About The Student Playbook

Scott Streckenbach, MD

I grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I was a decent athlete but not an outstanding student. When I arrived at Northwestern University, I quickly realized that the study habits that got me through high school weren't going to cut it.

Over the next four years I developed and refined a system of practical learning techniques that transformed my academic performance. My GPA went from 3.08 as a freshman to 3.79 by graduation. Those same techniques carried me through the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and a rigorous residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, where I've spent my career as a cardiac anesthesiologist.

As my three sons headed off to college, I found myself sharing these strategies at the kitchen table. Those conversations turned into something bigger, and The Student Playbook was born: 25 practical techniques that teach students how to learn, not just what to learn.

My core belief is simple: teachers rarely have time to teach students how to study effectively. These 25 techniques fill that gap. They cover everything from goal setting and extreme organization to the neuroscience of exercise and sleep. They're the same methods I used personally through college, medical school, and residency, and I'm confident they can work for you too.