Failing an exam
So last week I got the results of our latest multiple choice exam (MCQ) which I didn’t pass (this sounds nicer than *fail*) which was a bit of a bummer really. I think it’s difficult especially when you think that you are working well and keeping up with your notes to then suddenly get a bad result which you may not have expected. As the exam is very clinical based, it can be hard for a pre-clinical student to get to grips with – but obviously everyone else in the year seems to be coping well, so that’s not really an excuse.
When I first checked the result online I just sort of felt disappointed more than anything but not particularly upset. Then I called my mother, oh dear it all went a bit blubbery from there… That made me realise just how much I did actually value getting a decent score and though she reassured me it was just the first one, it is easy to feel like you are the only one in that situation. After talking to other students, you realise there are other people in the same position as yourself and I think that is comforting (in a weird sort of way, not that I wanted anyone to fail like me).
Since pondering (what a lovely word :)) it over, I think I’ve come to realise that there isn’t anything that I would drastically change about the way I work (more like small changes here and there and a bit more perseverance) but I will definitely be more open to the value of working with others as usually I am quite happy to just work and revise my myself in my room. It can be really helpful to just ask others how they revise/work during the week to get more ideas and compare how much work you should/shouldn’t be doing and where you focus it – revising with a few other classmates can work well too. It also makes you question yourself a lot more and so I think partly you need to have some self-assurance in your abilities whilst also knowing that improvements can be made. Ultimately not doing well in one exam is not the end of the world but it does make you think a lot, and if that means you do much better next time then it can’t be so bad then can it?
So I know this is a very short post but I sort of wanted to write it because I think that students should think and prepare for not doing well in exams and not be afraid for asking for help. And in a way I can focus on the positives of this in that it should motivate me to work harder in preparation for future exams and that I failed my first official exam rather than one at the end of the year because the last thing I want is to be in the position of having to redo the year. Sorry for the ‘downer’ post but I would love to hear from you in the comments!
>What is your favourite ‘study tip’?
>Do you prefer to work alone or with others?
>How do you react to not doing well in exams?
>To any medics, how do you revise for MCQ style exams?
Thanks to those of you who have voted on my recent poll about what posts you would prefer to read – if you haven’t yet, please check it out at the end of this blog post. Much appreciated as it gives me a good idea of what to write about for my posts.
Sorry to hear you didn’t pass. It just goes to show that no matter how prepared you think you are there are always surprises waiting. Medicine is also a team subject. You do have to work with others sometimes and communication is vital. Maybe, for tips, you should have asked some seniors who have went through the MCQ’s already what you should expect. But this is a wake-up call now. Treat exams as life-threatening, the way an Olympic swimmer imagines a shark trying to catch its next meal. A good study tip for retention to long-term memory is to review material after an hour, then the next day, then in a week’s time, one month after that then three months then a year. And you wont forget it then. Other tips include things like making the material very visual as our brains are geared more this way. Using our imaginations. Also try to remember information with physical tasks (this helps actors remember lines). Also try to make the information personal and restructuring it will help you even more. And use your mp3 player to record passages or formula or definitions and listen to them while out cycling or shopping. Lets hope we hear good news on the next exam ;)
I definitely think asking students in the other years helps as they have gone through the exact same thing before, of course everyone has their own individual ways of tackling an exam but it’s great to get different perspectives. Yes we have been taught about techniques to reinforce learning as you suggest but that’s easier in theory than practice I find… Thank you for your suggestions though :)
My favourite way to study is in bed, with a cookery programme and a cup of tea. It may not be the most productive way in the world, but it works for me! I like to have something in the background to help me concentrate on what I’m working on. I tend to work alone, but I prefer having people around because they guilt me into working just by being there!
That sounds so lovely and relaxing, I find tea or a warm drink helps too. Yes having others there definitely motivates me to concentrate more (when you’re not just chatting to them!). Thanks for commenting :)
I prefer to revise for exams on my own by writing detailed notes and then summarising them with a (sort of) mind map. However, I also think that closer to exam time, once you think you have learnt the material, the best and more enjoyable way to revise is to teach somone else. For example, I find it useful to have a friend ask me a question on a particular topic and have me give a long explanation for an answer. Afterwards, you can swap roles. This way it is beneficial for both of you as whilst one is answering the question, the other person can have a textbook out and be listening out for any mistakes or refining points.
It’s a shame that you failed this exam but in the long-run, it may be a positive thing as now you know where you can improve and what you need to do next time in order to pass; whereas if you’d passed the first time, you may not have taken as much time to reflect on how you did and therefore not make much of an improvement next time round. Good luck for next time.
I find (sort of) mind maps helpful because they let me link ideas together rather than staring at a long list of bullet points. It also gives me an excuse to get those coloured pens out… I do agree with the point you brought up about teaching to others and I think I will try that out next time. Having others around definitely means you get the best of those 2/3 sets of notes as opposed to just your own as everyone includes different things you may have missed.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting – yes I am trying to look at it in a positive light and just focus on the learning right now as opposed to ‘exam mode’ mindset. My next one is just before Easter so I will be sure to report back!
Thank you so much to all the lovely and helpful comments so far – it’s great to get so many different ideas and perspectives!
Sorry to hear you didn’t pass. I think the first exam at med school can be a bit of a shock compared to what you’re used to, and is more of a taster of what’s to come than anything. (For example at KCL only SSC marks, 3rd and 4th year exams count towards job applications… Everything else is just pass to progress.)
I wrote a blog about my shock at med school suddenly being a lot harder than school, which might help: http://kingslondonmedstudent.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/importance-of-feeling-stupid.html
My study tip is EATING AND SLEEPING. I’m too old for all this “cram all night” business, if I don’t get my 8 hours, caffeine and some sugar before the exam I won’t make it through. You won’t learn if your brain is stressed so don’t even try, look after yourself and then everything you DO learn will stick.
MCQs- there’s probably books about how to pass them (personally I find revising a better use of my time!) but I tend to go with a “ruling out” process. There’s usually one or two things it obviously isn’t, something you can rule out with thought, and then I’m normally left with two options I have to weigh up carefully.
Also READ the question, one word can change the whole scenario!
Importantly, you need to get some study buddies ASAP. Other people on the course are useful for a variety of reasons- they might have different info about the upcoming exams, especially if they know people from upper years; they can motivate you; they can remind you to eat and sleep (see above) and they can bring different perspectives/areas of expertise into your learning. Discussing cases is good- ultimately you’ll need to produce all your knowledge in a conversation with a patient or doctor, not in MCQ style, so why not start now?
Once you get to clinical years and OSCEs you will desperately need other students to practise examining and watch and critique each other. Those that practised alone with books, did not do well. Find study buddies. Seriously.
Incidentally, if you’re from KCL drop me an email (on my blog) and I might be able to help you more specifically.
Thanks so much for the comment, I think your blog is great and the blog post you mentioned was helpful too. I totally agree with the eating and sleeping thing, I’m definitely not a night-time worker and don’t understand how other people do it – thanks a lot for all the other tips though and I will certainly put them to use!
I found that interesting. Thank you
If your tests are like ours were, you have to find the BEST answer, not just the right one :-/ It can be tricky so when you’re studying make sure to look for critical values and anything you can memorize to differentiate between different disease process etc so when you’re taking the exam you can pick up on the little clues that make one answer “more correct”
I also have to write key things out as I study. Going through the motions of writing it seems to push it into long term memory for me and really helps.
Most importantly, don’t let one test score ruin anything for you!
Yes I find eliminating incorrect answers will narrow down the answers to the ‘best’ one. Thank you so much for commenting!
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You are brave to acknowledge what happened, try to learn from it, & help others to avoid it. Well, here are your answers:
_Preparing before the lectures and/or revise them on the same day. I have been told this by many professors. I tested it & I assure you it’s time saving (you will take half an hour for revising in the same day, compared to 3 hours later in the week). Plus you tend to remember things easily in the long run.
_ Watch videos, there are plenty of explanatory videos online. Many intended to make recalling easier.
_ Draw what you are studying, imagine you are explaining it to your younger brother or even to a Kindergarten student. When you simplify things you understand them even more.
_ I used to do the final review with my friends, mostly answering MCQs. Or going fast on summarising what we had in the course. OSCEs & lab related examinations are best prepared for in groups, because you want to test your reflex (shorter time to think, you need to act)
_For MCQs, a good question bank is a must. There are many online. Senior students can help you understand the professor style, which I found helpful in my clinical years & in preparing presentations in clinical years. There is one professor who always give borderline grades, even if you discuss with him. I asked the previous students about his feedback after their presentations, & I spent 15 min discussing with him, it turns out he wanted a different thing. Guess who got a high grade.