How to learn effectively in medical school: test yourself, learn actively, and repeat in intervals

Marc Augustin, Marc Augustin

Abstract

Students in medical school often feel overwhelmed by the excessive amount of factual knowledge they are obliged to learn. Although a large body of research on effective learning methods is published, scientifically based learning strategies are not a standard part of the curriculum in medical school. Students are largely unaware of how to learn successfully and improve memory. This review outlines three fundamental methods that benefit learning: the testing effect, active recall, and spaced repetition. The review summarizes practical learning strategies to learn effectively and optimize long-term retention of factual knowledge.

Keywords: active recall; learning; medical curriculum; spaced repetition; testing effect.

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Source: PubMed

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