(1) If you were given a handout (which is usually a condensed version of the textbook created by your teacher and hopefully rewritten in a manner that is reasonably straightforward to read) then read it at least 3+ times. My experience - everything you need is in there.
(2) I am personally of the opinion that "rewriting" handouts is a waste of time at best and a horrible/destructive idea at worst. If the instructor wrote the handout then they chose their words carefully - they wanted to say it the way they did. You may not capture the significance of their words in your reproduction. Their handout will likely contain a greater amount of detail than any summary you choose to create and study from. Occasionally, I like the idea of creating a handout for lectures that are incomplete, out of order, or have significant additions made in lecture that are not captured in the handout, but most of the time I don't believe this is necessary. Write down the big words and the key phrases for yourself - I mean that - the act of writing words down is like another form of memory. If a concept is explained - draw it out in pictures. Draw charts showing how decreases in one aspect change the concentrations or frequencies of other events. Come up with your own questions - read things and rephrase them in the form of a question.
(3) If lecture isn't mandatory and is recorded - skip it. Watch it later on 2X after you have read the handout. It should be nothing new then. Class is an easy place to become distracted and complicated subjects often need to be listened to again on the computer. I frequently jump back and listen to something 3-4 times trying to make sure I understood the point they were making.
(4) If you are discussing a pathway - focus on the regulatory steps. If there's a connection between 2 pathways - understand exactly how they interact. So if you read a few different chapters and see an enzyme appears in any earlier chapter and now a later chapter - connect them together.
(5) If an enzyme/cofactor/whatever causes a specific illness or deficiency - know it. Classes tend to be clinically oriented.
(6) If there's a graph given - explain to yourself exactly what is happening on the Y axis as the X axis changes, what are the X and Y axis, etc. What I specifically mean is - if you see that the curve starts off flat and then is elevated and then depressed - understand exactly why the transitions are occurring - why the behavior is changing. Examples of this would be the behavior of the efferent/afferent arteries in the kidneys, or the differences in the pressure curves of the heart between healthy and failure.
(7) If you go to DMU then your lower limb anatomy practical is -written- with no multiple-choice (there's multiple choice on the lecture test). You absolutely must work on writing the structures over, and over, and over again. Make them a part of your vocabulary. This isn't microbiology where you can make a quick association in your mind with some of the rare flukes and pick it out of a line-up. The words need to flow off your tongue.
(8) Do not get tied up in the seeming beauty of mnemonics and easily forgotten associations. Everyone has a laugh, but if you actually learn the material then these really aren't that useful. Its way easier to just learn the material. I think quick associations are useful for silly one-offs (E6/E7 in HPV correlates to p56/retinoblastoma), but ideally you won't make a habit of them for the important things.
(9) You will be tested upon the important things over and over again. You might as well learn the clotting cascade as soon as possible because its going to come up like.. 8 times.
(10) Look at as many bodies as possible in anatomy - gross and lower limb. Look at everything that is in the anatomy labs. Check out every single model, every single bone, every single foot in a container. At some point they will all be tagged and you may find yourself looking at a foot that just doesn't make sense - until you realize they've stripped off structures or layers to better demonstrate something. Better to make that association before the test that in the 60 seconds during the test.
(11) Time your physical diagnosis practices. You may be slower than you think you are. The patient may be less compliant than your friend is.
(12) I'm of the opinion that a solid schedule and a reasonable sleep pattern produces solid results. I do not cram. I do not stay up till 5 in the morning the night of tests.
(13) The last lecture of a test block may be 1 day before or the day before a test. It would behoove you to have already read through everything rather than waiting for that lecture to come. If you are reading something for the first time before a test then you may be in trouble. Sometimes the last lecture is a cake-walk and sometimes its the most complicated lecture yet.
(14) Don't be afraid to look up things that appear in your handout in Google.
(15) Your friends in class are good people and mean well, but verify anything you hear. I've been helped by people, but I've also heard horrible misinformation.
(16) Don't bother discussing your grades with other people. There just isn't anything to be gained from it.
