Peer Learning Program

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Heme/Lymph

"This was my favorite because it's the first class where I actually became confident in my study strategies and I was able to incorporate outside resources that made studying much more enjoyable and fun! I also loved being able to understand my bloodwork panels after this class!

Top Choices for Specialty: Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine

Top Tips for Success from Cameron:

• When learning how to study, do not be afraid to do/try something different than those around you! Everyone studies different and is very passionate about strategies that work for them, but what works for one person may not work for you and that is okay!!
• Don't be afraid to ask for help! Having someone to check-in with for all of my random questions and concerns saved me from countless mini-freakout moments during my M1 and M2 years. Faculty, classmates, and PLMs genuinely want to support you and talk things through--you just have to take the first step and reach out!
• Focus on the material directly in front of you. Don't feel pressured to constantly review content from past classes while juggling new material. If you take the time to truly understand each topic well the first time, it's okay to set aside until it's time to study for boards -- you'll be able to recall and relearn it much more easily when the time comes.

Cameron's “Yearbook” Quote: "Comparison is the thief of joy" - Teddy Roosevelt

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): My favorite class was endo/repro because it covered women's health which is my interest!

Top Choice for Specialty: OBGYN

Top Tips for Success from Chiamaka:

• 1. Spaced repetition.
• 2. Practice questions are essential.

Chiamaka's “Yearbook” Quote: "You are capable of more than you know"

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Heme/Lymph 

"I loved learning about blood cancers and seeing the impact our oncologists make on patients and their families and thought the content was super interesting and relevant!"

Top Choice for Specialty: OBGYN

Top Tips for Success from Zoie:

• Find a routine that works best for YOU! Avoid comparing yourself to what others are doing and getting lost in the multitude of resources available. Don’t be afraid to switch up study methods/resources for different topics and classes.

Zoie's “Yearbook” Quote: They may forget your name, but the will never forget the way you made them feel.

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neurology "

I think the brain and nervous system is the most complicated and interesting thing on earth! So crazy and cool how much it does!"

Top Choice for Specialty: Neurology

Top Tips for Success from Brian:

• (1) Be flexible and varied in your strategies. Make sure you have multiple “tools” which you can use and be willing to try new approaches when content is more difficult. 
• (2) Save practice questions until the days leading up to the exam. Spend the majority of your time practicing review and recall of information studying.

Brian's “Yearbook” Quote: “We are what we repeatably do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neuroscience

I love reading murder mysteries, and localizing lesions with Dr. Franklin is the ultimate "who dunnit?"

Top Choice for Specialty: Med-Peds

Top Tips for Success from Julia:

• 1. Ask questions!! It's okay not to know the answer:) Our faculty are wonderful and they are always there to help you better understand concepts
• 2. Study strategies that work for some people, may or may not be the right method for you. Don't be afraid to try a new study method, but also have confidence in the strategies that work for you!

Julia's “Yearbook” Quote: A fully saturated sponge is not a happy sponge... so make sure you wring yourself out once in a while :)

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neurology

"I found the content really engaging and interesting!

Top Choice for Specialty: I am still undecided but I have interest in Pediatrics and OBGYN

Top Tips for Success from Jenna:

• Don't be afraid to reach out if you're struggling!
• Try to stick with just a few resources that work best for you. It can be overwhelming to use everything that's available for students.

Jenna's “Yearbook” Quote: "If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours." - Dolly Parton

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Anatomy

Top Choice for Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery / General Surgery

Top Tips for Success from Kam:

• 1) Three pass throughs of content with spaced repetition of the information is essential 
• 2) Class isn't that bad, overcomplicating with outside resources can give you double lecture 
• 3) Slides can get noisy - find ways to boil the information down to how you conceptualize it

Kam's “Yearbook” Quote: "Hahah, you mean like, singin' and dancin'? Nah, not me man - I just surf." -Cody Maverick (Surf's Up)

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Foundations! 

"With my chemistry background I was very comfortable with the material and loved the problem solving (compared to straight memorization) that was required."

Top Choice for Specialty: Anesthesia

Top Tips for Success from Kate:

• 1) Find a routine and stick to it! I have a solid schedule and it keeps me on track. 
• 2) Keep up with review to say on top of the material and be prepared for the exams. 
• 3) Take time for yourself outside of school, chores, and working out. All these things are important, but it is also so important to relax and do something you truly enjoy.

Kate's “Yearbook” Quote: “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty.”

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Cardiology and Renal.

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine

Top Tips for Success from Amanda:

• Top study tips are spaced repetition, don't be afraid to try a new method to study, and sometimes writing something out helps a lot!

Amanda's “Yearbook” Quote: "You could rattle the stars- you could do anything, if only you dared" -Sarah J. Maas

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): MSK or Foundations

"I really enjoyed Foundations for its intricacy walking through concepts as a whole as well as getting into the mechanism; while MSK, I enjoyed because you could focus on clinical skills & observation to achieve a diagnosis."

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine or Pediatrics

Top Tips for Success from Reagan:

• Develop relationships and cultivate an environment that supports you to succeed. Set goals and standards for yourself, but give yourself grace. When you need perspective, remind yourself it's not about the grade, it's about your future patients.

Reagan's “Yearbook” Quote: God brought you to it, he will bring you through it!

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): My favorite class thus far has been anatomy because I enjoyed learning the different muscle groups and their importance in various functions and movements of the body.

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine

Top Tips for Success from Louise:

• 1. Adapt your study strategies to your needs. Don't use a resource just because others are.
• 2. Dedicate time to studying but also dedicate time for yourself.

Louise's “Yearbook” Quote: "Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions" - Albert Einstein

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neurology

"It was super interesting to learn more about conditions that have impacted my own family."

Top Choice for Specialty: Something surgical/undecided!

Top Tips for Success from Amelia:

• AnKing
• Early practice questions!

Amelia's “Yearbook” Quote: "Work hard, play hard."

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Foundations

"I had a lot of biochemistry experience in undergrad. It was also so radically different from anatomy that I was forced to change my study strategy, and it taught me how to learn in all the rest of my classes."

Top Choice for Specialty: Family Medicine

Top Tips for Success from J.T.:

• Comparison is the thief of joy. You may study more or less than other people, and you may have radically different study strategies from your friends. Find the method and amount of studying that works for you, not for other people.
• With that being said...Don't be afraid to change your study strategy several times, even after you've found one that works for you. Different classes have different content styles, so you may not find a one-size-fits-all strategy. Experiment and find what works for you in each new situation.
• Ask for help. I've been the stubborn medical student who thinks he can figure it all out on his own, but that's never gotten me anywhere. If you're struggling, UK has lots of people that will help you succeed.

J.T.'s “Yearbook” Quote: "There is no effort without error and shortcoming." - Theodore Roosevelt

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Anatomy

"The professors were amazing and I loved the multi-modality approach of the class!"

Top Choice for Specialty: Radiology

Top Tips for Success from Emma:

• Make your own summarized notes and annotate your own notes.
• Stay on top of your Anki (if you are an Anki person).

Emma's “Yearbook” Quote: "The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do." 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): MSK

"I loved using the anatomy knowledge we learned in the Fall and applying it to the different diseases."

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine

Top Tips for Success from Ethan:

• Be true to yourself and use what works for you. There are a plethora of study strategies and resources out there, but some may be more efficient and click better with you. Experiment with a few and stick to what you like.
• Talk to your classmates and PLMs for advice - we are all in this together and want to help each other out!

Ethan's “Yearbook” Quote: "Taking it one coffee fueled, anki-filled day at a time." 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Anatomy

"It was our first intro into Med school and the human body. It was fascinating to learn about how complex our bodies are and how it all works together."

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine into Heme/Onc

Top Tips for Success from Grayson:

• Explore all the resources available to you, things like Anki, Chat GPT, Amboss, classmates resources.
• Get a study schedule and be consistent.
• Ask your classmates, especially those above you who have taken the class before.

Grayson's “Yearbook” Quote: "To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books." 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neuroscience

"I was intrigued by the interconnectedness of neural pathways and how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. The complexity of the peripheral nervous systems fascinated me, particularly how localized lesions in the one part of the spinal cord can produce specific patterns of dysfunction."

Top Choice for Specialty: Internal Medicine - Cardiology

Top Tips for Success from Slayde:

• Find a study routine which works best for YOU. At the start of M1 year, you're introduced to a flood of supplemental resources. While many of them can be helpful, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. All the pertinent material is found in the lecture slides, focus there before branching out.
• Minimizing distractions is critical: I find I'm most productive when I turn off my phone and commit to deep, focused study sessions without interruptions.
• Do not neglect your health, prioritize sleep, movement, and nutrition!

Slayde's “Yearbook” Quote: "Discipline equals Freedom" - Jacko Willinck 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Cardiology

"I enjoyed tracing lesions of the spine using my knowledge of the spinal tracts."

Top Choice for Specialty: Cardiology

Top Tips for Success from David:

• Make disease charts for all your systems courses and highlight key differences.
• Give ANKI a chance first.

David's “Yearbook” Quote: "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Foundations

"I love microbiology and genetics, so foundations felt like home to me."

Top Choice for Specialty: Allergy/Immunology

Top Tips for Success from Landon:

• A pass chart for keeping track of lectures is a must.
• Focus on learning objectives and break them down into a way that you understand them.

Landon's “Yearbook” Quote: "There are two ways to motivate a medical student; extra credit and free lunch." 

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Endo/Repro, GI, Neuro

Top Choice for Specialty: OB/GYN

Top Tips for Success from Hollie:

• Learn what your non-negotiables are and stick to them. More practice questions the better.

Hollie's “Yearbook” Quote: Don't say "I don't know." Make a guess and you might be right!

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neuro! I loved how stepwise neuro ended up being. Yes nerves and pathways are hard to see sometimes, but understanding "if this, then this" really helped me.

Top Choice for Specialty: Hematology Oncology

Top Tips for Success from Storm:

• Go to class early on, switch to UKYCOM AnKing tagged deck by Heme/Lymph at the latest, always look to improve how you study and don't be afraid to try new study methods because your best form of studying is likely going to be a combination of approaches.

Storm's “Yearbook” Quote: "Stay curious. Stay humble. Leave every place a little bit better and every person a little more hopeful than you found them."

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neuroscience! Not only was it fun to return familiar concepts from my undergraduate education, but it felt like a big puzzle to figure out, which was very rewarding!

Top Choice for Specialty: Emergency Medicine, but I am very open!

Top Tips for Success from Lizzie:

• Review with classmates the day or two before an exam and do a ton of practice questions

Lizzie's “Yearbook” Quote: "Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide" - Cicero

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): ICM was my favorite because I love interviewing patients! As far as didactics go, I loved neuro because it made me feel like a detective!

Top Choice for Specialty: Family Medicine 

Top Tips for Success from Gracie:

• Add all of the learning objectives to a blank document and make sure you can fully answer them from memory without notes. Also, complete plenty of practice questions. For both of those, check your answers and ensure you understand what you missed and why. Charts/tables are great for studying illness scripts/treatments!

Gracie's “Yearbook” Quote: Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): My favorite class from M1 was Foundations! I started to feel more confident during this class and loved the concepts once I got them down.

Top Choice for Specialty: OBGYN or Family Medicine

Top Tips for Success from Catherine:

• Spaced repetition! 
• Try to remember the "whole picture". It is easily to get lost in the weeds when studying smaller concepts, but looking how things fit together has always helped me in those times! 
• The method that works for someone else may not work for you! Try your best to not compare what you are doing to what others are doing.

Catherine's “Yearbook” Quote: "Remember to enjoy your current life while building your dream one."

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Neuro it felt very much like a puzzle and I enjoyed the critical thinking

Top Choice for Specialty: EM/Anesthesia

Top Tips for Success from Joey:

• Find a routine and stick to it 
• Only try new studying methods when one has failed you do not resource overload

Joey's “Yearbook” Quote: The only people who aren't successful in life are those who give up or die trying.

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): My favorite class from M1 was MSK because I think our movement and structure of the body is fascinating and applying anatomy made it seem more real for progression towards being a physician.

Top Choice for Specialty: My top choice is pediatric orthopedic surgery or general surgery.

Top Tips for Success from Daniel:

• My top study tip is practice questions, practice questions, and more practice questions. We can know all the material but if we don’t know how to apply it to questions it isn’t any good! I also think going through slides to get a big picture first pass is extremely important before diving into anki or whatever is used to dive into details.

Daniel's “Yearbook” Quote: “Let all that you do be done in love” -1 Corinthians 16:14

Favorite M1/M2 Class(es): Anatomy; The cadaver lab was a very unique learning experience.

Top Choice for Specialty: ENT/Surgery

Top Tips for Success from Kyle:

• Active recall over re-reading.
• Prioritize spaced repetition now as it will benefit you later on.

Kyle's “Yearbook” Quote: "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react."