Chase DiMarco explores the Peg Memory System for medical education and discusses how to use visual markers to memorize important numbers.
- [01:37] The origins of the Peg Memory System
- [02:18] Why you should use the Peg Memory System
- [03:33] Creating your own Peg System
- [04:57] How to create visual associations with numbers
- [07:02] Homework exercise
- [08:59] Creating a theme for numbers over 10
The Peg Memory System
The Peg Memory System was developed to learn long strings of numbers but has evolved to include more advanced techniques. The basic Peg system is a valuable tool for associating different visual markers with concepts you will need to memorize for your studies. There is a surprisingly large number of strings of numbers you will have to remember in medicine, including numbers associated with genetic markers, lab results, age ranges, epidemiology- and risk ratios. Having a method of association for these values can make it easier for many students to recall them.
The basic Peg strategy involves creating an image for each of the numbers from 0-9 or 1-10. This gives you ten digits that you create a visual association with. You can use the visual associations in a story to remember a string of numbers later on.
Homework
- Use list from episode 1 to create mnemonics
- Create a chart of at least 30 images or associations
If you would like a headstart on the material in this miniseries, grab a copy of Read This Before Medical School. You can also listen to The Peg System Memory Training and Creativity for Medical Students episode for a more in-depth exploration of visual mnemonics. Don’t forget to leave a rating!
Share your experiences, tips, and suggestions to [email protected]. Or you can directly reach out to Chase on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram. Join the Medical Mnemonist Master Mind Facebook group and find our Blog posts, Podcasts, and other resources at FreeMedEd.org!
