What’s the Best Med School Study Method for You?

No one says med school is easy but finding the right study method can make a huge difference. Let’s find out which one works best for you!

Starting med school I was overwhelmed by the avalanche of information being hurled at me everyday. When it came to study I didn’t know where to start and ended up falling down a rabbit hole of procrastination. Here’s some advice I wish I’d had when it comes to studying medicine.

Studying in College vs Studying in School

Entering college I was constantly being told ‘studying in college is different to studying in school’. This is true but it doesn’t mean you have to throw all the effective study techniques you developed during school out the window. If you’ve got into medicine chances are you’re pretty good at studying already. Now you just need to adapt the methods that worked for you in school to fit college.

So, what’s different about college? Here are some things I struggled to wrap my head around when I started college.

Teach Yourself

While in school you have everything explained to you in the classroom, in college before you can even begin thinking about studying a topic you have to teach it to yourself. Lecturers are not teachers. Lectures give you an idea of what you need to learn. They are intended to structure your study and give you a general picture of a broad topic. Think of your lectures as overviews rather than explanations. In fact if you can, it’s recommended that you go over topics even before they’re covered in the lectures.

Subject Matter

There’s no big book of medicine with everything you need to know all in one place (sobs). You have to gather the information yourself (sobs again). Lecture notes are a good guide for what you need to know. For further explanations and details you can look to text books, online websites, videos and notes from older years.

Endless Information

The sky’s the limit when it comes to information. If your aim is to learn everything there is to know about medicine then you’ll be studying forever. A key skill you’ll have to develop is learning to discern the most important information from minor details.

Self Discipline

Apart from the occasional assignment and research project you don’t get “homework” in medicine. There’s no one checking in to see if you’re sticking to your weekly study plan. You are your own boss. You decide when & how much you’re going to study. Self discipline & self motivation are essential.

Types of Learner

You may already know what type of learner you are. If so, great! You can use this to tailer your study technique to suit you. If you’re not sure then here’s a list of different learning styles…

Visual	Auditory	Verbal	Reading & Writing	Kinaesthetic
Visual learners like colour, pictures, graphs, animations etc	Auditory learners absorb info by listening. Listening back on lecture recordings, listening to podcasts, music or videos can be helpful to auditory learners	Verbal learners need to speak information out loud to get it into their heads	Reading and Writing learners retain information, as the name suggests, by reading words and writing them out	Kinaesthetic learners learn by doing things. Although it may be a challenge to apply this learning style to the theory-dense areas of medicine, kinaesthetic learners will thrive when it comes to practical clinical skills.

Some people identify strongly with one learning style whereas others prefer to mix things up. You might find that you like to use certain learning styles for different subjects. For example, I’m usually a visual learner so I used flashcards and diagrams for most subjects such as pharmacology and biochemistry but when it comes to studying for the OSCEs I find kinaesthetic learning (practicing with friends) works best for me.

Go to the end of this post for my favourite study resources as a visual learner!

Solitary vs Intrapersonal Learning

Some people need to be surrounded by their peers for study motivation while others prefer to work alone. What kind of person are you? If you enjoy working with others then establishing a study group is a must. A good study group can help you stay on track while making study a bit more enjoyable. On the other hand don’t feel like you have to be part of a study group. Some people are most efficient when working individually.

Where to Study

Your study space has a huge impact on your mindset and the quality of your study. If you’re not sure where you study best, try out a few different locations before picking your favourite. Whether it be, the library, at home or a cafe, make sure your study space is tidy and calming. I don’t know about you but a messy room puts me in a bad mood.

Study Methods

• Flashcards – you can make your own paper flashcards or use online tools like Anki or Quizlet.
• Mind maps – mind maps can be great for summarising key information, especially if you add in a few pictures!
• Tables – you might think they’re boring but tables can be very useful when you have a lot to memorise (like drug classifications or the muscles of the upper limb).
• Voice recordings – making voice recordings of yourself going through topics you’ve covered can be an effective memorisation tool especially for verbal & aural learners.
• Practice questions – if you can get your hands on past/sample exam questions (try your university website or older students) then make the most out of them!

The study method you choose depends on your individual personality as well as the topic you’re learning and the style of exam. If your college asks you to write essays you might want to practice writing a few, if it’s a practical exam like an OSCE practice with your friends, if it’s a spotter see if you can get some extra time in the lab etc.

Online vs Paper

Lots of people move away from paper notes when starting college. I use a mixture of online and paper study materials. There are pros & cons to both…

Top Tips

Concentrate in Lectures

I’m not gonna lie, this is something I struggle to do but I always thank myself later when I manage to stay focussed in a lecture instead of zoning out.

Consistency is Key

Try to start a good study routine from the beginning, it will make life much less stressful for future you (I’m still working on this one).

Flow State

The hardest part of studying is getting started. Apparently our brains enter a flow state after 10 – 15 minutes of doing a task. Push yourself to get through 15 minutes of study without checking your phone/taking a break and hopefully you’ll reach flow state and there’ll be no stopping you! Or at the very least you’ll have got 10 minutes of study done (my motto for med study = something’s better than nothing)

Eat the Frog

This odd expression basically translates to ‘do the task you least want to do first.’ I’m actually going to adapt this expression slightly to say ‘eat the fly and then the frog.’ In my opinion it’s best to start with a small, easy task first to get yourself into flow state and then move on to the task you’ve been dreading. It’s great to get your least favourite task out of the way so it’s not hanging over you but if you try starting your study session with it you might never begin.

Spaced Repetition

This is a study technique that involves revising material at systematic intervals. The more you revise something the more likely it is to stick in your head.

Active Recall

This is the key to memorising. Active recall involves testing yourself whether that be reciting information aloud without looking at your notes/getting a friend to quiz you/doing practice questions or flashcards.

Mix Things Up

If you find you get bored of topics easily try to switch up your study. Instead of spending all day on anatomy try adding in some topics from other modules.

Summary

• College requires more independent learning than school
• There are lots of different learning styles
• There are a variety of study methods to suit each learning style
• Try to stay focussed and consistent with your med school study

There are so many different study methods out there, don’t be afraid to explore and try out different ones until you find the perfect fit!

Do you have any study tips you’d like to share? Comment below!

My favourite Study Resources as a Visual Learner