Summary: Episode 104: Dr. Dan answers a listener question about how to scramble up an effective study approach during the first semester of medical school.<br> Getting Board Certified<br> Hi, this is Dr. Dan here with both the Medical School Podcast. I am sorry, it has been awhile since I have issued a podcast. I finished residency and am now board certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. It’s a bit of an interesting podcast in that we’ve had over a million downloads total. I started off in Emergency Medicine and video and audio log an entire transition of burnout in that field. Having a bad malignant residency experience, transitioning over to Psychiatry and doing a lot of self searching, and did that somewhat publicly for at least a private audience of the medical school podcasts.<br> MMC Mobile Listener Question<br> Today I’m going to cover a listener question. I’m going to read his question and reply to it. Here we go. This was written to me by a student several months ago so he was in his first semester of medical school. He says that he’s listened to many of my podcasts in the past but doesn’t recall if or when this particular question has ever been covered. In fact, it hasn’t.<br> Question<br> He says, “When we had our first block of exams finished a few weeks ago, I scored in the 50s range for anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. Histology was the only exam that I passed. As time progresses more closely to exams, I grow more and more anxious which becomes extremely distracting. I limit all other distractions such as phone, computer, and noises but I’m still left with my worst distraction, my mind. I begin to think about irrelevant things in my life and get too anxious as I try harder to concentrate on material.” This leads to depression, even trying medication to help him regain focus and care for things again to try to get motivated. However, he feels that his issues lie in his inability to keep pace with the curriculum because for him to learn something he has to really go slow to digest it. Which of course is not something that the standard curriculum permits.<br><br> His father is a physician and suggests that he speak with Student Affairs to see if he can go into the five year program offered by his medical school, though he’s reluctant to spend any more time than necessary in medical school. He’s having a second biochemistry exam tomorrow which he doesn’t feel any more prepared for than the first one, but he will meet with Student Affairs afterwards. As far as his study techniques, he says, I use a timer and try to push myself to go faster. But I always slow down and never get everything done on my schedule. I’ve reviewed study habits exhaustively and attempt to be an active learner, but those habits take me too long and I fall behind. I suppose I am not all too sure what to ask you but I guess I could ask if there’s any active study method that doesn’t take a long time to do.”<br> Answer<br> That is the question, I’ll keep it anonymous, of course. I keep questions anonymous. I don’t say who is emailing me but this one sort of hit me between the eyes because, the truth is, that I taught a lot on study techniques. I have nine videos in the Medical Mastermind Community about study techniques. Even a speed reading course is in there. I even break down all the different classes you take in medical school and which study techniques for each one of those is the most likely to be beneficial. I have to admit, I’ve been doing the Mastermind Community and these podcasts for eight years now. I’ve always said that, based on my own experience, that it takes so long to learn different kinds of study techniques, that you don’t want that kind of distraction while you’re in medical school.<br><br>
