Every health-care student is surely a master of one thing- taking tests and examinations. Right from giving competitive exams to enter a health-care field to giving exams to get the same degree and advance further, tests have been a constant in a medical student’s life.
Tests are scary probably because there is a fear of failure in students. The uncertainty of upcoming questions makes even a bright student become underconfident. But tests help retain the learnt information better. One of the ways to remember information for a long term is by using flashcards or tiny tests.
Tips to prepare for tests:
- Start early: the right time is always now. Do not worry about the time wasted. If you have time to worry, you may also have time to start right now.
- Plan practically: set achievable goals per day to avoid discouragement and encourage achievement. Smaller achievable tasks would help avoid procrastination.
- Study in sessions: depending upon your attention span, distribute topics into sessions. Try taking different topics or subjects for different sessions. Sticking to the same topic for a prolonged time might reduce productivity.
- Take breaks: continuously studying 24x7 is a little unachievable. Taking breaks refreshes and recharges the mind to help gather information better. Avoid scrolling during breaks. Instead eat, sleep, meditate or talk to a friend.
- Eat well, sleep well: the brain is continuously running during the preparation time. It needs energy. Don’t forget to provide it with energy. Also, sleeping during test preparation is not time wasted. Sleep helps retain information longer and helps reboot the brain.
- Trust yourself, you got this!: do not concentrate your energy and invest your time in thinking negatively. Take help from guides and mentors to solve doubts. Stay confident, you got this!
What other tips would you share for preparing well for an exam?
MBH/AB