How I Use Anki and AI to Study Smarter in Med School

As a 6th-year medical student, I’ve spent thousands of hours trying to absorb massive amounts of information — drug mechanisms, physiology, diseases, guidelines, you name it. And like most med students, I quickly realized that passive learning wasn’t going to cut it.

That’s when I discovered Anki, and later, how AI could supercharge it.

Why I Chose Anki Early On

When I first started med school, I heard students raving about spaced repetition and how Anki helped them retain complex topics over time. Honestly, I didn’t love the idea of flashcards at first — it sounded slow and repetitive. But once I committed, I saw real results.

Anki became my secret weapon for mastering anything I had to memorize:

• Anatomy structures
• Pharmacology mechanisms
• Lab values and diagnostic criteria

The more consistently I used it, the more I realized: Anki isn’t just a flashcard app — it’s a brain extension.

Understanding > Memorization

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to understand first, then memorize. In my second year, I focused heavily on grasping core physiology. That effort paid off long-term — I still use that knowledge during rotations today.

But even when I understand something, I don’t always remember the details. That’s where Anki comes in.

My Problem With Making Cards Manually

As helpful as Anki is, making cards manually was painfully slow. I'd often spend hours summarizing lectures or transcribing notes, when all I wanted was to focus on learning.

Eventually, I started asking myself:

"What if AI could do the boring part for me?"

How I Use Ankify to Save Time

That’s why I built Ankify — a tool that lets you paste your notes or slides and automatically generate high-quality flashcards.

Here’s how I use it:

1. After class, I copy my notes or export slides to PDF.
2. I upload them to Ankify.
3. In seconds, it gives me a ready-made Anki deck I can review immediately or download.

💡 Pro tip: Ankify supports cloze deletions and various card types, so it works well with both preclinical memorization and clinical case review.

My Study System (That You Can Steal)

Here’s what works for me — and might work for you too:

• Start early: I retain more when I’m not cramming.
• Use active recall: Don’t just highlight — quiz yourself.
• Try the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes study / 5 minutes break.
• Take real breaks: Go for a run, see friends, get fresh air.
• Focus on context: Ask yourself, Why do I need to know this? (e.g., for a future patient!)

Final Thoughts

Med school is tough — no tool will magically make it easy. But the right tools can make a huge difference.

If you’re already using Anki but spending too much time creating cards, try letting AI do the heavy lifting.
You can get started for free at ankify.app.

Let me know what you think — and good luck out there 🧠💪