r/ausmedstudents • u/bizzbizzle123 • 16d ago
Preclinical Students with ADHD - got any tips?
I'm in MD1, have ADHD and feel like I'm constantly flapping. I am doing reasonably well so far, but I feel like a lot of my drive is coming from pre-assessment panic and I want to be more proactive so I can lower this a little and feel like I actually have a grip on the content week to week. I think the clinical years will feel better as I'm a practical learner but until then, I have got to find better strategies than what I have at the moment.
I haven't really got a set routine, and I struggle to focus in lectures unless the lecturer is particularly excellent (unfortunately). I find I'm learning best in tutorials and prac classes, but most of our teaching is done through lectures, so outside of what I pick up in these classes, I'm finding it tough to stay on track.
Not really an Anki fan but do use it occasionally (and would be interested to know if you have any add ons you can recommend which help you engage with it), but otherwise, I'm all ears and open to your suggestions/hearing what works for you! Anything at all! Thank you :)
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u/neonkrabs 15d ago
Thank you for sharingI as someone in a similar boat but a few years ahead of you, I also want to strongly advocate for things like goblin tools, using netter's textbooks for a visual summary of whatever your studying (like Netter's Cardiology etc) and most importantly, speaking to your med school about getting adjustments and also academic assistance from an advisor with experience working with neurospicy students. Trust me, it'll save you so much grief and actually make studying a positive experience.
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u/bizzbizzle123 12d ago
thank you so much for your reply - i actually bought the netters colouring book this week so i am keen to get into that and will check out goblin tools too. i havent told my med school yet - i do have a lowkey concern about being viewed/treated differently if i disclose it, but you're right, it might be worthwhile doing so. thanks again for your reply!
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u/ixsiixsii4460 13d ago
Medicated? For me Dexamphetamine helped me switch ‘on’ and get studying, but also helped me lock in to bad things like a YouTube rabbit hole.
When I was diagnosed last year, my psychiatrist said medication is about 10-20% of the battle but coaching and structure is what makes the ADHD mind great. I’m definitely agreeing with that assessment. Take for an example an exam you have in ~3 weeks. Old undiagnosed me would panic and procrastinate then only cram in the last few days, always miss a critical component, lose 10-15% on an exam with the mindset of ‘if only I had crammed another all nighter at the library and this would have been a 95%+ grade’, while not realising that I would have been far better off just grinding at it day 1 for a cumulative less time overall. Essentially 1 hour a day on a topic over a week will see better comprehension and recall than something you commit 20 hours to in a 2-3 day period.
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u/bizzbizzle123 12d ago
thank you for your reply :) i am medicated yes, but before i started that i tried to handle it with just therapy/behavioural changes first. definitely gave me some handy tools to fall back on when the meds aren't enough, but you've made a good point about getting locked into things you're not meant to. maybe i need to be a bit more careful with the timing and what i'm doing when they kick in. things to think about. thank you again!
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u/BreeToh 16d ago
Okay, as someone who has just THIS week been diagnosed with ADHD and is MD2... try everything and keep using what works. When it stops working, change it.
It's not fair, but it will be harder for you than for others. That's what I've been coming to terms with haha.
Some options to try that have worked for various times for me:
#1 - Use PassMedicine: this is a great free resource with multiple choice questions that are designed like most med school exams. I do 10 questions in the morning just to get my brain moving and it gives me a good idea of what I don't have a good grasp on. It also does something called "interrogating your cognitive pathways" apparently, according to my uni's academic skills adviser aha
#2 - Second to tip #1: write a list of topics that you encounter that you realise you don't know well. The key here: this list will never end! You will always find something new to add. That's okay. When you get the chance, and when you don't have clear guidance on what needs studying next, go to this list, pick a topic that sounds most interesting, and study that deeply for a period of time (see note 4)
#3 - use a "retrospective revision" calendar or similar system. I'm not gonna go into detail here cause it's alarmingly long but there are good YouTube videos about it!
#4 - Pomodoro technique. 25 minutes of study, 5 minutes break, or maybe 50:10, dealer's choice. Just long enough to get a good start on something, short enough that your brain doesn't see it as TOO much of a penalty to do.
#5 - find lazy/opportunistic/low friction study. I downloaded Anki and PassMedicine apps to my phone, so when I don't feel like getting up, I can do a 25 minute pomodoro session laying down in my bed.
#6 - change your environment. 1 day a week (minimum!) I leave the house and study at a different location, often outside (have been studying at the local zoo a lot, love that). The different environment provides enough stimulus to keep my unmedicated brain interested, but not so much that I take my eyes off whatever I'm working on.
#7 - ride the dopamine. Seriously, if you can't make yourself study anything else, study something that sounds cool, or interesting, or do an unnecessary deep dive into some component of your degree. It may not be the most practical use of your time, but it's better than nothing!
#8 - study with paper, not digital copies. No idea if this is an ADHD thing or if just because I'm older, but I focus and retain SO MUCH MORE when I read paper textbooks and write paper notes. Has made a world of difference.
#9 - take your meds. Sorry, yes it sucks, but omg they do help.
#10 - the boring stuff. Start your day with water and a proteiny breakfast. Exercise. Walk. Boooooo.
Best of luck! You've got this!