Question:
Hi,
I have a question regarding IPFC courses. Do they ever get any easier? I find myself struggling to remember all of the content, yet the topics I feel that I know well I still don't test well on. I find that some of the tests ask such detailed questions, so no matter how much I study I don't feel like i'm ever really prepared.
I find myself always below average on tests (not just IPFC) which gets me down, because I feel like I spend much more time studying than peers who always do much better than me. I guess i'm just at a loss because although I study so much, I don't do as well on tests as I feel that I should.
Any advise?
-Rx2019
Response 1:
Hey, we’re in the same class so I hope my thoughts can help you in a way. But before I address your dilemma, let’s chat about our first IPFC exam of the term – it wasn’t easy! Frankly speaking, there were a lot of therapeutic questions that we learned in concept, but never went over in class (I’m talking about: 5 easy mini cases we skimmed through at the end of the lecture). I talked with my peers and all of us were getting different answers for everything. Seriously, it wasn’t easy.
Now, I understand that you’re stressed out. But just take a moment to breathe. You might feel like you have to hurry and catch up to everyone else, but just try focusing on yourself for a second- maybe take a quiet walk at Victoria Park, go jogging in the evening, or take a bath. The idea is to become aware of what’s happening in your head, and how you feel. And instead of focusing on a single narrative, like you struggling with the content, studying hard but not getting there, and not doing as well as your peers- just take a step back from those negative thoughts- now, you’re going to question them.
So you didn’t do well on those last exams. You can’t change anything about that- it happened. Don’t beat yourself up. You still have work to do. Don’t dwell on the past. Just keep thinking about what you need to do at this present moment. You CAN do this, and you don’t need to spend time on worrying. And make sure you’re staying healthy, like drinking enough water every day and getting lots of sleep. Take a 10 minute break for every hour of studying, and get into a habit of balancing your health and studying. Ultimately, you have to take care of yourself at the physical level to be mentally prepped for anything- including studying.
Now let’s get to the studying aspect. You’re aware that you’re studying harder, but not getting the result you want. Have you reflected on your studying habits and techniques? I can relate with my other friends, when they tell me “Oh, I’ve been sitting down for 2 hours just reading one line over and over again”. It really does take a toll, having to study regularly and having bi-weekly exams. But you can do this. We can all do this. Maybe you’re already doing some of these things, but these help me to an extent:
Read over the lecture notes on the same day when you get home. You can skim over them, or write notes on the spot. But the point is, it’ll be fresh in your mind, and you’ll remember the details better. If there’s something you don’t understand, or it’s hard to understand- star them and ask your peers or the professor. Google the concept or definition. And remember to re-read those points later when you get into the grind.
Try making Quizlet flashcards! These really help me stick things into my brain. You can just read off the flashcards and “think” of the answer before you flip it, or you can type it out on their learning system. Also really useful just before an exam, when you don’t want to be flipping through a million pages, and you just want to read over quickly.
Study in a small group or with a friend. Asking each other questions to clarify helps you understand better and remember those moments as well. You’ll still have plenty of time to study on your own, too.
One of our classmates posted a discussion website that he created for our class, and they have example case studies (with answers!) that you can try doing on your own when you think you got the hang of it.
So those were just a few tips. You are not alone. We are all doing this together. And when you’re out there as a pharmacist, you’ll be doing a great job treating your patients. You won’t be comparing yourself to your classmates then, so why do it now? Everyone is different, and our paths will eventually split. You are the best version of yourself, and don’t forget that. Just remember to take a step back and really understand your own thoughts before they can bring you down. IPFC is especially hard, but I think the courses are such that we simply have to learn from our mistakes. And that’s okay, because our mistakes now mean we won’t be repeating them in the future with patients.
We have a long way to go, but look how far we’ve made it so far. Keep it up!
If you want to talk more, shoot me a msg. I’m Eunice :)
Response 2: Hi there! First off, grades are only one way to represent how much you understand a concept. I’m sure you found that you learned many things during co-op and were able to apply the more realistic/therapeutically relevant lessons from school. Let that serve as proof that grades only go so far. However, I can understand the frustration felt when you’re studying you’re best and the grades just don’t seem to match the effort. I can’t say as to whether IPFC becomes harder or not...but I can say that there is still time to find a better studying strategy. I’m sure that your effort is 100% (maybe even 110%), but maybe a small tweak in how you direct that effort will make a difference in your academics.I’ve listed a few suggestions below, but they’re by no means a complete list: -Set a study/no study time. Taking the time to take care of your mental and physical health is more important than your academics; I mean it. Maybe study for two hours and take a short walk. Or study for 45 minutes and watching YouTube for 15 minutes. -Think about each slide in your notes in connection to other slides. For example, does it make sense how the mechanism of action of a drug works in the body? How does this relate to the overall condition? Do the side effects make sense? This may help to put everything together a little better.
-Are you constantly getting certain types of questions wrong on IPFC exams? It may be worth it to pay extra attention to those while studying.
-Change your study environment, whether you tend to study at home or school or elsewhere
-Do you tend to study alone? I know that I need other people to bounce ideas off of and to quiz each other.
-If groups aren’t your jam, perhaps change the way that you study alone: flashcards, drawing/writing things out, talking out loud, using different colours to highlight, etc.
-Finding questions online; a lot of them are basic, but they give a good foundation
Maybe you’ve been stuck in a method of studying that used to work for you, but isn’t really working anymore. It may seem like it’s too late to change, but I highly encourage for you to try anything. Even a small adjustment in your study habits may do wonders.
Please feel free to talk to any of the peer mentors!