Study Skills

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
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I need coaching/suggestions on study skills.


Taking a challenging upper level course, mammalian physiology. Everything is coming rapid fire, and my old brain feels flooded with info. I need help in organizing/processing the flood of info and working on memorization. On my exam last week, I could not recall much and had many blank essay questions (ouch) The study skills I have used for other courses seem inadequate now.


I am honestly grateful for such a hard course at this point, as I know grad school (Physician Assistant) will only be more of the same. If I can’t make it through this course, I don’t see the sense in continuing with the plans I have laid out. I’m almost 54, working on prereqs for PA school, and finishing up a BS in Biology.


Glynn

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I don’t know exactly what the format of your class is which limits how much specific advice I can give. But I just typed up a response for another user in a different thread you might want to take a look at Link.


Are powerpoint slides available for you to print out and study on your own? Does the class allow recording? What are tests based on? Does the material draw from the lecture notes, verbal lecture material, material in the book, or some combination thereof? What’s the format of the exam?

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Thank you Fedaykin.


I read the info you linked me to. I appreciate your example of finding things that didn’t work in every learning situation. I feel like I have had a flood of info scattershot in my direction.


I am a visually oriented learner, and seem to always be trying to translate info into pictures. I feel snowed under by this need to visualize mechanisms (some of which are lengthy) and other bits of info.


I may revisit quizlet along with testing myself more frequently. I used quizlet for a microbiology course, but haven’t used since. Might be time to try this again.


Thanks!

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For memorization I’ve found that using a flash card program such as www.kitzkikz.com/flashcards/‎


is useful. When I make these cards, I don’t just do definitions but rather I ask questions that might appear on an exam or I ask to explain important concepts.


I’ve also found that breaking my study sessions up into 45-50’ increments followed by a 10-15’ break has been very helpful. It keeps me from feeling overwhelmed and allows a chance to digest the information.

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What Fedaykin said . . . don’t study harder, study different. Took me two years after returning to undergraduate to learn how to study.


I’m older like all of us, most of us think we feel rusty due to our age at times. In my case, I was a smart enough kid that I had never really ever learned to study as I never had any need to. Taking tougher science classes was a real wakeup for me.


All the methods suggested are useful for some folks, none of them really work well for me. For me, I have to learn the material for myself. Sometimes the lecturer has the ability to convey the message to me, sometimes the textbook works better, sometimes using supplemental sources, ie the internet, help me learn it.


Then to cement it I have to restate the information. Just not dribble it from my lips out loud or write flashcards. I have to formally write out the information AND its application. Or even better I find a couple classmates who might be struggling and if I can tutor/teach the message to them, then it will be relatively solidified for me. Now I haven’t remembered it, I will have learned it.


FWIW and your mileage may vary!


Regards,


Crepitus

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  • Glynn Said:
I am a visually oriented learner, and seem to always be trying to translate info into pictures. I feel snowed under by this need to visualize mechanisms (some of which are lengthy) and other bits of info.



If there's a text for your class, get it and start making use of it. Personally, I almost never purchase "required" textbooks unless I specifically know that there will contain testable material which will not be covered in lecture. In other words, the material in the book is fair game for the exam and won't necessarily be covered in class. But this has been atypical in my graduate experience. That said, if you're a visual learner, I'm assuming that your textbook will have good visuals. If there's no textbook for the class, contact your prof and ask if s/he can recommend a text with good visuals.

  • Glynn Said:
I may revisit quizlet along with testing myself more frequently. I used quizlet for a microbiology course, but haven't used since. Might be time to try this again.



I find that quizlet works best in some situations: where you have to recall information rather than apply (eg, biology not math) and when you already have good notes (eg, lecture slides). If you want to take a look at how I use quizlet I can send you a link to my page. No mammalian physiology though. Lots of ID stuff.
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Consider this approach:

  1. Studies have shown that test-taking certifies knowledge better than studying and rote memorization.

  2. Test-taking also improves ones condifence on tests.


    See this article in the New York Times about the original Science article.
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Good information on your link. Thank you