Memorization, the Power of Mnemonics

Now that I have committed to the large mental task of taking on the BCPS exam, I'm finding memorization for the sake of memorization to be lacking. Rather than waste the moments I have studying repeating over and over what organisms doxycycline covers, I've started creating this microorganism world mentally that will connect all aspects through the use of mnemonics. Another technique I've debated is the use of songs. But creating songs still requires more memory time. Oh, and a different part of the brain.

Three things: association, memorization, and location. So, for example let's say that we want to memorize community acquired pneumonia (cap). I imagine a room full I healthy men wearing caps and their choices are a macrolide or doxycycline. To memorize the macrolide I imagine them with macro lenses (macrolide) and they are shooting pictures of dachshunds on cycles (doxycycline). They have no other illnesses going on, and the treatment is at least five days.

See the technique? Men wearing caps, no other underlying illnesses to interfere with shooting macro images of dachshunds on cycles.

You may never forget it! Or at least I hope I don't come October.

Google mind maps to gain more information about these techniques!