Top study tips from Synap

Spread it out

Aim for several 10-15 minute chunks of revision most days, rather than a four-hour cram session just before an exam. 'Stick at it, a couple of times a day, several times a week,' says James. 'If you can do that, you'll see the benefits.'

Turn it upside down

'One thing that served us well when we were creating Synap was flipping the revision process,' says James. 'Don't just begin with the textbook and test yourself on what you've just read. With Synap, you can start any quiz and identify gaps in your knowledge as you go along.'

Know when to move on

'When we were developing Synap we got really good at learning when something wasn't quite good enough, but rather than dwelling on it and losing time we'd move on and come back to it later,' says James. The same applies to study; 'Manage your time, and move on to the next thing rather than getting stuck.'

Keep your brain guessing

'When people study, they tend to focus on one area. Everyone goes straight to cardiovascular! But studying like this takes you longer to make good progress. What you should do is try to mix different modules and questions, so that your brain doesn't start expecting what's next. A lot of medical students will memorise an entire chapter and then won't be able to answer a question about it. You should be practising for randomness and chaos, and building up a more robust knowledge pattern. Force your brain to be challenged!'

Know when to team up or go solo

'People study in different ways, and most people will want to do a combination of revising by themselves and with others. For example, OSCE practice is difficult to do by yourself as you need feedback, but there are other times when you just need to get your head down. Synap lets you do bits of both.'

Smarter study

Smarter study