poor study skills and suggestions

[rkaz]

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[Charlie0318]

Does anyone have any good suggestions for me?

STOP PROCRASTINATING!!!!!!!!

You say exactly what you need to do. Stop putting things off, start reading ahead of time. Stop pulling all nighters Sunday, Start studying 4-6 hours EVERY night.

For someone who "has a high IQ" I would think you could have put this together yourself???

 

[rkaz]

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[Bacchus]

STOP PROCRASTINATING!!!!!!!!

You say exactly what you need to do. Stop putting things off, start reading ahead of time. Stop pulling all nighters Sunday, Start studying 4-6 hours EVERY night.

For someone who "has a high IQ" I would think you could have put this together yourself???

Your soapbox is going to fall apart soon enough.

 

[Colbert]

Do you have a study group? I never did in undergrad and got by fine, but I wouldn't have made it through med school without mine. We would quiz each other all the time and teach each other things (you don't really understand a concept until you can explain it). We also split up the review duties so each one of us would make a review sheet for different courses/lectures. That way we didn't each have to spend all of our time making review sheets but we had them all. Finally, it gave me a sense of responsibility that I wasn't allowed to slack off. Other people were counting on me to get my end of the work done, so if I slacked off I wasn't just hurting myself, I was hurting my friends.

Med school is not something that you can go at alone. You'll need support and help. Don't ever be afraid to ask for it and don't ever be too selfish to give it.

 

[bleeker10]

How long do you study each day? Do you study on the weekends? If you study that days lectures each nite and then go over them on the weekends then you have at least two passes over the material. Then you can supplement it with labs, group sessions, etc. I can't study in a group since I find it distracting. I just pick a corner in the cafeteria and stay for 4-5 hours a nite and get through everything we did that day. Pulling all nighters before a test is a horrible, horrible idea. If you aren't keeping up with the material daily then how can you expect to learn a massive amount in one nite and be able to recall it? Obviously it's reflecting in your grades. I do what I mentioned above and I have been able to maintain A's in all my classes so far.

 

[scpod]

....I tend to procrastinate quite a bit during the week, and then study like a maniac the weekend before the exam....I am lagging behind on the material.... I, on the other hand, do nothing more than read through all the class notes once before taking the exam....I have also found my grades slipping each week as the volume of material continues to increase, making procrastination much less feasible.....Does anyone have any good suggestions for me?....

You don't have a problem with study skills; you have a problem with motivation. If you are making C's right now and are not studying 4 to 6 hours every night.... then you have a good chance of failing out of medical school.

Things in medical school are learned by repetition. You will be expected to remember everything you have been tested on thus far, in detail, in two years when you take the boards. You cannot possibly do this and procrastinate a single day. You are already in danger of falling too far behind and you will eventually get to the point where you can't keep up.

If you don't feel like medical school is the only thing happening in your life these days, then you aren't studying enough. You need to study the material from today each night until you know it well, then move on and preview tomorrow's material. If it takes you 4 hours a night to do that then good for you. If it takes you eight hours a night to do that, then you'd better be spending eight hours a night on it. You also need to spend most of the weekend studying, but what you will be doing is reviewing material that you have already practically mastered. It's ok to take a few hours off and have some fun over the weekend.... but I am literally talking about just a few hours. The rest of it should be reviewing and previewing the upcoming material.

If you get back to the point that you start making A's on everything and feel like cutting back on your study time then you can. But, just be aware that your grades may suffer for it. Yes, there always seem to be a few people in every class who caan play golf three times a week, party on weekends, never study and still do ok. You now know that you are not one of those people. You have to learn to motivate yourself. Do you want to remain in the bottom half of your class? You have to make a lot of sacrifices in medical school and the first one is that you must give up nearly all of your spare time to make it through the first few years. Go out there and make it work!

 

[rkaz]

Thanks for the reality check. I don't question my motivation to be in school... as I know there is NOTHING I'd rather be doing right now than being a medical student. I love being in school, and feel grateful for all the interesting things I'm learning and experiences I'm getting that other people (non-medical) may not get to see/learn. I think I am just used to having significantly more 'downtime' and haven't quite gotten used to not having that.... it's been a shock to my system. I will really need to get on the ball with studying regularly every night, as I haven't been doing that.

I haven't been doing the study groups, though I think that would really help. I also have a classmate who has offered to keep me on track; though she told me not to say 'yes' to her unless I really mean it, as she will be very tough on me. I previously said tongue-in-cheek that I'd think about it, but I think I'd better go say 'yes' to her and get some accountability.

I am not failing at all - I am passing everything, but am doing substantially lower than my potential. I don't want to be in the bottom half of class; I know I can pull myself up.

 

[rkaz]

I was just curious.... how much of a difference does it really make if someone graduates in the bottom third of their class versus the top 20 percent? Of course I don't want to be in the bottom of the class, but I was just wondering if someone could give me some perspective of the difference this makes.... as I genuinely don't have a perspective of how this will make in my future opportunities. I am a bit conflicted, as on one hand I want to kick my butt and do a great job, and on the other hand, I wonder if I should have fun and enjoy the process instead of stressing about class rank and such... as I'm not competitive-minded. At the end, everyone who graduates will have a residency opportunity... am I incorrect? I was just wondering if people have perspectives based on either personal experience or experiences of classmates on how much class rank really matters or not. Of course I will work harder than I'm currently doing, but I wonder how much I need to concern myself with class standing. Thanks.

 

[supergumbo]

Study group. That's the way to go as I've learned in med school (for me at least). If anything, it will keep you more sane and happy while you learn all that fun med school stuff.

 

[bleeker10]

In undergrad, being the person who crammed the nite before a test and doing well was considered "cool". If you do that in med school, you are looked down upon. I know a few ppl here that cram a couple days before a test and don't study daily. I and other ppl consider them to be squandering a great opportunity to learn everything they can to be the best doctor possible. We wonder if these ppl will even be here after a semester and we are pissed if these ppl do better on quizzes/tests than us. Don't be that person. Study hard and utilize all the resources possible. You may end up switching study habits 5-6 times but that's ok. I did that for anatomy. I kept changing study habits at least 5 times in ONE week. But I found something that works for me and my grades are reflecting that. Good luck and keep us updated​

 

[Flushot]

Well, the problem with suggesting study groups at this stage I believe is that to really get something out of a study group, there needs to be a baseline that can only be gained from outright grinding solo. Only then do I feel one can benefit from study groups without it degenerating into conversation.

That said, like with working out, other people can motivate you to get out and do the work. I do get the value of it but it shouldn't be the major player.

Then again some people will vanish after class and lab, never to be seen outside of school. I can imagine them never speaking to another classmate ever and doing well. Everyone is different.

 

[beckhunter116]

I was just curious.... how much of a difference does it really make if someone graduates in the bottom third of their class versus the top 20 percent? Of course I don't want to be in the bottom of the class, but I was just wondering if someone could give me some perspective of the difference this makes.... as I genuinely don't have a perspective of how this will make in my future opportunities. I am a bit conflicted, as on one hand I want to kick my butt and do a great job, and on the other hand, I wonder if I should have fun and enjoy the process instead of stressing about class rank and such... as I'm not competitive-minded. At the end, everyone who graduates will have a residency opportunity... am I incorrect? I was just wondering if people have perspectives based on either personal experience or experiences of classmates on how much class rank really matters or not. Of course I will work harder than I'm currently doing, but I wonder how much I need to concern myself with class standing. Thanks.

I'm not a medical student or resident so take my advice with a grain of salt...
Every year there are more students vying for the same amount of residency slots. Yes a few new spots are added, but almost every DO school has increased admissions, and many MD schools have added seats as well. If you want anything that is competitive or in a big city they have hundreds of applicants applying, how do you think they narrow down who to interview and then rank? With class rank(grades), COMLEX/USMLE, rotation evaluations, LOR, and anything else that may be of interest(research, leadership, etc.).

Not to be really harsh but think about this...would you want you mother, father, wife/husband, or child treated by a doctor who only did enough to barely get by? Really? I know that every decision that a Dr. makes isn't life or death, there are decision that do carry those kind of reprocussions and you need to be thinking of that now to prepare yourself for the future.

Good luck, there is still plenty of time for you to change your study habits. Ask your fellow med students for advice/help, and go to the student services people.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

I'm not a medical student or resident so take my advice with a grain of salt...
Every year there are more students vying for the same amount of residency slots. Yes a few new spots are added, but almost every DO school has increased admissions, and many MD schools have added seats as well. If you want anything that is competitive or in a big city they have hundreds of applicants applying, how do you think they narrow down who to interview and then rank? With class rank(grades), COMLEX/USMLE, rotation evaluations, LOR, and anything else that may be of interest(research, leadership, etc.).

Actually, it's pretty well established that first and second year grades is pretty far down on the list that residency directors look at when selecting applicants. What matters most is boards and third-year rotation grades and LORs, followed by research, leadership, and finally first and second year grades.

If someone gets all Bs and Cs in the first two years and does great on the boards and is a superstar on rotations, that person will be just fine. He/she may not get derm, but it's not like he'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel or anything. The only problem is that if you don't master first and second year, will you be able to smoke the boards? Some people can. If you're one of those people, you'll be fine.

 

[scpod]

Actually, it's pretty well established that first and second year grades is pretty far down on the list that residency directors look at when selecting applicants. What matters most is boards and third-year rotation grades and LORs, followed by research, leadership, and finally first and second year grades.

If someone gets all Bs and Cs in the first two years and does great on the boards and is a superstar on rotations, that person will be just fine. He/she may not get derm, but it's not like he'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel or anything. The only problem is that if you don't master first and second year, will you be able to smoke the boards? Some people can. If you're one of those people, you'll be fine.

I don't know who "established" it so well but I'm interviewing for residsncy spots now and don't know anyone who doesn't want to know my class rank.

Also keep in mind that many s hools only count your first two years in class toward your rank. Others count your third year too. Don't kid yourself by thinking ALL your grades aren't important.

 

[Jamers]

Actually, it's pretty well established that first and second year grades is pretty far down on the list that residency directors look at when selecting applicants. What matters most is boards and third-year rotation grades and LORs, followed by research, leadership, and finally first and second year grades.

If someone gets all Bs and Cs in the first two years and does great on the boards and is a superstar on rotations, that person will be just fine. He/she may not get derm, but it's not like he'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel or anything. The only problem is that if you don't master first and second year, will you be able to smoke the boards? Some people can. If you're one of those people, you'll be fine.

Its easier said than done to do "great" on the boards and all of your stuff does count. I am a middle road student with middle road board scores with five residency interviews coming up but I wonder if I could have 10 or even more if I had better grades.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Guys, I never said that grades don't count. Of course they do. Everything counts. I was only responding to the person who listed grades as the first criterion program directors look at. From everything I've been told, it's pretty far down on the list in level of importance, unless you're failing classes right and left which the OP isn't. Is it important? Yes. But an average student grade-wise isn't the kiss of death.

 

[scpod]

Guys, I never said that grades don't count. ....I've been told, it's pretty far down on the list in level of importance....

Once you actually get an interview you might be right. The problem with your argument is that most programs really don't interview all that many people when you compare it to medical school. These places are putting me up in hotels and buying me dinner and cocktails.... they have to eliminate people somehow before interviews start and the easiest way to do that is with concrete scores that can be compared. Those are things like board scores, GPA and class rank.

Now, you may have an advantage if you have rotated at a particular spot because they know you and know your work effort. I have one interview at a program where I never could have gotten a look.... except an ex-girlfrend of mine from college is the coordinator for one of their residency programs and she put in a good word for me.

But, if you are going blind into a program that is in any way desirable, grades can have a pretty huge impact.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Once you actually get an interview you might be right. The problem with your argument is that most programs really don't interview all that many people when you compare it to medical school. These places are putting me up in hotels and buying me dinner and cocktails.... they have to eliminate people somehow before interviews start and the easiest way to do that is with concrete scores that can be compared. Those are things like board scores, GPA and class rank.

Now, you may have an advantage if you have rotated at a particular spot because they know you and know your work effort. I have one interview at a program where I never could have gotten a look.... except an ex-girlfrend of mine from college is the coordinator for one of their residency programs and she put in a good word for me.

But, if you are going blind into a program that is in any way desirable, grades can have a pretty huge impact.

Granted I haven't gone through this process, but you're the first person I've ever heard say that first and second year grades can have a pretty huge impact. Everyone else I've talked to about this has pretty much said that 1st and 2nd year grades are the last thing they look at and that if you're not going after competitve specialties, just make sure you pass everything on the first try, bust your ass for the boards, and bust your ass on the wards.

Is that wrong?

 

[mamitch4]

Getting good grades is nice, but good grades in the first two years likely play a minimal role in resident selection... what you are really doing in the first two years of medical school is studying for Step 1 of the boards. The best way to prepare for this exam is not to study like a fiend for the month (or 6) before you take it, but to learn the material as you go along and then review it in the month or two before you take it.

A quick pubmed search turned up this:
(Medical Student Performance Evaluation= Dean's letter, which includes your class rank)


Acad Med. 2009 Mar;84(3):362-7.
Selection criteria for residency: results of a national program directors survey.
Green M, Jones P, Thomas JX Jr.

Augusta Webster MD Office of Medical Education, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Ward Bldg. 1-003, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA. [email protected]

PURPOSE: To assess the relative importance of criteria used for residency selection in 21 medical specialties given current available data and competitiveness of specialties. METHOD: In 2006, questionnaires were distributed to 2,528 program directors in university hospital or university-affiliated community hospital residency programs across 21 medical specialties. Responses were recorded using a five-point Likert scale of importance. Mean values for each item were calculated within and across all specialties. Mean scores for item responses were used to create rank orders of selection criteria within the specialties. To facilitate comparisons, specialties were grouped according to the percentages of positions filled with U.S. medical school graduates. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 49%. With the data from all specialties pooled, the top five selection criteria were (1) grades in required clerkships, (2) United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 score, (3) grades in senior electives in specialty, (4) number of honors grades, and (5) USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) score. CONCLUSIONS: The top academic selection criteria are based on clinical performance, with the exception of USMLE Step 1 score. Indicators that reflect excellence in clinical performance are valued across the specialties by residency program directors regardless of competitiveness within the specialty. USMLE Step 2 CK ranks higher in the less competitive specialties, whereas research experience is more prominent in the most competitive specialties. The Medical Student Performance Evaluation was ranked lowest of all criteria by the program directors.

 

[scpod]

Might as well mention ALL the criteria they used in the study, in order:

Grades in required clerkships
USMLE Step 1 score
Grades in senior electives in specialty
Number of honors grades
USMLE Step 2 score
USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills pass
Class rank
Membership in Alpha Omega Alpha
Medical school reputation
Medical school academic awards
Grades in other senior electives
Grades in preclinical courses
Published medical school research
Research experience while in medical school

Note, however, that in some individual specialties things like research went up to number 3. So, you might want to look at things in your specialty specifically.

However, you should also note that the authors intentionally left out ALL residency programs that are community-based, without university affiliations. Nor, admittedly, did they bother to look at the importance of the interview in final selection of candidates.

 

[Octagonecology]

These places are putting me up in hotels and buying me dinner and cocktails....

haha. mod or not, what an idiot....

 

[Cp22kjer]

haha. mod or not, what an idiot....

Really?

 

[PunkmedGirl]

haha. mod or not, what an idiot....

How is he an idiot for stating what residency programs are doing for him??

 

[beckhunter116]

Guys, I never said that grades don't count. Of course they do. Everything counts. I was only responding to the person who listed grades as the first criterion program directors look at. From everything I've been told, it's pretty far down on the list in level of importance, unless you're failing classes right and left which the OP isn't. Is it important? Yes. But an average student grade-wise isn't the kiss of death.

I just wanted to say that I wasn't listing things based on importance, it just happened to be first when I was responding.

More so I was also thinking that in 3 yrs when the OP is applying to residencies who knows how important scores could be then. I wouldn't want to slack off based on today's conditions, when he/she won't be applying for a considerable time down the road.

 

[brucecanbeatyou]

rkaz, I am having much the same experience. I could always get away with not studying too much in undergrad, but yeah, it's not working out too well for me now! Like you, I'm passing, but can feel things getting harder. I'm also very motivated, I've just never had to work like this.

Before I got to medical school, I figured it wouldn't be too bad because in shadowing/volunteering I met a bunch of physicians who I didn't think were too bright, and figured that if they did it, it couldn't be too bad. I now know how wrong that was - anybody who has done medical school has my respect for sure.

While humble pie can be hard to swallow, it also feels good to realize where we are right now. Looking down the road ahead, knowing how much of ourselves we are asked to give, how much sacrifice is being required of us, makes the prospect of being a physician all that much sweeter. In reading your other posts, it sounds like you are a very motivated and intelligent person who will make a great physician in the future, and I hope to be right there with you.

But right now we are students, and are simply different people than we will be when we become physicians. From distance running, I've come to believe that the key to that transformation into a new person, with new abilities, really just comes down to putting in the miles every day. So let's do this, put in our time every day, and become physicians.

** sorry for all that - I'm really just psyching myself up here - I hope you find some of this helpful. If not, haha, just ignore it. But I'm pretty excited to go study now. **

 

[Jamers]

Might as well mention ALL the criteria they used in the study, in order:

Grades in required clerkships
USMLE Step 1 score
Grades in senior electives in specialty
Number of honors grades
USMLE Step 2 score
USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills pass
Class rank
Membership in Alpha Omega Alpha
Medical school reputation
Medical school academic awards
Grades in other senior electives
Grades in preclinical courses
Published medical school research
Research experience while in medical school

Note, however, that in some individual specialties things like research went up to number 3. So, you might want to look at things in your specialty specifically.

However, you should also note that the authors intentionally left out ALL residency programs that are community-based, without university affiliations. Nor, admittedly, did they bother to look at the importance of the interview in final selection of candidates.

Are you interviewing up here in PA or down in FL? I know you did some rotations up her on the East. I got seven interviews now, just looking forward to getting all this done. Here's to less than a year and finally making money for being a slave!

 

[scpod]

Are you interviewing up here in PA or down in FL? I know you did some rotations up her on the East. I got seven interviews now, just looking forward to getting all this done. Here's to less than a year and finally making money for being a slave!

I'm limiting myself to the southeast and Las Vegas... haha! I kind of thought I'd like to stay in Florida for a while so applied for a bunch of slots here... but I kind of miss watching the leaves change colors and my girlfriend wouldn't mind seeing some snow now and then. So, I applied pretty broadly-- NC,SC,GA,VA,MS,FL,NV. The tough part is the logistics of the interviews. Some of them are pretty close together geographically and I'm trying to hit them on the same trip. I'm not worried about the FL ones because I can get anywhere in the state within a day... but the outliers might give me some problems. Fortunately, I have some frequent flier miles I've been saving from my once-or-twice-a-year trips to Las Vegas for the last decade

 

[lynierose]

1. First, figure out what is best for you. Some tips might help, while some might not.
2. Step 2
   Don't cram. While cramming might work if your in a tight spot, but it is not a sure thing. Try to study for fifteen minute intervals taking a break; try doing some jumping jacks or eat a healthy snack.
3. Step 3
   Figure out what time a day you study best, some people study best in the morning, while others are night owls.
4. Step 4
   Be realistic. You are not going to be able to memorize all the material, decide what you think may be on the test and focus on that.
5. Step 5
   Silly, but I should point it out, don't study drunk. You will retain the information in the state of consciousness you study. However, if you did study drunk, take the test drunk.

“Hospitals are only an intermediate stage of civilization” Nursing || Outsourcing SEO SEO Services

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I'm limiting myself to the southeast and Las Vegas... haha! I kind of thought I'd like to stay in Florida for a while so applied for a bunch of slots here... but I kind of miss watching the leaves change colors and my girlfriend wouldn't mind seeing some snow now and then. So, I applied pretty broadly-- NC,SC,GA,VA,MS,FL,NV. The tough part is the logistics of the interviews. Some of them are pretty close together geographically and I'm trying to hit them on the same trip. I'm not worried about the FL ones because I can get anywhere in the state within a day... but the outliers might give me some problems. Fortunately, I have some frequent flier miles I've been saving from my once-or-twice-a-year trips to Las Vegas for the last decade

You wanna come?? LOL I'm trying to get out.

 

[Peter Benders]

All the best for ur studies... hope u improve ur grades

 

[nevinleiby]

Hi all....So I'd like to pull myself out of the muck now.

Yeah...in the muck too.

anyway...I just saw your post tonight then did a double-take reviewing my lecture notes for colon cancer about KRas =0

anyway. Good luck. exams, etc suck here, too.

 

[rkaz]

While humble pie can be hard to swallow, it also feels good to realize where we are right now. Looking down the road ahead, knowing how much of ourselves we are asked to give, how much sacrifice is being required of us, makes the prospect of being a physician all that much sweeter. In reading your other posts, it sounds like you are a very motivated and intelligent person who will make a great physician in the future, and I hope to be right there with you.

But right now we are students, and are simply different people than we will be when we become physicians. From distance running, I've come to believe that the key to that transformation into a new person, with new abilities, really just comes down to putting in the miles every day. So let's do this, put in our time every day, and become physicians.

Thanks for the compliment. And yes, your post is motivating. I was feeling the pinch for a few weeks, but I'm doing MUCH better this week. My motivation levels are definitely up - and I know if I just put in the time throughout the week, instead of leaving too much for the weekend, then I'll be in a decent place. As others have said, med school is a marathon... not a sprint. Cramming a few days before the exam does no good. It requires a sustained effort. If we just focus on things bit by bit, it is much less overwhelming. Good luck to you too!

 

[rkaz]

.

 

[rkaz]

1. First, figure out what is best for you. Some tips might help, while some might not.
2. Step 2
   Don't cram. While cramming might work if your in a tight spot, but it is not a sure thing. Try to study for fifteen minute intervals taking a break; try doing some jumping jacks or eat a healthy snack.
3. Step 3
   Figure out what time a day you study best, some people study best in the morning, while others are night owls.
4. Step 4
   Be realistic. You are not going to be able to memorize all the material, decide what you think may be on the test and focus on that.
5. Step 5
   Silly, but I should point it out, don't study drunk. You will retain the information in the state of consciousness you study. However, if you did study drunk, take the test drunk.

Thanks for the list. I don't drink, so getting drunk is not an issue for me. If you have any more tips, I'd love to read them. And I am honored that your first post is a contribution to my thread... thank you.