A great way to think about pain is when someone comes to you complaining of pain. This is one of the first things I learned when I was an EMT, and I see attending physicians using it as well.
31 Medical Mnemonics Every Medical Student Should Know 13 min read
Here are my favorite and highest yield 31 medical mnemonics you should know in medical school. In medical school, people say weird things. In medical school, people say funny things. I GET PP SMASHED, PLAY TABLE TENNIS INSIDE PLAY TENNIS OUTSIDE, SOAP, SOAP, SOAP.
Why do we say these silly things? All of the above are memory aids. For example, I GET PP SMASHED, are possible causes of acute pancreatitis, PLAY TABLE TENNIS is about the clotting cascade and what helps you clot when you bleed, SOAP is how you present a new sick patient to the team you are working with.
Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
1. MUDPILES
Is this the most classic medical school mnemonic? I think so. Something in the body generates too much acid, which cannot be answered by looking at sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate levels. These are possible causes of anion gap metabolic acidosis.
2. OPQRST
A great way to think about pain is when someone comes to you complaining of pain. This is one of the first things I learned when I was an EMT, and I see attending physicians using it as well.
3. I GET PP SMASHED
A funny name that I will likely not forget. Here are some causes of pancreatitis. Alcohol is the most common cause, and gallstones are the second most common cause. Pancreatitis is when your pancreas is inflamed.
4. SIG E CAPS
Ways a physician might screen for depression. If any of these are positive, the physician should do a further look into possible depression.
5. DJI
I invented this one! This mnemonic is the only one I use consistently that I made up. Do you know DJI drones? When I was first learning about the human body, I wasn’t sure how to remember which came first the ileum, jejunum, or duodenum, all parts of the small intestine. This helped me remember it!
6. LMNOP
LMNOP is the treatment for pulmonary edema when there is too much fluid around your lungs.
7. SAD PERSONS
A helpful mental model, and actual scoring system, for assessing suicide risk in a person.
8. SOAP
I did not use this mnemonic at all in my first and second years of medical school. Now, in my third year, I use this every day. This is how I present every single one of my patients to my superiors.
9. ABCDE
Common characteristics of melanoma to look out for.
10. PVT. TIM HALL
The essential amino acids. These are amino acids that the human body cannot make, so we must consume them.
11. VEAL CHOP
A good mnemonic to relay the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions to what is actually going on with baby. The only one that is somewhat worrying is late decelerations.
12. 5 Ps
A nice mnemonic to evaluate the circulation in an extremity.
13. AEIOU
Indications for dialysis. AEIOU are indications for dialysis; when someone is so sick, we need to do what the kidneys usually do inside our body on the outside.
14. CRASH and BURN
Clinical signs of Kawasaki disease happen in young children, usually less than five, making children quite sick. It can sometimes even cause coronary heart disease in these young children, so identification is crucial to treat Kawasaki disease.
15. Wet Wobbly Wacky
Clinical signs of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Normal-pressure hydrocephalus is when excess fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles. The pressure, however, is strangely normal when you do a spinal tap and measure the pressure.
16. DIG FAST
These are the symptoms of a manic episode. A manic episode is characterized by a sustained period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood and the things described here. This often applies to people with bipolar disorder.
17. ABCDE X RAY
When I was first learning how to read X-rays, which I am still awful at, this was told to me and is an excellent way to start thinking about how to read an x-ray.
18. C3,4,5 KEEPS THE DIAPHGRAGM ALIVE
The phrenic nerve is a nerve that comes from the spinal roots C3, C4, C5, and it innervates various things, including the diaphragm. It’s a tool to remember which roots the phrenic nerve comes from and what innervates the diaphragm.
19. Come Let’s Get Sunburned
The layers of the epidermis, that top layer of skin we humans have.
20. FAT RN
Clinical presentation of Thrombotic (generates clots) Thrombocytopenic (low platelets) Purpura (tiny spots of bleeding seen on the skin). TTP is a possibly deadly condition, so identifying it early is essential.
21. NAVEL
In your thigh, there is a femoral triangle that has a bunch of vital vessels. NAVeL is an excellent way to remember their order from outside (right of anterior thigh) to inside (left of anterior thigh).
22. I 8 10 EGGS AT 12
Another lovely anatomy memory technique to remember at what spinal cord level-specific structures are found. Inferior vena cava is the large vein that leads into the right side of the heart. The esophagus is what food goes down. The vagus nerve innervates the larynx and pharynx and has a vital role in swallowing, vocalization, and reducing heart rate. The aorta is the most significant artery in the body and takes oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
23. ADEK
These are fat-soluble vitamins. It’s important to label these vitamins and remember them because, in certain diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, the intestines can’t absorb fats and, therefore, can’t absorb these vitamins.
24. SALT
Anatomy mnemonic! Serratus anterior is innervated by the long thoracic nerve.
25. SPin SNout
Sensitivity and specificity took me forever to understand, and I still get confused sometimes, so don’t worry if this is confusing. Specificity is ruling something in if the test is positive. A highly specific test is a test, for example, testing for a disease, which is a test that is likely a true positive, meaning that if the test is positive, the person probably has the disease.
A sensitive test is ruling out if the test is negative. That means the test is likely to pick up the disease, but it might not be the only thing it picks up. So if a highly sensitive test is positive, you can not say, for sure, that the disease is there. You can say that the disease may be there. So if it’s a negative test, you can say it is likely that this person does not have this disease.
Confusing! I know, don’t worry about it. An understanding of it comes with time.
26. 3Ds Pellagra
When someone does not have enough Niacin, vitamin B3, they present with these symptoms.
27. Some Anatomists Like F****** Over Poor Medical Students
Branches of the external carotid artery, a longer one, but did help me a lot when I was trying to memorize the branches of this artery.
28. Carcinoid Syndrome Be FDR
Carcinoid syndrome if when a particular tumor, that is quite rare, that releases lots of serotonin. Lots of serotonin causes various manifestations in the body.
29. Gallstones, 4Fs Fat, Female, Forty, Fertile,
Certain people are more prone to gallstones. Gallstones are accumulations of certain things, usually bile, that accumulates in the gallbladder to such an extent that they actually form into a stone-like material.
30. Play Table Tennis Inside, Play Tennis Outside
Someone told me this, and it stuck! When you bleed, your body has a specific strategy to clot. One is called the extrinsic pathway, which involves factor VII, and the other is called the intrinsic pathway, which requires factor XII, XI, IX, and VIII. The first stage of the clot is quick and doesn’t involve this pathway, the second stage, called the coagulation cascade, usually involves these pathways.
31. Some Say Money Matters But My Brother Says Big Boobs Matter More
Remembering all the cranial nerves is painful. Some have sensory functions. Some have motor functions. Some do both. This is an excellent way to remember which ones do which.
I hope you enjoyed these!
20 Funny Medical Mnemonics: Where to Find Them and How to Use Them
So here’s a comprehensive list of some particularly great ones.
What Are Medical Mnemonics?
Before I dive in, just a quick one for those unfamiliar with the term. Mnemonics don’t have to be about medicine specifically. They are just instructional strategies designed to help students remember things better.
Almost everyone will know at least some mnemonics. You’ll most likely have learned some in infant school.
“ROY G. BIV” is a popular non-medical one, describing all the colours of the rainbow.
- Music
- Name
- Expression
- Rhyme
- Model
- Note
- Image
- Connections
- Spelling
In medical school we mainly use connection, image, note and expression mnemonics to remember lists or concepts. You’ll see more examples of these later.
Why Use Medical Mnemonics?
Personally I’m a fan of mnemonics because they make remembering things so much easier. Most of my medical school recommendations are resources that make strong use of this technique. Especially ones like Sketchy and First Aid for USMLE.
They are effective because they help encode information and aid our retrieval by connecting information together. Associating a word with an image, for example, is far more powerful than trying to recall the meaning of that word on it’s own.
The word itself is actually derived from the Ancient Greek for “memory”. While the techniques were also employed by philosophers like Aristotle and Plato too.
So using them in med school puts us in very good company.
What’s the Evidence for the Efficacy of Mnemonics?
According to this study only 20% of medical students make use of medical acronyms. Which is surprising given other literature on the subject. And especially reports like this that suggest that using mnemonics has “long-term benefits for older adults.”
Where there application appears tricky is in their creation and relevance. With some academics arguing that they need to be presented to students at the right time in a course of study to be fully effective.
This 2010 study, in the Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, outlines these particular challenges.
Anecdotally of course, I’ve always found them to be useful. Especially when used in conjunction with the effective studying techniques I believe work. And when supercharged with placement on a flashcard.
20 Funny Medical Mnemonics
In no particular order – and no particular subject (although most are anatomical) – are the following entertaining medical mnemonics. Enjoy!
(P.S. There are a lot of ruder, slightly more fun ones. But, in the hopes of salvaging the tone of this blog, I’ll send you off-site to see these instead.)
#1: SAL Figured Out PMS
This is a great one for remembering the branches of the external carotid artery. A particularly annoying vessel for beginning anatomists.
In order of distal to proximal the branches run (S) superior thyroid, (A) ascending laryngeal, (L) lingual, (F) facial, (O) occipital, (P) post. auricular, (M) maxillary and (S) superficial temporal.
#2: C3, 4, 5 – Keeps the Diaphragm Alive!
This is one of my favourite mnenomics for remembering the nerve innervation roots of the diaphragm. Y’know. The muscle that keeps you breathing etc.
I think I picked this up from the excellent Sam Webster. My go to guy for everything Anatomy.
#11: A Wet Bed
This is a nice ironic one for remembering basic kidney functions. So you can spot if things are going wrong. Which they will…
Hat-tip to Lecturio for the image.
#12: I GET SMASHED
A neat acronym that summarises the main causes of acute pancreatitis. Yes, drinking is one of the primaries.
The images here are pretty great too.
#13: PLICK!
One of those fun sounds that only an immature adult (like myself) can truly appreciate. It’s also what I imagine neutrophils might sound like when they appear at the site of inflammation.
What’s smart is that each letter makes up their chemotactic effects: (P) Platelet activating factor. (L) Leukotriene (LTB4). (I) Interleukin (IL-8). (C) Complement (C5a). (K) Kallikrein.
#14: All Dogs Eat Kittens
Terrifying to think that dogs eat kittens, this is also a very memorable way to recall fat soluble vitamins (ADEK).
Let’s just hope those poor cats are digested quickly so as not to prolong their suffering. Dark.
#15: I Watch Death
Speaking of black humour, what about this one?
You can use it for observing the main causes of delirium.
Infections, withdrawal, acute metabolic disturbances, trauma, CNS pathology, heavy metals, deficiencies of vitamins, endocrinopathies, acute vascular, toxins and hypoxia.
#16: The Zipper Bit My Crotch
This one’s a bit lighter in the humour stakes. But doesn’t really have much to do with the main superficial branches of the facial nerve. Of which it’s used to remember.
Still something visual us males can recognise at least.
Also see; to zanzibar by motor car. Another handy (if weird) acronym.
#17: Really Need Beer to Be at My Nicest
A good one to remember the lateral to medial structures in the cubital fossa (front of elbow). This is also the bit of your body you’re most likely to flex to enjoy a cold one in the first place.
Radial nerve, brachialis tendon, brachial artery and medial nerve.
It’s all about the imagery.
#18: A Physician Takes Money
A good way to remember the order of cardiovascular auscultation sites (aortic, pulmonary, tricuspid and mitral). As well as why most medical students are in the game.
#19: Cats are CHIC
Cats may be stylish but there’s nothing stylish about toxoplasmosis, a disease you’re most likely to get from street felines.
The common symptoms? The CHIC part; chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus and intracranial calcification’s.
Chic has never been so classy.
#20: Come, Lets Get Sunburned
An ironic way to remember the layers of the epidermis.
(C) Corneum (the one likely to get burned). (L) Lucidum. (G) Granulosum. (S) Spinosum.
And a key reminder to wear sun-cream.
Where Can I Find More Medical Mnemonics?
Although I can’t guarantee they’ll be that funny, there are plenty of resources out there to find solid mnemonics that you can apply to your medical studies.
My general advice is to add these to flashcards in your deck of choice; self-made or pre-made. I notice, at least, that my recall is faster and more successful the more I do this. Although I do have a hard time coming up with effective mnemonics myself!
So you’ll probably much more creative.
If you need inspiration though, here are some good places to go:
- First Aid for USMLE (lots of super useful mnemonics for all core medical subjects)
- Wikipedia’s awesome list of medical mnemonics (on all the main subjects as well as patient history taking!)
- St Michael’s Hospital’s medical mnemonics (these have some awesome illustrations too)
- MedicalMnemonics.com (a massive database that includes user submissions too)
- RxPG Medical Mnemonics (this database has over 4000 plus mnemonics including even the less common areas of medicine, like forensics, and parasitology).
- EpoMedicine Medical Mnemonics (EpoMed’s section has some very specific ones for certain memory-heavy areas of a curriculum)
You can also find a whole bunch of great ones simply by Googling around for whatever course or subject you’re studying. Use the query “allintitle: topic + mnemonic” to find what you need.
I hope you find using medical mnemonics as fun and useful as I have!
P.S. If you liked this kind of thing, check out my article on medical school quotes too.
