Mnemonics sites and links on how to improve your memory

Here is a "HUGE" list of mnemonic website and all the links to improve your learning and memory. Includes many medical websites also. Visit http://memorymethods.com/

Physiology MCQs SEQs OSCEs and way to remember them

Check out this site where you can study physiology through MCQs, SEQs and OSCEs with explanation and link to mnemonics. Visit http://www.physiologyexam.com/

Corticospinal tracts in 3D

Have a glimpse of 3D corticospinal tract as seen in "Axiom Neuro", a new interactive functional atlas for neuroanatomy and neurology that gives users an up-close, detailed view of 13 spinal cord and brainstem nerve pathways. Also included in the software are all 12 cranial nerves and 10 virtual patient cases that use animation to teach signs and symptoms fo some common neurological pathologies such as stroke, diabetes and head trauma. Visit http://www.brainwashedsoftware.com/ to download the free demo.

Bacteria, Fungi and Parasite Capsules for quick revision

It is a very good effort taken on behalf of  http://www.medfools.com/ to tabulate, encapsule and compare the bacteria, fungi and parasites in three pdf files. Great download for quick revision of your confusing microbiology chapters.
Download BACTERIA revision charts here
Download FUNGI revision charts here
Download PARASITES revision charts here

Study embryology with interactive flash animations

This is a wonderful site to study human embryology with running animations (Click on play button over the top left side of animation to see the animation) : http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/genanim/latfold/latfold.swf

Various picture mnemonics

These are various sample visual mnemonics from http://pictorialmnemonics.com/Sample_Mnemonics.html

Download TopDoc - medical info provider software from Vanmu.com

This is a very useful FREE software to search, refer the normal lab values etc etc, fully customised for medicos. It is very hard to get such free software nowadays. All thanks to Vanumu.com for providing it. More apps for your iPhone can be reviewed / downloaded from http://vanumu.com/apps/.

How to use your computer to study Anatomy : Dissection softwares

3D visualisation makes things very simple. A 3D is worth 3,000 words :-). So get hold of such a software as this while you study anatomy. Anatomy clearly requiresv a good spacial oriental to grasp the subject.
See this video here to know what I mean.
Take your anatomy textbook, read a topic and see the actual orientation using this customisable 3D view software. This software can be accessed online at a subscription fee. However, this is not thev only software out there.
Adams interactive anatomy  and Direct anatomy are alternatives.
If you want to get true anatomy pictures, here's a FREE ONLINE ANATOMY DISSECTOR site which gives step by step dissection as you do in your first year.
Well, if you want frog / cat / rat / cockroach dissections, try this website or get links of lots of biology dissections HERE.
To watch VIDEOS OF DISSECTION CLICK HERE (You need to install quicktime player).

Download lots of medical notes in .doc and other formats

If you are searching for medical notes, this is a must have! Lots of notes medical categorised, most of them in .doc format can be downloaded and printed out. Very useful notes from Raymond Cheong, MD/PhD student at Johns Hopkins University, currently working in the lab of Dr. Andre Levchenko in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

First year medical notes:
Molecules and Cells
Immunology
Developmental Biology
Human Anatomy
Neuroscience & Psychiatry
Epidemiology
Organ Systems

Second year medical notes:
Section 1 - Intro, Neoplasia, Blood
Section 2 - Infectious Disease
Section 3 - Immunology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Bone, Dermatology, Ophthalmology
Section 4 - Cardiology, Renal
Section 5 - Lung, Neurology, Pain
Section 6 - GI, Liver
Section 7 Reproduction, Sex, Psychiatry, Drugs, Shock, Geriatrics
General Resources - Clinical Skills, Pathology, Miscellaneous

Free online classes for medical students

Well if your professor is not so good at teaching, here is Dr. Najeeb, a great teacher to take classes for you. Hear hime at your leisure when you are relaxed as you will remember things better that way. He deals with the most complex topics including Immunology, Nephrotic and nephritic syndrome, Renin Angiotensin system, basal ganglia, cardiac cycle, ECG, blood supply to CNS etc and more topics being added. Visit his online classroom whenever you wish at http://www.youtube.com/user/DoctorNajeeb

Download software to remember numbers

Here's a software to remember numbers by converting them to words by look alike technique. Read more about this technique here.

Online anatomy software : Direct anatomy

Here's something that will help you remember better instead of idling your time in online surfing - An online interactive anatomy software! Visit this site HERE.

Cholestrol synthesis, transport biochemistry interactive animation

Click here to see this animation. Learn through interaction!

Mnemonic generator website / software

Don't have the imagination to create your own mnemonics? Create your own mnemonics online with these mnemonic generators.

• Enter the terms one by one and press the "generate mnemonic" button to create mnemonics CLICK HERE
• Enter the first letters of the terms to be remembered and press "go" CLICK HERE

Websites to learn Emergency Radiology

Interactive sites to learn and remember radiology - Visit these sites below:

http://www.oncallradiology.com/

http://www.chestradiology.net/

How to use your computer for better learning and memory - Part 3

• We have introduced the concept of Mind maps in our earlier post. To make mindmaps in your PC, download software from http://www.mindmanager.com
• After installing mindmanager 30 day trial (or better you purchase it) download medical mindmaps which you can open in this software. For eg, download diuretics mindmap for opening in this software here .
• Now you can create your own customised and colourful notes and print it out for easy reference and revision. Your subsequent revisions will be faster and you can also make it more memorable with pictures and colours.
• Other software to create free mindmaps are FreeMind, Compendium, Sciplore etc. (Clicking on the link will take you to the software's download site). Download an algorithm to cough analysis and differential diagnosis made with Free Mind here .
• For more medical mindmap examples, visit http://medicalmaps.blogspot.com
• Download pdf Pharmacology mindmaps here(Please note that you will have to register to download the pdf mindmaps)

Interactive Microbiology, Genetics for better memory

Ever thought Neuroscience, DNA, RNA, Karyotyping, ELISA test, stem cells, immunology, genetics etc are tough topics. Well, if you want to make these topics easier and remember them better go to http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/index.html
This site has lots of downloads - videos, lectures, pdfs etc in these topics. Do check out all the topics. There is a virtual lab, where you can do ELISA for SLE, Identify bacteria using PCR and all those advanced techniques. (Please make sure that you have the latest version of shockwave flash). Virtual classroom lectures help in easy learning. Many do and learns help you to remember better.

How bones got their names

Many of the medical names are derived from latin. If you study a bit of latin or greek you will find medical terms getting simpler. Below is a picture depicting how few bones got their names (Starting from the first picture row wise):

• ACETABULAM 

In Latin, acetum = vinegar and -bulum, a suffix signifying the instrument. Acetabulum was thought to resemble a small vinegar cruet of roman times.

• TIBIA

In Latin means a flute. Yes, a tibia after removal of external fixators looks like a flute :-)

• PATELLA

In Latin means a little plate. So next time have food in a big patella !

• SKULL

In Anglo Saxon means a bowl. Eat brain from the bowl !

• OLECRANON

In Greek, olenokranon, from olene = elbow and kranos = helmet. In other words, the protector of the elbow. Elbow's helmet !

• COCCYX

In Greek, kokkyx = cuckoo. This bone looks like the beak of a cuckoo. Huh?

• PELVIS

In Latin, pelvis means basin.

• CLAVICLE

In Latin, clavicula, diminutive of clavis = a key. Clavicle resembled those old keys. Anyway, don't use your clavicle to open your door :-)

 

If you want to study the origin of more medical terms try these websites:

1. http://www.eet.unsw.edu.au/~timm/GreekLatin.html
2. http://www.emory.edu/ANATOMY/AnatomyManual/Etymology.html

Medical mnemonics links and useful materials for nurses

Mnemonics for nurses were found at the following links:
http://www.impactednurse.com/?p=1461
http://pinoynurseszone.blogspot.com/search/label/mnemonics%20in%20nursing
http://forum.nursereview.org/t28566-mnemonics-and-memory-aids-flash-card.html
http://www.istorya.net/forums/career-center/138684-nurses-share-your-secret-mnemonics.html
http://nursingbulletin.com/2008/04/24/medical-mnemonics-prove/

The following is a sample of book "Health Assessment Made Incredibly Visual!" maximizes visual learning to help nurses master patient assessment. Also, this is a book full of visual mnemonics !

Medical mnemonics quiz

Take this test to find out how well you can pickup mnemonics:
Play Quiz: Medical Mnemonics now!