My Undergraduate Study Routine

MY STUDY ROUTINE

I want to start out saying that there is no right way to study and what works for me may not work for you. Everyone learns differently and at a different pace. Throughout undergrad I have never had an intense study routine, which I am sure will have to change once I get to medical school. With that said, here are a few of my study tips and my general study routine…

I pay attention in class and actively take notes. This makes going back to material a lot easier so that when I am studying it is more review rather than trying to learn things from scratch on my own.

3-5 days before a test I will rewrite my notes. Writing things out is the best way for me to memorize information. I also find pneumonicss super helpful and have fun coming up with different memory tricks for different things (they can get a little crazy).

*If there is a lot of material or if you are crammed for time it can be more efficient to only write out notes of things you are unsure of rather than all of your notes.

I will use study guides or course objectives as I go along with my notes to highlight more important topics.

*Things that are more complicated like for example, the transduction pathway of cell signaling, I will write out multiple times until I can write it out without referencing my notes.

A day before the test I will review the powerpoint slides and read over my notes a few more times. I will also go over anything I was having trouble remembering again.

This is my general study routine for my undergraduate biology classes, but it will obviously differ between subjects. I spent a lot more time studying for anatomy and would go into the lab to review models compared to other classes like cell biology that had less material to memorize and didn’t require a lab.

Good luck to all of you finishing up this semester! I know online learning is difficult, but persevere! Finish strong and find hobbies to keep you sane through quarantine studying. I like working out, cooking and face timing friends! Let me all know your study tips and what works for you!

P.S. I love studying on the floor! This will probably change for medical school, but it worked really well for me during my undergraduate years as a premed Biology major.

XOXO,

TRE