On Going to Class
Connor V., M1
Although most of our lectures are on Zoom with attendance being optional, I still prefer to attend them live. They typically start at 8 or 9 a.m. and run until noon. Most of the class watches the lecture later, often at 1.5 – 2x speed, which is nice and can “save time.” In my opinion, however, I lose time when I watch lectures later because what else am I going to do at 8 a.m.? Study? Absolutely not. That’s why I like to spend my mornings watching lectures, which frees the evenings to study and relax. It also helps me to wake up at a reasonable time in the morning and stay productive throughout the day. I won’t speak for the whole class, but whenever I skip lectures, I have a tougher time watching them in the evenings because I prefer to shut down around 8 p.m. and start watching Netflix. I’m sure many others have great success watching lectures later, but everyone should try going to class at least a few times.
On Skipping Class
Theo M., M1
Classes usually start at 8 a.m., which doesn’t really work well with my night owl schedule. Fortunately, most classes are recorded and do not have mandatory attendance, which means I can sleep in in the morning and watch the lectures later on my schedule. Aside from this, there are other benefits to not going to class and watching the lectures later: You can increase the playback speed (meaning less time watching the lecture and more time doing other fun things), you can rewind a particularly gnarly slide if you have trouble understanding, and you can even rewatch the entire lecture if you are still confused. I really appreciate the flexibility offered by skipping class and using recorded lectures.
Study Location: Carrels (On Campus)
Jessica G., M1
If you are an enthusiastic on-campus studier like me, you will love the carrels at WashU School of Medicine! I prefer to separate my living and study spaces, and the carrels are the perfect study environment away from home. There are spaces for every need — individual workstations, small conference rooms, larger classrooms (with standing desks!), and multiple common spaces with abundant natural light and stunning views of campus. Many of these areas contain whiteboards and projectors/screens to accommodate all learning styles and facilitate collaboration. One of the highlights of my school week includes watching Zoom lectures with friends (masked and socially distanced) in the larger classrooms. It’s amazing that we have access to spaces that enable us to safely simulate an in-person lecture during weeks when we have few in-person sessions scheduled.
The carrels address wellness needs too; on the third and fourth floors, there are student lounges with a nap pod, massage chair, cozy couches, and a kitchenette equipped with a Keurig, refrigerator, and microwave. Occasionally, there will be leftover food from events or homemade treats from classmates, which are lovely pick-me-ups. Whether you are looking for a quiet, individual study grind or a venue to study with friends, the carrels have it all. I would absolutely recommend exploring them as you acclimate to medical school!
Study Location: Home
Dominic M., M1
Studying from home has been a great way for me to make sure I’m taking care of myself while learning. It’s made taking short mental breaks easier as I can head to a different room for a change of scenery for a few minutes before getting started again. You also have drinks and snacks easily accessible at home, which makes studying so much more fun/bearable. I’d recommend having a couple of different study spots in your place, just because staying at the same desk or on the same couch can get old both mentally and physically. Overall, I’d say home studying can be maximum comfort!
Study Location: Library
Theo M., M1
As someone who has done a large chunk of their study grind in Becker Library, I would say it can accommodate however intense you want/need to study. If you want a hardcore study session where nobody bothers you, then the underground level offers a perfect environment for you. The first floor has large tables that are perfect for group studying, especially if you want to remain focused while still being able to ask each other questions (albeit quietly). The very tall glass ceiling makes the first floor feel spacious and lets in a lot of natural light during the day. There are also conference rooms on the upper floors which you can reserve all for yourself.
Study Location: Other
Stockton T., M1
I’ve gotten pretty into studying in coffee shops, and luckily there are some good options around campus. There’s a cafe on the ground level of the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center (FLTC) that has really good coffee and food. It’s a great spot to hang out or work. There is also a Starbucks nearby, and while we all like to pretend we don’t like it, we admit they have good coffee. There’s also a local coffee shop called Kaldi’s, with one location in the Mid Campus Center building and another just 8–10 minutes from campus, that has next-level pastries.
Study Location: Other
Lyra M., M1
Do you feel sick of Zoom classes and late-night study sessions at home? Going to campus can be super motivating and fun, but exam week is around the corner, and the vibes on campus are just not immaculate. This is when I tend to escape the med school bubble and go to cute local coffee shops and libraries. My go-to coffee shops are Northwest Coffee and Rise. (If you could see these places, you would never leave!) I also took a suggestion from one of our Health Equity and Justice leads (thanks, Audrey!) and checked out GORGEOUS Central Library in downtown St. Louis! Think Dark Academia YouTube playlist except it has come to life, and you get to study there — for free.
Study Method: Anki
Stockton T., M1
I never used Anki before coming here. When I decided to give it a try, the support and resources from my classmates made all the difference. Now I love it and think it is a very helpful study tool. There are decks made from our lectures that the year above us passed down, which have been super helpful, and we have been building on these cards to pass down to the next year of students. Also, the material lines up well for using the AnKing deck and third-party resources if that is something you are interested in doing. (I’ve been doing this and have really liked it!) And if Anki isn’t your thing, don’t sweat it and try to force yourself to study in a way that isn’t good for you; there’s more than one way to peel a banana!
Study Method: Traditional
Matthew B., M1
Anki may be the study method of choice for many med students, but I have never been one to study with flashcards. Instead, I watch most of our lectures as they occur and take notes on the provided slide decks. Then, I watch videos from outside resources, such as Pathoma, that are relevant to class content. Later, I revisit the lecture slides and take notes by hand. Finally, I (ideally) review my notes and the learning objectives from each class session to make sure I have covered the relevant content for the exam.
What I find key to my study method is repetition. Each pass through the material helps me retain a bit more. This probably won’t be your exact method, but my recommendation would be to develop your pattern that contains enough repetitions of the material.