Questions from a newbie, directed toward upperclassmen...

[DocOblivion]

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Hi everyone! I'm a first year student, and as seems to be somewhat common, I'm finding myself overwhelmed by the amount of information that we're being exposed to. Unlike some other institutions, however, my school lacks little things like detailed syllabi that would help us know what areas professors will be focusing on covering.

How does everyone approach their studies in that regard? Did you find yourself reading all assigned chapters, or relying more heavily on powerpoints, etc for guidance? I'm having a LOT of trouble discerning what topics are considered important, i.e., what will be on exams, etc.

Bearing that in mind, does anyone have any study tips\techniques for students who feel like they're drowning in information?

Thanks SO much for any input\advice you can provide!

 

[Divine Furor]

Being overwhelmed, as I hope you've realized by now, is part of the growing pains and process of being an "underclassman." The fact of the matter is that we the internet could tell you our individual experiences with "what's important," and if you glance at the Step I threads, you'll notice that every single person has a different opinion.

Perhaps what would be most helpful for you is to talk to the upperclassmen at YOUR institution--ask them how they dealt with a lack of guiding syllabi. We can't know what your class regimen looks like, so don't waste your time culling our experience in that regard.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, you do have to know all of it. Even if your professors don't particularly emphasize one thing: someone can and will ask you about it. The Steps will ask you about it.

Since it's midyear, and I hope you're not failing, you must have already come up with a study routine. If it's not working as well as you'd like, it's still early enough to experiment. Have you tried flashcards, either online or on hand? How about outlines? How about lecture notes from external sources (i.e. Kaplan)? Videos? Sometimes all it takes is time: if you practice drinking from the firehose long enough, you'll be able to swallow more. Which is a disgusting metaphor, but apt. Kaplan's lecture notes, in particular, worked for me while studying for my Step I. A The mode of information delivery varies by supplemental text: I am attracted to verbose descriptions of material: I learn by reading the details. Some people snap up the details easily, and require repetition of outlines or phrases (like in Goljan or the BRS series) to keep stuff in. Still others like question banks (USMLERx, USMLEWorld) to reinforce. You're a little early to be investing in Step I material, but since you're having trouble, the review books might clarify concepts and put them in a handy context---you might be able to see how it all becomes important later on.