Studying effectively in PA school

[Batman]

I would just like feedback on how PA students adjusted to studying in graduate school vs undergrad. I understand that the material will come at an accelerated pace and I want to know how people adjusted their studying habits. Currently I take my time studying and I like to condense power points to a single page to review for exams. Ive heard that with the time crunch you simply don't have time to "write things out". Ive even heard some students say that you barely have time to read through power points three times and that you simply need to "pick it(material) up" just from reading over it. 

Also, are most PA students in class about 30 hours a week or 40 hours a week?

I start PA school in August and I am trying to do as much as I can to prepare. 

[pastudentw]

You will likely be in class roughly 40hrs a week. 

I did have time to truly study, write things out, organize how I needed and reviewed it. But I certainly did not get to review it a bunch of times. I rarely studied in groups because I felt like I didn't know the material well enough to do a group study and then by the time I would have felt comfortable, it was time for the test anyway. My program was the death by power point model 

When you start, you'll likely study how you have in the past in the way it has worked for you. Then going forward, you will have to adapt and recognize how to optimize it for the new type of learning.  

My typical day was finish class by 4pm, go home make and have dinner with my husband for an hour, study until 10-11pm during the weekdays. Weekends I ate all three meals with my husband with studying inbetween and church on Sunday. Depending on tests we would try to go out or do something together once a week or every other week. 

Clinical year is a million times better and that is its own type of studying too.

Hope this helps!

[PineappleHead]

You'll adjust and find what works for you. My study habits were a mixed bag in undergrad. I was either completely lazy and put in no effort or went really hard and wrote out pages of meticulous color-coded notes. I had a three-year gap period, so I was really concerned about how I would adjust to didactic year. Surprisingly, it wasn't that difficult to get used to, despite the enormous load. As to whether you'll have time to make condensed review notes... it depends on what you find works best. Personally, I find it to be a waste of time to rewrite material when I could study straight from the powerpoints or text. I mostly just reread the original material as many times as possible and as efficiently as possible. I only take abridged notes for long textbook passages that I won't have time to reread later. Most of my classmates still prefer making condensed notes and quizlets for everything. You'll find your own method, I think.