Active Recall or Passive Review: Which Is the Right Study Method?

This is a common question from students worldwide—and for good reason. With exams becoming increasingly competitive and the volume of study material ever-growing, choosing the most effective study technique is no longer optional, it's essential.

Medical students preparing for competitive exams like NEET PG, USMLE, or PLAB often find themselves stuck between two popular approaches: Active Recall, a method based on self-testing and memory retrieval, and Passive Review, which involves re-reading, highlighting, or listening to lectures repeatedly. While both techniques have their place in a study routine, one has been shown through research and real-world success stories to offer significantly better long-term retention and exam performance.

But what exactly are these methods? How do they differ in practice? And more importantly, which one should you be using to make the most of your study hours?

In this blog, we’ll break down the core concepts behind active recall and passive review, compare their effectiveness, and help you decide which strategy—or combination of strategies—can give you the edge in your exam preparation.

Let’s dive in.