Making this work - any advise MSII's??

[Gear]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'd really appreciate some advice from, perhaps, some 2nd years. My school has us in class from 9-5:30 EVERY day! After managing to get 68% on my 1st 2 exams (it takes 70% to pass!), I'm tired all the time, and STRUGGLE to get 4 hrs of daily study during the week. There's NO way to do the assigned reading in 4 hrs and still have time to review instructor handouts and the co-op notes IF I attend every class. We can view the lectures on-line, so my new plan is to skip lectures, actually get the reading done, use the co-op lecture notes, and possibly view lectures later in the day AFTER doing the reading. I study best in the morning and early afternoon (and, of course, when not exhausted after 10-11 hrs on campus), so it seems like a waste to go sit in lectures then. Anybody have success using the independant-learning-no-lecture approach? Please - serious responses from those who've "been there!" THanks!

 

[DNALadder2002]

What medical school do you attend, if you don't mind answering?

 

[Gear]

I'd rather not identify my school as I don't know who else may be reading the board, but I'd sure appreciate any insights if you can help! Thanks!

 

[ckent]

sounds like a good plan to me, I have many classmates that never attend lecture and go strictly by the handouts and they seem to do fine. I go to class but I fall in sleep in class literally every day, but I think the sleep refreshes me for an afternoon of studying. If I had class 9-5, I might skip it all myself unless it was required, I don't think that I learn anything class. The only annoying thing that makes people go to lecture is when professors purposely leave stuff out of their notes and say it in class and then tests the class on it, I don't know if that happens at your school. But otherwise, I would say skip lecture altogether, most people don't actually learn by being in lecture. Especially this 2nd year stuff, it all seems like memorization anyways and very few concepts that anyone would have trouble grasping.

 

[lilycat]

Again, the approach is different at each school, but at least at mine, the recommendation has been made to me to focus primarily on lecture notes and the syllabus -- read them over and over again. Then go over pertinent figures for cell biology and histo (the professor either mentions specific ones in our book during lecture, or gives them to us as part of our assigned reading), then if you have time, and only then, read the assigned textbook material.

The best source of information on this would be the upperclassmen at your school, since they've actually been through it with the same professors, books, etc.

 

[srlondon]

If you are not a lecture learner, you will not be able to accomplish the amount of studying that you need to get by in just the evening. Face it: after you get out of 8+ hrs of class, you're in no shape for hi-yield studying. I quickly realized that the hours in the day when I'd be sitting in lecture were much better off spent (for me) studyiing during the day and part of the evening, while giving me a bit of time for breathing room (personal matters, a bit of relaxation). I did go to labs and other hands-on activities I felt were useful.

If going to lectures is worthwhile for you, so be it. On the other hand if they aren't, go to the library instead. Some professors resent this, feeling that despite the fact that you're responsible enough to be in med school and have clinical duties shortly, you apparently aren't adult enough to decide how you learn best. This reveals the fact that many of them just like a packed lecture hall for the ego boost, rather than being primarily interested in helping you learn the most from them that's possible.

 

[AllAboutTheGame]

I got some "advise" for you, learn how to spell advice.

 

[Gear]

Thanks to all of you taking the time to respond! I especially appreciate allaboutthe game's insightful commentary. Just what game is that anyway?