Advice on Anki Consistency?

[backspace39]

Hello, first time posting ever. I hope this is the right place for this.

Anyway, I'm an MS-I and my school just started our "intro to path/2nd year" course essentially. I use Anki quite a bit and have used it all year, but I use it very begrudgingly. Whenever I am doing cards, I don't feel like I am learning and am just clicking through not retaining anything. It also takes hours because I'm doing upward of 200-300 cards/day (missing some days because of consistency issues so more cards pile on). I feel I could be using the time to actively review lectures or do practice questions, instead. I feel I learn best if I'm writing concepts out and drawing connections because I often have trouble with that the most. I can definitely just sit and memorize card after card but I can't get those higher-order questions. I am a consistently below-average student, but I feel I put in the hours of someone who should be above-average. Although, I am a very slow learner because it often takes me double the time to get through a lecture or chapter than others.

Right now, I am using the AnKing v6 deck and unsuspending the relevant Pathoma chapters. I also am beginning to study for the class (biochem/immuno) I failed at the beginning of the year which I need to retake in June, so I am also including Zanki Biochem in there. However, I just can't seem to get a consistent rhythm going, get bored after doing it, and feel it is not helping.

I really want to be able to use Anki effectively as I know the amazing results it has throughout 2nd year and while studying for boards, but I am concerned I am wasting time not retaining anything and can't seem to get into a good rhythm.

Overall, just looking for advice on how to approach studying more effectively, efficiently, and using Anki to my benefit. Thanks.

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[Type2Fiber]

Gotta begin with the end in mind. Anki is basically a trade off of hard work and a lot of hours for a straightforward way to a good board score. It isnt a lot of fun doing it but no studying really is

 

[Schwifty]

Hello, first time posting ever. I hope this is the right place for this.

Anyway, I'm an MS-I and my school just started our "intro to path/2nd year" course essentially. I use Anki quite a bit and have used it all year, but I use it very begrudgingly. Whenever I am doing cards, I don't feel like I am learning and am just clicking through not retaining anything. It also takes hours because I'm doing upward of 200-300 cards/day (missing some days because of consistency issues so more cards pile on). I feel I could be using the time to actively review lectures or do practice questions, instead. I feel I learn best if I'm writing concepts out and drawing connections because I often have trouble with that the most. I can definitely just sit and memorize card after card but I can't get those higher-order questions. I am a consistently below-average student, but I feel I put in the hours of someone who should be above-average. Although, I am a very slow learner because it often takes me double the time to get through a lecture or chapter than others.

Right now, I am using the AnKing v6 deck and unsuspending the relevant Pathoma chapters. I also am beginning to study for the class (biochem/immuno) I failed at the beginning of the year which I need to retake in June, so I am also including Zanki Biochem in there. However, I just can't seem to get a consistent rhythm going, get bored after doing it, and feel it is not helping.

I really want to be able to use Anki effectively as I know the amazing results it has throughout 2nd year and while studying for boards, but I am concerned I am wasting time not retaining anything and can't seem to get into a good rhythm.

Overall, just looking for advice on how to approach studying more effectively, efficiently, and using Anki to my benefit. Thanks.

So my school also just started our intro to path / 2nd year class, and I’m doing the same thing with the AnKing v6 deck and unsuspending the pathoma cards. As for making sure it works, I would say make sure you are truly reading the entire card, not just a few words then answering, also read the info that comes up on the cards after you answer them, reading that helps me make connections in the material and understand it more. Doing anki isn’t exactly “enjoyable” that’s why I do it first thing in the morning when I get up, just get through all reviews (everyday) and however many new cards I’m doing that day, then go on to studying other stuff in the afternoon, like watching pathoma or reviewing other notes and stuff, so I’m not doing anki all day

 

[deleted1005514]

Personally I tried the AnKing deck, but I didn't like the cloze deletion style, so I traded it in for the Lightyear deck, which has questions instead, and I like it much better. Also, I only use the decks that I've covered either in class or using BnB, so I'm not just memorizing disjointed facts, I'm reinforcing what I've already learned.

 

[Gurby]

IMO - if you are failing classes and doing below average despite putting in a lot of hours, you shouldn't be doing AnKing or Zanki. I would focus on classes until you're in a more comfortable spot.

Also if it feels like a waste of time, maybe it is - there are many ways to skin the cat. Plenty of people have scored >260 without anki. I think it would be reasonable to drop anki and just do practice questions from Rx or Kaplan to fill the boards prep void instead.

 

[backspace39]

All top notch advice, I really appreciate it. Thank you everyone!

 

[initialize]

Hello, first time posting ever. I hope this is the right place for this.

Anyway, I'm an MS-I and my school just started our "intro to path/2nd year" course essentially. I use Anki quite a bit and have used it all year, but I use it very begrudgingly. Whenever I am doing cards, I don't feel like I am learning and am just clicking through not retaining anything. It also takes hours because I'm doing upward of 200-300 cards/day (missing some days because of consistency issues so more cards pile on). I feel I could be using the time to actively review lectures or do practice questions, instead. I feel I learn best if I'm writing concepts out and drawing connections because I often have trouble with that the most. I can definitely just sit and memorize card after card but I can't get those higher-order questions. I am a consistently below-average student, but I feel I put in the hours of someone who should be above-average. Although, I am a very slow learner because it often takes me double the time to get through a lecture or chapter than others.

Right now, I am using the AnKing v6 deck and unsuspending the relevant Pathoma chapters. I also am beginning to study for the class (biochem/immuno) I failed at the beginning of the year which I need to retake in June, so I am also including Zanki Biochem in there. However, I just can't seem to get a consistent rhythm going, get bored after doing it, and feel it is not helping.

I really want to be able to use Anki effectively as I know the amazing results it has throughout 2nd year and while studying for boards, but I am concerned I am wasting time not retaining anything and can't seem to get into a good rhythm.

Overall, just looking for advice on how to approach studying more effectively, efficiently, and using Anki to my benefit. Thanks.

Does AnKing v6 include new cards compared to the previous versions? I have an older version but I’m afraid of messing up my deck (I tried watching the YouTube videos but I’m too dumb to understand it)

 

[Schwifty]

Does AnKing v6 include new cards compared to the previous versions? I have an older version but I’m afraid of messing up my deck (I tried watching the YouTube videos but I’m too dumb to understand it)

Only added like 100 new cards, the updates are mainly to add more tags, like the biggest thing with v6 is it added tags for all the BnB videos, but it’s not necessary to update

 

[NotYou20]

IMO - if you are failing classes and doing below average despite putting in a lot of hours, you shouldn't be doing AnKing or Zanki. I would focus on classes until you're in a more comfortable spot.

Also if it feels like a waste of time, maybe it is - there are many ways to skin the cat. Plenty of people have scored >260 without anki. I think it would be reasonable to drop anki and just do practice questions from Rx or Kaplan to fill the boards prep void instead.

As someone who did well on boards primarily by using anki, I completely agree with this. Sounds like you gave it a solid try it's not your style, op. Thats ok.

Whatever you do, try to get some form of spaced repetition. Make a schedule for when you'll revisit that old material. Whether you review by doing questions from old systems, reviewing concept maps, reviewing old class notes doesn't matter much. Pick whatever forces you to remember stuff you already learned.

 

[stickgirl390]

I agree with all the above comments. Adding: do you have access to boards and beyond and sketchy? Highly recommend as both have path videos, and both have boards-style practice questions included. A full question might work better for you as far as active learning, and you can replace the Anki with that. Then if you have the cash, you could use UWorld/USMLERx/Kaplan questions for your spaced repetition