The surgery rotation has gained a reputation amongst many medical students as long and mind-numbingly boring due to long hours standing watching in the operating room (OR). So, what makes the surgery shelf exam so difficult?

Let’s talk about using memory palaces to memorize information for your medical school exams! The idea here is to create a visual vocabulary that is distinct and fun – something you enjoy making, something that will stick in your mind, something that clearly represents the information you’re memorizing.

No medical student wants to make mistakes on Step 2 CK especially when aiming for an extremely high score. Because making any number of common study mistakes can be detrimental especially once you get up into high percentiles, here are the top mistakes to avoid while studying for USMLE Step 2 CK.

Many medical students have heard of of used Sketchy Medical and the concept of making “memory palaces” while building their knowledge foundations in medical school. Understand the origins of memory palaces and how they can be effective for medical students.

The ABIM tests your knowledge on common and rare diagnoses expected from a board-certified internist according to American Board of Internal Medicine standards. To set yourself up for success, it is important to start early and practice often.

Testing anxiety is probably the single most common problem students report to us, and it can be a real bear to deal with. Here are few practical changes to your studying that we recommend you make in order to reduce stress and improve memory.

You’ve just started your busy general surgery intern year and you’re trying to decide how best to use your free time for studying: ABSITE versus USMLE Step 3…. WHAT FREE TIME?!

Applying for residency is a stressful process with much that feels out of the applicant’s control. In truth however, there are some very important actions that can be taken to maximize your chances for success as an IMG!

After months of studying, you have just one more decision left to make: how to spend your last day! Days of 10+ hours of First Aid review, UWorld questions, and flashcards are behind you; one long test day awaits you.

Most medical students recognize that the basic sciences are the foundation of medical science. Yet once students are several months into medical school, its typically a constant flood of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. But don’t be fooled if your medical school skims over basic science concepts! You will need them for Step 1 and beyond!