How to study
In this write up I will try to cover a few ways I have learned to optimize my study, specifically study for an exam that you’re attempting. These tips have been learned over a studying career of 30 years. Started at the age of 6 and today I am going on 36. I have made peace with the fact that as a physician, sitting for exams is just a part of life and there’s no happily ever after in this aspect.
So through the course of my life, I have taken various exams, from the standard O levels to A levels, to medical college entrances test to USMLE, to GMAT for graduate school and finally once again I find myself studying for the USMLEs at 35. The USMLE is a medical licensing exam that most students typically attempt in their mid-20s. In this article, I will document a few learnings through which I optimize my study time.
Firstly, as you attempt to sit for any massive exam, identify your why. Why do you want to do this? Write it down somewhere and post it on a wall/board that is visible to you. This will keep reminding you why you’re putting yourself through this challenge on days when you don’t have optimal motivation.
Second, go in with an open mind on how long or short the prep is going to be. Speak to people about their plans and their experiences but after a couple of days of gathering that information, make your own plan.
Ideally break the plan down to first monthly, then weekly goals. You will get better at it the more you do it. Make a printout and stick it up again next to the why. This will remind you of what you have set out to do.
Now you have your why and your what. Let’s get busy with the doing part of it. Figure out the time of the day when you brain is the clearest with the fewest distractions. For me that quite often is the wee hours of the morning. No distraction from family, colleagues and work. I just wake up super early and head out to work. Several advantages to doing this. I beat the traffic, I don’t get the shared morning stress. I am the first one in the office and it’s super quiet and peaceful. I get a solid 3 hours this way before 9 am when the office starts. Throughout the rest of the day, I sneak in a few hours during low work time and get my total tally of studying up to 6 hours a day give or take.
Fourthly, once you are done with a day of studying. Make a small grid of the calendar days on which you’d be studying and stick it to your notebook which you shall be using on a regular basis. Document on this calendar day, what you accomplished. This is great for two reasons. One, it gives you a sense of accomplishment on days you did weel. Two, it keeps you accountable throughout the day because you know you will be sharing what you accomplished and if you did not do enough that day, you will feel guilt — which is okay to feel once in a while.
Finally, whenever I am studying for an exam that requires extensive prep time I make sure I treat it like a marathon and not a sprint. I make sure I make time to enjoy life on a daily basis. I don’t study after 3 pm. I head out home and make it a point to enjoy time with my family every day and I make sure as often as I can to fit in a workout in the evening. This keeps my brain and body healthy and able to put up with the mental and emotional stress of preparing for an exam. On top of this, I also ensure there are days of the week when I don’t do any studying at all. These days are typically Saturday and Sunday for me. I keep them open and flexible because after being disciplined with your time for a full week, giving your mind the space to wander for a couple of days and doing what you absolutely feel like doing is a great release for it. If you don’t let your mind wander, it will burn out pretty soon.
The above are the major points that lead to better-studying outcomes over the long run. A few additional tips for the actual act of studying.
Studying is so much about focus and we live in a highly distracting time today. I put my phone in my briefcase and try to forget about it. I only check my phone if it rings on a phone call. Thankfully, nowadays the act of calling is slowly fading out so I don’t get too many calls. Mostly, WhatsApp messages, voice notes, and emails. These notifications can comfortably be responded to with a delay of 2 hours.
The second small tip for making your studying time better is understanding how long your brain could focus on one stretch. I have found that time for myself to be around 40–45 min. I usually start the hour at 00, then study for the next 40 min with minimal distraction, then follow up with 5 min of revising what I studied in that last hour and then take a 10 min break. I treat this time mantra like how I would measure my time during a workout. I try to be as diligent and ruthless as I could be about this and it leads to good retention and optimization of studying time spent. It’s about understanding yourself and building a pattern that works best for you.
With that, I would wrap up today’s article. I have a big exam coming up in a month or so. Would be grateful for your prayers and if you need help with creating your plan for any endeavor you’re taking up I would be happy to help you. There’s no age or limitation on studying. With the right mindset and support system you can do this at any age you like. Godspeed!
