Study habit advice

Started by brunettestudentdoc
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brunettestudentdoc

brunettestudentdoc

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5+ Year Member
We just ended out CV module, and I thought I had a firm understanding of the material, but when our grades came out, apprentally I didn’t. I was wondering if anyone had any major study habit styles or anything really to help me do better on our next module.
 
brunettestudentdoc said:
We just ended out CV module, and I thought I had a firm understanding of the material, but when our grades came out, apprentally I didn’t. I was wondering if anyone had any major study habit styles or anything really to help me do better on our next module.
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Is there any way you can review your exam? It may not just be a content problem but also a test taking strategy problem (ex. not reading the question properly).
 
IslandStyle808 said:
Is there any way you can review your exam? It may not just be a content problem but also a test taking strategy problem (ex. not reading the question properly).
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Or it may just be the question writers are pos.

OP, if you're getting Bs of higher on your exam and these results are triggering your disappointment, we have bigger issues at hand than your understanding of the materials.
 
68PGunner said:
Or it may just be the question writers are pos.

OP, if you're getting Bs of higher on your exam and these results are triggering your disappointment, we have bigger issues at hand than your understanding of the materials.
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Oh yeah, this is extremely true. There were multiple questions that were written badly, that our faculty state are 'vetted.' Being at a newer school, this problem is rampant. Best part is that some professors don't want to acknowledge their mistakes.
 
IslandStyle808 said:
Oh yeah, this is extremely true. There were multiple questions that were written badly, that our faculty state are 'vetted.' Being at a newer school, this problem is rampant. Best part is that some professors don't want to acknowledge their mistakes.
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Honestly, the hardest part of being a medical student is to accept that you don't have to get A's in everything due to stuff that are out of your control. Things that you can control are:

1) No class failure
2) No class grade lower than a B
3) Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 scores
 
68PGunner said:
Honestly, the hardest part of being a medical student is to accept that you don't have to get A's in everything due to stuff that are out of your control. Things that you can control are:

1) No class failure
2) No class grade lower than a B
3) Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 scores
Click to expand...

When your grades are averaged to a 78% at times and combined with poor vetting, you don't have much control even over a B.
 
All the best tools and time won't help you if you don't study efficiently. Stay off of your phone, Facebook, news webites etc. I noticed this in med school that certain people were focused on what they were learning and others were on their phones every 5 minutes while they were "studying hard". Guess who did better? Now when I try and study I have a timer on to see how long I can go without getting distracted by searching something unrelated, checking my phone, going to the bathroom, making tea etc... Sadly, my average is 15 minutes... the struggle is real.
 
Cardio tends to be a difficult module for most med students anyway. If the rest of your year your current study habits end up working well theres no need to change it up imo
 
Don't forget the repetition. that is the simplest way of improving your scores without knowing more about your personal study habits and experience. My experience has been thus:

1st go over: 50% absorption of general concepts
2nd go over: 70% absorption with more details retained
3rd go over: 80% absorption with most of the fine tuned stuff being connected and retained

the percents seem to relate to my exam scores (never one go over again. never.....)
So first look at your studying and make sure you are going over the material at least 2-3 times. If not, why? Procrastination? Not enough daily investment? confusion? Not going to lectures and staying on task?

so yeah, that's where i'd start. Good luck, you can do it!!!
 
I agree with the above poster. Many folks want to get fancy and forget the basics. REPETITION. Many focus on the objectives thinking answering the objective will get them by. Thats fine, it might, but that will get you passing at best.

Here is what works for me.

1. Go to SELECTIVE lectures (some profs are not good, some )
2. First pass in lecture or at home listening, listen to the theme, what is going on?
3. Get another pass the same night, annotating the slides, and write in simple words (ok this slide is talking about what)
4. Friday night into Saturday night get another pass of it, adding more details, using resources like sketchy, pathoma, BRS
5. Sunday, memorize, and use the dry erase board for minute details.....

There, you got 4 passes in a week and then before exams roll get 1 to 2 passes again. One thing I recommend that makes the difference for me in making a A vs a B, is listening to the lecture AGAIN. Youll be amazed what you can pick up on once you have learnt it yourself.

I know time is limited at times, with labs, and and living your life, but stick to the basics honestly of reading the material over a few times. If you cant explain it to your mama, then aint no chance you understand it well enough.
 
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