Study and Learning


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Your Education

What does it take?

An education in the health sciences, including medical school leads to a challenging career that yields many benefits. Most students demonstrate the ability to succeed. However, no one can learn for you anymore than someone can exercise for you. The knowledge and skills you must master are the same worldwide. Therefore, take advantage of the opportunities you are provided. Develop a plan and carry it out. If there is some goal you really want to achieve, you will find a way to reach it. A career in health care always gets harder as you proceed, but persistence with sustained effort builds success.


Here are strategies for success:
  • Develop a personalized, detailed study plan that includes methods for filtering large amounts of new information received each day

    • Determine your learning style (VARK)

    • Stay away from distractions

    • Incorporate group and individual study

    • Reflect and review

    • Use quality self-assessments

  • Develop methods for filtering information. We live in an age of information overload. Surfing the internet, for example, yields minimal learning from plentiful but irrelevant information. Concentrate on fewer quality sources of information. Identify the important data and underlying concepts.

  • Develop a specific, personalized plan for approaching, reviewing and preparing for examinations, with short-term and long-term strategies

    • Short-term: attention span drops significantly after 20 minutes; take a short minute break and then review an item from that 20 minute period. Reserve 10% of your study period for review at the end of the day

    • Long-term: distribute your study through the entire time period leading up to the examination. Higher performance relates to knowledge acquired in the long-term, while cramming at the end tends to diminish performance

  • Develop self-appraisal and introspection with metacognition techniques in transitioning through your curriculum

  • Seek out mentors, including:

    • Students at your level

    • Students at more advanced levels

    • Faculty

    • Advisors


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