Typical Day Analysis

[mountain]

Not sure where to have put this topic so I started the thread. Any etiquette breached was unintentional and please accept the apology forthwith. Blah blah.

For those new students (Aug 05 and Jan 06): What is the feedback on hours of studying? I know it ranges, but I would like to hear from people. It does not determine anything other than a 'feel'. Call it 'management of expectations'.

I subscribe to the notion that from 7am until 9pm it is study. Small breath of air on the weekends with additional studying and start again on Monday. In other words, strap yourself in, turbulence ahead and stay positive.

Comments?

[microphage]

Not sure where to have put this topic so I started the thread. Any etiquette breached was unintentional and please accept the apology forthwith. Blah blah.

For those new students (Aug 05 and Jan 06): What is the feedback on hours of studying? I know it ranges, but I would like to hear from people. It does not determine anything other than a 'feel'. Call it 'management of expectations'.

I subscribe to the notion that from 7am until 9pm it is study. Small breath of air on the weekends with additional studying and start again on Monday. In other words, strap yourself in, turbulence ahead and stay positive.

Comments?

Mainly study till 10 pm for me. Although the day is long with labs, it still leaves enough breathing room to spend time doing other things(like talk to the spouse.. watch Yu-Gi-Oh and TechTV).

I probably studied 4-5 hours a day approx. give or take 2 hours. Weekends are catch up days, there are people who take a day off every weekend. I'm just not one of them. You might be able to get away with it in first and 2nd semester but 3rd and 4th might be your worst nightmare.

Just pace yourself. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint.

[mitchpf]

It depends, really. Some people do really well with just going to class and not really studying...some people study all evening until they go to bed. It really depends on the type of learner you are and how easily you absorb the material. I study about one hour per day and I don't study at all on the weekends unless there is a test that week. Even then I usually only study on Sunday. That's me, though...and I'm by no means an honor student. Also, I can only get away with that because I NEVER skip class and tend to learn the material from the lecture.

[Skipper]

Not sure where to have put this topic so I started the thread. Any etiquette breached was unintentional and please accept the apology forthwith. Blah blah.

For those new students (Aug 05 and Jan 06): What is the feedback on hours of studying? I know it ranges, but I would like to hear from people. It does not determine anything other than a 'feel'. Call it 'management of expectations'.

I subscribe to the notion that from 7am until 9pm it is study. Small breath of air on the weekends with additional studying and start again on Monday. In other words, strap yourself in, turbulence ahead and stay positive.

Comments?
breaths on weekends--LOLOLOLOL

wait till u get to second semster and you have a Dr G exam--lol

but really it is alot of studying--

I study everyday, granted i take numerous breaks to post her and chat with people but i basically have a book in front of me from around 2pm (after an an 1 hr or so break after class) to 12 am--

on the weekends it is from 10am to about 11pm--weekends that come before an exam--maybe till 1am

skipper

[msbookite]

mountain,

i pm'd you a few months ago but never heard back...have you decided to come for sure? i am willing to answer any questions you may have about the spouse's organization.

as for the current topic prior to coming here my husband (the med student) thought people were exagerating when he read on VMD that they were studying 5 hrs a day...he had just done grad school and did well w/o nearly that many hours put in. however, he found out that it is NOT an exageration...he makes a great effort to spend time w/ me and our two children as much as possible but we (me and the kids) do rely on the other families here for most of our "entertainment". he usually studies from the time class gets out at 1:30 until 5ish then comes home and eats dinner w/ us and visits for about an hour then goes back until 11ish. he also comes home at lunch since we live near school...

pm me if you have any other questions about the SO or family life here in general...

Ms

[FOID]

like everyone said, weekends are for catch up. once every 3 weeks when a round of exams are over, then on that friday night, i'd go out to have dinner or do something fun. then saturday morning, start studying again and get caught up/read ahead for the next set of tests.

first semester is only 2 classes so you have more free time. but once second semester hits, it gets tough because you have 4 classes.

time management is very important in second semester. some students still think it's 1st semester (when they're in the 2nd semester). they still go out every weekend, have fun, drink, and don't study on the weekends. it'll catch up to them.

remember, we're in med school now, not college. it's time to get it together and study.

[mountain]

I asked one open-ended question so why not another (and thanks for all the previous replies):

I record lectures and then listen to them at work right now. I do not even really try to listen to them. Over and over they play. It eventually sinks in. But this sounds like a process that may be less than ideal at school.

What are some study tips? I know they will range from osmosis to eating the book - just let me know.

Then the follow-up question to the above is: If such hard work is involved, why bother? (this is rehtorical so if you answer is I want to be a doctor because... so be it. I have my reasons for being a doctor and new from the day I decided I just chose a very long and hard path)

[FOID]

I asked one open-ended question so why not another (and thanks for all the previous replies):

I record lectures and then listen to them at work right now. I do not even really try to listen to them. Over and over they play. It eventually sinks in. But this sounds like a process that may be less than ideal at school.

What are some study tips? I know they will range from osmosis to eating the book - just let me know.

Then the follow-up question to the above is: If such hard work is involved, why bother? (this is rehtorical so if you answer is I want to be a doctor because... so be it. I have my reasons for being a doctor and new from the day I decided I just chose a very long and hard path)

forget eating a book, some of the pages will give you paper cuts. try hitting the hard cover books on your head, maybe that'll work. :cool:

on the serious note...

some classes, you might want to record lectures in b/c there is a lot of material. however, if you're good at writing (or typing) and processing information, then it should be ok.

everyone has their own studying methods. it's up to you to decide what is good and what isn't there will be a difference between first semester and all other semesters. you will definately change your studying habits and tweaking them throughout the time here.

[mitchpf]

Save a tree...eat a beaver.