Memory techniques / Mental frameworks for medical knowledge

[gracec210]

Just wondering if anyone out there knows of (or uses) specific techniques or mental frameworks for putting medical knowledge into long-term memory (as opposed to just rote memorization).

 

For example, one of my professors (a really awesome, extremely knowledgeable EM PA) apparently uses a mental system that involves visualizing filing cabinets for different areas/topics in medicine, then pulling out the file folder that relates to the information she's trying to recall, and then looking at the papers in that file folder.

 

I've also read about techniques such as "memory palaces"/Roman rooms/journeys where you mentally picture items in places that you know well, but this seems more useful for lists of information, not so much for medical knowledge.

 

I guess at this point (2nd semester of PA school), I'm just starting to learn about medicine and am looking for some sort of overall memory framework or "mental organization" method to use when studying so that I can better retrieve the information later when I need it -- and therefore one day become a competent PA.

 

If you have any suggestions or can point me to another resource, I'm all ears! Thanks.

[GeneValgene]

i had (and still have) a horrible memory. some of my classmates had photographic memory, which i was always envious of...but nevertheless it's not something you need to get through PA school...i don't have any specific techniques, but one thing to keep in mind is that if you are still in didactic year, it's very normal to learn things to ace an exam, and then forget everything afterwards. however, once you get to clinical year, it will be very different. once you put a face and patient to a disease process, it will stick so much better...i promise. my one tip on the wards is that every night you read about every disease or condition you see that day. it will do wonders. for example, i will never forget henoch–schönlein purpura, kawasaki disease, classic lithium toxicity, etc. etc. because the pictures of the patients i saw are etched in my brain. for didactic year, my suggestion is just to focus on physiology. don't worry if you have trouble remembering the details of clinical medicine after an exam or learning about it for the first time - i'm pretty sure that's very normal. it will eventually make it to your longer term memory after repetition and experience.

 

with that said, i've found goofy pictures somewhat useful. a resident showed me this to remember the common side effects of commonly used chemotherapy:

 

and then i always remember lesch-nyhan syndrome because of this picture hahaha:

 

and then there's always the tried and true use of mnemonics (e.g. MUDPILES)!

[sailordeac]

^ The above advice is great. I'm a bit of a kinesthetic learner (hooray ADHD tendencies!), so if I see and can lay hands on a patient with disease x (and then maybe read about it a little to reinforce), I will never forget it. Sitting down and memorizing something is like pulling teeth to me...and it will never stick. I mostly got through didactic by trying to have a good understanding of the underlying pathophysiology...I found that if I really understood that, then the rest of the details sort of fall into place, and then you're not really memorizing anything.

 

I started using the goofy pictures for pharm (especially for side effects) about halfway through didactic year, and thought it helped.

[IdahoPA]

I'm not in PA school yet, but something that I realized helped me in undergrad was making connections. If I can make a mental bridge to something else, it helps make it more real for me. (As a bonus, it helps clarify the other subject, too!)

 

I like the acronyms or lil phrases, too.