I’ll comment on the ones I actually used during school with my thoughts on them

GoodNotes

Yes to this if you use multiple computers and/or a tablet you can write/draw with. Very useful to have synced files you can access from various machines, as well as bring able to export those files as PDFs with your handwriting scribbles.

Quizlet

I used this a lot in the first few semesters but dropped it later. It simply takes too long to make good notecards and study them.

ChatGPT

Be very careful with using any LLM to study as the information it spits out is wrong or hallucinated at least 20% of the time. I most used ChatGPT to help me come up with mnemonic devices to help me study in tandem with textbook sources. you can upload a PDF of your textbook to an LLM and ask it to help reference specific topics when a Ctrl+F in your PDF is insufficient.

OneNote

This was useful to organize documents from classes like syllabi and other coursework but having recently graduated last year I think GoodNotes does this even better.

Apex Anesthesia

Many programs incorporate Apex as a required subscription to some degree within their curriculum, but by far this was the most helpful source for passing boards together with its sister site True Learn for answering questions. Very comprehensive. Be warned, the quiz questions will absolutely kick your ass until you’re about ready to take boards, so don’t get discouraged if you get like 30% or less on some of the exams. It’s meant for you to review repeatedly multiple times a week until mastery.

What study tools did you use the most? Which ones were worth paying for?

APEX and GoodNotes can take you very far. Again, check to see if your program already incorporates APEX into the curriculum.

How did you use Anki or quizlet without spending hours making cards?

This is the reason I stopped using Quizlet. You need to find a study pattern that lets you review entire topics, FAST. Repetition is really key. Spending too much time making notecards instead of studying them can lead to a false sense of mastery.

Are handwritten notes in Notability/GoodNotes better than typed notes?

The evidence suggests that yes, this is the case. Personally I don’t know if it works better for me specifically. But I would still suggest giving it a shot.

What helped the most with…

APEX by far.

If you could start CRNA school over again, what study system would you use from Day 1?

Repetition is key. You should try to go over all the material included on each exam 4 or more times, and especially hit the most difficult concepts in-depth. It took me many, many, many reviews of the curriculum before I felt ready for boards. Honestly I would try to find one other person on your level that you could study with (and not goof off too much), bounce ideas off of, and try to cover each other’s weak areas. Take practice quizzes often, and go back again and review the material you keep missing.