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This is the last installment in Valley College of Medical Careers' expert series of back-to-school tips.  You can look back at previous posts on getting ready to return to school, getting organized, and studying smarter.  This time, we're going to look at study tips specifically for taking exams.

When you were a kid, on your last day of school ever (until now), you said to yourself, “I will never have to take another test again.”  And yet, here you are, back in a classroom on a specific mission to improve your career.  You're proud, your family is proud, but .. you've gotta take tests again!  Students at VCMC get expert help in preparation for their certification exams, but there are some basic study techniques that will help with those tests as well as every classroom quiz you'll face on your way to that certificate.

Plan, don't cram. Usually you know a major test is coming weeks in advance, and anything except a pop quiz comes with at least a week's warning, right?  So pace out your studies, covering a little more material each time you sit down, rather than trying to learn half a textbook in one panicked night before the test.

Focus on what matters. If you take a moment to think about it, you can probably figure out what the most important material on the test is going to be.  Much of the time, your teacher will have told you which information is critical.  If not, look at what gets the most coverage in the classroom and in your textbooks.  And don't be afraid to ask — the teacher won't give you the answers, but she'll probably tell you which topics to focus most of your energy on.

Use your strengths. Some people remember what they read, but kind of zone out in class.  Some people only remember what they write down.  If you learn by talking, make sure you've asked your teacher — or a study partner—to go back over difficult concepts as the test nears.  If you focus best on what you write, recopy your notes instead of just rereading them, to really burn the info into your brain.  Make flash cards and have a friend quiz you.  You know what works best for you — use it to your advantage.

Get a study buddy. Find someone you get along with who seems to be a good student and arrange to study together.  Maybe you can get together several times, or maybe just once before the test.  Come up with a plan to quiz each other or to have each of you present half the material to the other.

Be well-rested and focused. That's always a good tip when you're studying, but as you prepare for exams, you really need to make sure you'll be at your best as you study.  It's probably more important to be well-rested and fresh the day of the test than it is to have stayed up late trying to memorize more facts.  Get a good night's rest, and if you go to class after a day of work, try to stay as relaxed during the workday as possible.  Eat well—don't go to class with low blood sugar, unable to think of anything except a slice of pizza.

That's it for our back-to-school tips (for a little while, at least).  Starting next week, we'll do a brief series on another area of VCMC expertise — what happens after you've finished your new training and are ready to find your next job.