The Better Pill Podcast

In this episode, Arvin, Adrian, and Mike discuss the study methods and strategies they used in medical school, and in preparation for the PLE and USMLE. They also give their inputs on a few research studies on the most common study methods.
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Arvin is a young physician devoted to providing equal access to holistic wellness and health services. His mission is to empower individuals to make healthy choices in their everyday lives. He enjoys cooking, weight lifting, and playing music.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
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Chapter Markers:
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Introduction of guest and episode
04:35 Given a handout, how will you approach your study?
16:05 Thougths on highlighting
19:36 Do you take notes?
22:35 Are you a fan of flashcards?
31:44 Few key points
34:06 Is recording lectures and watching it helpful?
38:55 Other sources you use?
42:29 Podcasts as tool
43:34 The best podcast
43:43 Comments on the 4 research papers about studying (see description)
51:26 Any regrets?
54:12 Sumary and learnings in this episode
55:54 Outro

You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
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Links:

Study #1:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26173288/

Study #2:
https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2016/06/learning-memory

Study #3:
https://www.gwern.net/docs/spacedrepetition/1939-spitzer.pdf

Study #4:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/331/6018/772.full

YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/e0vbcvbd6Ro

In this episode, Doc Kirby shares his experience taking an alternate route towards becoming a doctor. Getting into an MD program straight out of high school, he talks about the rigorous selection process, his transition, some regrets, maturity, and important life lessons.  
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Kirby Plando is a medical doctor currently serving in his hometown of Cotabato City. During med school, he advocated for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, participating in various extracurricular activities and was a member of numerous college organizations. He is also an amateur film critic, action figure collector and die-hard pop culture geek, squeezing in time for his interests in between studying and hospital duties.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
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You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
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Links:

YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/sqcnmBj5ZEs

Are you planning to take multiple high-stakes examinations in a short period of time? In this episode, Dr. Arvin Tan shares his experience on how he endured taking the PLE, USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, and Occupational English Test in less than 8 months!

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Dr. Arvin Tan was also featured on our very first episode

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Arvin is a young physician devoted to providing equal access to holistic wellness and health services. His mission is to empower individuals to make healthy choices in their everyday lives. He enjoys cooking, weight lifting, and playing music.
–

Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging,  learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.

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Chapter Markers:

00:00 Introduction

00:35 Introduction of Episode

01:16 You Took 4 High-Stake Exams in Less Than 8 Months

03:50 Comparing Preparation for PLE, and USMLE Steps 1 and 2

10:03 Which is More Time-Consuming?

14:24 Doing Qbank is Gold

17:30 Difficulty of Step 1 vs Step 2 vs PLE

22:00 USMLE Step 1 Prep Helped in PLE Prep

22:19 Final Message

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You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
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Links:
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/-IC9haiOHEU

In this episode, Dr. Aaron Lao talks about his non-traditional journey towards becoming a doctor. He was an active freelance musician in the US, and completed two world music tours, prior to entering medical school. Now a doctor and CEO of his own company, he shares the difficulty of the transition, how he coped, and the lessons he learned along the way.
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Dr. Aaron Lao earned his bachelor’s degree in classical music performance from Rutgers University in 2006. He completed two world music tours and was an active freelance musician in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut before deciding to pursue medicine. Dr. Lao graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in 2020, where he was the Medical Student Council External Vice President. He is currently in the United States preparing to take the USMLE. Additionally, Dr. Lao is the Chief Executive Officer of his own company, LMG Homes Inc, a corporation which operates two intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled. Dr. Lao is also one of the founding board members of the 501(c)(3) non-profit ZBM International Foundation.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
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You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast

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Chapter Markers:

00:00 Introduction
00:37 Episode intro
01:23 Guest intro
03:45 Tell us about your story before medical school.
06:38 Did you take science subjects in college?
08:43 Were you required to take science subjects before enrolling into med?
10:00 How was your transition into medical school?
12:00 When did you get the hang of medicine?
12:58 Was the first quarter of first year med hard?
13:23 How were your grades?
13:37 Can you take us through your routine in med school?
15:40 Did you ever think of quitting medical school?
17:57 How did you manage to find the time for extracurricular activities?
20:05 Would you recommend non traditional medical students to join orgs and clubs?
22:07 How do you manage your time?
23:20 How many years was the gap between your college graduation and med school?
27:00 Top 3 challenges you faced in med school
29:40 Do you have any regrets?
30:28 Looking back, would you have done anything differently in medical school?
31:47 Final message

YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/DV09suEKJrc

In part 2 of this episode, Gab talks about the pros and cons of distance learning, realizations, and practical advice. He also shares some philosophical insights he has gained throughout a year of medical school online.
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Gab Paragas is a Medical Student in the Philippines. Prior to medical school, he has had various experiences in the academe, clinical pharmacy, and public health. He is passionate in advocating for reforms in the country's healthcare system and transforming medical education to one that is community-change driven. He has previously taken on various leadership roles in professional societies, and also in the medical school he is currently in. He enjoys watching and analyzing movies; also watching and performing in some music acts.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
–

Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
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Anki was featured on Episode 6!

You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
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CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Introduction

00:39 Episode introduction

03:38 Pros of online learning

09:15 Cons of online learning

13:21 What happens if you lose internet connection in the middle of an exam

18:18 Realizations

21:55 Would you have done anything differently with how you approached first year med?

40:45 Recap of parts 1 and 2

48:17 Final message

Links:

YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/lkBBMX2RfvY

Subconsciously, we pace ourselves to finish a task based on how much time we’re given. In this episode, Mike discusses Parkinson’s Law, which explains the relation of allocation of time to completion of work.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.

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You can reach us at:
Email: [email protected]
FB: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law
https://effectiviology.com/parkinsons-law/

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3xN1RNy
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3qaj2pf
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3wGITGI
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/TxKPJRT5GbI

In the next month or so, the academic year will be opening. Incoming med school freshmen have a lot of questions in mind, especially that classes will be done in an unconventional setup. With very limited experience in distance learning, Mike and Adrian have only so little to share. Fortunately, they were able to invite a friend, Gab, who is an incoming second year med student. Gab shares in detail his first-year med experience, the many challenges he faced, and how he was able to cope.
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Gab Paragas is a Medical Student in the Philippines. Prior to medical school, he has had various experiences in the academe, clinical pharmacy, and public health. He is passionate in advocating for reforms in the country's healthcare system and transforming medical education to one that is community-change driven. He has previously taken on various leadership roles in professional societies, and also in the medical school he is currently in. He enjoys watching and analyzing movies; also watching and performing in some music acts.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
–

Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
–

You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast

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CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Introduction
04:57 What was it like doing first year med online?
06:15 How different are online vs onsite classes in terms of learning?
08:33 Do you have more free time with the online setup?
11:48 In terms of content, is there a difference in online vs physical classes?
12:35 Do you think kulang yung natutunan mo with online learning?
14:59 How did you adapt to the online setup in terms of learning style?
19:15 What is an average day in online medical school like?
25:11 Are the lectures live or recorded?
26:45 How do your SGDs go?
29:42 How do you raise your hand during recitation?
31:41 How did you develop rapport with your classmates? How do you bond?
37:52 What are the things/essentials incoming freshmen have to prepare for online first year med?
43:03 Are you required to wear uniform?
43:38 Google calendar
45:27 Do you need a printer?
46:35 Pomodoro timer technique
50:39 Do you need a laptop? Is an iPad enough?

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3hx4opl
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3qaj2pf
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3AQHPU9
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/Xxex-17iIms

Anatomy is arguably the most challenging subject in first year. In part I of this episode, Mike and Adrian shared specific and helpful tips to approach Anatomy. This time, they discuss and answer frequently asked questions on how to study this “difficult” subject.

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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.

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Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.

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Chapter Markers:

00:00 Intro
02:09 Recap of Part 1
02:33 Is highlighting text useful?
04:11 How do you study for practical exams?
07:35 Is using flashcards helpful?
09:07 How do you memorize OINA?
11:15 Importance of a good foundation
13:51 How do you memorize images and parts
19:10 Summary
21:25 Useful resources
29:23 Take home message

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You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast

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Links:

 Mike’s Video on Image Occlusion (Anki): https://youtu.be/SR_b7VEuDO4
Snell Clinical Anatomy by Regions: https://amzn.to/36aVffy
Clinical Anatomy: An illustrated review (Snell): https://amzn.to/3jIj0DD
Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy: https://amzn.to/3dJW0jY

3D4Medical Complete Anatomy: https://3d4medical.com/
Anatomy Knowledge YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiKmGJwryBga9bWTdDzn-OQ

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3hDZiGm
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3qaj2pf
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3qJam9y
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/YQozRLIatI8

In this short, Adrian talks about how it could be counterproductive to focus so much on goals.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
–

Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging, learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health.
–

You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast

Links:

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3heG7Ek
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3qaj2pf
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3hiWOyx
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/VrP33hF2heI

In this podcast, Michael shares his recording with her friend who inquired about her USMLE Step 1 progress.  After learning of her concern that her question bank scores plateaued at 60-70% for each block, Michael shared his techniques on how to improve. At the end of the recording Michael will also share Dr. Kym Sirilan's comments on this episode. 
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Dr. Kym Sirilan was featured on the previous episode (Episode 8). Anki was featured on Episode 6. Dr. Arvin Tan was featured on our very first episode.
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Adrian Teves is a young Filipino doctor. While in medical school, Adrian served as a peer mentor, helping freshmen and sophomores adjust smoothly to the rigors of med school life. Adrian is also a passionate mental health advocate, having suffered from anxiety. It is his objective to have a community that can freely talk about mental health without reservations. He devotes his leisure time reading, working out, or playing golf.
–

Michael Sibulo is both a pharmacist and a physician. After struggling throughout his four-year stay in medical school, he started advocating the use of Anki, a spaced repetition software  for time-efficient active learning. Other interests include playing the piano, jogging,  learning Mandarin, and promoting eye health
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Chapter Markers
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Introduction of Episode
01:37 Start of Episode
01:51 Problem: Question Bank Scores Plateaued
03:34 Use Boards and Beyond with Anki
05:38 UWorld: Random or By Systems?
06:30 How to Use Premade Deck for Weak Areas
07:45 How Many Days To Watch Boards and Beyond?
08:33 Reschedule the Exam?
10:00 Comments on New NBME Exams
16:39 Cons of 2nd Pass in Qbank
16:52 Weak in Genetics and Biochem
17:40 Amboss Qbank
19:17 How much is Rescheduling?
20:00 Burnout
21:02 Block Scores
22:33 Some Don't Use Anki
24:00 New NBMEs are hard
24:49 Self-Esteem and Self-Assessment Scores
27:19 Dedicated Period
41:07 Post-Recording Thoughts and Comments
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You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebetterpillpodcast
–

Links:

Mike's Introduction to Anki Video: https://youtu.be/GvzXVyQbG1k
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3h8R1dl
Google Podcast: https://bit.ly/3vVxTFT
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3qBBV4G
YouTube Mirror: https://youtu.be/NQLiTdqh3Dg