How did all you med students get good grades in college?

[etherealsolvent]

I'm starting college this fall and keeping up my GPA is something I've always struggled with. I always do well on standardized tests because you just have to focus for a couple hours and it's over. But, I struggle to consistently study. So I have a couple questions:
1. How did you study for your pre-req classes? and how hard did you have to work
2. How did you balance your social life with studying? I STRUGGLE WITH THIS SO MUCH

Anyways, I'm sick of my high school self and I NEED TO change and work harder on my GPA. So please let me know your study habits and what works for you

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[treesnm3s]

I'm starting college this fall and keeping up my GPA is something I've always struggled with. I always do well on standardized tests because you just have to focus for a couple hours and it's over. But, I struggle to consistently study. So I have a couple questions:
1. How did you study for your pre-req classes? and how hard did you have to work
2. How did you balance your social life with studying? I STRUGGLE WITH THIS SO MUCH

Anyways, I'm sick of my high school self and I NEED TO change and work harder on my GPA. So please let me know your study habits and what works for you

Nothing to it but to do it.

Btw, there won't be too many med students around here.

 

[RunawayGrape]

Nothing to it but to do it.

That's all there is to it. @OP, a doctor I shadowed once told me that anything you want to do in medicine is possible, and that it's simply a matter of how badly you want it. So ask yourself...how badly do you want to be a physician? Are you trying to get into Harvard or do you care if you go to a state school? What are you willing to sacrifice to see the results that you want to see? Of course, in the end, much of your success is up to individual aptitude; Joe Braniac might get away with studying for 2 hours to make an A when you need an entire weekend. In that case, the onus is on you to spend that extra time.

My advice to you is to work your ass off. Take good notes, review them every day, don't procrastinate. Get as many A's as you can, and as few C's as possible. Learn the material, and then do practice problems. Do this consistently. Try to keep that GPA >3.70. If you want to go to a party next weekend or play video games for a few hours, go for it. Life is about balance, so make sure you have fun in college.

In the end, the road to medical school isn't so much a test of intelligence as it is perseverance and resilience. Nobody on SDN can teach you how to study or how to focus. Figure out what works for you, find your groove, and just do it.

 

[ciestar]

I was a lazy studier in high school. I never had to do much of anything to get good grades and I hardly showed up to even do that. That being said, I can't really say that college was a "rude" awakening, but more of a wake up call that my lazy, procrastinating behavior isn't going to cut it. I needed to go to class and actually study, and not just the night before an exam. It comes down to discipline. Like someone else stated, if this is what you want, you'll do what you need to do. Don't blow it early on for stupid reasons.

 

[getAsordietrying]

It takes a gradual progression to be a great pre-med student. Personally, I am a terrible listener and will forget much of what my prof saids during lecture, so I type most things down that comes out of my professor's mouth, word for word, if it is not on the slides. I generally review slides the next day or during the upcoming weekend slowly and thoroughly so I can understand it. I do it this way because when I study for midterms I only need to "review" this material. Take advantage of any problems your professor hands out for you and schedule breaks around your studying schedule. What I mean is designate 2-4 hours for studying some subject, then designate the next hour for cooking or for a volunteering or something, then use the remaining hours later to study the rest of the material. It is difficult to study effectively for 6 hours a day without doing some sort of activity or EC in between (unless it's midterms week). During midterms / finals week I go 8-10 hours a day, including my 5-10 minute breaks between each hour or two.

Other underestimated tips:
#1 GO TO OFFICE HOURS. No one knows what will be on the test besides your prof and I often pester them on how to do assignments correctly, what will be on the midterms etc.

#2 If you go to a large, competitive university like I do then surely you will be disadvantaged because your greek peers are passing around practice tests to each other. Ask friends for practice tests, or if not, join a greek org so you can get access to these resources. This is something most realize when it's too late to save a GPA.

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

1) Stop procrastinating.
I don't think the importance of this needs to be explained. Procrastinating kills productivity.

2) Hone and perfect your time management skills as you progress in your college career.
Visit your college's education center or see an advisor; whoever you go to or whatever you decide to do, it is vital that you work on your time management skills from the very beginning. This skill will serve you well in med school and in life in general.

3) Study something you enjoy.
I liked the sciences but I enjoyed studying language too, so I double majored in biology and linguistics. Linguistics was my break when the science got too dry. This third point is not too important, but just something to make your academic life richer and more interesting.