pharm-memorization-tricks???

[ronni]

anyone have any really good rhymes or ways of remembering-tricks???etc.It seems like this memorization stuff is taking me much longer than everyone else?? how do you do it???

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[Nflow]

Same problem here. Anyone have some good tips for a MS-1 student learning Pham for the first time?

 

[Skialta]

First Aid has some mnemonics for pharm. I just try to categorize it into chunks that fit together, either way you look at it, it is just hard work. Good luck.

 

[Megalofyia]

I'm looking for a book called Phunny Pharm. Has anyone seen this book or know where I could get a hold of it?

 

[Green912]

http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/

 

[carpe diem]

How to master pharm:

1. don't rely on mnemonics
2. learn the autonomic nervous system backwards and forwards and sideways
3. Study physiology and pharm together ---most important point ---- and learn major drug classes first before you worry about generic names of drugs (i.e. don't worry about trade names of drugs until 3rd year)

i.e. learn all the physio of beta receptors to understand therapeutic and adverse effects of beta stimulation and beta blockade ---- later, fill in the names of chemical compounds (i.e. drugs) that effect these changes

4. pick the KEY representative of each major drug class and know all of its quirks ---- don't even worry about all the different drugs in a class until you know the prototype COLD........

5. add the other key drugs in each class (and all you need to know is what makes them distinctive......i.e. long half-life, special side effect, special dosage form, etc.)

6. Each time you have a question about a drug, scan its entire profile (esp MOA, adverse effects, drug interactions, contrainidications, special p'kinetic parameters) after you find the piece of info you're looking for. This takes only about 3o-45 seconds and after awhile you will not have to look up every single question about a drug---- it will be in your brain..........


Anyway, this is how they taught us in pharmacy school to approach each drug class. Hope this is beneficial.

Carpe

 

[RLMD]

How to master pharm:

1. don't rely on mnemonics
2. learn the autonomic nervous system backwards and forwards and sideways
3. Study physiology and pharm together ---most important point ---- and learn major drug classes first before you worry about generic names of drugs (i.e. don't worry about trade names of drugs until 3rd year)

i.e. learn all the physio of beta receptors to understand therapeutic and adverse effects of beta stimulation and beta blockade ---- later, fill in the names of chemical compounds (i.e. drugs) that effect these changes

4. pick the KEY representative of each major drug class and know all of its quirks ---- don't even worry about all the different drugs in a class until you know the prototype COLD........

5. add the other key drugs in each class (and all you need to know is what makes them distinctive......i.e. long half-life, special side effect, special dosage form, etc.)

6. Each time you have a question about a drug, scan its entire profile (esp MOA, adverse effects, drug interactions, contrainidications, special p'kinetic parameters) after you find the piece of info you're looking for. This takes only about 3o-45 seconds and after awhile you will not have to look up every single question about a drug---- it will be in your brain..........


Anyway, this is how they taught us in pharmacy school to approach each drug class. Hope this is beneficial.

Carpe

Great advice!

 

[greets fr. nyc]

pick up "pharmacology recall" from amazon.com or one of their second-hand sellers, and MEMORIZE THAT THING!!! (check out the reviews on-line)
this saved me 2nd year, let me kick butt on the boards for pharm, and is soo worthwhile everyday of 3rd year.
(i'm that enthusiastic about this book.. haha).

although some of the "recall" books are bunk, this one is really a gem.

the point is, you must get the lay of the land first, before you do anything else. read up on each class/individual drug as you meet them. other things i'd recommend are katzung's big pharm, katzung's small pharm, first aid, making mnemonics after understanding what's going on, having a set time to review old and forgotten info (YOU WILL FORGET, help save some of your knowledge by reviewing and/or using it).

good luck!

<check out another thread on pharm/pharm recall somewhere else on SDN.>

 

[Mumpu]

Look for patterns. With a few exceptions, drugs in with similar mechanisms of action have similar names. Thus, you can figure out the class from the generic name alone (which is why I hate brand names). E.g. all COX-2 inhibitors are -coxibs, all macROlide abx have "ro" in their name, etc. Apply pharm as much as you can -- every time you see a patient, every time your grandma takes her pills, etc.

 

[me.]

i'm going to start trying this soon: subliminal learning in addition to whatever it is you usually do. record material and listen to it as you sleep (and of course, whenever else you want to). this way, although you may not be able to directly recall details, perhaps you will at least have a stronger and more accurate than usual intuitive feeling of the right answer.

 

[HiddenTruth]

i'm going to start trying this soon: subliminal learning in addition to whatever it is you usually do. record material and listen to it as you sleep

like WHILE you're sleeping??--that's a very innovative idea--never head that one before

 

[azzarah]

I come up with little stories for each drug to help me remeber the name and relate it to the symptoms, side effects, and write out my stories next to it. It helps when you start to cram before an exam. Also you should really learn the mechanisms of action underlying each class.
For example...PILOcarpine reminds me of a pillow in my car--> I put my head (and also my EYES) on the pillow...that helps me remember that it is used for glaucoma, etc. When you come up with your own stories they help you retain the material better, and you instinctively get the answers right on the test--not that I would know since I just took my first pharm test a few hrs ago. Also I have to keep reviewing/organizing my pharm notes in order to retain the material and with each review session my understanding increases.
We're all in this together!

 

[me.]

I come up with little stories for each drug to help me remeber the name and relate it to the symptoms, side effects, and write out my stories next to it. It helps when you start to cram before an exam. Also you should really learn the mechanisms of action underlying each class.
For example...PILOcarpine reminds me of a pillow in my car--> I put my head (and also my EYES) on the pillow...that helps me remember that it is used for glaucoma, etc. When you come up with your own stories they help you retain the material better, and you instinctively get the answers right on the test--not that I would know since I just took my first pharm test a few hrs ago. Also I have to keep reviewing/organizing my pharm notes in order to retain the material and with each review session my understanding increases.
We're all in this together!

excellent advice. i'd like to add one more thing: make the story comical and silly--guaranteed to make it stick

 

[MtnDoc]

i'm going to start trying this soon: subliminal learning in addition to whatever it is you usually do. record material and listen to it as you sleep (and of course, whenever else you want to). this way, although you may not be able to directly recall details, perhaps you will at least have a stronger and more accurate than usual intuitive feeling of the right answer.

I tried doing that... I recorded more than just pharm. I probably went through at least a dozen tapes. Tapes are a great idea (as a third year I actually started making CD's lol!). However, it's WHEN you listen to the tapes that makes the biggest difference. Listening to while you sleep is probably less productive in that either 1. it bores you to death and you sleep (great sleep aid) ...or 2. it keeps you up because you're trying to pay attention to it (thus, you miss out on MUCH NEEDED sleep) ...3. or you wind up drifting in and out of sleep (never really getting good REM and stage III,IV sleep... MUCH needed!).

But... recorded material is EXCELLENT if you... listen to it while in the shower, exercising, cleaning house, folding laundry, cooking, etc. It makes you feel less guilty for taking time to do things for yourself.

Another thing that worked great for me was to make note cards and take them walking everyday with a friend. We would cover the material as we walked 3-5 miles. Talking about the material and actively thinking about it while doing some physical activity made a big difference.

Finally, make charts and grafts relating to the physiology. I used to make colorful posters with markers and hang them up all over my apartment. Believe it or not, there were many times on a test when I would get a question right simply because I would remember that the information I needed was on Poster X located on Whatever wall which covered BLah. This was probably the most helpful during my first two years.

Carpe Diem offered the best advice- these are just some other tricks to make it stick. Good luck!

 

[uclacrewdude]

question: is it better to buy pharmcards or make my own flashcards? i learn when i write down and i hate extraneous information, but im not sure if the time required to write them would be worth it. what sayeth you kids: buy pharm cards and save time, or write your own and only know what you need to know?

 

[Dr.Bevo]

question: is it better to buy pharmcards or make my own flashcards? i learn when i write down and i hate extraneous information, but im not sure if the time required to write them would be worth it. what sayeth you kids: buy pharm cards and save time, or write your own and only know what you need to know?

I agree that it takes a long long time to make your own cards. I bought the pharm cards (lippencott not BRS). I take these and go over the information on them with my class notes. I highlight stuff that was stressed in class and add details that might not be on the cards. It's time efficient and by highlighting the important stuff on the cards, I can avoid all the extraneous info on them.

 

[carrigallen]

Finally, make charts and grafts relating to the physiology. I used to make colorful posters with markers and hang them up all over my apartment. Believe it or not, there were many times on a test when I would get a question right simply because I would remember that the information I needed was on Poster X located on Whatever wall which covered BLah. This was probably the most helpful during my first two years.

Yes, I totally agree with this one. I will never forget the cardiac cycle, because I remember drawing the P-V diagrams and P-T diagrams of each chamber.

 

[Mumpu]

Make your own cards -- that's one more pass through your brain and as you think about the material and organize it, you will learn so much that won't need the cards once you are done.