The Student Room Group

TSR Med Students' Society Part VI

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Zain-A
Guys, whats the best way to keep on top of lectures? Currently during the lecture I have just been adding notes onto the power-point using a laptop and then when home, summing up the power-point into a word document. This is taking a while though and I am not even sure the information is going in, what do you guys do?

I don't go to lectures at all. But on the occasions I have, the method you described above of writing notes on the actual PowerPoint struck me as pretty clever. Not sure I'd bother with the summing up, though. I'd just come back to it later if necessary instead. Perhaps to sum up, perhaps to just read. I don't think trying to cram the info in all in one day is effective. Using it is the best option if possible - e.g. if you have access to past papers.
Original post by Ronove
I don't go to lectures at all. But on the occasions I have, the method you described above of writing notes on the actual PowerPoint struck me as pretty clever. Not sure I'd bother with the summing up, though. I'd just come back to it later if necessary instead. Perhaps to sum up, perhaps to just read. I don't think trying to cram the info in all in one day is effective. Using it is the best option if possible - e.g. if you have access to past papers.


Not many past papers I think, thanks for the reply, think I will continue doing this but try not to fully summarise in such great depth.
Hey all,

When feeling for the liver in an abdominal exam, do you push in when the patient breathes in? And then out when the patient breathes out?

My thinking: patient breathes in, liver pushed down, so more likely to feel if you're pushing in at the same time as pt's breathing in ..?
Original post by Anonymous
Hey all,

When feeling for the liver in an abdominal exam, do you push in when the patient breathes in? And then out when the patient breathes out?

My thinking: patient breathes in, liver pushed down, so more likely to feel if you're pushing in at the same time as pt's breathing in ..?


When I do it, I have my hand pressed before the patient breathes in so that you can feel the edge hit your hand.
Original post by Zain-A
Guys, whats the best way to keep on top of lectures? Currently during the lecture I have just been adding notes onto the power-point using a laptop and then when home, summing up the power-point into a word document. This is taking a while though and I am not even sure the information is going in, what do you guys do?


I prefer hand notes tbh, easier to remember physically writing something than typing. Then I summarise all my lectures by topic (say, 10 at a time) in one hard back notebook so every module has its own book of handwritten notes, print outs etc.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Jckc123
for our uni, they registered us with openathens so we could use the bnf app. quite handy.
maybe asking your pharm lead or any modules lead?


What is this pharm or module lead you talk about :laugh:

The librarian said he doesn't know and said to email someone.

Thanks though. :biggrin:
Original post by Zain-A
Guys, whats the best way to keep on top of lectures? Currently during the lecture I have just been adding notes onto the power-point using a laptop and then when home, summing up the power-point into a word document. This is taking a while though and I am not even sure the information is going in, what do you guys do?


This is exactly what I do, I was originally thinking about changing it up this year to save time, but I have found it a really helpful technique.
Personally for me having the notes in my own words and summing them up after the lecture really helps my understanding, and when I come to revise it is invaluable (and my marks from first year showed my method was working, so for me im thinking why change something which you know works), its time consuming yes, but worth it!
Original post by Natalierm2707
This is exactly what I do, I was originally thinking about changing it up this year to save time, but I have found it a really helpful technique.
Personally for me having the notes in my own words and summing them up after the lecture really helps my understanding, and when I come to revise it is invaluable (and my marks from first year showed my method was working, so for me im thinking why change something which you know works), its time consuming yes, but worth it!


I sort of do this the other way round; I make notes by hand during the lecture, and then type them up when I get home, while going through the Powerpoint to add anything I missed. I find it helpful to have the notes in my own words, too.
Original post by Brockle
I sort of do this the other way round; I make notes by hand during the lecture, and then type them up when I get home, while going through the Powerpoint to add anything I missed. I find it helpful to have the notes in my own words, too.


I type all my notes up regardless, much quicker (handwriting takes so much time), and when I dont have access to the slideshow before the lecture I handwrite notes and do the same as you. Notes in your own words in my opinion are invaluable for revision.
Original post by Zain-A
Guys, whats the best way to keep on top of lectures? Currently during the lecture I have just been adding notes onto the power-point using a laptop and then when home, summing up the power-point into a word document. This is taking a while though and I am not even sure the information is going in, what do you guys do?


Stopped making notes after the first term.

I find it distracts from actually listening to the lecturer and looking at their presentation. For revision I just went back and read the slides, flicked through OCHM.

I think writing and re-writing notes is painfully inefficient and isn't that beneficial.
Original post by Etomidate
Stopped making notes after the first term.

I find it distracts from actually listening to the lecturer and looking at their presentation. For revision I just went back and read the slides, flicked through OCHM.

I think writing and re-writing notes is painfully inefficient and isn't that beneficial.

I agree. I made notes in first year and my mark was way below average. Decided to ditch notes and just read and understand concepts and going over things again and again and my mark in second year was marginally better.

Bit nerve wracking that I don't have a "safe" place for my revision when the time comes but if I understand it initially I think it'll be alright.
Writing notes is only really beneficial for me when I need to have everything in one place -- like pathology, clinical features, management rather than having to consult three textbooks +/- NICE guidelines or whatever online. But yeah rewriting and rewriting is pointless
Original post by Zain-A
Guys, whats the best way to keep on top of lectures? Currently during the lecture I have just been adding notes onto the power-point using a laptop and then when home, summing up the power-point into a word document. This is taking a while though and I am not even sure the information is going in, what do you guys do?


For my first year I wrote notes summarising each lecture after each one to make sure I'd understood everything, adding bits from textbooks to places where I had difficulty. I'd agree with everyone else when it comes to rewriting though - you really want to summarise, not just copy what's on the slides. This meant I had everything in one place when it came to revising so I didn't have to write any more notes then which I found really useful.
Tried making notes and it failed miserably for me; I'm better with flashcards, reading lecture slides then consolidating with a relevant summary chapter in a book somewhere.
In other words OP, we're all pretty different, so maybe try and see what works best for you?

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Mrs House
I agree. I made notes in first year and my mark was way below average. Decided to ditch notes and just read and understand concepts and going over things again and again and my mark in second year was marginally better.

Bit nerve wracking that I don't have a "safe" place for my revision when the time comes but if I understand it initially I think it'll be alright.


Original post by Asklepios
Writing notes is only really beneficial for me when I need to have everything in one place -- like pathology, clinical features, management rather than having to consult three textbooks +/- NICE guidelines or whatever online. But yeah rewriting and rewriting is pointless


Original post by violin101
For my first year I wrote notes summarising each lecture after each one to make sure I'd understood everything, adding bits from textbooks to places where I had difficulty. I'd agree with everyone else when it comes to rewriting though - you really want to summarise, not just copy what's on the slides. This meant I had everything in one place when it came to revising so I didn't have to write any more notes then which I found really useful.


Original post by MJK91
Tried making notes and it failed miserably for me; I'm better with flashcards, reading lecture slides then consolidating with a relevant summary chapter in a book somewhere.


easier to address everything in 1 post...

OP its very clear everyone has different methods which work for them, its all about trying things out and seeing if it fits for you.

For me notes (summarising lectures) was invaluable when it came to revision and using the information. Its important to make sure that the notes are a summary of the lecture, rather than just rewriting the whole thing again, this is harder in first year when its all a bit new but you will perfect the technique over time. I also find for me on a CBL style course, typing out the lecture notes allows me to add relevant information from textbooks and have all the information on one topic in the same place, which is brill for revision.

I have to admit some things just dont need notes, absorbing the information and reflection upon it (re-reading the notes you made in a class) are perfectly sufficient for some things, also try to vary your revision a lot, I enjoy making summary posters (very visual) and flashcards to revise from, as rewriting the same notes over and over again is just pointless.

As stated everyone is different, my method of summarising lectures and textbook information in note form then revising from posters, flashcards, revision videos etc. work wonders for me in first year and I (somehow - I have no idea how) pass in the top 20% of the year, it also seems to be a very common method!
Reply 556
Avatar for Beska
Beska
21
Original post by Etomidate
I think writing and re-writing notes is painfully inefficient and isn't that beneficial.



👀




I do this. :p:

(Thereby proving the point we are all different blah blah etc)
I'm supremely lazy. For preclinical I didn't make notes, I didn't go to lectures; I watched House throughout the term and flicked through the PowerPoints the night before exams. For clinicals I turn up, see patients, read an Oxford Handbook or two. Let's see how it all pans out but it has worked so far.
Reply 558
Avatar for Beska
Beska
21
So annoying that the university doesn't publish graduation dates until March for graduations in June - makes any kind of planning for literally anything impossible. No idea why they can't release it earlier...
Haha wait until you're qualified and they don't give you you're rota until 2 weeks before you start your job!

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you