My Studying Resources and Methods

This is something inspired by a recent "conversation" on Facebook, so I thought I'd share my methods. In no way is it the best way, but it has worked for me since 2nd year (the year I had mobile internet, beginning with DiGi).

My reading is always in order of importance (for diseases):

1) Internet - emedicine.com, wikipedia if all I want to know is a summary. The main problem with emed is that the information is not standardized as an educational resource, so you have to correlate with what you see in the basic text books/wards.

2) Text books - Read for the basic info, but I'm reading less and less of them. Unless if it's Nelson Peads.

3) Student's presentations - Very rarely. I feel that they're more imperfect than emedicine.

For BMS:

1) Text books - Getting the good books is the key.

2) Internet

For examinations/investigations:

1) Internet

2) Text books

Additional reading for examinations is supplemental anyways. The most important source is the clinical teachings.

The basis of my studying is "spontaneous" research, followed by attempts to memorize everything into long-term memory.

This explains my method of studying: I read MCQs and perform "research" based on them. I also don't mark whether they're T/F. This behavorial training forces me to remember stuff. The only thing I know is whether or not I've researched a particular q or not. If I don't remember it, I'll look it up again, hoping that I'll remember it this time. Usually, I'll either remember the particular information, or the particular resource I referenced.

I also love case scenarios, and approach-based learning. This is because

1) you can cover many topics in one go

2) you simplify your line of thought to consider your most important and most common differential diagnoses when seeing patients.

Disadvantages of my methods of study:

1) Time. There's a lack of time to make notes. I have not consistently made notes since the middle of 3rd year. To compensate, I save all of my internet resources in my computer. What is from written resources (like textbooks), I try to type the notes in my computer. Obviously, this is next to impossible to optimally use with anatomy/physiology.

2) There are no notes to bring with you, anywhere. My laptop is my notes. Luckily, I do have backup. And probably less than 5% of that is in my head.

3) There are times when I do have time to make the notes. Another problem arises: RSI. Nothings beats the ergonomics of writing versus typing, even if you're a trained touch typist like me, using among the best manufactured keyboards in the industry.

4) Sometimes you miss the simplicity of the important info in textbooks by becoming too engrossed in the complexity of the more informative resources.

Advantages of This Method of Studying:

1) You get more reading.

2) Approach based medicine is not covered in most textbooks, but may be researched via the web.

3) By studying via MCQ, you can cover a ton of topics within a few weeks time. This is because you can perform lightning revisions for "easy" topics, and intensive revision for topics you know you don't know. This is best appreciated in a group study setting. For example, for last year's Comm Health & Family Medicine, my study group only managed to start studying on Friday, with exams on Monday, due to on-going work that did not end until Thursday. No matter, as we all comfortably passed. This method in a group setting was further refined during the next two postings of 4th year.

There are a few prerequisites of studying like I do:

1) You have a knack of remembering things on the first reading/discussion. Or at least you think you do. Actually you can, as housemen can remember patients without looking at the notes.

2) You can digest multiple resources into one. The internet can provide quick information, but resources like emedicine is too complex and does not take into account local practices. You have to be able to correlate internet reading with textbook reading, and local epidemiology and practices.

3) Having a strong imagination helps too, as sometimes you need to make those mind-maps in your head, or at most, on a whiteboard (to be erased).

There you go. Not applicable to everyone, but maybe something is useful in there.