Realistic schedule for Droppers who opt for self study.

Hello future doctors. Firstly, I would like to start off by saying that I’m proud of you. You have chosen a tough part. Self study is a difficult path to choose even for freshers. With all the added stress of being a dropper, it just becomes tougher. It will be very difficult, but yes, it won’t be impossible.

If you choose self-study, you will have to follow a strict timetable. Without the compulsion of a coaching class, it is much easier to get distracted or get lazy. You can either make incredible use of the extra time you have with a good time-table, or you can waste it away. The choice is yours.

Time Table for Self study

Let’s start with curating a self-study timetable. This timetable includes almost 13-14 hours of study.

It has been discussed below in detail.

Time table for droppers: Important points to note

Personalization:

In this timetable, I have given you a rough idea of what your day should look like. It should include revision and question-solving instead of just learning new concepts. There should be at least 3 hours dedicated to question solving and 1-2 hours for revision.

If you do not like the order of the events or feel like you learn better in the evening but like solving questions in the morning, feel free to personalize the time-table.

Remember that you must analyze your own study methods and do what works for you best, instead of following someone else’s timetable blindly.

Flexibility

You won’t be able to follow your personalized time table everyday either. There are going to be unexpected conditions, some of your time will definitely get wasted here and there. It is up to you to compensate for the wasted time.

If you have to attend a wedding function which will take at least 4-5 hours of your time, then you must compensate for it by working an hour extra everyday, for the next 4-5 days.

Discipline

Self study requires much more self-control and discipline than studying from coaching classes. You should write down your tasks for the say in a book and then tick the activities that have been completed as soon as they are done. This will help you keep up the discipline. 

You have to be disciplined, there is no choice. If you waste your time, you will regret it later on.

Sleep

Take only 7-8 hours of sleep everyday. No more, no less. This ideal amount will help your body feel rested but will not make you feel drowsy either. Do not compromise on sleep but do not indulge a lot in it either.

Tests

Every weekend you can give a 720 marks test instead of learning new concepts. This will help you keep an idea of where you stand in the race. It will help you stay oriented to the competition. It is easy to lose touch of the competition when you are studying by yourself.

What if you wake up at 12?

If you wake up at 12, I assume that you study till 3-4 AM in the night. If not then you need to start waking up early.

If yes, then you do not need to worry. There is no rule that says that you need to wake up early to succeed. Modify the timetable as per your sleeping hours and stick to it. You just need to put in a definite number of hours into studying, they need not necessarily be in the morning.

That’s all, I hope you understand the importance of discipline in your case. Stay consistent and feel free to ask doubts below.

All the best for your preparation.