Nicolas Staffa (Medicine) won second place at the 26th Annual Graduate & Professional Student Research Forum at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ for a poster, "Determining Effectiveness of Anki Usage in Preparation for Success on USMLE Step 2." Medical school demands effective study strategies beyond routine coursework to ensure success in USMLE Steps 1 and 2, focusing on long-term retention and comprehensive understanding essential for clinical practice. Anki, a spaced repetition-based open-source flashcard application, supports long-term retention. Staffa, along with Victoria Winter, Josh Levy, Kencie Ely, Gemma Lagasca, Sarah Kazemeini, Carlos Georges, Edward Simanton (all Medicine) investigates whether Anki usage correlates with higher scores on USMLE Step 2. With the upcoming exam for the Class of 2025, we will use Anki Stat Scraper to collect extensive usage data, classifying students as Heavy, Intermediate, Light, or Non-Anki users. We will compare this data against their Step 2 scores to determine if consistent Anki use leads to better exam performance. This study aims to validate the effectiveness of Anki as a study tool under the stringent and fast-paced conditions of medical school, assessing its potential to enhance preparation for the USMLE Step 2 exam.
