Simple Steps Every Student Can Take for Exam Success

Read the Book. MUA professors do a wonderful job of teaching, and the slides for most classes contain a
majority of key points. Sometimes, particularly when the student has a solid preparatory education, slides
and lectures may allow you to master most of the material—but if you are struggling in a class, an hour
of reading and an hour of reviewing slides every evening is often more effective than 2 hours of
reviewing slides.

Change Subjects When Your Mind Starts to Wander. Many students can effectively study a subject for
an hour or two. After that, efficiency starts to drop. If you switch to another subject for a half hour or so,
then switch back to the target subject, you can maintain study efficiency. If you struggle with keeping
focus, then start with small goals. Study a subject for 30 minutes, then take a break for 10 minutes. Repeat
this cycle a few times, then move to another subject. During your 10-minute break, drink a small glass of
water, walk around the room, step outside for a minute, check your social media feed-if you must, but set
a timer for each 30-minute and each 10-minute period, and obey the alarm.

Go to the TA Sessions. If you are struggling with a class or have failed an exam there is no good excuse
for not going to all available TA sessions. Do you really think that you will be more effective figuring
things out on your own? It's widely known that when MUA made TA sessions mandatory for students
failing an exam, passing rates climbed. Utilizing peer tutoring/mentoring is NOT a sign of weakness;
rather it is a sign of strength and wisdom, and it is a lifelong habit of good physicians.

Go to the Professor Review Sessions. Just as you might wonder why anyone would refuse to get a safe
and effective vaccination, I wonder why a student comes to me wondering why they failed an exam when
they did not even attend the professor’s review sessions, which are one of the most valuable things you
can do to improve your exam scores. The professor knows the material, can answer questions better than
the student sitting next to you, and writes the examinations! Let nothing come between you and attending
the review session.

Sit in the Front of the Classroom. It is harder to zone out and easier to ask questions when you sit in the
front of the class. It also adds a healthy measure of accountability, because students behind you can see if
you are paying attention, zoning out, scrolling on your device, or studying another subject.

Take Notes the Old Fashioned Way. Research has shown consistently that students who take longhand
notes score higher on exams than those who type notes on a laptop [e.g., Meuller, P.A., & Oppenheimer,
D.M. (2014). “The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking.”
Psychological Science, 25(6): 1159-1168; and Desselle, S.P., & Shane, P.A. (2018). Laptop versus
longhand note taking in a professional doctorate course: Student performance, attitudes, and behaviors.”
Innovations in Pharmacy, 9(3), 1-12.]. I recommend students to use pen and paper, but, if you must, then
use a stylus and write your notes on your screen instead of typing.

Create a Reasonable Schedule and Keep It Religiously. You need a descent night's sleep,
nutritional food, and some regular exercise. Planning out when you study, when you sleep, and when you
relax will actually allow you to get in MORE studying and MORE relaxation that you would otherwise.
When you don’t set (and follow) a schedule you end up spending time avoiding work without really
relaxing. If you don’t take care of yourself, you become unfocused and waste time, schedules allow you
to work and rest efficiently.