Preparing for exams - how to make the next two months work best for you

 Exams are just under eight weeks away - close enough to feel real, but still enough time to prepare steadily without panic. The key now is consistency. Small, regular efforts will carry you much further than bursts of late-night cramming. 

This post pulls together some evidence-based strategies, links back to resources you already have, and sets out how you can use the coming weeks to your advantage.

1. Make a Realistic Plan

Seven-and-a-half weeks sounds long, but it disappears quickly. Don’t aim for a perfect colour-coded timetable if you’ll never stick to it. 

Instead:

• Break content into weekly themes (e.g. one body system block per week, or one sub-topic every 2-3 days).
• Rotate subjects so you don’t spend too long stuck in one area.
• Set small daily goals you can actually tick off.

Even one to two hours of focused revision most days will accumulate into real progress. Think “slow burn,” not “last-minute sprint.”

2. Use the Resources You Already Have

The GSM doesn’t release past exam papers. But you’re not flying blind. You have:

• Block quizzes: written by the team who write your final exams.
• This blog’s quiz bank: hundreds of practice questions you can attempt in timed conditions browse here →. And there will be more to come!
• Lecture notes and CBL cases: not glamorous, but they’re still the backbone of your learning.

Using the materials you already trust prevents wasted time chasing shiny new (but less relevant) resources.

⚠️ Other Question Sources (Handle With Care)

• Student-made question banks: can be handy, but reflect the authors’ biases, may be based on older curricula, and are not written by your exam setters.
• Commercial question banks: often built for a different context, style, and level — useful for extra practice, but rarely aligned to your course.
• AI-generated questions: can be interesting, but AI is frequently wrong. If you don’t already know the topic well, you may not spot errors.

Bottom line: prioritise block quizzes / content by your teachers, and your course materials as your primary sources.

3. Active Learning, Not Just Reading

The temptation at this stage is to re-read notes or highlight textbooks. But research shows this is the least effective way to revise. Active strategies (testing yourself, explaining to someone else, or working through practice questions) give far better returns.

• Self-testing: Use quizzes, flashcards, or even blank pages where you try to reconstruct a topic from memory.
• Teaching: Explain a concept aloud to a study partner, a family member, or even your pet. If you can’t explain it clearly, you don’t know it deeply.
• Mixing techniques: For the science behind why active recall and varied practice work, see this post →.

Don’t Just Stick to Your Strengths

It feels good to revise the things you already know well — but that’s not where your marks are lost. The biggest improvements come from facing the topics you find difficult, the ones you’d rather avoid.

• Identify your weak areas.

• Spend time deliberately tackling those gaps.

• Remember: lifting your troughs matters more than polishing your peaks.

Consistent performance across all areas is what gets you through exams. 

And don't get lured into only studying what's supposedly "high yield" - its risky. Instead of chasing “yield,” focus on building steady understanding across the curriculum. It’s safer for exams and it’s far more respectful of the patients you’ll one day treat.

4. Should You Use Flashcards?

Some of you swear by Anki; others find it overwhelming. Both reactions are valid. Flashcards are excellent for memorising small details (drug names, diagnostic criteria, investigation steps), but less useful for broader clinical reasoning.

If you’re still undecided, read “To Anki or Not to Anki” →. The key takeaway: use flashcards for certain parts of your study but only if they help, and don’t feel pressured - they’re one tool, they don't work for everything, and they are certainly not the whole toolbox.

5. Sharpen Your Exam Technique

Good technique won’t replace knowledge, but it can make the difference between near-misses and solid passes.

• Read the stem carefully — what is the question really asking?
• Eliminate obviously wrong answers.
• If two answers look similar, work out the small distinction.
• Don’t overthink: your first instinct is often correct.

For more on exam strategy, see “Tackling MCQs in Medicine” →.

6. Balance and Wellbeing

This is a marathon, not a sprint. Build sustainable habits now.

• Use structure and breaks (e.g. Pomodoro: 50 minutes study, 10 minutes break).
• Protect your sleep: memory consolidation happens at night, not with one more hour of late cramming.
• Keep perspective: exams matter, but your health matters more.

It’s normal to feel nerves, but don’t confuse stress with failure. Some anxiety is a sign you care BUT if it is becoming overwhelming, make sure you seek help. 

⏱️ How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

1. Pick a task and set a timer for 25–50 minutes.
2. Work with full focus until the timer rings.
3. Take a 5–10 minute break.
4. After four “Pomodoros,” take a longer 20–30 minute break.

This keeps your focus sharp while preventing burnout. Adjust intervals to suit your energy and the task.

Helpful overviews: Official Pomodoro Technique® · MindTools guide

7. Putting It All Together

In this last lead up to exams, your goals are:

1. Cover the core material steadily.

2. Practise actively, not passively.

3. Focus on weaknesses, not just strengths.

4. Refine your exam technique.

5. Maintain balance so you arrive calm and focused.

Revision isn’t about memorising everything. It’s about building confidence in the foundations, practising how to apply them, and trusting the work you’ve put in all year.

Want More?

If you have some gaps or topics that you want me to blog about, send me an email or click the "suggest a topic" button - you can find it on the bottom right hand corner of the blog if you are reading this on a computer. 

You can explore more posts with practical study strategies here: Educational tips archive →

And if you’re ready to test yourself, dive into the quiz bank: Quiz questions archive →.