When I had first come across Anki during my preparation for the NEET PG, I was quite skeptical. The fact that simple flashcards could handle the vastness of medical subjects sounded implausible. And like many aspirants, I was already overwhelmed by the notes, videos, question banks, and revision schedules. Adding one more tool seemed unnecessary. But over time, I realized that Anki was not just another study resource; it was a system that trained my memory in ways which traditional revision never could.
NEET PG requires long-term retention, quick recall, and the ability to remember volatile facts under stress. My biggest problem was not studying new topics; rather, it was forgetting old topics. Anki addressed this exact weakness by making me revise stuff just before I was about to forget it. This single change significantly improved my retention and confidence.
The most important thing that I learned early on was that Anki should never be used as a first-time learning tool. I always study any topic thoroughly from my primary source, which generally comprises standard notes, video lectures, or textbooks. I only make Anki cards after I am comfortable with the concept. Using Anki as a primary tool causes shallow understanding and frustration, especially in concept-based subjects like medicine and pathology.
I intentionally keep my deck structure very simple. I have one main NEET PG deck with subject-wise sub-decks. With time, I realized that too much organization is actually counterproductive. The aim is consistency, not perfection. A simple structure ensures that I spend more time reviewing cards and less time in managing decks.
The actual strength of Anki is in card-making. Defeat in the very purpose of spaced repetition due to the poorly designed cards. For this, I follow the principle of making each card test only one idea. If a card tries to include multiple facts, the brain cannot recall the same efficiently. I design my cards question-answer, emulating the NEET PG thinking patterns. Instead of passive statements, I frame questions like "most common cause," "drug of choice," or "next best step." This trains your mind to retrieve the information actively, which is exactly what the exam demands.
I only use cloze deletion on rare occasions and strategically for lists and volatile data. Cloze cards help reinforce individual components of lists repeatedly, not the whole at a single instance. This approach reduces cognitive overload and may improve long-term recall.
What to put in Anki is equally important as knowing how to make cards. I keep Anki limited to high-yield, easily forgettable information. These include concepts from previous year questions, confusing comparisons, conditions which look similar, lab values, side effects of drugs, and facts I repeatedly get wrong in MCQs. I religiously avoid adding long explanations or entire concepts that I already understand well. Anki is meant to sharpen memory, not replace conceptual study.
My daily routine for Anki is simple and non-negotiable: reviews over new cards. No matter how busy a day gets, the review cards get done. New cards can wait; reviews cannot. This single habit avoids backlog building-another of the top reasons students quit using Anki. Because I keep the daily load manageable, Anki remains a sustainable part of my preparation, not a source of stress.
Anki works exceptionally well when integrated with MCQ practice. After solving questions, especially if I make mistakes, I analyze the reason behind the mistake. If the mistake is related to a memory gap or confusion, I immediately convert that learning point into an Anki card so that the same mistake is not repeated in future exams. With time, my Anki deck becomes a personalized collection of my weaknesses-which is far more powerful than generic revision material.
Another great feature is tagging, which greatly enhances the usefulness of Anki. I use tagging for labeling previous year questions, frequently repeated topics, volatile facts, and last-minute revision material. This helps me filter cards efficiently during different phases of preparation, especially in the final months before the exam.
I use images and tables cautiously. For subjects like anatomy, radiology, and pathology, visual memory plays a major role. I include cropped images highlighting just what I need to remember to avoid clutter. Each image is connected to a specific question, rather than serving as a passive reference.
One of the biggest advantages of Anki is how this reduces revision anxiety. Instead of always being concerned with what to revise and when, Anki decides that for me. On days when I am low on motivation, all I do is open Anki and follow the schedule. This removes decision fatigue and allows one to keep going even during burnout phases.
Over some time, Anki changed my perspective towards revision. Revision is not an act of rereading your notes for an eternity as it is about exact timed recall of information that truly matters for NEET PG. Anki doesn't save one from hard work; in fact, it just sorts out the fact that the hard work one puts in doesn't get flushed away. In the end, Anki is no magic tool, but if used correctly, it definitely becomes one of the strongest allies in NEET PG preparation. Consistency, discipline, and thoughtfulness in card creation are paid off. To be specific, for any serious aspirant battling retention and revision, learning how to use Anki might be the turning point he or she is looking for. And health policy experts have both long feared and anticipated this-well, for years.
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