depressed and frustrated term 1

[bicepcurls]

So I am a first termer and we've just finished Unifieds and the grades were horrible. I feel so discouraged and I am going to be going to a learning strategist session some time this week. But until then, I have tried to follow the preview/review method.

I just feel as if it's an infinite amount of work to get done, in the time after class. So basically I have like 5 hours to get whatever I have learned in class that day down.

I was told that I am suppose to try and commit those lectures to memory or at least some of it. Although some say just read over what has been taught, kind of try to understand it and then commit it to memory on the weekend. I am so confused on what is right because some say you can commit to memory some of the stuff but it's so little bit (tried it last night), that it feels like it's a race that will never be finished.

Do you guys have any advice on how to actually study? Am I suppose to commit majority of the lecture notes that day to memory? I mean that's pretty hard if you have like 100 plus slides. Then the next day it's more information.

If anyone could help guide me on a rational studying strategy, that would be awesome. I would probably end up taking that strategy with me to the learning session and present it to one of the DES individuals to see if that is something that's practical.

I am not going to lie, sometimes in small groups, there are a few people who seem to understand the stuff so well, and I know the rest of us are lost and it doesn't really give me comfort because they took in nearly 900 of us this semester and I know a lot of us are either gonna decel, get kicked out or just leave on our own accords.

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[circulus vitios]

My strategy is to skip class and watch recorded lectures while annotating the Powerpoint slides as I watch it. Take a break for a while, then later that night I'll study my annotated slides while writing down anything really important or difficult in a paper notebook. If it's something that requires a lot of memorization, I might make some Anki flashcards.

Disclaimer: I'm a below average student, but I think it's because I don't put in enough work and not because my study method sucks.

 

[seminoma]

So I am a first termer and we've just finished Unifieds and the grades were horrible. I feel so discouraged and I am going to be going to a learning strategist session some time this week. But until then, I have tried to follow the preview/review method.

I just feel as if it's an infinite amount of work to get done, in the time after class. So basically I have like 5 hours to get whatever I have learned in class that day down.

I was told that I am suppose to try and commit those lectures to memory or at least some of it. Although some say just read over what has been taught, kind of try to understand it and then commit it to memory on the weekend. I am so confused on what is right because some say you can commit to memory some of the stuff but it's so little bit (tried it last night), that it feels like it's a race that will never be finished.

Do you guys have any advice on how to actually study? Am I suppose to commit majority of the lecture notes that day to memory? I mean that's pretty hard if you have like 100 plus slides. Then the next day it's more information.

If anyone could help guide me on a rational studying strategy, that would be awesome. I would probably end up taking that strategy with me to the learning session and present it to one of the DES individuals to see if that is something that's practical.

I am not going to lie, sometimes in small groups, there are a few people who seem to understand the stuff so well, and I know the rest of us are lost and it doesn't really give me comfort because they took in nearly 900 of us this semester and I know a lot of us are either gonna decel, get kicked out or just leave on our own accords.

100 slides for an 8-5 lecture day is nothing. Skip lectures, watch later at 1.5 or faster.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

900?? Where do you go to school?? How to learn is something you have to learn on your own it's difficult. However, I feel like there are people who can read and understand stuff and others who need someone to explain something to them like a child (not to be insulting). This may make you understand it better and the best way to do this in my opinion is Kaplan videos or if your school has video lectures .I know of med students using kaplan vids all the time now. For me it was books that made a huge difference. Try to do research on books online normally they are pretty accurate.

 

[DermViser]

Do you go to a US Medical school? You used the term Unifieds so I wasn't sure.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

Do you go to a US Medical school? You used the term Unifieds so I wasn't sure.

Yeah i have no idea what unifiers are. Sounds like if a school takes in 900 students, it would have to be quite easy to get in but hard to stay in. There must be a massive attrition rate. Thats a pretty bad system in my opinion.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Do you go to a US Medical school? You used the term Unifieds so I wasn't sure.

All of the terminology ("first-termer" "unifieds" "decel") would suggest this is not a US student. Plus I don't know of any US school that takes 900 students a semester.

 

[DermViser]

All of the terminology ("first-termer" "unifieds" "decel") would suggest this is not a US student. Plus I don't know of any US school that takes 900 students a semester.

I don't think even Carribean med schools go that high when classes start.

 

[bicepcurls]

Yeah it's a Caribbean school. One of the best actually. I am not an American, so the option is obvious to go to a Caribbean medical school. But I think skipping the class and focusing on video lectures would be a good idea. And yes, it's 900 students, about 860 to be exact. It's very ridiculous.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

Yeah it's a Caribbean school. One of the best actually. I am not an American, so the option is obvious to go to a Caribbean medical school. But I think skipping the class and focusing on video lectures would be a good idea. And yes, it's 900 students, about 860 to be exact. It's very ridiculous.

Just out of curiosity how many end up graduating??

 

[el_duderino]

Yeah it's a Caribbean school. One of the best actually. I am not an American, so the option is obvious to go to a Caribbean medical school. But I think skipping the class and focusing on video lectures would be a good idea. And yes, it's 900 students, about 860 to be exact. It's very ridiculous.

Where do you plan to practice?

 

[bicepcurls]

Just out of curiosity how many end up graduating??

That's the unfortunate part. 900 are taken in, but that's definitely not the amount that moves on past term 1 and definitely isn't the amount that graduates. Supposedly there is a 150 plus clinical positions available anyways. So it kind of gives you an idea of how much people aren't going to make it =/

 

[bicepcurls]

Where do you plan to practice?

My home country. It's also a caribbean island.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

That's the unfortunate part. 900 are taken in, but that's definitely not the amount that moves on past term 1 and definitely isn't the amount that graduates. Supposedly there is a 150 plus clinical positions available anyways. So it kind of gives you an idea of how much people aren't going to make it =/

Thats a pretty horrible system isn't it?. you give people the hope of becoming a doctor and the odds are stacked up against you, if 1 in 8 people are going to make it through.

But i guess the people who do make it through are deserving.

 

[DermViser]

Yeah it's a Caribbean school. One of the best actually. I am not an American, so the option is obvious to go to a Caribbean medical school. But I think skipping the class and focusing on video lectures would be a good idea. And yes, it's 900 students, about 860 to be exact. It's very ridiculous.

No, the best option in that case is to go to the medical school in your actual country (non-Devry), but that's neither here nor there.

 

[DermViser]

Thats a pretty horrible system isn't it?. you give people the hope of becoming a doctor and the odds are stacked up against you, if 1 in 8 people are going to make it through.

But i guess the people who do make it through are deserving.

I believe everyone knows that matriculating at the beginning. That's why going to the Caribbean is scary. It's like the Hunger Games to the end of which you have no assurances anywhere along the way - along with some craziness sprinkled in (i.e. setting up your own rotations, etc.). As if medical school isn't stressful enough.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

I believe everyone knows that matriculating at the beginning. That's why going to the Caribbean is scary. It's like the Hunger Games to the end of which you have no assurances anywhere along the way - along with some craziness sprinkled in (i.e. setting up your own rotations, etc.). As if medical school isn't stressful enough.

Yeah everyone does know that, but i am sure no one goes in there thinking oh I'm going to fail, everyone is going to be like I'm going to become a doctor! lol . Yeah it is like the hunger games, i think thats a bit crazy to have a system like that.

 

[bicepcurls]

No, the best option in that case is to go to the medical school in your actual country (non-Devry), but that's neither here nor there.

actually i want to be a medical doctor. also the school in my country is kind of very picky, on who gets in (doesn't even have to do with grades). you can have an undergraduate degree in biology, which is pre-med and they will tell you to go back to school in our said country and get your A-levels extra, and then come back.

it's pretty much an obvious choice to tell them to buzz off and go to a caribbean medical school.

 

[Robotman]

That's the unfortunate part. 900 are taken in, but that's definitely not the amount that moves on past term 1 and definitely isn't the amount that graduates. Supposedly there is a 150 plus clinical positions available anyways. So it kind of gives you an idea of how much people aren't going to make it =/

LOL that is completely and utterly incorrect. Actually the entire statement is incorrect.

This statement is coming from someone who hasn't been here for more than a month.

This August term is the largest that SGU has taken. But the plain fact is that half of the US students were relatively weak applicants for the US. SGU isn't malignant, its the students that just don't make it. If you can't finish a sudoku puzzle, is it the sudoku puzzle's fault or is it your fault for not figuring it out?

Of course, if you fail it, you will blame the puzzle, saying something is wrong with it, but its usually the person's ego that gets in the way of blaming their deficiencies.

The clinical situation is not even a factor, the dean that gets the clinical spots is having to slow down because we don't have enough students for the amount of spots we have; which he said in a recent clinical meeting.

 

[Birdstrike]

So I am a first termer and we've just finished Unifieds and the grades were horrible. I feel so discouraged and I am going to be going to a learning strategist session some time this week. But until then, I have tried to follow the preview/review method.

I just feel as if it's an infinite amount of work to get done, in the time after class. So basically I have like 5 hours to get whatever I have learned in class that day down.

I was told that I am suppose to try and commit those lectures to memory or at least some of it. Although some say just read over what has been taught, kind of try to understand it and then commit it to memory on the weekend. I am so confused on what is right because some say you can commit to memory some of the stuff but it's so little bit (tried it last night), that it feels like it's a race that will never be finished.

Do you guys have any advice on how to actually study? Am I suppose to commit majority of the lecture notes that day to memory? I mean that's pretty hard if you have like 100 plus slides. Then the next day it's more information.

If anyone could help guide me on a rational studying strategy, that would be awesome. I would probably end up taking that strategy with me to the learning session and present it to one of the DES individuals to see if that is something that's practical.

I am not going to lie, sometimes in small groups, there are a few people who seem to understand the stuff so well, and I know the rest of us are lost and it doesn't really give me comfort because they took in nearly 900 of us this semester and I know a lot of us are either gonna decel, get kicked out or just leave on our own accords.

I think most people feel overwhelmed in the beginning. Keep plugging along and eventually you're likely to find a study technique that works for you.

 

[Psai]

lol 100 slides a day? I've had one hour lectures with 100 slides chock full of information

 

[TheFuture_22]

I will echo what others have said and tell you that most students struggle at first you just have to adapt. A few things you can do:
1. Keep chugging along
2. Be flexible with study methods until you find what works (what you did in undergrad may not work in medical school)
3. If you put in the time, the study gods will reward thee with thy bounty. Basically, just make sure that you put in the appropriate amount of study time to achieve your academic goals.

Good luck!

 

[anbuitachi]

So I am a first termer and we've just finished Unifieds and the grades were horrible. I feel so discouraged and I am going to be going to a learning strategist session some time this week. But until then, I have tried to follow the preview/review method.

I just feel as if it's an infinite amount of work to get done, in the time after class. So basically I have like 5 hours to get whatever I have learned in class that day down.

I was told that I am suppose to try and commit those lectures to memory or at least some of it. Although some say just read over what has been taught, kind of try to understand it and then commit it to memory on the weekend. I am so confused on what is right because some say you can commit to memory some of the stuff but it's so little bit (tried it last night), that it feels like it's a race that will never be finished.

Do you guys have any advice on how to actually study? Am I suppose to commit majority of the lecture notes that day to memory? I mean that's pretty hard if you have like 100 plus slides. Then the next day it's more information.

If anyone could help guide me on a rational studying strategy, that would be awesome. I would probably end up taking that strategy with me to the learning session and present it to one of the DES individuals to see if that is something that's practical.

I am not going to lie, sometimes in small groups, there are a few people who seem to understand the stuff so well, and I know the rest of us are lost and it doesn't really give me comfort because they took in nearly 900 of us this semester and I know a lot of us are either gonna decel, get kicked out or just leave on our own accords.

SKip class if you can and like others said, watch the video, or listen to audio, or read transcript, whatever is available. At my school (in the US), I can tell you I did most of my studying on the weekend, b/c you get 2 full days off!!. You can get in like 34 hrs of studying done in those 2 days which helps w/ catching up.

Also you need to figure things out quick, b/c like others said, 100 slides a day is not a lot at all. I've had lectures w/ over 200 slides in second yr, and avg of 70 slides per lecture in many classes, totalling to almost ~250-300+ slides per day. And that's just lectures which only happen pretty much in the mornings. Afternoon got its own stuff too.

Basically the key to doing well is to 1) REALLY UNDERSTAND what is going on. Dont just force yourself to memorize. 2) AFTER YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND, commit those things to MEMORY. 3) REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE.

4) next would be figure out your exams. Mine was multiple choice, so some ppl would do practice questions from review texts/qbanks to prep


In the end it's also possible that you aren't cut out for this stuff. Try drinking more coffee

 

[nontraditional1]

Thats a pretty horrible system isn't it?. you give people the hope of becoming a doctor and the odds are stacked up against you, if 1 in 8 people are going to make it through.

But i guess the people who do make it through are deserving.

You said that right. Many non-trads are stuck taking this route. The good thing about us non trads is that many of us are healthcare providers in a different discipline, and are older....our types....we tend to do very well in that setting.
The ultimate goal is ECFMG certification. and sucessful completion of residency... and of course licensure!! oH Yeah.

 

[lymphohystiocytosis]

LOL that is completely and utterly incorrect. Actually the entire statement is incorrect.

This statement is coming from someone who hasn't been here for more than a month.

This August term is the largest that SGU has taken. But the plain fact is that half of the US students were relatively weak applicants for the US. SGU isn't malignant, its the students that just don't make it. If you can't finish a sudoku puzzle, is it the sudoku puzzle's fault or is it your fault for not figuring it out?

Of course, if you fail it, you will blame the puzzle, saying something is wrong with it, but its usually the person's ego that gets in the way of blaming their deficiencies.

The clinical situation is not even a factor, the dean that gets the clinical spots is having to slow down because we don't have enough students for the amount of spots we have; which he said in a recent clinical meeting.

False analogy.

It's more like you take a large collection of people who are woefully unqualified to solve a sudoku puzzle, then charge them tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of attempting to solve the puzzle. These schools are taking advantage of people, and making a lot of money doing it.

 

[tmn]

I can tell you I did most of my studying on the weekend, b/c you get 2 full days off!!. You can get in like 34 hrs of studying done in those 2 days which helps w/ catching up.

Gtfo. No way you study 34/48 hours on the weekend.

 

[anbuitachi]

Gtfo. No way you study 34/48 hours on the weekend.

I said you CAN. I didn't say i did that.

He obviously want to do better so studying more is one way to do so...

 

[el_duderino]

Studying MORE isn't very helpful if you aren't studying effectively or just don't really have the ability to learn the stuff on your own so quickly.

He has to study smarter.

 

[Psai]

Gtfo. No way you study 34/48 hours on the weekend.

I've done it for step one before

 

[tmn]

I said you CAN. I didn't say i did that.

He obviously want to do better so studying more is one way to do so...

I've done it for step one before

Man, I think I'd rather throw myself off a bridge.

 

[anbuitachi]

I've done it for step one before

true that

 

[tmn]

I've done it for step one before

true that

Kudos to you guys.

The force is strong with this (these) one(s).

 

[nontraditional1]

I am so looking forward to start in the spring. I know the basic sciences will be a challenge... one I am ready for.

 

[enlightenedb]

As for how many IMG applicants match: overall for all foreign schools, it's actually around 50% of those who have graduated from school and have applied (this rate is comparable to US seniors who failed to match before and had to reapply to the match).

SGU has the best match rate at around 67% for US IMGs and 60% for non-US IMGs. If you go to the IMG charting outcomes report and look at the country section for Grenada, you'll see the break down:
http://www.ecfmg.org/resources/NRMP...atch-International-Medical-Graduates-2014.pdf

Since around 700 matched from SGU in 2013, and approximately 1300-1400 start school every year, I would estimate that only half of each SGU starting class actually matches. So people that don't start out above average and maintain it are screwed in terms of matching.