How many hours a day do you study?

[MedNut]

Just curious to see what everyone else is doing...

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[YouDontKnowJack]

nice. this isn't even an anonymous poll

 

[MedNut]

why would it need to be anonymous?

 

[zeloc]

I do not see why it matters how much anyone studies. Everyone should study the amount of time that is right for them, and most people know how much that is.

 

[MedicineBird]

Of course this varies based on my level of terror over a pending exam.

 

[evade]

Of course this varies based on my level of terror over a pending exam.

So very, very true!

 

[Ypo.]

So very, very true!

I second that. We have all our exams on Mondays, so I noticed I studied with short little breaks for about 12 hours last sunday.

You know, it really varies. You could theoreticaly study all of the time and still not know everything, so I think that you just have to know yourself, and how you learn, and also to know when you need to take a break-(which has been the hardest thing for me to figure out)...becuase after a certain point you start losing efficiency. Also, avoid at all costs cramming for a test! Start reviewing at least 3 days before hand.

hope it helped

 

[tupac_don]

I second that. We have all our exams on Mondays, so I noticed I studied with short little breaks for about 12 hours last sunday.

You know, it really varies. You could theoreticaly study all of the time and still not know everything, so I think that you just have to know yourself, and how you learn, and also to know when you need to take a break-(which has been the hardest thing for me to figure out)...becuase after a certain point you start losing efficiency. Also, avoid at all costs cramming for a test! Start reviewing at least 3 days before hand.

hope it helped

Exactly, how much you study per day, is really relative and studying vs. learning the material are two different things. Also the amount of time spent studying is not important but rather how effective you are. I also find that no matter how much you study if you don't review everything before the test, you will lose the advantage that you built up by studying regularly. I think 2 hours per day is better if you are fresh and you are absorbing the material, then 8 hours, but you are exhausted and you are not retaining much. Finally I think if you map out a good strategy, and study old tests and your proffessors on how they ask questions, rather then blindly study as much as you can, everyting in sight, will save you a lot of time and keep you sane. Just my two cents.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

I do not see why it matters how much anyone studies. Everyone should study the amount of time that is right for them, and most people know how much that is.

ditto

 

[gary5]

Don't ever ask your fellow med students how much they study. They all lie. Those at the top of the class study non-stop - from the moment they wake until they sleep. That's all you'll ever need to know.

 

[Long Dong]

Don't ever ask your fellow med students how much they study. They all lie. Those at the top of the class study non-stop - from the moment they wake until they sleep. That's all you'll ever need to know.

 

[fun8stuff]

Don't ever ask your fellow med students how much they study. They all lie. Those at the top of the class study non-stop - from the moment they wake until they sleep. That's all you'll ever need to know.

not *always* true.

 

[dinesh]

It's like asking an ole bat her age.
They always lie

 

[oudoc08]

Don't ever ask your fellow med students how much they study. They all lie. Those at the top of the class study non-stop - from the moment they wake until they sleep. That's all you'll ever need to know.

Not necessarily true. Many in the top quartile study steadily, but not excessively. It's all about being disciplined and effective. I study only about 2-4 hrs/day and almost none on weekends (except before test blockk weeks), then it's more like 8-10 hrs/day for a few days.

 

[fun8stuff]

Not necessarily true. Many in the top quartile study steadily, but not excessively. It's all about being disciplined and effective. I study only about 2-4 hrs/day and almost none on weekends (except before test blockk weeks), then it's more like 8-10 hrs/day for a few days.

yeah same here. it would not be efficient to study every second of the day, every day. the people i have met who do this, are normally the ones struggling- which is why they are doing it.

 

[nebrfan]

...We have all our exams on Mondays...

OUCH - exams on monday must suck - kills an entire weekend. We have ours on saturday morning...it cuts the weekend short but gives us all saturday afternoon to drink and sunday to recover

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Too many, and yet somehow, not nearly enough.

 

[nist7]

I'm curious to know how some people can study for more than eight hours per day...

 

[disque71]

Very surprising results, I expected med students to be studying for far longer. Do you study less in med school than at your undergrad?

 

[drguy22]

I'm curious to know how some people can study for more than eight hours per day...

i was having that same curious thought...

 

[xanthines]

Me too. Maybe they include classtime as studying? If that's the case, then my "study hours" would go up a couple of brackets.

-X

i was having that same curious thought...

 

[redgrover]

If you don't go to class, studying for 8 hours would be easy.

 

[ishaninatte]

I travel BACK IN TIME so that I can study 40 HOURS EVERY DAY. I also have a photographic memory. I'm in YOUR CLASS, and I'm WATCHING YOU STRUGGLE. HA HA HA.

(does this count as trollery?)

P.S. who can tell how much they ~actually study~ with the internet around all the time?

 

[THP]

Very surprising results, I expected med students to be studying for far longer. Do you study less in med school than at your undergrad?

I study significantly more in med school than I did as an undergrad. I long for the days were I could simply go to class and then study the day before an exam and do well.

 

[futurecooterdoc]

A better question would be, "How many of the people that responded 8+ hours have ever had sex?"

futurecooterdoc

 

[fun8stuff]

Very surprising results, I expected med students to be studying for far longer. Do you study less in med school than at your undergrad?

i study more than i did in undergrad, but because I no longer have a job and tons of extracurricular activities, I have more free time than I did in undergrad. Especially since my school only has exams once a month (8hrs long!). So, I basically have 2 weekends off and only study a few hours a day during the week for the first 2 weeks. Then, i study during the last 1-2 weekends. Then, study quite a lot of hours during the last week!

 

[rpkall]

I don't feel smart enough to not study at least a couple hours a day and still pass. Of course, I always wind up slacking a bit until the week of the exam, and then making up for it somehow.

I know students who literally study with EVERY free 20 minutes of their time, from 7 am to 10PM at night, and I can't for the life of me understand how they're not burnt out already.

Are the amino acid metabolism pathways *really* that interesting?

 

[Blake]

Are the amino acid metabolism pathways *really* that interesting?

Probably not, but that derm residency sure looks interesting. No, I'm not saying most of them will get into some sweet specialty with a good lifestyle and all, but some of these folks are going to reap the fruits of their efforts one of these days. Anyway, don't diss your classmates who study that much. It's their life, their choice. I've always found funny the chronic insecurity of medical students. '' Oh noes, someone works harder than me/ has better grades. Well, at least I have a life unlike him. Yea ! '' . Lame

(This wasn't directed at you, rkpall. Just felt like venting a little )


Anyway, to answer the original question. Since the beginning of 2nd year, I've been putting on average 5-6 hours a day, which is way less than what I studied in 1st year. Keep in mind I'm at a 95 % PBL school, so the amount of free time I have is downright scandalous (SDNing and websurfing way too much) and I still have to hear a classmate complain about 2nd year so far. Truth be told, my friends in engineering are studying way more than me, so complaining about med school would mean bad karma. I'm fairly happy and satisfied with 2nd year so far, been going out more often, started training, doing pretty well academically ,etc. I just hope it stays that way throughout the whole year .

 

[Ypo.]

OUCH - exams on monday must suck - kills an entire weekend. We have ours on saturday morning...it cuts the weekend short but gives us all saturday afternoon to drink and sunday to recover

Yeah-the saying at our school is "mondays are the new fridays"
-everyone in my class is so young, having class on tuesday morning doesn't stop them from going out drinking. I'm not big on the bar scene so I don't care, but it would be nice to have a couple of days off after an exam, although if we had our exams on friday, I would spend the week studying for the exam and then have to spend my weekend playing catchup in the other classes. So, I think I prefer it the way it is now, but then again, I was able to party a lot in the past, so I don't feel deprived like some of my younger colleagues may be feeling


In regards to studying tips-I forgot the most important point-
GET OLD TESTS-or figure out the instructor's question style-this has been the single most important factor (studying the relevant topics is equally important of course-but the tests help you hone in on what will be emphasized-after all we can't memorize everything).

Also-at our school, for each lecture they have a list of objectives-concepts you should learn-I have found that if I understood all the objectives-it never led me wrong. But literally, sometimes you don't have the time to really master all the material-or you don't catch up in the last few letctures, and the tests really save your butt. If it is 10 pm the night before the test, I recommend answering any old test questions you have in front of you-(actually at that point you shouldn't even try to figure them out on your own-just look at the answer key and try to understand the answer). This is a last chance effort, but I'm telling you-it has really made a difference b/t a mediocre grade and a good grade a few times this semester.

 

[dinesh]

I'm curious to know how some people can study for more than eight hours per day...

I actually did that around May/June this year, for about 2 weeks.
Not 8 hours straight reading, but about 4 hrs of studying and about 4 hours of past papers etc inbetween.

It isn't really that hard...

 

[2112_rush]

I'm curious to know how some people can study for more than eight hours per day...

Most of the people who say they study 8 hrs a day are bending the truth a little. I might spend 8 hrs a day with a book in front of me....but that doesn't mean the same thing as hardcore studying. Also, med school is like boot camp for studying. I can learn so much more now in one hr than I did in undergrad.

There is a ton of stuff to know and alot of work any way you cut it.

 

[EMDO2018]

just wanna see if things have changed in the last decade.

 

[DocVapor]

just wanna see if things have changed in the last decade.

No.

 

[DermViser]

just wanna see if things have changed in the last decade.

Spoiler alert: They haven't.

 

[Anastomoses]

Maybe they have. I fell in the 4 - 6 hr range and that appears to be more than average for this thread...but I suspect that's average for now.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

I studied, like, one hour today. Lulz.

 

[zeppelinpage4]

Varied a lot...many days I didn't study at all, other days (the days or night before a final) a full day of studying. Varies a lot depending on how well you want to do, how well you balance things, how difficult the class is and how efficiently you study.

If I really had to guess, on a good day, probably a couple hours in lecture and then 2-3 hours outside of class.

 

[LostinLift]

I can't wait for classes to start so I can not go to them. I'm going to try to front load my studying and work from there, I'll happily report back avg hours in ~3 months.

 

[sinombre]

I can't wait for classes to start so I can not go to them. I'm going to try to front load my studying and work from there, I'll happily report back avg hours in ~3 months.

Ahh the optimism. Remember this feeling, you'll need it to hold on to later.

 

[DermViser]

I can't wait for classes to start so I can not go to them. I'm going to try to front load my studying and work from there, I'll happily report back avg hours in ~3 months.

@LostinLift, wish you all the best. Please let us know how long you keep up the gung-ho phase.

 

[LostinLift]

I've often been driven by proving people wrong. So damnit DermViser, I'm going to be the happiest and most enthusiastic med student you've ever seen. Even if it kills me.

 

[DermViser]

I've often been driven by proving people wrong. So damnit DermViser, I'm going to be the happiest and most enthusiastic med student you've ever seen. Even if it kills me.

Well, at least send me an invitation to the funeral. You wouldn't be the first medical student to come in as an overly idealistic MS-1 ready to climb to the top of the mountain.

http://mistersimpleton.blogspot.com/2011/11/five-stages-grief.html

 

[Brain Bucket]

I can't wait for classes to start so I can not go to them. I'm going to try to front load my studying and work from there, I'll happily report back avg hours in ~3 months.

Totally possible if you can plan ahead and follow your plan. I really enjoyed these two years.

 

[DermViser]

Totally possible if you can plan ahead and follow your plan. I really enjoyed these two years.

You should also explain your medical school is in Europe (not a putdown, I swear, as you are very smart).

 

[LostinLift]

Well, at least send me an invitation to the funeral. You wouldn't be the first medical student to come in as an overly idealistic MS-1 ready to climb to the top of the mountain.

I've already gotten past step 5. Coming in fresh from undergrad I would have been naive and unprepared.

I'm also very lucky in many ways, but now I'll be able to start putting my beliefs to the test - that happiness comes from within.

Totally possible if you can plan ahead and follow your plan. I really enjoyed these two years.

Thank you BB, I'll try to follow in your happy foot steps. Not having to go to any lectures I think is huge.

 

[Brain Bucket]

You should also explain your medical school is in Europe (not a putdown, I swear, as you are very smart).

Oh, I don't mind it at all, which is why I never hid it. I have a few friends attending school in the States. Our levels of knowledge and curricula are not dissimilar. I think the primary difference is dress code and mandatory lectures. Business casual for lecture and formal for exams. You guys are lucky in that your lectures are voluntary.

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[DermViser]

Oh, I don't mind it at all, which is why I never hid it. I have a few friends attending school in the States. Our levels of knowledge and curricula are not dissimilar. I think the primary difference is dress code and mandatory lectures. Business casual for lecture and formal for exams. You guys are lucky in that your lectures are voluntary.

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Depends entirely on the school, but this is a relatively new phenomena as is recording and videotaping lectures. It's more to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[NickNaylor]

It'll be rough initially, but looking back M1 was a total cake walk even though it didn't feel like it at the time.

Step 1 studying was really the only miserable time IMO as far as endless studying. I didn't go to classes during M2 at all and was usually able to study from 8am-1pm or so and call it a day.

M3 was difficult only because the hospital is a total time sink. I'd try and study 2-3 hours a day, though I always prioritized sleep, personal time, etc. and that didn't happen quite a bit. Things also got better over time - for example, studying for the surgery shelf (last test) required substantially less time than studying for medicine (first test) because you develop a sense of intuition and have seen the same things a million times.

I say all this as a self-admitted non-stud of medical school, so YMMV.


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[PL198]

Well, at least send me an invitation to the funeral. You wouldn't be the first medical student to come in as an overly idealistic MS-1 ready to climb to the top of the mountain.

http://mistersimpleton.blogspot.com/2011/11/five-stages-grief.html

That moment when your class has some award for the highest grade in a class and on the first day, 90 % of people are like " I'm gonna win that" By the end of week 1, I bet it's like 2 % that still want to do so.

 

[DermViser]

It'll be rough initially, but looking back M1 was a total cake walk even though it didn't feel like it at the time.

Step 1 studying was really the only miserable time IMO as far as endless studying. I didn't go to classes during M2 at all and was usually able to study from 8am-1pm or so and call it a day.

M3 was difficult only because the hospital is a total time sink. I'd try and study 2-3 hours a day, though I always prioritized sleep, personal time, etc. and that didn't happen quite a bit. Things also got better over time - for example, studying for the surgery shelf (last test) required substantially less time than studying for medicine (first test) because you develop a sense of intuition and have seen the same things a million times.

I say all this as a self-admitted non-stud of medical school, so YMMV.


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You went to classes all M1? Why? Do u think for M3 it was bc you already decided your specialty?