Mastering Board Prep with TrueLearn: Study Smarter, Not Harder

Maya Brooks

Hi everyone and welcome to the AI Med Tutor podcast! I'm so excited you're here because, in today's episode, we're going to be breaking down how you can get the most out of using the resource, TrueLearn, to maximize your precious board prep study time and cover some key features that will make your time super efficient and effective.

Maya Brooks

So, by way of introduction, I'm Maya Brooks, an AI-generated avatar of a 4th year medical student created to assist with podcasting.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And I'm Dr. Randy Clinch, a DO Family Medicine physician and medical educator.

Maya Brooks

So, we're about to dive deep into this whole topic and uh the mission really is tackling board prep because let's face it, preparing for boards is well, it's huge.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Right! Like you're standing at the bottom of this this impossible mountain of information.

Maya Brooks

Yeah. And you have what, maybe four to six weeks to climb it. It feels that way sometimes.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And it's not just the sheer volume, is it? I think the real killer is that feeling of futility almost. You put in the hours, maybe you're reading notes over and over, and then the next day, poof, it feels like half of it just evaporated. That's the classic forgetting curve, just doing its thing.

Maya Brooks

Exactly. And that leads straight to that nagging anxiety, doesn't it? That voice saying, "Am I even studying the right stuff?"

Dr. Randy Clinch

Or maybe worse, how do I even know if I'm ready?

Maya Brooks

Yeah. And what do most people do? Just throw more hours at it. More caffeine, probably more guilt.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Right, the brute force approach. But look, the problem usually isn't a lack of effort. It's often a lack of well, smart effort; targeted effort.

Maya Brooks

Okay, so targeted effort. How does that work?

Dr. Randy Clinch

Imagine flipping that script. What if you had a study engine, something really data-driven built on actual learning science?

Maya Brooks

Okay.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And it's customized just for you. It's its whole job is to hunt down your specific weak spots and help you fix them. We need to move past generic plans.

Maya Brooks

So, stop just studying harder.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And start studying smarter. That's the mission.

Maya Brooks

I like that. Smarter, not just harder. So, if time is our most precious commodity here, where do we start with studying smarter using something like TrueLearn?

Dr. Randy Clinch

It really begins with putting you in the driver's seat. Control. That's why the customization features in True Learn are so foundational. You need that ability to laser focus right where you need at most.

Maya Brooks

Okay, let's break down customization. We're talking about building practice quizzes, right? Tailored quizzes.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Exactly. You can pick the number of questions. Sure. You can filter by body system, you know, cardio, pulm, whatever. Or by discipline.

Maya Brooks

Standard stuff for a QBank.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Right. But here's where it gets really powerful. You can filter by the actual exam blueprint.

Maya Brooks

Ah, okay. That's different. So, not just general anatomy, but the specific anatomy topics the Board says will be tested.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Precisely. That's critical for efficiency. You're making sure every single minute you spend studying directly aligns with what the test makers are looking for on your exam. No wasted effort.

Maya Brooks

That makes a lot of sense. And the filtering gets even more granular, doesn't it? Because it tackles that core problem of plugging knowledge gaps.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Yes, you can choose to build a quiz using only new questions you haven't seen.

Maya Brooks

Okay.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Or only questions you've gotten wrong before or even just ones you've attempted previously - right or wrong.

Maya Brooks

So, wait. If I'm bombing cardiology questions, I could literally make a quiz of only the cardiology questions I've missed so far.

Dr. Randy Clinch

You got it. Two clicks. Basically, think about the time saved. Instead of wading through 40 random questions where maybe 30 are things you already know, you zero right in on your problem areas. It's like having an instant personalized remediation plan.

Maya Brooks

Okay, that's powerful for fixing weaknesses. But what if it's hyperspecific? Like I just cannot remember the side effects of, I don't know, some weird diuretic or maybe I keep missing every single question on hyponatremia.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Yeah, that happens. And that's where the search function comes in super handy. Instead of just guessing which quiz might have that topic, you just type hyponatremia into the search bar. Bam. It pulls up every question, every explanation, every tag related to it. Instantly creates a little mini study block just for that one tricky concept.

Maya Brooks

Nice. So, the content is customizable, but the way you practice matters, too, right? You can't just do timed exams all day every day.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Oh, definitely not. You need different modes for different goals. If you're just starting out trying to really grasp a concept, untimed mode is your friend. Takes that clock pressure right off.

Maya Brooks

Okay. And what's the difference between just untimed and tutor mode? Because if I really want to learn, I need feedback now, not an hour later.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Exactly. And that's why tutor mode is so great for that deep foundational learning. In tutor mode, the second you pick an answer, the correct answer and the full explanation pop up right then and there. No waiting till the end.

Maya Brooks

Ah, okay, I get it - feedback and explanations right away with tutor mode.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Yeah, that immediate feedback loop.

Maya Brooks

That's it. It helps solidify the right thinking while the question is still fresh gives you that breathing room for real understanding before you move on to testing yourself under pressure.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Which is where timed mode comes in.

Maya Brooks

Absolutely. Timed mode is crucial later on for building that test day stamina and getting your pacing down. You have to get comfortable with the clock.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay, so customization, different practice modes.

Maya Brooks

Yeah.

Dr. Randy Clinch

That definitely sounds like studying smarter. But here's the thing. Just doing thousands of questions isn't enough, is it? How do I know if I'm actually getting better?

Maya Brooks

Yeah.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Just seeing 75% correct at the end of a quiz. I mean, it doesn't tell me much really. I need more.

Maya Brooks

You've nailed the big pain point there. And that's why just a simple percentage isn't enough. TrueLearn gives you like a full-blown analytics dashboard. It's designed for real actionable insights. Stuff that tells you where to spend your next study hour.

Maya Brooks

All right, actionable insights. But let's get to the big one. The question I know every one stresses about - how am I really doing compared to everyone else taking this exam?

Dr. Randy Clinch

Right. The million dollar question. And yeah, the platform tackles that head on with pure comparison and benchmarking, but it does it in a specific way.

Maya Brooks

Okay, but hang on. Isn't comparing yourself to others a recipe for anxiety? How do you use that data without freaking out?

Dr. Randy Clinch

That's a really fair question. The key is the specificity of the comparison. It doesn't just benchmark you against some vague national average.

Maya Brooks

Which could include anyone, right? People years out of practice.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Exactly. Instead, it benchmarks you against peers in your exact same graduation year.

Maya Brooks

Oh, okay. So, my actual cohort.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Right, people preparing on the same timeline, facing the same pressures. Why does that matter so much? Because that general average you mentioned, it's messy data. Comparing against your specific class or people testing in the same window, that gives you a much more real tangible predictor of how ready you are.

Maya Brooks

I see. So, if I'm consistently scoring above that specific group, that builds real data-driven confidence. And if you're lagging behind that group, it's not just vague anxiety anymore. It's a clear signal, a targeted wake-up call to say, "Okay, need to adjust my strategy here." It turns panic into an action plan.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay, that reframing makes sense. It's an accurate status check, not just a number. And the analytics go deeper than just that comparison, right? Tells me what I'm bad at.

Maya Brooks

Oh, yeah. It literally pinpoints your weakest subject areas, breaks it down by system, by discipline, all based on your quiz performance. The dashboard shows you the patterns, not just random wrong answers, but the topics you consistently struggle with.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Which is gold because then you stop wasting time reviewing stuff you already know cold.

Maya Brooks

Exactly. You focus those precious limited study hours where you'll get the biggest bang for your buck. You see exactly which content areas need work. And maybe even more motivating, you can actually track your improvement over time against those peers. Watch yourself climb the ranks.

Maya Brooks

All right, so let's shift gears to what for me is maybe the most exciting part, the learning science advantage. We talked about that frustrating forgetting curve.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Yeah. Where information just vanishes.

Maya Brooks

Right? Well, the platform actively fights back using core learning science principles baked right in.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay. Like what?

Maya Brooks

Well, the two big ones are spaced repetition and retrieval practice. Spaced repetition is basically showing you material again at specific increasing time intervals. It interrupts the forgetting process just when you need it, pushing that memory into long-term storage.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Makes sense. And retrieval practice?

Maya Brooks

That's simply the act of testing yourself taking quizzes. Research shows pulling information out of your brain like that is way more powerful for retention than just passively reading it into your brain.

Dr. Randy Clinch

So taking quizzes isn't just assessment, it's active learning.

Maya Brooks

Precisely. And there are other things too like varied practice – interleaving - that's just mixing up different subjects which helps build stronger critical thinking instead of cramming one topic for hours.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay, those principles sound great but honestly implementing spaced repetition perfectly on my own. That's sounds like a lot of work and discipline I might not have during crunch time.

Maya Brooks

Totally understandable. And that leads us to what I think is maybe the coolest feature for automating this, the Smart Text feature. It basically takes spaced repetition and puts it right on your phone automatically.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay, tell me more. How does Smart Text actually work? I get that it triggers when I miss a question.

Maya Brooks

Right. When you miss a question in a quiz, the system flags it, but here's the clever part. It doesn't text you immediately. It waits. Specifically, it waits 3 days.

Dr. Randy Clinch

3 days. Why 3 days exactly?

Maya Brooks

Because a lot of educational research points to that 3-day mark as a really critical point on the forgetting curve. It's often right before you'd likely fail to call that specific piece of information if you weren't prompted. It's the optimal window for a little nudge.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Wow. Okay. So, the system is basically intervening just before I forget.

Maya Brooks

Smart.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And what's actually in the text message? Just the question I missed.

Maya Brooks

No, that wouldn't be very helpful. It sends you the bottom-line summary from the explanation of the exact question you missed.

Dr. Randy Clinch

The bottom line? What's that?

Maya Brooks

It's the single most important clinical takeaway. The absolute must know point from that question's explanation. So, the attention isn't random. It's this perfect timed, super concise reminder reinforcing the specific concept you struggled with, right when you need it most to lock it in long term, effortlessly.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay, that sounds incredibly useful - using tech to beat our own forgetfulness. But is it a pain to set up? I'm picturing digging through menus.

Maya Brooks

Not at all. Seriously, it takes like 30 seconds. You just log into your TrueLearn account on a web browser, not the app for this part.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Got it - Web browser.

Maya Brooks

Click your profile icon, usually top right. Go to account settings. Find the notification section, click enable text notifications, pop in your phone number, confirm it with the code they send, and boom, you're done.

Dr. Randy Clinch

That simple.

Maya Brooks

That simple. The system handles the rest, sending those targeted nudges automatically.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Fantastic. Okay, so let's pull this all together. Now, we've covered the customization, the deep analytics, the learning science with Smart Text. What other key features really round out the experience? The content itself has to be solid, right?

Maya Brooks

Absolutely. And it is. Explanations are really detailed. You get solid rationales not just for the right answer but for why all the wrong answers are wrong too which is crucial you know understanding the distractors.

Dr. Randy Clinch

You mentioned that bottom line summary again, the thing sent via text, why is that particularly highlighted separate from the full explanation?

Maya Brooks

Think of the full rationale as the deep dive; the pathophysiology the evidence all the details. The bottom line is the condensed high yield nugget. It's the single most critical fact or clinical action you absolutely must remember for the exam. It cuts through everything else. That's why it's perfect for that quick reinforcement via text.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Makes sense. And there are other tools integrated, too.

Maya Brooks

Yep. There's built-in flash card functionality. And guess what? It also uses spaced repetition to help you memorize.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Of course, it does.

Maya Brooks

And for some exams, there's Picmonic integration, so you can jump straight from a question explanation to one of those visual mnemonic videos, which is great if you're a visual learner.

Dr. Randy Clinch

And logistics, right? Feeling comfortable with the test format itself.

Maya Brooks

Covered. The exam simulation mode mimics the look and feel of the actual boards. The interface, the question formatting helps reduce test day surprises. Plus, there's a mobile app which is essential for grabbing study time on the go. Bus rides, waiting rooms.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Definitely need that.

Maya Brooks

Oh, and one small thing that users really appreciate. Unlike some other Q-banks, True Learn actually lets you take screenshots.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Ah, that's huge for making your own study notes.

Maya Brooks

Right?

Dr. Randy Clinch

Pulling key diagrams or explanations.

Maya Brooks

Exactly. Super valuable for building your personalized review materials outside the platform itself.

Dr. Randy Clinch

Okay. So, when you put it all together, the customization, the analytics, the benchmarking, the learning science, the integrations, it feels like a really complete system.

Maya Brooks

That's the goal. It's about shifting how you prepare. Moving away from just guessing and feeling anxious towards a strategy that's driven by your data, your progress. You know where you stand compared to your peers, and you're using tools designed based on science to make sure the knowledge actually sticks.

Dr. Randy Clinch

So, the final thought for the listener really comes down to efficiency, doesn't it?

Maya Brooks

Absolutely. Since your time is literally the most valuable thing you have during board prep, the question becomes, are you ready to optimize how you use it? Are you ready to stop just studying hard and finally start studying smarter?

Dr. Randy Clinch

A powerful question indeed. Well, this has been a fantastic deep dive into leveraging data and learning science to really conquer that board prep challenge. We've hit on deep customization, those actionable analytics, and peer benchmarking and crucially automated retention through spaced repetition and that really neat Smart Text feature.

Maya Brooks

Great stuff. And with that, thank you for listening to this episode of the AI Med Tutor podcast and we look forward to seeing you in future episodes.