+49 89 6282 5737
+43 1 4350 551
English (UK) 
Copy link
📖 Table of contents
It is no myth that the subject matter covered in medical studies is extensive and varied. Over the years, a lot of knowledge accumulates that needs to be recalled for the exams. But how do I manage to learn the subject matter quickly and confidently? With the right learning methods, this is not rocket science either, which is why we want to give you a few tips and tricks along the way.
In order to find the best learning method for yourself, it is important to find out what type of learner you are. However, it is important to note that not just one, but several learning types can apply to you and the combination of these achieves the best result. Some of the different learning types are visual, auditory, motor and communicative. To get specific tips for your individual learning type, you can read the article "What type of learner am I?" drop by.
Of the many learning methods I have already tried, a few have been particularly helpful: The core method, short and concise Writing summaries and the active recall of learnt content, which I will now present.
1. the core method
The core method is about learning from the "inside out", i.e. starting with the most important learning content first and then working through it step by step. You can categorise the learning content into three different categories: Core information, additional information and unimportant information. Using this method, you avoid forgetting important information and concentrate on what will be asked in the exam.
But how do I recognise what is important learning content?
Take a look at old exam questions to find out what the professors emphasise and what is frequently asked. The professor can also give you hints about the exams in the lectures, which is why it makes sense to mark these topics in red and focus on them afterwards. The last trick is to put yourself in the role of the examiner and ask yourself how the examiner would formulate the content in exam questions. Afterwards, you can answer these questions yourself as an exercise and check how far you have progressed in your learning.
2. write good summaries
For a long time, I wrote extensive summaries that were full of details and explanations. However, I found it difficult to keep track of what I was learning, so I had to change my method. With so much material to learn, it's important to summarise it well. You should therefore only include keywords and the most important information. After all, the summary is not intended for precise explanations, but for the structured collection of exam-relevant learning content. If you forget the meaning of certain terms in your summary, you can always look them up in a book, so don't include long texts, but keywords!
3. active recall
The most effective and important part of learning is active recall. This involves recalling and reproducing what we have learnt from memory. Only what we repeat regularly is stored in our long-term memory. After your first learning unit, try to repeat in your own words what you have read or learnt to check that you have understood everything. It makes sense to cover the book/lecture slides so that you can't look at them and trigger active recall. It's perfectly okay not to be able to reproduce the entire subject matter straight away and to forget information, because the more often you quiz yourself on the material, the more knowledge you will gradually acquire.
Another method to actively learn the material is to formulate a question for each slide during a lecture that deals with the content. After the lecture, try to answer the questions yourself and see how much you have learnt from the lecture.
It can be difficult not to fall into passive learning, but once you get used to the active methods, memorising will be easier and will help you in your studies. Good luck and good learning!
Copy link
