Cool Tool | Picmonic

Picmonic imageTwo medical students created a better way to memorize and master information with Picmonic, an interactive audio-visual learning system that attempts to reinvent studying for the modern student. Employing the use of scientific mnemonic memory techniques, the founders developed a technological system that delivers unforgettable imagery accompanied by audio instructions and textual overviews. Students can sign up for the online web application for free; content is available on a subscription basis. The Picmonic learning system currently offers medical students worldwide the solution to information overload; the program concisely provides pictorial mnemonics (hence ‘pic-monic’) for over 300 topics that most frequently appear on the monumental U.S. Medical Licensing Exam. Each Picmonic image is carefully illustrated to represent a list of critical exam information. Associations are made based on phonetics, syllabic breakdowns, and rhymes, and transformed into cohesive stories that allow students to make fast connections to information, thereby improving retention and recall. Often, the illustrated stories are outlandish and even obscene, which only further lends to their memorability. The Picmonic learning system was designed to teach in a vivid and engaging fashion, and yes, the founders are currently creating visual content to serve students beyond the medical education community, so quite literally, watch out!

2 comments

  1. The more I looked at Picmonic.com the more I kept thinking- these guys are onto something. Haven’t students been doing some primitive form of this for quite a while? Maybe we don’t create a visual representation, but most of us come up with weird little ways to help us memorize certain topics. I think this is just the next logical step to those techniques.

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