I have a problem with memorization

[PatoKw]

Hello everybody,

So this is my first post and I joined today to show you guys my problem with medical school and of course I am seeking help.

Optional read> ( the system of medical school in my country ): in my country, we only have 1 college for medicine and it consists of dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine.

The medicine system ( 7 years total ) consists of 3 phases:
Phase 1 - Pre-professional
Phase 2 - Basic Science
Phase 3 - Clinical Phase.

Going back to my problem. so I am a first year medical student and I just finished the first semester which had Biophysics-chemistry ( just basics and applications )-English 181-PC on medicine-elective: media

So my problem is with memorizing!
I know the memorizing techniques such as visualizing, imagination and etc...
but, my problem is that I don't know how to insert the information into my mind.. so what I do, is repeat every single piece of information that requires memorization 3-4 times to not forget it, and this repetition is what made me suffer ever since high school.. it is so tiring and painful and it takes crazy amounts of time to finish studying. whenever it's not holiday time.. I barely have free time even if it's high school... so I am wondering how do ordinary people memorize? do they just read stuff for a single time and that's it? or do they just highlight or write down? so I think my problem is clear, it concerns insertion. Infact, all of the materials on my first semester were 90% understanding, still it takes me plenty of hours to cover the 10% left.

I believe that I still cannot tell If i have a good memory or not...

My question is, if you are studying for example chemistry and specifically Lipids and you have to learn this:
Eicosanoids, which are short lived hormones, play an important role in relaxation and contraction of airways.
How do you learn it? do you just read it one time and you'll never forget it?

*docosahexaenoic acid 22 carbons 6 double bonds
how i memorise it? docosa means a bottle in my language, so i say a bottle has 2 parallel parts, and that reminds of the carbon numbers digits being identical, two then two = 22 carbons. but now here come the insertion, do i just say it one time? cause what I always do is repeat 3 times..

So.. my main concern is how will I keep up with what's coming if i stay on my stupid method? I am about to start the next half of the first year, and it has Biology.. which means memorization.. so all I want is guidance!

I understand this is so weird

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Microshaft]

do it the same way you learned the alphabet

 

[PatoKw]

Ya but I forgot how I used to study when i was a kid. It's like I am now infected.. I really need someone to give me some clue please

 

[ACSurgeon]

Ya but I forgot how I used to study when i was a kid. It's like I am now infected.. I really need someone to give me some clue please

The key is spaced repetition. Don't just repeat something 5 times in a row. You have to read everything and then read it again. And again. Every time you make a pass through the material you should find that more of it sounds familiar.

For classes like pharm and micro, where you have to memorize a lot of different things, you should break it down into chunks and do a combination of repetitions and writing some things down (summaries).

Trying to memorize a drug in isolation isn't helpful. Learning all drugs that involve a certain organ system is more useful. Try to compare and contrast the items. Your goal isn't to know every word, it's to recognize the defining characteristic of that item.

 

[PatoKw]

The key is spaced repetition. Don't just repeat something 5 times in a row. You have to read everything and then read it again. And again. Every time you make a pass through the material you should find that more of it sounds familiar.

For classes like pharm and micro, where you have to memorize a lot of different things, you should break it down into chunks and do a combination of repetitions and writing some things down (summaries).

Trying to memorize a drug in isolation isn't helpful. Learning all drugs that involve a certain organ system is more useful. Try to compare and contrast the items. Your goal isn't to know every word, it's to recognize the defining characteristic of that item.

Thank you so much lifesaver

 

[Anicetus]

Hello everybody,

So this is my first post and I joined today to show you guys my problem with medical school and of course I am seeking help.

Optional read> ( the system of medical school in my country ): in my country, we only have 1 college for medicine and it consists of dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine.

The medicine system ( 7 years total ) consists of 3 phases:
Phase 1 - Pre-professional
Phase 2 - Basic Science
Phase 3 - Clinical Phase.

Going back to my problem. so I am a first year medical student and I just finished the first semester which had Biophysics-chemistry ( just basics and applications )-English 181-PC on medicine-elective: media

So my problem is with memorizing!
I know the memorizing techniques such as visualizing, imagination and etc...
but, my problem is that I don't know how to insert the information into my mind.. so what I do, is repeat every single piece of information that requires memorization 3-4 times to not forget it, and this repetition is what made me suffer ever since high school.. it is so tiring and painful and it takes crazy amounts of time to finish studying. whenever it's not holiday time.. I barely have free time even if it's high school... so I am wondering how do ordinary people memorize? do they just read stuff for a single time and that's it? or do they just highlight or write down? so I think my problem is clear, it concerns insertion. Infact, all of the materials on my first semester were 90% understanding, still it takes me plenty of hours to cover the 10% left.

I believe that I still cannot tell If i have a good memory or not...

My question is, if you are studying for example chemistry and specifically Lipids and you have to learn this:
Eicosanoids, which are short lived hormones, play an important role in relaxation and contraction of airways.
How do you learn it? do you just read it one time and you'll never forget it?

*docosahexaenoic acid 22 carbons 6 double bonds
how i memorise it? docosa means a bottle in my language, so i say a bottle has 2 parallel parts, and that reminds of the carbon numbers digits being identical, two then two = 22 carbons. but now here come the insertion, do i just say it one time? cause what I always do is repeat 3 times..

So.. my main concern is how will I keep up with what's coming if i stay on my stupid method? I am about to start the next half of the first year, and it has Biology.. which means memorization.. so all I want is guidance!

I understand this is so weird

The moment sketchy micro landed me top 10 in my class for micro/infectious disease is when I realized I'll be using "silly" methods for memorizing for the rest of my medical career.... And I don't regret doing it.

 

[PatoKw]

Hmmm ok.. although I still feel the need for more suggestions.. I'd really appreciate it!

 

[JOC_Colorado]

I'd suggest trying Anki, or Firecracker. Both incorporate spaced repetition. Anki is free, and Firecracker is reasonable (4 years for < $500). Free 30 day trial too. http://www.firecracker.me/

 

[Anicetus]

Hmmm ok.. although I still feel the need for more suggestions.. I'd really appreciate it!

I'm serious. If drawing a stupid picture of Rated M scene helps you remember absolutely everything about a disease or a drug, do it. It's better ultimately to look at it twice and remember everything if passively reading something 5-6 times doesn't help you.

 

[cutari]

The 'silly' methods actually work for me! Your memory works more efficiently when associating something new to things it already 'knows'. It trumps repetition, re-writing notes and all other study methods (at least for me)

 

[Amba]

I'd suggest trying Anki, or Firecracker. Both incorporate spaced repetition. Anki is free, and Firecracker is reasonable (4 years for < $500). Free 30 day trial too. http://www.firecracker.me/

1 post, and is advertising Firecracker

 

[JOC_Colorado]

1 post, and is advertising Firecracker

A bit a skepticism is a very healthy thing. Would someone working for firecracker mention Anki? I'm prePA, have been using firecracker since November. I have a learning disability that impairs my working memory - so repetition is extremely important for me. As cutari mentions, association is also something I use extensively. Still don't believe me? Follow my twitter feed: @JOC_MED1 and check out the hundreds of accounts I follow. Firecracker is not the only site I recommend as the post I pinned to twitter in October will show. And don't worry, I don't mind being called out, just replying to alleviate any doubts. 1 more firecracker tip - follow them on facebook and answer their weekly question correctly and you can get another free month. Questions are usually posted midweek. I really appreciate firecracker offering free trials. Most of the more expensive USMLE review options don't seem to give that option.

 

[MedIsInMyBlood]

There's learning and then there's memorizing.

Try to learn more than memorizing if its possible.

I don't even like nmenonics, because then I don't actually learn what is happening.