Studying techniques anyone??

[highvelocity84]

So here's my question for all of you who have had to study for the NRE or just a big final in your EMT class.

My final is December 15th (the written). I have to read like two more chapters. Pretty much we have 30 some odd chapters. I want to say 33 chapters.

What is the best way to break it down so I'm not overwhelmed by the material but be able to review it all? Is the best way is to find national registry quizzes (i.e. on EMT-B.com) and whatever I don't get right or I can't fully explain what the concept is, then review it?

Any strategies would be helpful...I know I need to go over the cardiac chapter, along soft tissue injuries and bleeding & shock because their chapters had a lot of material.

Thank you much. I await your replies.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

So here's my question for all of you who have had to study for the NRE or just a big final in your EMT class.

My final is December 15th (the written). I have to read like two more chapters. Pretty much we have 30 some odd chapters. I want to say 33 chapters.

What is the best way to break it down so I'm not overwhelmed by the material but be able to review it all? Is the best way is to find national registry quizzes (i.e. on EMT-B.com) and whatever I don't get right or I can't fully explain what the concept is, then review it?

Any strategies would be helpful...I know I need to go over the cardiac chapter, along soft tissue injuries and bleeding & shock because their chapters had a lot of material.

Thank you much. I await your replies.

I'm going to ***/U/ME you took notes, highlighted the information, or both throughout the class.

Go over that.

If you have any old tests, go over them.

nremt.org can offer some help.

Get your classmates together and get a study group.

Find a protocol book. Go over it.

Talk with your preceptors. You know, the folks you road with? Pick their brains.

Essentially speaking, say goodbye to daylight.

 

[highvelocity84]

Beauty in the breakdown...

I'm going to ***/U/ME you took notes, highlighted the information, or both throughout the class.

Go over that.

If you have any old tests, go over them.

Get your classmates together and get a study group.

Find a protocol book. Go over it.

Talk with your preceptors. You know, the folks you road with? Pick their brains.

Essentially speaking, say goodbye to daylight.

The last time I got together with my classmates, hardly any of them showed up to the study session. I coordinated the sessions, too. Some ended up doing better than me. I now know why I had difficulty and I can do better. I've been doing better since.

We haven't really had that many quizzes. I will study those, yes. But there weren't that many. I have my midterm.

But how should I break down the new materials...like how often to have breaks, how many chapters a day?

 

[RailFan77]

One thing that helped me when I first tested several years ago...was to make up flash cards. You could try that.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

The last time I got together with my classmates, hardly any of them showed up to the study session. I coordinated the sessions, too. Some ended up doing better than me. I now know why I had difficulty and I can do better. I've been doing better since.

We haven't really had that many quizzes. I will study those, yes. But there weren't that many. I have my midterm.

But how should I break down the new materials...like how often to have breaks, how many chapters a day?

Look, your way of retaining information is different from my way of retaining information. Your stamina is different than mine. We both learn differently. Why? We are two different people. You are not me and I am not you.

Apparently you're no idiot, that you're not dumb, that you are no bafoon. You've gotten this far and are still passing. You haven't flunked out yet. That tells me a lot because it says a lot about you.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Whatever you've been doing, keep doing it. It's working.

There is one piece of advice I could tell you and everyone else who might read your thread.

Lighten up. Breathe. You're going to be fine. All you have to do is believe. I have seen countless people, intelligent people, pass their classes with flying colors, and yet have to retake and retake the NR. Why? Why is that? Personally I think they give the exam way too much power over them. They get intimidated and flunk. Don't do that.

Look, I entered college on academic probation. Now I'm a highly trained flight paramedic. So If I can do it, anyone can.

If the exam wasn't passable, then there wouldn't be people passing it. If you understand the "why", then the "what" and the "how" will make sense.

You've got the information. You know what to do. Go do it.

 

[NolaRabbit]

I have to echo the above poster that recommended flashcards. If you're a visual learner, they help immensely!

And don't forget to practice, practice, practice your practicals. Know the sheets, but the hands-on familiarity is what is going to determine whether you pass or fail the psychomotor portion of the exam.

Good luck!

 

[BossyCow]

Go over the review section at the end of each chapter. When you are reading a review and your brain says... oh yeah.. I know this.. move on to the next review page. Spend the time on the stuff you aren't sure about. Use the time left to go over the stuff you think you know.
Flash cards are good. Use them for the stuff you missed on a quiz or the processes, procedures you aren't sure of.

Get a good night's sleep the night before the test. Eat a high protein/low carb breakfast. Hydrate well (but not so well that you take the whole test with a bladder that is screaming at you for relief)

 

[MMiz]

It really depends on the person. Some suggestions:
1. Re-write your downs in your own words. Read what you already have, contextualize it, then re-write it in your own words.
2. Highlight your notes with a color coded highlighting system.
3. Create flash cards with important ideas and concepts. Not only should you create them, but also master them. I usually do them in bunches of ten, and once I master 10 I add another 10 new ones, master 20, then add ten more and so on.
4. Type your notes/information. The physical motion of typing the notes helps many people remember them.
5. Study every day. Studying shouldn't be a one time singular event, but more of a process. If you study a few hours each day you'll do much better than waiting until the night before and cramming.
6. Take as many practice tests as you can.
7. Turn off all distractions. For me that means that I'll often stay late at work, shut down my computer, and study without the distractions of my cell phone/internet/home stuff.
8. Create mnemonics to help you. I remember almost every mnemonic I've created since elementary school. They really do work for mastery! Here are a bunch of EMS mnemonics.

I hope that helps!

 

[jochi1543]

Use all aspects of your memory - write stuff out, say it outloud, look at it on flashcards.

The one technique that always worked for me was to read whatever I absolutely needed to remember before bed the night before the exam and then read it again on the day of the exam. It beats reading stuff 5 times in the weeks preceding the exam, in my experience.