Dear all,

I just started my first pre-med class: Bio with Lab. I love it and I enjoy studying... a lot. I am 32 and a mom, and I am not sure if all the time I spent studying is efficient? Can someone please suggest studying strategies and techniques that may help with memory and understanding of the vast information we have to cover?

thanks,

One thing that worked for me in undergrad and is now working for me in medical school is repitition repitition repitition. Read the corresponding chapter of the book *before* it is covered in class (this will be the first time you see the material) even if you have no clue what it is talking about keep reading it. Then once you get the material in lecture it is your second time seeing this stuff. Then after lecture maybe the next day or later in the evening read it again. This will be your third time with the material. This way before the exam you have alread seen this three times and it will come easier for test day...of course you may have to read it multiple times to get it really down prior to the exam....

Is it really effective to read the whole chapter (beforehand) or just focus on the lecture topics on the syllabus and those that are covered in the homework questions. I think glancing at the chapter is effective beforehand, but reading the entire chapter is not timeworthy, at least for me. Maybe I'm doing it wrong??!!! After the lecture, I also retype my notes or write flashcards on the material. I also start a more concerted study about 10 days before the test. I do not cram. Never works!

Many times I have found that although the whole chapter is not lectured on due to time constrains they do ask questions that pulls the "whole" chapter together...I tutored for my whole undergrad time and that was one of the key points I would emphasize. Many times students would come in livid saying the professor never covered this point...but we need to remember there is no possible way that they can cover *everything* there is just not enough time. Some times they will clue you in on "this will not be tested" and then sure skip that part but often if you do read the whole chapter (which for undergrad are tiny compared to medical school...) it makes total sense. Sometimes picking at random from the chapter may not make sense and when you read all of it you totally get it.