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.

 

[MirrorTodd]

I've been doing FC since last summer (post ms1) in legendary mode and I'm wondering how the hell does anyone keep up with the amount of topics and questions? Seriously, tell me how. As it stands, I can only flag 2-3 extra topics a day and that's on top of the ~125 questions I have to do every day. Adding 2-3 topics is like an extra 90 questions more with legendary with a little respite once in a while where a topic only has 8 questions versus upwards of 30. I haven't been able to add ANY first year stuff, like neuro, heme, etc because I just can't seem to add more than 2-3 topics without getting bogged down. I've read that you just need to treat them like flashcards and just blaze through them, but they aren't JUST flashcards...most of them are a question and then an explanation. Is there like some secret I'm missing here?

 

[abolt18]

I've been doing FC since last summer (post ms1) in legendary mode and I'm wondering how the hell does anyone keep up with the amount of topics and questions? Seriously, tell me how. As it stands, I can only flag 2-3 extra topics a day and that's on top of the ~125 questions I have to do every day. Adding 2-3 topics is like an extra 90 questions more with legendary with a little respite once in a while where a topic only has 8 questions versus upwards of 30. I haven't been able to add ANY first year stuff, like neuro, heme, etc because I just can't seem to add more than 2-3 topics without getting bogged down. I've read that you just need to treat them like flashcards and just blaze through them, but they aren't JUST flashcards...most of them are a question and then an explanation. Is there like some secret I'm missing here?

I use breaks, weekends, long weekends, day after tests, etc to flag a lot of extra stuff. While I am not anywhere near where I want to be, it helps me progress a lot more. For example over my fall break I flagged ALL of cardio in one day and did all the questions over the next week just making sure I did all the 'review' questions first. If we finish heme/onc exam Monday and I didn't finish flagging all of it, I'll usually just flag all the remaining subjects after I finish the test and knock them out in a day or two. I find it easy to do a ton of questions once in a while rather than try to flag 4 subjects every day.

 

[MirrorTodd]

I use breaks, weekends, long weekends, day after tests, etc to flag a lot of extra stuff. While I am not anywhere near where I want to be, it helps me progress a lot more. For example over my fall break I flagged ALL of cardio in one day and did all the questions over the next week just making sure I did all the 'review' questions first. If we finish heme/onc exam Monday and I didn't finish flagging all of it, I'll usually just flag all the remaining subjects after I finish the test and knock them out in a day or two. I find it easy to do a ton of questions once in a while rather than try to flag 4 subjects every day.

I'll give that a try. New question now: How do you remember that over time? I'm moderately intelligent...certainly far from being top of the class, but I find that I can answer 4s and 5s immediately after reviewing the material, but the next time it shows up I answer 1s and 2s cause I just can't remember after a few days. Then the same question just comes up over and over. Is there a better strategy to better remember the cards?

 

[midweststudent1]

I'll give that a try. New question now: How do you remember that over time? I'm moderately intelligent...certainly far from being top of the class, but I find that I can answer 4s and 5s immediately after reviewing the material, but the next time it shows up I answer 1s and 2s cause I just can't remember after a few days. Then the same question just comes up over and over. Is there a better strategy to better remember the cards?

I don't usually rate cards 4s the first couple times and almost never a 5 the first time

 

[seminoma]

I'll give that a try. New question now: How do you remember that over time? I'm moderately intelligent...certainly far from being top of the class, but I find that I can answer 4s and 5s immediately after reviewing the material, but the next time it shows up I answer 1s and 2s cause I just can't remember after a few days. Then the same question just comes up over and over. Is there a better strategy to better remember the cards?

What kinds of cards are you talking about? If you can't remember cards with huge lists of things that's not a big deal. If you can't remember cards about big concepts or general facts then you probably didn't learn those things well. For example, there's a card that asks you to list all the X-linked recessive diseases.. I can't list them all out from memory and I don't think that's an issue. But if I get a card asking about the effect of insulin on glucose and lipids, I can answer that card everytime.. and if I couldn't I would be worried.

 

[abolt18]

If I'm seeing a seemingly important question over and over (consistently a 2 or 3) I'll usually read up more on the subject. I'll read the card then look at first aid or my class notes and I'll usually see a pretty good increase in understanding and retain it better. Also as others said, most of the time the first time I see a card, the highest I'll rank it is a 3 (SOMETIMES 4 or 5 if it's extremely simple or a concept I really have down already).

 

[olecranon4]

I'll give that a try. New question now: How do you remember that over time? I'm moderately intelligent...certainly far from being top of the class, but I find that I can answer 4s and 5s immediately after reviewing the material, but the next time it shows up I answer 1s and 2s cause I just can't remember after a few days. Then the same question just comes up over and over. Is there a better strategy to better remember the cards?

I go through my new topics twice before rating them (use skip button). Then I rate them 1's. See them tomorrow, rate them 2's if I'm hazy or 3's if I'm sure. From there, 4's or 5's. Makes for a lot of cards, but saves you time in the long run since you remember them a lot better.

 

[Amba]

Anyone else using the beta/mobile having issues with the same questions being shown every day? I have flagged ~80 topics since starting FC a month ago and am doing 150-200 questions/day. It seems like older questions should be coming up more often, but every day is 90% repeat questions from the previous day, no matter how many times I rate a card as a 5. I'm trying to put faith in the beta algorithm, but it's becoming increasingly difficult.

 

[Dr Dazzle]

Another problem and annoyance is that formulas are not formatted correctly and images never show up fully in the phone app.

 

[Blue Blood]

Anyone else using the beta/mobile having issues with the same questions being shown every day? I have flagged ~80 topics since starting FC a month ago and am doing 150-200 questions/day. It seems like older questions should be coming up more often, but every day is 90% repeat questions from the previous day, no matter how many times I rate a card as a 5. I'm trying to put faith in the beta algorithm, but it's becoming increasingly difficult.

I've been messing around with it for a few months and I agree it's really annoying.
On the bright side, FC finally fixed the behavioral science section to reflect FA. Some milestones were off by like 6 months to a year...

 

[abolt18]

Anyone else using the beta/mobile having issues with the same questions being shown every day? I have flagged ~80 topics since starting FC a month ago and am doing 150-200 questions/day. It seems like older questions should be coming up more often, but every day is 90% repeat questions from the previous day, no matter how many times I rate a card as a 5. I'm trying to put faith in the beta algorithm, but it's becoming increasingly difficult.

I don't think it's a problem with the algorithm, rather their system is not logging responses. Same thing happens to me both in beta web and on the app. I've emailed them multiple times regarding it. I'll do 200+ questions in the morning, close the app (tried syncing, updating, as well as just closing), and come back later in the day and it says I've only answered 150 questions. It's enough to make a person go nuts. 3 times I took my endocrine section from 95% to 100% complete because it wasn't storing my progress. Still having issues and hoping if my being a squeaky wheel will get it fixed. Please send them info about this so they make it a high priority to fix it. It's one thing to have little quirks, but to have it not store your progress, completely defeats the purpose of spaced repetition.

 

[seminoma]

What's this firecracker challenge? Just got the notification

 

[Hemorrage]

@jwfirecracks

Are there any updates on how we can keep track of our progress on the "new" app graphically? Is there an insights page or something in the works?

I just feel a bit uneasy putting in 1 hour/day into this and not having anything concrete to look at to track my progress

 

[DrEnderW]

@jwfirecracks

Are there any updates on how we can keep track of our progress on the "new" app graphically? Is there an insights page or something in the works?

I just feel a bit uneasy putting in 1 hour/day into this and not having anything concrete to look at to track my progress

The insights page on the old website still tracks your beta/app progress as far as I can tell.

 

[ketosisevangelist]

The new feature is you and your motivation!!!

 

[Ironman322]

When do you guys typically unflag old cards?
I'm trying to use FC to flag what we are currently learning, but I'm feeling overwhelmed by both the biochem from last class, and the path/immuno from the last test. Currently have ~800 concepts from 83 topics.

Thanks

 

[Ophthoseidon]

When do you guys typically unflag old cards?
I'm trying to use FC to flag what we are currently learning, but I'm feeling overwhelmed by both the biochem from last class, and the path/immuno from the last test. Currently have ~800 concepts from 83 topics.

Thanks

Typically you dont unflag old cards ever. If you're only doing 100-200 cards/day, it shouldn't be a problem, especially if you flag 2-3 things per day and add them to the total. Sure you see old cards, but that is the point of firecracker. It is supposed to help you remember, not necessarily quiz you for the current exam. There are much better methods for that. It's only going to get worse. I'm an M1 that only has like 16.6% flagged and I have like 2500 topics lol

 

[DrEnderW]

When do you guys typically unflag old cards?
I'm trying to use FC to flag what we are currently learning, but I'm feeling overwhelmed by both the biochem from last class, and the path/immuno from the last test. Currently have ~800 concepts from 83 topics.

Thanks

That completely defeats the purpose of using FC and is not how it's intended to be used. It's great to go along classes, but FC should run parallel to your studying as a source of long-term review.

For example, I'm over 1000 topics flagged (something around 10,000 concepts) and it's very doable, especially with the beta version where you can set and adjust your daily goal. I highly, highly recommend not unflagging topics.

 

[Amba]

@jwfirecracks So I'm doing my cards this morning in the beta, and they are literally identical to the cards I saw yesterday. Like even the exact same order. But it's not like my cards yesterday didn't register - on the insights, it shows that I did 160 cards yesterday, which is correct.

Like I am really starting to feel like I am completely wasting my time with FC since this has been a constant issue. It defeats the whole purpose of spaced repetition if your algorithm shows me the exact same cards four days in a row and I rate them 5 every time.

 

[mamasgonnapass]

Another problem and annoyance is that formulas are not formatted correctly and images never show up fully in the phone app.

This bugs me so much!

 

[MirrorTodd]

What kinds of cards are you talking about? If you can't remember cards with huge lists of things that's not a big deal. If you can't remember cards about big concepts or general facts then you probably didn't learn those things well. For example, there's a card that asks you to list all the X-linked recessive diseases.. I can't list them all out from memory and I don't think that's an issue. But if I get a card asking about the effect of insulin on glucose and lipids, I can answer that card everytime.. and if I couldn't I would be worried.

Ya, big concepts are usually not a big deal, it's the minutiae that I struggle with. I'm getting better at it. I think I was getting bogged down with class and was just running through firecracker like it was chore without really paying attention and so lots of the same questions were popping up and it didn't seem like I was making any progress.

That completely defeats the purpose of using FC and is not how it's intended to be used. It's great to go along classes, but FC should run parallel to your studying as a source of long-term review.

For example, I'm over 1000 topics flagged (something around 10,000 concepts) and it's very doable, especially with the beta version where you can set and adjust your daily goal. I highly, highly recommend not unflagging topics.

That's really not how firecracker was presented to me. I thought it was a board prep type thing. Basically, that they took First Aid and put it into flashcard form. That's the product that I thought I was buying.

 

[seminoma]

Ya, big concepts are usually not a big deal, it's the minutiae that I struggle with. I'm getting better at it. I think I was getting bogged down with class and was just running through firecracker like it was chore without really paying attention and so lots of the same questions were popping up and it didn't seem like I was making any progress.

That's really not how firecracker was presented to me. I thought it was a board prep type thing. Basically, that they took First Aid and put it into flashcard form. That's the product that I thought I was buying.

You can use it however you want, but the idea is spaced repetition. FC isn't an efficient way to memorize FA in my opinion.

 

[DrEnderW]

That's really not how firecracker was presented to me. I thought it was a board prep type thing. Basically, that they took First Aid and put it into flashcard form. That's the product that I thought I was buying.

I think we're saying the same thing?

Maybe parallel was a poor word choice. I mean in addition/separate of your school curriculum. I personally think it helps for classes too, but obviously the primary goal is step 1 prep.

 

[abolt18]

@jwfirecracks So I'm doing my cards this morning in the beta, and they are literally identical to the cards I saw yesterday. Like even the exact same order. But it's not like my cards yesterday didn't register - on the insights, it shows that I did 160 cards yesterday, which is correct.

Like I am really starting to feel like I am completely wasting my time with FC since this has been a constant issue. It defeats the whole purpose of spaced repetition if your algorithm shows me the exact same cards four days in a row and I rate them 5 every time.

I'm with you. I've finally decided to go back to using the normal website until they can get this crap fixed. It's one thing to have little issues, but when the whole idea of their program (spaced repetition) isn't functional in the app/beta and you keep having to see concepts you know well day after day, it becomes a waste of time rather than a tool. Hopefully someone can update this thread when it gets fixed...

 

[Elevencents]

I'm not seeing images on the app or the website? They seem to come and go?

 

[Blue Blood]

Yeah I have a ton of new stuff flagged for almost a week now and haven't seen any of it. Yet I've seen the card I repeatedly rate a 4 or 5 half a dozen times.. I don't get this new priority system. It doesn't work.

 

[Ophthoseidon]

Do you guys ever flag step 2 content for step 1? I used the search function for porphyrias and found porphyria cutanea tarda. Kaplan video says it is one of the most common ones and high yield, yet it is located in the step 2 section.

 

[DrEnderW]

Do you guys ever flag step 2 content for step 1? I used the search function for porphyrias and found porphyria cutanea tarda. Kaplan video says it is one of the most common ones and high yield, yet it is located in the step 2 section.

I personally don't, but a lot of my friends and classmates do.

We have a "clinical" course 2nd year that is essentially step 2 prep (it's stupid) and they flag select FC step 2 content alongside the class material. I've heard it's helped for step 1 questions, in qbanks at least.

 

[TheFuture_22]

It's odd to hear everyone having problems with the new algorithm. I have been using it for a few weeks now and love it so far. I haven't been having any problems with questions showing up too frequently, etc. I have been flagging about 5 new topics a day to catch up (started FC late), doing those questions, then doing 80 algorithm questions a day. So far it has been easier to keep up with than the old system and I really like it. I hope you guys can figure out what is happening. I flag and do topic questions on the website (old system) and then do the 80 questions on my phone (iOS version) btw.

 

[mcloaf]

Do you guys ever flag step 2 content for step 1? I used the search function for porphyrias and found porphyria cutanea tarda. Kaplan video says it is one of the most common ones and high yield, yet it is located in the step 2 section.

Porphyria cutanea tarda and acute intermittent porphyria are both found on the Heme card within the Step 1 basic sciences -> biochem -> cellular energy section.

 

[seminoma]

I'm finding that I still do a bunch of questions from the same topic because the first time I did the question(s) I marked them all 5. I thought the beta wasn't scheduling things based on "score = x days"...

 

[Ophthoseidon]

I'm finding that I still do a bunch of questions from the same topic because the first time I did the question(s) I marked them all 5. I thought the beta wasn't scheduling things based on "score = x days"...

I could be interpreting what you said wrong, but if on the first day you saw the cards you rated them a 5, I'd assume every card you rated a 5 from that topic that day would be given the same priority, thus you would see them on the same day (whenever day that may be)

 

[seminoma]

I could be interpreting what you said wrong, but if on the first day you saw the cards you rated them a 5, I'd assume every card you rated a 5 from that topic that day would be given the same priority, thus you would see them on the same day (whenever day that may be)

I guess I misinterpreted something @jwfirecracks said on this thread at one point. I asked if we could adjust the day interval on the beta like we could on the old site and he said that cards weren't determined by day anymore.. but by priority. For some reason I thought that meant it wasn't just x # of days before you saw a question that you marked a 5 on multiple occasions.

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

I had about 20 or so topics unflagged from my account. Anyone else have this issue

 

[Ironman322]

That completely defeats the purpose of using FC and is not how it's intended to be used. It's great to go along classes, but FC should run parallel to your studying as a source of long-term review.

For example, I'm over 1000 topics flagged (something around 10,000 concepts) and it's very doable, especially with the beta version where you can set and adjust your daily goal. I highly, highly recommend not unflagging topics.

Excellent, thanks for the responses. Glad I asked before I started unflagging.

 

[olecranon4]

I had about 20 or so topics unflagged from my account. Anyone else have this issue

Yes. I think it sometimes happens when they add new questions to the topics. Just happened to me with "thrombotic microangiopathies" topic. It's pretty annoying because you'll have no idea it happened.

 

[Elevencents]

I'm not seeing images on the app or the website? They seem to come and go?

Am I the only one with this problem? Literally have no pictures after doing a few thousand questions over the last couple weeks. Don't see anything to change in settings. They just up and disappeared.

 

[Blue Blood]

Am I the only one with this problem? Literally have no pictures after doing a few thousand questions over the last couple weeks. Don't see anything to change in settings. They just up and disappeared.

I get them. Do you have a "dumb" smart phone? This may be the problem.

 

[Elevencents]

I get them. Do you have a "dumb" smart phone? This may be the problem.

On my iPad. Seriously baffled.

 

[Blue Blood]

On my iPad. Seriously baffled.

Yeah that's weird. The only problem I ever have is sometimes the images are blown up way way to big. That's about it.

 

[abolt18]

On my iPad. Seriously baffled.

I've had the same problem. Most pictures are showing up as a tiny empty square that I can't select. Some however do work.

 

[andrewsmack05]

Are you all having problems with repeating questions on the iPad? I have mainly just been banking questions without going back through the prioritized questions. Now that I have been going back, I have noticed repetition in questions. Has anyone else noticed this with the iPad?

 

[Blue Blood]

Are you all having problems with repeating questions on the iPad? I have mainly just been banking questions without going back through the prioritized questions. Now that I have been going back, I have noticed repetition in questions. Has anyone else noticed this with the iPad?

Is your counter moving for the repeated questions? I've noticed if I do questions, close the app, then come back later that I get tons of repeat questions, but the card counter doesn't move during these until I hit new questions for the day.

 

[andrewsmack05]

Is your counter moving for the repeated questions? I've noticed if I do questions, close the app, then come back later that I get tons of repeat questions, but the card counter doesn't move during these until I hit new questions for the day.

No, they move the counter during that day. The next day I get a lot of the same questions when I didn't rate them low.

 

[Jah UT13]

Stop using the mobile app and just type m.firecracker.me into your mobile internet browser instead. Also, don't do any flash cards when not connected to the internet and if you do, don't close the app without first connecting to the internet and "syncing answers".

 

[andrewsmack05]

After talking with firecracker, they said it is a top priority fix right now. Not sure the time frame though. But, they said it shouldn't affect the question banking right now so that is what I am gonna do right now for the time being.

Update: They say that it should be fixed within a week.

 

[Narmerguy]

I see a lot of people fluctuating on whether it makes sense to start M1. When I've looked at some of the topics, it looks like it could get pretty overwhelming pretty quickly. Is it the sort of thing that someone should start in M1?

 

[Elevencents]

I see a lot of people fluctuating on whether it makes sense to start M1. When I've looked at some of the topics, it looks like it could get pretty overwhelming pretty quickly. Is it the sort of thing that someone should start in M1?

I started day one and have kept up with it fairly well. I just flag stuff as we cover it in class. I tend to spend an hour or two on it each day. How fast I go through it largely depends on my motivation that day. Some days you have an exam or just don't want to do it and you can spread those questions out over the week which is a great option I take advantage of.

 

[midweststudent1]

I see a lot of people fluctuating on whether it makes sense to start M1. When I've looked at some of the topics, it looks like it could get pretty overwhelming pretty quickly. Is it the sort of thing that someone should start in M1?

I actually think it makes a lot less sense to start in M2. You need to be focusing on question banks midway through M2, not flagging stuff from M1 in firecracker

 

[DrEnderW]

I actually think it makes a lot less sense to start in M2. You need to be focusing on question banks midway through M2, not flagging stuff from M1 in firecracker

I couldn't agree more.

Starting in M2 is way less ideal than coming in with a huge majority of the content flagged and seeing M1 content again and again for an extra semester/summer. I would never advocate for waiting until M2.