Remnote: Best Note-Taking App and Spaced Repitition Tool [medical student]

I discovered this application back in 2020 when I was looking for a note-taking app that would allow me to take notes [as I can't get out of the habit of note-taking] but also provided me with the ability to create flashcards simultaneously. I stumbled across this app which gave precisely that. 

Are you a medical student looking for the best note-taking app to help with content retention and understanding? Here's a breakdown of the best note-taking tool I have used as medical student.

Remnote is a note-taking app that allows its users to have a logical workflow by having folders and documents with many methods of forming links between ideas and concepts. It's a fusion between Anki and one-note/Notion/RoamResearch. Building links and the use of spaced repetition is the best way  What I loved more about this note-taking tool is the ethos behind it. They have made a promise to users that there will always be a free version of this app making it incredibly accessible especially for us students. 

How it works: 

A hierarchy approach is used to tackle whatever it is you are trying to learn in an organised manner. Each line of note you write is called a 'rem'. The highest level rem being a 'concept' which is followed up by indentations of 'descriptors'. 

• Concept
• Descriptor

This concept can then be turned into a flashcard. The definition of this concept can also be turned into a flashcard with the use of two colons like so ::.

My user experience as a medical student:

Many people starting university need to adjust to a new way of learning and that also means needing to figure out how you learn best. In my first year of medical school, I really struggled with the immense content that needs to be learnt so I tried several methods of digesting this content and they were not efficient. Initially, in the first semester, I had completely relied on annotating lecture slides or re-writing the lecture slides neatly on my iPad. This was neither efficient nor useful and I could not keep up. 

In the second semester of my first year, I decided to use and rely on Quizlet. This was good for trying to recall quick facts but it was not a good way of building an understanding of complex topics and linking these individual facts.

Luckily, I came across Remnote before my second year of medical school and honestly it was the best find ever. As I was one of the earlier users I 'Grandfathered' a few features which are now on the pro version of remnote which is really useful. However, I have paid for the pro-version of remnote which is less than a Netflix subscription at only $6 a month to get new pro features such as pdf attachment to attach my lecture slides. 

As I was one of the early users of remnote the interface initially took me a while to get used to and learn how to use. However, now remnote has grown and developed with the investment it has received they have made the interface much more user-friendly.

Flash Cards: 

Flashcard made using remnote that features a spaced-repetition algorithm that allows for repetition based on your ability to recall the information. The options are forgot, partially recalled, recalled with effort, and easily recalled and based on this the flash card will be repeated after a shorter or longer time interval. There is also an option of skip. 

There are so much positives about this app which is why its is such a powerful tool for medical students. You can search your knowledge base that you have create, you can publish and share your notes with your friends, you can suspend your flashcards once you have completed the semester/taken the exam. And the list goes on. That is why for me I will continue to stick with remnote since I have been using it for 2 years and it has saved my grades genuinely.

If I still have not convinced you about this app give it a go yourself - it's free!

www.remnote.com/invite/MAsskNP7rFnYrXB8h 

*This is not a sponsored post*