Striving For Academic Excellence

Striving for Academic Excellence

Lawrence H. Wyatt, D.C., DACBR Professor of Chiropractic Texas Chiropractic College

Conventional Wisdom Regarding Physicians     

High UGPA White male No disabilities Young & unencumbered BREAK THE MOLD!!!

What is academic excellence? 

High grades? Not necessarily  Giving it your best performance each and every time 

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Commitment to learning  to long-term retention  patient-centered care 

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What is academic excellence? 

Responsibility  

For your own learning For interpreted knowledge  

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For applied knowledge  

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paraphrasing concepts not rote memorization understanding relationships how does symptom ‘A’ relate to diseases ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’.

For pyramidal learning

It’s NOT “2.0 and go!” It’s NOT “Ds and Cs mean Doctor of Chiropractic”

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Pyramidal Learning

Apply concepts

Explain concepts

Basic concept memorization

Why should I strive for excellence? 

You are going to be a physician  

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Cultural Authority   

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People’s lives depend on your decision-making ability The public expects physicians to have high intellect Lay public/patients Health care providers Legislators

Graduate level program(MD, DO, Ph.D., DDS) National board examinations

How do I achieve academic excellence? 

Six ‘Ds’ of Academic Excellence     

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Diligence Determination Desire to learn Deal with priorities Demand excellence(from yourself and colleagues) Denounce mediocrity

Be willing to address challenges 

Consider chiropractic education similar to learning to live in a new country(learn the customs, culture, language)

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How do I achieve academic excellence? 

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Think, sound, dress and act like a doctor Join a study group Attend and participate inclass Read the textbooks Don’t believe that other students are better than you 2/2

Critical Thinking       

Self-honesty Intellectual independence Base judgments on evidence Resist manipulation by salesman Overcome confusion Ask questions Look for connections between subjects

Effective Studying  

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Study 1-2 hours/credit/week Allow sufficient time for sleep, a wellbalanced diet, and leisure activities Prioritize assignments Prepare for discussion/recitation courses before class Schedule time to go over lecture material immediately after class Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review. 1/2

Effective Studying      

Schedule 20-30 minute blocks of study with a 5-minute break Choose a place free from distractions to study Plan to use "dead time“ Schedule as much study time as possible during daylight hours Schedule a weekly review Be careful not to become a slave to your schedule.

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Learning Types 

Visual learner Read notes(preferably before class)  Read books  Look for pictures and re-draw them 

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Auditory learner Listen to lectures  Tape lectures and re-listen  Read your notes aloud  Watch tapes 

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Learning Types 

Tactile learner Touch learning aids  Re-draw pictures 

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Best approach is a combination of all three Learning style assessment 

http:// www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html 2/2

Procrastination How to defeat procrastination Define what exactly you have been putting off  Define the unsatisfactory habit that is in the way of completion  Develop a more compelling alternative  Define resources you need  Motivate yourself  Make the old habit more trouble than it’s worth 

Stress Management     

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Laugh…Laughter is contagious. Do the things you love to do, even if they appear absurd to others. Be aware of incongruities and absurdities in situations, and laugh at them. Adopt an attitude of playfulness so your mind is open to silly or outrageous thoughts. Take your responsibilities seriously, but don't take yourself so seriously; you don't have to be serious to be responsible. Practice laughing at yourself…make fun of your own mistakes. A sense of humor sees the fun in everyday experiences. Recognize what makes you laugh and put more of it in your life.

Effective Listening/Notetaking 

BEFORE CLASS   

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Develop a mind-set geared toward listening. Test yourself over the previous lecture while waiting for the next one to begin. Skim relevant reading assignments to acquaint yourself with main ideas, new technical terms, etc. Do what you can to improve physical and mental Choose notebooks that will enhance your systematic note-taking: A separate notebook with full-sized pages is recommended for each course. 1/4

Effective Listening/Notetaking 

DURING CLASS       

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Listen for the structure and information in the lecture. Resist distractions, emotional reactions, or boredom. Learn to use abbreviations Pay attention to speaker for verbal, postural, and visual clues to what's important. Label important points and organizational clues: main points, examples. When possible translate the lecture into your own words, but, if you can't, don't let it worry you into inattention! If you feel you don't take enough notes, divide your page into 5 sections and try to fill each part every 10 minutes (or work out your own formula). Ask questions if you don't understand. 2/4

Effective Listening/Notetaking 

AFTER CLASS     

Clear up any questions raised by the lecture by asking either the professor or classmates. Fill in missing points or misunderstood terms from the text or other sources. Edit your notes, labeling main points, adding recall clues and questions to be answered. Key points in the notes can be highlighted with different colors of ink. Make note of your ideas and reflections, keeping them separate from those of the speaker. 3/4

Effective Listening/Notetaking 

PERIODICALLY Review your notes  Glance at your recall clues and see how much you can remember before rereading the notes.  Look for the emergence of themes, main concepts, methods of presentation over the course of several lectures.  Make up and answer possible test questions. 

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Test Taking Tips      

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Come prepared; arrive early Stay relaxed and confident Be comfortable but alert Preview the test, if possible Know when to guess Reserve 10% of your time for test review Analyze your test results

Dealing with Test Anxiety 

Pre-test    

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Be prepared!  Learn your material thoroughly Approach the exam with confidence View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you've studied and to receive a reward for the studying you've done Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam  Allow yourself plenty of time, especially to do things you need to do before the test and still get there a little early

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Dealing with Test Anxiety Relax just before the exam(deep breathing)  Don't try to do a last minute review  Don't go to the exam with an empty stomach  Take a piece of candy, or some other nourishment to help take your mind off of your anxiety 

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Dealing with Test Anxiety 

During the test Read the directions carefully  Budget your test taking time  Change positions to help you relax  If you go blank, skip the question and go on  If you're taking an essay test and you go blank on the whole test, pick a question and start writing. It may trigger the answer in your mind  Don't panic when students start handing in their papers. There's no reward for 

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What resources are available? 

Textbooks 

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Read a section first, then mark and underline it selectively Circle and/or box special vocabulary and transitions Number important or sequential ideas in the margins Underline critical information Underline all definitions of terminology Mark/label examples that represent main ideas Jot down paraphrases, questions, and 1/2 summaries in available space within the text

What resources are available? 

Library   

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Internet  

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Books Audiotapes Videotapes www.emedicine.com www.medicalstudent.com

Blackboard Group studying Flash cards 2/2

Ethics of Academic Excellence 

Academic honesty No cheating  Report cheaters 

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Ingenuousness Take responsibility Honor code

SUCCESS!!! 

Take responsibility for yourself Don’t blame others for your performance  Don’t rely on others for your performance 

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Center yourself around values and principles that promote excellence Don’t let peers dictate what is important  Be an independent critical thinker 

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SUCCESS!!! 

Put first things first Set goals  Don’t be distracted from your goals 

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Look for innovative solutions to academic challenges Don’t simply re-read poorly understood material; get help  Tutors, classmates, professors 

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Continually challenge yourself 2/2

Be the physician that you would trust your mother’s life to!