This question was originally posted on Quora.com and was answered by Aleksander Seoane Nymoen, Two years of Nutrition and 5 years of medical school. Come prepared to class. Study the material before you will have it in class. This is vital in the beginning of med school to make sure you don’t fall behind. Also, you will find it easier to understand what the teacher is talking about and what they want you to focus on. The first year is usually the toughest. Making sure you come prepared to class will be a game-changer. Spend 30 min after class to go through the notes you took during class, and rewrite them in your own words. If you only wrote down key words, try to write in your own words the meaning behind them. Go deeper in your understanding of that subject. This will make it easier to understand your notes when you will revise them before an exam. It will also strengthen your understanding of the topics the teacher emphasized on during class. Don’t try to study everything though. Prioritize the biggest most important subjects. Everything else is secondary. Make a READING SCHEDULE. This is so important. I can’t tell you how many fellow students I know who struggle because they don’t make a study plan. Make one for longer periods and set goals for what you have to get through before exams. If you have 30 days until your exam, cut off 1/3 of that time so you’ll be finished with the studying in good time before the exams. This will give you time to revise and also be prepared for any setbacks that eventually will come up (and trust me, they will come). Take one day at a time. No matter what happens keep your head up and keep looking forward. You will definitely experience some rough patches during your life as a medical student. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Try to forget it immediately and focus on the next task, but learn from your mistakes to make sure you minimize the risk of it happening again. Force yourself to take some time off once in a while. This is veeery important. Do something with your friends or family. Something that will take your mind completely off anything related to studying. Get enough sleep. This will help you stay more focused and alert during classes and when reading. You will also reinforce your memory of whatever you read the day before, and increase you ability to retain information when you study. So less sleep and more studying is actually counterproductive. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. A mistake is only a mistake if one fails to capture growth from it. A mistake can sometimes be the best teacher. Be brave, and be humble. This is is all I could think of in the moment. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Just send me a message or reply on this thread. Good luck! Best regards, Aleks Source
