Are you preparing to sit a fellowship exam? Perhaps you are preparing to sit the RACGP AKT, KFP or CCE exams, the ACRRM MCQ exam, or another medical fellowship exam. Whatever exam you are preparing for, plan to be as effective and efficient as you can be. Here’s why. 

Study planning allows you to manage your time efficiently. By allocating specific time slots each day or week for different subjects, topics, and practice questions, you can prioritise tasks and maintain a healthy balance between work, life and study. 

Secondly, study planning allows you to be effective: you can ensure your cover all the topics you want or need to cover in the time you have.   

Time is a limited resource. It’s important to understand how much time you have (e.g., from now until the exam) and how much time you need to study the volume or number of topics examinable, as well as the depth or level you need to study. 

For example, you can plan when to start studying based on your work and family commitments, allowing for work-life balance and self-care during that time, so you better manage the demands and potential stress of exam preparation. For some of you this may be 3 or 6 months ahead of the exam. For others, it may be 12 months or more, depending on individual factors, such as working full-time, child and family commitments, or having limited support.  

Not having a study plan puts you at risk of running out of time, not covering everything you want to, or not being confident in your exam preparation, which can fuel stress and anxiety. 

Here are our recommendations on developing a study plan. 

Creating a study schedule: Mapping topics, resources, and priorities 

Create a map of what you need to study, such as the different topics or body systems, or the particular journal articles or resources you want to read. This includes understanding the expectations of the College and their exam so you can prioritise studies and other commitments, such as work or family. This will help you avoid clashes in your schedule, as you’ll have a clear view of what lies ahead, week by week. 

Scheduling your study around other important dates or factors will allow you to properly prepare and balance life. Your relevant college should offer a full curriculum to guide you, for example, The RACGP Curriculum and Syllabus.  

Developing your study plan 

Ideally your study plan will include: 

  • what you will be studying (content or knowledge you will be examined on) 
  • how you will study (the study techniques you plan to use, such as mind-maps, practice testing, flashcards or other approaches) 
  • when (the times of day, frequency per week, duration of sessions, and overall start and finish dates)  
  • where (your study location such as office at home, library or work) and 
  • with whom (are you studying alone, with a study partner or group, or a combination of the two) 
  • Include work and ‘life’. Build in your study plan time for breaks, food, sleep, socialising, work and self-care. Giving yourself planned breaks will make study time more effective, and you will learn best if your basic needs (healthy food, sleep, exercise) are met.  

A study schedule is a time-management plan that will help you achieve your learning goals. In this plan, you’ll schedule your study sessions, as well as your work or social commitments. 

By setting aside dedicated time to study, you’ll be able to break down tasks and assignments into manageable chunks. You will also find you are better prepared for life contingencies. 

Adapt and adjust as you go 

A study plan is not a static document that is set in concrete. Your plan needs to be continually adapted and tweaked as you progress, achieve goals, and get closer to its completion and your exam. For example, you might find you are more receptive to learning in the morning. So, schedule time for study earlier in the day. Or your workdays may change, or you decide to work less as the exam gets closer. There will be many changes or factors that will be unknown when you first develop a study plan, so it should be flexible and open to change. 

A study plan is particularly helpful as an independent adult learner, as there’s no teacher to help keep you accountable. Instead, you’re responsible for managing your own time, making a study plan even more important. 

Finding the Right Support for Exam Success 

When you start planning what and how you need to study for Fellowship exam(s), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of topics and resources. 

Apps such as My Study Planner can help you organise your time around study; software, such as MS Planner or Loop, will also help with the development of your study plan and sticking to it, or you can get planning templates online.  

Even with these tools, keeping perspective can be challenging and recognising when to seek support is important. Working with a performance coach or mentor can also help provide structure, accountability and tailored strategies.

You don’t need to do it on your own. 

Summary 
What is a study plan? 
A study plan is a schedule of planned study sessions prior to your Fellowship exam that sets out what, how, when and with who you will study, to meet your exam preparation goals. 
 
What are the benefits of a study plan? 
The main benefit of a study plan is organisation. Once you’ve mapped out and scheduled your study, you’ll find: 
it breaks down the study load into manageable chunks 
you can schedule in work and ‘life’ commitments so it’s realistic and achievable 
you can anticipate and prepare for busy times or bottlenecks 
it boosts confidence – when everything is organised and scheduled, you’re less likely to feel rushed or anxious. 

Reference: 

The Learning Strategies Center, Cornell University. Guidelines for Creating a Study Schedule. Accessed from: https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/studying-for-and-taking-exams/guidelines-for-creating-a-study-schedule/  

Victoria University. How to make an effective study plan. Accessed from: https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/study-space/how-to-make-an-effective-study-plan