Group study?

[drbatman3]

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I'm starting classes (MS1) tomorrow and had tentative thoughts to start a study group to meet on Sundays and review the precious week through practice questions and Feynman method-esque teaching. How many students in a study group do you think is optimal? What is the maximum limit before productivity starts to decline? By what criteria should study group members be sought? Thanks!

 

[drbatman3]

Previous*

 

[Fidgety]

I do something similar and I find three is the perfect number. Four can work, but once you get to five there are just too many distractions and it's harder to stay focused on a common goal.

 

[Fidgety]

And in reply to your second question, just find people who you click with. You don't really have to worry about slackers in medical school. Everyone is there for a reason and is willing to work. You want to spend time studying with people who you genuinely enjoy being around.

 

[Raryn]

And in reply to your second question, just find people who you click with. You don't really have to worry about slackers in medical school. Everyone is there for a reason and is willing to work. You want to spend time studying with people who you genuinely enjoy being around.

You'd be surprised.

There are some people who coast by until they get to med school and realize it doesn't work all that well anymore. I still remember one of my med school classmates. He had gotten something like a 38 MCAT, done well at some prestigious undergrad, etc. Starts med school and he's still playing video games 4+ hours a day... Doesn't crack open the packet of information for our first exam until the day before.

He repeated M1 twice, failed out halfway through his M2 (actual third) year. Tried to end up blaming ADHD (which he had never been diagnosed with before med school) but the school administration didn't buy it.

Mind you, there's not many of these people around and they aren't likely to join your study group anyway, so don't worry about that. 😛

 

[Fidgety]

Yes, was just going to say that these people do exist, but are unlikely to want to join a Sunday study group in the first place!

Mind you, there's not many of these people around and they aren't likely to join your study group anyway, so don't worry about that. 😛

 

[12glaucoma34]

I'm starting classes (MS1) tomorrow and had tentative thoughts to start a study group to meet on Sundays and review the precious week through practice questions and Feynman method-esque teaching. How many students in a study group do you think is optimal? What is the maximum limit before productivity starts to decline? By what criteria should study group members be sought? Thanks!

The optimal study group size is two, maybe three, but definitely no more. My favorite size was one as any size larger was just a distraction and made me less efficient. Another consideration not often discussed is goals related to academic performance. Some students are content to just get by and others want to be top performers, if you want to do well and your study buddy is content with knowing just enough to pass theystudy group may not benefit the more motivated student.