How to revise for essay and written exams in medicine
Written exams test two things at once: whether you know the content, and whether you can lay it out clearly under time pressure. Most marks are lost on the first: a well-structured answer that misses the key facts still scores poorly. So revise in two layers. First make the content stick, then practise turning it into written answers.
What the research says
Practising retrieval improved recall a week later far more than rereading the same material.
Roediger & Karpicke, 2006Test-enhanced learning is a practical way to improve long-term retention in medical training.
Larsen, Butler & Roediger, 2008Layer one: know the content
An essay is built from facts you can recall without help. Retrieval practice, answering questions from memory, is the most reliable way to get there; rereading notes feels productive but fades quickly (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006).
For each topic, make sure you can state the definition, the mechanism, the key numbers and the management from memory. Short-answer questions are ideal for this: each one is a small piece of a future essay.
Layer two: practise writing it
- Plan before you write: two minutes on a skeleton of headings saves ten minutes of rambling
- Lead with the answer, then justify it
- Use the structure examiners expect: definition, causes, features, investigations, management, complications
- Write past questions under timed conditions, then compare with a model answer
- Keep a list of points you repeatedly forget and turn them into short-answer questions
A four-week plan before a written exam
- Weeks 1 to 2: short-answer practice on every topic, with spaced reviews of what you miss
- Week 3: one or two timed essays per day from past papers
- Week 4: daily review of weak points and full timed papers
- Every day: ten minutes of review on the questions due
How recalled.fyi fits in
recalled.fyi covers both layers. Upload your lectures and every quiz can be practised as short answers, marked against a model answer, with missed points brought back by spaced repetition.
Each study set also has essay questions written from your material. Write your answer with a word count and an optional timer, and it is marked point by point against a marking scheme from your notes, with what went well and how to gain more marks. Strong essays come back later, weak ones within days. Cue answers questions about your notes and shows the page each answer came from, which helps when planning an essay.
Try it on your own lecture. Upload a PDF or slides and get a summary, a quiz and Cue in minutes. Free plan, no card needed.
Start freeQuestions
Is multiple-choice practice useful for an essay exam?
Yes, as a quick check of what you know, but practise producing answers too. Short-answer questions are the bridge between knowing a fact and writing it in an essay.
Can I practise essays in recalled.fyi?
Yes. Open any study set, choose Essay at the top of the quiz, pick a question and write. It is marked out of 10 against the points your material covers, and comes back when it is due.
How many essays should I write before the exam?
Quality matters more than number: write each one under timed conditions and compare it with a model answer. One or two a day in the final weeks is a common target.
References
- Roediger HL, Karpicke JD. Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science. 2006;17(3):249-255. doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
- Larsen DP, Butler AC, Roediger HL. Test-enhanced learning in medical education. Medical Education. 2008;42(10):959-966. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2008.03124.x
- Kang SHK, McDermott KB, Roediger HL. Test format and corrective feedback modify the effect of testing on long-term retention. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 2007;19(4-5):528-558. doi.org/10.1080/09541440601056620