Tips to Optimize Study and Practice Plans

271 on Step 2 isn’t luck—it’s strategy. Here are 5 techniques that made the impossible possible. ✍️ I didn't just study for Step 2. I trained like my match depended on it. And these 5 techniques? They transformed my prep—no burnout required. Why Study Techniques Matter: Studying without a strategy is like running on a treadmill You sweat, but you don't get far. For Step 2, you need more than effort You need efficiency. 1. Active Recall: The Brain's Weightlifting • What It Is: Actively retrieving information, not passively rereading • Why It Works: Strengthens memory by forcing your brain to retrieve data • How I Used It:  - Daily UWorld quizzes  - Created Anki flashcards for wrong answers Think of your brain like a muscle—active recall is its gym 2. Spaced Repetition: Timing Is Everything • What It Is: Reviewing material at increasing intervals • Why It Works: Prevents forgetting while solidifying long-term retention • How I Used It:  - Built and synced Anki deck for precise intervals  - Kept high-yield facts fresh without cramming Like planting seeds—you water them at just the right times 3. Practice Questions: The Real MVP • What It Is: Simulating test conditions with question banks • Why It Works: Builds stamina and sharpens reasoning skills • How I Used It:  - UWorld for pattern recognition  - Reviewed all explanations, even for correct answers Stat: 70% of my time was spent on practice questions 4. Feynman Technique: Teach to Master • What It Is: Explaining concepts at a 5th-grade level • Why It Works: Reveals knowledge gaps and deepens understanding • How I Used It:  - Taught topics aloud  - Practiced explanations in mirror If you can't teach it, you don't truly know it 5. Test-Like Conditions: No Surprises • What It Is: Mimicking exact test environment • Why It Works: Reduces anxiety through familiarity • How I Used It:  - Timed NBME self-assessments  - Limited breaks to build endurance Pro Tip: Turn off your phone. Test your focus, not your notifications The Secret Sauce: These techniques aren't hacks—they're habits • No shortcuts • No wasted effort • Just a system that works The Takeaway: Don't let your study hours go to waste. With the right tools and strategies, you're not just ready for Step 2—you're unstoppable. Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Manik Madaan, M.D. for more. #usmle #usmlestep1 #usmlestep2 #medicalstudent #mbbs

3 mistakes I see most CFP® exam retakers make. And none of them have to do with intelligence. If you're reading this, there's a good chance you know the pain of walking out of the exam center and realizing it didn't go your way. I've talked to dozens of candidates who’ve been there. They were smart. Motivated. Capable. But they still 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 pass. Here are the most common mistakes I see — and more importantly, what to do instead. ❌𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 After a failed attempt, the instinct is to grind harder. More reps. More quizzes. More time. But here's the problem: 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 — 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁. If you're missing questions because you misunderstand the concept, doing 2,000 more won't fix it. You're just hardwiring the same confusion. ✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱: Slow down. For every missed question, spend 2x as much time understanding why you got it wrong as you did answering it. Root out the misunderstanding — that’s where the growth happens. ❌ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 It’s human nature. We like doing what we’re good at. So candidates will spend 80% of their time in the areas they already understand, thinking repetition will give them an edge. But here’s the truth: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀. ✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱: Build a study schedule that’s weighted toward your gaps — not just the test blueprint, but your personal blueprint. Every hour spent attacking your weak spot is worth two in a comfort zone. ❌ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗲-𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 Many study providers offer timelines that look something like this: Week 1: Domain A Week 2: Domain B Week 3: Domain C... And while structure is great, these plans assume everyone learns the same way, has the same schedule, and starts at the same level. Spoiler: They don’t. ✅ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱: You need a plan that fits your time, your gaps, and your retention style. That means adjusting based on self-assessment, not just a pre-made outline. These aren’t character flaws — they’re strategy flaws. And the good news? Strategy can be fixed. The CFP® exam is beatable. But it requires more than hard work — it requires smart, personalized preparation. 📌 Which of these mistakes have you caught yourself making?

How I personalized my study plan for the PMP exam; passing AT/AT/AT with under 30 days of prep! 🤔 I received a lot of questions about how I studied for the PMP exam. 🤩 To simplify things I made a visual with some tips you can use to make your own study plan! Here are some more details and materials I used: 1️⃣ Limited studying & made it achievable. ➡ 2-4 hours per day ➡ 6 days a week ➡ 15-20 hours total each week. 2️⃣ Studied iteratively. ➡ Repeated and adjusted as needed. ➡ Used data and feedback to inform decisions. ➡ Repeated phases to develop the end result. 3️⃣ Tailored my learning. ➡ Holistic learning took place when I studied the PMBOK or took mock exams that cover all topics. ➡ Incremental learning took place when I focused on one area until mastery before moving onto a new topic. ➡ I was solid on Agile, so focused on Waterfall and the Process Groups. ➡ I made visual study guides. You can check them out here: https://lnkd.in/gCp7tvFA 4️⃣ Used feedback loops & data analysis. ➡ I reached out to others, talked with mentors, and analyzed my results. ➡ I adjusted my plan based on feedback, data analysis, or if life got busy. ➡ I experimented, tracked the metrics, and adjusted as needed. 5️⃣ Adjusted my materials based on needs. ➡ Julia Ode, PMP®, CSM® was an amazing mentor and support throughout. She has a fantastic PMP study guide and resources you can check out here: https://lnkd.in/ggDidkup ➡ David McLachlan YouTube videos. Week 1: listened to PMBOK and PGPG overviews. Week 2-4: listened to 20 practice Q&A daily (~30 min. at 1.75X). ➡ Used PMI membership to access Project Management Institute publication for free. Used them as a search tool to find particular topics. ➡ Attended 2-3 study groups per week. PMI Finland Chapter has one on Tuesday and Sunday. Gabor Stramb and Anna Lung'aho have groups on Thursdays. ➡ Used PMI Study Hall Essentials. Took 1 full exam week one to establish a baseline. Took practice questions on focus areas week 2-3. Then took the second mock exam mid-week 3. ➡ The day before my exam I relaxed and listened to Andrew Ramdayal's PMP mindset videos. 💪 I hope these tips help you make your own study plan to prepare for the PMP! ❓ Please let me know if you have questions, something to add, or feedback in the comments! Happy studying my friends! 🙌 _____ ♻ Like this post? Please react, comment, or repost! Hi, I'm Melissa- a Project Management Professional (#PMP), Certified Scrum Master (#CSM), and Certified Scrum Product Owner (#CSPO). I'm actively looking for a great team to join- feel free to reach out if you think I'd be a great fit or to collab on something! I post about #ProjectManagement, #Agile, #education, #motivation, tips for #transitioningteachers, and everything in between. Follow or connect with me for more! 🙌 #PMP #PMPprep #PMPexam #Study #Studyresources