Maximizing study efficiency

[coldcase331]

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I'm an M1 currently starting my last block of the year. So far I've been performing well (H/HP all courses so far), but have noticed that I spend so much time studying that I'm starting to lose my work/life balance that I used to be good at maintaining. I was wondering if anyone has any advice to where I can start making my studying more efficient so that I can have more time to relax, workout, netflix, Xbox, etc. Here is my current routine:

8:30: Wake up
9-12: class
12-1: lunch
1-2: class
2:30-6: Rewatch lectures
6-7: dinner
7-10: continue to rewatch lectures and make "quick sheets"

I've experimented with Anki this week, but it is taking me a REALLY LONG time to make the cards.

 

[Vain Brother]

our study habits (though i used textbooks more than you and lecture less) and hours put in were pretty close first year, along with our general (dis)satisfaction with life. this year i'm scoring just as well and studying probably less than half as much. you have no idea how much busting your ass first year can make second year so much easier. so i would say keep your head up because next year will be easier for you

 

[whatisthisstuff]

Well you watch lectures twice. Thats the first change I would make. Lectures on 2x speed is everything for me in regards to work-life balance. I think without it I would definitely struggle with that...much less watching them twice. I don't think I've ever watched a lecture twice.

I would try out just watching them once, taking notes on the slides, and then going back through the slides for review (rather than rewatching). I would also try this with class in person and from home and see what you like better.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

WHY do you rewatch lectures? That seems like EASILY your biggest problem right there. It takes that old dude standing at the podium 3x as long to babble on about the slides as it does for you to just read them yourself.

Everybody learns differently, but there is no way that rewatching lectures is an efficient way to learn. You should be studying the PowerPoints instead of watching somebody read them to you.

 

[68PGunner]

WHY do you rewatch lectures? That seems like EASILY your biggest problem right there. It takes that old dude standing at the podium 3x as long to babble on about the slides as it does for you to just read them yourself.

Everybody learns differently, but there is no way that rewatching lectures is an efficient way to learn. You should be studying the PowerPoints instead of watching somebody read them to you.

Honestly, I feel the same as you. That's one of the thing that I have changed about my study habit recently. I don't bother watching lectures anymore considering that all answers are on the slides or in the msword doc.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Honestly, I feel the same as you. That's one of the thing that I have changed about my study habit recently. I don't bother watching lectures anymore considering that all answers are on the slides or in the msword doc.

Yeah, in the last block of M2 I just stopped watching lectures entirely. Learned just as much as before but had way more free time to sleep in and do fun things. If you really think about it, the only good thing about lecture is that it gives you some structure to get your ass out of bed and keep you from falling behind. For the most part at least. The majority of professors just read you the slides. Sometimes they'll hint at things that are more emphasized on their tests but who cares, it's not worth spending all that time just to make sure you focus on those specific things as you should be learning most of the stuff in the ppt anyway because you are going to be a doctor and you need to learn stuff. Anything that you don't understand from the slides, look up in Wikipedia or in a book. I don't miss lecture at all - soooo much freedom.


Edit: I wouldn't recommend this to people starting M1 or even most people at the beginning of M2. I think you have to be pretty solid in your study strategy otherwise you can slack off a little too easily haha.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Honestly, I feel the same as you. That's one of the thing that I have changed about my study habit recently. I don't bother watching lectures anymore considering that all answers are on the slides or in the msword doc.

One of my professors has changed up his teaching style (cause he is so bad no one comes to class) and now his classes are flipped classrooms. He only tests on things he "states" in the pre-recording or "quizzes in class." So if you read only his powerpoints you will get all his questions wrong (which would bring you down around 5-8%). The flipped classroom professors love pulling this stunt to some degree also.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

One of my professors has changed up his teaching style (cause he is so bad no one comes to class) and now his classes are flipped classrooms. He only tests on things he "states" in the pre-recording or "quizzes in class." So if you read only his powerpoints you will get all his questions wrong (which would bring you down around 5-8%). The flipped classroom professors love pulling this stunt to some degree also.

I hate professors like this. So wrapped up in their own egos that they don't realize their purpose is to teach students medicine rather than have us kiss their feet.

 

[67552931811]

One of my professors has changed up his teaching style (cause he is so bad no one comes to class) and now his classes are flipped classrooms. He only tests on things he "states" in the pre-recording or "quizzes in class." So if you read only his powerpoints you will get all his questions wrong (which would bring you down around 5-8%). The flipped classroom professors love pulling this stunt to some degree also.

Yup, this is the only reason I even 2x once... I have one prof who you have to watch numerous times because this individual has hardly anything on their slides, and writes hardly anything down. Thus, as a kinesthetic learner like myself, I am forced to stare at a computer over and over and over..

 

[68PGunner]

One of my professors has changed up his teaching style (cause he is so bad no one comes to class) and now his classes are flipped classrooms. He only tests on things he "states" in the pre-recording or "quizzes in class." So if you read only his powerpoints you will get all his questions wrong (which would bring you down around 5-8%). The flipped classroom professors love pulling this stunt to some degree also.

I hope that you guys let him have it during the course eval. Guys like this could hurt student's performance on boards considering that he will only test you on bs instead of board relevant materials.

 

[MrTaco92]

I'm just a first year also, but I take different approaches to different classes and realistically they're all time consuming. Also, I generally feel like taking thorough notes while watching a lecture just once is efficient enough to do well. Just memorize the hell out of your notes.

Sometimes you just have to just go ahead and do the things you enjoy and let your future self worry about the work that's piling up as a result. In a way it helps because you know you have to get into serious study mode later on.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Yup, this is the only reason I even 2x once... I have one prof who you have to watch numerous times because this individual has hardly anything on their slides, and writes hardly anything down. Thus, as a kinesthetic learner like myself, I am forced to stare at a computer over and over and over..

He has a good amount of information on his slides, but its not at the depth to answer his questions. Then he will throw this scatter plot which he has on his quiz questions (not for points), but not on slides and not on his pre-recordings. You literally have to be in class to know what he is going to ask. This the horror that is a flipped class room, oh and class is not recorded (forgot to mention this bit of info).

 

[673441]

I'm an M1 currently starting my last block of the year. So far I've been performing well (H/HP all courses so far), but have noticed that I spend so much time studying that I'm starting to lose my work/life balance that I used to be good at maintaining. I was wondering if anyone has any advice to where I can start making my studying more efficient so that I can have more time to relax, workout, netflix, Xbox, etc. Here is my current routine:

8:30: Wake up
9-12: class
12-1: lunch
1-2: class
2:30-6: Rewatch lectures
6-7: dinner
7-10: continue to rewatch lectures and make "quick sheets"

I've experimented with Anki this week, but it is taking me a REALLY LONG time to make the cards.

Pomodoro method.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Vain Brother]

One of my professors has changed up his teaching style (cause he is so bad no one comes to class) and now his classes are flipped classrooms. He only tests on things he "states" in the pre-recording or "quizzes in class." So if you read only his powerpoints you will get all his questions wrong (which would bring you down around 5-8%). The flipped classroom professors love pulling this stunt to some degree also.

this is a mother****er asking to get his tires slashed

anyway agree with most of this thread. don't rewatch lectures

 

[Vain Brother]

that said i'm not really sure there's a way to crush first year without putting in a lot of time. at least i didn't figure it out. second year is much easier to crush on a good lifestyle

 

[cellsaver]

.

 

[Mr Roboto]

I hope that you guys let him have it during the course eval. Guys like this could hurt student's performance on boards considering that he will only test you on bs instead of board relevant materials.

Do those actually matter at your school? Pretty sure they are meaningless at ours at least.

 

[68PGunner]

Do those actually matter at your school? Pretty sure they are meaningless at ours at least.

I frankly don't care about it much. However, I was told by my seniors that my school does implement changes based on those course evals.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I frankly don't care about it much. However, I was told by my seniors that my school does implement changes based on those course evals.

Unfortunately it didn't work during the time he was teaching most of our earlier blocks, when it wasn't flipped. It seemed like was trying initially this semester, since he was preventing himself from making a wall of text on his slides, but then I realized he just didn't like people not showing up to his classes. All his questions were just memorizing random factoids for what he says or his in-class quizzes. The evals do help for some professors, but they are lost on others.

 

[Beezlebub]

I use anki. I don't make notecards. Super efficient. Spend half my day knocking out UW Qs.

 

[Dr. Death]

waking up at 8:30 am? Wow.

I woke way earlier than that, and slept maybe 5 hours nightly 1st/2nd year. Looked like hell but then again we all did.

Calendar on your phone/laptop/tablet is your friend. Schedule when you are going to wake, eat, class/library, gym, rest, sleep, etc.
I studied in 50 minute slots, took breaks for 10 mins, did this for 4 sessions, all on a timer on my phone, took an hour off after the first 4 hours (e.g. meal, meditation, gym, time with my husband, etc)...repeat.

You only have one shot at Step 1 and Step 2 CK (assuming you don't want to fail and have to repeat them). Do whatever it takes to score way above the national mean scores on Step exams.

As a professor once told us, "your scores will follow you to your grave". That got my attention!

Dramatic much.

 

[Beezlebub]

waking up at 8:30 am? Wow.

I woke way earlier than that, and slept maybe 5 hours nightly 1st/2nd year. Looked like hell but then again we all did.

Calendar on your phone/laptop/tablet is your friend. Schedule when you are going to wake, eat, class/library, gym, rest, sleep, etc.
I studied in 50 minute slots, took breaks for 10 mins, did this for 4 sessions, all on a timer on my phone, took an hour off after the first 4 hours (e.g. meal, meditation, gym, time with my husband, etc)...repeat.

You only have one shot at Step 1 and Step 2 CK (assuming you don't want to fail and have to repeat them). Do whatever it takes to score way above the national mean scores on Step exams.

As a professor once told us, "your scores will follow you to your grave". That got my attention!

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

I'm an M1 currently starting my last block of the year. So far I've been performing well (H/HP all courses so far), but have noticed that I spend so much time studying that I'm starting to lose my work/life balance that I used to be good at maintaining. I was wondering if anyone has any advice to where I can start making my studying more efficient so that I can have more time to relax, workout, netflix, Xbox, etc. Here is my current routine:

8:30: Wake up
9-12: class
12-1: lunch
1-2: class
2:30-6: Rewatch lectures
6-7: dinner
7-10: continue to rewatch lectures and make "quick sheets"

I've experimented with Anki this week, but it is taking me a REALLY LONG time to make the cards.

ditch the rewatching if you are attending lectures. or alternatively, ditch class and only watch lectures. doing both leaves you with no time to sit down with the material yourself to work through it with pen and paper.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Wake up at 6am, simple and efficient. If you're in bed by 11-12pm you should be fine.

 

[coldcase331]

Thanks for the responses! I just wanted to clarify why I feel the need rewatch the lectures. My goal from going to lecture is to get all the notes down. I won't necessarily learn anything from it, but I gain familiarity with the vocabulary. When I rewatch, that functions as my "learning" pass for the most part. It usually takes me about 2 hours to go through the lecture, but I'll usually master 70% of it by the end. The rest I pick up through multiple passes.

The problem is that I have tried cutting out the rewatching/not going to class, but it resulted in me scoring below average on that exam, hence why I continue to rewatch. What I noticed was that if I didn't rewatch, I lost most of the material within 72 hours and had to relearn from scratch.

As far as people saying that I need to wake up earlier, I don't think that I need to. I wake up at 8-8:30, and am usually done studying by 10 at night. Except for a few days out from an exam, I usually get a decent amount of sleep.

 

[Username555]

Why would you rewatch lectures after going to class? You should cut out one or the other. A lot of people seem to like skipping so they can watch at 2x speed. If I play the lecture at any speed faster than 1, I have to rewind and pause to get the notes down anyway, so I just go to class because I don't save any time by watching lectures. But after that, there isn't any reason to rewatch it. Once you have the notes, it's time to start studying them in a way that will help you memorize for later.