If you're about to start medical school or have already started, you're probably wondering about the best way to study. Like many students, you might spend hours watching YouTube videos or browsing Reddit to understand how others approach studying in medical school. If you've done this, you've likely encountered the advice that the best study method is "whatever works for you." While I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, I've always disliked hearing it from other students, professors, or advisors. How am I supposed to know the best way to study, especially when I've never faced such rigor or an unrelenting courseload before? Nonetheless, my single most significant piece of advice is precisely that—find out what study method works best for you.
I encourage you to continue asking other students, consulting videos, and visiting Reddit forums. Still, it's crucial to ask specifically about how others study. For example, if someone asks you your favorite ice cream flavor, you can answer with chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, etc., but you can't give an answer without having tried those flavors. You might dislike mint chocolate chip because it tastes like toothpaste to you, but that's only because you've tried it. Similarly, how can you choose your favorite study method if you've only tried two or three? That's why it's important to ask others how they study, try these methods yourself, and see if they suit you. You might like a combination of methods or adapt a method to fit your learning style better. Moreover, your study techniques may vary by block. The way I studied for my Neuro block was entirely different from how I studied for my Renal/GI block. You might discover techniques that help with understanding or memorization, and these can be applied differently to each block. Remember, one study technique is likely insufficient for every class in your pre-clinical years. Be adaptable and willing to try various methods to ensure your success.
In the rest of this post, I'll discuss how I found my best way to study, including methods I tried and what worked versus what didn't. I'll also provide examples in a following post. One of the first methods I tried was creating my own Anki cards, discussed under the "Pre-clinical" section on our website where we weigh the pros and cons. While creating your own can be commendable, it was ineffective for me; I spent most of my time sifting through content, fearing missing anything testable, which left no time to actually review the decks once made. However, I eventually added Anki to my study repertoire thanks to a generous classmate who shared his decks. Next, I attempted brain dumping with a whiteboard larger than a horse, excited to use it. This method involves watching or reviewing one or more lectures and then writing down everything remembered. Although based on active recall, I found it time-consuming and often assumed I knew certain facts without writing them down. Another failed attempt. I then learned about students who swore by summary strategies. One student would condense lectures into one or two PowerPoint slides, focusing on main points and takeaways. Another made summary documents after each lecture, highlighting key points, pathways, or mechanisms deemed important, to review before quizzes or exams. While these methods worked for others, I doubted their effectiveness for me, fearing the omission of testable information. I struggled to discern what was important from lectures, leading me to explore other avenues to absorb as much information as possible in a short time.
