I don't freaking know how to study!!

[kaos]

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Only 2 weeks of immuno have gone by, and I have no freaking clue what's going on. I feel like I'm already a month behind. Everything I read I forget as soon as I'm done. What a waste of time!! Does anybody have study tips before I go insane???? 😡

 

[doc05]

study tips?? how about you try studying. I recommend skipping all your lectures. you can probably accomplish more by reading on your own...

 

[omarsaleh66]

study tips?? how about you try studying. I recommend skipping all your lectures. you can probably accomplish more by reading on your own...

Have u tried the LANGE Mcro and Immuno book by Levinson and Jawetze? U can cram immuno in a couple days with that book. It explains it real well

Later

Omar

 

[lindyloohoo]

Try "how the immune system works." sorry I can't remember the author. it's basic, but gives you a good base to work from. and it's a quick read.

as for general study tips, I read, read, then read some more. I only read review texts (usually 2 or 3) then if I have time/need to, I go to a major text. The more times you see it, in different forms, the better you remember it. Why do you think you have close to 6 different lectures on renal handling of Na before you graduate?! Damn i hate the kidney!

 

[EM Junkie]

Worked best for me: REPETITION, REPETITION, REPETITION!!!

Works esecially well in 2nd year (Path, Pharm, etc.)

-Scott, MS3

 

[itsaliger]

some people (like me) never feel like they've mastered something complicated until they write it out. i got through classes at my medical school by making "meta notes" (meaning, summary of all the material for a given section in as concise a form as possible) for each exam, either by hand or on the computer. if they were computerized, i would offer them via email to the class before tests to use as notes if they wanted, but for me the value came from making the study sheets rather studying from them. they did come in handy for cramming last-second and as study aids for anything cumulative.

when i was trying to learn something super complicated (anatomy, immuno), i drew lots of diagrams. but even for things that were brute memorization, i wrote out color coded lists and grouped things together for myself on paper. i really feel like it helped me stay focused during my studying and also gave me a way to organize the material in a way that i understood it, so that it had a chance of staying in my mind.

as for going to class - you know, figure out what works for you. for me, i think it helped, because i learn pretty well by listening and synthesizing and am less likely to fall asleep than if i'm reading. some of my classmates definitely did really well not going to class and studying during that time instead. figure out what works for you and go with it!

good luck!

s

 

[lilmo]

still trying to find my optimal study strategy. but what has worked so far:

1) do a little bit every single day
2) preview, go to class, review
3) read, and re-read your notes, condensing and re-writing them each time

this seems like a lot of work, but it helped me survive my first test block.

 

[doc05]

oh yeah. try Parham for immunology. an excellent text, and a fast read too.

 

[Mumpu]

Don't cram. Work on understanding the basic principles instead. You can use the foundations to work through any problem.

 

[felipe5]

one thing that really worked for me was getting together in study groups (~3 people or so) after studying the material on my own.....if everyone comes to the group already having looked at the material and is serious about getting ish done, then this seems to work pretty well. I find that in a lot of these memorization-heavy classes (ie practically everything in M1), talking about this stuff/teaching it to others really helps sink the material into my brain. Plus, If I have trouble understanding something, chances are someone else will have a unique way of presenting it to me. Happy studying

 

[InductionAgent]

You've probably heard this before, but it's still true.

Make sure that you're getting adequate sleep and exercise (even if it's just walking 15 min/day). If you're sleep-deprived, things just won't stick well in your brain, no matter how many times you go over them.

 

[superdood]

ya, i feel ya.

it is impossible to memorize everything. that's why people specialize. in your case, just learn the basic concepts. it'll help you understand the deeper stuff later. it's kinda like organic chem. if you learn the basics, complex mechanisms are easier to understand.

 

[agp4]

I have to agree with felipe5 - study groups work wonders if you have a small group that seems to echo your personality well. We goof off a lot (stupid ping-pong table), but we still get a lot done during our study sessions. What we tend to do is go over the lectures covered in class that day, and then talk about anything else that was confusing from our own studying. Everybody's got their own optimal study pattern. Take the first few weeks to figure it out, and then try stick to it.

The immunology book suggested before by lindyloohoo was "How the Immune System Works" by Lauren Sompayrac. Its a really short, quick read on the basics of immunology. Our school told us to read it before our immunology class starts. It seems simplistic to me, but its a quick read.

 

[nutmegs]

I'll third "how the immune system works" I've been reading it at the barnes & noble and wish I'd have gotten it this summer. really pulls things together for me.

 

[ericdamiansean]

Read it once, twice, thrice, until you get it, and then go through it in your head, while your hand makes short notes. It works for me 👍

Good luck

 

[Carbon]

I've found that Basic Immunology by Abbas and Lichtman is VERY helpful. Reading through once is a perfect preparation for class, and if you're organized about it, it's very easy to go back to topics that need a little clarification after lecture. Two 👍

 

[ericdamiansean]

Have u tried the LANGE Mcro and Immuno book by Levinson and Jawetze? U can cram immuno in a couple days with that book. It explains it real well

Later

Omar

Yeah, that's a pretty good book..you can read it first, followed by another more complex book ie. Peakman's Clinical Immunology

 

[yodi]

Can anyone at a systems-based curriculum share some advice with me?

Since we're systems based and integrated curriculum at UCLA, we get virtually a new lecturer and style of lecturing every day. That means a lot of inconsistency between the way material is presented, even though it's all supposed to relate to the same organ system.

Plus all we get is powerpoint slide handouts to accompany their lectures. I don't know if I should study off of the powerpoints, or take the time to create my own notes, or just say "screw it" and read off of boards review books. I'd rather make my own notes since in undergrad I learned best from my own notes, but I feel there isn't enough time to go back and organize and outline the material.

Appreciate any advice!
Yodi

 

[kaos]

Thanks for all the help guys, but I've ended up locking myself up in my bedroom, opening up all my books and notes, and rewriting pretty much everything. Forget group study, I can't deal with the social aspect right now. The Abbas book is helpful and pretty easy to read, so it's useful. The problem is that I don't have much time to keep repeating stuff. So much for a fresh outlook on improving grades this year!

 

[azzarah]

I read my lecture notes/handouts and then summarize the important points and write those down. Then I go back and read my notes a couple of days before and exam and take notes on whatever I don't know. I just keep repeating this process until I am confident I know everything. This is sorta time consuming but my grades went WAY up when I tried this method...so IMHO it is worth every min of time that I have to spend doing this.

 

[yodi]

thanks azzarah! and thank you all for your insights on this thread 😉