Yes, spaced repetition is an excellent tool to prepare you for Step one. Find a good spaced repetition software or app and start using it today. It is good for students in their first year of medical school and those who are in their dedicated period.
Spaced repetition is a relatively simple idea. The system will ask you about the mechanism of action of ciprofloxacin. In your mind you recite the mechanism. If it was difficult for you to remember then it will ask again in a couple of minutes. If it wasn’t that difficult, it will ask you again in a day or so. If was easy, it will ask you again in a 4 or 5 days, since it was so easy. Answering one card should take a few seconds or a few minutes. Then you move on to the next concept.
The system then begins to track the easiness and/or difficulty of that concept and each concept you are studying. The harder cards, which you need to see more often, will be scheduled more often. The easier ones will be seen less often. It will tell you what concepts you need to study and when to ensure you don’t forget them. This way you don’t spend time on concepts you already know well and spend more time on concepts that need reinforcement.
Eventually some of these concepts will be shown every couple of weeks, because you know them so well. Others you will see every couple of months because you have mastered them. The system automatically creates a review schedule for you which is specific to you and your needs. You can now focus on learning new concepts, instead of worrying when to review old ones.
We encourage students to create their own decks incrementally. It is less daunting if the flashcards are created as you are learning the concepts. If you have caught on late and decide to use a pre-made deck of flashcards, make sure that the deck is from a reputable source.
Spaced repetition is a relatively simple idea. The system will ask you about the mechanism of action of ciprofloxacin. In your mind you recite the mechanism. If it was difficult for you to remember then it will ask again in a couple of minutes. If it wasn’t that difficult, it will ask you again in a day or so. If was easy, it will ask you again in a 4 or 5 days, since it was so easy. Answering one card should take a few seconds or a few minutes. Then you move on to the next concept.
The system then begins to track the easiness and/or difficulty of that concept and each concept you are studying. The harder cards, which you need to see more often, will be scheduled more often. The easier ones will be seen less often. It will tell you what concepts you need to study and when to ensure you don’t forget them. This way you don’t spend time on concepts you already know well and spend more time on concepts that need reinforcement.
Eventually some of these concepts will be shown every couple of weeks, because you know them so well. Others you will see every couple of months because you have mastered them. The system automatically creates a review schedule for you which is specific to you and your needs. You can now focus on learning new concepts, instead of worrying when to review old ones.
We encourage students to create their own decks incrementally. It is less daunting if the flashcards are created as you are learning the concepts. If you have caught on late and decide to use a pre-made deck of flashcards, make sure that the deck is from a reputable source.
Is spaced repetition good for Step one?
Reviewed by David Symister
on
January 12, 2018
Rating:
Reviewed by David Symister
on
January 12, 2018
Rating:
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