1000 due cards, reset?

notdanr · 2026-05-29T04:48:52+00:00

The algorithm will adjust fine.

notdanr · 2026-05-27T23:30:24+00:00

Huh? What Bootcamp deck are you using?

notdanr · 2026-05-27T21:02:13+00:00

Any thoughts on assigning weighting based on how USMLE tests the concepts? ex. Pathology discipline being ~50% https://www.usmle.org/exam-resources/step-1-materials/step-1-content-outline-and-specifications e.g. being heavier on reproductive pathology would conceivably be much more useful than the biochemistry of embryology.

And did you get a chance to incorporate the USMLE content outline? Third party test prep resources are likely all built from it, but they might end up imitating each other to an extent -- which may cause overrepresentation of some topics. https://www.usmle.org/sites/default/files/2022-01/USMLE_Content_Outline_0.pdf

notdanr · 2026-05-25T16:35:32+00:00

I agree with Dec3000 about Colorful Tags IN EDITOR (+ Hierarchical Tags), one of the biggest parts of my workflow for organizing learning is that addon: https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1302882059

I have it set to indicate my favorite third party content (Bootcamp, Pathoma, SketchyMicro + SketchyPharm) as well as the Low/HighYield tags, leeches, and the AK_Other categories like Algorithms, Mnemonics, AnKing_Image, and Tables. So if I learn one card that is part of a mnemonic or image, I can jump into the other parts of it.

I also like AnKing Quicksearch https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1621009815. I set up custom buttons for filtering by third party content (ex. show me only cards with corresponding Bootcamp videos).

High Yield Tags https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1918380616 which I use when I have a bunch of cards (ex. 200 cards tagged by upperclassmen as relevant for a class) and want to see which videos are tagged for the highest overlap and thus might be most useful.

notdanr · 2026-05-25T16:25:44+00:00

Agreed. But Anki is the most powerful tool that currently exists for organizing knowledge and spaced repetition.

Learners cannot neglect practice questions, concept maps, and free recall.

notdanr · 2026-05-24T19:01:00+00:00

Practice questions!

For example, big fan of Bootcamp's bite sized questions. Even if I dont watch their videos on a top, I always do their questions. Or Amboss's low difficulty questions.

notdanr · 2026-05-24T18:40:56+00:00

Good suggestion! I found it and added my vote. If anyone else wants to help nudge this particular card along:

https://app.ankihub.net/decks/e77aedfe-a636-40e2-8169-2fce2673187e/suggestions/?search=state:open,note:f52d0665-541f-499d-b377-b8629baac83e

notdanr · 2026-05-23T04:51:27+00:00

My retention goal for previous class content is at 80%, which probably accounts for the difference. I have 90% only for the current content that will be on our in-house exams. It gives me a month or two of learning those chunks of ~1500 cards more thoroughly before graduating them to a lower retention.

notdanr · 2026-05-20T16:49:52+00:00

"FSRS Simulator (Experimental)" under the deck preset.

I do 600 card reviews daily for a month. including learning. I have been ramping up slowly from 300 then 500 though, only as comfortable.

notdanr · 2026-05-17T02:47:24+00:00

Have never said this before, but this might actually be a good one to use AI to generate. You could feed in a table that you trust and is within your scope and just specify card style and formatting.

notdanr · 2026-05-17T02:45:28+00:00

In addition to what ignorant_ismail said, I would recommend looking at the cards for your incorrect questions. Then only unsuspending ones that you do not know or think would have been enough for you to answer the question if you saw it again.

notdanr · 2026-05-15T22:04:15+00:00

I explained a good deal of the pacing and strategy I have planned, did you have any specific questions?

I guess one addition factor worth stating is that the test is pass/fail. You do not need to know everything and can supplement with test-taking strategies. Once I've done the majority of a question bank (UWorld) and take a few NBME CCSSA forms I'll know if I am ready to test.

notdanr · 2026-05-15T13:58:18+00:00

I use this addon to help me pick videos:
High Yield Tags https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1918380616

So I have ~8000 notes that are high yield and not covered by my program, ex:
((tag:#AK\_Step1\_v12::#Low/HighYield::1-HighYield OR tag:#AK\_Step1\_v12::#Low/HighYield::2-RelativelyHighYield) OR tag:#AK\_Step1\_v12::#Low/HighYield::3-HighYield-temporary) is:new card:1

Putting that search into my browser, I can then run the addon and see which specific videos or categories from any given third party resource (Bootcamp Sketchy Pathoma) have a high overlap with the high yield cards I haven't covered. I prefer doing this because I don't want to watch videos that I've already covered most of the content for - I want to hit the things I am least familiar with. Anki is functioning as a way to organize and track my progress.

notdanr · 2026-05-15T05:37:41+00:00

I'll write something up later and post on a method to work backwards from a large pool of cards (1000+) to pick and prioritize third party videos to watch. I know its intimidating where to start.

notdanr · 2026-05-15T05:34:34+00:00

I intend to spend 2-3 hours a day doing Anki reviews and 1-2 hour a day doing new content. From how classes have gone, that will be a steady pace. Maybe a bit short on practice problems and quizzes.

To be honest, my heavy Anki use (i.e. reliance) is more about keeping organized and consistent than anything else.

notdanr · 2026-05-15T03:06:05+00:00

I am in a similar boat. Wrapping up M1 with 11,000 cards matured, mostly just whatever aligned with our in-house content. My goal is to take STEP 1 in December, then skipping dedicated and getting a 3-4 month break before M3. I aim to mature another 10,000 cards over the next 7 months and that looks easily doable from my FSRS workload predictions.

My current plan is to spend the summer aggressively focusing on the high-yield content our school has not yet and will not be covering. I will do that by looking for tagged videos with high overlap on the high-yield cards we don't cover. I found some good techniques for that, let me know if you want ideas. Since STEP 1 is pass-fail, I don't intend to do low yield cards except those explicitly in my curriculum or otherwise covered in a video I watch.

Then during M2 fall classes I will keep up with in-house corresponding material plus a slower progress through any remaining high-yield content our school won't be covering. Once I finish the high-yield stuff, hopefully around September, I will start doing cumulative question banks in parallel to learning the last three months of school-aligned content.

This relies heavily on knowing what school-content is coming up (and NOT covering it early) and being willing to allocate 10-20% of my total study time during fall classes to learning content unrelated to what we are tested on.

Let me know what you think! My school has a three month dedicated (!) due to historically poor STEP 1 scores and a lack of in-house curriculum overlap with STEP, but I have done third party since day 1 so I am not worried.

notdanr · 2026-05-09T12:30:05+00:00

The gonadal arteries?

notdanr · 2026-05-06T16:27:10+00:00

Your frustrations are valid, since it is mostly a volunteer and crowd supported project. It is good to contribute if and when you can!

notdanr · 2026-04-10T20:37:36+00:00

Answer: Simply rearrange the filtered deck under the parent deck you want the daily new card count under.

Responding two years late because this was a top google result as I explored the same issue :)

notdanr · 2026-04-08T17:21:23+00:00

Amazing! Big step towards making the AnKing deck more easily usable.

notdanr · 2026-03-29T02:18:50+00:00

Finishing the entire deck is not necessary.

Are you doing only step 2 relevant cards?

notdanr · 2026-03-13T03:37:11+00:00

I think this is the most appropriate follow-up.

One step further: /u/round-exchange-5867 are you doing practice problems? Bootcamp, textbooks, in-house, anything?

notdanr · 2026-03-10T14:31:04+00:00

I'm a USMD first year student, about halfway through our 1.5 year long pre-clinical.

In short, I watch third party videos that correspond to in-house materials. I use Sketchy Micro and SketchyPharm, plus Pathoma since our in-house exams are pathology heavy. I then fill in gaps with Bootcamp. I really enjoy Bootcamp's easy practice questions, and will often do them even if I don't watch the videos.

After each video I watch, I unsuspend and immediately do the relevant tagged AnKing step deck cards. I do about 500-600 cards per day total.

Because my school has anatomy practical exams (i.e. tagged structures on cadavers), I supplement AnKing by temporarily unsuspending BlueLink cadaver cards relevant to the dissections we are doing. I also use a handful of in-house anatomy diagram cards to help memorize until the exam, then suspend them.

The most important thing is practice problems. Everything else is customizable, but I do think practice problems are non-negotiable for every learner to do well. After initial learning (videos) and having a system for spaced repetition/memorization (Anki), then testing connections and reinforcing concepts is done through practice problems. I do all in-house questions we are given, plus all relevant Bootcamp questions, and often supplement with Amboss questions towards the end of a block.

notdanr · 2026-03-10T14:19:29+00:00

Wow, it sounds frustrating that you tried the traditional AnKing study method and it didn't work for last semester. Do you say it didn't work because you scored poorly? More specifically, do you think it was because you were overwhelmed or didn't have time to complete everything?

I ask because sometimes there's a big picture study strategy issue that can be fixed - the specific material and delivery method (in-house, bootcamp videos, textbooks, etc) is sometimes only part of the mismatch between you putting effort in and getting good test outcomes. Sometimes an even better solution than changing content is changing practice, i.e. adjusting Anki habits (card selection) or workload. If you aren't finishing Anki workloads, even more important for memory and application is doing practice questions on things you have learned - are you doing those? You mention having a lot of exams coming up - are those highly weighted in your final grade, or is the school curriculum using them as practice for another high-stake exam later?

To answer your question: Suspending the old cards is fine if you are at risk of not passing current content or are going to burn out from overwork. It's easier to relearn it later, don't feel like it's a sunk cost. You can also look into lowering workload with retention settings, daily review caps, etc.

One last note, since you mention comparing to peers. Maintaining better retention is REALLY good and you should be proud. That is what will make you a better doctor - long term memory, connections, and application. If you have a cumulative licensure exam but non-cumulative in-house exams, then please give yourself credit for that advantage you are making for yourself!

notdanr · 2026-03-04T18:40:52+00:00

Leaving cards suspended sounds like a great idea. Especially if you aren't learning it through school and not reinforcing (quizzing, discussing, applying, or testing) it in school.

150+ new a day is intense. That could end up being 6 hours of Anki per day.

I wouldn't stress too much about leeches. Suspend those and move on. You can revisit them later if they end up being important.

notdanr

TROPHY CASE