If you are studying in a Caribbean medical school, it shows that you have worked really hard in college and put in a lot of efforts and energy to maintain an impressive academic record. Being a medical student is entirely different from being an undergraduate student. The medical school curriculum is several notches more intricate and elaborate than undergraduate their counterparts. In order to get to grips with complex concepts and study anatomy, physiology, immunology, neurosurgery, pharmacology and other rigorous subjects, it is vital to adopt some effective learning strategies to ensure academic success in medical school.
There is no denying the fact that the copious amount of information you are required to absorb and memorize in medical school is greater than what you have been accustomed to in college. However, studying in a group is one of the most effective learning techniques that can help you learn intricate and confusing concepts while making it more engaging to learn the rigorous course material.
Here are a few reasons why creating or joining a medical school study group is a sensible choice and how studying in groups is more effective and can lead you to medical school success.
Let’s dive into them.
Learn New Study and Memorization Techniques
When it comes to sharing knowledge and learning new things, a study group can produce multiple methods for learning and memorization that you may not have already considered. By joining a study group, medical students can access multiple smart and intelligent classmates. Their unique insights can help you hone your own study skills. You will also learn different memorization techniques and learning methods from the members of your study groups, which will eventually help you improve your academic performance.
Hone Your Note-Taking Skills
Studying in groups provides students with an excellent opportunity to compare the class lecture notes of your fellow classmates. Exchanging ideas and information allows you to fill in gaps in your notes or learn important concepts that you may have missed during lectures. Comparing notes with other group members can help you get note taking ideas, so you can make better lectures on your own.
Covers a Lot of Course Material
When a large number of medical students get together and form study groups, it will definitely help you learn the material better. In fact, studying in groups helps you understand more confusing concepts as different group members can teach you different topics. Usually, members are assigned to different topics to research, study and then prepare a presentation for the group. This is indeed the best strategy to learn a lot of material in less time and save you a lot of time and effort to study each topic on your own.
Refine Your Communication Skills
Great doctors have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. When you study in groups, you will encounter diverse people with the common goals – to secure a good GPA, become doctors and help others. Take your study group as an opportunity to hone your communication skills and learn how to interact with people even in stressful conditions which will serve you well in your future medical profession.
Keeps You Motivated
Procrastination and lack of motivation can keep you from completing your assignment and preparing for exams. Studying in a group is the best way to keep on track and stay motivated. You will be motivated to review the material by the time of the meetup, as it makes so difficult to keep up with and take part in the discussion when you haven’t reviewed the topic. It will also help you study for an exam in advance and prioritize your study schedule. Furthermore, studying in groups serves as a support system as it is a great way to receive emotional support from fellow students and cope with medical school stress.
Makes Learning more Fun
One of the best reasons to join a medical study group is that it livens up your study sessions. It can be very distracting and monotonous to spend hours and hours alone in the library. However, studying in a group environment makes learning more engaging and enjoyable. It is a great way to get to know your classmates and group members, share unique insights, strategize things, prepare for quizzes, and come up with effective learning techniques such as mnemonics. In short, it makes learning an enjoyable experience that helps you improve your academic performance and secure a stellar GPA.
Make the Most of Your Group Study Sessions
If you want to make the most of your group study, it is advised to keep your group small. Adding 4 to 6 people in your group is enough to maximize individual contribution and minimize socialization. Prior to each session, decide what you want to achieve, so the session is more productive and keeps everyone on track. Studying in groups can be effective only when everyone is fully prepared for the session and actively takes part in the discussions. So, each member should review the lecture notes carefully, and identify the specific topics to study in order to maximize the effectiveness of time spent studying in group study.
So, these are a few reasons that make studying with other people so effective. Studying in groups helps you absorb and memorize information at a deeper level than when you sit alone at your desk. It is particularly effective for completing assignments, developing presentations and preparing for USMLE Step 1. If you want to earn good grades and perform well, adopting this learning method is the key to medical school success.