Whether the MRCS or GPST is coming up for the first time or for re-certification, no student should be without the resources of solid study revisions. This means utilising professionally developed learning tools to bring the information close to hand. For the serious student, this means knowing how to use study books as part of a revision plan in order to be ready when the need arises.
What to look for in resource book
Start with seeking a quality revision text that is catered to an individual learning style. Today there are choices in a student’s study aides, and spending a bit of research toward finding the one that will assist you with your needs will pay off in the end.
Look for revision books that offer short, to the point information blocks supported with visuals such as pie charts, diagrams, and photographic illustrations. When choosing digital books, students will also want to consider whether future updates will be part of the initial order. The basics may remain the same, but treatment options and best practices are constantly changing so they don’t want to be working out an archaic manual.
How to organize a revision library
The debate may arise as to whether a student should purchase revision tools in either hard bound or digital form. Hard bound copies may look great on a shelf, but chances are that once they’ve performed their duties, the books will sit there collecting dust. As information changes, dusty old tomes will not. Utilising a digital resource, however, will keep students up to date with all of the latest developments in their field of study.
Digital revisions are by far the most convenient, but with more than a few copies on a device students will want to organize them for quick access. Building a dedicated folder with sub-folders within to house and organize by subject is a best practice and is one of the most useful habits students should develop. General practitioners will want revisions covering everything from paediatrics to geriatrics, and organizing digitally will keep them within reach should the need arise.
Students should seek revisions written by experts in their field to gain insight into the current trends in specific revision needs. Not only will these experts lend credible reliability in the information being reviewed, it will also provide students with the facts they need to know. As someone going for a re-certification, or as a brand new medical candidate, having the appropriate tools means also having the most current information provided to stay up to date in field advancements.
Choose similar resources
When choosing resource books for a revision, students should make a solid attempt to bring together resources that organize information the same way. A student wants all of their information presented in a comfortable and recognized format, skipping the hassle of resetting study patterns to meet each individual revision aide.
This includes such specifics as the location and language used when introducing vocabulary, presentation of symptoms in relation to potential diagnosis, and accompanying visuals. Using multiple texts from a variety of publishers only complicates matters as a medical professional would need to absorb information in countless ways. Staying with one publisher for all revision text needs does away with this difficulty, and the information can be quickly accessed all the more readily. Students who plan revision preparations in advance will ensure they have the right information at their fingertips, and using revisions properly will give them an edge when the time comes to perform.
About Author: Companies such as PasTest offer a wide selection of related medical revision texts, all designed with the same format to assist a student’s individualized learning style.
