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Sep 15 2017

The best flashcard app for pre-med students

The Best Flashcard App for Pre-Med Students

There are many great apps out there for pre-meds. In this article I am going to go over one of the best apps for flash cards and why you should use it. I would consider this app one that every pre-med student should have. Flashcards are one of the best ways to memorize information as they provide a great way to remember a lot of material in a short period of time. For some classes, making flashcards is a necessity. If you haven’t taken a class where you had to make flashcards, you probably will soon. If you have taken a class where had to make flashcards, you know the struggle that comes with making them.

When I was studying for organic chemistry II, I literally made over 100 flashcards by hand and had a stack of cards that was half a foot tall. Not only did it take a long time to make the flashcards by hand, but also storing them was a problem. It was inconvenient to try and use them and review them because of the sheer quantity of cards I had. Thats when having an app that does it for you is very beneficial.

So what flash card app do you recommend?

Flashcard Hero

(Mobile version)

(Desktop version)

I tried several flashcard apps and the one that I found to be the most useful to me was “Flashcard Hero“. There are several apps out there that only do a very rudimentary job. Flashcard Hero has all of the functionality that you want in a flashcard app. With Flashcard Hero you can..

Quickly and easily make new flashcards

Sync your cards between your computer and phone (Requires both desktop and mobile version)

Organize your flashcards into sets

Add photos to your flashcards

Use advanced text formatting options

Make multiple choice questions or fill in the blank questions

Search through your flashcards for specific words

Study your flashcards based on difficulty, how long since you last studied, and the Leitner system

Use your phone as a remote controller to study flashcards on your computer

Audio output of text if desired

Detailed study session summaries

Export decks as PDF files, share online, and print decks

Import decks you already have (.tsv, .csv, from Quizlet.com)

I found that Flashcard Hero has all the functionality you will ever need for any class you are going to take. I personally used Flashcard Hero for studying for the MCAT with great success. I made a deck of over 1000 flashcards that I organized into several sets such as: MCAT math, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology/Biochemistry, Physics, Sociology/Psychology, CARS, and General MCAT tips. With this I was able to study these flashcards on my computer and on my phone. This allowed me to flexibility to study on the go or while at home conveniently. You can download the exact MCAT deck I personally used on the members download page for free.

Being able to make flashcards on your computer is incredibly convenient thanks to being able to copy and paste text and add pictures. This makes it way easier to bulk create flashcards for your classes. And as mentioned before you won’t have to worry about storing your flashcards on you. Combine this with the mobile app and you will be able to view your flashcards anywhere you go. I can honestly say that I owe the 130 I made on the Psychology and Sociology section of the MCAT to the flashcards I made with this app. It also helped me tremendously in memorizing equations and reactions. Part of how I was able to raise my MCAT score by 8 points in one month was because of this app. Let me show you inside the app so you can see for yourself what it can do.

Screenshots I took from the app: (Desktop version)

Screenshot #1:

Here are the different sets that I organized my flashcards into for my MCAT deck.

Screenshot #2:

Here we can see how you can add photos to your flashcards and on the left we can see if the flashcard is marked as easy (Green) or as difficult (Red). Also on the right we can see the advanced text formatting options available.

Screenshot #3:

Here we can see just how easy it is to add a card or topic.

Screenshot #4:

Here we can see the search functionality that allows you to find any word or phrase from your flashcards.

Screenshot #5:

Here we can see how you can study your flashcards based on difficulty.

Screenshot #6:

Here we can see how you can study using the Leitner System.

Screenshot #7:

Here we can see how it looks to study the flashcards. Notice you can also study based on fill in the blank (type) and multiple choice.

You can download the exact MCAT flashcard set that I used to study for the MCAT on the member downloads page.

Screenshots I took from the app: (Mobile version)

Screenshot#1

Here is how the sets are organized in a deck.

Screenshot #2:

Here is how the flashcards look inside a set.

Screenshot #3:

Here is how a flashcard looks in the app. Notice the picture added and my text underneath it.

Screenshot #4:

Here we can see how a flashcard looks in study mode. You can click on one of the buttons on the bottom to organize the card based on difficulty. To see the answer you just have to tap the screen or swipe to the right.

Pricing:

Mac:

The app costs $7.99 for the desktop version. There is also a lite version if you want to test it out. Click here to download.

The mobile app alone is $3.99. Click here to download.

Total price: $11.98

Windows:

The app costs $4.99. Click here to download.

Conclusion:

Rating: 9/10

Flashcard Hero has all the functionality you will ever need for an affordable price. Its ability to sync flashcards to your phone makes studying much easier. It’s highly customizable and easy to make flashcards are a great time saver. And the ability to study cards based on difficulty gives it a functionality that is not possible with traditional flashcards. For the cost of one meal, you can have an app that lasts you throughout your pre-med career. I only wish that I found the app sooner.

Flashcard Hero (Desktop app)

Flashcard Hero (Mobile only app)

Sep 14 2017

You need to be doing this for EVERY test

Hello Pre-Meds! I got a simple technique that I began using in my Junior year of college that has helped me tremendously with preparing for exams. I am very happy to share this with you all because it is so simple and easy to implement. Use this technique with my other advice and I am sure your test grades and GPA will soon skyrocket!

We all know that exams are an essential part of being a pre-med. They can make you or break you, and it is often something most pre-med students fear. It is absolutely critical to come into an exam feeling confident. You should already know you are going to make an A on the test before you even step inside. Don’t and I repeat DONT ever go into a test with the mindset that you will wing it and it will all work out. You must have prepared for every aspect of your test prior to sitting down and taking it. Preparation is everything! And there are certain ways you can make sure you are prepared enough for the exam. Thats where creating a good study list comes in handy. Having a good study list and knowing how to use it properly can literally change how you approach every exam from now on. I never take a test without first creating a study list and using it. In this article I am going to show you exactly how to create awesome study lists that will let you enter any exam with confidence!

What is a study list?

A study list is a specific list that you make to help you know what to focus on for an exam. A study list is useful because it both guides your studying to make it efficient and allows you to know when you are ready for your exam. After you have completed your study list you should be confident to go into any exam and ace it! It is an almost fool-proof method of acing your exams.

This is an example study list for a statistics test:

In this study list you can see exactly what you need to focus on for the test. The study list allows you to pinpoint what you need to focus on and then gives you an opportunity to mark it off when you understand it. Once you have mastered everything on your list you know you are fully ready to ace your exam. Preparation is key. And having an exact list of what to focus on will let you know when your preparation is complete. Check off everything on your list and then go into your exam confident!

MAKE SURE TO MASTER EVERY ITEM ON YOUR STUDY LIST BEFORE TAKING THE EXAM. How well you will do on your exam depends on two things: How thorough you make your study list and if you can master each item on it. Make a good study list and complete it before your exam and you will ace it. Period.

How to make a study list:

The first thing I do when making a study list is add the name of the class and the date of the test. This helps me stay oriented to when all my exams are and what subject I’m looking at. When you have multiple exams coming up this is very helpful for keeping track of what to study for.

You can use either a sticky note app, a text document, or hand-written study lists. I have used all three methods and each have their advantages. Just find a convenient method for you that allows you to see it on a regular basis. You want to be reminded as much as possible that you have an exam coming up and what you need to study for it. So make sure your study list is easy to find otherwise it defeats the purpose.

Make sure every item you add to your study list is very specific. You want to make your study list only the things you must know for the exam. The more specific the better. You want to include anything that might appear on the test. The point of the study list is to make sure you are prepared. Don’t leave any gaps in the list. You want to be prepared for anything that might appear. So make sure it is both comprehensive and specific. I will go into two examples of how I make study lists.

Example study list for Chemistry test and how to use it:

So lets imagine we have a Gen Chem exam coming up. The first thing we want to do is write when the test date is so we can keep track. Then we want to make a list of everything we know will be on the exam or might be on the exam. Make sure these are specific topics to learn. After you have done that you should have something that looks like this ..

Notice that all of the topics added to the list are specific and are reasonable to master.

After you have made your list start by going through each topic one by one. Focus on mastering that topic or until you feel certain you will do well on the exam for those questions. Once you have done that for a topic you can mark it off by either striking through it or deleting it off your list. Lets say that you just finished reading your textbook and did some practice problems on oxidation states, balancing redox reactions, and stoichiometry. Once you feel like you got these topics mastered or at least feel you got the hang of them, check them off your list. Your list should look like this now..

Just keep on mastering each topic on your study list until you have checked them all off your list.

After checking all the topics off your list you are going to be well prepared to handle your exam! It is really that simple. Make a list of all the topics you need to master. Go through your list one by one until you have checked them all off. Once they are all checked off you know that you are prepared and should feel confident! Here is another example for a biology exam.

Example study list for Biology test:

Once again, start by putting the course name and the test date. Make a list of all the topics you need to learn. And master each one of them.

Until all of the topics are mastered. You get the point by now.

After mastering each topic you are fully ready to ace your exam!

Summarizing points:

A study list allows you to organize your studying to make it more efficient and provides a way to know when you are ready for your exam
Make a study list that covers every topic on your exam
Master each topic on your study list one by one, checking them off the list
Once you have mastered each topic on your study list you are ready to take the exam!

The best way to guarantee that you will ace your exams is by going into the test confident. I cannot emphasize this enough. You should always go into your exam knowing how well you will do. If you don’t go in knowing you will make an A, then you didn’t study enough. A study list is a great way to keep track of your tests and how well prepared you are for them. Always go into an exam already knowing you will make an A. Master every topic on your study list and you are going to do well!

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment down below! For more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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Aug 08 2017

Make sure you focus on this for the MCAT

The MCAT is one of the most important exams you will ever take as a pre-med. That is why it is so important to use your time wisely when preparing for it and to prepare in the most effective way possible. It is definitely important and necessary to do a comprehensive background knowledge review to do well on the MCAT, but also equally as important to learn how to TAKE the test. What I mean by that is you need to grow an intuitive understanding of how questions are asked on the MCAT, how to approach different types of problems, and the kind of answers that the MCAT is looking for. It is absolutely critical to develop your MCAT specific test taking skills during your studying sessions.

As you study for the MCAT, you will begin noticing patterns in the way the questions are asked and the kind of answers associated with them. Each section of the MCAT is approached slightly differently and I will go over in more detail on how to approach each of the four sections in other articles. But for all of the sections, developing MCAT specific test taking skills will certainly help boost your score. Of course you will need the background knowledge and skills to be able to answer them better, but knowing the kind of answers the MCAT is looking for can help make a big difference in choosing the right one. When you are down to just to two answer choices, having developed an intuitive understanding for what is right can be what gets you the right answer. So how do you develop your MCAT test taking skills?

The main method of improving your MCAT specific test taking skills is by simply doing more practice problems. For this, it is important to use practice problems that most simulate the actual MCAT exam, such as the AAMC practice problems, Princeton review practice tests, and Magoosh MCAT practice problems. Using practice problems from resources such as the ExamKrackers 1001 practice problems is useful. However, I found that ExamKrackers was better at helping me review and practice specifically for the content of the MCAT rather than more so how the exam is structured. There is definitely a place for that kind of review in your study, but make sure you spend a good amount of time using the resources I mentioned above in your studying. By studying practice problems that resemble the actual exam you will develop a sense for what the question is asking and how to most effectively tackle it. So make sure to not limit yourself only to reviewing material. For me, I spent a good month or so reviewing material and the rest of my time doing practice problems. And in many ways practice problems are the best way to review material and learn it.

The second method to utilize for improving your MCAT test taking skill is to focus on reviewing why you missed a problem. When I say that, I mean you need to focus on understanding what mistakes did you make in your approach to answering the problem. Did you not refer back to the passage? Did you rush too quickly to answer the question? Did you not read the question carefully enough and misunderstood it? Did you not know the material? Once you know the answer to these questions, you know what causes you to miss questions. This allows you to learn what areas of test taking you need to focus on. It is very important you learn WHY you are missing questions. I encourage you to make an excel sheet or a list in Microsoft word that has all of these questions in it. Next to each question, start making a tally for each time you missed a question for that reason. So as you do your practice tests and you miss questions, just quickly refer back to that document and mark why you missed the question. After a few weeks of doing this you will have a very easy to interpret set of data that will make you aware of something you didn’t notice before. You may have never known or thought it was a big deal before that you didn’t refer back to the passage enough, but after seeing the data you will realize it needs to be fixed. I personally used this message and it helped me notice some mistakes I was making that I was completely unaware of!

So in summary, it is just as important to focus on developing your MCAT specific test taking skills and an intuitive sense for the answers. This is done through practice problems that resemble the real exam and by reviewing why you missed a problem. Go ahead and make a document where you can tally the reasons you miss questions and you will begin noticing trends. Once you know these trends you can fix them and that will help you improve your score. It is incredibly important to analyze what you missed and why. So keep grinding those practice problems and trying to figure out why you miss questions. You will develop amazing MCAT test taking skills in no time!

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment down below! And for more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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Aug 07 2017

Something most Pre-Meds don’t do but should be doing!

Almost every university has one and it is there for your benefit. I am talking about your school’s AMSA or pre-med club. Most major universities and colleges have a club for pre-medical students. This club is intended to help keep you on the right track for getting into medical school and can be one of your greatest resources as an undergraduate pre-medical student. This is also an easy piece of advice to implement into your pre-medical strategy. Lets jump right into some of the benefits of joining your school’s pre-med club.

Benefits of joining a pre-med club:

1. Get valuable pre-med advice:
At your pre-med club you will be surrounded by other pre-meds, often ones that are closer to applying than you, who will be able to help answer any pre-med related questions you have. If you want pre-med advice, there is no better place to go than to your university’s pre-med club.

2. Meet like-minded people who will help keep you on track and motivate you to try harder:

This might be one of the most important reasons to join the pre-med club. Meeting like-minded people will greatly improve your own success. Simply by being around other people who share a common goal will motivate you to get more involved in pre-med related endeavors. We are the average of the five people we hang out with the most. So by spending more time with hard-working and high achieving pre-med students, you will in turn become a hard-working and high achieving pre-med over time. Spending time with other driven pre-meds will keep you on track.

3. Discover opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise:

Your pre-med club will most likely have the connections to be able to get you opportunities that you need for your medical school application. This includes things such as volunteering, shadowing, and research. If you need help finding extracurricular activities, there is a good chance you will find them through your pre-med club.

4. Can lead to leadership roles and letters of recommendation:

Another great opportunity that can be provided by your local pre-med club is that it can lead to leadership roles and letters of recommendation. If you spend enough time with your pre-med club, there is the real possibility of landing yourself a leadership role in the club. This is something that will look nice your medial school application. Also many pre-med clubs have a science faculty member/teacher involved, so this can also lead to getting a nice recommendation letter!

So how do you find your university’s pre-med club? There are a few ways:

– Ask your pre-med advisor

– Do a quick google search

– Browse through the list of clubs and organizations on your university’s website

Once you find your school’s pre-med club, go to it as soon as possible! From the networking to all the opportunities it provides, being a part of your pre-med club can make a huge impact on the success you find as a pre-medical student. I hope this article helped to inspire you to find and join your school’s pre-med club if it has one. Search right now for it and schedule a time you will go there!

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment down below! And for more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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Aug 01 2017

9 Tips to write a personal statement that captivates your reader. (Medical School essay)

Nine Tips to write a personal statement that captivates your reader

The personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your medical school application and one of your best opportunities to separate yourself from other applicants. Your personal statement is your chance to convince medical schools that you would be a great physician. Do not underestimate the value of having a good personal statement. There are many medical schools that accept students who don’t have the highest GPA or MCAT, but have excellent personal statements. And it is often the personal statement that plays a major role in encouraging the medical school to invite you to an interview. Please take your time to review the tips I wrote down below, these tips come from personal experience as well as advice from medical school admission officers. So what are some tips to help you write a spectacular medical school essay that no school can resist?

1.Treat the essay as if you are writing a novel. Tell a story.

One of the most important things you can do when writing a personal statement is to write it as if it were a novel. You want to start the essay strong with something that catches the readers attention, use suspense, build up to major events, and give the reader closure at the end. It is important that you are able to maintain the readers interest in your story.

2. Use powerful language.

An easy way to improve your essay is to use strong and emotionally powerful adjectives. When describing events use metaphors. You want all of the language that you use to really leave an impression. This ties in with the first tip about writing a novel, you really want to use strong and symbolic language that will captivate your reader.

3. Make a list of several key points and themes you want your personal statement to include

This also goes back to the idea of writing a story and is honestly one of the best ways you can guarantee you say everything you want to and give the right impression to your reader. By having themes and key points in your essay you are both implicitly and explicitly emphasizing why you would be a great addition to their medical school program. Make a list of all of the major points you want to emphasize and the main themes that will define your essay. This list will be a valuable asset as you write your essay.

Heres a list of some things you might want to focus on: Showing you really care about helping other people, illustrating your hands on experience with patients, showing that you love to volunteer, showing all the different struggles you have overcome and how you have grown from them, showing your growth and evolution as a person over time, showing that you understand the rigors and realities of medicine, showing strong and resilient character, and showing that you are humble.

4. Make sure to subtly repeat your key points and themes throughout your personal statement

It is important to be able to subtly remind your reader of your key points as you write your essay. You want to be able to tell them that you are awesome without having to say it directly. Having consistency in your key points and themes makes it more authentic. For example: If you want to get the key point across that you have learned a lot from patient interaction, mention in the beginning of the essay how one patient was memorable to you. And then later in the essay bring up how the lessons you learned from that patient played in an impact in a separate situation. Once your essay is able to show consistency in your key points they become themes of your essay. And having a theme is much more powerful than trying to tell your reader explicitly why you are awesome. Being consistent and subtly repeating your key points and themes makes your essay more genuine.

5. Give examples for your claims

Having examples for each of your key points will greatly increase how believable your essay is and also the impact it leaves on your reader. Make sure you have good examples for your key points. Also make sure to use strong and emotional language, see tip #2, when describing that example. For example: If you are trying to show your reader that you are compassionate for others, then have an example where it shows you are compassionate.

6. Stay humble.

This is one of the most common pitfalls that many pre-med students fall into. Many medical school admission officers emphasize the importance of being modest and humble when writing your personal statement. Often one of the biggest turn off’s to medical school is being too full of yourself. That is why it is best to imply rather than directly state that you are good at something. Remember, being subtle and consistent is key.

7. Make sure not to go over the character limit

This one is actually really important for saving you lots of time and annoyance. The character limit is only 5300 characters! That is only about one page long. When I wrote my essay I accidentally misread it as 5300 words! That was a big mistake. Because when I copied my essay into the AMCAS essay box, it was literally twice as long. Then I had to go back and try and cut certain things out to make it fit. It was a very painful and upsetting process. So make sure you are constantly checking that you don’t go over the character limit. If it helps, you should write the essay in the essay box instead of a word processor.

8. Don’t have any grammar mistakes

This is an obvious one but also one that is easy to avoid. Having grammar mistakes is one of the easiest ways to show a lack of professionalism. So just make sure to double-check that.

9. Have multiple people proofread your essay and give feedback

This tip is a must. It is critical that you get other people’s opinion on your essay. Other people will see things that you won’t and have advice that you wouldn’t have ever considered. You will most likely have to go through several drafts of your essay before it is truly ready. I went through 6 drafts before I submitted my essay.

Follow these tips and you will have an essay that truly stands out and makes medical schools interested in you. The main key points to take from this article is: Write a story that will captivate your reader and keeps their attention, develop major themes and key points that your essay is based around, and to have others check your essay. Remember, the personal statement is your biggest opportunity to let you stand out. Write a powerful essay that will blow the socks off your reader! I believe in you! You can do this!

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment down below! For more pre-med tips and advice, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and pinterest!

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