How do you study?

[tripeptide]

Hey all. I guess I could say I'm a "long time reader, first time poster."

Here's the question I have for you all: how do you study? Or more importantly, how do you get yourself psyched to sit down and work? The motivation thing is a big problem with me. It usually comes in the form of fear, with a test a few days away and a huge amount of material to cover. I usually do ok, but I think the boards are going to crush me when it should be the other way around.

If any of you were crammers in college, how did you get into the groove of studying daily? I know people that can hit the books for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. If I can do 8 hours over 5 days I'm having a great week.

Finally, how do you guys actually study? Do you read, take written note, SR3 methods, notecards, anything else? That's one of the other things that catch me up: I sit down with books, lecture notes, etc and have no idea what to do.

Any other questions, comments, concerns, or complaints please feel free. Thanks guys...

tripeptide

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[care bear]

no answers here, actually i am interested to hear any answers to your questions, since i definitely have the same problem. . .hang in there

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by tripeptide

If any of you were crammers in college, how did you get into the groove of studying daily? I know people that can hit the books for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. If I can do 8 hours over 5 days I'm having a great week.

Wow, that is a ridiculous amount of studying (outside of class?). Props to you. I am nothing compared to that. Ah well, looks like Im screwed for med school, but thats life I guess.

 

[Street Philosopher]

i probably do 5 hrs friday, 4 hrs saturday, and 12 hrs sunday. the other times i don't do squat, except maybe study anatomy.

 

[jbish]

I'm also a weekend-only studier. We have an exam monday. I haven't done any studying yet and will probably do 3 hrs today, 7 hrs friday, 5 hrs saturday and 5 hrs sunday. We're given a note pack at McGill so I highlight pertinent info during lecture or make sidenotes. Then I come back to the notes and skim the entire lecture, paying special attention to figures and the highlighted/special noted material. I only read the text for anatomy/embryo/histo. Also for these visual subjects I look at the powerpoint presentations from lectures and study figures in my notes in greater detail. For anatomy I'll head over to the lab on one day of review and go over prosections w/ my lab notes and go to the museum and glance over the X-rays as a few are on our lab practical. Sometimes I pick a specific subject to do in one day...like this afternoon I'm going over all the physiology notes for this unit. Then I just start over. I repeat until I'd rather throw up than open my binder and then just look at powerpoints/ brief glances at text until I feel that's enough and go home and eat dinner.

 

[Hermeone]

I studied 48 hours straight for the final last week

Guess what happened? I threw up.

Now, I am loathing all the books!

BTW, didn't do well on the final though.

Best way to study: review right after class on a DAILY basis

 

[bruinrab]

From a cognitive psychology perspective, the best way to memorize info is to review it two days after you're first exposed to it. This is the most efficient time frame, because it allows you to look at the material after you've had a chance to assimilate it and before you forget too much. Apparently, it easier to memorize and you retain it for longer (ie, it can help you remember anatomy more easily for the boards). Not that I follow my own advice, of course.

 

[Galaxian]

I'm not much of a weekend studier, because drinking takes up waaayy too much of my time. (okay, I lied, I don't have much of a social life). Anyways, I've found that if you read for one to two hours a day, that's pretty sufficient to tide you over until the cram sessions at the end, but, aha! you will be better prepared for the cram sessions because you have been doing your one to two hours of high yield reading. For the boards, there is no two ways about it...you have to absolutely be disciplined. There is a lot of material to cover, and it helps to have a set schedule for that. The read a little every day strategy works really well in the "killer" rotations of third year, esp surgery and OB, because you manage to stay somewhat in the game even though your body is screaming for sleep. Just my 2 cents...

 

[BushBaby]

Originally posted by Hermeone


Best way to study: review right after class on a DAILY basis

Yeah I think this is the best way to go. Do a "Review" for about 2-3 hours daily of that day's topic. That way you aren't behind or overwhelmed with too much info at the last minute.