I’m a diehard Quizlet fan. It’s been around for as long as I can remember, it’s easy to use, I have the option of searching for pre-made study sets, and it’s equipped with multiple activities that help me learn my sets. I learned about Anki through the medical communities on Instagram and Twitter. Everyone pretty much swears by it– both pre-med and medical students– so I decided to give it a shot. Anki was intimidating at first because it looked like some coding was involved (?). I had a hard time trying to figure out how to even make a card. That said, I closed the app and uninstalled it from my computer.
Now that I’m preparing for another round of MCAT studying, I decided to give Anki another shot. I watched some Youtube videos and read some blog posts to get me started. I even downloaded a pre-made deck to use while I learn how to navigate the platform. So far, I’m loving it! For today’s post, I’m sharing a few reasons as to why I think you should learn how to use Anki.
What is Anki?
Anki is a *FREE* flashcard-based program that utilizes spaced-repetition to help users retain more information than they would with using passive study methods.
Pros:
- It can seamlessly sync your cards across multiple devices
- You can customize your experience with various add-ons (Read Kelly’s post on Add-ons here)
- You can embed images, videos, and audio clips into your cards
Cons:
- The cost for the mobile apps is pricey–$25!
- A few med students that I follow say that it’s well worth the price. I just don’t need it right now.
- As I mentioned earlier, the user-interface can be a little intimidating. You really just have to take the time to learn how to navigate it.
Why I think you should learn how to use Anki
Anki uses active recall testing and spaced repetition. This means that there are time intervals between study sessions that help you retain more information in fewer amounts of time. The great thing about Anki is that it requires you to rate your answers based on how easy/difficult it was for you to recall the information. In other words, if you didn’t know the answer, you would select “hard” and the card will show up in your study session until you get it right. If you did know the answer, you’d pick “easy” or “good” and you won’t see the card for some time.
I also think you should learn how to use Anki it seems like it doesn’t go away. The med students I follow on IG have implemented it into their STEP study plans and general studying. Even if you don’t end up using it later on down the line, it couldn’t hurt to acquire a new skill.
Resources that helped me learn how to use Anki
Here are some Youtube videos and blog posts that helped me learn how to navigate Anki.
Youtube Videos
Blog Posts (just click the texts, it’ll take you directly to the posts)
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