So you have gone through medical school and all you need is to pass the board exams, get your certificate and start practicing. This defining moment is critical as it plays a vital role in the trajectory of your medical career. Failing isn’t an option and retaking it can be frustrating. How do you position yourself to ace it and pass with flying colors on your first attempt? You need a foolproof strategy to act as a guide as you study for the exams. This should include developing study habits and techniques that are effective and guarantee success. In this article, we discuss a few study techniques and tips that you can start implementing today to pass your board exams.
Find more study resources
What you learn in class is not enough, and even going over it many times might not make you feel ready for the exams. Go over and beyond to look for extra resources to help you in studying. The online platform is particularly good for finding different kinds of study material to enhance your studying. You can find videos from professors from around the world or go through online discussions. It is also possible to find materials dedicated to passing a particular board exam. For instance, online PANCE study materials cover everything that you need to know about the exam. This includes practice questions that help you gain confidence to tackle the test ahead.
Start preparing early
Don’t be fooled to leave studying for board exams until a few days before sitting for them. Given the scope of medical studies, a few days won’t be enough for you to cover everything and retain it in memory. That is why you need to start studying early enough. Create a study schedule, taking advantage of your free time. For instance, you can decide to go through your study materials on your commutes to and from work if finding time is hectic. In addition, make sure to stick to your schedule.
When studying at home, ensure an optimal learning environment. Make sure to eliminate distractions to stay focused and enhance concentration. In addition, plan for regular breaks throughout your study time to keep your mind refreshed.
Maximize your learning style
Interestingly, every one of us has his or her optimal way of learning. Discovering yours early enough is important in studying and passing your exams. If you learn better by seeing, maximize that by finding visual resources for your study. You can try videos or drawing diagrams to enhance how you retain information. On the other hand, record lectures or have someone else read out the notes for you if you learn best by listening. If you comprehend more when you write notes down, then take advantage of that. If you haven’t discovered your learning style yet, experiment with a number of strategies to see which suits you best.
Consider active learning techniques
Complex medical concepts require more than passive learning to understand. You need to combine these with active learning techniques to increase the odds of grasping such concepts. You can try any or all of the following tricks:
- Jotting down what you read in your own words on flashcards and using them to study
- Create mnemonics to help you retain critical knowledge
- Create quizzes that you can use to test yourself on what you have learned
- Start teaching concepts to your peers to enhance your understanding
Join study groups
As part of your active learning, you might want to consider studying together with others. This collaborative learning technique exposes you to new perspectives on different topics. You might be surprised how a difficult concept can get easy just by hearing someone else break it down. In addition, your peers can help you clear doubts on different topics, enhancing your confidence while at it. Most importantly, learning together with others and sharing knowledge gives you a good learning experience. Just knowing that you are not alone can help alleviate exam-related stress and anxiety. This keeps your mind in top shape to tackle the exams effectively.
Ask for guidance
You might not be familiar with what to expect in the exams especially if you are taking it for the first time. And having a vivid idea of what to expect puts you in the best frame of mind when studying. You can talk to your professors and ask for insights and advice concerning the exam. If you have a friend or family member who is in the medical career, consider requesting them to mentor you through the exam and career journey.
Conclusion
Board exams are vital in laying the foundation of your medical career. Ideally, passing them is paramount if you are to start practicing as a medic. However, passing can be quite an uphill task. But the good thing is that by employing the best strategies, passing the exams can be guaranteed. The techniques discussed above are sure to give you an idea of what you need to start doing now to ensure success.