Can't Cope With the Schedule

[Lizzie Bartlet]

Year 2 here. Our schedule this year stinks. We're in school every day from 8-5 and attendance is required. I get home and my brain is fried. Nothing I study sticks.

And I'm supposed to study for boards this year? How? I don't know how to keep up with my classes let alone study for boards when my attention is dead to the wall by 5 p.m.

How do the rest of you do it?

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[Antibodies]

I am sorry about your required attendance. What school is that (if you don't mind)?

 

[DrYoda]

How do the rest of you do it?

By skipping class. Sorry to hear you have mandatory attendance.


Maybe you could sit in the back and ignore the lecturer, while studying on your own during class?

 

[deleted116380]

That schedule sounds terrible. I would ignore the classes and study in the back with headphones or earplugs.

I have no clue when I'm suppose to start studying for Step1 either (MS2 as well). Maybe winter break? I'm just trying to get through the year, too, lol.

 

[2012mdc]

Year 2 here. Our schedule this year stinks. We're in school every day from 8-5 and attendance is required. I get home and my brain is fried. Nothing I study sticks.

And I'm supposed to study for boards this year? How? I don't know how to keep up with my classes let alone study for boards when my attention is dead to the wall by 5 p.m.

How do the rest of you do it?

I'm sorry about your situation. As far as I know most schools don't have required attendance to that degree. I would do questions during the lectures that aren't useful or put headphones on and read like other posters have mentioned.

Try taking a nap or doing something relaxing when you get home and try to study 7 or 8-12. That's more than enough time if you're efficient. Close to tests you'll just have to sacrifice sleep or sleep in class if the 8-5 commitment is still mandatory. Also relax or do something fun friday nights and stay away from the books.

That schedule sounds terrible. I would ignore the classes and study in the back with headphones or earplugs.

I have no clue when I'm suppose to start studying for Step1 either (MS2 as well). Maybe winter break? I'm just trying to get through the year, too, lol.

I found a good time to start studying was January - new FA comes out, can get a 6 month UW subscription, have learned enough material 2nd year where UW will actually be helpful, etc.

 

[deleted116380]

II found a good time to start studying was January - new FA comes out, can get a 6 month UW subscription, have learned enough material 2nd year where UW will actually be helpful, etc.

Hmm...when did classes end for you and when did you take step 1? We get out a week into April...a cumulative final for each course (you fail any of those, you repeat the year, lol). Then Step 1 by mid to late May and 3rd year starts.

 

[2012mdc]

Hmm...when did classes end for you and when did you take step 1? We get out a week into April...a cumulative final for each course (you fail any of those, you repeat the year, lol). Then Step 1 by mid to late May and 3rd year starts.

Classes ended at the end of April. Shelf exams the 1st two weeks of May so done with any class related activity ~May 14th

I took my step June 18th and technically we are supposed to take it by June 30th. A group of people took it in July or August but had to miss the first rotation. Our 3rd year starts the beginning of August.

 

[Lizzie Bartlet]

Sorry, I don't want to say which school I go to. I could sit in the back and study on my own, but what's the point really? I still have to listen to the lectures at some point and then review on my own.

What I did 1st year which worked for me was attend class and then go home and review my notes from that day. On the weekends, I reviewed the whole week. It worked well.

So if I sit in the back and review or listen to yesterday's lectures, I'll still be too burned out by the time I get home to review. Now if I could just stay home all day, I'd make my own schedule and take breaks when I need to and stuff to keep going all day.

My problem is the amount of lecture time. I don't think I'm learning anything else that any other student in US MD/DO school isn't learning. Why do we have to be there for 8 hours of lecture or labs? I don't get it.

I don't think the school understands that when they schedule that much school time, they're shooting their students in the foot because there isn't sufficient time to dissect everything we were taught and LEARN it. And I don't even want to think about how to do that while studying for boards.

 

[Meerkatology]

Sorry, I don't want to say which school I go to. I could sit in the back and study on my own, but what's the point really? I still have to listen to the lectures at some point and then review on my own.

What I did 1st year which worked for me was attend class and then go home and review my notes from that day. On the weekends, I reviewed the whole week. It worked well.

So if I sit in the back and review or listen to yesterday's lectures, I'll still be too burned out by the time I get home to review. Now if I could just stay home all day, I'd make my own schedule and take breaks when I need to and stuff to keep going all day.

My problem is the amount of lecture time. I don't think I'm learning anything else that any other student in US MD/DO school isn't learning. Why do we have to be there for 8 hours of lecture or labs? I don't get it.

I don't think the school understands that when they schedule that much school time, they're shooting their students in the foot because there isn't sufficient time to dissect everything we were taught and LEARN it. And I don't even want to think about how to do that while studying for boards.

mandatory attendance sux, but try to study during lecture and just ignore the lecturer, its more efficient. 8-9 hours of self directed study in place of lectures is more than enough to do well on tests and boards if you keep it up.

also taking a short nap really helps your brain recuperate too, sometimes when i get really tired and brain just doenst work anymore even a 20min nap can make me feel like new

 

[Stixman28]

Year 2 here. Our schedule this year stinks. We're in school every day from 8-5 and attendance is required. I get home and my brain is fried. Nothing I study sticks.

And I'm supposed to study for boards this year? How? I don't know how to keep up with my classes let alone study for boards when my attention is dead to the wall by 5 p.m.

How do the rest of you do it?

whew, im sorry OP, that sucks.

i have to commiserate bc I literally cannot learn anything in lecture. people always walk out of lecture talking about how x and y.

Most of the time i have NO recollection of whatever they're talking about, especially small details, which are our entire exams. some people can just go to lecture, and watch them again, and they retain the info. I am just not an aural learner, so i dont go...im sorry you dont have that option.

 

[Antibodies]

Sorry, I don't want to say which school I go to. I could sit in the back and study on my own, but what's the point really? I still have to listen to the lectures at some point and then review on my own.

What I did 1st year which worked for me was attend class and then go home and review my notes from that day. On the weekends, I reviewed the whole week. It worked well.

So if I sit in the back and review or listen to yesterday's lectures, I'll still be too burned out by the time I get home to review. Now if I could just stay home all day, I'd make my own schedule and take breaks when I need to and stuff to keep going all day.

My problem is the amount of lecture time. I don't think I'm learning anything else that any other student in US MD/DO school isn't learning. Why do we have to be there for 8 hours of lecture or labs? I don't get it.

I don't think the school understands that when they schedule that much school time, they're shooting their students in the foot because there isn't sufficient time to dissect everything we were taught and LEARN it. And I don't even want to think about how to do that while studying for boards.

Yeah, this always surprises me. Some schools just don't get it and they think they are enhancing your learning by making you go to lecture.