Avant Medical Student

Pre-exams...

1. Field your army: Join a study group. Surround yourself with positive people and share study notes. Test each other, constantly!
2. Know your enemy: Find out as much about each exam in advance. Talk to past students and if possible, staff who write and mark the exam (especially for viva examinations). Complete practice questions and previous exams. Find out about differences in practice material and actual exams including changes to format or content.
3. Know the territory: Be prepared. Know what to bring, where to go and when to be there.
4. Dress for success: Wear comfortable clothes for written exams and dress appropriately for clinical exams.
5. Develop your weaponry: Use flash cards to help remember material and summarise the most important facts. Don't underestimate the power of positive thinking! Repeat a positive mantra to yourself.
6. Call for back-up: Always ask for help if you need it! Your peers are going through the same thing you are. If at any stage you feel like you can't cope talk to a friend, a lecturer or call Doctor Support Services. 
7. Look after your machinery: Healthy body, healthy mind. Exercise for your study break it’ll help you synthesize what you have learnt. Allow time for fun and rest. Be realistic about how much you can study each day - don't try to cover too much. Make sure you have a quiet and comfortable study area.

During exams...

8. Timing is everything: Allocate your time in the exam according to the marks.
9. Follow the instructions: Read questions carefully. Not once, not twice, but three times over so you’re clear.
10. Start with the easy questions: Leave the tricky questions until last.
11. Sound off… 1, 2 sound off… 3, 4: If you encounter a question you don’t know how to answer – stop, take a breath and count to 10. Look at the question again, chances are you will know enough to answer it!
12. Trust your first response: Often your first response is the correct answer, particularly in multiple choice - so don't change answers unless you know you’ve made a mistake.

Post-exams...

13. Down tools: You’ve done the best you can. Put it behind you and enjoy some you time.