Pharmacy school can definitely be stressful, with the rigorous coursework, practical skills, and the need to balance academic and personal life.
The volume of information to learn, coupled with the necessity of developing hands-on skills, can be overwhelming. The pressure to perform well academically while maintaining personal responsibilities also adds to the stress. By implementing strategies such as staying organized, practicing active learning, and maintaining consistent study habits, you can manage the workload effectively.
The first thing to realize is that how you study is not a one size fits all type thing, rather you must find out what works best for you, what makes you the most productive, and what yields the best results.
Find your study group
I am very fortunate to have a solid study group. For my study group, we usually study on our own and then when we come together, we ask each other a series of questions to see if we can all respond based on our separate studies. We will also use this opportunity to address any areas where we do not feel very confident. Through individual studying, each of us develop a solid comprehension of the subject matter so that when our group comes together, we can concentrate on deeper comprehension rather than addressing the fundamentals. Individual preparation ensures that everyone comes to the study session with a similar level of knowledge, allowing the group to make better use of the time together.
Stay Organized
- Planners or Google Calendar
- keeps track of classes, assignments and deadlines
- creates tidy, distraction-free study environment
- breaks down tasks into smaller manageable tasks
- prevents last minute cramming
- reduces stress
Active Recall
Active recall focuses on what you can extract from your memory rather than trying to memorize new material. Here is how I incorporate active recall into my studying:
- Skim through the PowerPoint presentation, try to remember as much as I can
- Put the PowerPoint away
- Write down everything I remember in my notes
- Reopen the PowerPoint and see what I remembered and what I forgot
- Repeat until I remember everything!
Practice Consistency
One thing I cannot stress enough is to study the material the same day that it is taught to you, even if it is just rereading the PowerPoint again. When you get into the habit of studying regularly, you can break down large volumes of information into more manageable chunks. I have found that this prevents myself from becoming overwhelmed with too much material at once and makes it easier to understand and retain information. Having consistent study habits mean you are continuously preparing for your exams and assessments rather than trying to learn everything all at once, which results in reduced exam stress and better academic performance!
I hope that all of you incoming pharmacy students find these study tips useful. By staying organized and having consistent study habits, I have no doubt that you will excel in pharmacy school!