(To read How to Ensure Your USMLE Studying is “High Yield”, click here). Trying to learn the entire pyramid will cause your NBME scores to stagnate. There is a hierarchy of useful information. There’s a reason why most QBanks have an “Educational Objective” for each question. Instead, focus on information that is in the educational objective/ReKaps, or that is in First Aid. I’ve seen plenty of students fall into the trap of, “well, if 10 Anki cards on this subject are good, then 100 must be better!” Instead, whenever you make a card, ask yourself, “Will this card be MORE useful than: Every action has a cost, and spending all day on Anki means you won’t be able to do other things. However, that’s the wrong question to ask. Literally, any fact MIGHT be useful on your test or your future clinical practice. But is it likely knowing this factoid will help you? Doubtful.ĭon’t Ask, “Could This Information Be Useful?” Ask, “Is This Information Worth the Opportunity Cost?
Could I get a question right by knowing the time-course of symptoms in measles? Absolutely, anything is possible. Might it be useful to memorize the prevalence of osteoporosis in 60-year-olds in the US? Sure, there is a slim chance this fact could help you. Here are some examples of things you’ll be tempted to turn into cards, but shouldn’t: It is tempting to put every single fact you don’t know into Anki cards. There is a ton of information that is found in the question explanations that MIGHT be useful. You won’t be able to do UWorld or any other QBank. Why? By making too many flashcards, you’ll spend all day on Anki. How could I limit myself to only making 40-50 questions a day?”īecause putting everything into Anki cards is a fools’ errand. “But there is SO MUCH information to put into Anki cards. 
Use the “Educational Objective” to Prioritize the Most Important Information (To read Basic Anki Card Creation: The Complete Guide for Med School and the USMLE Step Exams, click here).
Wasting hours on cards that won’t help you get USMLE questions correct. This causes multiple problems, including: In other words, if I make 80 cards a day, but only review 50 new cards in my deck, a net of 30 cards will build every day. If you make more cards than you do, unreviewed cards will accumulate. Generally, I recommend doing at most 50-60 new cards/day. However, making so many new cards has downsides. Many students respond by putting every single fact into their Anki cards. When you start using Anki, you feel like anything is possible. Don’t Make More Cards Than You Can Review Compare and Contrast Subjects to Reduce Cards, Improve Recallġ. Linking a Disease’s Pathogenesis to Presentation → Fewer, Better Cards Don’t Ask, “Could This Information Be Useful?” Ask, “Is This Information Worth the Opportunity Cost?.
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