{"id":4002,"date":"2020-07-18T16:26:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-18T16:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=4002"},"modified":"2025-10-08T11:24:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T19:24:11","slug":"prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff","title":{"rendered":"Prepare for Med School With These Best Learning Strategies (and Avoid Falling Off the Cliff)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#Predictors_of_Academic_Success_in_Medical_School\" >Predictors of Academic Success in Medical School<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#How_I_Took_Control_of_My_Studying_in_Medical_School\" >How I Took Control of My Studying in Medical School<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#Take-home_Points_from_Arnold_and_Feighnys_Model\" >Take-home Points from Arnold and Feighny&#8217;s Model<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#1_You_cant_change_your_baseline_scores_on_learning_approaches\" >1. You can\u2019t change your baseline scores on learning approaches.\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#2_Figure_out_what_type_of_knowledge_each_course_requires\" >2. Figure out what type of knowledge each course requires.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\/#3_Find_a_learning_approach_that_would_best_set_you_up_for_learning_the_required_material\" >3.\u00a0Find a learning approach that would best set you up for learning the required material.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>If you&#8217;re about to enter medical school, you should be prepared to completely change your study style to accommodate for the firehose of information that&#8217;s coming your way. Today on the Osmosis blog, we&#8217;re sharing an updated version of study tips from Dr. Alexander Roseman, who shares some of the best learning strategies that worked for him during his time in medical school.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common analogy of learning in medical school is \u201cdrinking water from a fire hose.\u201d As I look back on my experience in medical school, I would replace that analogy with another&#8230;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>In my experience, that first month of medical school has more in common with falling off a cliff than drinking from a fire hose.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keeping up with the material while trying to learn how to learn in medical school made the first month difficult. By the time I had figured out what study techniques worked, two weeks of material had already passed. Every new technique that I tried felt like reaching for a branch to just slow my descent but never to stop my fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1024\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp 1080w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/unqualified-guide-to-usmle-step-one-anxiety.webp?resize=1024,1024 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Predictors_of_Academic_Success_in_Medical_School\"><\/span>Predictors of Academic Success in Medical School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In their 1995 paper,&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/7646748\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Students&#8217; general learning approaches and performances in medical school: a longitudinal study,&#8221;<\/a>&nbsp;Dr. Louise Arnold and Dr. Karen M. Feighny aimed to find which study techniques predicted academic success in medical school. They found that the factors that best predicted high GPAs in years one, two and four of medical school were&nbsp;<strong>high scores on the factor that measured efficient study habits and extrinsic motivation<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>low scores on the factors that measured rote memory and globetrotting<\/strong>, which the authors describe as \u201ca fragmented approach to studying.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arnold and Feighny don\u2019t go into too much detail about this globetrotting factor, but I am assuming that it has to do with using too many different resources, a common trap many students fall into in their first year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_I_Took_Control_of_My_Studying_in_Medical_School\"><\/span>How I Took Control of My Studying in Medical School<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While these results might not offer a magic bullet, they do offer helpful tips. First of all,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/how-to-use-the-new-osmosis-study-schedule-tool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">developing an efficient study routine<\/a>\u00a0helped me finally keep up with the material. This change made that fire hose of information much more manageable. All I had to focus on was what I had to do one day at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At first glance, the negative association of rote memorization seems counter-intuitive with the huge amount of information you as a medical student have to know. But as I soon found out, you need to know the big picture concepts to make sense of the thousands of facts that you have to keep straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides the factors mentioned above (high motivation and efficiency, low rote memorization and fragmented studying), Arnold and Feighny also found that the&nbsp;<strong>students\u2019 perception of the course context and their baseline learning approaches determined their study techniques and ultimate performance in their courses<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They make a big distinction between the students\u2019 perception of the course context and the actual course context. This suggests that it is beneficial to learn what styles work for you (i.e. audio, visual, or drawing) and then adapting them to what the specific course requires. For example, the same techniques used to study human gross anatomy might not be the best for genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From their results, the authors created a&nbsp;<strong>model to explain and predict medical school performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/explanation-and-prediction-of-medical-school-performance.png\" alt=\"illustration of an explanation and prediction of medical school performance\" class=\"wp-image-4005\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/explanation-and-prediction-of-medical-school-performance.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/explanation-and-prediction-of-medical-school-performance.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Take-home_Points_from_Arnold_and_Feighnys_Model\"><\/span>Take-home Points from Arnold and Feighny&#8217;s Model<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_You_cant_change_your_baseline_scores_on_learning_approaches\"><\/span>1. You can\u2019t change your baseline scores on learning approaches.\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should know your learning style and stick with it. For example, if you do not learn well with flashcards, don\u2019t use flash cards. If you&#8217;re a visual learner, you will&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2020\/06\/30\/studying-smarter-with-osmosis-the-best-videos-for-medical-school-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">find Osmosis videos helpful in medical school<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Figure_out_what_type_of_knowledge_each_course_requires\"><\/span>2. Figure out what type of knowledge each course requires.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The level of detail needed for genetics is completely different than what anatomy requires. Some courses require a lot of rote memorization, while others might require heavier use of your critical thinking abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Find_a_learning_approach_that_would_best_set_you_up_for_learning_the_required_material\"><\/span>3.\u00a0Find a learning approach that would best set you up for learning the required material.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where the factors help maximize your efficiency. The factors are:&nbsp;<strong>increase<\/strong>&nbsp;motivation and efficiency,&nbsp;<strong>decrease<\/strong>&nbsp;rote memorization and fragmented studying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can use this model to succeed in your courses. &nbsp;It will help you to think about what your learning strengths are and how they can complement what each course requires. This will set you up for success in your medical school courses and slow the descent a little when you are falling off that cliff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Blog_Display_Ads_GENERAL2_2023.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Try Osmosis by Elsevier today! Access your&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;and discover why millions of current and future clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re about to enter medical school, you should be prepared to completely change your study style to accommodate for the firehose of information that&#8217;s coming your way. Today on the Osmosis blog, we&#8217;re sharing an updated version of study tips from Dr. Alexander Roseman, who shares some of the best learning strategies that worked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":238,"featured_media":4003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,22,47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicine","category-health-and-wellness","category-study-tips-and-techniques"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Prepare for Med School With These Best Learning Strategies (and Avoid Falling Off the Cliff) - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/prepare-for-med-school-with-these-best-learning-strategies-and-avoid-falling-off-the-cliff\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Prepare for Med School With These Best Learning Strategies (and Avoid Falling Off the Cliff) - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you&#8217;re about to enter medical school, you should be prepared to completely change your study style to accommodate for the firehose of information that&#8217;s coming your way. 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