MTLE & MLS (ASCPi) tips and preparation + mnemonics

mer cozy
26 Jun 202215:01

TLDRThe video script features a medical student and licensed medical technologist sharing insights on preparing for the MTLE and AACPI exams. The speaker offers practical tips, such as using Anki for flashcards, creating visual aids, and maintaining a support system. They also discuss review classes, pricing, and the importance of understanding the exam format and sample questions. The emphasis is on balancing study with hobbies and taking regular breaks for effective learning.

Takeaways

  • 🎓 The speaker is a med student, licensed medical technologist in the Philippines, and a certified medical laboratory scientist in the U.S.
  • 📚 The video is divided into six parts: generalities and experiences, MTLE, AACPI, references, scheduling, and mnemonics.
  • 🔍 The speaker used Anki for flashcards and preferred virtual flashcards over handwritten ones due to handwriting concerns.
  • 🏥 Values and pneumonics were placed on the wall for easy reference and memorization, especially for fasting blood glucose levels and bacterial characteristics.
  • 📈 Flow charts were created for microbiology and bacteriology, helping the speaker to know where to look for information and to make the study more manageable.
  • 💬 The importance of having a support system during stressful study periods was emphasized, as well as the value of hobbies and break times for stress relief.
  • 📅 When choosing a review class, consider the schedule, price, professors, review materials, and sample exams available.
  • 📚 For AACPI, the speaker did not take a review class but used review materials and focused on clinical correlates, using Polanski and LabCE for study resources.
  • 💡 The AACPI exam involves case-based questions requiring knowledge of clinical values and calculations like MCV and MCHC.
  • 📊 The speaker used Excel and later shifted to Notion for scheduling and organization during medical school and exam preparation.

Q & A

  • What type of content does the speaker usually create on their channel?

    -The speaker usually creates silent vlogs documenting their life as a student.

  • What are the speaker's professional qualifications in the medical field?

    -The speaker is a medical student, a licensed medical technologist in the Philippines, and a certified medical laboratory scientist in the U.S.

  • How does the speaker organize their study materials for review?

    -The speaker uses a virtual flashcard app called Anki, sticks information on the wall for constant reminders, and types notes on Microsoft Word.

  • What is the speaker's approach to dealing with weak points in their studies?

    -The speaker writes down their weakest points and focuses on improving them by understanding the specific characteristics and details of the subject matter.

  • What role does the speaker's support system play during their review period?

    -The speaker's support system, which includes friends, family, and religion, provides emotional support during stressful times and helps them cope with the pressure of studying.

  • What factors are important to consider when choosing a review class?

    -Important factors include the schedule, price, quality of professors, review materials provided, and sample exams.

  • How does the speaker prepare for the AACPI exam?

    -The speaker used their MTLE review as a base, focused on clinical correlates, and utilized review materials from their review hub and additional reference materials like Strassinger for clinical microscopy and Thurgen for clinical hematology.

  • What was the speaker's experience with the AACPI exam format and what strategies did they use?

    -The speaker found the AACPI exam to have a different feel with case-based questions. They used clinical values, performed necessary calculations, and inferred the pathogen or illness from the given data. They also noted that answering correctly increased the difficulty of subsequent questions but offered more points.

  • How did the speaker manage their time and progress during the AACPI exam?

    -The speaker used a board and erasable shop provided during the exam to keep track of their progress and formulas. They also took their time to evaluate their answers.

  • What scheduling tools did the speaker use for their studies?

    -The speaker initially used Excel for scheduling but later shifted to using Notion when they started reviewing for their board exam as a med student.

  • What advice does the speaker give to those preparing for similar exams?

    -The speaker advises to keep trying, not forget to take breaks, and to stay focused as achieving goals is possible with perseverance.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction and Study Tips

The speaker introduces themselves as a med student and a licensed medical technologist, discussing their usual content of silent vlogs about student life. They share their study strategies, including using a guide while filming, condensing information into one video, and answering questions through comments or Instagram. They mention using Anki for virtual flashcards, sticking information on the wall for review, and the importance of having a support system and hobbies for stress relief.

05:01

📚 Review Class Selection and Strategies

The speaker discusses the importance of selecting review classes for exams, highlighting factors such as schedule, price, professors, and review materials. They share personal experiences with review classes and suggest looking for sample exams online or through social media platforms. The speaker also talks about their own approach to studying for the Aacpi without enrolling in a review class, using materials from their previous review and focusing on clinical correlates.

10:04

🧠 Test-Taking Experiences and Resources

The speaker shares their test-taking experience, emphasizing the different styles of questions in the Aacpi compared to the Mtle. They discuss the importance of understanding clinical values and calculations like MCV and MCHC. The speaker provides tips on handling the exam's adaptive difficulty and using provided materials during the test. They also mention their use of Excel and Notion for scheduling and organization, offering a glimpse into their planning methods.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Medical Technologist

A medical technologist is a healthcare professional who performs laboratory tests and analyses to help diagnose and treat diseases. In the video, the speaker is a licensed medical technologist in the Philippines and a certified medical laboratory scientist in the U.S., which highlights their qualifications and expertise in the medical field.

💡Silent Vlogs

Silent vlogs are a type of video content where the creator shares their daily life or experiences without speaking or with minimal verbal communication. The speaker mentions that they usually make silent vlogs, indicating that their content is more focused on showing their life as a student through visual means rather than verbal explanations.

💡Study Tips

Study tips are advice or strategies to improve learning efficiency and retention. The video discusses various study tips that the speaker used for their medical technologist licensing exams, such as using flashcards and creating visual reminders, which are meant to help viewers prepare for their own studies or exams more effectively.

💡Anki

Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard app that helps users memorize information more efficiently. The speaker opted for Anki over traditional handwritten flashcards, suggesting that digital tools can be beneficial for studying, especially when one is self-conscious about their handwriting or prefers a more organized approach to learning.

💡Mnemonics

Mnemonics are memory aids that help in recalling information, often by associating it with easy-to-remember patterns or phrases. In the context of the video, the speaker uses mnemonics to remember values and facts for their medical exams, illustrating the importance of mnemonic devices in learning complex or detailed information.

💡Review Classes

Review classes are structured study sessions or courses designed to prepare students for exams. The speaker discusses the importance of selecting the right review class based on factors like schedule, price, and the quality of professors, which are crucial for effectively preparing for licensing exams like the MTLE and AACPI.

💡Flow Charts

Flow charts are visual representations of a process or system, often used to simplify complex information. The speaker mentions creating flow charts for microbiology and bacteriology, which helped them organize and understand the steps involved in various medical tests, demonstrating the utility of visual learning tools in studying.

💡Support System

A support system refers to a network of people who provide emotional, mental, or practical assistance during challenging times. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a support system when reviewing for exams, as it can help alleviate stress and provide motivation, showcasing the role of social connections in academic success.

💡Hobbies

Hobbies are activities done outside of work or study for relaxation and personal enjoyment. The speaker suggests maintaining a hobby, like crocheting, as a way to de-stress and balance study time, highlighting the importance of leisure activities in maintaining mental health and preventing burnout.

💡Scheduling

Scheduling involves organizing and planning one's time to manage tasks efficiently. The speaker used Excel and later Notion for scheduling their study plan, which underscores the significance of time management in preparing for exams and achieving academic goals.

Highlights

The speaker is a med student and a licensed medical technologist in the Philippines, as well as a certified medical laboratory scientist in the U.S.

The video is divided into six portions covering generalities, MTLE, AACPI, references, scheduling, and mnemonics.

The speaker uses Anki for flashcards and prefers virtual flashcards over handwritten ones due to handwriting concerns.

Information such as fasting blood glucose levels and pneumonics are placed on the wall for easy morning review.

The speaker writes down weak points and uses special characteristics of bacteria to aid memory.

Having a support system is crucial during stressful review periods, and the speaker suggests relying on friends, family, or religion.

Hobbies and break times are essential to maintain balance and reduce stress during studying.

The speaker used Lamar and other review centers for MTLE and suggests considering the schedule, price, professors, and review materials when choosing a review class.

Sample exams can be found online or through second-hand sources to help with practice and understanding of the exam format.

For AACPI, the speaker did not take a review class but used online resources and focused on clinical correlates.

The speaker used Strassinger for clinical microscopy and Thurgen for clinical hematology, along with review materials from a review hub.

Polanski and LabCE were used as resources, with LabCE offering a paid membership for a more exam-like experience.

The AACPI exam involves case-based questions requiring knowledge of clinical values and calculations like MCV and MCHC.

The difficulty of questions in the AACPI exam adjusts based on previous answers, with harder questions yielding more points.

Calculators are allowed in the AACPI exam, but it should be declared to the examiners.

The speaker used Excel and later shifted to Notion for scheduling and organization during med school and exam preparation.

The video concludes with words of encouragement to keep trying and take breaks, emphasizing the importance of perseverance.