We’ve been putting on board review courses for over 25 years, and we know as well as anyone that they can take a lot of time and energy; and depending on where you live and work, it can be almost impossible to get yourself to a course for 5-6 days.
Now, with streaming video, you actually have the opportunity to get the same knowledge and experience you would get at the course from anywhere, at any time. While it is much more convenient, all the freedom that comes with attending an online medical course can also be overwhelming so, we have some tips to help you attend your online course in the smartest way possible.
Take Advantage of Customizing Your Course
One of the biggest and most obvious advantages of taking a course online is the flexibility you gain by not being tied to a course location or being on the same schedule as all of the other attendees. Why not use that flexibility to help yourself get more out of the time you are spending on the course?
Look at your calendar and build your own personal course schedule. Do you learn better at a certain time of day? Build your schedule around hitting your target study times. Do you focus better at home alone, outside, or in a coffee shop? Study wherever is best for you each day.
Make a realistic study schedule and stick to it—emphasis on ‘realistic.’ If you’re able to take a week off work to focus on taking your course and knock everything out in 5 days, do it!
If you aren’t able to take time off of work or family obligations, plan for whatever you can actually fit in your schedule. Even if it’s just a little time every day split over weeks or months! When you attend one of our review courses online, you’ll get access to all the raw-footage from the course for 12 months. That gives you plenty of time to fit all the lectures in your busy schedule.
Keep Yourself Motivated
The freedom that you get with attending a course online also comes with the responsibility of keeping yourself motivated—you won’t get as much out of the course if you don’t hold yourself accountable.
A great way to keep yourself motivated over a long course is to set smaller, realistic goals you can achieve along the way. Reward yourself with a snack or some free time when you meet each of these goals to keep yourself engaged and excited.
One of our favorite tips to keep yourself motivated is to remind yourself why you are taking the course. Before you get started, take a minute to think about your “why”, write it down, and put it somewhere where you will see every time you study. Leave a note in your study space, or if you plan on studying in different places put it on a sticky note on your computer or a note in your bag.
Visualize the outcome that you want and keep coming back to it when you have a hard time staying focused. See yourself passing your exam or improving your practice and how good you will feel when it actually happens. Don’t let yourself miss out on that feeling!
Set Your Space Up for Success
Having a good study space is essential for learning effectively. Now, don’t think that this means you need to study in the same space every day. In fact, in our StudyWise guide, we recommend switching up your study location to remember even more of what you study. That being said, not every place is ideal for learning effectively.
Make sure your study space has everything you need ahead of time: a device for viewing lectures, a good internet connection, a place to take notes, a comfortable place to sit. Also, try to anticipate your distractions. For example, if you’re working at home, get your cleaning done first so you’re not distracted by dirty dishes or tidying up. If you’re working at a coffee shop, find a corner where you won’t be distracted by others. Put your phone on silent and out of sight.
If you think you could get distracted by your email or social media, try downloading a web blocker to avoid those temptations. Things are always going to come up, but by planning ahead you can avoid any problems..
Ready to use these tips to take an online course yourself? We’ve got you covered!
