As the old saying goes - fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Whether you're an undergraduate medical student or a junior doctor, your career progression can often hinge on your exam results. Preparation is a key factor between success and a resit.

Here are a few simple tips for organising yourself and getting the most out of your revision time: 

Create a calendar

Coming up with a revision calendar is a simple practice but allows you to focus on your end goals. Divide the number of days you have until your exam by the number of topics your exam will cover. Make sure you account for any topics that you think will need more revision time, and those that you know inside and out. Ticking off a finished revision subject day by day can be a real morale boost (especially if you give yourself a little treat at the end!)

Team up with a study buddy

If you’re living with other medical students then this will be easy, but if not try finding a study buddy who has the same free time and revision habits as you. Not only is this a foolproof way to ensure all topics are covered, but you can alternate testing each other's knowledge in recap sessions at the end of each meet up. If you prefer to revise on your own, having someone who you can discuss topics with can still be helpful – especially if you feel like you haven’t thoroughly understood a subject.

Organise your notes

Go through your notes online and consolidate them into manageable bullet-points or flashcards. This refining process of reading in detail, skimming and scanning across your notes will help you understand the material and commit it to memory. At the end of this process you should have a pretty neat stack of concise subjects and topics, which are perfect for any last-minute cramming you feel you need to do to compliment your revision.

These are just a few tips to kick-start the revision process and set you off on the right foot. By combining these with our selection of courses, past exam papers, video lectures and podcasts, you can learn to your own preferences and take your career to the next stage.