Are you overwhelmed by the preparation needed for your Fellowship exams? Here are 10 tips to manage feeling overwhelmed to be exam ready. 

Preparing for exams can often feel like an uphill battle. The pressure of balancing clinical and professional responsibilities, personal life including relationships, family, as well as a rigorous study schedule, can leave you feeling overwhelmed. It’s not uncommon to experience feelings of stress, anxiety, or even self-doubt.  

However, there are strategies to help you navigate the challenging time and ensure that you not only succeed but also maintain your wellbeing.  

Here’s some tips on what to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed with exam preparation. 

1. Acknowledge your feelings and normalise them 

Firstly, it’s essential to acknowledge that feeling overwhelmed is common when preparing for high-stake Fellowship exams. Being a registrar or international medical graduate (IMG) means juggling patient care, administrative duties, and personal commitments, all while trying to absorb large amounts of medical knowledge. It can be easy to think you’re the only one feeling this way. However, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone; many registrars or IMGs will feel overwhelmed at some stage along their exam preparation journey, facing similar challenges. In these moments, it’s normal to have moments of doubt, anxiety or stress.  

Tip: The important thing is to acknowledge it – I’m feeling overwhelmed at the moment.  

Acknowledge your emotions and remind yourself that they are temporary. It’s okay to feel this way. Recognising your emotions is often the first step in managing them more effectively. 

2. Break down your study into manageable pieces 

A common trigger for feeling overwhelmed when preparing for exams is thinking about everything you need to do. Listing all the topics you need to study – all the systems, disorders, texts, articles, schedules, guidelines you aim to learn or read – it’s no surprise that you are feeling overwhelmed! It’s like thinking about all the food you need to eat in one year – placing all the 365 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, snacks and drinks you’d eat in the coming year onto a table and saying to yourself eat all that! 

Just like you don’t need to eat a year’s worth of food in one day, you don’t need to study everything for your exam in one day either. One of the most effective ways to manage feeling overwhelmed is to break down your study material into smaller, manageable chunks of information. Instead of focusing on the entire syllabus, create a study schedule that divides topics into daily or weekly segments. This way, you won’t feel like you’re trying to tackle everything at once. 

Tip: Make a realistic study timetable that includes specific goals for each session. Focus on one topic or a small set of topics at a time. Importantly, have breaks and schedule one day off studying per week. Remember, quality is important as well as consistency in studying. 

3. Prioritise and focus on high-yield topics 

There’s a lot to learn when preparing for medical specialist exams, and not everything is equally important. While it’s essential to have a broad understanding, focusing on high-yield topics that are frequently tested can help reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. These are the areas that are more likely to be included in your exam or carry the most weight, so prioritising them can help you use your time more efficiently. 

Tip: Identify the key areas that are most likely to appear on exam day. This can be done by reviewing past papers or asking colleagues or mentors about trends they’ve noticed in previous exams, or checking information released by your Medical College. For example, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Fellowship exam questions are based on typical patient presentations to general practice settings in Australia. Hence knowing what the typical patient presentations are (e.g., such as per the BEACH data) is useful when studying these exams. Focus your time and energy on mastering the high-yield topics first. 

4. Practice self-compassion and avoid perfectionism 

As a doctor, you’re likely accustomed to striving for excellence. However, perfectionism can become a significant source of stress during exam preparation. It can be a roadblock to attaining your goals, negatively impacting not only your academic success, but also your personal well-being, because “perfection” is impossible to achieve! 

To develop a healthy connection to achievement, success, and expectations, it’s important to recognise what perfectionism looks like for you and to change your relationship with it. It’s important to remind yourself that exams are a tool for assessment, not a measure of your worth as a doctor. No one is perfect. No one expects perfection, and it’s okay to not study ‘perfectly’. 

Tip: Practice self-compassion by speaking to yourself the way you would speak to a friend. If a friend were stressed and feeling overwhelmed, you would offer support and reassurance. Treat yourself with the same kindness. 
 

5. Incorporate active learning techniques 

Active learning methods—such as practice testing, interleafed practice, spaced repetition, mind mapping, and mock exams—are not only effective study techniques for retaining information (increasing memory retention), but they can also help you feel more confident about your exam preparation. Engaging with the material in different ways will make it easier to recall information under pressure, and it will break up the monotony of passive studying, such as reading or highlighting. 

Tip: Use resources such as flashcards (physical or digital), practice questions, or group study sessions to reinforce your learning. Mock exams can simulate the real exam environment, thereby reducing anxiety and boosting your confidence. 

6. Take regular breaks and rest 

One of the most important, yet often overlooked, strategies for dealing with feeling overwhelmed or exam stress is ensuring you take regular breaks and get enough rest. Research has shown that taking short breaks during study sessions can improve productivity and memory retention. Sleep is even more important! This is because you encode what you’ve learnt during the day while you sleep. Research has found a strong positive relationship between learning, memory retention and quality sleep. So, studying until you’re exhausted will only hinder your ability to retain information. 

Tip: Develop a study plan with 50-minute sessions followed by 10-minute breaks, working for a maximum of 3 to 4 hours before a longer break of 1-2 hours. Also, prioritise getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night, so your brain can effectively consolidate all the new information you’re learning.  

7. Talk to your support network 

As a doctor, you likely have a support network of colleagues, supervisors, mentors, or family members who understand the stresses you’re going through. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Talking through your worries or simply venting can provide emotional relief and clarity. Additionally, sharing your concerns with others may help you realise that you’re not alone in feeling this way. They may also have useful tips or strategies that they used to help them get through. 

Tip: Schedule regular check-ins with your peers or mentors. They may have helpful advice, tips, or simply be there to listen. Being part of a study group or supportive community can significantly reduce the emotional load. 

8. Practice mindfulness and stress-relief techniques 

Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga, can be incredibly beneficial for managing stress or feelings of overwhelm. These techniques can help you stay grounded, reduce anxiety, and improve focus. By incorporating a few minutes of mindfulness into your daily routine, you can significantly improve your mental well-being during the exam preparation period. 

Tip: Try incorporating simple breathing exercises into your routine. For example, practice deep breathing for five minutes before each study session or take a walk in nature when you feel stressed. Apps like Headspace or Calm can guide you through short meditation sessions. 

9. Seek professional support if needed 

If you find that the stress of exam preparation is affecting your mental health, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. For example, if you’re feeling persistently overwhelmed or anxious, consider counselling services. Many medical professionals experience burnout, so it’s important to get on top of it early by prioritising your mental health. Speaking with a psychologist or performance coach can help you develop coping strategies and ensure you’re looking after yourself as you prepare for exams. 

Tip: Many of the medical Colleges provide support for their registrars, so inquire about available resources. Otherwise, contact Drs4Drs which was established by the medical profession for the medical profession. They offer independent, free, safe, supportive and confidential services across Australia.

10. Remember the Bigger Picture 

Finally, take a step back and remind yourself why you chose to become a doctor in the first place. You’re preparing for these exams because you want to be the best doctor you can be for your patients. Exams are a temporary hurdle, but your long-term goal—becoming a compassionate, knowledgeable, and skilled doctor—is what truly matters. 

Tip: Reflect on your journey and how far you’ve come. Take pride in the knowledge and experience you’ve gained throughout your training. Keep your eyes on the end prize! After all, exams are only a very small part of your overall career.