are backed with sound scientific research. We can do the same when it comes to study

strategies. These are the 7 evidence-based study techniques with supporting scientific

evidence.

Dr. Jubbal, MedSchoolInsiders.com.

We can thank the psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus for studying his own memory and generating

what is known as the Forgetting Curve. In its simplest terms, the Forgetting Curve demonstrates

that after forming a memory, we gradually forget more and more of it as time elapses.

With attempts to retain the information at increasing intervals, just before we forget

it, the memory becomes more durable.

We know from neuroscience fundamentals that repetition potentiates neural connections

and allows us to remember information more effectively. The problem is that we have far

too much information to learn - we can't repeat every fact we need to know on a daily

basis. Enter the Spacing Effect. By repeated exposures to a piece of information at increasing

intervals between each repetition, we can optimize memorization and retain the most

information in the least amount of time.

Spaced repetition is most powerful when the timing is just right. If too little time elapses

between repetitions, the information is not reinforced as strongly. If too much time passes,

you forget and are unable to recall the desired information.

If we see the same information multiple times over increasing intervals, we'll be far

more effective at encoding those facts into long term memory. This is why cramming is

so ineffective. Studying for 8 hours over 2 weeks will generally result in superior

performance compared to studying for 8 hours in one sitting.

I'm a big proponent of using tools and systems to streamline and automate processes. I recommend

you take this same approach with spaced repetition. You could create a study schedule for yourself

where you plan out when to review older lectures in addition to recent lectures. Alternatively,

you can offload the process to other apps, like Anki, which will test you on bite-sized

pieces of information through flashcards and automatically schedule the cards based on

the difficulty of recall for each.

The most common mistake is procrastinating and cramming just days before the exam. This

undermines any of the potential advantages of spaced repetition.

When practicing spaced repetition, make sure you're using effective study strategies

and not simply re-reading your notes. Re-reading your notes is a form of recognition, whereby

you look at some facts and tell yourself, “oh yeah, I know that.” This is unreliable.

Instead, spaced repetition is most effective when combined with active recall, whereby

you test yourself for the answer. Which brings us to the second evidence-based study strategy.

Active recall is the practice of using the Testing Effect to your advantage. If you're

already using active recall, chances are you love it because of the resulting drastic improvement

in performance. If you aren't using it yet, there's a bit of a learning curve which

may be discouraging. You should expect active recall to be a difficult process, as active

learning methods are, by definition, far more challenging than passive forms.

When it comes to active recall, I normally advise students to create flashcards through

Anki, or to use practice problems, which also has the added benefit of practicing higher

order level thinking.

There are other ways to incorporate active recall, though. For example, you could write

or sketch out everything you know about a certain topic without looking at your notes.

Be as thorough as you can be, and afterward check what you've written compared to your

class notes for accuracy and to fill in points you may have missed.

Many students try active recall for a short period of time, only to give up soon after

because they find it difficult. The key is to understand that if it feels difficult,

that means it's working. And with anything in life, with practice you'll get better

at it. It becomes easier with time.

Another common mistake is studying facts in isolation. Particularly with flashcards, students

may focus too much on individual facts without adequate comprehension. Do not neglect comprehension,

which means truly understanding the relation between ideas and how certain concepts are

similar or different.

Lastly, remember to not only practice the recall part, but also check your answers.

If you are practicing recall without verifying accuracy, you may be reinforcing incorrect

information.

Closely intertwined with active recall is the concept of desirable difficulties. This

states that a learning task that requires a considerable amount of effort will improve

long-term performance, even though it may slow down learning initially. Research demonstrates

that the traditional easy forms of passive learning show better temporary performance

effects, but more difficult tasks, such as learning with active recall, result in improved

performance in the long term.

Think of it like going to the gym. If you bench press 10 pound dumbbells, you're technically

doing chest exercises, but you're not challenging yourself enough to improve. This is like passive

learning. On the other hand, if you bench press 100 pound dumbbells in each hand, you'd

be exerting yourself to a far greater capacity, resulting in muscle breakdown and ultimately

hypertrophy. This is a desirable difficulty, which you are more readily able to achieve

with tools such as active recall.

Desirable difficulties is an overarching principle that serves as a common thread throughout

the 6 other evidence based learning techniques.

Elaboration refers to further describing and explaining various ideas or concepts that

you're studying to solidify your understanding of the material.

The concept of elaboration sounds great, but the tricky part is how to effectively implement

the technique. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Generate questions for yourself about how various concepts or principles work and the

underlying reasons as to why. Try answering on your own first, and then turn to your class

materials or study buddies for verification and further explanation.

2. Cross reference different ideas, even if your professor or class materials didn't

explicitly do so. By comparing and contrasting relatable components, you'll better understand

the nuances of each, how they interplay, and you'll be less likely to confuse the two.

3. Make the content relatable. While elaborating on a concept, relate it to your own life experiences

or memories for a stronger memory anchor. Integrating new material with concepts you

already know helps you organize the new ideas, facilitating recall in the future, such as

on test day.

Don't be overzealous with your elaboration, meaning keep it within there scope of what

is accurate and reasonable. Overextension of elaboration can actually cause further

confusion in the long run.

Practicing elaboration with small groups, such as with the Feynman technique, can be

helpful, but beyond three people the drawbacks begin to outweigh the benefits.

Interleaving is the practice of alternating your studying from one topic to another rather

than blocking time for only one subject for an extended period of time. The literature

suggests that this strategy is particularly helpful with subjects requiring problem solving,

such as physics, chemistry, or math. Why is this counterintuitively beneficial? Interleaving

facilitates finding the links, similarities, and differences between ideas.

Interleaving simply means you need to switch between topics, ideas, or subjects during

a study session. Avoid studying one focused area for too long.

As you interleave, it's recommended you approach the topics and subjects in different

orders to facilitate improved understanding. While doing so, make it a conscious practice

to think how you can link principles between the different concepts.

The added benefit that goes overlooked is one of sustained endurance. When you're

strategically shifting between topics, you can ward off burn out and boredom through

novel stimuli. I used this practice almost religiously as a medical student to get through

study marathons on an almost daily basis.

Interleaving requires a bit of calibration — if you spend too little or too much time

on a single topic, it can prove detrimental. Switch too often and you begin to face the

issues of multi-tasking, whereby you fail to achieve meaningful deep understanding and

effectiveness drops. Spend too much time and you're not interleaving but rather just

performing traditional blocked studying.

My recommendation is to perform at minimum 1-2 Pomodoro blocks before switching to a

new topic. At the end of the study session, summarize the relevant key points, but do

so in a different order than when you first reviewed the information.

Concrete examples are a useful tool in facilitating understanding complex or difficult concepts.

It's quite simple — find relevant examples that illustrate the principles from a lesson

you're trying to learn, and ensure you deeply understand how the concrete example is a reflection

of this principle in practice.

To implement this practice, collect examples and then explain how the example illustrates

the principle you're attempting to learn, and repeat. You can also create your own examples

or exchange examples with your study group for added benefit.

When practicing this technique, ensure that the examples are actually relevant and accurate

to the concept or principle you're studying. Too often, students will find poor examples

online, through friends, or from other resources that reinforce an improper understanding.

Dual coding is the practice of inputting information related to the same concept through multiple

forms of media. For example, you may read about a concept in a textbook, and additionally

use visuals and diagrams to drive the point home.

To most effectively implement dual coding, don't simply look at a visual and think

“ah yes, I know this,” but rather actively explain the concept in your own words. Even

better, take the information you've read about in a textbook or heard about in lecture

and create your own visuals. This goes back to the summary sheets and synthesis questions

I spoke about in my how to take notes video. This will not only prove helpful in the active

process of creating the diagram, but now you also have a condensed high yield visual for

future reference.

The most common mistake to avoid with dual coding is passively reviewing the various

forms of media rather than approaching the practice through active methods. To demonstrate

mastery, you should be able to draw necessary figures from memory without cheating and looking

at your notes.

Understand that these seven principles are not to be practiced in isolation, but rather

are interrelated and should be used in conjunction. I refuse to believe the myths that how you

do in school or on standardized exams is fixed and based on predetermined intelligence. I

believe anyone has the ability to dramatically improve their study techniques, efficiency,

and performance on test day. If you need help taking your performance to the next level,

our team at Med School Insiders will help you implement these 7 techniques and more.

Not only are our tutors top tier performers with top percentile scores on the MCAT, USMLE,

and other tests, but they're also phenomenal teachers as well, helping thousands of students

drastically improve their performance. Unlike other companies, we don't just take any

tutors - we are insanely selective and only recruit the best. My team and I have worked

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over creating the most effective and rigorous system that optimizes for one thing – delivering

results. If you want to crush your MCAT, USMLE, or need help doing better in any class, from

organic chemistry or physics to cardiology or surgery and everything between, our team

has got your back. Visit MedSchoolInsiders.com to learn more.

Out of the 7 evidence based study techniques, which ones are you neglecting and going to

practice moving forward? Let me know with a comment down below. If you liked this video,

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Much love to you all, and I will see you guys in that next one.