Spaced repetition is the highest-ROI revision tool for busy clinicians because it converts small daily effort into long-term retention. The key is not “more cards” — it is better scheduling and disciplined inputs.
The Science (Spacing Effect + Forgetting Curve)
Memory weakens over time unless you retrieve it. Spacing retrieval sessions produces stronger long-term retention than massed review. This pattern is foundational (Ebbinghaus, 1885/1913) and supported by large quantitative syntheses of distributed practice (Cepeda et al., 2006).
Most Anki burnout is not a motivation problem. It is a systems problem: too many new cards, poor card design, and an obsession with ‘reviewing everything’ instead of trusting scheduling.
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Step 1 — Adopt two rules (today)
Rule A: Reviews first, always. Rule B: Cap new cards aggressively (start with 5–15/day). If you increase new cards, do it only after you have two stable weeks with no review backlog.
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Step 2 — Design cards that test decisions, not paragraphs
Bad card: “Describe asthma management.” Good card: “Adult asthma: step-up when symptoms ≥3/week despite SABA?” Your exam is a decision machine — so your cards must be decision prompts.
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Step 3 — Use ‘minimum information’ formatting
One card = one fact/rule/threshold. If you need a long explanation, put it in the ‘Extra’ field, not the answer. The front should be a trigger; the back should be the crisp rule.
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Step 4 — Trust the algorithm (don’t over-review)
If a card is scheduled for 12 days, reviewing it daily feels safe but reduces efficiency and can inflate your sense of mastery. Let the spacing create the difficulty that strengthens memory.
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Step 5 — Build micro-sessions into clinical life
Do 5–10 minutes in three predictable slots: commute, lunch, and one evening block. Micro-sessions beat weekend marathons because spacing is the point.
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Step 6 — Prevent ‘review debt’ weekly
Once a week, suspend low-yield cards, merge duplicates, and convert messy cards into clean decision prompts. You’re maintaining an asset, not grinding a treadmill.
How clinicians accidentally create Anki burnout
The classic trap is adding cards faster than you can review them — then compensating with longer sessions, which collapses the habit. If your review count is rising, reduce new cards immediately and simplify card design.
A realistic target
If you can sustain 15–25 minutes/day, you can maintain thousands of high-yield prompts across months. The compounding effect is what makes spaced repetition unbeatable for exams.
SourceCepeda et al. (2006) — Distributed practice meta-analysis (PubMed)
Open Link SourceAnki FAQ — What spaced repetition algorithm does Anki use?
Open Link SourceEbbinghaus (1885/1913) — Memory & the forgetting curve (PsychClassics)
Open Link