This week I’d thought I’d share how I prepare for
exams. This strategy has not only been useful
for PA school, but also got me through undergrad as well. However, everyone learns differently, so what works for me may not work for others. I thought that by sharing my
strategy, you might have a better grasp on how much work goes into succeeding
at PA school (at least the didactic portion)!
Location
I like to study on my bedroom floor. I have a desk, but it
barely gets used because I don’t find that it is comfortable to sit in that
position for long periods of time. My
roommate is also in the PA program, so noise isn’t an issue. Also, I have found that I can't study at the library because I have a tendency to people watch.
The Material
For each test I like to gather all my notes from the lectures
and the readings and put them in a Microsoft Word document. Last semester my “study guide” averaged about
25-30 pages for each test. I like to
print these out (sorry trees) because I find that when I study with my computer
open I end up on YouTube or various social media websites. After I’ve printed my study guides, I
highlight important topics that I know I need to spend more time on.
Actually Studying
To study the material on the study guides I like to use a
dry erase board (Side note – I wish Expo would sponsor me because I’ve gone
through so many dry erase markers). I find that by actively studying, and not
just staring at a piece of paper, I retain a lot more of the information. I use the dry erase board to rewrite notes
over and over again. Then I like to test
myself by seeing if I can write out key concepts without looking at my notes. This ensures that I actually do know what’s
on the study guide.
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| Great for definitions- especially when spelling counts |
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| Great for drawing diagrams |
Test Day
Right before the test I like to read through my study guide
a couple of times. I usually won’t use
the dry erase board much on test day, unless it is to go over things that I tend to forget.
PS- Unlike most of undergrad, studying the night before an
exam will not be sufficient!
Good ideas! I'm hoping to go to school to be a PA. I'm in community college about the transfer to a four year university. I'm planning on getting my bachelors in medical technology, would you recommend that before entering into a PA program? My school counselor has no idea about my intended career path and does not know what to suggest. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Allison! We have a couple med techs in my class and they are doing just fine in the program! I know for WVU's PA program a Bachelor’s degree in any science (Biology, Chemistry, Medical Technology, Forensic Sciences, Nursing, etc.) is acceptable! Just be sure that you've completed the prerequisite courses for the PA programs you're applying too. Hope that helps!
DeleteThanks! That reassures me a lot in my choice! There is not enough info online and it doesn't help that my counselor has no idea what a Path A is! Haha. And the dry erase idea for studying is really a great idea. I have those all over my apartment in order to keep me on track, never thought of using it for studying!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information, I am still undecided on where to to go school. I've been researching career paths online and I like the idea of attending either one of the nursing schools in PA or becoming a pharmacist.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayme! I have friends who have done both nursing and pharmacy and they love it! Good luck with deciding :)
DeleteI love the break down of your study habits. It is very eerily similar to my study style - complete to using a dry erase board! I also don't make use of my desk and always end up laying down on the floor (bedroom, living room) too. I think muscle memory of being active in my study habits help a lot more than just highlighting and reading notes.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous!
DeleteI completely agree about the muscle memory! I'm glad to hear that someone else studies like this too!