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Studying Smarter

Jan 23rd, 2022

5:00 - 6:30 PM

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Event Outline

5:15 - 5:25	Ming Li (Zoom)
5:25 - 5:30	Q&A (Zoom)
5:30 - 6:00	Lydia Angarso, Aaron Dou, Brandon Ruan, Andrew D’Elia (in person)
6:00 - 6:10	TPR Address
6:10 - 6:30	Networking + Q&A (in person)

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Speakers

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5 min Q&A

Join the zoom link using the QR code below and type in your questions!

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UofT MD Program: Studying Smarter in 2023

By Lydia Aangarso, Andrew D’elia, Aaron Dou, Brandon Ruan

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Overview

Andrew D’elia (2T5 MD Program)
Brandon Ruan (2T5 MD Program)
Aaron Dou (2T5 MD Program)
Lydia Angarso (2T5 MD Program)

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Andrew D’Elia (he/him)

2nd Year Medical Student at the University of Toronto
Undergrad: McMaster University
iBioMed Program, Biomedical and Materials Engineering
Enjoy student government and other mentorship related extracurriculars!
Taekwon-Do, Skiing, Weight Training
Research in biomaterials, cancer nanomedicine and reconstructive surgery!
Enjoy exploring the food/bar scene in Toronto!

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Studying in Undergrad

Cliche but True:

There is no one perfect study method, nor will any one study method work for everyone.

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Studying in Undergrad

Two types of courses: content-oriented and application-oriented.

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Studying in Undergrad

Two types of courses: content-oriented and application-oriented.

Content Oriented

Biology, anatomy, physiology…
Write. Everything. Out!
Cons: Incredibly time consuming; ergonomically unfavourable
Pros: Things really stick; You have notes to reference in the future!

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Studying in Undergrad

Two types of courses: content-oriented and application-oriented.

Content Oriented

Biology, anatomy, physiology…
Write. Everything. Out!
Cons: Incredibly time consuming; ergonomically unfavourable
Pros: Things really stick; You have notes to reference in the future!

Application Oriented

Physics, math, project courses
Study/read over the theory, answer practice problems
Cons: may suffer knowledge gaps; practice may be hard to come by.
Pros: time efficient; prepares you to be tested;

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Studying in Undergrad

Most importantly, practice practice practice!
Completing/reviewing old tests/midterms/exams were my favourite and most effective way to study! Always search for them in your courses and encourage resource sharing with your classmates (uphold academic integrity, of course!).
This method works for any course where you must master a specific strategy or large amounts of information!

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Studying in Medical School

I’ve tried many approaches since starting med school!

Just attending lecture and actively reading modules
Annotating slides and modules
Turning slides and module material into digital (anki) cards
Group Study
Writing. Everything. Out.
Quizzing myself

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Studying in Medical School

Writing. Everything. Out.
Completing practice questions and tests to consolidate information and assess knowledge
Teaching others… if you can adequately teach a concept to someone else, you know it well yourself!
If I could go back to first year: I would tell myself not to focus so much on being perfect, there is a reason that medical school is pass/fail and trying to be perfect all the time is a one-way ticket to burnout!

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Then and Now

Studied > 6 hrs/day on average in undergrad, in addition to 30-35 scheduled hours of class time.
Study 3-4 hrs/day on average in med school, in addition to ~24 scheduled hours of class time.
Medicine has definitely been more conducive to a work-life balance compared to engineering, but certainly comes with other challenges as well!

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Some General Tips!

It can be hard to stay focused and avoid burnout when you are devoting all your time and energy into school and work.
Learn to value the importance of personal time—time that is reserved for family, friends, relaxation, TV shows, eating and/or exercise.

I recognize this is easier said than done!

Don’t ever sign up to do anything that you don’t really like/love simply for a med/professional school application!

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Brandon Ruan (he/him)

2nd Year Medical Student at the University of Toronto
Undergrad: McMaster University
Health Sciences (minor in Statistics)
Obsessed with sushi
Music man (violin, acappella, conductor)

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My hot take on studying:

“Your ability to study does not improve by simply putting in more time. Learning to study is a longitudinal journey that requires revision, reflection, and learning about yourself…” - me

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Study Tool 1:

Anki (available on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android)

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Study Tool 2:

OneNote (Microsoft)

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Study Tool 3: Split Screen for Mac users

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Study Tool 4: Video speed controller

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Study Strategy 1: Have an approach

“Identify what you need to understand versus what you need to rote memorize”

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Study Strategy 2: Triage your study materials

“ Don't study chronologically”

High yield materials:

Past midterms or exams

Summary or review lectures

Assigned homework

Notes that require in depth understanding

Things that prof says that are on the exam

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Study Strategy 3: Be one with the lecturer

“You are the teacher now. Teach yourself, teach your dog, teach your hypothetical kids. Just teach”

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Study Philosophy 1: Have an approach

“Identify what you need to understand versus what you need to rote memorize”

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Study Philosophy 2: Be ready to adapt

“Ask yourself: Is this something you’re doing for your study benefit, or is it just for your peace of mind?”

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Study Philosophy 3: Let your mind wander

“When you’re distracted and unfocussed, you are neither fully studying nor fully relaxing, and therefore nothing gets done.”

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Study Philosophy 4: Discover what you love

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U of Tears

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#tbt… BIO120

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THREE TIPS:

Office Hours
Make it Fun (study smart > study hard)
Know Yourself

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1. Office Hours

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Why office hours?

1. Familiarity with the prof/TAs

2. Learning from others’ questions

3. Ability to advocate for classmates & yourself

4. Surprise bonuses…

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2. Make it Fun

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Other tips…

1. The best major is the one you enjoy most

2. Study with friends!

3. Mnemonics

4. Anki add-ons

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3. Know Yourself

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The best study tips are the ones that work for you.

Don’t feel down if someone else’s strategy doesn’t work for you
Reflect after every test & assessment
Don’t be too hard on yourself :)

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SUMMARY:

Office Hours
Make it Fun
Know Yourself

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A final plug…

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Thank You!

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Lydia Angarso (she/her)

2nd year medical student
Honours Bachelors of Science in Physiology and Global Health from UofT
Undergrad extracurriculars:

Education advocacy at the FAS
Mentoring
Global health advocacy and community work

Always watching the newest reality tv shows, trying new food spots in Toronto, and long walks!

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Studying habits - undergrad

Procrastination

Not the greatest studying method
Room for forgiveness

Rewriting notes in a simple, digestible way

1-page summary notes

Active recall

Teaching others
Talking to myself lol
Proven to be the best way to memorize content

Office hours

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Studying habits - medical school

Group studying!

Learn from others, constructive criticism

Focus studying the big picture

Majority of your learning comes from real-life practice and you’ll learn as you go

Active recall (again)

Testing others/getting quizzed
Talking to myself again lol

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Tip #1: Study and do what you love!

More motivated to pursue extracurriculars, study harder if you enjoy what you’re doing
It’s okay to change things up if you’re unhappy

Medical school is full of students with diverse backgrounds

Went from pursuing a Biochemistry Specialist to a Physiology and Global Health double major
Pursued research related to health equity, global health, community work
Take advantage of this time to explore!

UofT ICM modules → Free trip to Greece!
Took courses on philosophy of science, history, ethics

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Tip #2: Comparison really is the thief of joy

UofT is a bloodbath with many people who have similar interests
Luckily, medical school hasn’t been that way! BUT…

You may feel like you don’t belong
Like you’re behind others and not doing enough

What helped me: Regularly reflecting on my previous successes

Helps to remember that you’ve accomplished a lot already
Also a way to remember your purpose/motivations

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Tip #3: Seek help (academically and personally)

In both undergrad and medical school, there are people rooting for you (even if it doesn’t seem that way)
Mental wellness = physical wellness
Life can be challenging and it’s okay to ask for help

Councillors at UofT
Student insurance for therapy sessions
Socials held by student groups to destress
Office of Learner Affairs

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What would I tell first year me?

Everything is going to be okay!

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Thank you for listening…

Any questions?

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TPR Address

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MCAT SESSION

infocanada@review.com

1-800-273-8439 ext. 1207

Follow and like us on social media!

@tprcanada

@TPRCanada

Facebook.com/TPRCanada

www.PrincetonReview.com

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www.PrincetonReview.com

AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges
Offered by AAMC (aamc.org)
Required for entry into most Canadian medical schools

Not required by any medical schools in Quebec, University of Ottawa medical school, and Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Format: computer-based
30 test dates in the 2023 cycle
Can be taken 3 times in a one year, 4 times in two years, and 7 times in a lifetime
Medical schools will see all scores (Most schools take highest or most recent but some will average multiple scores)
Most students take the MCAT in summer of second year �(Most schools want to see an MCAT score from within �the past three years)
Cost: $320 (USD)

The MCAT

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www.PrincetonReview.com

4 sections:

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

230 scored questions
Score Range – 472 to 528
No guessing penalty
The average student spends 300 hours preparing for the MCAT!

MCAT Structure

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MCAT Preparation Options

www.PrincetonReview.com

MCAT 513+ Course

168 hours of instructor-led sessions – 123 lecture hours (41 lessons x 3 hours)
Team of Instructors: 4-6 (Physics, Bio, GChem, Ochem, Psych, CARS)
Score a 513+ or improve 13 points
Offered LiveOnline and In-person
$3649 CAD

MCAT LiveOnline

40 hours of live lectures
Access to all Topic Focus sessions (90 hours)
Team of expert instructors
Access to all AAMC materials
Online tools, practice tests books, same as MCAT 513 course

Offered across Canada and LiveOnline
$3199 CAD

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MCAT Preparation Options

www.PrincetonReview.com

MCAT Self-Paced Online Course

Self-Paced package plus access to expert instructors
90 hours of live Topic Focus lessons

Access for 365 days

Online tools and course materials –Same as MCAT 513!
Online only
Tuition - $1800 CAD

Private Tutoring (LiveOnline and In-Person)

Flexible scheduling
Tailored syllabus
Comprehensive Course Materials
Targeted Package – 10 hours - $4300 CAD
Targeted Package– 20 hours - $6500 CAD

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HOSA Discounts!

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The Princeton Review has recently increased discount group members! We invite you to take advantage of the following benefits:

$600 (From 400$) off instructor-led prep courses (in person and Live Online)** Discount Code: TORUTPOT

15% (From 10%) off self-paced courses for members**
Discount Code: TORTPOT15%

15% (From 10%) off on Private Tutoring and Med Admissions Counseling** Discount Code: TORTUTJK15%

**Discounts cannot be combined with national promotions. Discount does not apply toward MCAT or LSAT summer Immersion.

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Start with a Free

Practice Test!

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Toronto Virtual Mock MCAT Day!

Come out and write a free practice MCAT with The Princeton Review where you will be virtually proctored by one of our awesome reps! After the test, you’ll get free access to a detailed score report.

When?

Saturday, March 4^th, from 9am-4:30pm EST

Register for free at:

https://www.princetonreview.com/partner/medicaleventscanada

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Join Us for a Free

MCAT Info Session!

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Toronto MCAT Symposium!

Learn everything you need to know about the MCAT!

When?

Thursday, March 2nd from 6:00pm-9:00pm EST.

Register for free at:

https://www.princetonreview.com/partner/medicaleventscanada

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Contact Us!

Ellie Aylward| Outreach Specialist

ellie.aylward@review.com
1-800-273-8439 x.5593

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Follow us on Instagram: @TPRCanada

Follow us on Twitter: @TPRCanada

Like us at Facebook.com/TPRCanada

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Networking!

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Thank you for coming! We wish you the best of luck on your upcoming assessments!