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How to prepare for first year medicine?

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Original post by Beska
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:

e:



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:


What are these systems? Am I missing out on something?
Reply 41
Original post by Mask Of Sanity

Original post by Mask Of Sanity
Your sig. :rofl2: :tongue:


haha sorry I thought it was awsome so stole it....

So basic advice seems to be relax which I will do now feeling its ok to be a waster for a year :smile:
Original post by Medpotter
haha sorry I thought it was awsome so stole it....


As long as I can borrow freely from you come September, we're even. :wink:

I don't think we're allowed to be wasters in any year though. Unless you can manage it without slipping up - not too much anyway.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 43
Original post by No Future
What are these systems? Am I missing out on something?


Cornell is something I have nearly zero experience with, but basically it's a system of taking notes (either in class/lectures or from a book) which mean it's easier to revise/review/study them after the fact, and it saves you 'copying up notes' which apparently is useless. If you google image search 'Cornell note taking system' you should get a picture of how you divide up the page, but basically you split it into 3 bits. The largest bit you do your notes as normal, and then the other 2 bits are for things that make the review more effective: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Notes

The Leitner system is something I have a years worth of experience with and imo it is the best thing since sliced bread (as I say, it practically destroyed my psychology AS exams). It takes up a lot of time, but implicitly the more time spent on quality study = the better your understanding and by extension, the better your exam results. It was created by a German chap and is based upon something called 'spaced repetition'. You can read about it on wikipedia here (but ignore 'example 2', I used example 1) - it's based around the philosophy that the more often you review 'difficult' things, the easier they are to remember. When they become easier, you no longer review them as often. Studies have shown it to be v. v. v. effective. Definitely have a little look if you're intrigued! If you have any questions let me know because as I say, this is something I've used so I could lend a hand. :smile:
Reply 44
Original post by Mask Of Sanity

Original post by Mask Of Sanity
As long as I can borrow freely from you come September, we're even. :wink:

I don't think we're allowed to be wasters in any year though. Unless you can manage it without slipping up - not too much anyway.


Haha go for it, best bring stuff back though. I'm alowed to be a waster this year! I have no exams and an unconditional so looks like I will spend the rest of the year drinking :smile:
Reply 45
Original post by Medpotter
I have no exams and an unconditional so looks like I will spend the rest of the year drinking :smile:


A man after my own heart!!
Original post by Medpotter
Haha go for it, best bring stuff back though. I'm alowed to be a waster this year! I have no exams and an unconditional so looks like I will spend the rest of the year drinking :smile:


Oh! You mean this year? Do your worst in that case. :tongue:
Reply 47
I've applied for deferred entry, so if I get in, or have to reapply next year I'll be on a gap year whatever. I'm gonna be living in a retreat centre and working monday-friday, including evenings, so I'll only have weekends/holidays free. However, I plan on just reading through some popular science type books that interest me? I've bought 'The Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins and 'On The Origin of Species' which I think will be interesting, but I've just not got the time to read now. So I'm planning on reading stuff like that. Also LOTS of fiction books. I intend to TRY and read something like Les Mis or War and Peace, which shall be hard but oh well:tongue:


I also plan on watching House/Scrubs from season 1 to the end :biggrin: YAY for medical dramas!!
Original post by Beska

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


I presume you're acquainted with computerised SRSs like Mnemosyne/Supermemo.

:sexface:. pure :sexface:
Reply 49
Original post by Beska
Cornell is something I have nearly zero experience with, but basically it's a system of taking notes (either in class/lectures or from a book) which mean it's easier to revise/review/study them after the fact, and it saves you 'copying up notes' which apparently is useless. If you google image search 'Cornell note taking system' you should get a picture of how you divide up the page, but basically you split it into 3 bits. The largest bit you do your notes as normal, and then the other 2 bits are for things that make the review more effective: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Notes

The Leitner system is something I have a years worth of experience with and imo it is the best thing since sliced bread (as I say, it practically destroyed my psychology AS exams). It takes up a lot of time, but implicitly the more time spent on quality study = the better your understanding and by extension, the better your exam results. It was created by a German chap and is based upon something called 'spaced repetition'. You can read about it on wikipedia here (but ignore 'example 2', I used example 1) - it's based around the philosophy that the more often you review 'difficult' things, the easier they are to remember. When they become easier, you no longer review them as often. Studies have shown it to be v. v. v. effective. Definitely have a little look if you're intrigued! If you have any questions let me know because as I say, this is something I've used so I could lend a hand. :smile:


Which comprises of memorising 15 studies?

All those methods essentially do is make shorter notes, which you are more likely to read, and reading stuff makes you learn stuff. Not rocket science.
Reply 50
Original post by Wangers
Which comprises of memorising 15 studies?

All those methods essentially do is make shorter notes, which you are more likely to read, and reading stuff makes you learn stuff. Not rocket science.


Belittle it all you want, but it works. And you know there's more (at least to Leitner, don't really know about Cornell) than "making short notes" - if you don't use them, then fine, but then I'm not sure how you can make scalding judgements like that.

P.S. Just "reading notes" actually doesn't make you learn stuff. If you are one of the people that can just read and absorb, then lucky you! :smile:
Reply 51
Original post by Beska
Belittle it all you want, but it works. And you know there's more (at least to Leitner, don't really know about Cornell) than "making short notes" - if you don't use them, then fine, but then I'm not sure how you can make scalding judgements like that.

P.S. Just "reading notes" actually doesn't make you learn stuff. If you are one of the people that can just read and absorb, then lucky you! :smile:


Whilst I have no experience with either of these methods, I'm a little sceptical as to whether it's feasible to use the Leitner method considering the depth and breadth of some subjects - I could imagine how time consuming it would be! I suppose you'll find out if it's effective shortly after starting...

I do like the sound of the Cornell method, especially for lectures.
Reply 52
Original post by _lynx_
I could imagine how time consuming it would be! I suppose you'll find out if it's effective shortly after starting...


Indeed. It's generally easier to start it off when commencing a course rather than half way through as it makes the initial volume to learn significantly less. From then on in, the point is that it decreases time spent studying as one only studies the things that one has difficulty with - rather than studying everything, if you see what I mean. I started it half way through my first AS term for psychology and the volume I needed to classify/copy up onto index cards was ridiculous, but after this initial period of intense studying I worked maybe 1 hour a week on psychology (outside of lessons) for the rest of the year. The vast majority of this time was spent creating new index cards for new content, with the rest of the time spent 'reviewing' index cards in the later groups of the Leitner box.

I'm gonna use it at least for a handful of modules when I start in the fall and see how it copes with medical school volume (breadth doesn't really interfere with the system) - the biggest difficulty is that I need to pick realistic time frames for the spaced repetition aspect of the system - I'm not really sure of it yet, that's something I need to figure out once I actually have stuff to learn.

I really regret not using it for A2 - after my AS exams I completely burnt out and the last thing I wanted to think about was the new school year, and I remembered the system in about December of A2 year - far too late to implement it. A shame really!
Original post by Mask Of Sanity
As long as I can borrow freely from you come September, we're even. :wink:

I don't think we're allowed to be wasters in any year though. Unless you can manage it without slipping up - not too much anyway.


Excuse me I plan to be a waster :colonhash:
Reply 54
Original post by Beska
Indeed. It's generally easier to start it off when commencing a course rather than half way through as it makes the initial volume to learn significantly less. From then on in, the point is that it decreases time spent studying as one only studies the things that one has difficulty with - rather than studying everything, if you see what I mean. I started it half way through my first AS term for psychology and the volume I needed to classify/copy up onto index cards was ridiculous, but after this initial period of intense studying I worked maybe 1 hour a week on psychology (outside of lessons) for the rest of the year. The vast majority of this time was spent creating new index cards for new content, with the rest of the time spent 'reviewing' index cards in the later groups of the Leitner box.

I'm gonna use it at least for a handful of modules when I start in the fall and see how it copes with medical school volume (breadth doesn't really interfere with the system) - the biggest difficulty is that I need to pick realistic time frames for the spaced repetition aspect of the system - I'm not really sure of it yet, that's something I need to figure out once I actually have stuff to learn.

I really regret not using it for A2 - after my AS exams I completely burnt out and the last thing I wanted to think about was the new school year, and I remembered the system in about December of A2 year - far too late to implement it. A shame really!

I do see the potential to save time. For someone who has never tried this system, it does seem like a significant risk to take if you plan to stick to it for the whole year.

My fear of this could be likened to your fear of PBL :tongue:
I can see myself doing the exact same thing that I've said at the start of every single academic year since AS level..

"Right, this year I'm going to do all of the reading and take really good notes...."
Two weeks later..
Reply 56
Original post by _lynx_
I do see the potential to save time. For someone who has never tried this system, it does seem like a significant risk to take if you plan to stick to it for the whole year.

My fear of this could be likened to your fear of PBL :tongue:


I'm planning on doing it little and often, I think.
However I may change my mind once at medical school!!!
Reply 57
Original post by GodspeedGehenna
I can see myself doing the exact same thing that I've said at the start of every single academic year since AS level..

"Right, this year I'm going to do all of the reading and take really good notes...."
Two weeks later..
And then in the summer, you see the extravagant notes that others have made, which demotivates you!

Original post by hsparkle
I'm planning on doing it little and often, I think.
However I may change my mind once at medical school!!!

With medicine, you might find that you need to do lots and often!
Reply 58
Original post by _lynx_
And then in the summer, you see the extravagant notes that others have made, which demotivates you!


With medicine, you might find that you need to do lots and often!


Aha! Yeah.. ahh thank goodness for a gap year! Least Ive got a break before the mountain of work begins!
Reply 59
Original post by _lynx_
I do see the potential to save time. For someone who has never tried this system, it does seem like a significant risk to take if you plan to stick to it for the whole year.

My fear of this could be likened to your fear of PBL :tongue:


You do it alongside whatever system you're planning to do anyway (well, not system, method - you know what I mean!) - then if it doesn't work just drop it. I'm still going to make notes in lectures and do all that kind of traditional stuff, just use this system alongside to (hopefully) cement my knowledge a bit more. This time next year I'll let you know if it's all just a load of codswallop or if it actually works!

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