Hello. Here are study tips that I teach to my students. I am not a med. student nor a med. instructor however I have nearly a decade of teaching experience. I can go on and on with listing tips but I have condensed them it into the following list, created from my experience and what I have learned from others:
As you take class notes, use the appropriate type of paper to write on and take notes to maximize what you learn during that particular lecture/concept being taught/explained. This is what your binder setup should look like (can also be used with composition notebooks as well as spirals):
Use loose leaf pages if possible so you can remove/replace/swap positions. You should have white pages for diagrams + graphic organizers + standard college ruled writing paper.
Use subject separators for each subject and that includes homework.
Use post-it flags to discuss any topic or unsure idea from your notes the next day.
Other learning strategies:
Flash cards with description or drawing; not only definition or process
Glossary use
Lecture (notes, learn from hearing, record information on device, draw what instructor is mentioning, write down what you did not understand as it was said and consult later)
Instructor interaction before and after class
Instructor appointment
Collect at least 3-5 email addresses and phone numbers from your peers in each course and continue to consult daily with your classmates on the latest lecture/concepts AND offer to assist in explaining a concept/idea to your peers. When you teach, it helps entrench the idea in your mind. And when your peers reciprocate, you also learn.
Student study groups
YouTube clips including TeacherTube
Lecture notes skim/general study
Individual/self talk-back and explain, or explain to another person
Internet message boards or forums seeking question/answer
Direct one on one tutoring at your school
Record self talking on video explaining concept and play it back
Take practice exams and answer self-assessment questions
Write down what you do not understand, either in class, with peers, or during self-study, and address those issues using one of the consult methods mentioned on this list (tutoring, speak to teacher, msg. boards, etc.)
Always participate in class by answering questions or asking questions. This is active learning which will help motivate you to learn more and improve your grades, day by day, one step at a time.
Learn from others in class. Allow open dialogue and listen to what your classmates are saying. Don’t daydream. Learning must be active. Remember that the period will be over shortly. Focus. You will have to work one day. Practice professionalism now.
24/48/7
Use this method to help retain information for the long haul. The way this process works is that new material must be reviewed with 24 hours of receiving it, and again within 48 of receiving it, then once every 7 days. Try this and watch your GPA soar!
Study and look over material before class. This should not be done only before a test. You should come prepared ready to learn and participate.
After class, review your notes. This is when they are the most fresh in your mind. Follow up the same day or the next by emailing your professor or peers to reinforce that concept.
Make your own charts, diagrams, and drawings to cover detail
Use Mnemonic devices whenever possible. Example -
SLIM:
Superior colliculi:
Lateral geniculate body.
Inferior colliculi:
Medial geniculate body.
Associate a term with a real-life object or experience that you have had so you can easily recall it. For example, associate HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol with "happy." You will easily remember which type of cholesterol is healthy for the body - HDL vs. LDL.
Exaggerate parts of diagrams/illustrations to focus in on one main area and branch out from there. When you have to answer a question that requires many steps, draw it out and complete that drawing detail one part at a time.
Some people learn by music so you can always attempt to create a jingle that matches the content of your study. Either that or match up the concept with an entire song.
For all illustrations showing complex detail, cut it in 4 equal parts like a square and annotate on each part using as much detail as you can figure out or see. The attached pictures provide a basic example.
TIME BASED STUDY
60-second drills
2-minute concept explanations
20-minute minimum to 1 hour focused studying depending on subject and your personal peak performance relative to stamina
Focused studying beats volume studying any day. Set a time to study for 30 minutes, super focus, learn, read and stop for an hour, go play some video games or chat with your friend about pop music, help family with dinner, etc., and return after the hour passes. You can use this cycle a few times throughout the day. Using visual cues (markers, underlining, circling, staring) are part of this super-focused learning. Studying hard is not as effective as studying smart. There is a difference.
Theory:
Switch subjects routinely
In keeping with the age-old proverb that values quality over quantity, scientists have found that immersion is not an effective method of study, The New York Times reports. Rather than sticking to one subject and spending hours attempting to master it, you should switch between a few topics or subjects. It’s less boring – and you will learn more.
Change study locations routinely
Although some people swear by the library, cognitive scientists suggest alternating study spaces is a more effective way to retain information according to The New York Times. Memory is colored by location, and changing your study locales increases the likelihood of remembering what you’ve learned.
Move your body. Research suggests studying the same stuff in a different place every day makes us
less likely to forget that information. That’s because, every time we move around (from the library to the coffee shop, or the coffee shop to the toilet seat), we force the brain to form new associations with the same material so it becomes a stronger memory.
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