What is ANKI and why should you use it?

University courses Medicine & Psychology
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Anki is a highly popular flashcard-based learning tool that employs spaced repetition to help users memorize and retain information effectively over time. It’s widely used by medical students, language learners, and others tackling memory-intensive subjects.

Key Features of Anki

  1. Spaced Repetition Algorithm
  • Anki uses a scientifically-backed system to show flashcards just as you’re about to forget the information.
  • Cards you recall easily are shown less often, while difficult ones appear more frequently.
  1. Customizable Flashcards
  • Users can create their own flashcards with text, images, audio, and videos.
  • Templates allow for flexibility in formatting and card structure.
  1. Pre-Made Decks
  • A large community of users shares pre-made decks, especially for medical education (e.g., Zanki, AnKing, Lightyear decks).
  • These decks cover high-yield topics for exams like the USMLE, COMLEX, or NCLEX.
  1. Cross-Platform Sync
  • Anki is available on multiple platforms:
    • Desktop (free) for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
    • Mobile apps: Free on Android (AnkiDroid), paid on iOS.
  • All your progress syncs across devices via AnkiWeb.
  1. Add-ons
  • Anki supports third-party add-ons to enhance its functionality, such as:
    • Image occlusion (for labeling anatomy diagrams).
    • Advanced statistics.
    • Heatmaps to visualize study habits.
  1. Long-Term Retention
  • Anki is designed for mastering content over time, not cramming.
  • Ideal for subjects with cumulative knowledge, like medicine, where recall of older material is crucial.
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