Throughout my time at Saint Louis University, I have picked up various tips, tricks and study habits that have now made me a successful candidate for medical school. Every class requires different techniques to achieve a good grade.
Here are five approaches that I have learned to be an accomplished student.
Active Recall Coupled with Spaced Repetition for STEM classes
It is no secret that science, engineering, medical and nursing courses are information dense. It can become overwhelming to memorize and learn hundreds of slides in under two weeks. Active Recall is the best approach to studying for these types of classes. Here are the 5 steps for this method:
- Step 1: First, gain familiarity, read and understand the class content.
- Step 2: Create questions from sections your professor emphasized or areas that you are having difficulty with or answer the questions in the provided study guide.
- Step 3: Type or write these questions on a piece of paper or on flashcards. Have the answers on another piece of paper.
- Step 4: Test yourself with the questions without looking at your notes or slides.
- Step 5: Repeat three days before test or exam.
Over time, you will slowly memorize the information and store it in your short-term memory. However, the point is to keep that information in your long-term memory, which is when you need to consider adding spaced repetition. The forgetting curve demonstrates that when you thoroughly learn and memorize all the information for a test, in less than 48 hours, you will forget 50% of that valuable knowledge. By repeatedly answering your prepared practice questions, you are more likely to retain what you studied post-exam. This means you should prepare these questions three days before your test to review them twice. For quizzes, I use the flashcard app Quizlet and create my study questions on that platform. For medical school, I have to retain and apply information over long periods which is why I use the flashcard app Anki. This study method has been proven to increase the long-term retention of information. The more you go through the content over a long period, the more likely you will retain and apply that knowledge for further complex connections. My success in memorization and information-dense classes usually comes when I practice Active Recall supplemented by spaced repetition.
Studying in the Morning Before Receiving Notifications
During my junior year, when I woke up at 8 a.m. every morning, I could go work out and have 45 minutes to complete any assignments or run through my study questions for an exam. Most people are not awake early in the morning, resulting in little to no notifications on my phone. This meant I was not tempted with distractions allowing me to increase my productivity. I felt more motivated to wake up in the morning because I could complete tasks and go to bed by 11:30 p.m. every night. This made a massive difference in my sleep schedule and mental health. The habit of waking up in the morning allows me to prioritize myself, resulting in becoming a more successful student.
Preparing for Liberal Arts Classes with an Essay or Discussion Focus
Completing class readings ahead of time is the key to success in essay and discussion based classes. After the third week of classes, it seems that I need to catch up on readings. Setting thirty minutes aside of undivided attention to highlighting and taking notes has allowed me to understand the readings quickly. I usually write the main idea at the top of my notes and a brief thought after every few paragraphs on content. When I have to scan articles, I write a one-sentence summary at the end of every page. When we refer to the section in class, I can find the topic of discussion quickly.
Getting Over the Procrastination Hurdle with an Accountability Buddy
In many situations, being on top of your tasks requires self-motivation and due diligence. Procrastination and burnout are two significant factors that hinder productivity. I am no stranger to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and unmotivated. Studying with a close friend in these situations is better. Getting out of my apartment and visiting Pius Library with a friend provides me with the opportunity for productive studying and energizes me to get my homework done. We go to the library around 7 p.m., bring dinner and tell each other what we hope to accomplish in the next three hours. Doing this helps us keep each other accountable and on task.
Create a Daily Calendar or Organize Your Life with a Planner
I am an avid user of Microsoft calendar to organize my day. I place all my classes, work hours, events and social outings there. I also use an iPad that has my assignment checklist. I downloaded this checklist template from Canva, which allows me to manage my tasks and determine the most critical assignments. As I grow up, I take on new responsibilities outside of academics, such as work, family and preparing for medical school. A planner allows me to live a balanced lifestyle of work, school and extracurriculars.
Now that I will attend medical school in the fall, I plan to continue using these tools and build new study habits in my post-graduate career. A life in academia can be overwhelming, leading to burnout, exhaustion and stress. I can manage my mental health by building productive habits, practical studying approaches and being organized. I can only be a successful, studious student when prioritizing my mental, social and physical health.