I was guilty of doing this for much of medical school. Most students make very complex cards that could be broken down into a dozen or more sub-items. This is arguably the biggest offense of most students when they first begin using Anki. However, if you split this single card into two separate cards, each can be repeated at their own pace, ultimately saving you time in the long term. If a single card has two sub-items, you need to keep repeating the card to keep the more difficult item in your memory. The Minimum Information Principle reminds us that simple is easy, and that simple cards are easier to review and schedule. From there, you can fill in the details as you progress.Ĥ | Follow the Minimum Information Principle Simple models, after all, are easier to comprehend and quickly review. Remember that a mental scaffolding and foundation of basics is essential. Often times, students get caught up in smaller details which are low-yield. Applied to Anki flashcards, this means being efficient with how you study – focus on the highest yield information such that on test day, you’ve optimized your chances of scoring well. This tip is based on the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, which states that 80% of the effects come from the 20% of causes. Memorizing loosely related facts is of little utility. You will drastically reduce the time it takes to learn and memorize if you’re able to slot each individual piece into a coherent structure.
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Remember, performing well on a test isn’t just a matter of knowing the information, but also understanding its context and how to apply it. Equally important, you’re also less likely to adequately apply the information come test day. If you don’t first understand the information, you’re much less likely to remember and recall it. There is little utility in memorizing a string of information if you are not able to adequately conceptualize and place it within a mental scaffolding. And when the big exam comes around, you still remember most everything.Ī surprising number of students succumb to the mistake of trying to memorize something that they don’t comprehend. By the time you’ve moved onto the next class, the intervals for your previous subject are much longer, meaning it takes far less time to maintain the already-consolidated information. But therein lies the beauty of spaced repetition. Many students are concerned that they’ll be wasting precious time reviewing older information at the expense of newer information.
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Remember, for spaced repetition software like Anki to work properly, you must regularly review information. With a fragmented deck, this just doesn’t happen. Second, and more importantly, you’ll be in the habit of reviewing the entire deck, which is very good for your larger exams, whether that’s the MCAT or USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX. First, you’ll waste less time organizing and structuring your deck. Structuring your deck in this manner serves two main purposes. Within each deck, I tagged cards by organ system, like cardiology or pulmonology, and also by other useful pieces of information, such as whether they included a mnemonic or other memory device. My Step 2CK deck included everything from my third year. In medical school, I had a single deck for Step 1 that included everything from my first two years. My general recommendation is to create a single deck for large exam. This fragmentation simply complicates the task of reviewing the necessary information. These are the best practices in creating effective flashcards.ĭo NOT have a sub-deck for each week in a class. It wasn’t until the end of medical school and while I was in plastic surgery residency that I began using it most effectively. When I first started using Anki as a medical student, some of my cards were good, but most were garbage. But as a tool, there are those who use it well, and those who misuse it. Spaced repetition software, like Anki, is one of the most powerful learning tools available for medical students. If you haven’t already, be sure to first check out part one on how to improve your memory. These are the best principles to make Anki easy and effective. If you fall into the latter, I’m willing to bet that you’re not creating good flashcards. Chances are that you fall into one of two camps – you either love it, or you’ve tried it and decided that it wasn’t for you. If you’re a pre-med or medical student, you’ve likely heard of Anki.
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