Medical terminology flashcards have become one of the most vital tools in a medical student’s bag. Read how a second year medical student uses them to learn information quickly and retain it for the long-term to succeed in medical school.
There are many things that make Osmosis an amazing resource for medical education. There are videos that explain physiological and pathological processes so eloquently, yet in a fun and entertaining way. There are Workspaces where you can upload your course lectures to help you identify which material is emphasized, with the added benefit of being able to collaborate with classmates. These aforementioned features on Osmosis are further enhanced by another feature of the platform: medical terminology flashcards.
The power of spaced repetition & the testing effect
The ability to quiz my knowledge and understanding of medical concepts on a daily basis has been facilitated, to a large extent, through the use of flashcards on Osmosis.
Active learning techniques, such as the use of flashcards, are a much more powerful and effective way to learn medical terminology. Reading alone is generally not sufficient for retaining information, especially in the long term. When you engage your mind in a way that requires you to actively retrieve material, your brain perceives that information as something worth remembering. The more you revisit that concept, the stronger the memory formed.
This probably isn’t mind-blowing to you, but it is something that is generally hard to put into practice. The great thing with flashcards on Osmosis is that there is an algorithm that best determines when you should revisit these concepts based on whether or not you answered the flashcard correctly, and how confident you were in your selection. This feature is very useful as you don’t have to decide when to revisit the cards; the cards will automatically be presented to you at the appropriate time. Even more so, because of the combination of methods implemented by using flashcards (the testing effect, spaced repetition, and interleaved practice) you are able to learn material much quicker and save yourself some time on studying.
As a result from using flashcards through Osmosis, I have noticed that I have retained a wealth of information and I tend to spend a shorter amount of time studying compared to many of my classmates, while still doing well on tests.
How I use Osmosis Flashcards
Currently, the way I go about using flashcards is by engaging in the practice of multimedia learning.
First, I skim through the relevant lecture, and follow up by watching a video on Osmosis if there are any for the subject(s) of interest. From there, I prefer to quiz myself using the pre-made Osmosis flashcards on that subject to gauge my level of understanding and which concepts I need to focus more on. Finally, I’ll go back over the lecture to see if there is any material that is being expanded upon by the instructor and/or create my own flashcards for the concepts that are more challenging for me.
There are many ways you can go about utilizing flashcards. Ultimately, find a system that works for you and make small adjustments with time to better optimize your workflow.
Other highlights of Osmosis Flashcards
As mentioned previously, you can collaborate with your classmates via the Workspace, which includes the ability for you and your classmates to make flashcards together. In doing so, you’ll be able to cut down on the amount of time you spend making cards and be able to dedicate more time to quizzing yourself.
The cards that are created in the workspace will be attached to the lecture slide that you made it with, giving you the advantage of being able to relate the card to a specific lecture slide. Lastly, any card you make can be enhanced by attaching images which have the added benefit of helping to reinforce concepts and/or strengthen your knowledge.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the medium you choose, flashcards can be a very powerful study aid. Without a doubt, the flashcards have been instrumental to my success in medical school thus far.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to create flashcards to learn medical terminology efficiently and effectively, I encourage you to watch the video below on making flashcards by from Dr. Rishi Desai and Dr. Amreet Sidhu (a.k.a. Brosencephalon). Additionally, if you want to learn more about the learning methods I mentioned earlier, check out the Learning Science video library on Osmosis.
About Jason
Jason Lundy is a second year medical student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. He likes to spend his free time working out, exploring the outdoors, hanging out with his family, reading, and trying new foods. Jason hopes that his advice will help you succeed in school and allow for you to have more time for meaningful activities outside of studying.
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Ace the USMLE with Osmosis medical terminology flashcards
Why cram for the most important exam of your life? Start learning for the long term with Osmosis USMLE®-style flashcards, powered by spaced repetition to reinforce your understanding of the material while you’re still studying for classes. Go into exam day with confidence. Every one of the Osmosis 15,000+ flashcards have been written and reviewed by health professionals. On the go? Review your flashcards on the Osmosis mobile app! Try it free today.
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