bluebird
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I'm very worried because I seem to have a terrible memory. I was an engineer before I came to med school, and went to a top school where I did very well. Everything was about concepts and using concepts to solve problems. I did well in med school until Pharm and Pathology, where we had to memorize a lot of stuff ... drug names, disease names, etc.
I find that while reading BRS, I understand everything, and it feels like I'm learning things ... but within a day or so, I can't remember drug names, symptoms, adverse effects, etc. Worse yet, I'm terrible with mnemonics (and lots of mnemonics are terrible).
Does anyone have any advice on how to make things stick?
b
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| countchocula8
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bluebird, i have the same problem as u. i would read things and find that i understand them very well and follow the reasonings behind them, but once i come back to the topic, i have problems remembering specifics. i will start my 2nd year of medschool this fall and i'm worried about those 2 classes u listed. any advice will also be appreciated.
thanks
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| kalsam
Forum Elite
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Imagination..is teh best thing to store stuffs in your memory bank...also relating each and everything to clinical aspects helps ..not just theory...
The other thing is just revise the new topic you learnt, within a day ..then it may last for a week or so...again you have to do so within a week or 15 days..
Discussing with friends..teaching someone the same thing you learned ..try something like how Dr. Goljan teaches in his lectures..sure he is a great teacher..
Just to cope with stress..have fun while reading...remember some humorous stuffs..which is related to you ..or anybody/anything you can associate with...
Just to be serious..think what you learn and what you say,,,,is all so important to someone's life..its not over with jsut scoring good marks...we are doctors until we are alive..and always can help and save another life..
Hope this helps..this is just my two cents..all the best!!
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"Read Repeat Recall Remember Recognise & Reproduce"
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| lf777
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Hi
This is what works for me: instead of reading slowly and trying to concentrate, I read faster, but repeat several times. Things seem to stick in my mind :-)
lf
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| Quinn
Forum Elite
Topics: 63
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Hi,
I have this problem big time....and my exam is in 28 days :cry:
I think that lf777 is right.....maybe read it once slow to understand the material if it is new the next couple of times read it fast.....maybe that will help
I find reading a passage then quizzing myself by going to the chalkboard helps me.....just takes a long time....
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| bluebird
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"lf777" wrote:
instead of reading slowly and trying to concentrate, I read faster, but repeat several times. Things seem to stick in my mind :-)
Hmmm. Yeah, I've tried that before. I try both methods, and it seems to me that yes a lot of stuff sticks, but exactly the things that are difficult to remember are the ones that slip thru the cracks. Reading fast, the things that make conceptual sense stick really well, but you tend to miss the things that are oddballs. For example, if you're reading a list of symptoms, the ones that make immediate physiological sense stick right away ... but the ones that seem odd get lost. Similarly, when it's just a list of things ... like drugs A, B, C, D, E, F, G are used to treat this ... reading fast doesn't make you remember those drugs all that well.
So that's where the problems come in. I do agree however that the best way to make the concepts and the facts that follow those concepts stick, is to read fast and read often.
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| docshah
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Been there done that  hahhahah...
You know many people face the same hurdles as you. Basically you know what it is. Many conceptual people run away from memorizing. I am the same as you. I hate to repeat stuff over and over. You know what, Medicine is all this and more. Basically many of the stuff listed above are good and they help each person individually in different ways.
I hate memorizing, but have come to a realization, it is really important. You dont have bad memory. I don't buy that. No one has it. You only dont have time to repeat the stuff. You have to remember, concepts stick to the long term memory because you are associating to something in your past learning material that is helping to correlate with it. Memory work is something like this, but along with this, it is repitition. You konw what, Trust me on this.
Personally I am a lazy person. I hate to repeat stuff over and over. ITs a pain in the butt. Its the only way to get it to stick. After memorizing, you have to do questions. Thats when you will hit the homerun! Once you do the questions on the related topic, it will repeat your concepts, memory and all that. Then after the questions go back and figure out your weaknesses and focus on them. Listen, this is a mental game. If you were an engineer, definately you cannot have a bad mind. You have it in you to excel. You just need to figure out ways to do it. You know, you can also go to your local library and find books on how to improve memory skills. Also online there are many sites. Take the time to check them out. It does help.
Discussing, and teaching. THese are the other tools mentioned above but you need to find someone. If you want to do this alone. The questions are the way to go.
Hope I helped! Good Luck
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| Quinn
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That is a good comment docshah....
I definately does help to relate new things to the old things...like building a network
The reading things really fast will work to get the information into short term memory, but like you said something will slip through the cracks....probably best to use that technique as a last resort....like if your exam is in a few of days
I also find that reading over and over the kaplan notes is not too helpful...I will try to relate it more...maybe help me?
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| bluebird
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yes, docshah, your comments helped a lot! something about it made me feel a little better about things. you're absolutely right ... i do believe i *can* remember things. i posted because i want to learn how ... after years of being told in engineering not to memorize.
you mentioned 2 very important concepts ... 1) repetition, and 2) association. i will definitely work on doing more questions, which hits both of those.
what else is there to address those 2 things though? is there a good way to make flashcards? (it seems most flashcards, bought or made, are pretty ineffective) should i make tables and carry them with me to review over and over?
you also mentioned looking up info about improving memory ... i've always been told that they're just gimmicks, although i think that's just everyone's first inclination, not a proven fact. is it worth it to spend time on that with the boards in 7 weeks? has anyone actually looked into these methods, or tried them?
thanks again,
b
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| kalsam
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Topics: 31
Posts: 361
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READ..REPEAT..RECOLLECT..REMEMBER..& REPRODUCE..: )
All the best..
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| docshah
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If you have time till exams, I would say that you look for ways to improve but if your exams are 7 weeks away this is what I would do. First of all, dont use too many books. To avoid memorizing, we tend to use many books thinking that if we dont learn from one, we will learn from another. Thats just an excuse from running away from memorizing I have a tendency of doing it too many times.. :lol:
Second, best bet is to do questions. You can never do enough of them. I have learned this from this forum. You need to konw whats on the exam. Listen. Step 1 is an ocean of knowledge! You have to do the things that are important and hit them hard like ther is no tommorrow. I know it is tough but I learned that the hard way!
Here is a technique of studies that helps me quite a bit.. Mind you I just started but really helped.
First couple days, do questions. DOnt worry about your mark. Just do them!
After that Skim yoru notes, and mark down the stuff to memorize. Dude, you should know what is important because after doing the questions, you can know! After the skimming and the read while skimming now will come the tough part! MEMORIZE what you marked!!!! This will be the days you will find tough but trust me, it will help!!! Now hopefully you did the memorization. IF you mark stupid stuff to memorize, you will waste time so becareful!
Next, after you memorized, Go back and do questions!!! Now you have your notes packed and NOW YOU ARE APPLYING THEM!!!! Man, after this you will feel like Superman!!!!! I felt like this exam is doable after doing this or else i was really depressed too.
SO think about this technique. Dont waste time on flash cards or stuff liek that.. if anything make notes on what to memorize but i dont know if you have time for that.. just mark your book. If you want to spend time on something, spend it repeating, not going to other things. WHen we do not enjoy memorizing our minds look for ways to avoid it... like other books or stuff like that.
Man, i have suffered through this stuff as you, but for people who dont like to memorize, have to make it fun! Doing the questions first will always let you know what is important to memorize! It reduces the task of not knowing what is garbage!! You dont have time since you guys say 4 weeks or 7 weeks. So be smart and trust me, your effort in the exam will be phenomenol as long as you stick to yoru plan ...
Just in case you ware wondering what I am working on. Kaplan notes, First Aid and lots of questions!!!! thats it!!!! for you if you have Brs and stuff like that..good..!!! stick to it and DONT deviate!!!
HOpe I helped!!! <:-:>
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| docshah
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Here is another thing that helps... ... Draw pictures, or mnemonics etc...
that also helps decrease the stuff you need to memorize.. because for conceptual people, we woudl rather do as least of the memory work as possible. Man, i do whatever it takes to make it stick!!! Because many times your brain is like teflon!!! Stuff just just slips off!!!! hahahaahah
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| rubensssss
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I had a very good experience one year ago.
I read a very interesting book of Med Surgery. I just read but understanding, when I took the test every thing was caming into my head once iread the question.
My advice is read and understand what you read, when you got the question and read the possible answeres the correct answere will come into your head, this is really true.
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| bluebird
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"rubensssss" wrote:
My advice is read and understand what you read, when you got the question and read the possible answeres the correct answere will come into your head, this is really true.
er, maybe it's true for someone with a photographic memory, but not so true for the vast majority of us i think. the problem i posted about is exactly that i have no trouble understanding concepts at all, but it's very difficult to memorize dissociated facts.
in any case, i'm not saying you're wrong ... i think there is something going on in your head that you aren't aware of, which i'm trying to figure out. the reason i say this is because my sister is a very successful doctor now, and when she started med school she was definitely not as good as i was academically. when she took the boards, she read over and over, but still only did "well" but not very well. since then, as a resident, she's somehow learned how to retain facts. i studied with her one day, and she was reading a long article listing some 30 types of something that were all just numbered (i.e., no names). she read the article once, and was able to recite every one of them and what they were ... "type 13 involves x, y, and z, and is like this ..."
she tried to explain what has changed in the way that she reads, but she wasn't absolutely sure. anyone have any ideas? i think part of it is more active reading, where you *feel* the concepts, but you have to make a conscious effort to memorize and make associations at the same time.
anyway, just my theories ... while i procrastinate ... so back to work ... :-)
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| kpm24
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"she tried to explain what has changed in the way that she reads, but she wasn't absolutely sure. anyone have any ideas? i think part of it is more active reading, where you *feel* the concepts, but you have to make a conscious effort to memorize and make associations at the same time. "
----- I think your sister's IQ has really gone up already. After finishing high school or college... some people tend to stop studying. That's why IQ gets stuck... if they don't read al all... sometimes, they were not as intelligent as they were in college days anymore. Since doctors study more after pre med... they're IQ's of course are higher than college graduates. Now if the medical graduates goes into residency... this would mean higher intelligence which equals better understanding of concepts, better memory and quicker grasping of ideas. I guess it's all about practice which equals repitition. If you were better than her academically before... you can do much better than her after training. Good luck:-)
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| Quinn
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also I think having a study partner will help very much in two ways....the quizzing you do will make the connections stronger and recall better, also it will force to keep the schedule....I work with a study partner for 2 months....very helpful 
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| kalsam
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I was thinking while reading about ' Hyerventilation...'
Is it not true..when we start solving questions, if we do not get the correct answer, or if we can't remember things , unknowingly we get so anxious and starts breathing fast and we hyperventilate..
Well if we do that..as you all know we are blowing of CO2, lowering our arterial Pco2..since co2 is the major regulator of cerebral blood flow..then we suffer cerebral hypoxia.. which makes us feel suffocated, and can't think properly...
Hence moral of the story..when we are studying..or solving questions..be clear and consistent..when we do not understand or did not get things right..accept the reality and move on!!!
Unneccessary tention , anxiety...makes a very biig difference in our productiveity..the more cooler u r the more you understand..and more you can retain, more you can analyse things....remember and reproduce well..
Well easy said...
Atlast having belief in ourself and faith in Almighty, makes our goal acheviable much easier than what we think we are....
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| kalsam
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the other scenrio ..usually is..not breathing properly ...when we indulge ourselves into the clincal vignette's ..we forget ven the air surrounding us...
In that case taking a deep breath...helps..
Guess thats we have a break option after each block...
Ha..really do not know how taht day would be..: (
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| dariush
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hi buddy, i should tell you that i had much the same problem but suddenly i found a MAGIC FORMULA it is not something different from what others have mentioned here but it is sort of a PUT-IT-TOGETHER thing :
the Technique is SQ3R:
for what ever your study :
1-"Survey" : cram the chapther or the mat very fast in 1-2 min the get the big idea ,look at the charts, tables, bold-face words,titles,etc.
2-"Question": get back and start with making each title a question or more as if you were ASKED the TITLE
3-"Read": read the part and try to get the ANSWER to your question(s), right now you are actually doing an ACTIVE reading !!!
try to JAD down from the short-term memory after you read and got the concept, this might seem like a waist of time but that helps ,it did for me.
4-"Recite":without looking at the book try to see if you can answer that question,if not go back to the book and try to get a clue and repeat 3+4
5-"Review": when you proceed with all section doing 3+4 at the end. take a look at the questions you made and try to answer them. this is an important step to put all the peices together.
beleive it or not, i am,too, studying Pharmaco right now and that also works for Pharmaco as well, just DO NOT SKIP step 5,as others mentioned Repetition is the Key to all this.
Hope i helped a bit :|
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| yeti00
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I also have a terrible time remembering the tons of crap... The 2 recommendations that I have:
1: get the Recall series (Buzzwords for the boards, Pharm Recall & Path Recall are especially helpful). They distill everything down to the essentials for me, and are really helpful for learning the highlights.
2: flashcards... I repeat everything I learn hundreds of times and that's actually the only way I can remember things on a continuous basis. Before my first year, I got a program for my palm (SuperMemo) that manages all my (thousand+) flashcards and quizes based on a schedule according to how well you remember the tidbits.
So, of all the learning strategies, I think repitition is the most essential for me...
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| namf
Forum Elite
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Damn, I forgot what I was going to tell you..
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| hiwa
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 185
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two things improve your memory
desire and concentration,
forgetting things is part of human nature,
underestanding topics bring more desire, and means good concentration,
frustration about your memory brings stress and lack of concentration,
smile and move on after u underestand the topic
however, there are some facts that need to be memorized to give a stracture for the concept, the only way to get round them is to read them more than once within the big fram of the topic,
remember the more u read the more u forget
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| hiwa
Forum Senior
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And the more u review the less u forget
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| medstudent30
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
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rubenssss, perhaps you can elaborate on how you memorize?
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| CL
Forum Junior
Topics: 10
Posts: 42
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Personally, I hand-copied the entire BRS Pathology and Kaplan's Biochem and Pharma on paper and read them aloud.... Very time consuming. I was taught the best method of studying is Hear-See-Think-Write.
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