#5: Getting your head around hard stuff faster
🙌Discover new study hacks and high-yield MedEd resources.
🔗 www.matt-barrett.com | 🧠Study Medicine Smarter and Unlock More Time
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Hi guys,
This week we’re diving into how you can get your head around difficult concepts in medicine faster using a classic study hack. I’m also going to fill you in on a fantastic OSCE notes website thats recently undergone some cosmetic surgery.
On my end, I’m off to southern France for some much needed vitamin D and an even more needed break! I say a break… but the side-hustler in me is still going to keep me busy with entrepreneurship, content creation and personal growth, but at least the scenery will beat London aye.
Hope you all have a productive week!
🙌 Study Hack of the Week: How to Understand Complex Medical Concepts Faster. (5 mins)
At medical school, we’re hit with complex concepts constantly. Whether you’re sinking your teeth into the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, or getting your head around the meaning of C3bBb in the complement cascade - the first step to remembering medical education content for your exams is by seeking understanding.
A common pitfall for medical students it to rote learn the semantics. The problem with this approach, is that if you’re not directly asked a question on what you memorised, then figuring out the answer through abstraction is much more difficult. However, if you’ve totally understood a concept, the odds will be in your favour.
It’s in your best interest to UNDERSTAND concepts rather than just being FAMILIAR with concepts alone. But how can you understand complex concepts easier?
Feynman will help us out…
🔓 The MedEd Vault: High-yield MedEd resources you may never knew existed.
🔦This week’s resource in the spotlight is: OSCEstop
🔗Access here: https://oscestop.education
Now OSCEstop is a gem that I only came across in my penultimate year of medical school. At the time of writing the site had recently undergone a facelift and an erection of a paywall in front of their bougier content. However, OSCEstop is still full of great resources - it has some of the most useful and concise notes on history taking, examinations and OSCE/PACES-related vivas that Ive ever seen.
Pros:
Common presenting complaints and associated histories
Differential diagnosis
Focused examination notes including signs and their interpretation
OSCE/PACES viva questions such as the different types of cardiac valves, the causes of bronchiectasis and types of abdominal scars - OSCEstop is a fantastic resource for these notes alone.
Notes on real-world aspects like writing in the patient notes
Cons:
More and more content is becoming locked behind a paywall - but not to worry, their free notes are excellent.
Although oldschool - I found their old website style a lot easier to digest
👋Thats all for this week! See you in 403 Pomodoros!