Just wondering

[farqueue]

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I was just wondering how many hours of studying do each of you pre meds and medical studetns out there?

Do u have time for anything else? cheers

 

[DarkFark]

I was just wondering how many hours of studying do each of you pre meds and medical studetns out there?

Do u have time for anything else? cheers

During the first 2 years of college,I would average 2-3 hours each weekday and 5-6 hours on the weekend. After that, when I got done with my prereqs, my workload dropped off substantially. Now I hardly study at all; I just do the readings and study maybe a couple of hours before each test.

 

[pagemmapants]

Back in the g-chem/physics/bio/o-chem days it was about 4 hours on Sundays and maybe 2-3 hours twice during the week, plus an extra 4 hours or so the night before the midterm and maybe an extra 6-8 the day before the final. I had a rule about NEVER studying on Saturdays, although I did break it maybe 3 or 4 times.

Probably less than some, but it's carried me fairly well through.

 

[63768]

college i had plenty of time to goof off except after sophomore year when i had to work 32 hr weeks to pay for school. i think the med students i know study all the time and go out on the weekends, but those are first years.

 

[dajimmers]

In science classes, I definately cram. I attend all lectures, and take good notes, but don't start studying/reading the book until a few days before the exam. I remember things decently in short term memory, and they seem to store themselves in some weird long-term memory that only becomes available once I open the book/my notes again to revive it. Thats fine w/ me, since it took less time to study for MCAT than it would to completely review everything.

For non-science (English-y) classes, I keep on tast. Read the required number of pages, and I mean read them in-depth. English isn't hard for me, I just like to have a good understanding for the class discussions we have. My science classes are usually huge, with a prof telling us things to write down, hence I don't need to know the material before the lecture.

In conclusion: Science: 8 hrs study time before exams, not much else. English: keep up-to-date w/ the syllabus, about 6 hrs per essay.

 

[drmota]

i studied very little my first two years and my GPA reflects that. my last two years i got mostly As but still partied a good 2-3 nights a week and had plenty of down time, playing video games, basketball, going to the gym etc. however, from february through april for my MCATs i didnt do a god damn thing but study. 8 hours a day. skipped my last spring break with all my friends. they rarely saw me and still refer to that period as my disappearance. but i guess that payed off decently as well.
-mota

 

[drmota]

oh ya. and i pulled many many MANY all-nighters. and by many i mean like, many.
-mota

 

[Moto]

General Ed classes: I cram day before test or due date, you can skip plenty of GE classes in order to study up on Pre-reqs. I'm taking 21 units this semester, so I have to watch my time much more carefully, but during 15 units, if you don't work and plan your study sessions well, (carry flashcards with you EVERYWHERE, yes, if you're waiting for an elevator, or in line, use that time) then I have enough time for my family, friends, etc.

 

[farqueue]

wow, thanks for all the info.
i have an idea now.

hmmm should start revising now.

 

[solitude]

I am surprised at how little you guys study. I don't know any science students here with even decent GPAs who only study a few hours a day, or just the night before for an exam.

I get very good grades but spend about 10-12 hrs/day every weekday and about 8hrs/day on the weekends, just for schoolwork.

 

[DrBowtie]

I am surprised at how little you guys study. I don't know any science students here with even decent GPAs who only study a few hours a day, or just the night before for an exam.

I get very good grades but spend about 10-12 hrs/day every weekday and about 8hrs/day on the weekends, just for schoolwork.

Wow...that is a lot. There aren't 10-12 hours in the day I could study.

 

[farqueue]

I am surprised at how little you guys study. I don't know any science students here with even decent GPAs who only study a few hours a day, or just the night before for an exam.

I get very good grades but spend about 10-12 hrs/day every weekday and about 8hrs/day on the weekends, just for schoolwork.

How would u get 10-12hrs a day on weekdays for studying?
Do you count lectures as study?

 

[Labslave]

If you're studying 10-12 hours a day, there's no way it's all quality study time. Remember, it's not necessarily about how hard you work, but about how smart you work. 😉

 

[ablumoon]

during gchem/bio/ochem years, i'd spend an average about 6 hours, total, during the week. that's all. i also partied a lot and socialised quite often.

keep in mind...the average means that some weeks i'd study 0 hours, and others (i.e. midterms) id study 12. for finals, i'd crank it up and study 15 hours (well, just for ochem, once).
i guess it dpeneds on everyones study habits. ive noticed this with all my friends. the people who study the least, are the ones that are most attentive in class. the ones who study the most are the ones that can't keep the concentration in class. it's really just about training your mind to think on a certain level and focus when it's most important. going back, i wish i had focused more in class rather than goofed around in the back (i would have studied less and partied more).

 

[solitude]

How would u get 10-12hrs a day on weekdays for studying?
Do you count lectures as study?

Yeah, I don't spend 10-12 hrs/day straight studying, I count lectures and labs in that. Because I overload and take a ton of labs, I have 4-5 hrs of class/day. Of course there's no way I could fit in 10-12 hrs/day on top of time spent in class, and do ECs.

 

[Sophie]

In college I went to class, did the reading, wrote any required papers, and sometimes studied a few hours before the tests. That left lots of time for fun, but I definitely could've done better if I'd studied more. This was for mostly psych, math, and stats classes, with only a few science classes.

In my postbac, since I was taking o chem, physics, bio, and some g chem all at once, I had to study a lot more. Not counting lecture I spent about 2-3 hours per day studying, and roughly 6 hours studying the day before exams (except the biochem final, when I studied for 13 hours 😱 spread over 2 days).

 

[byeh2004]

I'd say 3-5 hours a day on weekdays, 6-10 hours on weekends

 

[osli]

I work ~40 hours a week and am married, so study time is limited. For my classes this semester (four sciences with labs, trying to cram in all my prereqs as a returning non-trad student) I only study a day or two before tests, maybe a week before for my comparative anatomy lab tests, and none otherwise. Aside from that I spend an hour or so each week completing organic lab reports.

I never studied much though in my previous undergrad and grad work... doesn't seem to do me that much good since I know it isn't that "critical" and wind up being distracted by other things. I just pay attention in class and make sure I understand everything done that day before I leave class. Kinda a "study during lecture" approach; i.e., think about what the notes really mean when taking them, memorize weird terminology as it is given to us, work an example problem in the margins during "lax" time in the lecture, etc. Then the only study required is a couple of hours of review before the exams.

Comp. Anatomy lab is obviously different. It isn't application or even concept memorization but rather more like memorizing a dictionary complete with illustrations. So I put in more time studying that to ensure I do well. I wouldn't say brute memorization of obscure words is my strong suit. 🙂

 

[farqueue]

I'd say 3-5 hours a day on weekdays, 6-10 hours on weekends

I'd say that would be a pretty reasonable schedule i would like to stick to

 

[werd]

I'd say 3-5 hours a day on weekdays, 6-10 hours on weekends

that's roughly what i do as a 2nd year med student... 'cept the 10 days before exams start... when everyone starts having keg parties... of course by "having keg parties" i mean "studying all day."

 

[erin682]

I'm an MS-2 and have tests every other friday. On my non-test week I spend a lot of time catching up on sleep and doing stuff for my 'how to be a empathetic doctor class' aka essentials of clinical medicine. I usually will start studying around thursday for 2-4 hours/day. That weekend I kick it up a bit and do like 5-6 hours/day. Then the next week I get up and go to class from 8-12 and the come home and study till around 11. I take 10 min breaks every hour and longer ones every few hours. I also throw some excersize in there. So I guess on tests weeks its maybe 8 hours of productive study time per day.

 

[farqueue]

Awesome!
Hehe, i usually do tons of situps and other stuff!!!! So i get abs while getting info into my head!!!

hehe, killing two birds in one stone!

 

[Kimka83]

Um, It depended on my class load, but about 3 hours each week day of quality studying. I work and take classes, so I don't have tons of time. I do most of my studying on weekends, 8 hours each day, to balance out my lack of time during the week.

 

[Rendar5]

college:
1-2 hrs/day on avg. cramming before tests for 2-3 days, 4-5 hrs/day here.

medschool
3-4 hrs/day when i'm good, sometimes 0 hrs/dayfor a week or so after tests. cramming before tests begins 1.5-2 weeks before a tes. 4-10 hrs/day, but not all in one subject. We're on a monthly block schedule.

med school level material is about the same as intermediate level college classes. It's volume, not difficulty most of the time.

 

[45408]

When I was loading up on the pre-reqs, there were many days of 2+ hours each weekday with 4-6 hours on the weekends, but now it's more reasonable. It varies a lot, but rarely more than 15 hours a week at this point, with a few big exceptions.

 

[farqueue]

Hmmmm from what i can see there are baiscally two types of ppl.
one who crams stuff up in the last 2 weeks and those who are fairly consistent 😛