trying to take a sip of water from a fire hose

Anyone struggling with the fire hose can learn from these stories and this process, even without taking our STATMed class. I’m going to present two stories from two different first-year med students showing the old way they studied during their first year of med school, then illustrate their new way of studying after taking our STATMed Study Skills class. And then, to beat this analogy to death, I want to illustrate how we can learn to drink from this fire hose. Try harder to drink from that fire hose or whatever.” So in this video, I want to demystify what this actually looks like in nitty gritty detail for real med students. I mean, if I were drowning in the fire hose, I would want more than someone saying, “Yep, that looks painful. I generally accept this fire hose analogy, but it’s a super simplification to a massively complex issue. And if you are a med student getting drowned by the fire hose, it can be maddening because others are figuring it out, and you are not. Now regarding this fire hose drinking process, many med students will acclimate, adjust and learn to drink from the fire hose, some more elegantly than others, but not everyone will because not all med students are built the same. This is what we call the speed volume density equation. This bluntly illustrates the primary challenge of learning in med school especially in those early didactic classroom years where there’s just so much, so fast, and you’re accountable for all of it. If learning in undergrad is like drinking from a water fountain, then learning in med school is like trying to drink from a fire hose. How hard are we talking? The commonly accepted metaphor goes like this. Delineating and understanding these patterns can be an important step to getting better at managing the firehose.įor more advice on the STATMed method, explore our blog and YouTube channel for more tips and insights. Everyone’s story is unique, but there are common patterns in studying and test-taking issues. Over the years, we’ve seen scenarios like these for medical, veterinary, pharmacy, and physician assistant students. Then every day I go into my daily study system.” It will also boost my confidence, give me feedback, so I can make smart adjustments and control my anxiety. I don’t have to keep it all in my head, allowing me to focus on what matters, and using my study methods to learn, connect, encode, retrieve and master what I need to master. “I have a master plan to build off of, reflect on, and adjust as I go. In Their Words: Study and Testing Habits After The STATMed Class Then, we explore the differences in their study habits - and success rates - after implementing the strategies learned in our STATMed Study Skills Class. And I walk out sure that I failed even when I pass.” The test is a blur, I’m mostly predicting, and then getting frustrated on ruling options in instead of ruling options out, feeling like I don’t know all of it, so I can’t get it right. I feel like I’m familiar with almost everything, but that’s just enough to really frustrate me. “I’d walk into the test feeling like I’m walking into an execution. If I get lost, distracted, or zone out, it’s game over, and I might as well get on the internet or my phone or social media or whatever.” At best, I get some details, never enough. “I (would) passively watch (lectures), holding on for dear life, trying to take it all in, drinking from that firehose. In Their Words: Study and Testing Habits Before The STATMed Class We take a look at their study habits - habits they thought were setting them up for success - and break down why popular studying methods don’t always work when you get to the med school level. In this video, we break down the study habits of two first-year med students who felt like they were getting pummeled by the firehose. You’re Struggling in Med School Because There’s. So, studying and testing strategies that are successful for your peers might not benefit you at all. It’s important to remember that not all med students are built the same. That’s why you need to be studying as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Between the grueling hours and the amount of information always coming at you, it’s no wonder that even smart students get seriously overwhelmed and start struggling in med school. We’ve always heard that if studying and learning in undergrad is like sipping from a water fountain, then learning in med school is more like trying to drink from a firehose. All your attention stays on keeping your head above the water. Let’s state the obvious: it’s pretty hard to succeed in med school when you feel like you’re drowning. How STATMed Learning Can Help Turn Down the Pressure

Trying to take a sip of water from a fire hose