Using flashcards a productive way to study in dental school?

[Ding2daDong]

Hello everyone!

I recently brought this up in the pre-dental forum for studing for the DAT and wondered what all the dental students thought. Is using flashcards during dental school a productive way to study with all the material thrown at you?

I am currently an avid user of flashcards for undergraduate school and would like to know sooner than later if using this method would be a good idea during dental school?

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

-Matthew

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[dizzle23x]

if ain't broke don't fix it. some people can just read material and remember it whereas others need to write it out or make flash cards. if it worked for you in undergrad keep doing it in dschool, many of my classmates do.

 

[Theillestill]

sometimes there's just too much content and not enough time.

 

[TempleDMDKrazd]

i actually know a few students who still do flash cards. i also actually know a few students who go home and rewrote their whole notes multiple times. if it works for you then keep going at it.

 

[Enso]

Flash cards have always worked like a charm for me. I'd say keep on keepin' on.

 

[nydds25]

Whatever works for people..... But I remember seeing people spend hours writing flashcards, while I was rereading and learning the material. Most of the flashcard people did poorly.

 

[Enso]

Whatever works for people..... But I remember seeing people spend hours writing flashcards, while I was rereading and learning the material. Most of the flashcard people did poorly.

When you re-write the flash cards you're essentially re-reading the material as well, but now you have a deck of cards to keep as a reference. It solely matters on how you retain information best.

 

[Ding2daDong]

Thanks everyone for your help. I now feel more comfortable using the flashcard method.

Thanks again

-Matthew

 

[HupHolland]

I prefer making flashcards only for material that isn't sticking after I study the lectures a couple times. At most I'll make 10-20 notecards per lecture.

I use an electronic flashcard program called Flash My Brain -- it cuts down on the time it takes to make them and automatically randomizes them after you study them. It really makes things stick.

Hup

 

[Lurchdubious]

I prefer making flashcards only for material that isn't sticking after I study the lectures a couple times. At most I'll make 10-20 notecards per lecture.

I use an electronic flashcard program called Flash My Brain -- it cuts down on the time it takes to make them and automatically randomizes them after you study them. It really makes things stick.

Hup

That program looks pretty sweet, Hup. I might look into that this semester. So far, I've only used flash cards in one class. I wasn't doing well in Microbio this past semester, until I whipped out the ol' flash cards. For me, the act of writing down the material helped me retain it, cards made my notes more portable, and reviewing the night/morning before the exam was easier. I'll continue using them for the tough classes.

 

[MONKEYBOY]

This is a good topic.

Recently we had a quiz on ~70 pages of material.

I made many flashcards, re-writing notes, etc.

1st question asked to recite an italic word mentioned once in the first sentence, worth 10 points out of 100.

No one got this question correct.

I think reading, re-reading, and memorizing the Primary Material for regurging on tests is the key to the best grades.

 

[Jake8]

I prefer making flashcards only for material that isn't sticking after I study the lectures a couple times. At most I'll make 10-20 notecards per lecture.

I use an electronic flashcard program called Flash My Brain -- it cuts down on the time it takes to make them and automatically randomizes them after you study them. It really makes things stick.

Hup

That program looks promising but is it worth it in the end? Right now I use power point to make note cards and even though it doesn't have the randomize feature it has helped a lot this past semester. Is Flash my brain worth the extra $30?

 

[gryffindor]

This is a good topic.

Recently we had a quiz on ~70 pages of material.

I made many flashcards, re-writing notes, etc.

1st question asked to recite an italic word mentioned once in the first sentence, worth 10 points out of 100.

No one got this question correct.

I think reading, re-reading, and memorizing the Primary Material for regurging on tests is the key to the best grades.

This shows that pretty much the only thing necessary to do well (well = gunning for an A) on dental school exams is the ability to memorize. Whether you use flashcards, white paper that you fold up, highlighters, electronic flashcards, it doesn't matter. Just do whatever it takes to memorize as efficiently as you can in a short time because you will be strapped for time hopping from exam to exam in dental school.

 

[haisha ni narou]

sometimes there's just too much content and not enough time.

Exactly what I have found. By the time you are about halfway done making flashcards, the test is tomorrow. I know a few in my class who use flashcards. I have found that just reading over the powerpoints and handouts multiple times is what works best for me.

 

[JamesOSU]

This is a good topic.

Recently we had a quiz on ~70 pages of material.

I made many flashcards, re-writing notes, etc.

1st question asked to recite an italic word mentioned once in the first sentence, worth 10 points out of 100.

No one got this question correct.

I think reading, re-reading, and memorizing the Primary Material for regurging on tests is the key to the best grades.

What was the word?!