Learning: Reading vs Practicing

[tylus]

How do you guys feel about learning through reading versus learning through practice?

I remember best through practice but have been trying to learn via reading textbooks as I've been advised it's a "more complete" way of studying. I do agree that reading textbooks is a good way to learn for most, and I too have benefitted for sure. But while there are plenty of eureka moments while reading, I find that I don't internalize the content. Recall is a big problem.

The ideal situation if I had time would be to read first and practice, but most of us aren't afforded that luxury. I am considering putting more focus on practice.

Any opinions or personal experience?

P.S. By textbooks I mean the proper reference books like Guyton, Moore's, Big Robbins, Big Katzung. Board review books are good for flipping through but the lack of explanation doesn't help with my bad recall.

Note that for practice, I would do the questions, check the answers, and check online or textbooks for explanations. (Sorry trying to be specific)

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[Pacna]

This is exactly what I do with Anki. I read the material once, make cards, then do cards and review the reading as needed! 🙂

Spending 10 hours a day studying then forgetting it all in 3 months sounds stupid. That's why I use Anki! Call now!

 

[67552931811]

This is exactly what I do with Anki. I read the material once, make cards, then do cards and review the reading as needed! 🙂

Spending 10 hours a day studying then forgetting it all in 3 months sounds stupid. That's why I use Anki! Call now!

Noob question, but why did you choose Anki over, say, FC? I like the idea of Anki but making my own cards sounds like a massive time sink.

 

[Pacna]

Noob question, but why did you choose Anki over, say, FC? I like the idea of Anki but making my own cards sounds like a massive time sink.

I 100% agree, but FC doesn't help at all with block exams. Don't get me wrong, Anki is WAY overkill for block exams, but overkill + retention + good grades > less work + retention + overkill.

At my school, we have a group of ~12 people who divide the Anki load. I have to make like 12 lectures worth of cards this semster total.

 

[67552931811]

I 100% agree, but FC doesn't help at all with block exams. Don't get me wrong, Anki is WAY overkill for block exams, but overkill + retention + good grades > less work + retention + overkill.

At my school, we have a group of ~12 people who divide the Anki load. I have to make like 12 lectures worth of cards this semster total.

I figured that right after I posted my question.

That group idea looks like the way to go-- sounds like a great set-up. Thanks, dude!

 

[DrEnderW]

I 100% agree, but FC doesn't help at all with block exams.

I hear people say this but I really, really disagree. I attribute a lot of my success in class exams to FC.

For example, banking all of Pulm the week before the exam and then repeating all the low rated questions on the approaching days has been very helpful. Now with the app and beta, you can specifically target sections too. I think it's a great extra pass of relevant material in addition to obviously using it for the long term. Active recall helps a lot in addition to reading notes/text or watching vids.

 

[Pacna]

I hear people say this but I really, really disagree. I attribute a lot of my success in class exams to FC.

For example, banking all of Pulm the week before the exam and then repeating all the low rated questions on the approaching days has been very helpful. Now with the app and beta, you can specifically target sections too. I think it's a great extra pass of relevant material in addition to obviously using it for the long term. Active recall helps a lot in addition to reading notes/text or watching vids.

I have no doubt that it helps, but (at least at my school) questions are asked directly out of coursepacks. Like for anatomy: they literally just look in the coursepack, randomly take sentences typed there, then ask you to fill in blanks. Understanding is great, but memorization of guaranteed test points is better (which is what FA and FC are for, in regards to step 1!!).

Also, there's nothing quite like your own cards. I don't know why, but they're just so much less frustrating.

 

[DrEnderW]

I have no doubt that it helps, but (at least at my school) questions are asked directly out of coursepacks. Like for anatomy: they literally just look in the coursepack, randomly take sentences typed there, then ask you to fill in blanks. Understanding is great, but memorization of guaranteed test points is better (which is what FA and FC are for, in regards to step 1!!).

Also, there's nothing quite like your own cards. I don't know why, but they're just so much less frustrating.

Oh wow, yeah that makes total sense then. My school doesn't have that design at all, but if it did, I'd do the exact same as you.

 

[MedWonk]

I 100% agree, but FC doesn't help at all with block exams. Don't get me wrong, Anki is WAY overkill for block exams, but overkill + retention + good grades > less work + retention + overkill.

At my school, we have a group of ~12 people who divide the Anki load. I have to make like 12 lectures worth of cards this semster total.

Having a large group divide the work helps a lot, too. Otherwise, it's a big time sink. I can totally see how it pays off, though.

 

[tylus]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Honestly quite surprized nobody chose reading yet. Most of my group of friends prefer reading (and I think it's because they are 150 IQ geniuses that can remember all the details). They would read textbooks followed by school notes and simply glance through practice questions before an exam.

I've heard about FC and Memorang and I like their concept.
--------------------
You guys may have seen this before but these high Step 1 scorers really advocate practice. I'm just gonna drop the links here;
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/7513-my-step-1-experience-269-99-a.html
- http://www.valuemd.com/usmle-step-1-exam-experiences/171054-step-1-score-276-99-a.html
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalscho..._usmle_or_how_i_learned_to_stop_worrying_and/
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalscho...ot_a_264_on_step_1_thanks_for_all_the_advice/ (this guy does a lot of reading too)
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalschool/comments/2b2oku/272_on_step_1_ufap_to_success/

 

[MedWonk]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Honestly quite surprized nobody chose reading yet. Most of my group of friends prefer reading (and I think it's because they are 150 IQ geniuses that can remember all the details). They would read textbooks followed by school notes and simply glance through practice questions before an exam.

I've heard about FC and Memorang and I like their concept.
--------------------
You guys may have seen this before but these high Step 1 scorers really advocate practice. I'm just gonna drop the links here;
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/7513-my-step-1-experience-269-99-a.html
- http://www.valuemd.com/usmle-step-1-exam-experiences/171054-step-1-score-276-99-a.html
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalscho..._usmle_or_how_i_learned_to_stop_worrying_and/
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalscho...ot_a_264_on_step_1_thanks_for_all_the_advice/ (this guy does a lot of reading too)
- http://www.reddit.com/r/medicalschool/comments/2b2oku/272_on_step_1_ufap_to_success/

Well, there's still plenty of reading going on.. The issue is that reading something over and over often doesn't truly consolidate everything in my head. That's where practice questions come in.

 

[tylus]

This is exactly how I feel. seeing connections between topics and really internalizing the details don't set in till after practice for me.

 

[cbrons]

You need the big picture before you dive into the specifics of a textbook with the detail of a big Robbins chapter. For that, Pathoma lectures are perfect.

I believe in doing a billion practice questions and a ton of anki flash cards