Preparing for exams in medicine can feel overwhelming. The volume of information is massive, and the pressure to retain it for both exams and clinical practice is real. The good news? There are proven, evidence-based strategies that can make your study sessions more effective. Here are 10 practical tips you can start using right away.
1. Use Active Recall Every Day
Instead of re-reading notes, force yourself to retrieve information. Use flashcards, practise self-quizzing, or close your textbook and write out what you remember. The effort of recall strengthens memory and highlights knowledge gaps (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008).
3. Mix Topics (Interleaving)
Avoid blocking hours of study time for one subject. Instead, rotate between them e.g. anatomy, pathology, and pharmacology in the same session. This desirable difficulty makes learning harder in the moment, but improves long-term retention (Bjork, 1994).
4. Teach Someone Else
Explaining a concept in simple language forces you to structure your understanding. If you can’t explain heart failure to a classmate (or even a non-medical friend), you probably don’t know it as well as you think you do.
5. Embrace Desirable Difficulty
Struggle is part of learning. Attempt problems without looking at your notes, or try writing an essay plan from memory. It feels harder, but that challenge deepens understanding and builds resilience (Brown et al., 2014).
6. Manage Your Memory Biases
Be aware of traps like:
- Dunning-Kruger effect: overconfidence without competence. This is especially dangerous in medicine, being “unskilled and unaware” can lead to unsafe clinical practice. Stay humble, test yourself honestly, and seek feedback.
- Illusion of knowing: familiarity ≠ mastery.
7. Optimise Your Environment
Set up a study space that makes focus easy. Minimise distractions by putting your phone away, closing extra tabs, and using headphones if needed. Reduce friction by keeping essentials, like your charger, water, and snacks, within reach. The fewer interruptions you have, the easier it is to stay in rhythm and maintain productivity.
8. Simulate the Exam
Practise with past papers or timed mock exams. This combines retrieval practice with exam conditions, training your brain to perform under pressure. For OSCEs, run through full stations with a peer to mimic the real setting.
9. Look After Your Body and Mind
Sleep consolidates memory, exercise boosts brain function, and proper nutrition sustains energy levels. Skipping these in the run-up to exams is counterproductive. Even short walks or mindfulness breaks can improve focus.
10. Use Technology Wisely
Digital tools like question banks, Anki decks, or AI-powered tutors (e.g., Medhi by Four Minute Medicine) can help you practise active recall, interleave subjects, and receive feedback. Just don’t confuse “scrolling resources” with active learning and engage with them deliberately.
Final Thoughts
Prepare for exams in medicine by working smarter. Active recall, spaced repetition, interleaving, and desirable difficulty are the backbone of effective study. Combine them with healthy routines, honest self-assessment, and smart use of tools, and you’ll be set not only for exams but for safe, confident clinical practice.
References:
- Bjork R. (1994). Memory and metamemory considerations in the training of human beings.
- Brown P., Roediger H., McDaniel M. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning.
- Ebbinghaus H. (1885). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology.
- Karpicke J., Roediger H. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science.
- The Learning Scientists (2023). thelearningscientists.org