Could you elaborate on this? This sounds very intriguing and I feel like I try to interconnect things when I can, but I still would like it if you could provide a short example to demonstrate your webbing learning 🙂 Especially since you say you only need one review through organic or med A&P
Do you mean topics that you've already studied and thus don't need review, or things you were studying for the first time and had the web so ingrained that you didn't have to review further?
I will do my best. Be warned, though, as I have tried and failed to do so before. Another fair warning: this way is not always the fastest for recall, as you spend some time tracking in your mind.
As far as reviewing vs. first time learning, this is a bit more difficult to answer. About 95% of Med A&P was a review class for me, and thus I could have probably not studied and been fine. Organic I was lucky enough to be somewhat of a natural at, as it plays to my strengths of finding patterns. Alas, here's an example:
This is what I did for the integumentary system during Med A&P (something I didn't cover during the MCAT). I watched the videos (Khan Academy; our class was basically online), took notes, and then looked over the notes once more. So, I now have seen the information two times in whole. This is important because I
know I've seen the information. While I may not reflexively know it, I have seen it.
After this I actively think about which "boxes" or "folders" I can store the information and then utilize it. I created a couple of storage boxes in my head: epidermis, dermis, etc. Let's say the questions asks what's housed in the dermis. Okay, simple, I just open up the dermis box and look through it: this is just basic memorization. Now the question asks where the arrector pili muscle is. Here's where things get slow unless it just pops up (which now it does). However, I specifically remember during our quiz that day in my mind opening up my "epidermis folder" and not "seeing" anything. Next I went to my "dermis folder" and found it under the "reticular dermis heading."
Again, you can see how this is slow. To me, this is how you can "know" information without
knowing it, if you catch my drift. I use it as a way to help myself become more familiar with a subject. To me, it feels as if I'm reviewing notes, except it's better because I'm
making myself recall the information without the aid of notes (which sometimes just results in staring and not comprehending). Eventually, like all learning, it begins to just be a reflex. Now I just know that's where that specific muscle is located.
I should also state that I have lately (within the past 5 months) developed a sort of semi-photographic memory. I attribute this to the web style of learning...
NOTE: I'm not trying to suggest this style of learning was created by me. I'm not of unique intelligence. This is just my way of making learning a bit easier for
me. I can guarantee there are people far smarter than I simply reviewing notes and doing well.
