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JackShephard MD

JackShephard MD

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  1. Medical Student
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med.firecracker.me

New medical education website rooted in an adaptive learning platform. Looks impressive, check it out.

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$99 doesn't seem bad compared to FC. I wish they had more micro sample cards though.. The free cards they have up are terrible imo.
 
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dyspareunia said:
$99 doesn't seem bad compared to FC. I wish they had more micro sample cards though.. The free cards they have up are terrible imo.
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You just have to pic and choose the cards that you need. It's a big time sink otherwise. For me, it's biochem cards for obscure diseases.
 
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001100010010011 said:
You just have to pic and choose the cards that you need. It's a big time sink otherwise. For me, it's biochem cards for obscure diseases.
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I meant that I wish I could see more of the micro cards. I've heard good things about them, which is why I'm considering it. Based on my own experience (with the free cards) I wouldn't make the purchase because none of the free ones help me at all.
 
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So are there any discounts going around for FC these days? Or is the only option $400 for a 1 year subscription?
 
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kirbymiester said:
-Lysosomal storage diseases (I can't tell you how many times I got these wrong reviewing them in FC...and I still struggle with them)
-Interferons and cytokines
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Oh man. Just flagged these recently and they are still ****ing killing me. These and all the cards about cranial blood flow are ruining my life.
 
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For those of you using picmonic with FC, how is that working out? How are incorporating the two programs together?
 
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I have used picmonic for a quick overview to seed memory, then use my familiarity of the topic to study the corresponding material in FC. I'm currently working on banking micro and drugs using this method
 
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It's like the step I gods wanted a good laugh... had 3 lysosomal storage order diseases on my block today -_-... of course I flagged a different biochem card yesterday. Definitely doing it today. Got 2 of them right, the third was fairly simple too I guess, with the big give away being the red macula. However, what solidified the answer was hepatomegaly. I chose Tay-Sachs, but the answer was NP.

Dr Dazzle said:
So are there any discounts going around for FC these days? Or is the only option $400 for a 1 year subscription?
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It's probably random, but you can try contacting them. I couldn't make up my mind whether I wanted to commit to it while I was doing my trial, then out of nowhere the price went up around $60 one day. So I emailed them saying I was tight on cash (which is true) and had planned on purchasing and wanted to know if I could still get the discounted rate for the special that had just expired. They helped out so I was really thankful for that. I don't know how willing they would be to do something like that now. I'm sure they've studied economics so if they've raised the price to $400 it's because the numbers show people are still buying the program or they have some reason to believe that they will continue to do so.
 
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dyspareunia said:
I meant that I wish I could see more of the micro cards. I've heard good things about them, which is why I'm considering it. Based on my own experience (with the free cards) I wouldn't make the purchase because none of the free ones help me at all.
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Honestly, I think that if the free cards aren't helping you at all you probably won't love the full product either. In my class people either swear by it or kind of hate it.
 
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I have got a few questions about GT/FC. (my school will be P/F so i don't care about scoring high on exams)

1) Is it best to read the textbook to master the material before using GT or can you use GT after just sitting in lecture? Which is more beneficial?
2) Does GT teach you the material or does it just help you not forgot what you learned?
3) How do you deal with topics in GT that are not covered in class?
 
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ranson said:
I have got a few questions about GT/FC. (my school will be P/F so i don't care about scoring high on exams)

1) Is it best to read the textbook to master the material before using GT or can you use GT after just sitting in lecture? Which is more beneficial?
2) Does GT teach you the material or does it just help you not forgot what you learned?
3) How do you deal with topics in GT that are not covered in class?
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1) Either. I prefer textbook.
2) The latter. Also, you teach yourself, it just points out what's high yield.
3) you learn them, because they're high yield.

Think of it as an online bank of Flash cards that would be best learned over a year or so. Don't try and rush it, though.
 
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Since we all seem to like FC I'm guessing we have similar learning styles. What do you guys recommend for micro? Not review, but for first time learning?

I have CMMRS, Lippincott's flashcards and BRS flashcards.
 
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Lippy Microcards, hands down. It's exactly what you need to know, nothing more, nothing less. The rest little minutea you'll pick up between FA and UWorld
 
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addy said:
Lippy Microcards, hands down. It's exactly what you need to know, nothing more, nothing less. The rest little minutea you'll pick up between FA and UWorld
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I'm an MS1 not doing UW yet. Still think Lippincott's is sufficient?
 
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dyspareunia said:
I'm an MS1 not doing UW yet. Still think Lippincott's is sufficient?
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I really do, but at the same time I am not one of those people who are dead set on being top 10% of class or anything. In terms of what you need to know long term, it's all in there
 
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addy said:
I really do, but at the same time I am not one of those people who are dead set on being top 10% of class or anything. In terms of what you need to know long term, it's all in there
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Ok thanks a lot. I like to use a resource that has all the long term stuff and then just use my syllabus for testable material.
 
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For firecracker users-

Are you guys ever marking "never see this card again" for stuff that you think is mundane/useless?

For the anatomy section, I have been removing cards that simply ask about some obscure muscle and what all of its actions are. I think if I have to memorize every single muscle I studied in anatomy w/ its innervation and all its actions, it would make FC 100x more tedius, boring and annoying to learn for something that seems so low yield. Now what I have NOT been removing are cards that deal with entire compartments or major muscles (i.e. gluteus max) or groups of muscles (i.e. quadriceps) or clinically important spaces/regions (i.e. extensor retinaculum, etc.).

I just don't think it is a good use of my time to memorize every single action of foot muscles or what muscles are in what layer etc. What do you guys think?
 
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sozme said:
For firecracker users-

Are you guys ever marking "never see this card again" for stuff that you think is mundane/useless?

For the anatomy section, I have been removing cards that simply ask about some obscure muscle and what all of its actions are. I think if I have to memorize every single muscle I studied in anatomy w/ its innervation and all its actions, it would make FC 100x more tedius, boring and annoying to learn for something that seems so low yield. Now what I have NOT been removing are cards that deal with entire compartments or major muscles (i.e. gluteus max) or groups of muscles (i.e. quadriceps) or clinically important spaces/regions (i.e. extensor retinaculum, etc.).

I just don't think it is a good use of my time to memorize every single action of foot muscles or what muscles are in what layer etc. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen many obscure details on FC. The only answer I can give you is what you already know: It depends on your goals.

Edit: The only time I've ever clicked 'Never see again' is if I already knew the info cold before I even started on the card, and was sure I'm not likely to forget over the next 2 years.
 
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sozme said:
For firecracker users-

Are you guys ever marking "never see this card again" for stuff that you think is mundane/useless?

For the anatomy section, I have been removing cards that simply ask about some obscure muscle and what all of its actions are. I think if I have to memorize every single muscle I studied in anatomy w/ its innervation and all its actions, it would make FC 100x more tedius, boring and annoying to learn for something that seems so low yield. Now what I have NOT been removing are cards that deal with entire compartments or major muscles (i.e. gluteus max) or groups of muscles (i.e. quadriceps) or clinically important spaces/regions (i.e. extensor retinaculum, etc.).

I just don't think it is a good use of my time to memorize every single action of foot muscles or what muscles are in what layer etc. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Yes, I did this. I would only "never see again" it if it was particularly heinous, but I wasn't afraid to do so. If I felt the question had some merit that I'd be afraid on missing out on, I would write the key point in the "notes" section of the corresponding card.
 
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sozme said:
For firecracker users-

Are you guys ever marking "never see this card again" for stuff that you think is mundane/useless?

For the anatomy section, I have been removing cards that simply ask about some obscure muscle and what all of its actions are. I think if I have to memorize every single muscle I studied in anatomy w/ its innervation and all its actions, it would make FC 100x more tedius, boring and annoying to learn for something that seems so low yield. Now what I have NOT been removing are cards that deal with entire compartments or major muscles (i.e. gluteus max) or groups of muscles (i.e. quadriceps) or clinically important spaces/regions (i.e. extensor retinaculum, etc.).

I just don't think it is a good use of my time to memorize every single action of foot muscles or what muscles are in what layer etc. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I do it very rarely. Nothing in FC is useless, imo.. mundane? Yes, but that's not a reason to mark it as never see again. It's important to know all of it and I have only "never agained" things that I will never forget.

Two examples that come to mind are "bilirubin is a breakdown product of what?" and "what is the final electron acceptor?" Two things that an 8th grader probably knows.
 
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dyspareunia said:
I do it very rarely. Nothing in FC is useless, imo.. mundane? Yes, but that's not a reason to mark it as never see again. It's important to know all of it and I have only "never agained" things that I will never forget.

Two examples that come to mind are "bilirubin is a breakdown product of what?" and "what is the final electron acceptor?" Two things that an 8th grader probably knows.
Click to expand...

Off topic, but I'd bet that 95% of undergrad students wouldn't even know what bilirubin is. And I'd say at least 5% of med students nationally would say that bilirubin helps emulsify fat in the intestinal lumen...if you phrased the question right. :laugh:
 
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kirbymiester said:
Off topic, but I'd bet that 95% of undergrad students wouldn't even know what bilirubin is. And I'd say at least 5% of med students nationally would say that bilirubin helps emulsify fat in the intestinal lumen...if you phrased the question right. :laugh:
Click to expand...

^^

I was gonna say, you guys must have known way more than I did in 8th grade.
 
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kirbymiester said:
Off topic, but I'd bet that 95% of undergrad students wouldn't even know what bilirubin is. And I'd say at least 5% of med students nationally would say that bilirubin helps emulsify fat in the intestinal lumen...if you phrased the question right. :laugh:
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Fair enough. 8th grader thing is definitely true about the final electron acceptor though.

Also, really? Only 5% of med students would say that bile salts help emulsify fat? Of the two need-to-know things about bile (emulsify and cholesterol excretion) I more often forget about it being the only way to excrete cholesterol.
 
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dyspareunia said:
Fair enough. 8th grader thing is definitely true about the final electron acceptor though.

Also, really? Only 5% of med students would say that bile salts help emulsify fat? Of the two need-to-know things about bile (emulsify and cholesterol excretion) I more often forget about it being the only way to excrete cholesterol.
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I think he was saying 5% would incorrectly state that the function of bilirubin is to emulsify fats, when in reality it is bile salts. I'd probably be one of those people though. I tend to completely misread things at times.
 
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Bancrofti said:
I think he was saying 5% would incorrectly state that the function of bilirubin is to emulsify fats, when in reality it is bile salts. I'd probably be one of those people though. I tend to completely misread things at times.
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Oh, that makes sense. If you asked me to give you a list of 5 things in "bile" I probably wouldn't remember to include "bilirubin".
 
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Sadly, I remember when I first started getting that question after I flagged the topic and had to list the components of bile I would often name bile salts, cholesterol, electrolytes, water... then sit there and say I know there's one more thing. Hopefully I don't have brain farts like that on the actual exam.
 
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Speaking of "never agains" this one just popped up.

"Describe the process of translational termination."

Stop codon, see ya.
 
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I think the opposite is true. FC has a ton of extraneous information that is unlikely to show up anywhere. I'm like 75% through Uworld right now and completed NBME and while FC has helped, so much of FC is devoted to brute force memorization of everything. No question is ever going to be "complete the pentad: seizures, mental ******ation, ataxia, hamartomas". Having an intuitive understanding is way more important than brute force memorization.

Also, never ever flag anatomy or embyro on FC. It's just a waste of time. The anatomy on NBME 6 was so damn straightforward and even the anatomy on Uworld is pretty chill.

edit: This is what I'm talking about "What is the most common cause of dilated cardiacmyopathy? Ans: idiopathic although some can be familial" This tidbit has zero learning use and no board exam is going to ask that question.
 
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sohin said:
Its from First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 Book so its definitely a must for everyone that is studying... It takes too long to keep reading first aid over and over so if you can do it faster by using flashcard its definitely a must.
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How many message boards have you made it to to market your product so far?
 
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notbobtrustme said:
I think the opposite is true. FC has a ton of extraneous information that is unlikely to show up anywhere. I'm like 75% through Uworld right now and completed NBME and while FC has helped, so much of FC is devoted to brute force memorization of everything. No question is ever going to be "complete the pentad: seizures, mental ******ation, ataxia, hamartomas". Having an intuitive understanding is way more important than brute force memorization.

Also, never ever flag anatomy or embyro on FC. It's just a waste of time. The anatomy on NBME 6 was so damn straightforward and even the anatomy on Uworld is pretty chill.

edit: This is what I'm talking about "What is the most common cause of dilated cardiacmyopathy? Ans: idiopathic although some can be familial" This tidbit has zero learning use and no board exam is going to ask that question.
Click to expand...
I agree 100%, especially with "FC has a ton of extraneous information that is unlikely to show up anywhere. "
 
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notbobtrustme said:
I think the opposite is true. FC has a ton of extraneous information that is unlikely to show up anywhere. I'm like 75% through Uworld right now and completed NBME and while FC has helped, so much of FC is devoted to brute force memorization of everything. No question is ever going to be "complete the pentad: seizures, mental ******ation, ataxia, hamartomas". Having an intuitive understanding is way more important than brute force memorization.

Also, never ever flag anatomy or embyro on FC. It's just a waste of time. The anatomy on NBME 6 was so damn straightforward and even the anatomy on Uworld is pretty chill.

edit: This is what I'm talking about "What is the most common cause of dilated cardiacmyopathy? Ans: idiopathic although some can be familial" This tidbit has zero learning use and no board exam is going to ask that question.
Click to expand...

Yeah and definitely some of these cards are terribly written. I hope the FC people regularly update and fix this stuff too.

But I was thinking along the same lines for anatomy - only ever reviewing the cards that have clinical relevance (i.e. unhappy triad). I don't know what I will do for embryo. Man what a beast subject (and boring if I'm being honest). It was SO poorly taught at my school as well. But I'm not so sure I'm going to trip all over myself reviewing ever FC card for embryo if it really isn't on step I
 
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I don't mind the embryo actually... though I hate the subject too.

When it comes down to it you don't know whether your exam is going to be a good distribution across the basic sciences or place more emphasis on a certain area. I've had a qbank question about what the sinus venosus derivative is in an adult, which I know I would have completely forgot about if I hadn't flagged heart embryo at some point.

There's definitely going to be some WTF questions on the exam. Hopefully FC gets us a few more questions on exam day because we can recognize some nonsense that isn't of extreme clinical relevance, which is what some people have said it did for them before.
 
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Alright, everything flagged now except the monster that is anatomy. I know we have discussed this somewhat before, but for people that have already plowed through FC anatomy, do you feel like its worth it? Or should I go with a different source altogether to hit anatomy? Did you only strategically flag or hit everything?
 
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THH said:
Alright, everything flagged now except the monster that is anatomy. I know we have discussed this somewhat before, but for people that have already plowed through FC anatomy, do you feel like its worth it? Or should I go with a different source altogether to hit anatomy? Did you only strategically flag or hit everything?
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I flagged everything, but I was very liberal with the "don't see this again" option
 
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FA anatomy is all you need for Uworld save for the random question that no one gets right anyways.

Do you really want to play through a thousand cards worded like this : "The sciatic nerve innervates all posterior leg muscles excpet the short head of the tendenous muscle, which is innervated by a branch off the obturartor nerve called nerve to the tendenous"

It's so ****ing low yield and no exam will ask you that question.
 
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notbobtrustme said:
FA anatomy is all you need for Uworld save for the random question that no one gets right anyways.

Do you really want to play through a thousand cards worded like this : "The sciatic nerve innervates all posterior leg muscles excpet the short head of the tendenous muscle, which is innervated by a branch off the obturartor nerve called nerve to the tendenous"

It's so ******* low yield and no exam will ask you that question.
Click to expand...

No question would ask it, but I wouldn't be surprised by a vignette that indicates sciatic nerve damage and then asks about the affected muscle.

Answer choices being:

A. short head
B. long head

Now you have to know which one is the exception.

Agree that it's low yield though.
 
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Apologies if this has been asked before, but the search function did not quite lead me to what I was looking for:

Is there a recommended 'protocol' for doing FC during one's dedicated study period? I am thinking I could unflag some of the easier subjects and just keep the microbiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry cards flagged (FC has been extremely helpful for these subjects, which are very memorization/fact heavy) to make the daily quizzes more reasonable.

Any thoughts? What are you guys planning to do?
 
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There is no protocol. Your idea works. Other options:

From your daily review you can pick the topics you'd like to be quizzed on.

"Never see again". Use it liberally on stuff you don't want to be quizzed on anymore.

I probably won't be doing FC during dedicated.
 
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Brain Bucket said:
There is no protocol. Your idea works. Other options:

From your daily review you can pick the topics you'd like to be quizzed on.

"Never see again". Use it liberally on stuff you don't want to be quizzed on anymore.

I probably won't be doing FC during dedicated.
Click to expand...
Agree. That is what I'm going to do as exam date gets closer.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to select "Never See Again"....(nowadays I can fly through cards but having to click on that little NEVER SEE AGAIN box significantly slows me down, not to mention it's annoying).
 
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