Question:
What are some study tips that you can share? I feel very overwhelmed sometimes with the amount of work we have to do in pharmacy school :(
Response 1:
There is often a lot of work required in pharmacy school. Sometimes, assignments and exams coincide at the same time as well, which may be overwhelming. But not to worry, there are several strategies to stay on top of the work and complete it on time. A calendar/schedule highlighting due dates (and exam dates) can be handy to organize your study time. For example, if your schedule shows that an assignment and exam occur on the same day, this can encourage you to start studying for your exam a week earlier while still planning some time to complete the assignment. On the subject of exam studying, I would recommend to review notes and material on a regular basis instead of trying to cram information in a day or two. It may be helpful to review notes daily after class, or on a weekly basis depending on your study habits. Once you are organized using a calendar, a study checklist/plan can be written out. As you complete different tasks, you will see the progress in your studying, and continue to be motivated to complete the remaining tasks. If you like to study with other people, a study group can be formed to encourage each other and stay on top of the material. Just like planning your study time, it is just as important to balance your time with activities you enjoy. Ensure your study plan includes breaks. These may be as short as 10-15 minutes, and will serve as an “intellectual breather”. I would recommend taking a short break after each hour of studying to clear your head, and be better able to focus. Finally, despite the amount of work in pharmacy school, make sure to incorporate some fun. This could be as simple as having a meal with fellow classmates, or participating in a hobby. Good luck, and stay motivated!
Response 2:
Pharmacy school can be overwhelming for everyone at times, but the key is to not panic and be comfortable asking for help on occasion. The unique thing about a professional school is that people have many different education backgrounds, therefore everyone has different strengths. So, if there is something you may not understand very well, there is most likely someone else in class who does. One strategy is form a study group; this way you can have a few people, each with their own strengths, to study with and ask questions to. If you understand something well enough to teach it to someone, you will have no problems on a test. Another thing you can do as a group is each person can make a couple of potential test questions from each lecture and at the end you can pool them together to make a mock test of your own. You can also try to quiz each other, which works surprisingly well. There have been countless times where I remembered an answer on a test because I got it wrong when someone quizzed me.
Not everyone likes studying in a group, in that case its best to go over the lectures at the end of the day and make sure to ask questions about things that you don't understand right away rather than waiting until before the exam. Another important learning tip is that you should always try to understand the underlying concept and not just try to memorize something. It is much easier to remember things once you understand them. You can also try to make questions for yourself as you go through the material so you have something to come back to once you are finished studying.
There are many different ways to study and each person has their own preference. In the grand scheme of things, it's not how you study but what you study that's important. Don't focus on memorizing small details, focus on understanding the bigger concepts which will make the smaller details easier to remember. Remember to also have fun, a break helps to refresh your brain and thus allows you to learn more.
Response 3:
It is absolutely true that the quantity of work in pharmacy school can be very overwhelming at times. Don’t feel that you are the only one who feels this way! Your classmates are definitely in the same boat. One of the most interesting pieces of advice I received during undergrad was to “use small amounts of time effectively”. We all have 15 minutes here and there where we are waiting for someone or something. Typically, we’d spend those minutes browsing Facebook, but it’s amazing how these little bits of time can really add up. If you are a few minutes early in the morning, read over that assignment you were going to start tonight; it’ll mean you finish your assignment just that much faster. You may feel like there is no point in starting something if you’ll have to stop a few minutes later, but as those minutes accumulate, you’ll notice the impact. Another obvious tip is to limit procrastination. Unfortunately, we all know this and do it anyway. However, whenever I catch myself procrastinating I remind myself of the stress and anxiety I felt the last time I procrastinated and this usually gets me motivated. I hope this helps. Best of luck this term!