Postgraduate diploma students at the London Dental Institute are expected to undertake rigorous academic work, while still balancing other aspects of their lives. While LDi programmes have been designed to fit around dentists’ busy schedules, students can still face some challenges over the duration of the course. However, with the right mindset and approach, you can effectively manage your work and study responsibilities. In this blog post, we will explore strategies that will help you maximize your learning potential as a postgraduate diploma student at the LDi.
Plan Ahead and Develop a Routine
It is essential to plan your time carefully to manage your academic work and personal life effectively. Start by reviewing your work schedule and your personal commitments to identify when you have free time. Then, create a schedule that prioritises your studies but is also realistic and achievable. Make sure you allocate a specific time for studying either each day or each week and stick to it. You can also break down your study time into smaller, manageable chunks to make it easier to accomplish. Remember the course content is available on the virtual learning environment for you to access at your convenience and live sessions are recorded for you to catch up on later.
Inform Your Employer/ Employees, Family, and Friends
Informing your employer, family, and friends about your academic commitments will help them understand your situation and make adjustments to accommodate your schedule. Let your dental practice principal know that you are studying for your postgraduate diploma or, if you are the princpal, make sure that your staff are aware. This way, everyone around you will be more likely to provide you with the support you need to succeed in your studies.
Establish a Time Frame for Productivity
We all have specific times of the day when we are most productive. Identify your most productive time of the day and allocate that time for studying. It could be early in the morning, late at night, or during lunch breaks. Whatever time it is, make the most of it.
Take Advantage of Online Resources
Apart from hosting the course study content, the London Dental Institute Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is packed full of useful resources to help you maximise your study potential. Be sure to make use of these. Get help with your clinical cases in our discussion forums, reach out to your course tutors using the course Q&A system and join us for the live study groups which provide a great opportunity to meet your fellow students and the LDi teaching faculty.
Ultimately, success in postgraduate dentistry depends on one’s determination, perseverance, and ability to adapt to new challenges. While pursuing a postgraduate diploma can be challenging at times, especially when you have to balance academic commitments with other aspects of life, by implementing these simple strategies, you can manage your responsibilities effectively and maximize your learning potential.
