No matter your field or stage of learning, you'll likely need to learn complex algorithms. When you can't afford to miss things, "just understanding" isn't enough. Here's how Alex memorizes a differential diagnosis schema from the podcast Clinical Problem Solvers.
Read moreResidency Interviewing: 3 Evidence-Based Learning Strategies Than Can Help
It's almost impossible to believe it’s been over a year since Cathy and I started the seemingly never-ending process of residency interviewing. Here are three evidence-based learning strategies I applied which made the interviewing ordeal a smidge more tolerable.
Read moreMemorizing Drug Trials and Clinical Studies
In medicine, it’s often not enough just to know the facts! We also need the scientific studies that back them up. The AFFIRM trial, ALLHAT trial, SPRINT trial, COURAGE trial... Here are some of Alex’s mnemonic tips for keeping the mountain of study names straight.
Read moreMy Favorite Books: The Science of Achievement
High achievers are made, not born. Here are three of Alex’s favorite books that have led to real changes in how we think about success.
Read moreMy Favorite Books: Learning How to Learn
In researching evidence-based learning, we’ve encountered an avalanche of books, papers, blogs, and podcasts about learning how to learn effectively. It can seem overwhelming at times. A great place to begin is by picking a book and reading it cover to cover. Here are Alex’s favorites.
Read moreOptimizing the Pomodoro Technique: Strategies for Maintaining Focus During Deep Work
I wrote last week about the Pomodoro Technique and its potential for fostering productive work. In the eight years I’ve applied the method, its focus-break-focus-break-etc prescription has worked wonders. Despite my best efforts, however, at times I still catch my mind wandering. The question becomes: How can I get the most out of my pomos? I discuss several strategies I’ve incorporated which help me keep distractions to a minimum.
Read moreThe Pomodoro Technique: Your Key to a Productive Day
Retrieval practice, spacing, the memory palace, and other evidence-based learning strategies will help you achieve your learning goals. However, without a schedule for implementing them in a focused way, you may find your efforts futile. In our age of distractions and socially acceptable multitasking, cutting through the chatter to focus is paramount. Enter the Pomodoro Technique.
Read moreMemorizing Drug Trade Names
Learning trade names (or brand names) of medications poses a classic memorization challenge for medical students transitioning from preclinical to clinical medicine. We learn all manner of generic drug names as first- and second-year students, only to find that doctors and patients throw around trade names far more frequently. Knowing these trade names can be invaluable. Here’s how Alex tackles it!
Read moreShould I Reserve Special Memory Palaces Like My Home?
Should special memory palaces (like your home) be reserved for more important topics? Alex shares his approach to palace allocation.
Read moreDrawing Pictures: A Memory Technique That Works?
Alex discusses a recent New York Times article highlighting research on drawing pictures as a memory aid. Recent studies have uncovered that the technique can be surprisingly powerful. But why does it work? And can drawing pictures be sustainably implemented to improve learning?
Read moreThe Body Palace: Memorizing the Review of Systems
A key tool in the physician’s arsenal is the review of systems, or ROS—a run-through of pertinent symptoms while taking a patient history. To the novice clinical student, it can feel overwhelming. Medical students often first learn the ROS as Alex did—as a giant, inscrutable list of symptoms. Here’s how he uses a memory technique to tackle it painlessly.
Read moreHow Should Medical Students Use Memory Techniques in the Clinical Setting? [Video]
Ever wondered how best to apply memory techniques in the clinical setting? Should I use memory palaces for patient interviews? For presentations? How might practicing physicians make use of memory techniques? In the video below, we give an overview of how we think memory techniques are best applied in clinical practice.
Read moreMemory Tips for Medical Students (Live Seminar) [Video]
A short seminar we recently gave to the first year class at our medical school. It covers some science-backed tips we think every learner should know.
Read moreHow to Memorize the Entire Facial Nerve Using a Memory Palace [Video]
In this 20-minute video, Alex walks through how to memorize the entire facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) using a memory palace. The facial nerve is a key player in neuroanatomy and pops up during gross anatomy in medical school.
Read moreHow to Memorize the Drugs that Cause Pancreatitis in 60 Seconds (and Remember Them a Week Later) [Video]
We collaborated with medical learning powerhouses Osmosis and Sketchy Medical to create this intro video on memory palaces. We demonstrate the technique with a list of drugs that cause pancreatitis. Here's how to make those essential drug groups really stick. (7:05)
Read moreHow to Use Memory Palaces to Learn Chinese: Handling Characters & Homonyms
I've been focusing on spoken Chinese, but I've gotten some questions about character memorization. Here's how I'd approach characters with the help of memory palaces.
Read moreWhy I Never Erase Old Memory Palaces
You might consider making an active effort to erase "ghost images"--images on loci you want to reuse. I never actively clean palaces, whether for memory sports or learning projects. Here's why.
Read moreHow to Use Memory Palaces to Learn Equations: An Updated Guide
In the case of equations, true understanding should be achievable, so memory techniques should generally take a backseat. That said, I do use memory techniques for specific pieces of equations I find difficult to remember. Here's how.
Read more3 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Memory Palaces (and Not Only Standalone Images)
Standalone mnemonics are also a relatively simpler yet still effective way for, say, an absolute beginner to pick up new foreign language vocab. When it comes to carefully learning structured material, however, I’ve found there to be three main arguments in favor of palaces.
Read moreHow to Use Memory Palaces to Learn Chinese: Putting the System into Practice [Video]
In this video, I walk through a memory palace-based learning session, focusing on examples and the different tools I use. This one builds on my earlier two blogs describing the system. Here's how to make tricky tones and endings really stick. (26:02)
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