So how do you study without flashcards?

The best ways to study without flashcards are by active reading or listening, writing questions instead of notes, and using the Feynman method to write/teach what you’re attempting to study. Couple these techniques with real question/problem practice for even more effectiveness.

If you’re unsure about what these techniques involve, don’t worry. We’ll get into all that here in this article. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• The best study techniques to use (that DON’T involve using flashcards)
• How you can study from notes, videos, or books and remember core concepts
• Smart ways to study (outside of the common techniques)
• If you can be successful studying without flashcards

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

List of study techniques (without flashcards)

Here are (based on my own learning philosophies developed while studying medicine) the best study techniques you can use that don’t involve making, buying, or downloading flashcards…

1. Feynman Technique

The Feynman technique, so-called thanks to the brilliant way the physicist and polymath Richard Feynman explained things, focuses on teaching or explaining concepts.

Obviously, you’ll need some input first (like reading or watching a text or lecture), but the act of then writing or drawing out what you’ve read, watched, or heard, helps you better understand and effectively remember it. As does coming up with a simple analogy to explain it.

Breaking this technique down into chunks; i.e. stopping every couple of minutes to summarize/explain what you’ve been studying, makes it easier. You can then tie all the pieces together at the end in one informative burst.

The key thing to remember with this technique is to keep it super simple.

Pretend the person you’re explaining it to is 5 years old. Think of the things they’d ask about the subject and do your best to answer them.

And if you can’t? There lies the beauty of this technique. It tests what you don’t fully know or understand yet from the thing you’re learning.

So go back, fill in the gaps in your knowledge and master the subject at hand.

Here’s a quick video explainer on how best to use the Feynman technique…

2. Active reading/listening

This is another similar technique that doesn’t call for flashcards. It involves actively paying attention to what you’re learning (regardless of the medium or source).

You might also see it called “critical reading” (very briefly explained here).

It could look like this for a textbook:

• Reading 2-3 paragraphs.
• Pausing (or closing the book) and summarizing out loud what you’ve just read.
• Stuck? Go back and read what you’ve missed.
• Repeat the process until you can fluidly explain the concept/idea without a prompt.

Of course, you can apply this to reading a YouTube video or listening to a podcast. It just involves hitting pause and then running through the same steps.

Yes, this takes a lot more mental energy (and time) than passively learning. But it’s exactly because of this that you’ll improve your understanding and save time on re-reading the same thing later.

The harder you tax your brain (or the more mental effort you go to), the better you’ll study, understand and recall.

3. Questions NOT notes

Instead of summarizing lectures or reading into notes, use questions instead. This is the foundational principle the Cornell Note Taking System is based on.

Aim to make these questions short and simple. And with only a short answer.

This is very close to making flashcards except you’re not actually making them. You’re instead breaking down lectures, classes, learning materials, etc. into the similar formatting you’d use if you were to make flashcards.

The reason for making them into short questions is similar to the effectiveness of a “cloze” card. It makes it a lot better to understand and recall when you skim over the questions on a second or third pass.

Employing this process in your classes can help hugely when it comes to recalling concepts, and breaking more complex ideas down into smaller chunks that flow together.

You might even take these questions and put them in a big spreadsheet file or word document for later review.

4. Scoping the subject (then mind mapping)

A good place to first start your studying is by “scoping” out the subject.

Grab the syllabus. Look at the major points. Work out how they might group together. Form a big (but very superficial) picture of the entire subject.

You can also do this with YouTube-based learning by looking at playlists and the individual titles of videos. Or chapter headings in a book.

Attempting to map these out and piece them together on paper can be very beneficial to know where to “hook” each individual topic onto later (as you come to study them).

This is something popularized in Barbara Oakley’s course Learning How to Learn.

It’s also something that flashcards (esp. if they’re all jumbled up) are horrible at helping you achieve.

5. Practice questions/problems

The best remedy to not using flashcards is to instead hammer down on past paper questions, practice problems, and anything else that closely resembles your exams or tests.

You can even learn off questions as you go; paying close attention to answer paragraphs (important you find good sources).

The hardest task here is pushing through the difficulty. You’ll likely suck in the beginning but just sticking with it – and doing as many questions as you can – will lead to drastic improvements over time.

It’s often, for this reason, I argue skipping instructional texts/videos altogether, and heading straight for a good question bank or book.

How to study notes and remember them

I’ve talked a lot above about how to study notes and remember them. The core principles are to break lessons down into smaller chunks and assemble them together as you go.

Stopping frequently to explain principles aloud, coming up with simple analogies to visualize, and jotting down questions, can all help massively.

Just don’t re-write your notes.

And there’s also some nice scientific evidence that coffee (if you’re a regular drinker) can help.

How can I study smart?

As I mention in my article on how to study consistently, none of the techniques above are going to do much unless you develop the habit and routine to use them.

To study smart, you must do these things:

• Eat well
• Sleep well
• Study with zero distraction
• Study with effective techniques
• Study with a commitment to proven techniques (yes, that might mean abandoning flashcards)
• Begin well in advance

Every article or video you might ever read or watch on this question will revolve, for the most part, around these points.

There is no magic bullet. Just like flashcards are no magic bullet.

Will I fail if I don’t use flashcards?

100% no. People pass exams (without the use of flashcards) every day. Even really tough exams like the medical school admissions test (MCAT), or law, nursing, or engineering exams.

Related Questions

Is it better to study with flashcards?

Flashcards can be very effective. But they need to be formatted well to really work (the University of Maine has some good tips here).

The main reason for their effectiveness is that you can introduce spaced-repetition learning with them. This is an evidence-based learning technique that helps you with remembering things over the long term.

Still, despite these pros, flashcards are a personal choice.

Some students lean heavily on them, while others might make lighter use of them (or no use at all).

The techniques mentioned in this article can be both solid stand-alone study methods and good supplements to flashcard use.

Is there an app for flashcards?

There are a ton of apps. From subject-specific mobile apps to digital apps like Anki or Brainscape, and websites like Quizlet or Memrise.

The overwhelm of knowing what to choose/use is another good reason to avoid flashcards entirely.

Especially if you use your precious study time researching and learning how some of the above work!

What are the disadvantages of using flashcards?

The most obvious disadvantages include:

• Time spent making them
• Cost (if you buy pre-made decks)
• Fatigue (esp, if this is the ONLY way you choose to study)
• Ineffectiveness (if you don’t apply, or better conceptualize, what you learn)

There’s also the idea of misplaced trust. A lot of health and medical students use pre-made Anki decks for various subject areas (myself included). While these can save a ton of time and are free, they’re not always accurate or effectively formatted.

That means you could be learning incorrect facts that could trip you up on a real exam.

And this may also be true for any paid deck you might buy on Amazon (or a bookstore), no matter what subject you study.

So make sure you do your research into what the best flashcard decks are to use.

What approach is best for me?

The best way to figure this all out – and to know if studying without flashcards is right for you – is simple. You have to test it.

Take a low-stakes period (where you don’t have serious exams or commitments coming up) to try employing some of the techniques mentioned above one-by-one. Give each a good amount of time commitment (a dedicated study block) and get some initial feedback by attempting past papers, practice questions/problems, etc.

Be diligent with your approach. Be honest with the feedback. Reassess what techniques work (and what don’t).

Keep experimenting still you settle on something that gets results.

Not doing this is the MOST COMMON mistake average or poor students make.

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Is Organic Chemistry Hard?

Organic chemistry is one of the hardest science subjects. Its failure and retake rates are high, and its class grade average is low. It’s also very time-consuming, difficult to apply, and heavy on theoretical detail. If you haven’t done a general chemistry course first, you could really struggle.

Still, just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you should avoid organic chemistry (O-Chem). Plenty of students tackle and learn how to do well in it every year. I’ll talk about how later in this article.

Here’s what else we’ll cover:

• Useful things to know before starting O-Chem
• The hardest/easiest things about the subject
• How much time you should dedicate to it
• Tips on the best ways to prepare

As a med student myself; who’s had to pick up credit in two separate organic chemistry courses, I know what makes the subject so intimidating!

But I got through it and so can you.

Ready to learn more? Let’s go.

Why is organic chemistry so hard?

Here’s a brief rundown of why organic chemistry is so hard:

1. It’s very different to any other basic science course
2. It’s dependent mainly on symbols and visualizations (rather than language)
3. It’s conceptually challenging (with many reaction mechanisms similar and challenging to differentiate)
4. There’s very little guess work involved (most tests are not multiple choice in format)

That said, let’s move on to what you can do to help take the sting out of all the above…

Useful Things To Know Before Beginning An Organic Chemistry Course

First up, if you haven’t taken an organic chemistry course or chemistry assignment helper before, expect to find it confusing. O-Chem has something of its own visual language, where molecules and compounds etc. are represented by symbols and drawings. Priming yourself on how this all works (even if briefly) beforehand, can go a long way to helping you feel more comfortable in class.

I’d strongly recommend any newcomers check out Khan Academy’s introductory series first. Specifically this video…

This helped me tremendously starting out, explaining super simplistically what the visuals all mean.

Aside from this, here’s what else I feel you should know about before heading into an organic chemistry course:

1. Don’t get psyched out early. There are many ways to learn organic chemistry.
2. Take time to casually check out different learning resources (YouTube channels, books, etc.) first. Find something that speaks to you and stick to it.
3. Expect to make mistakes and struggle to understand things. Don’t give up on the concept though. Search for a better explanation!
4. Familiarize yourself with some of the core concepts of general chemistry (Lewis structures, bonding, Ka and pKa values, pH and atomic orbitals, etc) beforehand. You’ll be using a lot of that knowledge.

Overcoming all of organic chemistry’s difficulties is easily done with the right mindset.

The more resilient, persistent, and consistent you are with your studies you are, the easier you’ll find it. And that applies to any course level; high school, college, and beyond!

What To Expect From An Organic Chemistry Class

Probably the biggest thing to expect from organic chemistry, besides the visual representations, is the use of nomenclature (O-Chem’s specific language).

For a new student, this is can sound both confusing and intimidating. But it really needn’t be.

Spending a little time learning how it works, right before you begin, will show you this is nothing to be feared. Early practice with it (even if you just listen and watch) can help you pick it up first.

YouTube’s Crash Course series does a great job of explaining the nomenclature below…

But aside from these intricacies, you probably want to know what’s unique to organic chemistry that may not be in other subjects.

So here’s what I feel you should expect:

• Problem-based questions that can’t be answered by brute-force memorization
• Visualization: both in 2D and 3D (yes, modelling can help!)
• Getting super familiar with mechanisms (how reactions occur)
• Spending a ton of time with practice questions

Of course, every organic chemistry is going to be different and taught in varied styles, but the vast majority of its content (think 80-90%) is going to be the same.

Personally, compared to general chemistry, I found O-Chem a lot more fun.

Even with my hands getting constantly sore from drawing out skeletal structures while I worked through practice problems, it made a nice change from the hard calculations of general chem and physics!

What Do You Learn In Organic Chemistry?

Organic chemistry requires you to learn a lot of reactions and mechanisms. You’ll be drawing these out, recognizing the patterns, and applying them to practice problems. Repeatedly.

A typical 101 (or introductory course), will look something like this…

• General chemistry review
  • Atomic structures
  • Periodic table
  • Orbitals and electrons
  • Lewis-Dot diagram
• Basics
  • Learning to draw skeletal structures
  • Bonding, charges and geometry
  • Functional groups
  • Structures and naming (nomenclature)
• Core
  • Acids and bases
  • Stereochemistry and molecular analysis
  • Mechanisms and reactions
  • Synthesis

More advanced courses can also cover things like spectroscopy, redox reactions, and protecting groups.

Something that can make your course easier is obtaining a copy of the syllabus or curriculum beforehand.

Having just a little extra time to Google some of these weird-sounding topics (and watch a couple of videos on them), can do huge things for your confidence.

You’ll see even advanced things can be broken down slowly and explained step-by-step.

What’s Hard About Organic Chemistry

1. Rules

There are lots of rules and many exceptions (you’ll have to memorize a solid amount of them first before you can start recognizing patterns).

2. Language

You have to learn the “language” of the subject first (both nomenclature and visual representations). You can’t just dive in and expect to know what’s going on!

3. Sequential

It’s iterative. You can get easily frustrated learning all the possible reactions first before they make more intuitive sense later (after you begin learning mechanisms).

4. Logic not memorization

It involves reasoning and logic. Rote-memorization will only get you so far, you’ll need to always be asking why things happen the way they happen.

You can’t learn organic chemistry in the same way you would biology, for example. Any questions you get are far more dependent on applied logic rather than factual recall.

Related: Is Biology Hard? (Beginner Tips!)

What’s Easy About Organic Chemistry

1. Pattern recognition

Once you start learning reactions you’ll notice you can apply similar ones to varying scenarios (reducing the amount of memorization required).

2. Minimal math

There are almost no calculations, equations, or calculus math required. Organic chemistry is much more “visual” than other areas of the subject.

Personally, I feel there are fewer things that make O-Chem easy than it does hard. The fact it doesn’t have much “typical math” can be misleading. It’s hugely dependent on problem-solving and applied knowledge.

You’ll need to be persistent working through exercises!

How Much Time Will You Need To Successfully Pass Organic Chemistry?

You’re going to need at least 5-10 additional hours a week, on top of your class and teaching time, to really make progress in organic chemistry.

That’s a couple of hours dedicated to reviewing, one for pre-reading/topic preparation and the rest for working through practice problems.

Your priority should always be on attempting as many questions/exercises as you can.

That way you’ll identify areas you need to work on, topics you’re already familiar with, and benefit from the recall of concepts and facts.

Getting questions wrong (and learning why your attempt failed) is probably one of the best ways to make good progress in organic chem (something evidenced in this paper).

Organic Chemistry Failure Rate

O-Chem has a notoriously high failure rate compared to many other undergrad courses.

A dependency on rote memorization (strategies that worked in high school), won’t cut it in O-Chem, according to the academics.

To overcome the failure rate it’s advised you visit professors, show your working of problems, and get as much feedback as possible on where you’re going wrong.

Dedicated practice (and constant exposure), re-reading, is absolutely crucial.

And if you do have to retake O-Chem, don’t worry too much. Adcoms for health degrees (med school included), won’t hold resits too much against you as long as you show a willingness to adjust your strategy and come out better the next time.

What’s The Best Way To Prepare (And Make Organic Chemistry Easier)?

Besides being disciplined in your study, putting in the hours, and focusing on attempting as many practice problems as you can, choosing good resources is going to help succeeding in organic chemistry all the easier.

Because of the popularity of the subject, there are a lot of good ones out there and something destined to fit your preferred learning style.

I’ll run through some of (what I feel) are the best ones here…

YouTube Channels

Along with Khan Academy and Crash Course that I already mentioned, here are some other fantastic channels for learning organic chemistry via YouTube.

The Organic Chemistry Tutor

One of the most comprehensive organic chemistry learning resources out there (182 videos in the O-Chem playlist alone), this channel is very similar to Khan Academy in style but has a lot more content.

Eliot Rintoul

Eliot Rintoul is an organic chemistry tutor specializing in teaching British students the subject. I got a huge amount of value from the practice problem explainers and exam question tutorials while preparing for my chemistry A-level.

Leah4sci

Leah tutors pre-med students planning on taking the MCAT. The playlists on her channel are very neatly organized, separated into individual topics (and reactions), as well as Orgo 1 and 2 structured courses.

Websites

These websites are especially great for tutorials and practice questions:

• Master Organic Chemistry
• AceOrganicChem.com

And of course, I fully recommend the exceptional, free Khan Academy Organic Chemistry course. The integrated articles and quiz questions between videos are superb for solidifying the major concepts and getting the maximum efficiency from your study sessions. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, Online Courses Library has compiled this list of the best online organic chemistry courses available today too.

Is Organic Chemistry Hard in High School?

Organic Chemistry is sometimes offered as a single or double semester in high school. At this level, it’s fairly basic and designed for keen science students (or those considering pre-med) who are already getting good grades.

Expect more memorization than problem-solving at this level, something that can make it a little easier.

A lot like AP Biology.

Is Organic Chemistry Harder than Medical School?

O-Chem is certainly a tough subject but compared to medical school, and the quantity of information you’re expected to learn and master at that level, it could be a little easier.

Med school certainly involves more memorization however and your typical exam questions are centered on clinical cases rather than chemistry-based problem-solving.

There’s more room for error on your typical med school exam than there would be a dedicated organic chemistry test. You can also infer many of the answers via a process of elimination.

Organic chemistry doesn’t work like that.

Related Questions

Is organic chemistry harder than general chemistry?

You really need to have studied general chemistry before you begin organic chemistry. Without it, O-Chem will seem much harder.

General chemistry, especially with its early topics, is easier to grasp than organic chemistry. The concepts you learn, specifically on topics relating to atomic structure, electrons, and orbitals, etc., are super important to understanding many of the mechanisms and reactions in organic chem.

Is inorganic chemistry hard?

Inorganic chemistry is tough. For people who’ve never studied it before, some of the concepts can be hard to understand.

Something else that makes it difficult is the math. To really understand chemistry you’ll need to be comfortable with equations, basic calculus and making calculations.

Is organic chemistry harder than biochemistry?

Yes, organic chemistry is harder than biochemistry. Most biochemistry courses require minimal problem solving and more factual recall. There are also fewer mechanisms you need to learn in biochem and more cycles.

Having a good grounding in organic chemistry can really help you in biochem. You’ll be able to think about what happens in the cycles (reactions-wise) and be better equipped to “visualize” what’s happening to these molecules in the body.

Is organic chemistry harder than physics?

Both are difficult subjects. Physics is more dependent on math, however, so could pose problems to students uncomfortable with manipulating formulas and making calculations.

Organic chemistry possibly involves more memorization but a similar level of problem-solving.

Final Thoughts

Organic Chemistry is definitely not easy and calls for time, discipline, and persistence to master.

Unlike many other science subjects, it’s something of an anomaly. There’s isn’t much math and you can’t rely on memorization, but you do have to think logically and attempt a lot of practice problems to make progress.

Yes, the failure rates are high so don’t make the mistake of thinking you can simply memorize solutions to answers and the thousands of different reactions and mechanisms.

There’s no better substitution than seeking to ask why and applying that to every question you face.

Work hard and you can definitely get there!

If you found this article useful, you may find the following interesting:

• Best Online Organic Chemistry Courses For College Credit

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

So, Is Biology Hard?

Biology is one of the easier science subjects. Compared to physical sciences, those concerned with non-living things, it’s less math-heavy and more straightforward. Conceptualizing biology facts is easier. Its principles are also easily observable for beginners.

Despite that, especially for students who don’t have a lot of experience in the sciences, it’s not without its difficulties. For someone considering studying it for a degree, or an important exam for college admission, it isn’t always the easiest option!

We’ll get into the reasons why in this article. You’ll also learn:

• Useful things to know before starting a biology course
• The “hard” and “easy” parts of the subject
• What to expect from a typical bio class
• How you can best prepare as a beginner

As a med student who had to go back to high school later in life to take biology, I’m aware of what can make the subject seem both easy and hard.

Ready to learn more? Let’s go!

Interested in more discussion over “hard” or “easy” science-based subjects? Check out our beginner study guides here.

Useful Things To Know Before Beginning A Biology Course

Taking biology, no matter what level you’re at, is always better when you’re a little prepared. Knowing what to expect from a biology class, the types of topics you’ll study and need to know about, etc., is very useful.

First things first, you do not need prerequisites to do well in biology. With the right resources (and instruction), I’m confident anyone can do well on a biology course. Provided they put in the time and effort.

But here’s what else I feel you should know before beginning biology:

1. Biology can get fairly multi-disciplinary. If you have a background in other subjects like chemistry, physics and basic math it definitely can help!
2. Biology is all about observation. The scientific method is at the core of the subject. You won’t be able to write essays based on opinion or ideas; biology calls for evidence and fact.
3. Biology is fun. Seriously. It’s one of the few science subjects that goes in depth as to what we (and everything around us) are, how we work and what we do.

Unlike physics and chemistry which use formulas and math to underpin concepts and demonstrate understanding, biology is a lot more about using your eyes and describing what you see.

Sure, it can get somewhat numerical (especially when you dive into biostatistics) but, most of the time, it’s pretty uncomplicated.

If you go into biology with an open mind, enthusiasm, and strong motivation, I’m convinced you’ll do well.

What To Expect From A Biology Class

Biology is taught at many different levels from diverse perspectives. There’s no such thing as a “typical” biochemistry class.

Some biology courses will have a lab and expect you to do experiments. Others can be purely theoretical and demonstrate biological principles to you with videos and text.

The best way to get a handle on what you can expect from your class is to do a little research beforehand.

I strongly recommend doing both these things:

1. Studying your course syllabus and looking at the list of topics and activities.
2. Asking students who’ve taken the course before what their thoughts and feelings about it are.

The best way to get ahead in biology is to prepare early. Getting specific tips and advice for your course is exactly how you do that.

Also, don’t worry if you get a bad or tricky professor. So much of biology can be learned on your own with awesome free materials (more on this later).

What Do You Learn In Biology?

Being a student of biology you’ll learn all about living organisms.

Basic biology class covers single-celled organisms, plants, animals, and eventually humans.

Here’s what a typical course will cover:

• Chemistry of life (enzymes and cellular components)
• Cells and homeostasis (structures, function and regulation)
• Energy for life (how living things use and create food etc.)
• Genetics
• Evolution and diversity
• Ecology

Depending on where you study biology (and what level you study at), these things can differ (and be covered in more or less depth). What’s largely universal though (and true of any biology class) is that you’ll get better at asking questions.

You’ll also be better prepared to plan and run experiments, talk about and understand theories and use evidence as a way of reasoning and arguing your viewpoint.

All hugely important things if you eventually want a career in the sciences!

What’s Hard About Biology

Beginners to science subjects (and biology) could find the following things difficult:

• Memorizing and remembering various steps in important processes. Particular in things like cellular respiration where different reactions take place.
• New language. For people with little exposure to the subject, the new terminology can take a while to get used to and understand.
• Connections. Seeing how all the related topics in biology interlink and relate to each other takes serious time. Don’t expect to remember it all the first time you see it.

What’s Easy About Biology

• You don’t need much math.
• Parts of it are very visual. If you do well learning from flashcards, images, and film, you’ll probably enjoy biology.
• If you work on understanding first, everything else can be reasoned out. Also helps with memorization!
• There are lots of cool tips and tricks you can apply to memorize steps and processes. Look into funny mnemonics for example.

Of course how “easy” or “hard” someone finds the subject will be entirely down to them. Everyone is different; with varying strengths, weaknesses, and experience.

Just know that biology can definitely be mastered with time, energy, and application (even the hard parts).

How Much Time Will You Need To Successfully Pass Biology?

Biology can be pretty vast. You’ll want to dedicate at least an hour of extra work to it each day (outside of class time).

Coming back to topics you’ve already covered, and ensuring you understand and recall them, will help you save a ton of time later.

Of course, the exact number of hours you’ll need to do to pass your course will be dependent on your level of study (and the expectations of your school/professors, etc).

Just know that it’s not a class you can sleep on. It will pass you by if you make no effort to keep up!

What’s The Best Way To Prepare (And Make Biology Easier)?

One of the reasons biology is a little easier than many other subjects is that there’s a lot of great resources out there. Depending on your preferences and how you like to learn, there’s something for everyone.

It’s also very easy to find different resources that teach biology from lots of different angles and perspectives.

YouTube Channels

Some of my favorite biology-based YouTube channels (that are well worth spending some time on before your class starts) include:

• Crash Course Biology: This 41 video playlist is a great intro to the subject. Has lots of cool animations, funny metaphors, and analogies and is surprisingly detailed.
• Thenewboston (Bill Rabara): Bill’s 61 video playlist is another perfect beginner intro. His explanations are super clear and precise.

Websites

My personal favorite resource for learning biology (and one I used extensively in prep for med school) was Khan Academy’s biology library.

The video series here is extensive and thorough. I imagine it would cover 95% of biology courses!

Something else that makes it great is the quizzes and article summaries that accompany the video explainers. These help test and reinforce the key concepts, ensuring you take away what you really need to know.

Books

When it comes to studying biology through books, I’m all for fun resources rather than intimidating ones. That’s something I also think can help make biology seem less hard!

Barron’s AP Biology Premium

AP level biology is designed for intro college courses. But Barron’s organize and create their book courses so that almost anyone (except maybe really young children) can study biology well. The illustrations and explainers are super simple while the included practice tests are a great way to check your progress and spot areas of the subject you’re finding difficulties with.

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

The Biology Coloring Book

I’m generally not a huge advocate of using coloring to learn science but, if coupled with a solid primary resource (like those mentioned above), I do feel there’s a place for it. They can definitely help you get familiar with the subject matter first!

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

Flashcards

I’d really recommend using flashcards to help make learning biology easier. They’re a key part of active recall and evidence-based study. They’re also very visual and can help with breaking down those complicated biological processes.

Barron’s does another top job here. The 450 cards in this box can cut down your study time while still ensuring you have an amazing grasp of the subject.

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

Biology is probably one of the easier science subjects for people to get to grips with but gets difficult the more detailed you go.

University-level biology is no joke. You’ll be expected to apply and manipulate data to help you build experiments, as well as deliver clear and precise explanations to colleagues and professors.

Without a basic grounding in the subject, high-level biology can be very tough indeed.

Thankfully however, as hopefully I’ve helped to show, there are several things that can help learning bio easier.

Found this article useful? You might find the following interesting:

• Is Biochemistry Hard? (Explained For Beginners)
• Is Pathology Hard? (Explained!)

Related Questions

Is Biology Hard in High School?

Biology can be tough in high school for many students. It’s a class with a huge amount of content. With exams that aren’t always the most straightforward or simple.

You’ll have to prepare well and work hard to do well in biology in high school.

Is Biology Hard in University?

Biology can be very detailed at the college/university level. As mentioned before, many degree courses will expect you to publish research and demonstrate and prove you understand experimental investigation.

Is Biology Harder Than Math?

No, biology is not harder than math. Math can require complex problem solving and the application of formula – something not usually expected in a biology class.

Is Biology Harder Than Physics?

No, physics is harder than biology. This is because physics is more dependent on math and the application of formulas to understanding scientific laws. Biology can be understood more simply by observation, in many cases.

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

So, is pharmacology hard?

Yes, pharmacology is hard. It involves a ton of memorization. It also has a difficult math component. Understanding dose-response curves and pharmacokinetics, for newcomers to the subject, is far from easy.

Despite all that, I’m confident anyone can do well in pharmacology with discipline and patience. And that goes for nursing, med or any other allied health student that’s required to take it!

I’ll explain why in this article. Here’s what else we’ll cover:

• Useful things to know before starting your pharmacology course
• What you should expect from your class
• The easiest and hardest things about it
• How you can best prepare

As a med student myself who did pretty well in pharmacology, I’m nicely placed to guide you through it.

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

Useful things to know before beginning a pharmacology course

Probably the best advice I can give anyone going into pharmacology is to be patient. You’ve got a lot of different classes of drugs to learn. And with that, mechanisms, routes of action, dosage forms and side effects (contraindications) too!

But don’t go in with the idea that you can’t learn it. That’s the first common mistake many students make.

Most of pharmacology boils down to the following:

1. Understanding pathophysiology (check out this guide for tips!)
2. Memorizing drugs
3. Knowing what pathologies require what drugs

Get those three things right and you’ll be in a good spot.

Here’s an extra tip: a lot of pharmacology is about patterns. That makes memorizing (benzodiazepines all having an “-am” suffix for example) all the more easier.

Taking time to recognize these patterns (and the one or two exceptions) is important. Suffixes especially!

Their modes of action (as well as their therapeutic and side effects) are similar and can oftentimes help you reason out logical answers.

What to expect from a pharmacology class

Pharmacology class (both in nursing and medical school) is largely theoretical. There is little to no lab (something that’s different from studying it as a major).

Class is taught differently across institutions and levels. Some schools will make lectures mandatory, others won’t care as much.

Thankfully there are lots of well-made pharmacology learning resources (more on these later) that can help justify skipping lectures or classes.

This is useful if one of the reasons you find pharm hard is down to the way it’s taught. Choosing your own resources (in a style you like) can help make it easier.

What do you learn in pharmacology?

Pharmacology looks at how drugs work in the body and what the body does once a drug is administered. Here’s how the British Pharmacological Society describes it…

Pharmacology lies at the heart of biomedical science, linking together chemistry, physiology and pathology. Pharmacologists work closely with a wide variety of other disciplines that make up modern biomedical science, including neuroscience, molecular and cell biology, immunology and cancer biology.

(Source)

Most pharmacology classes teach the following (as modules):

• General principles
• Drug forms and modes of administration
• Pharmacokinetics
• Drug interactions
• Organ-based pharmacology (cardiovascular, renal, nervous systems etc.)

That last section is especially vast considering all the individual sub-topics and pathologies pharmacology can relate to.

What’s hard about pharmacology

Here’s what I feel are the hardest parts of pharmacology:

• Pharmacokinetics (understanding graphs, dosage calculations, ratios etc. can be tough if you’re not confident in basic math)
• Memorizing the huge array of drug types/classes
• Understanding pathways and interactions (difficult if you’re anatomy and physiology is weak)
• Application to cases/questions (something rote memorization won’t always help with!)

Obviously, depending on your background, some of these might not be a problem. For absolute beginners though they’re often intimidating things!

What’s easy about pharmacology

• Patterns (as mentioned before, a lot of pharm can be rationalized by understanding the language (suffixes) and groups drugs fit into)
• Math component is small (you won’t be tasked with calculus-style problems!)
• Builds on anatomy and physiology (if you learn these well, pharm gets a lot easier)

Pharmacology can be made easier of course if you have an effective system in place to manage it. Doing a little of it a day leads to major gains in the long run.

That’s also something that helps you gain confidence (something crucial to doing well in pharm).

How much time will you need to successfully pass pharmacology?

The time requirement involved to study pharmacology depends on the level you are studying at.

Nursing students will need less than med students, who, in turn, will need less than those studying pharmacology for undergrad (or those studying to become pharmacists).

For the first two groups of students, it’s generally recommended to do at least an hour a day outside of classes.

That’s usually the bare minimum to help you keep on top of a course, complete your assignments and work on building long term retention of the main facts.

Studying as effectively as possible can help reduce that time so make sure you use active recall (or other evidence-based study methods) in your sessions.

What’s the best way to prepare (and make pharmacology easier)?

I go a lot deeper into what I feel is the best way to study pharmacology in the following article…

Related: How To Study Pharmacology In Medical School (Ultimate Guide) 

This is primarily aimed at med students but the techniques and tactics described should lend themselves well to anyone studying a general pharmacology course.

The resources I mention there can also be a massive help.

YouTube channels

Possibly the best YouTube channel for best helping you prepare for studying pharmacology is Speed Pharmacology.

This channel covers all the major topics of the discipline and explains them in a very concise and fun way with lots of diagrams and a few jokes!

Here’s a sample video on the important topic of acne (every teenager’s nightmare)…

Websites

One of my favorite pharmacology websites is pharmacology2000.com.

Although I leaned on Sketchy Micro for learning most of the content, the quizzes and general tutorials here were an extremely useful extra.

The fact it’s categorized in a way that’ll walk you through pharm from start to finish is very nice too.

Books

I’m not a huge advocate of learning pharm from dense textbooks but I also appreciate that your school/course might call for it (especially if they base their exams on a particular book).

One of the best beginner series (and one I recommend a lot for other subjects) are those from the Made Ridiculously Simple group.

Their book, Clinical Pharmacology Made Ridiculously Simple is an excellent intro.

It’s a lot shorter than most other books, covers all the need-to-know things and does it in its typical funny/ironic style.

Flashcards

I don’t think there’s any better way to prepare for pharmacology than leaning heavily on flashcards to memorize all the major drug groups/classes, side effects and everything else.

I run through all the major pre-made Anki pharmacology decks here.

Final Thoughts

Pharmacology is a tough subject simply because it can be so broad. Memorizing drugs and understanding their mechanisms of action, can take a lot of time. You’ll need to put in strong effort to pass.

Hopefully this article has helped set your mind at ease and helped show you that, although securing a pass in pharm can be a challenge, it certainly can be done.

The more question practice you do, with repeated exposure to the core material, the easier you’ll find it.

Related Questions

1. Is pharmacology harder than anatomy and physiology?

Pharmacology is harder than anatomy as it builds on it. You need a solid understanding of organ systems, where they are and what they do, to really understand and apply what you learn in pharmacology.

Being good at physiology really helps too. Again it’s probably easier than pharmacology but so much of it lends itself to the subject, particularly mechanisms, side effects and drug interactions.

Related: Is Physiology Hard? (Beginner Tips!)

2. Is pharmacology a hard major?

It can be a tough major, especially for pre-meds looking to earn high GPA’s and impress admissions boards. But it also has its advantages. Studying at undergrad could give you a massive advantage when it comes to covering it again later!

If you enjoyed this article, you might find the following useful:

• Is Microbiology Hard? (Explained!)

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Thankfully there’s a heap of free radiology learning websites that can help.

Perfect for beginners (and beyond), each of these serves as a great introduction (and learning) resource for your radiology rotations, electives or whatever else!

Before we cover each of these more in-depth, here’s what I feel are the best ones:

1. Learning Radiology
2. Geeky Medics Radiology Tutorials
3. Radiology Cafe
4. Radiopaedia.org
5. Radiology Master Class
6. Start Radiology
7. WikiEm

As a med student who took (and successfully passed) their radiology internal exams last semester, I got a lot of value from these sites!

Ready to learn more about each? Let’s go.

List of the Best Free Radiology Learning Websites

Learning Radiology

Learning Radiology is the companion website to the commonly recommended Herring’s Learning Radiology textbook.

This is the book I used most intensively in my own radiology rotation, namely because it’s explanations are so clear and well organized.

The website is a treasure trove of free info cribbed from the book, including:

• Powerpoint style presentations (running in your web browser)
• Images and content on every area of radiology (X-rays, MRI, CT, Ultrasound and more)
• Over 20 interactive quizzes

A great starting point on your journey to learning radiology!

Geeky Medics Interpretation Tutorials

Geeky Medics have very well-written, comprehensive and excellently formatted tutorials that are accessible and written by radiologist and radiology trainees.

The content points out the most high-yield points to look for in each imaging section and summarizes everything neatly at the end.

There are articles on the following topics:

• Ankle X-ray
• Cervical spine X-ray
• CT head interpretation
• The basics of MRI
• Chest X-ray

The site is continually being updated so definitely bookmark it!

Radiology Cafe

Radiology Cafe is a top resource for qualified doctors preparing for residency or specialist training.

For med students (or people new to radiology), it’s home to a fantastic free tutorial series under its “Radiology Basics” section.

Featuring free cross-sectional imaging and an e-learning platform, the content covers:

• Imaging modalities
• Head and spine
• Chest
• Abdomen

My top tip is to move through the content systematically, finishing up with the very useful quiz sections for each.

The concepts tested here were very similar to my own school’s finals!

Related: Interested in radiology as a career? Check out our article; 5 Best Radiology Residency Programs

Radiopaedia.org

Radiopaedia is like Wikipedia for radiographic imaging. It’s vast.

Home to thousands of articles covering every imaginable topic, it’s best used as a reference guide rather than as a primary source of learning material.

Use this once you’ve covered the basics and are looking for more in-depth info on particular areas.

Radiology Master Class

Radiology Master Class was one of my first go-to learning resources on my way to passing my radiology elective.

Starting with the tutorials, and then doing the quizzes for each, is a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Here’s what they cover:

• Chest X-ray
• CT Brain
• Trauma X-ray
• General musculoskeletal
• Abdominal X-ray
• General Radiology

The tutorials have interactive images you can pan over that then reveal the explained features. Each page is designed nicely into key points and quick take-aways which really help teach the fundamentals.

Make sure you finish up by doing all the Test Yourself OSCE Scenarios to fully master the content.

StartRadiology

StartRadiology is the perfect introductory radiology education site. Starting at the basics section, and taking your time to read over the content and pan over the interactive images, is the best way to start. That runs through the following:

• The basic radiological examination
• Fracture general principles
• Ultrasound technique
• MRI technique
• X-ray/CT technique
• Radiation

Started by Dutch musculoskeletal radiologist Annelies van der Plas, StartRadiology is a non-profit initiative developed to transfer knowledge. The site’s categorization into internship/rotations also show you all the radiographic stuff you’ll need for each.

The quizzes and case studies are another excellent resource.

WikiEM

WikiEM describes itself as the “world’s largest and most popular emergency medicine open-access reference resource.”

What’s great about it in terms of learning radiology is it’s organization. It’s broken down by categories (and pathologies) that you can quickly reference.

Major diseases are presented quickly and neatly with their radiographic images alongside. Having everything in place like this makes for a very convenient review!

Related Questions

Are these radiology resources good for medical students?

The above websites are all amazing resources for medical students. The tutorials cover the fundamentals of each organ system and cover what you’ll need to know on your radiology electives/rotations in med school.

My particular favorite (the one I used most) was Radiology Master Class, Learning Radiology and Radiology Cafe. The quizzes here are extremely valuable for testing core concepts and helping reinforce what you learn.

Find your knowledge gaps by starting with these quizzes and then looking up anything you’re unsure of.

Where can I learn radiology basics?

Probably the best place to learn the basics is with the beginner tutorials at Radiology Master Class and Learning Medicine.

The content here takes a couple hours maximum to get through and gives a strong broad introduction to the topic.

What about paid resources?

In addition to these free sites (some of which offer premium access), there’s several great paid radiology learning resources out there too.

One that comes highly recommended is Teach Me Radiology. The courses here are structured, containing weekly lab sessions, interactive lessons, midterms and final exams. Ranging between $15 and $50, the different courses offered (including OSCE prep) are very cost effective.

Are these good radiology resources for residents?

Radiopaedia.org is probably a better resource for residents than any of the others on this list. That’s because it acts as a huge library of information and case studies submitted (and edited) by radiologist doctors themselves. With thousands of cases, it’s very likely the information you’re searching for can be found here.

Radiology Cafe is another top resource.

How can I best memorize the core concepts of radiology?

As I always recommend, you’ll want to understand the concepts first before attempting to memorize.

My favorite tools for memorization are digital flaschcard apps like Anki. I’ve covered the most popular premade radiology anki decks here.

Other than that, running through the tutorials on the sites above and quizzing yourself repeatedly (an important active recall technique) should go a long way!

Summary

There’s no need to really invest in textbooks or specialized teaching courses when it comes to learning the basics of radiology.

The excellent websites above are all free, ready to use and (across all of them) cover absolutely everything you’ll ever need.

The free quizzes will be excellent prep for any exams too!

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

So, is pathology hard?

Pathology involves a ton of studying. For that reason, coupled with the fact it involves a lot of lab and microscope work, it can be hard. You need to develop a good eye for detail and understanding of cases to do well. That takes a lot of time!

But having taken pathology as a course in health sciences, I’m pretty confident most people can do well. Especially if they develop a strong interest in the subject and study from the best materials.

In this article, I’ll dive a little deeper. We’ll cover:

• What pathology is all about (and what can make it both hard and easy)
• How it compares to other specialties/areas of healthcare
• How you can best prepare yourself to succeed

Ready to learn more? Let’s get started.

What do you actually study in pathology?

According to the Royal College of Pathologists, pathology is “the study of disease (Source)”.

It is a subject linking science and medicine. It looks at human tissue, bone and fluids for signs of disease, infection or other abnormalities.

In med school (or wherever else you might be studying), it usually breaks down the subject into systems.

You’ll first study general pathology, which covers:

• Changes in cells (death, injury etc.)
• Inflammation (what causes it, what it looks like etc.)
• Neoplasia (the irregular growth of cells)

Before moving on to systems-based pathology – where you look at the major parts of the body (heart, lungs, kidneys etc).

There’s a large amount of content!

Specialists in pathology do all the above but in much more detail. They are key in determining the diagnosis of patients, as well as helping direct effective treatment plans.

What’s hard about pathology?

1. It’s very broad (covering all organ systems of the body and thousands of different pathologies (diseases))
2. It requires being very good at histology (looking closely at cells)
3. Pathology textbooks are very dense, long and often confusing!

What’s easy about pathology?

1. You can do well even with a superficial understanding (knowing the most common diseases, affected body parts, etc.)
2. The material isn’t difficult to learn
3. It’s very visually oriented
4. It’s overall competitiveness (as a career specialty) is low

If you’re the type of student who likes patterns and spotting differences, it’s likely you’ll be a good fit for pathology.

How can I best prepare for a difficult pathology course?

The best way to prepare for studying pathology is to choose the right study resources.

Many colleges will recommend reading Robbins Pathology as the one of “gold standard texts” on the subject. And although it’s a super comprehensive and very detailed book, it’s not exactly beginner friendly!

Studying pathology is all about repetition and memorization. You want to exposure yourself to the material first and then constantly revisit it.

To make all that easier you want a resource that explains it simply enough the first time you see it. If it keeps the detail minimal (but essential) then you’ll get a good, broad overview.

For that reason I strongly recommend using the following resources:

• Pathoma
• Anki
• Lecturio

Pathoma is a video series created by Dr Sattar. It’s wildly popular among med students because it explains things simply, easily and in very memorable ways (using mnemonics, basic diagrams etc).

Anki is a digital flashcard app that you can then use to reinforce the most high yield points of the subject (making full use of active recall).

Lecturio (see my review) has good explainers that can help clear up any confusing points.

If you’re interested in how I went about memorizing pathology, check out my article: How To Memorize Pathology (Forget The 1000+ Page Textbooks).

Other alternatives to Robbins pathology

If you’re still not convinced by my approach (it’s not for everyone), then at least check out the following pathology resources.

I feel they’re a more concise (and more accessible) way to learn the subject:

• Patho Phlash (popular flashcard series, especially among student nurses!)
• BRS Pathology (gives you the major points in bullet points)
• Rapid Review Pathology (another popular review book)

Is pathology interesting?

One thing that helps make pathology a little easier (depending how you see it) is the fact it’s super interesting.

Studying all the different diseases and learning how to differentiate between them, is important. Studying pathology actually makes you feel like you’re becoming a doctor or scientist!

Becoming a resident or specialist in pathology can also be very appealing.

That’s because:

• It’s broad in scope and practice (there are many areas of health and medicine it can be applied)
• It’s a speciality that has a strong work-life balance
• It makes a meaningful difference to patients (and research)

Many of these reasons (plus a couple extras) are outlined in this video, from the U.S. College of American Pathologists, below…

Is it hard to become a pathologist?

We’ve already discussed how hard it might be to study pathology, but what about specializing in it as a career?

Pathologists are doctors. So first they have to face the challenges of med school!

And it’s certainly not an easy specialty, mainly because:

1. It’s constantly changing (meaning you have to keep continually learning)
2. Pathologists have a lot of responsibility (as lab directors ensuring quality and accuracy)

Both these things mean becoming a pathologist entails a lot of studying. That’s difficult, especially as it can eat into a physician’s free time.

But perhaps the biggest factor in terms of how hard you might find it comes down the conditions of the job.

If you’re not the type of person that enjoys lab work (or the lack of direct contact with clinical teams) you could find it a struggle.

Related:  Best Pathology Residency Programs (Key Info & Data)

Is pathology competitive?

Despite all those reasons suggesting why becoming a pathologist can be hard, it’s actually one of the least competitive specialties.

According to 2020 fill-rate data, there were 748 applicants for 603 spots inside of the U.S. That equates to 1.24 applicants per position (Source) with an 86% probable match rate.

To give you an idea of how competitive that is, let’s compare it to radiology (another specialty that requires a ton of on-going studying).

The same source estimates radiology to be a medium competitive specialty, with a 60% probable match rate.

Pathology offers a much easier path by comparison!

Is becoming a pathologist worth it?

Now we know the pros and cons of studying pathology and becoming a pathologist, how does it stack up in terms of career choice?

Some of the major pros (as we’ve already mentioned) include it being less competitive with the opportunity for a healthy work-life balance. But these come at the cost of on-going studies, responsibility, and a possible disconnect from clinical care.

So, it’s up to you to weigh up how important these factors are to you.

Pathology might sound like an absolute dream to many introverts!

Summary

Obviously any discussion over how “hard” or “easy” a subject might be is subjective for the most part. Pathology is no exception here.

Although I have personal experience studying the subject and have done a lot of research into what other students say, it’s no guarantee for how you might find pathology as a subject. For that reason, it’s important you keep an open mind!

Pathology can be seriously fun and rewarding to study however. While becoming a pathologist also has major appeal.

Hopefully this article has helped give you a nice introduction!

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

The best podcast for medical students can help you prepare for pre clinical (USMLE Step 1) concepts, specific subjects (clinical rotations) and also general entertainment/information.

I’ve covered 23 amazing ones doing just that, right here in this article.

I’ve also included episode examples of each embedded from Spotify.

Pre Clinical/USMLE Step 1

Each of these podcasts are invaluable resources for revising (and learning) all the major first and second year (and beyond) topics you’ll cover in med school.

Search each for specific content relating to topics you’re looking to review.

Divine Intervention

Divine Intervention is probably the most recommended podcast among med students in 2021, especially for those preparing for USMLE Step 1-3 and shelf exams.

Running since March 2018, Dr Divine-Favour Anene covers all the high yield subjects you’re expected to cover on a med school curriculum (categorised by topic). 300+ individual podcasts are now available.

DETAILS

• Website: https://divineinterventionpodcasts.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/divine-intervention-podcasts/id1483304964
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UrdtcfiVaZSF5x26DboJJ

Goljan

Before Divine Intervention, there was Goljan. And even now thousands of med students swear by this podcast series. Especially as they’re formatted in a lecture, test and review format.

The entire series is 37 hours long and is broken down into all the core medical subjects.

DETAILS

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/70fXoUQ5R1KBoGOTjvSlPS

Inside the Boards

Inside The Boards produce some of the most authoritive med school podcasts around. Their flagship series (161 episodes) is designed for USMLE, COMLEX and general med school review.

DETAILS

• Website: https://insidetheboards.com/podcasts/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insidetheboards-for-the-usmle-comlex-medical-school/id1135300063
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gPjrhzYbPaFlQw4idJjU4

Med School Phys

Med School Phys is an independent project with no affiliation to an organization or institution created by Greg Rodden. It offers a straight up review of physiology (and pathophysiology) and covers all the high yield material you need to know.

DETAILS

• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/med-school-phys/id1260429134
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74EKTL2NCZYjzQcZBklExo

Physiology by Physeo

Owned by Inside The Boards, Physiology by Physeo is the podcast branch of their excellent physiology-focused learning resource. Covers high yield anatomy points too.

DETAILS

• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/physiology-by-physeo-an-insidetheboards-podcast/id1460023991
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2M3tVbYJsUb5hvSrsSEQpC

Spoonful of Sugar

Spoonful of Sugar is an awesome (and comprehensive) review of core med school topics run by Ria Mulherkar, a medicine intern in Philadelphia.

Ria designs her pods with active recall in mind, infusing pauses and prompts to get you out of passive listening mode.

DETAILS

• Website: https://spoonfulofsugar.org/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spoonful-of-sugar/id1476326270
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1hZUJbPSzUospGw6P9CrQK

Clinical/USMLE Step 2 & 3

The following are great resources for clinical based topics and shelf exams. Search for episodes specific to concepts you want to cover.

Brainwaves (Neurology)

Brainwaves is an academic audio podcast created by Jim Siegler, MD, aimed at covering clinical cases and topical reviews in neurology and medicine.

DETAILS

• Website: https://brainwavesaudio.libsyn.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brainwaves-a-neurology-podcast/id1099399038
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WIA7atKf6zlkYJamkEMct

Behind the Knife (Surgery)

Behind the Knife is a podcast aimed for anyone interested in surgerical topics and a “behind the scenes look”.

DETAILS

• Website: https://behindtheknife.org/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-the-knife-the-surgery-podcast/id980990143
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2yHr0A4N7NJk4NoTcNd1z7#:~:text=Behind%20the%20Knife%20is%20a,the%20giants%20in%20the%20field.

Cardionerds (Cardiology)

Cardionerds is a medical cardiology podcast created to bring high yield cardiovascular concepts in a fun and engaging format. Over 110+ episodes and still going strong!

DETAILS

• Website: https://www.cardionerds.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cardionerds-a-cardiology-podcast/id1491359985
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yPx76aS9sOVHjiXaLL4dU

This Week in Cardiology

This podcast delivers Dr. John Mandrola’s summary and perspective on top news of the week that cardiologists can’t miss. Some interesting stuff for med students to dive into!

DETAILS

• Website: https://www.medscape.com/index/list_10295_0
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-cardiology/id991125169
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5l6Umho5EXfIr39MIIkUC6

The Carlat Report (Psych)

Clear, engaging, and practical updates on clinical psychiatry. Hosted by Chris Aiken, MD, and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP.

DETAILS

• Website: https://www.thecarlatreport.com/podcast/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-carlat-psychiatry-podcast/id1463414537
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OdXwu77KNN6VTPtzJewIh?si=20aRVAplR42NzpBsO3c0Cg&nd=1

The Curbsiders (Internal Med)

Supercharge your learning and enhance your practice with this Internal Medicine Podcast featuring board certified Internists as they interview the experts to bring you clinical pearls, practice changing knowledge and bad puns.

Fantastic for Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Primary Care, and Hospital Medicine.

DETAILS

• Website: https://thecurbsiders.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curbsiders-internal-medicine-podcast/id1198732014
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3SKlzOLxyztvA1BkJfnf67

JAMA Clinical Reviews (All Subjects)

JAMA Clinical Reviews is a treasure trove of various medical specialists discussing important medical cass. Make sure you search through the archive here to hit home on areas you’re keen to review.

DETAILS

• Website: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/pages/jama-clinical-reviews
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jama-clinical-reviews/id1027430378
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/229VuDiWHzVc9S5OwBfLiY

Legends of Surgery

This podcast, created by Tyler Rouse, takes an entertaining and informative approach to telling the stories of the people and events that make up the history of modern surgery.

DETAILS

• Website: https://legendsofsurgery.libsyn.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-surgery/id1078480299

Medgeeks (All Subjects)

Medgeeks’ goal is to change the way students and clinicians learn medicine. They are dedicated to providing the best medical content to help clinicians get through school, the boards, and to excel in clinical practice.

DETAILS

• Website: https://medgeeks.co/podcast
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medgeeks-clinical-review-podcast/id733644928
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FeVz9swvbYggndddQ5fO9

Neurosurgery Podcast

Neurosurgery Podcast is the world’s first look behind the scenes of medicine’s most intriguing and exciting specialty. Hosted by Michael Y. Wang, MD, FAANS, of the University of Miami, along with co-host John Paul Kolcun, MD.

DETAILS

• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neurosurgery-podcast/id1474617803
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1o3X1IVYoYEK93Qd8g1n8e

Zero to Finals (All Subjects)

The Zero to Finals podcast is created by Dr Thomas Watchman, a GP in the UK.

Designed to be a time-efficient revision tool to help you study for your medical exams, each podcast leads on from the next and each season tackles a different area of medicine.

DETAILS

• Website: https://zerotofinals.com/podcast/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-zero-to-finals-medical-revision-podcast/id1441247484
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5xrwYisiNl1cVO1vVLY9pm

General Medical Podcasts (Suitable for Med Students)

These aren’t specific revision-focused podcasts but can prove interesting and entertaining to med students nonetheless.

This Podcast Will Kill You (Microbiology)

This podcast might not actually kill you, but it covers so many things that can. Each episode tackles a different disease, from its history, to its biology, and finally, how scared you need to be. Ecologists and epidemiologists Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke make infectious diseases acceptable fodder for dinner party conversation and provide the perfect cocktail recipe to match.

DETAILS

• Website: https://thispodcastwillkillyou.com/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-podcast-will-kill-you/id1299915173
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cujpkzRygYyLylnv5SVFu

The Peter Attia Drive Podcast

Expert insight on health, performance, longevity, critical thinking, and pursuing excellence. Dr. Peter Attia (Stanford/Hopkins/NIH-trained MD) talks with leaders in their fields.

DETAILS

• Website: https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/63AWQmsSnFNFHUqnRAOFtD

The White Coat Investor

Host, Dr. James Dahle, is a practicing emergency physician and founder of the White Coat Investor Blog. Like the blog, the White Coat Investor Podcast, is dedicated to educating medical students, residents, physicians, dentists, and similar high-income professionals about personal finance and building wealth, so they can ultimately be their own financial advisor—or, at least know enough to not get ripped off by a financial advisor.

DETAILS

• Website: https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/wci-podcast/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-coat-investor-podcast/id1197082547
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jzZosmsgSZtQAOh1GbJBd

ZDoggMD Show

Healthcare’s only unfiltered voice. Hosted by UCSF/Stanford-trained physician Dr. Zubin Damania (AKA ZDoggMD).

DETAILS

• Website: https://zdoggmd.com/podcasts/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zdoggmd-show/id1218431966
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3of9aR84SfFfzngPugzY8W

Dr Death

From Wondery, the network behind the hit podcast Dirty John, DR. DEATH is a story about a charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system. Reported and hosted by Laura Beil. Fun!

DETAILS

• Website: https://wondery.com/shows/dr-death/
• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-zdoggmd-show/id1218431966
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1SdNTEhycBu8JebWnTRsjd

Hi Everybody! A Bad Medicine Podcast

Doctors talk about what Hollywood gets right and wrong about medicine and how the body works. Each week we discuss how a film or episode of television depicts illnesses, injuries, and the lives of medical professionals.

DETAILS

• iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hi-everybody-a-bad-medicine-podcast/id1476323582
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7MX553ZHI5iJdJ5I3qU2v6

How To Listen To Podcasts In Medical School

Granted you’ve got something to play a podcast with (you’ll find most of these on Apple, Android and other browser-based devices), you won’t have much trouble!

But here are some extra tips to get the most out of them:

• Listen and annotate alongside episode notes: Zero to Finals, Divine Intervention etc. are just some of those on this list that have freely accessible notes.
• Search for topic specific episodes: Ctrl + F and search for the concepts you want to cover in audio form.
• Make passive listening active: stop the recordings and summarize the concepts etc or write down a series of questions you can later answer.

Related: How To Study Medicine Effectively (Quick Hints & Tips)

Summary

I’m pretty confident there’s a lot here to sink your teeth into here on your med school commute.

From reviews, to entertainment, to clinically specific cases, there’s something here for every scenario.

As a bonus check (and especially for Brits like me) check out BBC’s excellent (and long running) Inside Health and the newer Made of Stronger Stuff.

Also remember that you can listen to the audio of any video series you’re already using to study from too!

If you enjoyed this article, you may find the following post interesting:

• 6 Funny Medical Podcasts (To Supercharge Your Studies)
• USMLE STEP 1: Reddit’s Best Tips 

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

You probably have a lot of questions about what to expect and how it can impact your grades….

So, is biochemistry hard?

Biochemistry is a lot easier than general or organic chem. The math requirement is far less and its more dependent on memorization, rather than rational problem-solving, to do well. Conceptualization, owing to a basic understanding of nutrition, also helps. So most students shouldn’t fear it!

Having taken (and successfully passed) biochem myself during my time in med school, I’m pretty confident most newcomers to the subject can do fairly well.

In this article, I’ll dive a little deeper. You’ll learn:

• What biochemistry is all about (and what can make it both hard and easy)
• How it compares to other subjects
• How you can best prepare yourself to succeed

Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!

What is biochemistry class about?

According to encylopedia Britannica, biochemistry is the “study of the chemical substances and processes that occur in plants, animals and microorganisms and of the changes they undergo during development and life” (Source).

For those of you new to the subject, here’s what most courses (Biochem I and II) cover:

• Carbohydrates and polysaccharides (what they are, what they do, how they’re metabolized etc.)
• Amino acids and proteins
• Enzymes, kinetics and mechanisms
• Lipids
• Nucleic acids (structures, replication, transcription etc.)

And some courses also include lab sessions designed to show you these topics in further detail.

Zach Star’s video explains it very concisely (plus it’s only 7 minutes long!)…

What’s hard about biochem?

You’ll see from the list of topics above that it helps to have some basic knowledge of general and organic chem before you start.

If you don’t know anything about atomic structures or how macromolecules are formed, sitting in a biochem class for the first time could seem like a foreign language.

But here’s where else it could prove “hard”:

1. If you’re not great at memorizing steps or pathways
2. If you lack time and patience (a typical class requires an average 10-15 hours study per week (source))
3. If your class or teacher forces heavy math on you (most biochem classes shouldn’t!)

Related: Can I Be A Doctor If I’m Bad At Math?

What’s easy about biochem?

Obviously how “easy” you find the subject will depend a lot on your familiarity with the concepts, your confidence and your enthusiasm!

But here are a couple of other reasons why biochem can be easy:

1. The organic chemistry that biochem uses is (comparitively) easy
2. It’s interesting and relevant, helping to keep you motivated (you’re learning about nutrition and what happens to food in your body!)
3. It’s pretty intuititive (you can reason through things using common sense)

How easy or hard you’ll really find it will mainly come down to how you study (and how it’s taught). Study efficiently and consistently (and with the best resources) and you can really do well.

Related: How To Study Medicine Effectively (Quick Hints & Tips)

Although the article above is geared towards people in med school, the study tips work well for anyone taking life science courses like biochem.

Is biochemistry harder than chemistry?

No, biochem is definitely not harder than chemistry. There’s a lot less math, it’s much easier to conceptualize and the biology aspects of the discipline all help to make it easier to grasp and understand.

This is my own opinion of course but many students do agree with me!

Biochemistry is great in that it’s much easier to conceptualize and think about what’s going on rather than just memorize what will happen when two chemicals are mixed in a beaker.

(Source)

Again, most students (me included) agree that the hardest parts of biochem (especially compared to chemistry), comes down to the memorization of intricate cycles like Krebs, glycolysis and nucleotide synthesis.

The hardest part, I would say, is that you are likely to have to memorize the Kreb cycle and glycolysis, which is like learning memorizing the names of ten chemicals and ten enzymes and their structure, which actually is not that bad, and it’s pretty key to life so it’s easy to be motivated to learn it.

(Source)

Chemistry has a lot more calculations and problem-solving based questions.

They can be tricky for people who aren’t confident with calculus etc.

A lot of people’s problems with general chemistry are well explained in this Tedx Talk!

Is biochemistry harder than organic chemistry?

Organic chem is definitely harder than biochem. It’s much harder to visualize and relate to. It also involves more problem solving.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two subjects is organic chemistry’s dependence on synthesis and reaction problems.

To reemphasize one final time: biochem is much more memorization-based than organic or general chem.

Is biochemistry harder than medicine?

Biochemistry makes up a core subject on most med school curriculums. There’s really no sensible comparison to “medicine” as a subject because it’s part of it!

Biochem is also present on med school admissons exams like the MCAT (US) and UKCAT/BMAT (UK).

As a pre med you’ll be expected to take classes (and gain credit) in Biochem I and II in order to apply and get into med school.

Is biochemistry harder than anatomy?

Anatomy is far broader than biochemistry and involves a lot more memorization and practice. Anatomy requires you to get comfortable with gross anatomy (cadaver lab), microscopic anatomy (histology) and usually imaging (X-ray/CT) too. For that reason, anatomy is harder.

Biochem probably requires less hours studying and is generally a shorter course.

Is biochemistry harder than biology?

Biochemistry is harder than biology as it deals with the chemistry of life rather than living organisms. For most people, that’s more complex and difficult to understand.

One argument to the contrary is that biology is a lot broader and therefore more difficult to master. Especially when you consider how its sometimes broken down into immunology, parasitology and genetics etc.

Biology tends to avoid math for the most part though, so it depends on whichever student you ask!

Is a biochemistry degree hard?

Make no mistake, a biochem degree is hard. According to data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), it ranks eigth as one of the “hardest majors” in terms of the average weekly hours spent for class preparation (18.49).

In terms of preparing for med school, where it’s generally advised to aim for as high a GPA as possible, you could be better off focusing on “easier” subjects.

Related: What’s The Easiest Pre Med Major? (Read This First!)

Here’s a good primer on what to expect as a freshman majoring in biochem…

How can I best prepare myself?

Here are my top tips on how best to prepare for biochem in school:

• Start memorizing structures from day one: as soon as you see a new pathway, molecule or reaction; note it down and start memorizing it. That goes for things like amino acids, glycolysis, lipid metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, nucleotides, and all cofactors and enzymes.

• Review basic and organic chemistry: just for a quick overview and to refresh your memory. It will help with understanding the more challenging topics! Don’t worry about going too deep.

• Research your professor: figure out what they ask for in exams, what their lecture/class notes are like or whether the class is worth attending (some biochem lecturers can be really boring!)

• Draw things out: this is the best way to get metabolic pathways down from scratch. Visualize the reactions and the changes to molecules. Make sure you understand each step of the process.

• Read assigned texts: if it’s from a good resource (or one that’s likely to be tested). Review lecture notes after class.

• Make/use flashcards for the facts: the best way to learn and recognise each amino acid. Make your cards more memorable by using mnemonics (i.e. KREB’s cycle;  Citrate Is Kreb’s Starting Substrate For Making Oxaloacetate)

I’ve got more tips in this article…

Related: How To Study For Biochemistry (2021 Ultimate Guide)

My recommended biochemistry resource

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

• Goljan’s Rapid Review of Biochemistry

Goljan’s book is one of the best around. Unlike the huge biochemistry textbooks that take forever to read, everything here is condensed neatly into bullet points and is easily digestible. The diagrams (which you can convert into flashcards) are worth the cost of the book alone. It’s seriously one of the simplest explainers I’ve come across.

Summary

Biochem sounds intimidating for the uninitiated. But it doesn’t have to be!

Hopefully the article above has helped explain what to expect, how it stacks up and how you can prepare to best succeed.

Ultimately however “hard” or “easy” a class is comes mainly down to you, your attitude and how you approach it.

Don’t be deterred before you’ve already started.

If you enjoyed this article, you might find the following useful:

• Is Biology Hard? (Beginner Tips!)
• 3 Best Biochemistry Anki Decks: Learn Biochemistry Fast
• 11 Best Accredited Online Biochemistry Courses!

Image Credit: @Diana Polekhina at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Don’t worry. I know that feeling all too well. Back in the day, before I discovered the following techniques, I was probably the world’s worst for consistently hitting the books. But eventually I got things together, even becoming a med student in the process!

And in this article I’m going to who show you how. Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Simple tips and tricks you can use to show up to study everyday
• The principles of deep work and maximum study efficiency
• Why most study advice is typically wrong

Ready to learn more? Let’s go.

Here’s how best to study consistently…

Goal Set

First things first, you’re going to want to set yourself a very clearly defined goal.

“I want to accomplish X in this study period.”

It could be a certain amount of flashcards, pages read (and notes made), practice questions attempted etc. The important thing is that’s tangible and achievable. And that you stop once it’s done.

I generally always advise people to write this down and keep it visible while studying. That’ll help do two things; 1) keep you focused on the task and 2) remind you of the end point.

Personal Motivation

Something extra to add to your goal setting that can help with consistency is reminding yourself of your why…

• What are these study sessions for?
• What does that big picture look like?

Often visualizing this in your own mind at the start of each session is like rocketfuel for helping you study longer hours.

Break It Up

It’s much more effective to break your study goals into chunks rather than cram sessions. There is also plenty of evidence that suggests spacing your sessions out helps better with long-term recall (source).

Consistency is all about showing up. Again and again. You’ll do that best when your energy levels are stable.

Not when you’ve been up the whole night fueled on energy drinks to get you through.

Schedule

This is why scheduling is one of the most powerful of tools when it comes to putting in the work.

Looking at your day and understanding all your time commitments, then planning your study sessions around that, goes a long way to ensuring you’ll keep it up.

When you know a certain time period is dedicated to study, and that time either side of that is reserved for other things, you’ll be encouraged to follow through.

Hardest/Most Boring Task First

One more thing that can make all this even more powerful is scheduling the hardest (or most boring) task first.

Knocking that off your list early can help renew energy levels as you know it’s (relatively) all down hill from here.

For the top students that means using active recall techniques first. These techniques, although challenging and tough, are where most of your study gains will come from.

Related: Active Recall Strategies (7 Powerful Examples)

Interleave/Switch Up Subjects

It’s really hard to stay consistent with your studies when you’re laser focused on one topic. It won’t be long until you exhaust yourself thinking or answering questions on that one thing and your mind starts moving away.

Novelty can help massively here. Plan your sessions so you dip into several different areas or topics in a single sitting. That way you’ll keep things fresh enough.

Deep Work

Deep work is a principle from Cal Newport’s excellent book of the same name. It’s all about getting maximum efficiency from your work/study sessions.

In a nutshell it’s a philosophy that draws on most of the tips already explained; scheduling, tackling difficult tasks first, engaging in active recall (where the 80/20 rule is) etc.

It ensures your sessions aren’t wasted. Something that’ll keep you motivated to keep coming back day after day.

Cut All Distractions

One of the core aspects of deep work is eliminating all possible distractions.

You can do this by:

• Killing access to all your digital devices
• Completely unplugging from the internet
• Isolating yourself in a study space where nobody can interrupt you

You get the idea.

Doing this, even for short periods of time, is huge for productivity. The more productive you get, the easier it’ll be to keep going. Procastination gives way to consistency.

Reinforcement

Without rewarding yourself how are you ever going to approach studying with anything but resentment?

Just like in a job you’d get rewarded with a salary (with the hope of getting you to come back and do more work), so it’s the same with study.

You need to make sure you finish each session with something you like doing.

Scaling this down into smaller rewards, like in breaks between pomodoro sessions, is another way to work it. The treat will reinforce your hard work and encourage you to step up to the plate again.

Reflection

Finally, the last way to keep consistency up is to let yourself recap exactly what it is you achieved (or failed to do) during each session.

Making a quick note on what it is you got done (and have left to do) is amazingly useful. You’ll know exactly what to get started on during your next session and you’ll jump faster into it as a result.

This is another reason why I love plug-ins like Anki’s heatmap review. They do this reflection for you.

Hopefully the tips above can help show you that staying consistent is well within your grasp!

Related Questions

Should I be obsessed with studying?

Getting obsessed with studying and refining your methods can definitely help when you’re first starting out. Personally speaking however, there is a point of diminishing returns! If you’re obsessed about the process rather than actually doing the work, then it’s just procrastination at that point…

Obsession is a double-edged sword. It can help you learn a lot in the beginning (and develop effective systems) but can quickly turn to distraction if you let it.

How to study for hours with concentration

Forget these YouTube students who’ll tell you they can ‘study 100 hours straight without stopping bla bla’. It’s total rubbish. Clickbait designed to get you watching.

There are limits to how long you can study with focus and concentration. How can there not be when you’re a human being needing energy to live?

A couple of ways to prolong that time though are to address that problem directly. So, do things like the following:

• Ensure you get enough sleep (7-8 hours every night)
• Stay hydrated
• Stay well-fed with healthy food sources
• Be conscious of your caffeine and sugar intake (watch out for those energy-depleting spikes)

And, oh yeah, practice all the tips we talked about above!

How to study 16-18 hours a day?

Don’t. It’s ineffective, inefficient and could have serious impacts on your long-term health. Study consistently, in smaller periods (with greater focus), instead.

How to study without feeling sleepy?

Avoid caffeine, sugar and studying near to the hours you’d typically be winding down to go to sleep. Deep Work suggests the mornings are optimal for the most productive work. They’re also the time when you’re usually most free from distraction too.

How can I force myself to study?

By employing the tips above; being clear with your objectives, reinforcing your sessions with fun/leisure and understanding your why (your reason for studying in the first place).

Forcing yourself with masochistic self-talk, although it might work for some, probably isn’t all that effective long-term.

How to study for long hours at night?

I’d avoid doing so but if you really don’t have any choice then stimulants will obviously help. Coffee and sugar baby.

Final Thoughts: How To Study Consistently

Successful studying, for the most part, isn’t about finding some game-changing hack. It’s about systems and processes. Things designed to keep you coming back that help you make slow but consistent progress over time.

Hopefully this article has given you some nice ideas how!

If you enjoyed this post, you might find the following articles useful:

• 10 Powerful Study Techniques Like The Pomodoro Method (Useful Alternatives)
• Coffee Before Exams? (Everything You Need To Know About Studying With Caffeine)
• Ali Abdaal Guide – Medicine’s YouTube Star Making $1M+ Annually

Image Credit: @Jess Bailey at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

What’s even better than great question banks is when they’re completely free.

So that’s what this guide is going to show you, you’ll learn:

• The best free medical school question banks for general question practice
• Free question banks for specific subjects
• Other recommended resources for solid practice

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

General Medical School Question Banks

The free resources we’ll be covering here are:

• PassMedicine
• Made Ridiculously Simple (MedMaster)
• MedBullets
• Lecturio Free Question Bank
• MDLexicon
• 4Tests
• ValueMD
• Test Prep Review
• Zanki

Please note that while a lot of these are designed for the USMLE exam, the questions are still 100% relevant to the basic science subjects of any medical school curriculum. Use them as extra practice for your school exams no matter what country/institution you find yourself!

PassMedicine – Medical Students Years 1-3

Mainly used by UK-based students and junior doctors for exam prep, PassMedicine has an excellent free resource for pre-clinical study.

The 3,865 questions here cover general principles, all organ systems, haemtology and oncology, psychiatry and neurology.

The best thing about this resource?

Most questions are case-based (vignette style). Making them perfect for applying your knowledge (rather than recalling it)!

You’ll have to sign up and list your institution of study, but that’s all you need.

Here’s how a typical question looks…

What’s also cool about this platform is the feedback. You’ll see the percentage of students answering for each question type and a detailed explanation (including links out to useful YouTube content) too.

To find out more about PassMedicine’s features check out our PassMedicine review here.

Made Ridiculously Simple (MedMaster)

MedMaster Inc is the company behind the Made Ridiculously Simple series of books (ones I recommend a lot on my study guides across this site).

The main website is home to a ton of free downloadable content (for both Mac and PC) for various med school areas. You’ll have to subscribe with your name and email before downloading.

Here’s what you’ll find in terms of question banks:

• USMLE Step 1 Made Ridiculously Simple Question Bank: 1,100 organized “mix and match style” question for quick review
• NCLEX-RN Made Ridiculously Simple: 1000 questions quiz

The quizzes run in a separate program so you’ll need access to a desktop or laptop to make use of them.

Here’s an example of a question from the respiratory section…

Note: MedMaster recommends using them alongside their books for maximum effectiveness. But it’s still a nice touch anyone can download them for free!

MedBullets

MedBullets is home to 1000+ free USMLE Step 1 style Qbank.

Again, you’ll have to sign up for a free account first.

MedBullets is essentially a community site where people can submit questions and content for later review. You can create custom tests from specific topics or mix and match as you like.

You can set up different learning modes choosing to see explanations at the end of the test or for each question as you work through them. You can also set how many questions you want to do and time per question.

Here’s how a quick 4 question oncology-based quiz looks using the platform…

Their 90-day premium trial is insanely generous too (especially compared to some of the other platforms on this list). Signing up for that will enable you to practice with even more questions.

Lecturio Free Question Bank

Lecturio’s free question bank is a great resource for COMLEX, USMLE and MBBS materials.

The USMLE Step 1 pre-clinical Qbank has over 2200 free questions to practice with. It even includes a statistics report and the ability to see your peers accuracy when faced with the same questions (similar to PassMedicine).

Like MedBullets you can set up custom tests, order by difficulty and subject and set the number of questions you want to answer in each round (max. per test: 40).

You can also toggle the tutor and timer modes as you see fit.

You’ll have to sign up for a Lecturio account first.

The Premium (paid) upgrade provides in-depth explanations and linked video lectures.

MD Lexicon

MDlexicon.com is a simple site home to a host of question banks covering all categories of the USMLE and a core “basic sciences” medical school curriculum.

Here’s how the main website looks…

Each of these are internal links within the site to appropriate questions.

You won’t get to take “rounds” or blocks of questions like you can on some of the platforms above (you have to answer each individually), but it’s still a very useful, free resource.

Here’s how a typical question looks (most are vignette style)…

4Tests

4Tests is home to a free 60 question USMLE-style exam that’s provided by Kaplan Test Prep.

You can take the test directly on the site. There’s no need to sign up for an account or provide login details.

ValueMD

ValueMD is a forum that has over 4000+ USMLE style questions to practice from.

Categories are broken down into:

• Anatomy
• Behavioral Science
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Pathology
• Pharmacology
• Physiology

You’ll need to register and login to get started, but it’s quick, easy and free.

Test Prep Review

Test Prep Review has several free module-based questions to practice with based on the USMLE, COMLEX and beyond.

You can find access to 20-question long practice tests in all the core medical science subjects. An answer key is included at the end.

Zanki

Although it’s not strictly a Qbank, I feel Zanki is well worthy of a mention on this list.

It’s an Anki (digital flashcard) deck that’s 30K+ cards rich in med school content.

The Anking overhaul (the gold standard version of Zanki), has made this into an essential free resource for med students across the globe looking to master the basic medical sciences.

Zipping through it, you can unlock cards relevant to topics/organ systems as you go and test yourself rapidly using cloze-style (fill-in-the-gap) formatted cards.

Take a look at my article; What Is The Best Anki Deck For Step 1? for more information.

Subject-Specific Medical School Question Banks

After these great free general question bank resources, let’s look at subject specific platforms.

Free Question Banks for Anatomy

University of Minnesota’s Web Anatomy

UM’s WebAnatomy is old and hasn’t been touched in several years but it’s still an excellent free resource for students wanting to practice anatomy and physiology questions.

The main menu links out to the subcategories within the subject as well as covering biochemistry and histology.

Most questions are drop down multiple choice but there are also lots of diagram matching quizzes too.

For more free anatomy and physiology question practice see the article below:

Related: 9 Anatomy & Physiology Study Games For College Students (Free, Quick & Fun)

Free Question Banks for Pathology

Utah Med (Webpath)

The University of Utah’s WebPath resource is a massively useful resource that’s home to both tutorials and question banks. It’s been around now an incredible 26 years!

It covers the following areas:

• General Pathology
• Systemic Pathology
• Anatomy & Histology

You can find all their free questions and quizzes in the Examination section of the site.

Most are multiple choice, some are timed and the question rounds last anything between 20-60 questions.

Here’s an example of their timed review quizzes for the cell injury topic inside general pathology.

Free Question Banks for Pharmacology

Pharmacology2000.com

Pharmacology2000.com is a 50 chapter deep resource jam packed with free topic-specific multiple choice tests and question quizzes.

The primary resources used to build the Qbank include:

• Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine
• Basic & Clinical Pharmacology from Katzung
• Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics

No need to login, register or anything else. Just dive straight in and start practicing pharma.

Free Question Banks for Microbiology

SanFoundry

SanFoundry is home to 1000+ microbiology MCQ’s free to practice with in browser.

The questions cover over 100 topics including:

• Microorganisms characterisation and identification
• Microscopic examination of microorganisms
• Morphology and fine structure of bacteria
• Reproduction and growth
• Antibiotics and other chemotherapeutic agends

An excellent resource for sharpening your microbio skills!

Medical School Question Banks: Free Trials

As well as all the resources above (that’ll take you a while to go through), I strongly recommend exhausting the free trials at the following sites.

Each has extensive question banks you can make use of for extra practice.

Note: You will have to create a free account with your email or social media accounts first though. So expect email updates!

• Firecracker: 7 day free trial
• Kaplan (3300+ questions): 7 day free trial
• Pastest (48 hour free unlimited access trial): 38,000+ questions covering USMLE, OSCEs, MRCP etc
• QUPI: 30 day free trial (10,000+ questions)

I suggest timing your use of these so you only have one trial going at a time. That way you can get through as many free questions as possible!

What Are The Best Question Banks For The USMLE?

As for non-free Qbanks that are considered the best in the game, this is the trifecta that most U.S. students recommend:

• USMLE-Rx (5 day free trial)
• UWorld
• BoardVitals

Summary: Best Free Medical School Question Banks

Medical school question banks are fundamental to helping you master concepts and score well in both internal school and important board exams.

The list above? Should hopefully keep you busy!

If you enjoyed this post, you might find the following articles useful:

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Image Credit: @Emily Morter at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com