3 tips on how to study effectively

During their training, medical residents acquire numerous skills, surgeries, and procedures that they will later use to save lives. The ability to retain these skills is crucial, as it can mean the difference between life and death. In a 2006 research study, surgical residents learning to suture arteries were divided into two groups. Both groups received the same study materials, but one group made a small change in their study approach. When tested one month later, the group that implemented this change performed significantly better in surgeries compared to the other residents. We will explore the key to this group's success, as well as two other highly effective study techniques that can be applied in various educational settings.

To understand why these methods work, let's first delve into how the brain processes and retains information. When you encounter new information, your brain initially encodes it in groups of neurons within the hippocampus. As you continue to learn and review the material, you activate these same neurons, which strengthens the connections between them and solidifies the memory. Over time, this knowledge is transferred to long-term storage in another part of the brain known as the neocortex. The process of transferring information from short-term to long-term memory is not fully understood but is believed to occur between study sessions and, notably, during sleep. During this time, the new knowledge is integrated with related concepts you already know.

Furthermore, the process of memory retrieval is vital for enhancing and updating your understanding. This is where our first study technique comes into play: testing yourself through flashcards and quizzes. Actively retrieving knowledge through testing updates and strengthens your memory. While some students may prefer other study methods such as rereading textbooks and highlighting notes, these practices can create a false sense of competence because the information is readily available. Testing yourself allows for a more accurate assessment of your actual knowledge. Even making mistakes during this process can be beneficial, as it is believed that the effort to recall the correct answer activates relevant pieces of knowledge and improves the integration of new information with what you already know.

Our second technique builds on the first by recommending the use of mixed-subject flashcards to study. This approach, known as interleaving, involves mixing different concepts within a single study session. Interleaving can enhance retention compared to practicing a single skill or topic at a time. The hypothesis behind this is that, similar to testing, cycling through different subjects forces your brain to temporarily forget and then retrieve information, further strengthening memory. Additionally, you may discover connections between topics and gain a better understanding of their differences.

Finally, in terms of timing, spacing your review sessions over multiple days allows for rest and sleep between sessions. During these "offline" periods, the brain actively works on storing and integrating knowledge in the neocortex. While cramming the night before an exam may seem like a logical approach to keep the material fresh in your mind, it is not conducive to long-term retention. This concept is exemplified by the medical residents in the study: one group crammed their training into a single day, while the more successful group spread their training over four weeks.

In summary, these three study techniques are effective because they align with the way the brain processes and stores information. They work in harmony with the brain's natural mechanisms, facilitating the sorting and retention of the vast amount of information it encounters daily.