How to Use Anki for Medical School: Complete Guide
Master Anki for medical school success. Step-by-step guide to setup, settings, and proven strategies used by top-scoring medical students.
Why Anki Dominates Medical Education
🧠 The Science:
Anki uses spaced repetition, a scientifically proven method that schedules reviews just before you forget information, maximizing long-term retention with minimal time investment.
Step-by-Step Anki Setup for Medical School
Step 1: Download and Install Anki
Desktop (Required):
- ✅ Go to apps.ankiweb.net
- ✅ Download for Windows/Mac/Linux
- ✅ Install with default settings
- ✅ Create AnkiWeb account for syncing
Mobile (Optional but Recommended):
- 📱 AnkiDroid (Android): Free
- 📱 AnkiMobile (iOS): $24.99
- 📱 Sign in with AnkiWeb account
- 📱 Perfect for commute/quick reviews
Step 2: Choose Your Medical School Deck
🥇 Recommended: AnKing Step 1 v12
- • 30,000+ cards covering all Step 1 content
- • Updated annually with latest guidelines
- • Integrated with Pathoma, Sketchy, and First Aid
- • Used by 80%+ of medical students
Alternative: Zanki Step 1
- • Classic deck, well-established
- • Good for students who prefer older format
- • Smaller file size
Step 3: Import and Configure Your Deck
Import Process:
- Download deck file (.apkg) from AnKing website
- Double-click the file to import into Anki
- Wait for import to complete (may take 5-10 minutes)
- Deck will appear in your main Anki window
Initial Configuration:
Proven Medical School Study Strategy
The Anki-First Approach
Daily Routine:
Card Management Strategy:
- 🎯 Unsuspend cards as you cover topics in class
- 🎯 Focus on high-yield tags (Pathoma, Sketchy)
- 🎯 Add custom cards from lecture material
- 🎯 Review missed UWorld questions in Anki
- 🎯 Prioritize weak areas using filtered decks
Year-by-Year Strategy
MS1: Foundation Building
Start Anki early. 20 new cards/day. Focus on basic sciences. Suspend cards not yet covered. Build consistent habit.
MS2: Acceleration Phase
Increase to 25-30 new cards/day. Integrate with UWorld. Add custom cards from mistakes. Prepare for Step 1.
MS3+: Maintenance Mode
Reviews only during dedicated. 10-15 new cards for Step 2. Focus on clinical correlations and shelf exams.
Pro Tips from Top Medical Students
✅ Do This:
- •Start early: Begin Anki in first year, not during Step 1 prep
- •Be consistent: Do Anki every single day, even if just 10 cards
- •Use image occlusion: Perfect for anatomy and pathology diagrams
- •Sync across devices: Review on phone during downtime
- •Track your stats: Aim for 85-90% retention rate
❌ Avoid This:
- •Too many new cards: More than 30/day leads to burnout
- •Skipping days: Breaks the spaced repetition algorithm
- •Not customizing settings: Default settings aren't optimal
- •Creating too many cards: Focus on high-yield pre-made decks
- •Stopping during dedicated: Reviews are crucial for retention
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