The 3 Best Mnemonics for Med School!

The 3 best mnemonics- I used these all the time in residency and on inpatient rotations. MUDPILES, C BIG K Drop, AEIOU. What are YOUR favorite mnemonics??

[Attabasca]

As a pharmacist we learned "You have 1 heart and 2 lungs" to remember what Beta-1 vs Beta-2 blockers were for.

[janicetanumihardja]

My problem with mnemonics is that there are so many of them, sometimes I dont remember for what they are suppose to help me remember 😂

[ryanbrooks]

I’m an ICU nurse at a large teaching hospital and your content has helped me come alongside and support the med students and residents as they’re learning. Thank you!

[mikelem]

Good Lord, where to being!!! There were so many mnemonics to study for the Steps
1) The Cranial Nerve Mnemonic: Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Very Good Valet Ah Heaven (the rated G version)
2) The 4 Fs of Gallstones: Female, Fat, Forty, Fertile (figured I had to bring up a GI related one)
3) HLA B27 diseases spell PAIR: Psoriatic Arthritis, IBD, Reactive Arthritis
4) Speaking of Reactive Arthritis there's the "Can't See, Can't Pee, Can't Climb A Tree"
5) The 4 Cs of Measles: Cough, Coryza, Conjunctivitis, C(K)oplik spots.
oh and an honorable mention: Common causes of Post Op Fever: Wind, Water, Wound, Walking, Wonder Drug
the list can go on and on!!!!

[susansmith]

In first aid training, we learnt FISH-SHAPED for the causes of unconsciousness (ah, now I have to remember what the letters all stood for, hold on a minute...) Fainting; Imbalance of heat; Shock; Head injury; Stroke; Heart Attack; Asphyxia; Poisoning; Epilepsy ; Diabetes.

[juliadroll]

Now that I moved to ER, this is SO helpful. Our docs and practitioners are great about providing a medical rational when there is any confusion from us nurses. On the flip side, they appreciate when we can check back or fill in the blank for an order based off of their way of thinking! Thanks for this 😄

[NoNakersAllowed]

This is awesome. I'm an RN who constantly wants to learn more about how we treat patients. Thanks

[ktthequeen]

Please share (many) more! My PA director seriously said "I never needed mnemonics in school, just learn the material, guys!"

I need

[ericlarson]

My favorite: NAVY - it’s the mnemonic for the anatomical order, from outside-in, of the femoral Nerve, Artery, Vein, and the Y is for the crotch (note the shape of the Y).

[yougosquishnow]

The anatomy mneumonic for rememeber the cranial nerves. Have not in my life used them since anatomy but damn is that a fun one.
Also the pancreatitis mneumonic sticks with me for some reason. GETSMASHED

[romanaranchadiya]

I’m a med student and your videos are really helpful. Thank you

[jojospeechy]

Wow! Mnemonics, I can't even pronounce most of the terms you just rattled off. I'm amazed by your intelligence. Also a little jealous. Thank you for the videos. Love them!!!

[rohankarkra]

Can you please do more of these mnemonics which are relevant from a residency/practical point of view. Stuff you regularly use.

[poltive]

On the Neuro floor one of the nurses taught me a poem to remember the cranial nerves: 'On Old Olympus' Towering Top, A Finn and German Viewed Some Hops'
Optic nerve, oculomotor nerve, olfactory nerve, trochlear nerve, trigeminal nerve, abducens, facial nerve, auditory nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve, sensory (accessory) nerve, hypoglossal nerve.

[kamberosa]

👏👏👏👏👏 Good work, doctor! Thanks! Learned these recently and glad to know they’re actually used, lol.

[Dmbk]

Neurosurgery resident here. My top 3 most commonly used are:

AD-DAVID (admission/transfer/post op orders): admission, diagnosis, diet, activity, vitals, investigations, drugs.

DIMS (causes of acute neurological change): drugs, infection, metabolic, structural

VITAMIN C + D (when thinking of broad differential for causes of almost any problem): vascular, inflammatory, traumatic, autoimmune, metabolic, infectious, neoplastic, congenital, degenerative

[ralphs]

When my first husband was in medical school I remember “to Zanzibar By Motor Car” to recall the facial nerves:
T: temporal
Z: zygomatic
B: buccal
M: mandibular
C: cervical

[noctusowl]

My favourites are OLDCARTS to take pain history and pretty much any symptoms; ABCDE for assessment of unstable, critical patients and resus; and 4Hs and 4Ts for causes of reversible cardiac arrest. Honourable mention for Delirium.

[seema]

Thank you for sharing! Your facial expressions combined with your editing made this MS2 smile!

[wholeNwon]

Really fun to read other people's examples below. There's a YT general surgery resident (now a practitioner) who had spectacular examples that he posted.