just not able to sit and study for more than 2 hrs.!!!

[shreypete]

hey guys, i really want some tips to concentrate better when studying. I made this really detailed schedule where i'll be studying more than 3-4 hrs. a day but it's just now working. I can sit for a max. of 2 hrs. and then i take a long break and get back...but i don't think that's the "way" a medical student studies..i just don't know why i can't concentrate for long? my mind keeps waivering after every 1 hr or so....anybody has a similar experience? if so how did you cope with it? thanks a lot guys.

it's just that it's been 2 months into med school and everything's going at a full pace...there's just so much going on and so much to study but i'm feeling a bit lost (although i am sort of coping up with the work load...i guess it's psychological? is that normal?).

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[necrotic brain]

we had this tutorial on proper studying methods:
time-wise. study for 20 min. get up for a 2-5 min break. back to studying and repeat.

of course if you have exams you should be able to study for more than 20 min and just make an effort. mind over matter and all that ****.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

I can sympathize - I'm not the type of student who can go 8 hours straight in the library. I found breaking the studying up into smaller parts is helpful. Like study for 50 minutes, then a 10 minute break. If I study much longer than that, my concentration starts declining. If I take a break much longer than that, it's hard to get back in to it.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

I think taking breaks often is a good idea. Some people seem not to need them..but I think most do. During the first 2 years I would study in long stints (8-10 hours at a time) before exams, but I would take breaks every 45 minutes or so -- get up, walk around, make some tea, etc, for about 10 minutes. The break every 20 minutes seems like a good idea, too. The risk, of course, is that you will switch into "break" mode for longer periods of time and not return to "study" mode. I think keeping the breaks rather short and doing something somewhat active (rather than browsing the internet) is a good way to keep this from happening.

And don't worry about feeling a bit lost -- you will get used to the rhythm of things. I think it takes some people longer than others to adapt. I was definitely one of the slow adapters..I didn't really catch on until the end of 1st semester. Just keep up as much as you can. Things won't necessarily slow down, but you will learn to keep pace better.

 

[GunitBalla187]

idk i dont study that much but when i do i blast my music it helps me concentrate. so far i got by with all A's and some B's on exams without studyin much

 

[Law2Doc]

hey guys, i really want some tips to concentrate better when studying. I made this really detailed schedule where i'll be studying more than 3-4 hrs. a day but it's just now working. I can sit for a max. of 2 hrs. and then i take a long break and get back...but i don't think that's the "way" a medical student studies..i just don't know why i can't concentrate for long? my mind keeps waivering after every 1 hr or so....anybody has a similar experience? if so how did you cope with it? thanks a lot guys.

it's just that it's been 2 months into med school and everything's going at a full pace...there's just so much going on and so much to study but i'm feeling a bit lost (although i am sort of coping up with the work load...i guess it's psychological? is that normal?).

Take breaks every hour or so -- nothing wrong with that. But try to keep the breaks relatively short -- 20 mins or less. Walk around, clear your head, have a soda, and then get back to work. If you take longer breaks, it's harder to right back into it.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

idk i dont study that much but when i do i blast my music it helps me concentrate. so far i got by with all A's and some B's on exams without studyin much

I thought harvard was pass/fail

 

[howelljolly]

Change the method of study about every hour (or less if you need to)

Mix it up among:

reading the text
reading your lecture notes
read a review book (BRS, NMS, High Yield)
take more notes from the text/review (I found this to be the most helpful)
do practice questions (BRS, NMS, PreTest)
read FirstAid for Step1
Look at anatomy, histology, pathology pictures

Thats 7 hours right there

 

[45408]

My studying is easily composed of 20% breaks, unless it's just an hour total It's not realistic to expect that you can sit down for four straight hours and not need a break. Some people can do it, but most can't, and if they can, they probably can't do it on a daily basis.

 

[Gynecomastia]

See a doctor and ask for a prescription of Adderall. Generally speaking, people who have difficulty sitting still and concentrating can use a small dose (like 5mg, the smallest dose).

 

[shreypete]

guys thanks a lot...a lot of helpful methods...it's just that when i take i break, i usually browse online and then suddenly i get this urge to watch a movie...and once i start that...it's like a marathon....i just need to learn to control my addiction for movies and TV shows i guess.....

adderall? i thought that was for ppl with ADD?

 

[45408]

See a doctor and ask for a prescription of Adderall. Generally speaking, people who have difficulty sitting still and concentrating can use a small dose (like 5mg, the smallest dose).

If you don't have ADD, you don't need Adderall. Not being able to sit still and study for 4 straight hours is NOT ADD.

 

[MastahRiz]

yeah, I agree. It just takes practice to be able to sit and study that long. Deciding one day that you want to study for 12 hours straight isn't just going to get it done.

If you want to study longer, then next time that it has been two hours and you want to take a break, don't take it! Eventually you'll build your tolerance.

 

[exmissionary]

If you don't have ADD, you don't need Adderall. Not being able to sit still and study for 4 straight hours is NOT ADD.

When I was a kid I was diagnosed with ADD, I took the medicine and it had no effects on me (at least not that I could tell, my doctor didn't believe me and called me a liar). Now that I am older and can better control my life, I don't don't think that I would be diagnosed with ADD. Therefore.... Would it be fair for me to take the medicine (assuming it were to help me study)? Once an ADD always and ADD?

 

[Blade28]

Big difference between ADHD (in kids) and adult ADD.

 

[45408]

When I was a kid I was diagnosed with ADD, I took the medicine and it had no effects on me (at least not that I could tell, my doctor didn't believe me and called me a liar). Now that I am older and can better control my life, I don't don't think that I would be diagnosed with ADD. Therefore.... Would it be fair for me to take the medicine (assuming it were to help me study)? Once an ADD always and ADD?

I really have no idea, nor do I think that it would be wrong for a med student with ADD to take medication for it, but I think it's a very bad idea for someone without a condition to either fake that condition or beg/borrow/steal the medication from someone who does have it.

My point is mostly that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to study for hours and hours a day, every day, and just because you have a hard time doing it does not mean you have a mental condition, although in your case, maybe it is justified.

 

[howelljolly]

I dont remember specifics, but theres something about ADD/ADHD meds working only in patients with the disorder. It works by some kind of paradoxocal effect, in true patients. Apparently it wont work in normal folks

Again, I dont remember the details, but if you're thinking of getting yourself a script so you can study for 5 hours continuously... Id look into it.

 

[Blade28]

Something about how a drug that's supposed to make you extra-vigilant/alert would work in calming down someone with ADHD, right?

That vaguely sounds familiar (from my Psych rotation).

 

[Slide]

Something about how a drug that's supposed to make you extra-vigilant/alert would work in calming down someone with ADHD, right?

That vaguely sounds familiar (from my Psych rotation).

Think you're talking about Provigil, or one of its derivatives. It makes you super alert without that zoned-in effect Adderall has.

 

[45408]

Something about how a drug that's supposed to make you extra-vigilant/alert would work in calming down someone with ADHD, right?

That vaguely sounds familiar (from my Psych rotation).

That's what they told us in our ADD lecture. It seems counterintuitive that a stimulant would be used to help someone focus, but it works, if they actually have the condition.

 

[Drogba]

That's what they told us in our ADD lecture. It seems counterintuitive that a stimulant would be used to help someone focus, but it works, if they actually have the condition.

I don't understand. Many non-diagnosed people take this as a study aid and they report increased concentration. How is this possible if whats been mentioned in your post and other previous posts is true?

 

[shreypete]

wow it's funny how the debate suddenly switched to ADD and ADHD...

 

[njbmd]

hey guys, i really want some tips to concentrate better when studying. I made this really detailed schedule where i'll be studying more than 3-4 hrs. a day but it's just now working. I can sit for a max. of 2 hrs. and then i take a long break and get back...but i don't think that's the "way" a medical student studies..i just don't know why i can't concentrate for long? my mind keeps waivering after every 1 hr or so....anybody has a similar experience? if so how did you cope with it? thanks a lot guys.

it's just that it's been 2 months into med school and everything's going at a full pace...there's just so much going on and so much to study but i'm feeling a bit lost (although i am sort of coping up with the work load...i guess it's psychological? is that normal?).

I have a 50-minute attention span when it comes to sitting and studying. I used a kitchen timer set for 50 minutes. When the timer rang, I would get up and walk around for 10 minutes or so and then set aother 50 minutes. This worked quite nicely for me during medical school.

On my 10-minute break, I would get a drink, walk outside or do anything to clear my head. If something kept intruding into my thoughts during my 50-minute study period, I would write it down on an index card and think about it on my 10-minute break. This way, I could focus on what I was doing and after, break, come back refreshed and ready to go.

I never sat and grinded through material hour after hour. Not only does your learning efficiency go down, you just get tired of sitting in one spot and boredom sets in.

I now routinely do surgical cases that last 6 to 10 hours with no loss of concentration. I get so absorbed in the case that I completely lose track of time.

 

[Blade28]

If something kept intruding into my thoughts during my 50-minute study period, I would write it down on an index card and think about it on my 10-minute break. This way, I could focus on what I was doing and after, break, come back refreshed and ready to go.

You know, that's not bad! I'm going to use that. 🙂

 

[45408]

I don't understand. Many non-diagnosed people take this as a study aid and they report increased concentration. How is this possible if whats been mentioned in your post and other previous posts is true?

I think it still acts as a stimulant, so someone can pull an all-nighter with much more ease, but otherwise, I think some of its effects are placebo. "Here's a pill that will help you study."

 

[danierrr]

From what I remember of undergrad abnormal psychology, Adderall-type drugs act as stimulants to the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for restraint and self-control. Therefore, a stimulant-class drug can produce behaviour-inhibiting effects.

 

[shreypete]

how is this plan? (i got this from my cousin in harvard)...he says that i could try and sleep in the evening for about 3 to 4 hrs. (say 7-10) and the study during the night (from 10-4 or 5) and then sleep for a bit more and then wake up in time for the lectures? do you think this is effective? or rather hazardous for a medical student?

 

[MastahRiz]

It's definitely easier to study at night, or rather, early morning. I usually sleep at 9pm and wake up at 3am. Work out for an hour or so, and study about 3 hours before classes. Those three hours in the morning are probably equivalent to about six hours of study time after a whole day of classes.

 

[MAK]

Yes sir, I am still trying to figure out my study methods, and I've been in med school for about 4 months now. Sitting for 4 hours straight isn't the problem for me, because thats whats causing all my problems, I sit for 4 hours but am online doing fantasy basketball/football, constantly checking my email even though no one emails me, I do my daily Facebook stalking, watch some TV and before you know it, 5 hours have passed and I haven't started to study!

Its really becoming bad, because I had to cram for my last exam and pull an all nighter, and that didn't help me because now I don't even remember the stuff.

I really don't know how there are certain people who, right after class go to the library and start studying. What are they eating or drinking that I don't know of, because I'm beat after class.

So my dilemma is this, all the professors are different and so that is why I am having a hard time formulating a cohesive manner in which to study. One prof will give power points where you can take your own notes and study from them, others will give you copies of just paragraphs from a textbook, and if i don't have enough time to take my own notes (which i normally do), how am I supposed to study for those types of lectures??

Any advice?

Any study tips from 2nd or 3rd years?

 

[MastahRiz]

Turn off your computer, and put away the mouse when you study.

If you study ahead, it won't matter what type of notes teachers give out in class, because if you've already gotten over the difficulty of the material itself, you can just skim through whatever form of lecture notes you've gotten off the prof.

If you make a schedule, and schedule your breaks, that usually helps too.

 

[shreypete]

Yes sir, I am still trying to figure out my study methods, and I've been in med school for about 4 months now. Sitting for 4 hours straight isn't the problem for me, because thats whats causing all my problems, I sit for 4 hours but am online doing fantasy basketball/football, constantly checking my email even though no one emails me, I do my daily Facebook stalking, watch some TV and before you know it, 5 hours have passed and I haven't started to study!

wow man i'm in the same boat....email, facebook, TV shoes, sports.....but i've started studying late in the night and it seems to help quite a bit (well i sleep right after i get back from college and then wake up after an hr. or two)....and then i start studies....after about every 45-50 min. i take a break (this is the time when i check my emails, facebook, even chat for a brief bit)....and then i sleep around 2 or 3 and wake up again at around 5 or 6....helps a lot...and i'm able to concentrate way better than i did before (where i would just study for 2 hrs. or so)....

 

[mudphudwannabe]

If you have trouble with browsing the internet while you're supposed to be studying but still might need to use your computer to look at powerpoints or look up information, you can do a couple of things to block the distracting websites. If you use Firefox there is an add-on called BlockSite that will block certain websites for you. Some router firmware also has a similar feature - some will even let you set hours so you don't have to manually turn it on and off every day. Of course, you can always turn off the settings, but for me it has been really helpful. When I'm studying or working (I do computational biology research, so I'm on my computer all day) I'll often type in a web address for a random site (facebook, SDN, crafting websites, etc) without even thinking about it -- getting the warning message that the site is blocked is a good reminder to get back to work. I found it especially helpful when studying for Step 1, when I was supposed to be studying 8 hours a day but still needed to use my computer for USMLE World.

 

[Yakko]

I think it still acts as a stimulant, so someone can pull an all-nighter with much more ease, but otherwise, I think some of its effects are placebo. "Here's a pill that will help you study."

For a healthy person without ADD/ADHD, Adderall isn't really a stimulant like caffeine is a stimulant. It doesn't necessarily keep you awake or jumpy. It keeps you hellaciously focused on the material you're reading. And you can go longer without taking breaks, and be more productive during the time you are studying. You wouldn't gloss over a tough concept in the book and justify it by saying, "I'll get back to it." You pretty much stay on that point until it makes sense and then continue on. A single read-through of a chapter will be more efficient in other words. For this reason catching up after procrastination or studying really tedious material is relatively easy when on it.

Of course it shouldn't be used illicitly by non-ADD-afflicted people. At best it's highly immoral to use it, at worst it can screw up a healthy student.

Whether it's a placebo effect, well, I don't wanna get into specifics. But it's definitely easy to see why people use it.

 

[kdburton]

hey guys, i really want some tips to concentrate better when studying. I made this really detailed schedule where i'll be studying more than 3-4 hrs. a day but it's just now working. I can sit for a max. of 2 hrs. and then i take a long break and get back...but i don't think that's the "way" a medical student studies..i just don't know why i can't concentrate for long? my mind keeps waivering after every 1 hr or so....anybody has a similar experience? if so how did you cope with it? thanks a lot guys.

it's just that it's been 2 months into med school and everything's going at a full pace...there's just so much going on and so much to study but i'm feeling a bit lost (although i am sort of coping up with the work load...i guess it's psychological? is that normal?).

Bring something to snack on and a bottle that you can keep refilling with water. As long as I'm constantly snacking on something (nothing thats really unhealthy obv) and staying hydrated I've been able to concentrate fairly well for long periods of time. Also I've found that if I break up my day by going to the gym for an hour I'm able to jump back into things very easy. You just gotta figure out what works for you... The other thing is that works sometimes is to switch up what you're studying for if you have more than one lecture/class you're studying for.

 

[zephyrhills123]

I actually went to a school counselor to figure out a good study method and these were the tips she gave me (and that I now use that have definitely reduced stress):

-On Sunday or Saturday, make an outline (very brief) of any sort of reading you have to do for that week in your classes. Don't try to learn the material, just look at it so you have an idea of what's going to be taught. The outline should just consist of key words and topics.
-Make a goal sheet on Sunday for the next week (for instance, "To be current in class material") that must be completed by a certain day, like Saturday or Friday. Then, make individual tasks that have to be completed to acheive that goal (like "review monday's lecture in anatomy", etc). Check it off when you've done it, and if you haven't done 80% of your week's tasks for that goal by your deadline, take away a reward you might have planned for yourself (like going out with friends on Friday night).
-Get one of those schedules where every hour is marked (like a day planner), go through and plan out your week. So, mark out hours for class, for exercise, for studying a specific subject, etc. That way you have an idea of what you need to do and when you've finished your day you have actual free time.
-Outline/make flash cards for your lectures after each lecture (so do it five days). This is a form of studying that will help reduce time cramming before exams.
-Review every day! I have this flash card program I use for stuff like microanatomy that I use every day. For other classes that aren't conducive to flash cards, I try to review outlines I've made for each lecture. At most it takes 30 minutes to an hour.
-Since you're like me and have trouble concentrating on material for a long time, first try out 25 minutes studying, 5 minutes break, 25 minutes studying, etc. Move up to 30 minutes studying, 10 minute break. At most, try to study 50 minutes, with a 10 minute break, but no more than that. I still have trouble making it past 2.5 hours, but if you remind yourself that you're going to have to do it later on anyway, it can help keep you on track.

Of course, this is all self-motivated so you have to make an agreement with yourself that you'll do it. You can also have someone who can act like a parent (maybe an advisor assigned to you?) that you check in with each week to make sure you are staying on top of your schedule. I use the counselor for that and it was helpful in the beginning. I don't have ADHD, but this schedule she gave me to use is also used for people with ADHD (granted, who may be on necessary medication), so I think it's doable for anyone.

Also, start being satisfied with grades that aren't necessarily A's! B's are just fine, too, and nothing to sneeze at. 😀

 

[bucksfascia]

we had this tutorial on proper studying methods:
time-wise. study for 20 min. get up for a 2-5 min break. back to studying and repeat.

of course if you have exams you should be able to study for more than 20 min and just make an effort. mind over matter and all that ****.

Yeah, I've heard of doing this before....but my problem is that the 2-5 minute break is never enough for me. I end up studying for 20 minutes...then breaking for......an hour.

I actually take attention meds, and they really do help me. Like someone said above, they don't act to make you hyper or excited; they make you feel really interested in whatever you're doing.

 

[akpete]

Sorry to bring up the ADD meds again, but...

I have been on the fence for a number of months now whether or not to ask about this at my next doctor's appointment. At what point in inattentiveness/inability to focus enough to warrant meds?


I also plan a lot, but then don't execute.

 

[howelljolly]

Sorry to bring up the ADD meds again, but...

I have been on the fence for a number of months now whether or not to ask about this at my next doctor's appointment. At what point in inattentiveness/inability to focus enough to warrant meds?


I also plan a lot, but then don't execute.

A psychiatrist, or FP who is experienced in prescribing those medications is the one to ask. Not us. You should ask your doctor if you are thinking about it. He won't kill you for asking.

 

[akpete]

A psychiatrist, or FP who is experienced in prescribing those medications is the one to ask. Not us. You should ask your doctor if you are thinking about it. He won't kill you for asking.

Oh, I wasn't looking advice personally for me. Sorry, I reread my post and it gives that impression. I was just kinda wondering what people's thoughts about it are in general since we tend to live in an overmedicated society.

 

[howelljolly]

Oh, I wasn't looking advice personally for me. Sorry, I reread my post and it gives that impression. I was just kinda wondering what people's thoughts about it are in general since we tend to live in an overmedicated society.

Oh, OK.... well, in that case....
I don't know. But I do know that Psychiatry, and Family Practice have different guidelines for how they medicate ADD. I don't know what they are off the top of my head, though. My point is, I think its interesting that those two fields of medicine have different views on how to medicate ADD.

But then, different fields medicate all sorts of diseases differently...