Why I NEVER Made Notes at Medical School | My Secret to Staying on Top of Work

Summary

In this educational video, the speaker, Faye, a second-year medical student, shares her unique approach to note-taking for medical studies. She reveals that she doesn't take traditional notes, instead focusing on active learning strategies like flashcards during lectures to enhance retention. Faye emphasizes the importance of active recall and spaced repetition, inspired by Holly Abdul's study methods. She demonstrates how she creates digital flashcards on Quizlet in real-time during lectures, turning lecture content into questions to reinforce learning. Faye's method aims to make the most of lecture time, ensuring she feels engaged and retains information effectively, without letting studying consume her life.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker, Faye, a second-year medical student, does not take traditional notes for her degree.
• 🤔 Faye initially struggled with the volume of content in medical school and found her initial note-taking methods inefficient.
• 🔍 She was inspired by Holly Abdul's videos on study methods, particularly active recall and spaced repetition.
• 📈 Faye realized the effectiveness of flashcards from her GCSE days and decided to incorporate them into her medical studies.
• 🚫 Faye advises against completely discarding a study method that works for you; instead, adapt and build upon it.
• 💡 During lectures, Faye creates flashcards by turning lecture content into questions, which aids in active learning.
• 💻 Faye uses OneNote to store lecture PowerPoints and organizes them by curriculum blocks and weeks.
• 📝 She makes notes in a 'summary tab' for concepts that are not fully grasped or for concise notes found online.
• 📅 Faye uses a checklist to track her progress, coloring in lectures as she creates flashcards for them.
• 🔄 Faye emphasizes the importance of not letting medicine consume her life and seeks a balance with other achievements.
• 📱 Faye utilizes her flashcards for revision during spare moments, leveraging active recall and spaced repetition for effective learning.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker struggled with at the beginning of their medical degree?

The speaker struggled with the volume of content and the process of making the information stick in their mind.

What advice does the speaker give to those starting medicine regarding note-taking and revision methods?

The speaker advises looking into different revision methods and studying techniques, specifically mentioning active recall and spaced repetition.

Which YouTuber's videos does the speaker recommend for learning about study methods?

The speaker recommends watching Holly Abdul's videos for insights into effective study methods.

What was the speaker's method of revision during their GCSEs?

The speaker used flashcards for revision during their GCSEs.

Why did the speaker stop using flashcards during their A-levels?

The speaker's mother suggested that they couldn't just rely on flashcards and needed to actually learn the material, leading the speaker to not use flashcards during A-levels.

What is the speaker's current approach to note-taking during lectures?

The speaker does not take traditional notes but instead makes flashcards on Quizlet while the lecturer is speaking, turning the information into questions.

How does the speaker handle information that is not included in the lecture slides?

If the lecturer says something not included in the slides, the speaker types it down as additional notes.

What tool does the speaker use to organize their lecture materials and flashcards?

The speaker uses OneNote to store all the PowerPoints for lectures and Quizlet to create and manage flashcards.

What is the speaker's strategy for dealing with lectures that are too fast-paced to keep up with?

The speaker will star the parts of the lecture they skipped, intending to return to them later and create flashcards.

How does the speaker feel about the efficiency of their current note-taking and revision method?

The speaker finds their method of making flashcards during lectures very efficient and it helps them assimilate information without taking up too much of their time.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Efficient Note-Taking for Medical Studies

The speaker, Faye, a second-year medical student, shares her unconventional approach to note-taking during her medical studies. Initially, she found the volume of content overwhelming and struggled with traditional note-taking methods, which she found inefficient. She then discovered active recall and spaced repetition through Holly Abdul's videos, which resonated with her previous successful use of flashcards during her GCSEs. Faye emphasizes the importance of finding a study method that works for you and not necessarily discarding it for new methods just because they are suggested by others. She also discusses her experience with impostor syndrome and the pressure of keeping up with the vast amount of information in medical school.

05:02

🖥️ Leveraging Technology for Active Learning

Faye details her process of creating flashcards during lectures using OneNote and Quizlet. She explains that she prefers to make flashcards in real-time while the lecturer is speaking, which helps her stay engaged and process the information actively. This method also allows her to identify and record any additional points not included in the lecture slides. Faye organizes her digital notes by curriculum blocks and uses a checklist to track her progress. She admits to having days where she doesn't feel motivated to engage with the material deeply, but her system allows her to catch up later. The summary tab in her notes is for any concepts that need further clarification, and she uses Quizlet to create flashcards that facilitate active recall and spaced repetition, which are key to her revision strategy.

10:03

📈 Balancing Medical Studies with Personal Life

In the final paragraph, Faye discusses her philosophy of not letting medical studies consume her entire life. She values efficiency in her study methods to ensure she has time for other pursuits. Faye's approach to note-taking and revision during lectures is designed to maximize retention while minimizing time spent. She uses flashcards not only for immediate learning but also for quick revision sessions during downtime. She encourages viewers to subscribe for upcoming content on her revision strategies and invites them to share their own methods in the comments for mutual learning. Faye concludes on a positive note, expressing her enthusiasm for sharing her study techniques and connecting with her audience.

Keywords

💡Active Recall

Active recall is a learning technique where learners actively attempt to retrieve information from memory, rather than passively reading or rereading it. In the video, the speaker uses active recall by creating flashcards during lectures, which forces her to process the information and recall it in the form of questions and answers. This method is highlighted as a core strategy for effective learning in medicine, as it helps to improve retention and understanding of complex medical concepts.

💡Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time, which is proven to enhance long-term memory retention. The speaker mentions using flashcards with spaced repetition for revising medical content. This technique is particularly useful for the vast amount of information medical students need to remember, as it helps to reinforce learning over time through regular, yet spaced, review sessions.

💡Flashcards

Flashcards are a study tool consisting of a set of cards, each containing a question or a piece of information on one side and the corresponding answer or explanation on the other. In the video, the speaker discusses her reliance on flashcards for learning and revising medical material. She uses flashcards to convert lecture notes into a question-and-answer format, which aids in active recall and spaced repetition, making it a central method in her study routine.

💡Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome is a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a 'fraud'. The speaker mentions experiencing impostor syndrome when starting medical school, feeling as if she didn't deserve her place and wasn't as smart as her peers. This concept is relevant to the video's theme as it speaks to the challenges many students face in higher education, particularly in demanding fields like medicine.

💡OneNote

OneNote is a digital note-taking app that allows users to organize notes, drawings, and other information in a customizable and searchable manner. The speaker mentions using OneNote to store all the PowerPoints from her lectures, indicating its utility for managing and accessing educational content. This tool is integral to her study process, providing a digital space to collect and review lecture materials.

💡Quizlet

Quizlet is an online learning platform that allows users to study various topics via learning tools and games, particularly through digital flashcards. The speaker uses Quizlet to create her flashcards during lectures, turning lecture content into a format conducive to active learning and revision. This platform is central to her strategy for note-taking and information retention in the video.

💡Systems-based Curriculum

A systems-based curriculum is an approach to medical education where subjects are taught in the context of the body's systems (e.g., cardiovascular, respiratory) rather than as isolated disciplines. The speaker references her curriculum being systems-based, which influences how she organizes her notes and studies, focusing on the interconnectedness of medical knowledge.

💡Mindless Scrolling

Mindless scrolling refers to the act of aimlessly browsing through social media or other digital content without a specific purpose. The speaker admits to mindlessly scrolling through social media during lectures when not actively engaged in learning. This concept is used to contrast with her more productive study methods, highlighting the struggle for focus and engagement in an academic setting.

💡Revision Methods

Revision methods refer to the strategies and techniques used to review and consolidate learned material. The speaker discusses exploring different revision methods early in her medical studies, eventually settling on active recall and spaced repetition. These methods are central to her narrative as they represent a shift from passive note-taking to active learning, which she finds more effective for mastering medical content.

💡Lecture Capture

Lecture capture is a technology that records academic lectures, allowing students to review the material at their own pace. The speaker mentions that her lectures are recorded and made available online, which she utilizes by downloading them into OneNote. This technology is integral to her study process, enabling her to create flashcards and review lectures at her convenience.

Highlights

The speaker does not take notes for their medicine degree, highlighting the struggle with the volume of content.

Medicine is described as not hard, but the amount of content is challenging.

Initially, the speaker struggled with information retention and efficient studying methods.

Active recall and spaced repetition are introduced as effective study principles.

Flashcards were a successful revision method during GCSEs, later abandoned, and then revisited.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of sticking with a study method that works.

Developing and adapting one's study method is crucial, rather than completely changing it.

The speaker's name is Faye, and she is a second-year medical student.

Faye's approach to lectures involves active listening and creating flashcards in real-time.

Flashcards are made during lectures to process information and aid active learning.

Lectures are downloaded and notes are taken in OneNote, with additional information typed if not on slides.

The speaker uses Quizlet for flashcards, structuring them by medical systems and topics.

Flashcards are created as questions to engage with the material and facilitate active recall.

The speaker discusses the importance of not losing context when creating flashcards.

Flashcards are used for revision with active recall and spaced repetition techniques.

The speaker plans to create a video on revision strategies, focusing on flashcards.

Encouragement for viewers to share their note-taking and revision methods in the comments.

Transcripts

hello everyone today I'm gonna be

filming a video all about how I take my

notes for medicine

spoiler alert yes you heard that right

I do not take any notes for my degree

when I started in first year I really

struggled with the volume of the content

I think what I've said before about

medicine is medicine isn't actually that

hard it's the amount of content you need

to know that it's a hard bit I really

struggled with like process and all that

information and making it stick in my

mind I didn't really take out the time

in the beginning to try learn all about

different revision methods and I just

started taking notes very quickly I

realized that it was so inefficient I

was spending hours writing these notes

and then at the end of it realizing I

basically just copied things

word-for-word and that nothing had

actually gone in I always get asked by

people who are about to stop medicine if

they have any advice for things that

they can do before they start their

course to like get ahead or whatever and

I always say look at how to revise look

at how to study I watched a couple of

Holly Abdul's videos he talks about

which methods of studying like research

factor which I really really really like

so the two principles I picked up from

his videos were active recall and spaced

repetition this is something that GCSEs

I did without realizing my method of

revision at GCC was flashcards I had oh

my gosh mountains and mountains of

flashcards for everything and then I

remember I got to a levels and my mom

was like you can't just flashcard things

like you actually have to learn it

because I guess she kind of just assumed

that I was memorizing everything and

then I just never really thought about

flashcards in my a levels and then so

hearing ali abdul spoke about spaced

repetition naps recall it just made me

think back so what did work for me and

if it worked for me why did I ever try

and move on to something different I do

think it's so goods like develop your

skills and build and progress but to a

certain extent if you have a method that

really clicks with you and does work for

you ya build on it and develop it but

don't completely shove it to one side

and start all over again which is kind

of what I did

flashcards worked why is I not six

why was i listening to people telling me

that flashcards I wasn't learning it

properly and trying to revamp my entire

revision method when I could have just

adapted the revision method I already

had so that it suit my a-levels so that

is how this learning system came about

as I said I do not take notes but I will

explain what I actually do doo doo doo

doo doo in lectures and how I learn

later on in the video if you don't know

who I am my name is Faye and I'm a

second year medical student and if you

want to see a little bit more of my life

then please feel free to subscribe to my

channel or follow my Instagram which I

will put here when I started medicine

especially because I didn't do great my

a-levels I already had like impostor

syndrome I already thought that I was

gonna fail I wasn't gonna be as smart as

everyone else I didn't deserve my place

even and then get in there and then not

knowing how to work my way through all

this information that was being thrown

at me at like a million miles an hour

was just the worst feeling in the world

and I wish I'd had a video that just

gave me some inspiration gave me a

starting point that being said how this

video is gonna work is basically I'm

gonna talk you through exactly what I do

during a lecture because if I'm not

taking notes what am i doing honestly

most of the time I am mindlessly

scrolling through social media but when

I'm being good this is what I do and I

come out of the lecture feeling like

I've actually taken stuff in which was

not the case beforehand at all I feel

like I'm definitely not the only person

who Jose is are five minutes into a

lecture unless they have something to

keep them going to keep them proactive

before I get on my laptop and show you

what I do during a lecture I'm just

gonna give you a brief overview so in an

ideal situation if the lecture is going

at a really nice easy pace and I'm not

feeling tired and drained then what I

will do is I will make flashcards whilst

the lecturer is speaking the reason I do

this is because I zone out so quickly if

I'm just listening / just taking notes

our lectures are put online before we

have our lecture so what I'll do

download the lecture and put it on my

OneNote and then ask the lecturer is

speaking I will process the information

that they're saying and turn

into a question and put it on Quizlet

essentially making flashcards I can use

for active learning in the future this

does mean that I can take notes notes

but what I will do if the lecturer says

something that isn't included in the

slide then I will just type it down what

I love about this is that if you have to

make a question out of the information

you'll give it you have to process the

information you cannot just mindlessly

be typing copy and everything they're

saying you have to take a statement or a

fact and then twist it to put it into a

question and answer form this is so good

for me because as I said I doze off five

minutes into the lecture if I just have

to listen and take notes if I'm typing

away trying to keep up with them then I

have some it's folks on I have something

that's keeping me engaged and on the

ball so I'm just gonna take you through

the process whilst going through this

lecture so all my notes I use one now I

know I said I don't make notes but I use

one now to store all the powerpoints for

all the lectures that we get given so as

you can see here hopefully I'll be like

somewhere here I split up my notes into

the blocks that exists to for our

curriculum our curriculum is a systems

based curriculum which basically means

we learn medicine with respect so the

systems in the body that makes sense all

the yellow ones are fair share these

orange ones are second year obviously I

haven't got any surgery stuff yes so the

lecture that I've picked is an

ophthalmology lecture which was one of

our blocks this year so click on

ophthalmology then I split up the block

in two weeks so as you can see

ophthalmology is two weeks but say msk

msk was six weeks and I think GI was

fake for ten then for each block I have

a little summary tab this is if I make

any sorts of notes then I'll put them in

the summary tab usually these are things

that I don't quite grasp and I just want

to make the notes as a different way of

processing the information or say if I

find some really good concise notes on a

webpage I'll copy and paste them into

here as I've said I only really make

notes if something just still is a click

on all my block folders I have a

checklist this is split up into weeks

every time we have a lecture I put it in

a box when I make flashcards for the

lecture I color it in gray so as you can

see I haven't flashcard into all my

lectures for ophthalmology this is

normally because I've gotten to a

lecture and I've just honestly economy

bothered listening to a lecture and

copying out what they're saying

mindlessly is so much easier than

processing it and putting it into

question form so there are some days

that I just cannot be asked so these are

the ones that are in white ophthalmology

is actually quite bit about this if I go

so like any other one I'm normally quite

good and I normally have Gray's

basically all the way through except for

like one white ophthalmology was around

November December time I was like

getting tired there were days when I

just got in nose huh nope this is why I

picked off the maliki though at least

now I can go through it and talk you

through what I would do a lecture that

we have is keep Hillary responses what I

will do is I will go on

Quizlet my Quizlet is basically set up

in the same way that my window is set up

and I'm gonna click on ophthalmology and

then I'm gonna go down to physiology so

I've got a society and I've go down to

the bottom normally when it gets to

about a hundred I'll just make a new one

and then I've named that like

ophthalmology physiology 2 or whatever

because you don't want too many cards in

a set otherwise you lose like the

context this is something else Ali

Abdullah talks about is how if you break

things down into flashcards the

difficulty is that you lose the context

of the information so if I look at

flashcard and I go now I don't even know

where this fits in anywhere what I will

do is I will go away and I will research

that a little bit deeper and I'll look

into where it's say by watching youtube

video or read about it or something so

I'm just going to go add card and then

basically ask the lecturers speaking I

will just add things so either I'll add

things as like a question or if I really

can't be bothered and I just want to get

something

as quickly as possible I'll do like a

fill-in-the-blank so I'll type out like

the sentence and then just do da da da

that really is like the bare minimum

then you can literally just copy and

paste what's on your lectures and delete

words or the other thing that I will do

is like a sentence and then I'll do like

am one word and then another word would

like a slash in between this is what

I'll do for this bit so it says so the

pupilary constrictor slash that

sphincter is innovated by the

parasympathetic so what I will do is

I'll just type in that and this what I

do at sym paretic slash power sim with

Quizlet it has the tomb on one side in

the definition on the other side what I

do is I put the question in the

definition box and then the answer in

the turn box I use Quizlet purely

because it was the one that I was aware

of in first year and like now all my

flashcards are on there I do hear a lot

of good things about unki if you'll just

start your notes then maybe looking

sung-ki over Quizlet it's literally just

because i started on Quizlet so then I

report the answer which is

parasympathetic and basically I will

just do that for the lecture the whole

way through if I get to a point where

the lecturer speeds up and I can't keep

up with them then what I will do is I

will literally just pull it like a blue

star on the lecture side that I've

skipped out and then I just know to come

back to it and just make the flashcards

after and then once I've done that I

will go to my summary and I will color

the lecture in grey in my checklist

obviously with the blue star there are

things that I do need to catch up on

after the lectures but normally because

I've made my flashcards for the bulk of

the lecture in the lecture

I'm saving so much time I honestly find

it so efficient I like love my life I

never want medicine to take over my life

obviously it's important and I do give

it a lot over my time but there are so

many things that I want to achieve

outside of medicine this is honestly the

most efficient way of assimilating all

that information not taking up much of

that much time but also coming up the

lecture

feeling like you actually have a grasp

on things rather than feeling like you

just copy down what someone was saying

it didn't really take

if I'm in the lecture anyway it's taking

up my time so I may as well be using

that time to process the information in

a way that it sticks so I haven't really

talked about how I revise in this video

this is purely just being the equivalent

of like how I take notes I do really

want to do or how I revise video as well

because obviously my flashcards are a

huge part of how I revise and revision

is a huge reason that I love making

flashcards during lectures I have quit

on my phone anytime I'm just bored

waiting doing nothing I will do little

short bursts of revision this is where

like active recall and spaced repetition

really do come in I have like a revision

checklist II think that I swear by

I don't just revise from my quizlets but

they do make up a large proportion of my

revision if you want to see that video

the make sure you subscribe to my

channel and put your notifications on so

you know when I upload it and give this

video a like if you found it helpful and

also comment down below if you make

notes in a similar way or if you make

know some different way that you think

is better then share that in the

comments as well so that other people

can see it and that we can all learn

from each other

Wow I'm so positive today so yeah I will

see you in the next video

[Music]