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How to prepare for first year medicine?

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How important would you say this is?

Not specially. But if pre-freshers are insisting on reading up before coming to uni, this is a safer bet than trying to teach yourself anatomy or whatever.

Digitalis' advice is pretty much spot on.

Reply 21

Tetanus

Original post by No Future

- Spend time with your friends/family
- If you're into drinking, drink
- Sunshine and avoid libraries
- Earn money for uni
- Enjoy life and have fun
- Learn to drive if you can't already
- Your brain doesn't melt because you took a gap year
- Don't get your hopes up that med school will be full of wild orgies, it will be less disappointing in the long run

Reply 22

xXxBaby-BooxXx

Original post by Beska

Get straight in your head a note taking system/filing system so you can go in full rev without having to worry about any little 'administrative' things and just start learning/studying from day 1. That's what I'm doing. :smile:

Be prepared to readjust this system a fair few times, as you realise that it's not compatible with the structure of the course :smile:

But yeah OP, relax. I know it's exciting thinking about beginning to study medicine, but once you're there and the work starts piling up you will regret not resting whilst you still had the chance! :p:

Reply 23

Beska

Original post by xXxBaby-BooxXx

Be prepared to readjust this system a fair few times, as you realise that it's not compatible with the structure of the course :smile:

Cornell notes with the Leitner system, my productivity senses are tingling! :p:

have fun!!!!!!!!!

Original post by Medpotter

Hello online peoples,

I'm currently on a gap year before going to study Medicine at Leeds in September. Looking for some advice on what subjects to brush up on and what might be helpful to have a look at before I start my course. Having taken a gap year I'm worried I may have forgotten some alevel stuff/ be out of the habit of learning. Also are there any books worth buying or should I just raid the library at uni? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks! :smile:

Your sig.

Reply 26

xXxBaby-BooxXx

Original post by Beska

Cornell notes with the Leitner system, my productivity senses are tingling! :p:

Reply 27

Beska

Original post by xXxBaby-BooxXx

Tell me about it. Far too much spare time on my hands... and only so much beer you can drink on a summers day!

Reply 28

xXxBaby-BooxXx

Original post by Beska

Tell me about it. Far too much spare time on my hands... and only so much beer you can drink on a summers day!

But in all seriousness, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Reply 29

GodspeedGehenna

Original post by Beska

Tell me about it. Far too much spare time on my hands... and only so much beer you can drink on a summers day!

Tell me you're on a gap year, right?

I've only just finished my final year project and I have a year's worth of reading to catch up on and six exams to revise for.

Reply 30

infernalcradle

Original post by Beska

Cornell notes with the Leitner system, my productivity senses are tingling! :p:

I may or may not use the same system :ninja:

Reply 31

Beska

Original post by GodspeedGehenna

Tell me you're on a gap year, right?

Yeh.

Original post by infernalcradle

I may or may not use the same system :ninja:

Which? They're pretty good, can't knock either of them tbh.

Reply 32

infernalcradle

Original post by Beska

Yeh.

Which? They're pretty good, can't knock either of them tbh.

I personally use the cornell method....

have tried the leitner one....but its not really that great for me

Reply 33

Harbour Seal

Original post by Beska

Yeh.

Which? They're pretty good, can't knock either of them tbh.

Is it bad that this made me excited?

It is isn't it?

I :heart:

a good system.

Reply 34

Beska

Original post by infernalcradle

I personally use the cornell method....

have tried the leitner one....but its not really that great for me

Oh right. I used the Leitner system for revising AS psychology - was absolutely amazing and ended up getting 100% on both papers, but it's so so so time consuming I couldn't really justify doing it for my other subjects. Not really used the Cornell for school because I never really took that many notes - my friend recommended it to me though so that's how I know about it. :smile:

Original post by xXxBaby-BooxXx

But in all seriousness, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Sorry I missed this reply. :smile:

They're just ridiculously complex 'systems' for productivity in studying and revision and stuff, I was being half-flippant in mentioning them really. :p:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 35

infernalcradle

Original post by Beska

haha, my AS psyc revision method was to pretty much learn the textbook....and it worked pretty well....

cornell I find is only good for biology and doesn't work as well for me at chem (which is a simple read, digest, questions)

Reply 36

John Locke

Original post by Medpotter

Thanks guys :smile:

don't worry so far gap year has been spent working part time to save moneys for rounds at uni, going out, relaxing and then just voluntary work + sport etc. Felt like my mind was beginning to melt though and felt bad for not doing anything overly productive which lead to this thread. I might buy an anatomy book which I can read just for fun/slight prep for uni. Any suggestions on what books you have all found useful? I'm not about to rush off and buy them all but thought it would be good to have an idea of whats useful.

whaaaat?! even when i have to read it i still actively avoid it! :tongue:

Reply 37

Wangers

I wouldn't bother. you learn more in a hours lecture than weeks of school lessons. Depending on your coure, you might have lots of lectures. Yes, medics are sponges, assumed to be able to just absorb information. I wouldn't bother doing any work before you have to - for a fair majority this means weeks before exams.

I would read something you enjoy - plenty of awesome fiction books out there.

Oh and don't worry, everyone adapts to the workload absolutly fine, in the people that don't, its not because of lack of ability, more usually lack of effort.

Reply 38

Giggy88

I don't know about the Cornell but the Leitner system with the flash cards is just amazing. It’s good for biology. I think it would also work perfectly with psychology where you need to know so many facts. Its also very simple compared to learning styles that some of my friends use. One of them just learns everyday 2 pages of the textbook by heart and recites them out load which on the long run doesn't really help you understand the concepts and affects your creativity to apply the knowledge in other situations.