A-LEVELS TO MBBS TRANSITIONš„
It’s true that when we start our MBBS, both the FSC kids and A-Level kids are in the same boat
but if you’re from an O/A-Level background, there might be some aspects or changes in
format/pattern that will take a while for you to adjust to.
The first month or so, it might feel like a
major shift but it will get easier over time.
Below I’ve mentioned some study and exam tips
which will hopefully help the A-Level kids adjust faster.
These are just some points that I’ve
picked up throughout my first year in MBBS, and although they might not work for everyone, I
hope these will help to make your transition from A-Levels to MBBS a little more
smooth-sailing.
NOTES:
The notes you take during lecture are hardly ever useful during exam prep. You can, ofcourse take notes during class to keep yourself focused and not lose concentration from the lecture, but
unless you’ve read up on the topic beforehand, those notes will not make much sense when you
go through them later. This was a major point in the shift from A-Levels to MBBS and it took a
while for me to adjust to, since during O/A-Levels we are so accustomed to taking notes during
class. EXAM REVISION:
Making your own notes is one of the best ways to revise, especially if you’re coming from an
O/A-Level background. In our A-Level day, we all relied more on our notes than we did on the
textbook, and during exam time, the last minute revision would definitely be from those notes. In MBBS, when you start studying a topic or chapter, read the textbook first, then go through the slides of the lecture and if you have time, I would definitely suggest making your own notes. Not only would that help you absorb what you’ve just studied, but also provide you with all the content you need to revise during last minute exam prep. The notes need not be lengthy or neat,
you can write them down roughly on a piece of paper; you basically need to filter out all the
excess information from the textbook/slides and write down all the important points from the
topic. If you find note-taking too time consuming, use sticky notes on your textbook to write
down important points from the slides.
PAST PAPERS:
Past papers are always important. During the block exams, the questions are a little trickier and
they’ll come from here and there, but during the pre-prof and prof exams, there are some
repetitive questions that will almost always come from the past papers. So make sure to go
through the past paper questions thoroughly before finals. There is a slight change in the past
paper format us A-Level kids are used to, though. During A-Levels, we used to have our topicalsand yearlys with all the answer keys provided. Here, we don’t have answer keys, just the past
paper questions. It will definitely take a while to adjust to not having answer keys and looking
for the answers yourself, and it will be confusing trying to ascertain what you’ve answered if
really correct or not. You will get used to it with time and practice. VIVAS:
Vivas and substages can be daunting the first couple of times, especially because we have no
prior experience with oral exams. Even if you mess up the first few substages, it’s really no big
deal and you will, for sure, get used to it by the end of the year. When preparing for a viva exam,
make sure to ask yourself questions and then answer them aloud, this will help you in the actual
viva. PRACTICALS:
The practicals for all subjects are fairly simple during the first year. The biochemistry practicals
are easier than the practical we used to perform during AS chemistry. For the physiology
microscope practicals, we have enough experience dealing with the microscope and focusing
during our AS biology practicals, so I feel like you should be fine with that. For anatomy, the
“practicals” are just based on your theory knowledge, that is tested via models, bones,
specimens, radiographs, histology slides and embryo diagrams. WRITTEN EXAMS:
For your written exams, a key tip is to always write your answer in the form of headings. Your
answers can be brief and in points but never forget to write headings. Some of the questions will
require flowcharts and tables.
If the question says “classify” you need to make a classification
table and if it says “differentiate” you need to make a two-column table to compare. Draw
diagrams and graphs where necessary, they will definitely improve your marks.
In A-levels we
were always asked to write briefly and be concise but here, you need to write lengthy paragraphs
with detailed explanations.
Even if a question has say 2 marks, you need to write a lot, since the
marks are divided into 0.5 or 0.25, depending on the question.
During the first few months, I feel like all the A-Level kids are concerned about the environment
change, teaching pattern, format etc, but it’s not something to fret over because you adjust really
quickly. I hope these little tips helped and if you still have any questions or worries regarding the
adjustment/study pattern/exam format, feel free to contact me :)
Contributor: MINAL ZAMAN CHEEMA (2nd Year)
Contact number: 03059306712
edited by: Aiza Anwar (publishing director)
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