how to memorize microbiology?

[D30417995]

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There seems to be fairly little organizing principles in this subject. Of course, you can group them by Gram Stain, chemical tests, etc. However, for stuff like lactose fermenter/non-fermenter, aerobic/anaerobic, are we just left with rote memorization?

Also, take diarrhea for example. There are lots of bugs that can cause very similar symptoms. After 2 weeks of studying this subject, all I'm left with is a big mess in my mind.

People say neuro is hard; i've completed neuro block and I honestly think microbiology is worse!

 

[thechad]

Yeah, I hated the enterics too. Here is what I do, hope it helps (using CMMRS of course):

Read the chapters AT LEAST twice. Afterwards, go the the charts at the end and try to memorize those (i.e., read the virulence factors of e. coli, then repeat it to yourself without looking, or make flash cards). Constantly quiz yourself after reading the charts. It's boring, but it works.

 

[Vonsmack]

Yes, micro is a lot rote memorization, no way around that. Clinical Micro made simple is good because it helps memorization through visuals and freakin crazy pictures. It is very worth your while to just sit down and memorize the algorithms for lab bacterial ID-First Aid has a simple one and it's not too bad.

For the enterics/diahhrea causing bugs it helps me to group them as much as possible, e.g. if their toxins cause watery diarrhea or bloody/mucus diarrhea. Some overlap and can cause both, but they have different etiology/sources. For board type questions, they give the answer away by telling what food they ate.

 

[Dr Roboto]

Also, take diarrhea for example. After 2 weeks of studying this subject, all I'm left with is a big mess in my mind.

Hahaha, pun intended? Sorry. Got nothing to contribute. Move along.

 

[TMP-SMX]

For GI bugs you have to differentiate inflammatory vs. watery diarrhea and remember what causes each. It is also essential that you remember the toxins they secrete, it's mechanism of action, and the epidemiology, symptoms, and pathogenesis of disease. Once you have the basic understanding and memorization of each bug you can get the concepts of treatment and more of the pathogenesis.

Remember the unique ones and the exceptions. If you have a lab, that definitely helps keep them straight. We did labs by organ system with Micro so you learned the main pathogens for each system and differentiated them by biochemistry, culture, and gram stain. There is also some thinking involved in a lot of them. Gram Positive and then Negative being the main groups. Then morphology (Rods vs. cocci). Then the AFB vs. non AFBs and also the spore forming aerobic bacilli and the anaerobic Clostridia. Then next differentiate the cocci by hemolysis or catalase (for G+s) Strep vs. Staph and coagulase S. aureus vs. CoNS. Then antibiotic susceptibility.

For the G-, remember first morphology (cocci vs. bacilli). Then lactose fermentation is the main differentiating criteria for the GNRs. E. coli is versatile and is lac+ while Pseudomonas likes O2 and is oxidase+ and lac-. Shigella and Salmonella are lac- (main diff. factor vs. E. coli.

Anyway, I can't explain all of this to you. It just takes practice and thought about them. Think about the different culture media you use and why something grows on it and why other things don't (bile and crystal violet preventing G+ growth on Macconkey). Why is something purple on the Macconkey? it causes a pH acid change because it ferments lactose. Then if something grows or doesn't and grows on another media differentiate it by something else (like motility, morphology, or blackening H2S production).

Here's a chart for the G+.

Chart for the G-.

 

[stefanlukic]

For classes like micro there is only one formula:
Repetitio est mater studiorum...

 

[penisclaw]

I always had a problem with micro too. For the most part it was a list of bugs and a list of diseases, transmission methods, lab ID, and antibiotics, but very little explanation. I'm the type of person who memorizes things by understanding the mechanisms of how they work. This is theoretically possible in micro, but with the amount of bugs they expect you to know in a short time, there's no way I'd get through them all. Since I suck at rote memorization, I tried to mix it up by looking at things from all different angles to help make more of the info stick. For example, rather than just looking at E. coli and memorizing a bunch of stuff about it, I'd make a list of all the bugs that were gram negative, then I'd make a list of all the bugs that were rods, then a list of bugs that cause diarrhea, then of lactose negative, etc. I would quiz myself on those lists in addition to reading the general info about each bug and I feel that going "attribute -> bug" in addition to just "bug -> attibute" made it a lot easier to hold on to.

 

[wAyRadikull]

I just took a bugs exam today and it was.... interesting. Try making a chart according to gram +, spore-formers and such.. that usually works out well. CMMRS is awesome.. i got easily 10-15 questions right today because i remembered an illustration... however, i only read it once.. reading twice would be ideal. The charts in CMMRS are pretty good too.

Once again, repetition is key no doubt. in my opinion, you can't just passively learn micro like you can most subjects.. you have to be actively memorizing it. I prefer passive reading multiple times.. but micro didn't turn out too well.

One more thing i did while making charts is making a differential dx column, which stated other bugs which caused the same disease. It might get a little overwhelming but it helps differentiate a bit better.

Summary: CMMRS (2x) + Excessive repetition of charts/flashcards

 

[silas2642]

Yeah, I hated the enterics too. Here is what I do, hope it helps (using CMMRS of course):

Read the chapters AT LEAST twice. Afterwards, go the the charts at the end and try to memorize those (i.e., read the virulence factors of e. coli, then repeat it to yourself without looking, or make flash cards). Constantly quiz yourself after reading the charts. It's boring, but it works.

Yeah, I used CMMRS and loved the pictures (I thought they were funny and they did help me remember things). I definitely agree though, micro is just work-- you have to sit down adn memorize it over and over and over again. No way around it. It sucks.

 

[fotogopher]

Uggh i hate how much rote memorization there is... does anyone know of any other sources besides CMMRS that helps visual learners?

 

[FIREitUP]

yeah micro sucks, i like cmmrs, but i think levinson's is pretty good as well

 

[loveoforganic2]

In the middle of bacteriology now - flowchart is attached in case anyone might find it useful

 

[NickNaylor]

Personally I liked the Lippincott's micro cards. I don't think there's anything especially unique about them other than that they're in card form, but I think they're pretty solid if you prefer a card format for your rote memorization. Here's an Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Lippincotts-Microcards-Microbiology-Harpavat-Edition/dp/145111219X/ (interesting, by the way, that Amazon tracks that this came from SDN - check out the end of the link when you get to the page)

 

[rory]

Dear Microbiology : i hate u
just read & repeat

 

[rory]

Lippincott's microcards is good