I need help with studying

[Uafl112]

hey guys,

since starting med school at the end of July, I've been having a hard time being efficient with my studying. I'll avg about 5 to 6 solid hrs of studying a day but still end up with low to mid 80s on my exams. Although I'm grateful for these scores, I'd like to avg my test scores on the higher end of the B scale, if not at the low A scale. I've tried to actively study, but I don't think I'm doing it right. Anyone have tips on how to boost med school exam scores?

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[Elevencents]

5 to 6 hours including lectures or outside of lectures?

 

[Uafl112]

5 to 6 hours including lectures or outside of lectures?

Outside. I go to Lecom. We don't have lecture

 

[ortnakas]

Outside. I go to Lecom. We don't have lecture

DSP or PBL?

 

[Uafl112]

DSP or PBL?

Pbl

 

[JW2020]

Low to mind 80s means your studying is working so far. It's fine to want to improve but a lot of students would love to swap grades with you. Getting an 88 vs 82 in preclinical grades isn't gonna keep you out of your top match.

 

[costales]

Very few people will scrutinize your 1st year grades.

 

[randomguy123456]

hey guys,

since starting med school at the end of July, I've been having a hard time being efficient with my studying. I'll avg about 5 to 6 solid hrs of studying a day but still end up with low to mid 80s on my exams. Although I'm grateful for these scores, I'd like to avg my test scores on the higher end of the B scale, if not at the low A scale. I've tried to actively study, but I don't think I'm doing it right. Anyone have tips on how to boost med school exam scores?

It doesn't matter if you study for 5 or 6 or 100 hours. What really matters is how you study your materials. May I ask you what your studying strategies are?

 

[Uafl112]

It doesn't matter if you study for 5 or 6 or 100 hours. What really matters is how you study your materials. May I ask you what your studying strategies are?

I usually just read the material multiple times and highlight accordingly. Ive tried reading and then rewriting what i read in my own words, but the process takes too much time. A few days before the exam, ill do practice quest from review books to see how deep in water I am. Im currently trying to write super condensed notes that focus on the concepts and very specific details that my school loves testing on.

Id love to learn ways to better actively study

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I usually just read the material multiple times and highlight accordingly. Ive tried reading and then rewriting what i read in my own words, but the process takes too much time. A few days before the exam, ill do practice quest from review books to see how deep in water I am. Im currently trying to write super condensed notes that focus on the concepts and very specific details that my school loves testing on.

Id love to learn ways to better actively study

Have you tried using other sources? Sometimes seeing things from another perspective helps understand it better.

Rereading the same thing over and over might be a bit inefficient. Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or learning specialist.

 

[DoReMiFaSo]

I'll avg about 5 to 6 solid hrs of studying a day but still end up with low to mid 80s on my exams.

That tells me you are absolutely on track! I wouldn't say "oh just relax cuz you will be fine" because I bet your desire to do better than "low to mid 80s" is probably what got your work ethic to get these perfectly fine grades in the first place. So keep that high standard up, as long as it's healthy and motivating instead of stress-inducing.

Maybe try setting specific goals for each study session. I find myself being less productive when I just randomly pick a book and say to myself "oh i'm just gonna read and takes notes for the next 2 hrs..." Feel free to share what has worked for ya. I'm pbl also.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I usually just read the material multiple times and highlight accordingly. Ive tried reading and then rewriting what i read in my own words, but the process takes too much time. A few days before the exam, ill do practice quest from review books to see how deep in water I am. Im currently trying to write super condensed notes that focus on the concepts and very specific details that my school loves testing on.

Id love to learn ways to better actively study

A little presumptuous of me since I am a pre-medical student, but have you tried saying what you learned to yourself? I am not sure if you are an auditory learned, but this may help with the speed issue and keeping it active. I have other methods that I do, however, they are time consuming though.

Agree with above that you should see a learning specialist to increase your efficiency.

 

[ortnakas]

For everyone else's reference-- if OP is getting low to mid Bs in PBL, he or she is getting the average or just above it most of the time.

My PBL system is usually read/highlight the first read, take notes/flashcards (subject dependent) the second read, and review the notes/flashcards and then do practice questions for a third read. If reading only isn't getting you to where you want to be, you might want to try something more active for one of the times you review it. How you do that is up to you.

@chizledfrmstone's suggestion of other sources is good, too. For PBL it's important to not substitute so that you accidentally don't read what you were supposed to in the first place, but if the main textbook's aren't doing it for you, review books (and especially review book questions) can be hugely helpful.

 

[Para-dox]

I'm not a PBL student, so I can't comment on that, but I'm also in the process of figuring out how to study. I just started using Anki this block and I'm retaining a higher amount of information than from when I was just reading/reviewing notes. Im currently using someone else's cards, but I want to make my own. Right now I'm trying to outline lectures then make cards from them but it's very time consuming. Not sure what will be practical in the long run.

Just wanted to say you're not alone in this struggle lol

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

For everyone else's reference-- if OP is getting low to mid Bs in PBL, he or she is getting the average or just above it most of the time.

My PBL system is usually read/highlight the first read, take notes/flashcards (subject dependent) the second read, and review the notes/flashcards and then do practice questions for a third read. If reading only isn't getting you to where you want to be, you might want to try something more active for one of the times you review it. How you do that is up to you.

@chizledfrmstone's suggestion of other sources is good, too. For PBL it's important to not substitute so that you accidentally don't read what you were supposed to in the first place, but if the main textbook's aren't doing it for you, review books (and especially review book questions) can be hugely helpful.

I might be in an esteemed zen of mediocrity, but medical school has taught me that there's nothing wrong with being average in a class of smart people. But then again I also don't study 5-6 hours outside of class every day...

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

.

 

[LLCoolK]

you're getting 80+. you're fine.

 

[ortnakas]

I might be in an esteemed zen of mediocrity, but medical school has taught me that there's nothing wrong with being average in a class of smart people. But then again I also don't study 5-6 hours outside of class every day...

I think I'm going to steal the phrase "esteemed zen of mediocrity" because that's where I land most of the time, too. And I'm fine with it.

 

[Mad Jack]

You're doing fine. Most people end up int he 80s. If you were in the 70s I might think something is wrong, but you're getting about the scores you should for about the time you are spending.

 

[Mad Jack]

I think I'm going to steal the phrase "esteemed zen of mediocrity" because that's where I land most of the time, too. And I'm fine with it.

Every time I see that I'm at or just above the class median (which is basically every test) I'm thrilled.

 

[DoReMiFaSo]

Every time I see that I'm at or just above the class median (which is basically every test) I'm thrilled.

Hitting the avg -- good
Eclipsing the median -- balling!
Clipping over a full stnd deviation -- holy [bleeping] [bleep]! Tequila shots!

 

[Mad Jack]

Hitting the avg -- good
Eclipsing the median -- balling!
Clipping over a full stnd deviation -- holy [bleeping] [bleep]! Tequila shots!

Pretty much. My class has a fairly tight grouping- very, very few students clip the upward SD, maybe less than 10 per test, but a lot will fall below the SD, because there's a lot more room to fall downward than there is to go upward.

 

[DoReMiFaSo]

because there's a lot more room to fall downward than there is to go upward.

So true... T.T For us the "C" group tends to be bigger than the "B" group in challenging (aka credit heavy) courses.

 

[ortnakas]

So true... T.T For us the "C" group tends to be bigger than the "B" group in challenging (aka credit heavy) courses.

If your class is like ours, the average will stay about the same next semester/next year but with more Bs. They never give the standard deviation at our school, but I'm guessing we tend to have a similar distribution to @Mad Jack 's school. The average tends to be about 82%, with lots of Bs (usually the majority of the class), a few less Cs, some As, and fewer Fs than As.

 

[13132]

hey guys,

since starting med school at the end of July, I've been having a hard time being efficient with my studying. I'll avg about 5 to 6 solid hrs of studying a day but still end up with low to mid 80s on my exams. Although I'm grateful for these scores, I'd like to avg my test scores on the higher end of the B scale, if not at the low A scale. I've tried to actively study, but I don't think I'm doing it right. Anyone have tips on how to boost med school exam scores?

Be honest with yourself about what you don't know well then focus on that. I don't know if you are doing this, but many people end up restudying things they feel comfortable with.

 

[13132]

Pretty much. My class has a fairly tight grouping- very, very few students clip the upward SD, maybe less than 10 per test, but a lot will fall below the SD, because there's a lot more room to fall downward than there is to go upward.

Sounds about right... and those 10 people spent a disproportionate amount of time memorizing minutiae that probably isn't going to help them long term. Diminishing returns past a certain point.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Crank the hours up five days before each exam and you will score where you'd like to be.