Forgetting things at a faster rate than retaining

[golfman]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Ugh. I seem to have a problem with cramming all of this stuff into my head.

On all of my practice tests (UWSA #1, NBME 3, NBME 5), I did great in the things I studied right before the test, and not so hot in things I didn't.

I'm taking a practice test on Saturday, but am scared because I haven't touched certain subjects in FA for a while.

Since my last practice test, I have been doing about 150 UW questions / day (Random Blocks), and also reading 1 subject in the organ systems in FA per day, with accompanying sections in BRS physiology. And some Goljan Audio.

Problem is, since my last test I haven't looked at Micro or Immuno or Biochem (except for those things that crop up in UWorld). I won't have time to do that before my practice on Saturday.

Watch, I'll do great on the Organ Systems and bad on the other stuff this time. Last time it was the other way around.

Can't keep it all in my head.

 

[kissmyasthma99]

same things happens to me. i feel ya brother.

 

[badasshairday]

seriously man. I don't know what I am gonna do. I am finish up the basic science stuff for the last time tonight. Then I am moving onto organ systems. My exam is on the 21st, I won't have another chance at the basic science crap................................. unless I cram somehow big time the weekend before. aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Hopefully poppie Goljan keeps me fresh with the micro, which I will go back and look at the bugs related to the organ system (as Taus recommends).

Biochem. Thankfully undergrad did me right for that.

But I definitely think overall, Biochem and Micro are the hardest to keep straight.

Just remember, you know more than you think! WE WILL MAKE IT! WE WILL DO GREAT! POWER THROUGH IT MAN!!

 

[username456789]

Seriously. I just finished a block where on half the questions I said to myself "damn, I know I knew this a few weeks ago."

I almost feel like after my lengthy but fairly thorough push through the basic sciences, I should've just said "ok" and taken the real thing and gone on vacation. I was in pretty good shape at that point, as the Micro/Biochem/Immuno stuff was what I had needed a big refresher on. The rest of the path was either fresh enough to make good guesses or at least I could reason through it if I had no clue.

 

[HTxFrog]

I feel like its the basic science stuff that is easiest to forget fast. I mean I'm not going to forget what a heart attack is in a couple weeks, but I might forget the entire Fatty acid synthesis pathway or something big like that in biochem. Ahh this is making me think I need to go over that again now

 

[username456789]

On the plus side, I'm at the point where even when I have a "bad" block in UW, it's still pretty good compared to averages.

 

[badasshairday]

I was gonna do margin notes in goljan the last 2 or 3 days since here are some nice tidbits in there, but now I am thinking I should just cram biochem and micro big time. And immunology of course. I know I said I was set fir biocjem, but man, so many little details. Random garbage that just needs to be crammed.

 

[radiodoc99]

Try spaced learning or speed reading techniques when you review questions and notes.

 

[bbydoc]

Im with radiodoc on this one! spaced reading is awesome! it builds on the forgetting curve, obviously not the best way to start if you take the exam next week but def. worth it if you have a few weeks.

 

[RaraBovis]

I haven't gone too far but I'm facing the same problem with forgetting things. Can't hold it in my head if I don't reinforce it every other time and it's hard to do that for so many things. I hate forgetting...it's like wasted effort.

 

[Tourterm]

What I've been trying recently, as I go through my final pass through the material, is writing down on sheets of paper or flash cards, things that I don't remember.

As HTxFrog said, it tends to be basic science stuff, or smaller things, not large stuff like heart attacks. The kind of things that you knew a few weeks ago, are just a bit hazy on now, but the instant you see it again it comes back to you (parts of biochem are a good example). And I go through these refresher notes daily. Not relearning things, just a reminder. You still need to keep up with questions to be able to apply the information, but I think this helps with being able to retain the basic knowledge needed in the first place. And since it's all just a reminder to jog your memory, you can through these refresher notes pretty fast.

 

[MoscowAbe]

I find that the best way for me is keeping FA open while I do UW questions and looking at the relevant material in FA simultaneously. This helps me retain and reinforce. Plus keeps my photographic memory sharpened.

 

[caffeineaholic]

Im with radiodoc on this one! spaced reading is awesome! it builds on the forgetting curve, obviously not the best way to start if you take the exam next week but def. worth it if you have a few weeks.

please describe / elaborate on this spaced reading? I still have a few weeks left to go w/ prep and would love to learn more!

thanks!

 

[Vaca]

please describe / elaborate on this spaced reading? I still have a few weeks left to go w/ prep and would love to learn more!

thanks!

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=3804

 

[bbydoc]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=3804

this is rly good advice but not what I had in mind.

the method Im suggesting is:
cover the material that you wanted (making notes or flashcards), review the notes/flashcards in 3 days, review again in 5 to 7 days (depends of individual pace of learning), review again in 12-14 days and review again in a month. these intervals cover a time period of 8wks. this saves a lot of time and is almost equally effective as reviewing the notes everyday and a lot more efficient.
now, if you have more time you could go further obviously and review in 6-8wks again etc...but you catch my drift.

btw, this is not my method, it is based on the work of a german researcher, german and efficiency what a surprise🙂