MotivationMRCP

Experimenting with 6AM for MRCP

Rory 56 Comments , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the most difficult things with attaining the MRCP diploma is trying to juggle this feat with a more-than-full-time medical job whilst maintaining any semblance of a social life. On a “good day” some of us manage to squeeze one or two hours after the 9 – 5 shift, and on an on-call day or night shift it’s just not realistic to study on top of a 13 – 14 hour shift.

If we hone in on the 9 – 5 shift, most of us wake up at 0730, have our morning routine and commute to work. We get through the shift and after more commuting and dinner we’re properly thinking about revision at 1900. On a good day.

Unfortunately by this time we’ve already been up for 12 hours without any rest. We’ve spent our most productive hours at work and short of downing another jug of coffee, we’re not capable of very effective revision. At least not active revision. You’ll recall from my earlier posts that active revision is where you’re teaching yourself (or a medical student) what you learned. You’ll find that your recall isn’t as good as you thought it was, and it is this fear (or embarrassment) that motivates you to revisit material and consolidate your learning. Passive revision is not nearly as effective – anyone can read guidelines or watch educational videos but being able to recall information is where the money is at.

So now that we’ve established 1900 is not the most ideal time to start revision for the most important exam of your life, let’s have a look at the best timing.

Especially for those who have children (as this concept also applies to weekends off work), the best timing of your revision is actually before work. To practice what I preach, for the past week I’ve been waking up at 0545 to document my experience of gyming and studying for you, my beloved reader. 🙂

To make this process as effective and seamless as possible you’ll need to:

  • Set up your materials the night before – before you tuck in, remember to pack your pen, paper, laptop, earphones and book so that you don’t have to fumble about at 0545. The same applies for the gym – pack your trainers, water bottle, protein and gear (not referring to anabolic steroids if you’re wondering…) the night before.
  • Set up your environment – I only study in the library and lift weights at the gym but if you don’t live close enough for a sensible commute then you need to ensure your study environment is separate from your bedroom; clutter- and distraction-free

Check out this book for the benefits.

Try and make the two hours between 0600 – 0800 your study time. You’ll naturally feel more tired at work and into the evening but if you do this correctly, you can entirely avoid studying after work. Do active revision between 0600 – 0700 then transition to passive revision whilst eating breakfast (watching video or reading guidelines) and showering (listening to MRCP podcast) to fulfil those two hours.

As long as you get enough sleep you’re now using your most productive time to advance your career. Feel free to adapt this concept to your own needs. And when your shift finishes, you’re actually free, and not dreading the MRCP monster waiting for you at home. 🙂

If you enjoyed this article make sure you get your own copy of my MRCP Part 1 & 2 Written Guide. In this guide, I explore the above and other concepts such as time allocation and the most preferable resources for the written exams in much more detail.

Alternatively, if you’ve passed the written exams then How to Pass MRCP PACES in 8 Weeks will take you through your next and final hurdle. The reason an entire new guide has been written about this mammoth clinical exam reflects the different skills and attitude you need when tackling MRCP PACES. Instead of simply relying on reading textbooks, you’ll need to utilise a concept called the PACES Triangle to successfully navigate the examiners’ obstacles.

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