Starting to panic here

[Ioriscrub]

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I'm a first year medical student and we've just gotten back our second exam. I was confident that I had done better than the first one ( I got a 73% just slightly better than passing) but I had done even worse (though still barely passing) after studying harder and making flash card sets for every single lecture. It's especially frustrating since the averages for my class have been in the mid to high 80s. I'm honestly not sure what else I can do or how I can study differently and I'm really worrying that I might be on the verge of failing later since this is supposedly one of the easier courses. Any help or study tips you can offer would be really appreciated.

 

[SFO-IST]

I'm a first year medical student and we've just gotten back our second exam. I was confident that I had done better than the first one ( I got a 73% just slightly better than passing) but I had done even worse (though still barely passing) after studying harder and making flash card sets for every single lecture. It's especially frustrating since the averages for my class have been in the mid to high 80s. I'm honestly not sure what else I can do or how I can study differently and I'm really worrying that I might be on the verge of failing later since this is supposedly one of the easier courses. Any help or study tips you can offer would be really appreciated.

Part of med school - and part of the test - is keeping your cool. getting below the average even though you're trying really hard is tough for anyone to deal with. I'll let others comment on specific study strategies, but one overall piece of advice I'd have is to always shoot for the perfect score. even if you're deep down inside worried about passing.... you can only do well if you shoot for a good result, if that makes any sense.

 

[miui]

Chill bro, you still have time to improve. And do not stress too much about the classes that follow this one, because maybe it might be a class that covers information and topics that is more of an interest to you.

Don't give up, keep working at it.

 

[DreamingTheLive]

Hang in there. Is there a correlation between how you feel pertaining to the material and your exam scores, or do you feel like you know your **** and you're flummoxed as to your results? Are you using notes? textbooks? how are you allocating your time? Seek help/guidance from your school as chances are they've helped hundreds of students with these same issues.👍

 

[Ghost22]

Making flash-cards tends to eat up a ton of time. If you insist on using them at least use one of the websites like Quizlet.com, you can even use the Flashcardlet app on your phone to use your cards on your phone.,

I imagine digital ones would be faster, but the real issue seems to be that you need to study smarter, not harder. Do flash cards really help or is it just a habit from undergrad?

Not saying that they aren't helping, but if they are make sure you're doing them efficiently. That basically goes for everything you do. Are you efficient?

 

[JOHNNYCAGE]

Definitely take a step back and relax. I can understand how frustrating that can be to see others doing so much better than you and also be on the verge of failure when you are trying so hard. Medical school is a humbling experience.

That being said what you have learned so far is that something you are doing is not working. This is not that you are stupid or can't handle med school, it is simply that your study strategies are not effective. Search the forums here and find out what works for some people and what does not. Are you reading the textbook when you should be studying from the notes? Have you tried studying in a group? Do you manage your time well?

Also, what exactly does "studying harder" mean? This has different meanings to different people. Maybe you really aren't putting in the necessary time medical school demands. Whatever it is, find out what needs to be changed and change it. Good luck!