How to study

Medical residents acquire knowledge of innumerable techniques, interventions, and procedures that they subsequently implement in order to preserve lives. Literally, the ability to recall these skills can mean the difference between life and death. In light of this, a research study conducted in 2006 divided a cohort of surgical residents who were undergoing artery suturing instruction into two distinct groups. While all groups were provided with identical study materials, one group made a minor adjustment to their approach to studying them. One month later, this group demonstrated a marked improvement in surgical performance compared to the remaining residents. Along with that group's success factor, we shall expound upon two additional efficacious study techniques that have practical applications beyond the confines of the classroom. However, in order to comprehend the efficacy of these approaches, it is imperative to initially deconstruct the mechanisms by which the brain acquires and retains information. Consider that you are attempting to commit to memory the anatomy of the heart. Memories of newly introduced concepts are transiently encoded in clusters of neurons located in the hippocampus, a cerebral region. You reactivate these neurons as you sustain your understanding of the heart's mechanisms in the classroom or scrutinize its chambers in preparation for an examination. This repeated discharge stabilizes the memory by fortifying the intercellular connections. The process by which knowledge of heart anatomy is progressively retained over time entails the neocortex, an additional cerebral region. The process by which data is transferred from short-term to long-term storage remains poorly understood; however, it is hypothesized that this occurs between study sessions and, arguably most significantly, while sleeping. In this stage, the recently acquired information is incorporated with other pertinent concepts that you are already familiar with, such as the methodology for quantifying heart rate or the anatomical structure of other bodily organs. Beyond that, the procedure continues. Recalling heart anatomy induces a reactivation of long-term memory, rendering it vulnerable to modification. It is possible to revise, fortify, and reintegrate the knowledge with additional data. Our initial investigation technique is as follows. Self-evaluation through the use of flashcards and exams compels one to actively retrieve information, thereby strengthening and modernizing the memory. Frequently, students favor alternative study techniques, such as rereading textbooks and annotating notes. Conversely, these practices may engender an illusory perception of mastery due to the conspicuous presence of the information. Conversely, self-testing enables one to assess their knowledge with greater precision. However, suppose that you forget the answers while performing this task. Not to worry—in the long run, learning can be enhanced by making errors. There is a theory that as one laboriously searches for the answer, pertinent knowledge is activated. Then, upon subsequent disclosure of the accurate response, the brain will be in a better position to incorporate this data into its preexisting knowledge. Our second method is an extension of the initial. When studying with flashcards, it is optimal to incorporate a variety of subjects into the deck. By interleaving the concepts you practice in a single session, rather than concentrating on a single skill or subject at a time, retention can be improved. One plausible explanation for this phenomenon is that, similar to examinations, cycling through various subjects induces the brain to momentarily forget and subsequently retrieve information, thereby fortifying the memory. One might also discover correlations among the subjects, thereby enhancing comprehension of their distinctions. Following an understanding of when and how to study, our final strategy will now address how. Scheduling your review over several days provides an opportunity for intermissions of rest and sleep. The brain is hard at work "offline," accumulating and integrating information in the neocortex. Therefore, although it may seem logical to cram for an exam the night before, since the material will still be fresh in your consciousness, the information will not be retained for the long term. We return to our medical residents at this point. The time devoted to studying the surgery was identical for both groups. However, the training of one group was compressed into a single day, whereas the training of the other, more successful group was spread out over four weeks. Each of these three effective study techniques is specifically designed to operate on the workings of the human brain. They reinforce and supplement the remarkable mechanism by which the brain processes and stores the copious amounts of information it is exposed to on a daily basis.