Learning medicine is like piecing together an endless puzzle. Every biological structure, pathway, and complex is interconnected within a larger system. We fit pieces together until we create a recognizable section, and, with time, we learn how those sections connect. In educational theory, this process is described as building schemas — organizing knowledge by adding new information to existing mental structures.
Traditionally, medical students build these schemas through lectures. But unlike grade school or college classes, medical school lectures are rarely streamlined. A single topic is often covered by multiple lecturers, each unsure of what has already been taught. The lectures are entrenched in detail, with overloaded slides and illegible diagrams, attempting to cover everything but leaving students overwhelmed.
During my first year of medical school, I was a model student. I attended every optional lecture and parsed through each slide, resisting third-party resources like Anki and Boards & Beyond. Meanwhile, I watched my classmates pour hours into these resources instead of attending lectures. Over time, I watched as the number of students in the lecture hall dwindled to single-digit attendance in a strikingly empty room. I prided myself on being one of the few dedicated lecture-goers, feeling like I was fully engaging with the education I was paying for.
Beneath the surface, I was struggling. The disjointed lectures and excessive details felt like sifting through hundreds of extra puzzle pieces with no clear picture to follow. I did not have a framework to build my knowledge upon, so my mind was constantly humming, trying to assemble the puzzle pieces — exhausting my energy to an unsustainable level.
At the beginning of my second year, I took my first board-style exam to prove to myself how much I had learned. To my surprise, I could barely comprehend the questions. The buzzwords and question stems felt like a foreign language I had to master in just a few months. Desperate, I abandoned lectures and turned to the third-party resources I had once dismissed. Almost immediately, I started retaining more information than ever before.
As the body of medical knowledge expands, so too does our breadth needed to learn it. We have to be selective about what we choose to study, or else we would spend every waking hour trying to keep up. Third-party resources work because they address the challenges I experienced with medical school lectures. They build schemas by presenting material in a logical, cohesive progression. The content is created by a single team with a unified vision and consistent vocabulary, reinforcing ideas across multiple lessons. The material is concise and targeted to our level of learning, using frivolous visuals and silly mnemonics to ensure retention. Soon, the puzzle pieces started falling into place. I knew which pieces to use and where they fit.
The case-based learning and clinical exam skills taught in medical school are invaluable. However, the practice of learning medical knowledge has been a different story. I felt like I was balancing on a tightrope, attempting to juggle two different educations — my school’s curriculum and the USMLE’s licensing exams. Lean too far one way, and I fall. The stress of this double curriculum further exacerbated the strain and pressure of an already demanding training.
Third-party resources like Sketchy, UWorld, Amboss, and Boards & Beyond are relatively new, mostly founded in the mid-2010s. By 2022, 70% of medical students reported using online medical education videos — a trend that continues to grow. However, most medical schools have yet to integrate these resources effectively into their curricula. Students are paying hundreds of dollars, in addition to increasing tuition, to access these materials instead of lectures because they have optimized learning and proficiency.
To better support the education and well-being of medical students, schools must find a way to synergize their traditional curricula with these modern learning methods. Medical schools need to reimagine their curricular approach to teaching medical knowledge, recognizing that third-party resources are no longer supplemental — they are essential.
What is your experience with med school lectures vs. third-party resources when it comes to learning medical knowledge? Share below!
Shannon Fang is a fourth-year medical student at Case Western Reserve University applying to medicine-pediatrics. She is interested in pursuing a career in medical education, health humanities, and health care advocacy.
Image by Irina_Strelnikova / Getty Images
