Medical residents undergo rigorous training, learning various techniques, surgeries, and procedures essential for saving lives. Retaining these skills is crucial. A 2006 study explored how surgical residents learned to suture arteries, dividing them into two groups. Both groups had the same study materials, but one group altered their study approach slightly. A month later, this group outperformed the others significantly. Let’s delve into the secret behind their success and explore two additional study techniques that can be beneficial both inside and outside the classroom.
To grasp why these methods are effective, it’s important to understand how the brain processes and stores information. For instance, when memorizing the anatomy of the heart, the memory is initially encoded in the hippocampus. As you continue learning about the heart’s functions or studying its chambers for an exam, you repeatedly activate these neurons. This repeated activation strengthens the connections between them, stabilizing the memory. Eventually, this knowledge is stored long-term in the neocortex. Although the exact process of transferring information from short-term to long-term memory isn’t fully understood, it is believed to occur between study sessions and during sleep, when new knowledge integrates with related concepts.
Each time you recall information about heart anatomy, you reactivate the long-term memory, making it open to modification. This allows the knowledge to be updated, strengthened, and integrated with other information. This leads us to our first study technique: testing yourself with flashcards and quizzes. This method promotes active retrieval of knowledge, which updates and reinforces memory. While students often prefer rereading textbooks and highlighting notes, these methods can create a false sense of competence since the information is readily available. Testing yourself provides a more accurate assessment of what you truly know.
If you struggle to remember answers while testing yourself, don’t worry—making mistakes can actually enhance long-term learning. It’s believed that attempting to recall an answer activates relevant knowledge. When the correct answer is revealed, your brain can better integrate this information with what you already know.
Our second technique builds on the first. When using flashcards, it’s beneficial to mix the deck with multiple subjects. Interleaving, or mixing different concepts in a single study session, can lead to better retention than focusing on a single topic at a time. One hypothesis for why this works is that cycling through different subjects forces your brain to temporarily forget and then retrieve information, further strengthening memory. You may also discover connections across topics, enhancing your understanding of their differences.
Now that you know how and what to study, our final technique concerns when to study. Spacing your review across multiple days allows for rest and sleep between sessions. During this “offline” time, the brain actively works on storing and integrating knowledge in the neocortex. While cramming the night before an exam may seem effective, the information is less likely to stick long-term.
Returning to our medical residents, both groups studied the surgery for the same amount of time. However, one group’s training was crammed into a single day, while the more successful group’s training was spread over four weeks. The effectiveness of these three study techniques lies in their alignment with how the brain functions, helping to sort through and store the vast amount of information it receives daily.
Create a set of flashcards based on your current course material. Use these flashcards to test yourself regularly. Focus on actively retrieving the information rather than passively reviewing it. This will help reinforce your memory and identify areas that need more attention.
Organize a study session where you mix topics from different subjects. For example, spend 20 minutes on anatomy, then switch to physiology, and then to pathology. This interleaving approach will help you make connections between different topics and improve your retention.
Plan your study schedule to include spaced repetition. Instead of cramming, review your notes and flashcards over several days or weeks. This method will allow your brain to consolidate information more effectively and improve long-term retention.
Pair up with a classmate and quiz each other on the material you are studying. This active retrieval practice will not only help reinforce your knowledge but also provide a different perspective on the material as you discuss and explain concepts to each other.
After each study session, spend a few minutes writing a reflective journal entry. Summarize what you learned, any difficulties you encountered, and how you overcame them. This reflection will help solidify your understanding and identify areas for further study.
During their training, medical residents learn numerous techniques, surgeries, and procedures that they will later use to save lives. Remembering these skills can be crucial. A 2006 research study examined a class of surgical residents learning to suture arteries, dividing them into two groups. Both groups received the same study materials, but one group made a small change in their study approach. When tested one month later, this group performed significantly better than the other residents. We will explore the key to that group’s success, along with two other effective study techniques that can be applied both in and out of the classroom.
To understand why these methods work, let’s first look at how the brain learns and stores information. For example, when trying to memorize the anatomy of the heart, the memory is temporarily encoded in groups of neurons in the hippocampus. As you continue to learn about the heart’s functions in class or study its chambers for an exam, you reactivate these same neurons. This repeated activation strengthens the connections between the cells, stabilizing the memory. Over time, knowledge of heart anatomy is stored long-term in the neocortex. The process of transferring information from short-term to long-term storage is not fully understood, but it is believed to occur between study sessions and during sleep, when new knowledge is integrated with related concepts.
Each time you recall heart anatomy, you reactivate the long-term memory, making it open to change. This knowledge can be updated, strengthened, and reintegrated with other information. This leads us to our first study technique: testing yourself with flashcards and quizzes. This method encourages active retrieval of knowledge, which updates and strengthens memory. While students often prefer methods like rereading textbooks and highlighting notes, these can create a false sense of competence since the information is readily available. Testing yourself allows for a more accurate assessment of what you truly know.
If you struggle to remember the answers while testing yourself, don’t worry—making mistakes can enhance long-term learning. It is believed that as you try to recall the answer, you activate relevant knowledge. When the correct answer is revealed, your brain can better integrate this information with what you already know.
Our second technique builds on the first. When using flashcards, it’s beneficial to mix the deck with multiple subjects. Interleaving, or mixing different concepts in a single study session, can lead to better retention than focusing on a single topic at a time. One hypothesis for why this works is that cycling through different subjects forces your brain to temporarily forget and then retrieve information, further strengthening memory. You may also discover connections across topics, enhancing your understanding of their differences.
Now that you know how and what to study, our final technique concerns when to study. Spacing your review across multiple days allows for rest and sleep between sessions. During this “offline” time, the brain actively works on storing and integrating knowledge in the neocortex. While cramming the night before an exam may seem effective, the information is less likely to stick long-term.
Returning to our medical residents, both groups studied the surgery for the same amount of time. However, one group’s training was crammed into a single day, while the more successful group’s training was spread over four weeks. The effectiveness of these three study techniques lies in their alignment with how the brain functions, helping to sort through and store the vast amount of information it receives daily.
Study – The systematic investigation into and analysis of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. – The study of cognitive behavioral therapy has provided significant insights into its effectiveness for treating anxiety disorders.
Brain – The organ in humans and other animals that is responsible for thought, memory, emotion, and sensory processing. – Neuroscientists are exploring how different regions of the brain interact during complex decision-making processes.
Memory – The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information. – Researchers are examining how sleep impacts memory consolidation and recall.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or being taught. – Effective learning strategies can significantly enhance a student’s ability to retain and apply new information.
Techniques – Methods or skills needed to bring about a certain result, especially in the context of learning or therapy. – Cognitive restructuring is one of the techniques used in cognitive-behavioral therapy to challenge negative thought patterns.
Retrieval – The process of recalling information stored in the memory. – Practicing retrieval through testing can improve long-term retention of information.
Information – Data that is processed or stored by the brain, often used in the context of learning and memory. – The brain processes information from the environment to form memories and guide behavior.
Retention – The ability to keep or hold information in the memory over time. – Spaced repetition is a technique that enhances retention by spreading out learning sessions over time.
Sessions – Periods of time dedicated to a particular activity, such as therapy or study. – Regular study sessions can improve academic performance by reinforcing knowledge and skills.
Knowledge – Information, understanding, or skill that one gets from experience or education. – The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of psychological theories and practices.
