmmrs!) I remember learning glycolysis in gr-9 with pure memorization and forgot it a week after. in med school however, understanding the whole pathway (alot more info than before) automatically helps to know what comes next. you can also try to retain things systematically (groupings), so recalling in a similar manner helps. Do more questions (atleast 25 per day on a regular basis), so you can practice recalling. Dont make it your mission to get the answer and thats it. Other choices in the answer are probably similar concepts so ask why and whynot as you learn from those too. when preparing for step, do alot more questions. Another technique is that, you can try to teach a concept (with reference) to someone else. Some learn better by tutoring than getting tutored.

 

[mesoderm]

I agree with Pepsy. Repetition is key. I find that making my own notecards and going through them is helping me retain better. Am considering buying pharmcards, though.

 

[lord_jeebus]

repetition is the branding iron of knowledge

 

[Wings4Marie]

This is how you memorize:

You do questions pertaining to your weaknesses. And when you get one wrong, say to yoursef "I would have gotten this wrong on the USMLE if I hadn't done this question. That would get me a low score and put me in a residency I don't want to be in..."

Fear is a great motivator...