Who's going to class?

[LloydDObler]

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I am wondering if there are folks at DO schools not going to class at all, and how they're doing if this is the case. There's a thread about this on the allo board about this and it brings up interesting points.

There's no real attendance policy at KCOM (with the exception of labs), so I could easily stop going. I feel guilty, though, skipping my classes. Any thoughts?

And for those of you who are going, can you provide any tips about actually learning during class? I spend a lot of time trying to follow along without much active learning.

 

[DrMom]

Our attendance policy sounds like yours: nothing official for most classes, but all labs are required.

Most of my schoolmates go to most of the classes, but we definitely pick-and-choose. There are some people who go to very few classes and there are some classes that very few people go to.

I'm one of those who picks and chooses classes. There are some that I just don't get anything out of going to, so I don't go. Instead, I read the notes during that time & do other studying.

Do you read your notes or reading assignments before going to lecture? This can really help during class so that you're not trying to keep up: you're already a little familiar with the materials, so then you can follow along and add to or refine what you know.

 

[DrSmiles]

I pick and choose my lectures. There are some professors that read straight from the notes: I can do this in my own time, I don't feel I need to have someone read notes to me and I sure don't get anything out of those lectures. Other lectures are awesome, and I walk away learning so much more than even the notes had to offer. I make constructive use of my time when I don't go to lecture, usually study the notes for the lecture I am missing.
I would love to say I pre-read the notes before lectures, but I usually just don't have the time to do so.
What I find very helpful during lecture is to take as many side notes as possible. This keeps me from any daydreaming (which is easy to do at 8am!) and it keeps the lecture active.

 

[Idiopathic]

I skipped about half the classes the last two semesters and felt nothing but guilty. My performance was great, but my stress level was high. So I try and go to every class now, but it doesnt always work. I probably hit about 95% of lectures.

 

[DireWolf]

I usually go to 95% of classes for the first four weeks of the semester. When exam time rolls around I drop down to about 10-20%. With boards coming up, I'll probably drop lower than that to get extra sleep/study time. If you're anything like me, listening to someone talk does no good at all. It doesn't help when I seriously consider sticking my pen in my eye during some of the lectures. My time is better spent reading the material. So far, so good.

 

[DoctorInSpace]

I feel a little differently than some of the posters in this thread. I do agree that I get more out of some classes than others, and that it helps when I can read the material before hand (which doesn't always happen, but I try my best). However, one of the benefits for me going to class is repetition. If I hear it in class it is one less time I have to review it. It works better if I read ahead of time, because then by the end of lecture, I've gone over the material twice and I have to do less work on my own outside of the classroom.

I try to take extra little notes too, to keep from falling asleep in the not-so-interesting classes, especially since we are in a half-dark, very cold classroom starting at 8 am. by about 10/10:30, many of us have drooping eyelids regardless of how much caffeine we've had.

Anyway, I go to all my classes, unless there is a problem, like I'm sick or have a dentist appt. I think the important thing is to find what works for you. If a particular lecturer is that boring, then bring ear plugs, sit in the back and do other work. I've seen people do that.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DireWolf]

Originally posted by DoctorInSpace
If a particular lecturer is that boring, then bring ear plugs, sit in the back and do other work. I've seen people do that.

Or just stay home and sleep/study.

 

[DoctorInSpace]

DireWolf,

yeah, home is a great option, but we have this whole attendance policy issue........

I have friends that do both---stay home, or come and wear ear plugs, or go to the library.

Whatever works for you.

 

[DireWolf]

Originally posted by DoctorInSpace
DireWolf,

yeah, home is a great option, but we have this whole attendance policy issue........

I have friends that do both---stay home, or come and wear ear plugs, or go to the library.

Whatever works for you.

Agreed. Different strokes for different folks. Sorry to hear about the attendance policy. 🙁

 

[Heeed!]

Yes....that infamous NSU attendance policy. Nobody I've told outside Davie, FL can believe future DOCTORS have to swipe their ID cards EVERY HOUR, ALL DAY LONG! I personally would get much better grades w/ 6-9 extra study hours/day vs. attending lecture and only getting my 1-2 hours/day. But, since mandatory attendance is "part of the culture of this institution" and we obtain "many untestable benefits" from going to lecture, I just smile and say, "Thank you....may I have another?" after each one.

 

[Lexmark]

That's amazing - you have to swipe your ID every hour? Are you just kidding? What's the reasoning behind such a policy?

If so, it's just another example of schools sticking it to students just because they can - just like with tuition fees.

Do any other programs at Nova have the same policy? Why doesn't the student body group together and fight such a ruling?

 

[Idiopathic]

I would imagine that if the students attended classes in the first place, such a rule would never hve been implemented.

 

[Lexmark]

Idiopathic,

At this level of education people should be allowed to decide what works best for them. And, if that means not attending lecture, then that should be ok.

I went to about 50% of lectures. Some lecturers were simply not work turning up for - I can read a handout on my own. I went to the lectures where I felt I would get something out of it, path and pharm for example. My micro class was just too detailed that I was lost in the first 10 minutes - I was better off studying the material on my own.

Really, let's remember who's paying the bills here.

 

[DireWolf]

Originally posted by Idiopathic
I would imagine that if the students attended classes in the first place, such a rule would never hve been implemented.

This isn't grade school.

 

[Lexmark]

DireWolf,

>>This isn't grade school

That's exactly my point - I'm a grown-up, and $30,000 a year is grown-up money.

 

[Goofyone]

Attendance policies are BS.


I usually just listen attentively, not looking at the notes. Every once-in-a I'll scribble something down.

Of course we usually don't have the notes to pre-read or they're an old copy--this pisses me off insanely because how can we follow the advice of pre-reading when we don't have timely, accurate notes?!?! WTF?!?!

If the lecturer is particularly boring I just read something else.

I find that just making myself get my @$$ out of bed early makes me more productive.

 

[DoctorInSpace]

Ok, attendance policy at NSU.

Most of us go to class anyway. Past lecturers had complained because they would have a consistently poor showing of students----and this went for both some basic sciencs profs and some clinical physicians from the community. It was taken as disrespect, from what has been said.

We signed an attendance policy when we interviewed, so it was no shock. We also signed a dress code, I think more for preparing us for being half-naked in OPP.

Is it a hassle to swipe during our 10 minute break? Sure. And sometimes I can't remember if I swiped when I left the room, so I swipe again. We are in a trial period right now, that can not end before the end of the semester. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to calculate % attendance w/only a portion of the semester.

The people in charge have LOTS and LOTS of data to look at, and i'm thinking that is a major hassle. Especially w/people swiping multiple times, and not even on purpose.

Stick together and rebel against it----not gonna happen. This came from the (deceased) chancellor of our school, and the vice chancellor under him, as well as our dean.

This policy affects a very few amount of students who do not go to class. Most of us go, and swipe, and as Heeeed said, ask for more.

I wouldn't have declined the invite to NSU based on that one policy. I love it here.

 

[Claymore]

Wow, that attendance policy is rough. Here at CCOM the only things that are mandatory are labs, and people even skip those sometimes. I have found my grades are inversely related to the number of classes I attend...now, during the winter of my 2nd year, I go to about half the classes. I haven't been to microbiology in months but attend most all our Practice of Medicine classes. Most other classes I decide whether or not to go based on the lecturer and the time of day.

Attendance policies, in my opinion, should play a bigger role in applicants' decisions to attend certain schools. I have no doubt that my quality of life, and grades, would suffer if I was forced to sit in class for 8 hours a day. The freedom to pick and choose which classes to attend is invaluable for those people like me who do mostly independent study.

MS-2
Midwestern University-CCOM

 

[Homunculus]

i tend to side with the non-attendence policy people on this one. we're all adults with different learning styles. why force those that learn best on their own to sit through hours of pointless (to them) lecture? i spent at least 70% of my time in lecture either reading other things or playing games on a palm pilot or cell phone. other than getting unbelievably high scores on snake and psuedo-atari games, most of that time in class was wasted.

and yes, at first i did feel guilty. but that feeling passes as soon as you see your grades improving on your new schedule. there is *one* caveat though-- make sure you know a few people who do go to class regularly who you trust will fill you in on missed announcements, handouts, schedule changes, etc. that's really the only downside i found.

i would say if you aren't sure about your studying style, don't go to a school with a mandatory attendence policy. at least you'll have the option there if you need it.

 

[DireWolf]

Very wise words. Especially for just a caveman.

 

[giznut12]

I feel that if you had the motivation to stay home and STUDY, it is more beneficial to do so. I haven't been to class during my entire second yr, yet I am in the top 10% of my class. And with boards coming up, there's no way that I will attend a single lecture.

I guess it depends on what type of learner you are. I either have ADD while in class or my professors are absolutely horrible; probably a little of both.

 

[Qafas]

I haven't been to a single lecture in about four months, and don't miss it. No guilt here either, for I am doing just as well as I was doing when I was attending class; the difference is that now I can study late into the night and not have to worry about getting up real early in the morning. Whatever works!

 

[bansheeDO]

HOW in the world do you all skip class and still finish in the top percent of your class?

I agree with most of you. I think lecture is a waste of time. But how do you get notes if you don't attend lecture? How do find out about important details? And if do get them from others in class, how do you get them to be so forthcoming with notes and other materials? Wouldn't they be bitter that they are attending class and you aren't? After all, I want to sleep in too and study on mine own time? I don't want to go to class either. How do you get past this?

I know someone who never went to class but their school was awesome. Not only did they give handouts but the students had an organized note taking service in addition to hand outs. And that note-taking service was amazing. They were written better than if you had written them yourself. So you never had to go to class to do well. If we had one of those systems, I would never attend lecture either.

And I do think it's silly how some professors take it as disrespect. You are paying for those lectures. If I was a prof and no one showed up, I would probably just cancel class and go get a massage or something. 🙂 Hey, more free time for me.

 

[giznut12]

I thought all medical school had a note service. Our scribe notes aren't too bad but most of our TQ's either come from the powerpoints/ readings in a case based format. So you can answer most of the questions without scribe notes.

Don't get me wrong, I do miss a few ?'s from not being at the lecture and there are many "haters" in the class that get angry with you for not attending, but the bottom line is....i'm learning the material just as well, if not better, than they are. And I don't have to sit in a classroom for 6-8 hrs/day.