Strategy

Explanation

Become acquainted with your learning style.

(See Learning Style: A, B,&  C, next pages)

Identify your learning habits--monitor and adjust as needed.

Understand yourself as a learner, recognize that your style of learning may not fit every learning situation appropriately.  Learn to monitor your study strategies for every course and adjust when necessary.  Communicate your environmental study needs, such as quiet, background music/noise, group or individual study space.

If it works, keep doing it.

Learning strategies that worked in undergraduate course work can be retained.  Be alert to problems such as too much to learn, not enough time, unexpectedly low grades on tests. These signal that your old methods may not be working in medical school.  If it isn't working, don't just do more of the same thing. Seek assistance in developing strategies that will work for you now.  

Approach each course individually.

Strategies for learning course material should be geared toward each particular course content and expected mode of assessment (such as multiple choice, short answer, essay, factual content, case study, clinical performance).

Use study groups for review.

Reviewing material in a group can be very useful because it builds on the approaches & understanding developed by different students.     The initial approach to understanding new material is best undertaken individually.

Use test grades to build learning skill.

Tests and the grades they generate can be considered  tools for adjusting your study strategies.  You can review incorrect answers to discover where understanding lapsed.

Practice, practice, practice.

Active and purposeful study geared toward particular test type, along with adequate practice, can reduce performance anxiety (also see Points to Ponder section in this Handbook).