Keep on failing...HOW DO I REVISE EFFECTIVELY????

Sorry you're having a difficult time. Is the uni aware? Do they offer any support (they usually have systems in place). It really depends on how you study. Would you benefit from working at a steady pace throughout the year and just going over your notes again and again or do you prefer to work at the last minute. Think about exam technique as well and whether that's where you're falling down. Maybe consider trying to form a study group?

Our students do things like multiple choice questions, short answer questions and OSCEs so think about and try and get feedback on how you're doing in your exams. Are you giving too much detail or not enough or not writing it down clearly or not explaining well enough? Is your style more descriptive when they want more analytical or critical?

Hi everyone,

I got into Graduate Entry Medicine in 2014. I did okay during the year but failed the end of year final exams which were mini essay questions (MEQs). I failed due to personal and family issues going on at the time, however, I was given the chance to resit them this summer.

Some of my issues were ongoing but I tried to make the most of the year. I ended up failing again.

I have 2 questions:
1) Does anyone have any advice on revision techniques that have worked for them in a difficult subject?
2) Has anyone else failed on more than one occasion and then ultimately passed? If so, what was the most important lesson they learnt from the failure?

I don't have a lot of support around me so I am turning to the Student Room community in the hope that you guys will be able to help.

I would really appreciate any advice / words of wisdom.

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

I got into Graduate Entry Medicine in 2014. I did okay during the year but failed the end of year final exams which were mini essay questions (MEQs). I failed due to personal and family issues going on at the time, however, I was given the chance to resit them this summer.

Some of my issues were ongoing but I tried to make the most of the year. I ended up failing again.

I have 2 questions:
1) Does anyone have any advice on revision techniques that have worked for them in a difficult subject?
2) Has anyone else failed on more than one occasion and then ultimately passed? If so, what was the most important lesson they learnt from the failure?

I don't have a lot of support around me so I am turning to the Student Room community in the hope that you guys will be able to help.

I would really appreciate any advice / words of wisdom.

Thanks in advance

Sorry to hear this. You definitely have the ability to pass - you're a graduate!

As someone who failed first year exams twice and then was permitted to repeat the year, I can understand what you're going through.

One of the main things I've learnt through failing and resitting exams is to study the same thing more than just a couple of times. I realised to learn/commit to memory I need to have been exposed to it at least 3-4 times. First time attending the lecture, second time reviewing and learning it then repeating a couple of times. And I return to the same material, I spend progressively less time covering it. So 1hr, 30 mins, 20 mins etc.

Another thing I learnt is to work smart. I can't emphasise that enough. There's SOO much content in medicine and to try and learn every single detail is almost impossible. I would try to focus my revision using learning objectives provided so I wouldn't waste time learning intricate biochemistry if I didn't need to know it for the exam.

Also, I learnt that I need to work consistently throughout the year in order to pass. A lot of medics tend to leave revision to the last minute (and it can work) but this definitely doesn't work for me as I just panic and the anxiety takes over, leaving me very unfocused. So I worked in the evenings every day after lectures from the beginning of the year.

Failing exams can also have a massive effect on your confidence. In my case, I lost my confidence massively after failing even my summer resits but you've got to tell yourself you definitely have the ability to pass, otherwise the medical school wouldn't admit you in the first place! Tackling exams is about having the right mindset and being confident in yourself - once you've done all you can in terms of study, believing in yourself that you WILL pass.

Talking to other people who had failed in previous years is also really helpful I think - it puts things into perspective and shows that passing third time around can be done!

Another technique people find useful is summarising the very key points from a lecture onto a single side of A4, which means you cover the essentials and it saves time nearer exams.

All the best, hope everything works out!

Also, if you can try and get hold of past paper questions and practice answering them once you've gone through the material. Then look back and see what you missed out and go through it again. Questions are a key part of learning and they show you what you really know and what you don't.

For difficult topics, don't underestimate group learning - how peers can explain things in different terms and using different analogies can help to make things click.

Hi! Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to write a response, and such a detailed one at that.

I think the exposure aspect you discussed is something I can work on. Where I have only looked at certain topics once or twice, it is more difficult to naturally retain that information. So I will try and keep this in mind when revising this year.

I knew I had to work smart last year,but I don't think what I was doing was actually working smart. I'll admit myself that I tried to work smart by question spotting (which I know is a bad habit and comes back to bite you). What I should have been doing, as you suggested, is working smart with the learning objectives. Because you're right, a lot of the details in lectures are just for further understanding and consolidation. I have printed out all the learning objectives so I will find a way to keep them on the forefront of my revision.

Consistency is something which I could not achieve last year as much as I wanted to. There was just too much going on in my life and I didn't take a step back and think of the repercussions. But I think this is one aspect I need to try and stick to this year, as early as possible. With a bit of organisation and planning, I hope I am able to be more consistent with my studying.

I'll be honest with you, the confidence thing is something I don't even know how to approach. I can tell that others have seen me fail so many times and they don't think I am capable of passing. Although I shouldn't let that get to me, it still does. Does confidence come with experience or is it something I need to trick my mind into believing? I just really wish I could be more confident in myself but its so hard for me. The most I can do is be determined and work hard.

Ive summarised revision on one piece of A4 paper before and it does work so I will continue with this method as well.

Thank you so much for all of your ideas. I appreciate the time you took to answer me and I have definitely taken on board your suggestions.

No probs, you're most welcome What you can also do is write out the learning objectives and try and answer them once you've learn the material. This is easier for some LOs than for others (the more well-written specific ones) but it definitely helps to have at least some ideas of what you would include for every LO.I can certainly understand that - do remember that you've also got people at uni to talk to - your welfare officer, personal tutor, senior tutor so make use of them. When I find that it's getting too much I just try to focus on something else - like going to the gym or socialising with friends. If you are organised from the start you'll have time to spend doing other stuff at times you really don't feel like studyingI can definitely relate to that - seeing people in the year above who I was meant to be with was really difficult because it was a constant reminder that I failed and 'wasn't good enough'. But you've got to think of it long term like in a few years when you're a doctor none of this will matter, not really. In fact it will probably help you to be more resilient and understanding. Also don't worry about others - almost everyone in med school will have to repeat something or other at some stage! It's just about being focused on the end goal and getting through each year as it comes.It is really difficult to have confidence in your ability, when things haven't gone great in the past. It's when you'll get the results which say you've passed is when your confidence will come back in full form - that day is coming soon don't worry Do also remind yourself that you're a graduate so you've achieved a very good degree and there's really no reason why you can't do it again as a medic!Reflecting on why things haven't gone great previously and how you can improve is the best thing to be doing so well done on that -I'm sure you'll be fine! Really hope things start looking up, and you pass all your exams!

No probs, you're most welcome What you can also do is write out the learning objectives and try and answer them once you've learn the material. This is easier for some LOs than for others (the more well-written specific ones) but it definitely helps to have at least some ideas of what you would include for every LO.I can certainly understand that - do remember that you've also got people at uni to talk to - your welfare officer, personal tutor, senior tutor so make use of them. When I find that it's getting too much I just try to focus on something else - like going to the gym or socialising with friends. If you are organised from the start you'll have time to spend doing other stuff at times you really don't feel like studyingI can definitely relate to that - seeing people in the year above who I was meant to be with was really difficult because it was a constant reminder that I failed and 'wasn't good enough'. But you've got to think of it long term like in a few years when you're a doctor none of this will matter, not really. In fact it will probably help you to be more resilient and understanding. Also don't worry about others - almost everyone in med school will have to repeat something or other at some stage! It's just about being focused on the end goal and getting through each year as it comes.It is really difficult to have confidence in your ability, when things haven't gone great in the past. It's when you'll get the results which say you've passed is when your confidence will come back in full form - that day is coming soon don't worry Do also remind yourself that you're a graduate so you've achieved a very good degree and there's really no reason why you can't do it again as a medic!Reflecting on why things haven't gone great previously and how you can improve is the best thing to be doing so well done on that -I'm sure you'll be fine! Really hope things start looking up, and you pass all your exams!