Do you wish to get an A in medical school, but always end up with an F. Are you tired of cramming books without good grades?
Worry less, this article is specifically designed to help you learn and understand how to memorize and Excel in your college courses without any difficulty.
Attending medical school can be quite interesting and fascinating for some people, while others might see as stressful and bulging, especially with the fact that there are lot of things to learn and know about the human body. Here are some tips to you help you.
1 Understanding your brain: It is very important to know and study when your brain is mentally alert and active. You can't study and understand when you're tired or feeling sleepy, because at that time your body only thinks of rest and can't take in new information for storage.
I also hear people say, you can force your brain to take in new information, this is not true because you'd only be causing more damage to the brain cells and most likely, you'd be wasting your time. Every individual is different, discover when you're mentally alert to take in new information and utilize it.
2. Avoid distractions: I see a lot of students in classes in classes reading with ear plugs on, while others claiming to read and understand in a very noisy class. This is not helpful, because for the brain to receive and store in new information, it requires complete focus and this can only be achieved in a quiet and peaceful environment. So instead of reading in a noisy class,why not visit the library.
Say a prayer: it is not out of place to say a prayer before reading. You can ask God to help you focus, take in new information and most importantly the ability to understand.
4. Reading to learn, not reading to pass: research says that those who read to learn do better than those who read to pass their examination. Remember as a good medical student, you're expected to have a good background knowledge of the information you're dishing out to your patient, so reading to learn give you an edge over someone who reads to pass.
5. Acronyms: Acronyms are very useful in medical school. You're taught so many things, some of which you won't remember after the class. To help you remember and memorise them acronyms are needed to differentiate each topic, and to help avoid confusion. For example, what's the easiest to remember the bones of the upper limb in your Human Anatomy? an acronym like CRUSH can help. Where C - Clavicle, R -radius, U - ulnar, S - scapular, H - Humerus.
Sounds easy right.
Hint: Always use Acronyms that are easy to remember.
6. Words and images: Using an Atlas for medical students or the recommended textbook can make studying easier for you. People tend to remember what they see, than what they read. So the next time you're studying human anatomy or physiology, use an Atlas to make connections and you'll see how easy learning is.
7. Consistency: The average reading time for medical student is 30 to 40hours. Huge right! Yes. Medical students must make reading a daily habit, if they're to Excel in medical school.
8. Avoid study groups: There were always people in our class who studied together.They always used to interrupt each other's studying with unrelated questions or discussions about the latest TV shows.
9. Get copies of your old tests: This is very important. Most professors are not industrious enough to create new questions for each exams, so most times they repeat questions or change the wordings. By understanding the concepts that appear previously, you're on your way to success.
10. Set aside some time to relax: All work & no play makes Jack a dull boy. Too much of everything is bad. We all know that it's very important to work hard, but at the same time, sparing a little fun-time for yourself, can help reduce the tension and also help you relax. Make friends and have fun, Be wise and cautious too. It's a school not a prison.
