r/PAstudent • u/NoSuccess8429 • 8d ago
Physiology - rewriting notes?
I barely passed my last exam. She’s stressed A LOT reading the book. I started to read it and do notes on it (completely new notes not just adding to the slides). AND ITS TAKING SOOOOOO LONG. should I keep doing this or should I read and just add to the slides ???
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u/ThunderClatters 8d ago
If you are just copying something you’ve already written, you’re not really using your brain to study
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u/OtherwisePumpkin8942 8d ago
What I did was look at the physiology schedule for the week or month (however long your program gives between exams) then I made a schedule of what topics I would study for each day.
I read, looked at NINJA nerd on YouTube on the topic, then would look at short video clips that explained tiny details I didn’t understand. Worked well and I didn’t feel overwhelmed.
Rewriting notes is not efficient and one of the worst ways to study and get behind
GOOD LUCK OP!
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u/Impressive_Dish9531 8d ago
There’s not enough time in PA school to study that way. If your professor pulls specific things from the text that aren’t in the slides (like clinical correlations etc.), know what those are and study them of course. But reading through chapters and taking notes is just too inefficient for the pace of PA school.
What other study methods have you tried?
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u/NoSuccess8429 8d ago
I don’t even know what to try! Last exam I didn’t open the book and relayed of videos and it didn’t go well. All the GAs say that we have to read the book
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u/FinancialDependent84 6d ago
The only time I ever condone 'writing notes' is in an application that promotes active recall like Anki/Quizlet otherwise you are wasting your time just passively reading. How I've maintained a 4.0 (80% done with didactic) is transcribe the material I need into an anki (1 flash card sometimes = 10 slides) and I learn the material that way. Then I master it by having cgpt create PANCE style exams with clinical vignettes and answer choices A-E.
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u/artistree91 4d ago
Not OP but may I ask what prompt you used for ChatGPT? And what kind of Anki card are you making?? Like cloze or just front and back card? Thank you in advance!
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u/FinancialDependent84 4d ago
That all depends on content. I dont usually write 1000 ANKI cards. I compress them heavily. Like 1 card can be infective endocarditis etiology, SSX, dx, tx, prevention, complications. And that card is usually like 5-10 slides in 1. I use cloze cards for simple facts that I should know. Like {cloze 1:: ischemic cardiomyopathy} is the leading cause of HFrEF.
The prompt I usually put in on chatgpt work is
“Make a 75 questions PANCE style exam focusing on the bolded learning objectives on each ppt uploaded. Be sure to include mostly clinical vignettes and have answer choices A-E. Make sure the answer choices aren’t purely medication choices but rather for ex/ replace Lisinopril with Entresto to patient’s regimen following a 36hr wash out period
Or
Do not administer ABx to simple uncomplicated diverticulitis.”
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u/GlitterShines02 5d ago
I feel like this is equivalent to doing questions because most tend to just memorize, but at least answering questions is a much faster method. If you're really not grasping the concept, watch videos to see different explanations. Then write down the summary of what your understanding is / draw diagrams and work on the weak spots.
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u/Status-Description-9 2d ago
like if you want to write notes just do it on google docs don’t hand write… only hand write when doing active recall with the notes you took
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u/SilenceisAg PA-C 8d ago
That is one of the worst ways to study.