how seriously do i take this?

[starbrite637]

okay... this may sound like a no brainer to a lot of you, but i just wanted to ask anyway...

is it "okay" to go visit friends on weekends? play golf a day or two a week? i mean... how many days of studying to i really need and how do i avoid temptations by others to do more fun things?

how many hours a day do i really need to put in... i am scheduled for 10 but i usually get about 8 productive...

any advice?

thanks =)

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[tfom08]

What is your goal and where are you at now? The easiest answer is always "it depends" but in this case it really does depend.

 

[starbrite637]

i am about 3 weeks in with three weeks to go... two days behind schedule according what what i had planned... but i originally had 4 weeks set aside for my first time through FA and qbank... practice assessment at the end of that... and then 2 weeks for UW and review review review...

my scores in qbank have just started to jump (thank goodness... i was seriously worried for a while) but it's not where i want to be just quite yet. i want to be in 75-80% range (is this even possible or am i just falsely hoping?) and i am in the mid-60s now...

i know it "depends" but i need someone to seriously slap my gluteus in order so i don't regret a bad score at the end... but classmates of mine are taking mornings/evenings/days off right and left but other schools seem to go at it hard-core... =T

so where does that leave me? i feel like the "crazy" one who always is thinking about the boards when those around me have it as a priority but do not live life by qbank and FA...

any advice? thanks!!!!!

 

[mudphudwannabe]

Also depends on how many weeks you plan to study.

Visiting friends might be ok - taking one day off a week (possibly a weekend day) is a good idea in general, and I think weekends off would not be a horrible idea as long as it doesn't turn into a looong weekend (skipping studying Friday and Monday too due to traveling or something). If you want to golf in the mornings and get your usual studying done in the afternoon/evening, that could work as long as you stay in the routine of studying every day. If golf disrupts your entire day, then you'll have to save it for your day off. The trouble is getting into the habit of studying every day, and I think that works best if you study 5-6 days a week. More than 2 days off a week and I think it could be hard to get into "study mode."

Basically, during the time you have, I would think of studying as a full time job. You can study 9-5 or whatever hours you choose, then the rest of the day is yours. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you usually get 8 productive hours - I think for a lot of us that's about the maximum we can just sit and stare at a book! Some SDNers have an immense amount of stamina for reading (or at least claim to), but the main issue is that your study time needs to be productive and efficient. It doesn't matter if you put 16 hours a day in -- if you're not learning what you need to learn, you're just spinning your wheels. I studied about 8 hours each day and had plenty of time for whatever I wanted to do afterwards. No need to avoid all fun - but don't have so much "fun" that you have a headache the next day. Like everything else in life, it's important to strike a balance that works for you.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

Sorry, I hadn't seen your most recent post when I posted before. Since you are already well into your studying, I think you are probably the best judge of what is or isn't working for you. Do you feel like you're being productive and using the time you have well? Don't compare yourself to your classmates. Just think about yourself and what you need to feel prepared for this exam. You might find it helpful to give yourself some distance from your classmates for a while - study at home, or at a library/coffee shop/whatever where other med students don't usually go. This is a really important exam, and it's only 3 weeks of your life. You can take some time to relax and have fun, but it's important to stay focused.

 

[starbrite637]

thank you for your advice - it certainly made me feel better!!!! =)