Firecracker

[JackShephard MD]

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med.firecracker.me

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

Cheers.

 

[dyspareunia]

FC says that MHC molecules discriminates between self and nonself. In our immuno class we learned that MHC can present self antigens and doesn't do anything different with self vs non-self. What am I missing?

 

[Bancrofti]

FC says that MHC molecules discriminates between self and nonself. In our immuno class we learned that MHC can present self antigens and doesn't do anything different with self vs non-self. What am I missing?

The MHC itself doesn't DO anything besides present stuff, but the MHC can be used to discriminate between self and non-self by T cells. The body is able to recognize polymorphisms in MHC that are not its own and this can lead to rejection if tissue is transplanted with "foreign" MHC.

 

[Dr Dazzle]

Have any of you tried flagging everything at once in an organ system and then just doing review questions? I figure the question answers have everything already content wise. I feel that would be more active then just reading the cards before getting to questions.

 

[mcloaf]

Have any of you tried flagging everything at once in an organ system and then just doing review questions? I figure the question answers have everything already content wise. I feel that would be more active then just reading the cards before getting to questions.

I don't think that's a very efficient way to learn new information. You could do it, sure, but I'd rather study the card for 5 minutes first and know it after seeing it a couple times rather than seeing it every day for the rest of the week before I remember it. To each his own.

 

[dyspareunia]

Have any of you tried flagging everything at once in an organ system and then just doing review questions? I figure the question answers have everything already content wise. I feel that would be more active then just reading the cards before getting to questions.

Yes, it's called reading FA and then doing review book questions.

 

[Dr Dazzle]

I don't think that's a very efficient way to learn new information. You could do it, sure, but I'd rather study the card for 5 minutes first and know it after seeing it a couple times rather than seeing it every day for the rest of the week before I remember it. To each his own.

As long as you know everything on the card when it's all said and done. I figure the FC program will repeat the info as necessary until you know it.

 

[Dr Dazzle]

Yes, it's called reading FA and then doing review book questions.

Doing that isn't as convenient as FC, where everything is in the same place I feel.

 

[mcloaf]

As long as you know everything on the card when it's all said and done. I figure the FC program will repeat the info as necessary until you know it.

Yeah, but if your daily card load is already at 200 it might be nicer to study more on the front end and not pile a bunch more stuff on yourself every day.

Like I said, to each his own.

 

[notbobtrustme]

How well do you guys recognize the lists of symptoms FC gives for some diseases?

For example, do you immediately know what disease this is:

"Presents with megaloblastic anemia that is not responsive to iron, folate or vitamin B12 supplementation. If not corrected, causes developmental/intellectual impairment."

I never learned it brute force, but rather think about the biochemistry. Megaloblastic anemia is caused by defective DNA synthesis; Folate/B12 -> DNA synthesis. Since that part is intact, the block has to be further up and then it's pretty easy from that, since orotic acid is part of the pyramidine synthesis pathway. I hardly brute force memorize anything except things that have to be (eg pharm, tumor markers).

 

[dyspareunia]

Doing that isn't as convenient as FC, where everything is in the same place I feel.

To me flagging a ton of stuff at once and going straight to the questions is like trying to put together a toy by following the directions in a random order. It would probably work, but not as well as if you went step-by-step.

I never learned it brute force, but rather think about the biochemistry. Megaloblastic anemia is caused by defective DNA synthesis; Folate/B12 -> DNA synthesis. Since that part is intact, the block has to be further up and then it's pretty easy from that, since orotic acid is part of the pyramidine synthesis pathway. I hardly brute force memorize anything except things that have to be (eg pharm, tumor markers).

Great advice. I'm constantly telling this to my classmates who don't understand why I never make tables or flash cards of mechanisms.. yet I seem to forget it myself sometimes.

Thanks!

 

[Cinematographer]

I cannot ****** believe that we now have to learn about ZOMBIE-associated medical emergencies and infection precautions.

 

[mcloaf]

I cannot ****** believe that we now have to learn about ZOMBIE-associated medical emergencies and infection precautions.

Ya I'm wondering if I get anything for tagging and completing these cards...

 

[Cinematographer]

Ya I'm wondering if I get anything for tagging and completing these cards...

It's on First Aid so might as well do them. I just didn't think it was that HY of a topic to make FC add +5 cards about it.

 

[dyspareunia]

Yum, zombies.

 

[Bancrofti]

ugh I normally flag topics after reading about it in class notes or watching a Kaplan vid for it... what am I supposed to do now? I thought Zombie Preparedness wasn't covered until Step II.

 

[mcloaf]

ugh I normally flag topics after reading about it in class notes or watching a Kaplan vid for it... what am I supposed to do now? I thought Zombie Preparedness wasn't covered until Step II.

I assume this is why people have been suggesting supplementing step 1 study plans with some step 2 materials.

 

[Bancrofti]

On a serious note. For those of you who have done full Uworld blocks, how long does it take you to review? I'm starting after midterms next week and I've seen a huge inconsistency as to how much time it's supposed to take. I'm hoping that hopefully my time will be cut a little since I've been doing FC and there won't be many things that I haven't seen recently or at all.

 

[Cinematographer]

On a serious note. For those of you who have done full Uworld blocks, how long does it take you to review? I'm starting after midterms next week and I've seen a huge inconsistency as to how much time it's supposed to take. I'm hoping that hopefully my time will be cut a little since I've been doing FC and there won't be many things that I haven't seen recently or at all.

Anywhere from 2-4 hours so far. If I get a ~70%, then it usually goes by fast and I primarily focus on annotating key words in First Aid. Other times I have gotten ~50%, so reviewing the entire block will take considerably longer (mostly because I will type some notes in addition to annotating First Aid).

I have only done about 450 questions (approximately 10 blocks; random; timed) btw. Hope that helps.

 

[Bancrofti]

Anywhere from 2-4 hours so far. If me get a ~70%, then it usually goes by fast and me primarily focus on annotating key words in First Aid. Other times me have gotten ~50%, so reveiwing the entire block will take considerably longer (mostly because me will type some notes in addition to annotating First Aid).

me have only done about 450 questions (approximately 10 blocks; random; timed) btw. Hope that helps.

That does help, thanks. Also... I just passed out after I typed that last message, so it's possible it's just an error on my part, but I really don't remember typing with that poor of grammar skills. At first I was like, okay the me thing once is understandable. But "me've"??? I think a moderator is having fun... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Edit: Nevermind. It happened again so I'm in the clear. That was my first post on SDN today. Didn't realize you med folk were such pranksters

 

[001100010010011]

Maybe their attempt at transparency is the real Ap.ril fools j.oke. Most of the changes FC makes don't come wi.th an announcement.

 

[mcloaf]

Maybe their attempt at transparency be the real Ap.ril fools j.oke. Most of the changes FC makes don't come wi.th an announcement.

Seriously, it drives me ****ing crazy. It's not like a changelog would be hard to implement, and it would save me scrolling through all the topics every time it happens to see if it's something I should flag.

 

[detroit313]

Does anyone think that the price will drop below the Webinar rate of $239 for a 12 month period

 

[dyspareunia]

Does anyone think that the price will drop below the Webinar rate of $239 for a 12 month period

Nope. I got 4 months for $79 a month or two ago, but I doubt it'll ever be significantly cheaper than 239/12mo

 

[001100010010011]

Scheduled maintenance...did they even tell us?

 

[dyspareunia]

Scheduled maintenance...did they even tell us?

Didn't tell me.

 

[Bancrofti]

Hate when I'm in a small group or someone asks a question that other people don't know and the answer is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't get it out... then I get practically the same question when I do my FC review later that day

 

[Bancrofti]

Another question: I had the question about the diff between acute/subacute endocarditis and decided to read the whole card because I hadn't seen it in a while...

Has anyone ever seen any differentiation between the causes of valve replacement endocarditis as far as the time frame? I don't even remember reading this before, but FC says up to 2 months after replacement, major cause is still staph aureus, but thereafter it becomes S. epidermis.

I don't know that we'll ever get a question that picky, since as far as I can remember I always equated valve replacement with epidermis, but just checking what the experience has been for other people.

 

[001100010010011]

I haven't seen that yet but I think you would mainly differentiate based on the presentation of the patient. For example, if the patient is showing the classic acute signs then you pick S. aureus, but if it's a more indolent course or subacute presentation then you begin forming a differential of the other organisms.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I haven't seen that yet but I think you would mainly differentiate based on the presentation of the patient. For example, if the patient is showing the classic acute signs then you pick S. aureus, but if it's a more indolent course or subacute presentation then you begin forming a differential of the other organisms.

yea, this is why FC sucks. Instead of memorizing all that crap, reason it out, and you can get rid of half the cards easy.

 

[001100010010011]

Hate when I'm in a small group or someone asks a question that other people don't know and the answer is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't get it out... then I get practically the same question when I do my FC review later that day

Bro, not a problem. You'd nail the answer if it was a MCQ in front of you.

 

[TrailRun]

Does anyone think that the price will drop below the Webinar rate of $239 for a 12 month period

Do you know how I can get the $239/12mo deal? All I can find is like $309/15mo which is longer than I'll need. Thanks

 

[detroit313]

Do you know how I can get the $239/12mo deal? All I can find is like $309/15mo which is longer than I'll need. Thanks

https://med.firecracker.me/purchase/webinar_rate

 

[Bancrofti]

So FC says unilateral nerve deafness for Rinne's test would show hearing through the air after sound through the bone disappears. I thought I remembered it being that nerve deafness shows bone = air = 0? Question is a 1 star on FC so I'm assuming others had the same thought process.

 

[notbobtrustme]

So FC says unilateral nerve deafness for Rinne's test would show hearing through the air after sound through the bone disappears. I thought I remembered it being that nerve deafness shows bone = air = 0? Question is a 1 star on FC so I'm assuming others had the same thought process.

yea, that's what it should be. The nerve ain't working so no matter what you do, it won't work. Had a question on NBME 6 that was similar and just reasoning it out got me the right answer.

 

[mcloaf]

So FC says unilateral nerve deafness for Rinne's test would show hearing through the air after sound through the bone disappears. I thought I remembered it being that nerve deafness shows bone = air = 0? Question is a 1 star on FC so I'm assuming others had the same thought process.

The assumption is that there is sensorineural hearing loss but not complete deafness. This results in both air and bone conduction being equally decreased, maintaining the relative difference between them. The concept is true, but the question is kind of ****ty.

 

[Bancrofti]

The assumption is that there is sensorineural hearing loss but not complete deafness. This results in both air and bone conduction being equally decreased, maintaining the relative difference between them. The concept is true, but the question is kind of ******.

I was trying to rationalize it and came to the same conclusion that that's what they must have meant, but like you said, the wording of that question is crappy.

First Uworld block later today. Never been so anxious to do something that's just practice.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I was trying to rationalize it and came to the same conclusion that that's what they must have meant, but like you said, the wording of that question is crappy.

First Uworld block later today. Never been so anxious to do something that's just practice.

Uworld ain't a thing, it's not like the real deal. It's practice. Don't be a ***** like half of my classmates who are afraid to see how little they know. Embrace it and then **** it until it loves you.

 

[Bancrofti]

Uworld ain't a thing, it's not like the real deal. It's practice. Don't be a ***** like half of my classmates who are afraid to see how little they know. Embrace it and then **** it until it loves you.

Haha thanks for the motivation. First block = 72%... I was hoping for above 75, but I guess it isn't bad. Seeing what some of the people in the experiences thread post, I'd like to somehow get it to above 80% by the end.

It definitely isn't what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a bunch of super long question stems and confusing wording. I guess doing Kaplan qbank before helps with that aspect of testing. And I probably got 1 or 2 right that required knowledge of details from FC... nice.

 

[Apoplexy__]

Haha thanks for the motivation. First block = 72%... I was hoping for above 75, but I guess it isn't bad. Seeing what some of the people in the experiences thread post, I'd like to somehow get it to above 80% by the end.

It definitely isn't what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a bunch of super long question stems and confusing wording. I guess doing Kaplan qbank before helps with that aspect of testing. And I probably got 1 or 2 right that required knowledge of details from FC... nice.

Dude, if you're getting above 70% right off the bat, you should be very content with that. Even if you've done Kaplan before it. Don't let people bring you down (even accidentally).

You absolutely have a shot at >80% by the end, even if the 72% was an overprediction. I'm talking consistent performance of 80+%, not necessarily that you'll average up to that, but if you keep up the 70+%'s, then a final average of >80% is very possible too.

 

[001100010010011]

Yes, and learn from every question! Qbanks are for learning!

 

[Bancrofti]

Thanks guys. Guess I'm just stressing a little. Going to be tough to stay motivated again after putting in so much work if I drop the ball and get an "okay" score, by SDN standards.


In other news, seems like they're making updates pretty frequently. Every other day I have new study questions... Although one of today's, being how many cysts = minimum effective dose for Giardia, not sure where that's coming from.

 

[notbobtrustme]

"Name 10 risk factors breast cancer"

haha now I remember why I stopped doing firecracker....

 

[Dr Dazzle]

"Name 10 risk factors breast cancer"

haha now I remember why I stopped doing firecracker....

Do you guys even attempt to memorize lists of facts at this point? I'm not sure if it's worth it for most things like this. Our questions will be multiple choice. Perhaps make my time with FC less intensive.

 

[Apoplexy__]

Do you guys even attempt to memorize lists of facts at this point? I'm not sure if it's worth it for most things like this. Our questions will be multiple choice. Perhaps make my time with FC less intensive.

Unless the list was a classic triad, constellation of symptoms, or otherwise reasonably valuable, I would pretty much just "Never see again" them and move on. Very low-yield and not the correct thought process your brain should be doing to answer Q's.

 

[MedWonk]

So, when exactly would one start to use FC? Day 1 of MS1? Halfway through MS1?

 

[Apoplexy__]

So, when exactly would one start to use FC? Day 1 of MS1? Halfway through MS1?

I'd say somewhere around 8-12 weeks into Semester 1 would be maximally optimal. Earlier than that you wouldn't have a whole lot to review (since FC isn't good to learn with, only review), and later than that...well you could wait a lot later than that and still be totally fine. I started 4 weeks before the end of MS1 and I still got enormous benefit out of it.

The golden rule of deciding when to start though: Start only when there's a discount. There's no excuse to pay full price for Firecracker. They have so many promotions and you can get a group discount with your school...especially if you're considering a 1+ year subscription, you'd kick yourself for not getting a discount.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Do you guys even attempt to memorize lists of facts at this point? I'm not sure if it's worth it for most things like this. Our questions will be multiple choice. Perhaps make my time with FC less intensive.

i've never memorized a list on FC.

 

[mcloaf]

Hi all! A new feature now allows you to keep track of updates to Firecracker's topics and questions. From the "Insights" tab, you can view all changes to Firecracker content. At the bottom of the page, the "See More Updates" button will bring you to a comprehensive list of updates. Attached are a few screenshots. Thank you for helping Firecracker to identify this feature as a helpful one!

👍👍👍

Thank you for implementing this!

 

[dyspareunia]

I'm jealous of your 60* weather.

 

[mcloaf]

I'm jealous of your 60* weather.

Seriously. We got snow today. FML.