Actually I am entering vet school next year, but the question is
relevant for med students too.

Memorizing large amounts has never been my strong point academically.
Since this is a major portion of medical education -- anatomy,
histology, pathology, pharmacology, are for the most part mass
memorization -- I am a little concerned.  As I am sure most
med students are.

Can anyone suggest techniques for this type of memorization?  I
have had reasonable success with nemonics and memory tricks like
thinking up little stories to associate unrelated things.  But I have
never applied them to large amounts of "data".

Has anyone had luck with any particular books, memory systems, or
cheap software?  

Can you suggest any helpful organizational techniques?  Being an
older student who returned to school this year, organization (another
one of my weak points) has been a major help to my success.

Please no griping about how all you have to do is "learn" the material
conceptually.  I have no problem with that, it is one of my strong
points.  But you can't get around the fact that much of medicine is
rote memorization.  

Thanks for your help.

: Actually I am entering vet school next year, but the question is
: relevant for med students too.

: Memorizing large amounts has never been my strong point academically.
: Since this is a major portion of medical education -- anatomy,
: histology, pathology, pharmacology, are for the most part mass
: memorization -- I am a little concerned.  As I am sure most
: med students are.

: Can anyone suggest techniques for this type of memorization?  I
: have had reasonable success with nemonics and memory tricks like
: thinking up little stories to associate unrelated things.  But I have
: never applied them to large amounts of "data".

: Has anyone had luck with any particular books, memory systems, or
: cheap software?  

: Can you suggest any helpful organizational techniques?  Being an
: older student who returned to school this year, organization (another
: one of my weak points) has been a major help to my success.

: Please no griping about how all you have to do is "learn" the material
: conceptually.  I have no problem with that, it is one of my strong
: points.  But you can't get around the fact that much of medicine is
: rote memorization.  

: Thanks for your help.
The only suggestion i can think of off the top of my head is get a large
supply of index cards and memorize small amounts of info at a time, making
flash cards and quesitons. Everytime i get a question wrong I always
manage to get the damn thing right the next time

--
         /\ _ /\          |            Felix The Cat
        |  0 0  |-------\==     The Wonderful, Wonderful Cat!                

John, there are a lot of mnemonics that are used in anatomy, which is
where the main mass of memorization comes.  One I still remember from
40 years ago is for the wrist bones:  "Never Lower Tillie's Pants,
Grandmother Might Come Home"  It IS a large amount of memory work, but
it is necessary.  You will do fine.
                                              Len Howard

Another useful tool in studying (esp. when dealing with concepts)
is "concept mapping".  Make a list of all the nouns that you're
trying to learn.  Then start writing them on a large piece of paper
and connecting the nouns with verbs or phrases.  In general, the
more connections you can make between the nouns, the better you
understand the material...

Concept mapping is also a _very_ useful tool for group study sessions.
You can all work on a concept map, and each person will tend to make
connections the others don't see.   Everyone tends to learn better
under these conditions.

Example:            PATHOGENIC EUBACTERIA
                       /               \
                      /                    \
                  GRAM POSITIVE             ___________  GRAM NEGATIVE
                   /          \                             \
                 /               \                           \
                /                    \                        \
    STREPTOCOCCUS ------ round  ------ STAPHYLOCOCCUS          etc
             \                         /
            negative                 positive
               \                    /
                \                  /
                  \            /
                      CATALASE

This is a very simple map of some basic pathogenic bact info -- a good
student could add more connections and info, including cell wall composition,
pathogenic and "normal flora" species, appropriate antibiotics, etc., etc.

I'm not explaining this well, but you can get information on concept
mapping by checking into the education literature, or appendix 3 of
Campbell's Biology (2nd ed; Benj. Cummings Publishing Co.), or
in JD Novak and D. Godwin, 1984.  Learning How to Learn.  (Cambridge
University Press).

I'm normally not a fan of fashionable methods in education, but I've
taught this method to many of my shakier students and seen their
grades climb!  Seems to work well for most people!

Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI

    Wow!  I used the Campbell text in a first-year Introductory Biology
course and referred to it from time to time in the two years since, and
I've never noticed this appendix!  It seems I skipped from the
"Self-Quiz Answers" (Appendix One) straight to the Glossary.  :)  As a
humble undergrad Cell and Mol Bio major, I'd recommend this text to
anyone who wants to get some general background information in life
sciences.  Lots of instructive photographs and colour diagrams, a great
glossary and a comprehensive index backup clearly understandable text
that covers everything from altruistic behaviour in social animals to
plant nutrition to retroviruses.  IMHO, anyway.  :)
--