Memorizing (and forgetting) Drugs...advice needed badly

[surfguy84]

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So I was given a list of 103 drugs to memorize today. We had a test last week which required us to memorize a list of 63 drugs. Nothing too crazy, just type of drug, what it treats, and mechanism if that mechanism is totally different than the others found in its class.

As I'm starting to work on the 103 today, I went through my old note cards to see what I could recall....bad idea. I have forgotten a good 80% of those previous 63 drugs. This isn't the first time something like this has happened to me...I'm starting to think my long-term memory isn't going cut out to be a doctor (i.e. passing the boards)...and all this will have been for nothing.

How in the world do people memorize hundreds of drugs (we won't mention the million other fine details) unless they are hammering notecards all the time....I just can't remember details like this unless I hit my notes every single day..which just isn't possible given the massive amount of new material each week.

Second...how in the world do actual practicing physicians memorize hundreds upon hundreds of drugs and know what and when to prescribe, etc? This seems like an almost impossible goal for me and frankly I'm getting kind of depressed and feeling a bit worthless that I can't retain what I'm learning 🙁

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

You are not the first nor the last to experience this. Every practicing physician I have met says they know about 50 or 60 drugs really well and then have some understanding of the different classes. Nobody's going to ask you the mechanism of action of clindamycin if you're a psychiatrist.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

You are not the first nor the last to experience this. Every practicing physician I have met says they know about 50 or 60 drugs really well and then have some understanding of the different classes. Nobody's going to ask you the mechanism of action of clindamycin if you're a psychiatrist.

Or 5 if you are an orthopedic surgeon.





I kid i kid.

 

[surfguy84]

You are not the first nor the last to experience this. Every practicing physician I have met says they know about 50 or 60 drugs really well and then have some understanding of the different classes. Nobody's going to ask you the mechanism of action of clindamycin if you're a psychiatrist.

Fair enough....but how do med students retain this well enough to do well on boards? I'm feeling so defeated over this.. .

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Fair enough....but how do med students retain this well enough to do well on boards? I'm feeling so defeated over this.. .

You will forget almost everything until you start studying for boards. I can only speak for myself but I try to do firecracker and picmonic. It's about 110 picmonic for the entire step 1

 

[surfguy84]

You will forget almost everything until you start studying for boards. I can only speak for myself but I try to do firecracker and picmonic. It's about 110 picmonic for the entire step 1

Like 110 pictures to memorize?

Sorry didn't follow that 🙂

 

[costales]

Second...how in the world do actual practicing physicians memorize hundreds upon hundreds of drugs and know what and when to prescribe, etc? This seems like an almost impossible goal for me and frankly I'm getting kind of depressed and feeling a bit worthless that I can't retain what I'm learning 🙁

Many of those names will be etched in your brain starting in 3rd year with minimum effort - and there is an app called UpToDate.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Like 110 pictures to memorize?

Sorry didn't follow that 🙂

Yes

 

[W19]

You are not the first nor the last to experience this. Every practicing physician I have met says they know about 50 or 60 drugs really well and then have some understanding of the different classes. Nobody's going to ask you the mechanism of action of clindamycin if you're a psychiatrist.

You think an ID doc will know it!

 

[apr27]

anki.

 

[surfguy84]

I use anki, and I have no problem recalling these type of details on my tests....but when I stop reviewing my cards, I forget the details.

Do you continually review every anki card indefinitely?

@apr27

 

[scoKraz4]

Draw them over and over. It will stick for a while. Key is active learning.