Abstract
This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Academic performance during the first two years of medical school is an important predictor of success on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1. Research is lacking into what study methods successful students use, with success being defined as achieving a grade point average of above 90% in all or in most of the courses in the preclinical years.This study sought to identify specific study habits that successful students use and to demonstrate an association between preclinical grades and Step 1 scores. In this study, an anonymous survey was sent to first, second, and third year medical students that included various questions about their study habits, as well as their course grades (A, B, C, or fail) and, if applicable, their Step 1 score. Results demonstrated statistically significant differences existed between Step 1 scores and grades in the second year of medical school, with A students earning higher scores. A students tended to attend class, limit use of online lectures, study for 6-8 hours a day, and review lectures the same day they were given significantly more than B and C students did. This study demonstrates that certain study habits are employed consistently by successful students. These study habits should be shared with medical students early in the preclinical years to help students reach maximum potential both in class and on Step 1, which in turn will allow students to match into their choice of residency.
Highlights
Medical school is an exceptionally challenging and rigorous academic endeavor
An understanding of the types of study habits that are most effective in medical school is crucial, as knowing early which study habits are associated with success can help students to reach their full potential during the preclinical years and perform well on the Step 1 examination.Performing well on Step 1 is critical as it is a major determining factor in the residency selection process (Dort et al, 2015;Go, Klaassen, & Chamberlain, 2012)
While there has been research into the types of learning approaches (Arnold & Feighny, 1995), the social habits of successful students (Ogenler & Selvi, 2014), and study habits during dedicated United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 study time (Kumar et al, 2015), research is lacking about the specific study methods usedduring the first two years of medical school.Abdulghani et al (2014) used focus group discussion to qualitatively analyze habits of successful studentsand found certain themes that emerged.In particular, we were interested in what types of resources and study habits students use during the first two years of medical school, and in turn how effective these resources and habits are, measured by how well the students who use them perform in class
Summary
Though almost all students who are accepted into medical school were at the top of their class in college, medical school represents unique challenges to students due to the sheer volume and breadth of information such that students who previously did well academically may be forced to find new ways to study effectively. Grades were reported as A, B, C, or fail, with A corresponding to a grade of 90% or above, B to an 80% or above, C to a 70% or above and fail being below a 70% This information is critical, as the grades that are made during the first two years ( the second year) have been shown to be predictive of Step 1 scores as well as of success in the clinical years (Hu et al, 2016; West,Kurz, Smith, & Graham, 2014)
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