What the H&^%?

[CRY2STAL]

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Okay, I am about to release this to universe. Medical school is no joke, and yeah, it is not difficult but the volume is so overwhelming that it might as well be hard as heck...To review/learn one lecture is like a 2.5 hour process for me, and we spend so much blasted time in class, I don't see how it is possible to get it done. I am nervous as heck about skipping class, and more than anything I think class motivates me to go study.

Midterms are this week, and at this point I am guessing that I am only getting 65-75% of the questions (raw) correct. I am not too pressed about that b/c I think I have room to amp up my studies, but honestly I am having a hard time focusing for extended period of times. I am no rocket scientist, but I don't think I ever had to study this long/hard before. I usually like to rewrite notes but that is out the window b/c it takes so darn long and I don't have time to reread. Reading aloud was a great thing as I prepared for one of my midterms, and seemed to get some stuff in my head.

I am thinking if I can start doing some intense studying on the weekends as if I was preparing for an exam on the previous week's material maybe I can get the info. stored in my head. Sometimes I think my 32 years of life is a disadvantage b/c God knows my memory does not seem to be what it was...but then I have a feeling that I have just been kind of passively studying.

That being said, I plan to destroy these upcoming finals and needless to say I need to review/learn 6 weeks of material on top of the new info. Any suggestions on how to get it all done...I know I can do well, but I want to have some peace in my life while doing so. I am not trying to kill mysef, but I don't want cheat myself either. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

 

[NPursuit]

I will be just fine with passing. I don't even see how people gun for As in this mess. I don't know, I'm in survival mode and hate all these people talking about grades. Just shut up, pass, and become a doc. Type-A personality is quite fitting in this case.

I've had good grades my entire life. A B in med school? Sounds good to me.

I know what you're saying. I do. Makes organic sound refreshing, doesn't it?

 

[Wednesday]

Hang in there! This is the worst part because you're learning how to study in med school. Once you figure out what works, it will all smooth out. I just wanted to reply because you mentioned that talking outloud helps you and I found that that technique helped me a lot as well. The thing I became good at was remembering things that I had looked at once or twice (as opposed to sat down and spent hours memorizing). Some things you have to really sit down and cold memorize, but for the most part there just isn't time and your brain becomes better at remembering things after much less time than it ever took before.

Not going to EVERY class is something to consider. I found that some lecturer were good and some were a complete waste of time. Once I figured out who was who (looking at the syllabus can give you a clue if you haven't had the lecturer before) I spent more time studying and less time sitting frustrated in the lecture hall wishing I was studying. One thing that worked for me was picking and choosing even within a day. So go to the 8 am lecture, skip the terrible 9 am but go sit out in the hall and read, and come back for the 10am. The good thing about this is that you get the motivation of seeing everyone else in class (this helped me stay on task with the studying), but not the torture of bad lectures. AND you are forced to get out of bed.

This post ended up a lot longer than I had anticipated. Good luck and it WILL get better.

 

[oudoc08]

Hang in there! This is the worst part because you're learning how to study in med school. Once you figure out what works, it will all smooth out. I just wanted to reply because you mentioned that talking outloud helps you and I found that that technique helped me a lot as well. The thing I became good at was remembering things that I had looked at once or twice (as opposed to sat down and spent hours memorizing). Some things you have to really sit down and cold memorize, but for the most part there just isn't time and your brain becomes better at remembering things after much less time than it ever took before.

Not going to EVERY class is something to consider. I found that some lecturer were good and some were a complete waste of time. Once I figured out who was who (looking at the syllabus can give you a clue if you haven't had the lecturer before) I spent more time studying and less time sitting frustrated in the lecture hall wishing I was studying. One thing that worked for me was picking and choosing even within a day. So go to the 8 am lecture, skip the terrible 9 am but go sit out in the hall and read, and come back for the 10am. The good thing about this is that you get the motivation of seeing everyone else in class (this helped me stay on task with the studying), but not the torture of bad lectures. AND you are forced to get out of bed.

This post ended up a lot longer than I had anticipated. Good luck and it WILL get better.

I second most of this, except I don't go to any classes (though it took me all of the first semester last year to figure out that was why I never had any free time and stressed out like crazy). Talk about instantly adding 4-6 hours to your day. This only works if you're self motivated enough to study. I'd say try it, but if you find yourself getting behind, because you can't force yourself to study, revise that plan.
Reading out loud really helps me as well.

Anyways, now the only time, I study more than a few hours a day is the week before, and during our test block week (3x/semester). Other than that, it's like summer with a little book work thrown in each day.
Plus I save like a couple hundred bucks a month in gas not commuting to school.

 

[CRY2STAL]

Thanks Wednesday...I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to my posting. It is good to know that talking aloud was an effective approach for others, and I plan to practice it from hereon out...thanks also for your inspiring words...that it does get better...that means more than you know. Blessings to you!!!

Hang in there! This is the worst part because you're learning how to study in med school. Once you figure out what works, it will all smooth out. I just wanted to reply because you mentioned that talking outloud helps you and I found that that technique helped me a lot as well. The thing I became good at was remembering things that I had looked at once or twice (as opposed to sat down and spent hours memorizing). Some things you have to really sit down and cold memorize, but for the most part there just isn't time and your brain becomes better at remembering things after much less time than it ever took before.

Not going to EVERY class is something to consider. I found that some lecturer were good and some were a complete waste of time. Once I figured out who was who (looking at the syllabus can give you a clue if you haven't had the lecturer before) I spent more time studying and less time sitting frustrated in the lecture hall wishing I was studying. One thing that worked for me was picking and choosing even within a day. So go to the 8 am lecture, skip the terrible 9 am but go sit out in the hall and read, and come back for the 10am. The good thing about this is that you get the motivation of seeing everyone else in class (this helped me stay on task with the studying), but not the torture of bad lectures. AND you are forced to get out of bed.

This post ended up a lot longer than I had anticipated. Good luck and it WILL get better.

 

[CRY2STAL]

THANK YOU!!! Yeah an extra 4 to 6 a day would be phenomenal...glad to hear that reading aloud worked for you too...it is the new plan...

I second most of this, except I don't go to any classes (though it took me all of the first semester last year to figure out that was why I never had any free time and stressed out like crazy). Talk about instantly adding 4-6 hours to your day. This only works if you're self motivated enough to study. I'd say try it, but if you find yourself getting behind, because you can't force yourself to study, revise that plan.
Reading out loud really helps me as well.

Anyways, now the only time, I study more than a few hours a day is the week before, and during our test block week (3x/semester). Other than that, it's like summer with a little book work thrown in each day.
Plus I save like a couple hundred bucks a month in gas not commuting to school.

 

[cromagnon]

CRY2STAL...

I am totally in the same boat as you and am getting slammed as I figure out how to study....

I agree with skipping lectures...and I even skip anatomy lab most days as well. The biggest hurdle for me was not feeling guilty about doing it. Plus it seems kind of lame to pay all this money just to sit in the library....but I eventually got over it. I would also advise you to find someone to study with. Whether you are going back and forth summarizing lectures, going over old exams, or just sitting in the same room reading it makes the whole process alot less painful.

...btw, i am a 32yr old MS1 as well and i definitely feel you on the whole memory thing...also I pulled an all-nighter last week and felt like i was about die. I used to pull those like they were nothing in undergrad....oh well.

 

[yellowcat322]

Another thing to definitely give a shot is study groups. I started one up a couple of weeks ago and I was so surprised at what a big help it has been. I have never studied in a group before, but I found that there were so many things that I misunderstood in lecture or my notes that I would have never picked up on if it wasn;t for team effort. Plus teaching someone the material is even better than saying it out loud to yourself. Took a practice test today and got an 80% -- with no extra studying put in--just group work.

Also, I totally second skipping lectures. In fact, so far I find that people who skip letures and study instead know waaaay more material than those who show up to every lecture only to snooze or chit chat. Pick and choose which ones you skip but it'll definitely make your life a whole lot easier.

 

[pratik7]

I think knowing what is important is key to doing well without killing yourself. I prob study an hour or 2 max a day and am doing well so far. Unless you do not understand something, use a review book to highlight the most important points ( i use BRS for anatomy). I also leave all the pure memorizing for the week before the exam. I know i will forget amino acid structures if i try to memorize them from the get go.

Im not sure how varied exams are between schools...but it works for me