Rho Chi’s Annual Prescription For Success

Rho Chi’s Annual Prescription for Success Presented by Courtney Meador and Susan Woodard Click here to return to Rho Chi homepage

What is Rho Chi?     

Academic Honor Society Top 15% of a class can be inducted after at least 3 semesters 5% may be inducted after the 5th semester Grades are important, but they are not everything Some of the smartest people in pharmacy school are NOT in Rho Chi

Textbooks and Tutors 

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Please utilize the book sale they are usually sold cheaper than the bookstore Tutoring from the SASS is available! Please do not hesitate or feel too embarrassed to call us. Check the Rho Chi board for a list of available tutors.

The P.R.O.P.E.R. Reading Method      

Prepare Read Organize Paraphrase Extract Remember

Prepare 

Relax and focus your mind and body onto the material at hand  Time

management  Physical environment Decrease distraction  Physical posture  Same location 

 Mental 

Readiness

Reaffirm what goals you want to accomplish during the study session

Read 

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Phrase reading: take in clusters of words, translating them into ideas and sensory impressions Slow and thorough pace Be aware of the tendency to regress…use index card to cover previous material Don’t engage in conflicting physical activities, i.e. chewing gum

Organize 

Be conscious of professor’s line of reasoning and organizational structure  Organize

each section as you build on the big picture  Organize each paragraph you read to get the details  Tie concepts back to the objectives

Paraphrase 

Decide what is important and reword the contents so you understand it

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How do I paraphrase? 

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Stop, Reflect, Summarize, Write

What is important? Things emphasized by the professor  Ask yourself… 

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What? (concepts, definitions, examples…) Why? (causes, determining factors…) How? (processes, steps…)

Extract 

Use your critical reasoning skills to integrate and synthesize the material 

Integration- fitting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together  

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Synthesis- making the integrated information a part of you 

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Ask yourself to compare and contrast the material Ask yourself to apply and utilize the information

Seeing the “big picture”

This is the most difficult step because it requires active thinking on your part

Remember 

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Link the details to the big picture and be able to retrieve the material from memory Guidelines to a better memory Try to understand the big picture as you memorize the details  Review often, recreating the material in your mind  Use a combination of memory techniques (mnemonics) 

Memory Techniques 

Acronyms 

Words that are made out of the 1st letters of a series of words you want to remember  

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ROYGBIV: the visible colors of the light spectrum SLUDGE: cholinergic effects

Acrostics 

Taking the 1st letter of the words you want to remember and making a creative sentence out of them 

Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas- order of the leukocytes from greatest to least (Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, Basophils)

Memory Techniques 

Rhymes and Songs 

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Charts and Note Cards 

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Use rhythm to make the material more meaningful and easier to remember Use classification systems to group information together

Visualization 

Use color or pictures to differentiate information

Active participation   

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This means you should go to class! Ask your professor questions, both in and out of class Don’t rely solely on notetakers! Mistakes can happen, i.e. tape recorder might not work or notetaker may not emphasize an important point If you don’t understand something, by all means, JUST ASK!!

Anticipate Exam Questions  

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Answer lecture objectives Come up with potential questions and answers Quiz each other Review sessions before the test are a great way to assess what you already know and what the professor might ask

Study Groups  

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Reserve rooms in the GEB It’s only helpful if everyone is prepared Make sure everyone participates equally Keep the number in your group no more than 5

P1 Fall Semester Courses   

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Pharmacology Medicinal Chemistry Introduction to Pharmacy & Health Care Environment Basic Clinical & Communication Skills Pharmaceutics Human Values & Professionalism

Pharmacology  

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Course is team-taught Answer the objectives and focus on what it stressed during each lecture Rely mainly on handouts Goodman & Gilman’s is a good reference book Lippencott’s Review Guide is a helpful summary

Medicinal Chemistry      

30 questions per exam Usually very tough in the beginning but course as a whole gets easier Optional textbook Memorize structures and rely on class notes for Dr. Miller All other professors will lecture with handouts Extra credit opportunities will arise, so be sure you’re in class!

Pharmaceutics: Parenterals  

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Course is team-taught Focus on handouts from each professor Know how to do IV calculations Very important…attend Dr.Thoma’s review session before each exam!!

Pharmaceutics: Physical Pharmacy    

Essay tests Describe and discuss Use your book as a reference Practice, practice, practice! You have to be concise but thorough. You will find yourself crunched for time in these exams, so a practiced answer eases the time constraints.

Pharmaceutics: Pharmacy Math 

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The book is necessary…it’s a good reference for the board review Work through the lectures online and do the homework Write and rewrite the conversion tables and abbreviations Use the test reviews

Test Reviews (TR) 

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Responsibility of the class secretary Questions may come directly from the TR TRs are not 100% correct Look at the date and professor Best if used after you have studied

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Start forming good study habits now… figure out what works best for you

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Keep in mind…your main priority here is your education

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Try not to get behind…read over lectures after class

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If you think you are in academic trouble, get help quickly!

ANY QUESTIONS