Auditory learner - how to study for subjects like Pharmacology?

[swimgrl554702]

Hello,

I realized I'm mostly an auditory and a bit of a visual learner.

I do the best when I record lectures and re-listen to them, but of course that's not always possible or feasible.

For A&P it worked great, but for Pharmacology (which is mostly rote memorization with some understanding of mechanisms/processes), how can I go about that? Especially when I'm self-studying for the Summer (with the required textbook) in preparation for the Fall?

For the auditory learners, it would be a HUGE help knowing how you guys studied for pharmacology and clinicals?

Thank you!

[stacylethani, BSN]

Talking it out with another person might help a lot!

[Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN]

What I do is I write notes during all the lectures, then I record myself reading them on my phone and save it to my Drop Box. I have a long drive to school, so I listen to my recordings on the way there. You could do that with just about anything, including Pharmacology. Or, if you don't want the extra step of writing your own notes, you could record your professors.

Also, on top of that, I enter all information into Quizlet and make flashcard sets. This could be particularly helpful with Pharm.

[nlitened]

Say what you need to know into a recorder and listen to it while you do chores, during your drive to school, while you take a bath, etc. It worked for me.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

As suggested above, speaking your notes in to a recorder and listening will help. I would also go one step further: try TEACHING the material to someone else. It's one thing to read or hear material. When you can teach it to someone else, you will retain the information much better.

When we had study groups, we'd break up the content and each of us would take turns teaching the material to each other. I found that I remembered things so much better. I'm a combo learner, but lean toward auditory. If I can talk it out, I always remember it.

Good luck with Pharm! :)

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

Record yourself teaching the material. Post it on youtube, it might help someone else :)

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

What might help, besides the above excellent suggestions: rhymes, mnemonics, songs, silly but memorable stories you can make up about the side effects.

[SnowShoeRN]

I think I've used all of the above. :) I recorded my lectures during the lectures themselves, went through my notes and recorded my reading my notes out-loud to myself, used pneumonics and ridiculous songs to help me remember things, and listened to everything while during chores, on my commute, etc. I've even "taught" my fiance and family members things. I put that in quotes because most of the time they have no idea what I'm saying. These techniques worked for me while I was still in my program and I'm finding that even lectures I recorded years ago are helping me study for my FNP certification exam next month - especially my pharm lectures. Best of luck. :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Auditory learners are best served by listening to recorded lectures, audiobooks, and study group discussions.

I also remember a former classmate who would read her textbooks aloud to study at home. She said the sound of her voice caused the material to stick.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I read my notes aloud to myself. I like the suggestions to record yourself; that probably wouldn't work for me because I can be distractible, so preferred to read repeatedly. But it clearly worked for them, so you should try it

[brandiep1982]

I actually did this during micro: make flash cards, then record yourself reading the meds and the information you need to know that you wrote on the back of the flash cards you made.

1) when you wrote out the cards, you were learning one way

2) when you read them out loud as you recorded yourself, you were learning by speaking and hearing and reading

3) when you play back the recording it is purely auditory

this made micro soooooooooo much easier as I listened to the recordings in my car as I commuted to different places, and in my home ask cleaned, showered, etc.

[Cakelady1]

I agree with everyone else here. When I make flash cards, I repeat it to myself as I make them and writing it down is a bonus.

I even go through them while I'm on the treadmill, talking to myself the entire time. I also read my textbooks out loud. I tell my 3 year old daughter the information. (She has no idea what I'm talking about! ha!!)

Another helpful hint is Youtube. Sounds silly, I know. But I will pull up Youtube videos (Khan Academy is great) and listen while I clean the house, cook meals, etc. A great resource. I got through all of those thousands of medical terminology prefixes, suffixes, combining forms, etc with that tactic.

I love the idea of recording yourself and then listening in the car. Why did I not think of that????