Should I Memorize Lab Values?

[Dr. David Delnegro MST USMLE TutorMod Reputation: 25]

Varying opinions here, but I always thought it helpful. I normally tell students to make an Anki deck as early in second year if possible and memorize your ‘basic’ cmp and cbc numbers. Na/Cl/K/Ca/Cr/BUN/AST/ALT/WBC/Hb and so on. Don’t do goofy things like ANA titers, but the basics are important.

Step one isn’t tricky, it’s either normal or way off. They won’t give you a borderline number and make you interpret it in context with other pathologies. That is CK world.

Yes, you can look it up, but you will both get absolutely roasted on the wards if you look it up next year and you will lose unnecessary time on the real exam when you are doubting everything you know including your real name.

[Dr. Sana Majid – MST USMLE TutorMod Reputation: 23]

Totally agree, David. I personally didn’t make a card, but I find if you look up the CBC/BMP enough times while doing questions, you just learn them anyways without having to memorize formally too! But will definitely be useful and important for third year and beyond to have a general ide of the most commonly ordered labs.

[Dr. Sana Majid – MST USMLE TutorMod Reputation: 23]

Totally agree, David. I personally didn’t make a card, but I find if you look up the CBC/BMP enough times while doing questions, you just learn them anyways without having to memorize formally too! But will definitely be useful and important for third year and beyond to have a general ide of the most commonly ordered labs.

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