Studying in medical school has been compared to trying to drink from a fire hydrant. There’s so much information thrown at you and the only way you can succeed is by becoming faster and more efficient at studying. This guide will teach you how to do just that.
1 | Focus on High-Yield Information
The first change you must make to study faster in medical school is to focus on high-yield information.
No matter how much you may want to learn absolutely everything, you won’t be able to. With limited time, you must focus on what will make the most significant impact.
Here are some things to look for.
Any framework of understanding that contextualizes a concept is going to be high-yield. Comparisons, including tables, charts, and diagrams, are likely to be high-yield, too.
You should also watch for repeated concepts. For example, if you see a concept explained in your USMLE textbook and it’s again discussed in your lecture, there’s a good chance it’s something worth learning.
For certain exams, practice tests can help you narrow down high-yield information by pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses. If you’re already scoring exceptionally well on one aspect of an exam, turn your focus to the areas where you can make the greatest impact. If you always answer pathology questions correctly but struggle with anatomy, don’t spend time going over and over what you already know inside and out. Focus on your weaknesses.
Lastly, remember that all tests and exams are weighted differently. In medical school, you need to be intentional with your time. Don’t invest all of your time and energy into maximizing performance on a pass/fail exam when there are other tests or exams where getting the highest score possible is critical, like Step 2 CK now that Step 1 is pass/fail.
Do your best, but align your effort with the grading of what you’re studying for.
2 | Active Study Techniques
Next, you need to double down on active study techniques. The way you passively read and memorize information in college won’t work anymore in medical school. There’s simply too much information to take in and not nearly enough time.
I saw many of my friends in medical school learn this the hard way. They would waste so much time reading and rereading notes or rewatching lectures. By studying this way, they were only memorizing information, not fully comprehending it. Plus, it took them far more time compared to active study strategies.
To get the most out of your limited time, choose study techniques that give you the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak. You want to study as effectively as possible so that you can free up time for more studying as well as your own wellness and downtime.
For example, instead of reading from a table or diagram, try to recreate it yourself. Condense and reorganize your notes to summarize what you’re learning. Working with the information itself and manipulating it in different ways is an active process that’s far more effective.
Spaced repetition combined with active recall is the most effective way to memorize information. In fact, we ranked these two active study techniques in place #2 and #1, respectively, when we Ranked the BEST Study Strategies from 9 to number 1.
When it comes to active recall, create flashcards or use practice problems. This has the added benefit of practicing higher-order thinking because instead of recalling one discrete fact, you’re thinking in multiple layers that require additional concepts that build upon each other.
Many students quickly abandon active recall too soon because they find it difficult. They turn back to passive techniques because they feel faster. But if studying is easy, it means it isn’t as effective and, in the end, wastes far more time.
Add spaced repetition into the mix by increasing the intervals at which you expose yourself to the same information. By reviewing information just before you’re about to forget it, the memory becomes more durable. This way of memorizing helps you retain information in the least amount of time.
The opposite is also true. Trying to learn everything in a short amount of time by cramming is incredibly ineffective. 10 hours of studying over 1 week will give you greater results than studying for 10 hours straight right before an exam.
3 | Don’t Multitask
Number three is to cut out multitasking. You can’t effectively study while watching TV, bouncing back and forth between TikTok and your textbook, or listening to music with distracting lyrics.
While this may make studying a little less tedious, it diminishes the effectiveness of both tasks.
Effective studying requires deep focus and intense effort. It should feel challenging. While this may feel unpleasant at the start, you’ll get used to it as you continue to build the habit, and this tolerance for discomfort will only help you as you continue in medical school and beyond.
Your Step and Shelf exams aren’t a passive or laid back experience, so your studying shouldn’t be either. If you won’t be taking the exam from your bed, don’t study that way. Instead of half-assing both work and fun, study at maximum effectiveness.
This way, you can also fully immerse yourself in enjoying your downtime.
Only multitask when combining an automatic task with a non-automatic task. For example, calling your parents while going for a walk, doing practice problems while riding the bus, watching TV while stretching, or folding laundry while listening to an audiobook.
When it’s time to study, study. Make that your sole focus, and you’ll breeze through your studies at a far faster pace.
4 | Align Studying with Energy Levels
Next, align your studying with your energy levels and don’t force it when you’re super tired. If you’re not in the physical or mental space to be able to study, fix that first. Get to the root of the problem so that any time spent studying is efficient and effective.
Understand that you’re never going to be operating at 100 percent capacity at all times, but to study faster, you want to be studying when your mind is at its freshest. Aim to study when you feel at your best rather than when you’re already feeling drained.
This isn’t about finding motivation. If you’re recovering from a cold and only slept 2 hours last night, don’t spend all day “trying” to study. Instead, focus on hydration and getting a good night’s sleep so that you can come back to your studying refreshed and ready to retain information.
Don’t sit in your bed for hours late at night casually reading your notes or reviewing lectures. Instead, get the sleep you need to be able to hit the ground running the next day. Any time spent studying at low efficiency is time wasted.
Many students feel guilty about their free time and believe they should be studying at all times, but that’s far from the reality of medical school. Sure, you’ll need to study a ton, but if you study effectively, you’ll still have room for exercise, errands, hobbies, and socializing.
If you find yourself getting tired or your attention waning, switch to a different task. Your brain needs breaks, and this is when you can turn your attention to something else in your life that needs it, like going to the gym, having a shower, doing laundry, or making dinner.
5 | Optimize Your Health
Lastly, taking care of your body and mind will indirectly help you study faster. It’s all connected. Your body needs fuel and rest. Otherwise, you won’t run at peak performance.
It’s just like a car. If you don’t put gas in it, perform regular oil changes, and keep it clean, it will slowly degrade, fall apart, and, eventually, stop running.
The best medical students take a holistic approach to their education. They understand that sleep, exercise, and nutrition all fit into how they perform in school. I know we’ve harped on this many times before, but that’s because it’s so important, and too many medical students ignore this side of their performance.
You can go a couple of days without the performance pillars of sleep, exercise, and nutrition, but after just a few days of neglecting your health, your performance will begin to decline, and in the long-term, you’ll face serious productivity setbacks.
Plus, if you don’t take care of yourself, your immune system won’t function optimally. You’re more likely to get sick, which will cut into your study time… and you’ll have to deal with being sick. Even though doctors and doctors in training know intimately what the body needs, they still often neglect to take care of themselves.
A healthy body and mind will help you get the most out of a study session so that you can not only learn and retain more but also have time for the other things in life you love.
Leverage Cutting0Edge AI Technology
Studying faster is easier than ever before with emerging AI technology. We’re thrilled to announce that our new Casper course leverages cutting-edge AI technology combined with in-depth video tutorials from yours truly. It’s the most comprehensive prep resource for Casper out there.
Get instant feedback on both the typed and video response sections of the Casper test, including immediate personalized evaluation and even emotion detection analysis. For the typed section, our platform will help you improve your typing speed as you simultaneously master essential Casper vocabulary.
The course includes unlimited practice problems, which means you’ll have endless opportunities to refine your skills, adapt to various scenarios, and truly understand the nuances of the Casper exam.
Plus, it comes with a 10-day money back guarantee so you can try it for yourself at zero risk. Sign up for free to get started today.
