Still struggling MS2

[TGH12]

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I've failed (<70%) one exam in almost every course since starting med school last year. We have three exams per course, and I have thus far always passed the other two and been able to pass the class. I started out this year with the mindset of studying harder and better, yet I still failed one exam in the last course and I just failed our first pathophysiology exam last week. I'm becoming extremely worried about my ability to do well on step1 with so many huge knowledge gaps.

When I fail an exam its usually only by 1 or 2 points. When I pass an exam I usually score in the high 70's or low 80's. The exam averages are typically in the high 80's. We don't get a breakdown, so I don't know where I stand in the class. I know some people that have failed entire courses, but no one that has failed as many exams as I have and is still moving forward.

I don't think its from a lack of studying, but I am probably studying the wrong way. I've all sorts of things, but I seem to have trouble retaining things long term and end up cramming the weekend before the exam. The exams I have failed are the ones with the most material (4+ weeks), which is probably why the cramming isn't working. I try to study stuff ahead, but it usually takes me the whole afternoon just to understand the new material from that day, and I run out of time for review.

Sorry for such a long post. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[DrBowtie]

Perhaps more detail on your methods both on a daily basis as well as monthly/test cycle macroscopic level would be helpful.

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

Agree with above. Find out if your school has a learning resource skills coordinator or something like that to work with you on your study habits. Find out if your school has a tutoring program. Ask upperclassmen for advice on how they approached your schools course load. Ask trusted classmates what they do but prioritize what upperclassmen say. Good luck!

 

[futuremdforme]

I would definitely talk to a learning resources person (as @lostintranscrip said) but I'd also plug the book "A Mind for Numbers." It talks about how practice testing is key and gives ideas of how to do that. It's worth a download now while you're on break IMO.

 

[Goro]

I'll give you the advice I always give any struggling student: get to your school's learning or education center for help. Do you have test taking anxiety? If so, that can be fixed.

I've failed (<70%) one exam in almost every course since starting med school last year. We have three exams per course, and I have thus far always passed the other two and been able to pass the class. I started out this year with the mindset of studying harder and better, yet I still failed one exam in the last course and I just failed our first pathophysiology exam last week. I'm becoming extremely worried about my ability to do well on step1 with so many huge knowledge gaps.

When I fail an exam its usually only by 1 or 2 points. When I pass an exam I usually score in the high 70's or low 80's. The exam averages are typically in the high 80's. We don't get a breakdown, so I don't know where I stand in the class. I know some people that have failed entire courses, but no one that has failed as many exams as I have and is still moving forward.

I don't think its from a lack of studying, but I am probably studying the wrong way. I've all sorts of things, but I seem to have trouble retaining things long term and end up cramming the weekend before the exam. The exams I have failed are the ones with the most material (4+ weeks), which is probably why the cramming isn't working. I try to study stuff ahead, but it usually takes me the whole afternoon just to understand the new material from that day, and I run out of time for review.

Sorry for such a long post. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[TGH12]

Thank you all for your answers. I apologize for my delayed response, I have been away for a few days without Internet access.

As for my study habits on a daily basis, I usually spend my time integrating information from the lecture powerpoints with the information from the lecture handouts (written by the professor, 10-20 pages) into a more complete note set. We have two new lectures per day, and it usually takes me 2-3 hours to make my notes for each one. If I have any other activities besides class that day I often get behind and have to catch up on the weekend. I usually don't get to make my second pass through the material until the week/weekend before the exam (which I know is bad! I need to figure out how to manage my time better).

I met with the learning specialist at my school last year, and she suggested some techniques that did help me through the remainder of the year. I'm not really sure what I am doing differently now, or if 2nd year material needs to be approached in another way. Unfortunately she is out on medical leave for quite a while and I don't think they have found a replacement for her yet. I might try and talk to our dean of students and see if they could help.

I'm not sure if I have test anxiety...I do get really nervous. Maybe it would help me to do some practice questions (though I don't know where I would find some). I know a lot of the information straight off the slides, but the exam questions ask us to apply the information for a clinical scenario and I don't know what to do and I panic.

I just need to make a lot of changes I guess 🙁 so frustrating.

 

[Stagg737]

I don't think its from a lack of studying, but I am probably studying the wrong way. I've all sorts of things, but I seem to have trouble retaining things long term and end up cramming the weekend before the exam. The exams I have failed are the ones with the most material (4+ weeks), which is probably why the cramming isn't working. I try to study stuff ahead, but it usually takes me the whole afternoon just to understand the new material from that day, and I run out of time for review.

Sorry for such a long post. Does anyone have any advice?

Honestly, that doesn't sound all that abnormal. I spent most of first year 'learning' the material during the weekdays, spending as much time as needed to really get it. Then I reviewed it on the weekend, then reviewed everything the weekend before the test (3 passes worked well for me). The problem arises if you get more than 1-2 lectures behind and half to spend the weekend learning material instead of reviewing. Sounds like you have an organizational problem, which is also my biggest weakness. Other than the learning specialist advice, I'd try and create a schedule for yourself at the beginning of the week and stick to it. Forcing yourself to stay on track might help you get more passes at the material.

As for practice questions, there's a ton of resources out there to find them. I used BRS books for most of first year, especially the physiology one. That one has about 50 questions per system and can help nail down physio concepts. For path, Robbins has a question book and there's a utah site that has questions based off of Robbins as well. First Aid also has a Q&A book with 50-100 questions for every topic. That one is also nice because it's divided by both systems and subject, so it lines up with traditional and systems curricula. I'll add some links to question books, hopefully they will help out a bit:

Amazon product ASIN 0071744029
Amazon product ASIN 1455751553
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1jilyoy146_b

http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/EXAM/EXAMIDX.html

 

[operaman]

Practice questions are absolutely key. In addition to the above, your school may have some as well. Our tutoring center had some old exams we could study as well. They were really really old but definitely helped point out things that were likely to be tested. Definitely seek out all the resources available to you.

As for your methods, you are wasting a LOT of time. I fail to see the benefit of spending 6 hours a day copying notes you already have into a third set of notes. Just use what you already have!

The overriding key to success in preclinical classes is repetition. There a hundreds of different approaches, but all the successful ones share repetition in common. You simply aren't getting enough reps of the material. You might try adjusting your goals a bit. Rather than aiming for conceptual understanding on your initial pass, aim for as many passes as you can and trust that the conceptual understanding will come. 4-5 passes of the material is a good starting goal. It will be hard at first to put down a lecture you feel like you barely know, but trust that it will get easier with future passes.

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

Stop taking notes. it is a huge waste of time. just do as many passes of the material as possible. 5-6X thorough passes of the material, plus memorizing any relevant tables and drugs is all you need.

 

[TGH12]

As for your methods, you are wasting a LOT of time. I fail to see the benefit of spending 6 hours a day copying notes you already have into a third set of notes. Just use what you already have!

The overriding key to success in preclinical classes is repetition. There a hundreds of different approaches, but all the successful ones share repetition in common. You simply aren't getting enough reps of the material. You might try adjusting your goals a bit. Rather than aiming for conceptual understanding on your initial pass, aim for as many passes as you can and trust that the conceptual understanding will come. 4-5 passes of the material is a good starting goal. It will be hard at first to put down a lecture you feel like you barely know, but trust that it will get easier with future passes.

What should I be doing with each "pass" though material? I don't feel like I take away anything just from passively reading the notes...which I why I usually have to copy them out. I type, which is faster than handwriting, but it still takes a long time and I'm not sure if I retain as much. Any other suggestions for "active" learning? I'll definitely take a look at those question books, but I'm worried about having enough time to go through them in addition to everything else.

 

[operaman]

What should I be doing with each "pass" though material? I don't feel like I take away anything just from passively reading the notes...which I why I usually have to copy them out. I type, which is faster than handwriting, but it still takes a long time and I'm not sure if I retain as much. Any other suggestions for "active" learning? I'll definitely take a look at those question books, but I'm worried about having enough time to go through them in addition to everything else.

Well there are many ways to get passes at material. Passive reading is only one and you may be getting more out of it than you realize. I found watching recordings of the lecture itself on 2x speed was another good way to go through it. Question books are another. Old exams another if your school offers these. Tutoring groups another. Vary it up! And use weekends for bigger passes of everything from the week and the weeks before.

 

[Stagg737]

What should I be doing with each "pass" though material? I don't feel like I take away anything just from passively reading the notes...which I why I usually have to copy them out. I type, which is faster than handwriting, but it still takes a long time and I'm not sure if I retain as much. Any other suggestions for "active" learning? I'll definitely take a look at those question books, but I'm worried about having enough time to go through them in addition to everything else.

Operaman gave some good ideas. I think it would benefit you to figure out what kind of learner you are, as there are likely certain methods that will be more effective for you. Personally, I listen to lectures on 2x speed, then read through it to myself and write down anything I felt I didn't remember or feel will be very high yield, then quiz myself. Last year I'd meet with a person or two and we'd read each lecture/powerpoint out loud to each other (we could go through 500-600 slides in a day pretty easily) and physically say it. It just stuck better that way.

I just posted this in another thread, but there's a survey called VARK that can help you figure out what kind of learner you are. I'd use it with kids I used to tutor and once we figured out how they learned best, developing a study plan became significantly easier. Here's a link if you want to take the survey, it's 15-20 minutes and gives study tips for each type of learner. Not saying to drastically change how you study, but it might have some good tips as to which pass methods would be most effective for you:

http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/

 

[HelpPleaseMD]

dont copy notes if it takes you 6 hrs a day! lots of good advice above.

 

[TBV]

What should I be doing with each "pass" though material? I don't feel like I take away anything just from passively reading the notes...which I why I usually have to copy them out. I type, which is faster than handwriting, but it still takes a long time and I'm not sure if I retain as much. Any other suggestions for "active" learning? I'll definitely take a look at those question books, but I'm worried about having enough time to go through them in addition to everything else.

Notes don't have to be passive. Quiz yourself with what you have just read, put it in question form and answer it. Ask yourself about the last page etc.

 

[shnarf9892]

Learn how to use Anki! It's great for learning new material as well as reviewing older stuff to keep it fresh. Many a med student have found this resource immensely helpful.

 

[Anicetus]

What should I be doing with each "pass" though material? I don't feel like I take away anything just from passively reading the notes...which I why I usually have to copy them out. I type, which is faster than handwriting, but it still takes a long time and I'm not sure if I retain as much. Any other suggestions for "active" learning? I'll definitely take a look at those question books, but I'm worried about having enough time to go through them in addition to everything else.

Seriously, you need to get through the material at least 5 times. Writing or making your own notes will take too much time. It feels weird when you just sit and look at the material but you can always test yourself on the 3rd/4th time through by writing fast recall as you go through it again to test yourself and the last time you go through material you should be recalling in your head to save time.

Everyone is different but I had an issue with my slowness last year and when I transitioned to the speed method with higher quantity for repetition my grades significantly increased. Who knows, it may work for you.

 

[nonick123]

Do you higlight the important stuff or just read everything everytime ??

 

[MurphysLaw92]

TGH12,
I was not very skilled at studying until I went to grad school. I am all about efficiency, but the other posters are correct, you have to go through the material at least 5 times. I am big on active learning because I do not do well just reading things over and over. Usually I have a notebook of my complete notes and as I read through them I either draw pictures, create diagrams or charts and condense my notes each time. That way I am not just passively reading. It worked really well for me during my grad program. If you would like me to upload some examples I would be happy to do so. I am all about pictures and colors so I'm the dork with all the colored pencils and gel pens, but hey it works. Happy studying. and good luck.