RESEARCH-PROVEN ALTERNATIVE TO SKETCHY MEDICAL
A more effective, more affordable med school study resource. Pass USMLE STEP & COMLEX, guaranteed.*
EFFICIENT. EFFECTIVE. HIGH-YIELD.
Covers MORE Med School Topics
Sure, both Picmonic and Sketchy turn what you need to know into engaging visual stories that you’ll remember forever.
With Picmonic, you’ll retain facts that are hardest to learn and most frequently tested 331% longer. Picmonic is the only visual learning resource for medical students that's been research-proven to boost test scores 50%. Since 2012, more than a million medical students have trusted Picmonic to help them ace exams and achieve dream STEP & COMLEX scores. With succinct 2-3 min videos, you'll remember more in less time.
Learn More"Wish I’d Used Picmonic Earlier"
3rd Year Med Student
Jackson, Mississippi - University of Mississippi School of Medicine
I wish I would have used this my M1 year. That was my hardest year. I actually used Sketchy Medical for the entirety of my M2 year, and I didn't consider using Picmonic until I started to seriously study for STEP1. I originally got it only for biochemistry, but I ended up using it for every subject. I wish I had a time machine to tell my young self about this resource that makes studying enjoyable. It filled so many spots neglected by Sketchy Medical. I also love the ability to make your own. The world is opened up to every hard subject becoming easy. I've also told many people that don't like longer SketchyMed videos to use Picmonic. Great videos, great variety, and new stuff available all the time!
"275: Dream STEP Score"
Med Student
True Blue - St Georges University School of Medicine
Picmonic has been a huge part of my learning. I just took the first UWORLD simulation exam and I scored a 275 (99% percentile) and it’s definitely because of Picmonic. I used Sketchy.com before & don’t get me wrong, I liked Sketchy Micro & Sketchy Pharm but I hated how it was pretty much almost impossible to review the videos before a test because you have to watch HOURS of videos to get through it I felt like the videos always had a bunch of extra $#!@ that was unneeded & distracted you from the actual facts. I’m not trying to bash Sketchy Medical, but Sketchy.com is for average students who are looking for a passing grade only, while Picmonic is for the students who want to excel because they were the ones who knew that extra small detail that changed their score from a 239 to a 245 or a 249 to 255….because one extra correct question on the actual USMLE can mean a few extra points.
"SketchyMed Missing Many Things"
Med Student
Toledo, Ohio - University of Toledo College of Medicine
Med Student
Dominican Republic - Nova School of Medicine
"Simpler, Effective, High-Yield"
Glendale, Arizona - Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
When you want a specific drug, or a simple reminder for a disease then Picmonic is the way to go. Some of Sketchy Medical's videos are 15-30 min long! I don't have time in my study schedule for that most of the time. So I used Sketchy Micro and some drug classes, but use Picmonic for pretty much everything else.
"I Learned More From Picmonic"
Med Student
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
"Time Efficient, Better Retention"
Med Student
Why Visual Learners Switch from Sketchy Med
A Comparison of Picmonic vs Sketchy Apps
| SketchyUltimate | |||
| For Medicine | Level 1 | ||
| Price | $180/year | $370/year | |
| CONTENT | |||
| USMLE Step 1 / Pre-Clinical | |||
| USMLE Step 2 / Clinical Rotations | |||
| Videos / Topics | 2,000+ | 400+ | |
| Quiz Questions | 23,000+ | 3,600 | |
| BENEFITS | |||
| Avg. Video Length | 2-3 mins | 10-30 mins | |
| Definitions | |||
| Topic Summaries | |||
| Daily Quiz with Spaced Repetition | |||
| Study Scheduler | |||
| Custom Playlists | |||
| Follow pg-by-pg w/ Popular Books | |||
| Real Images & Video | |||
| Board Style Questions | |||
| Flashcards | |||
| Customize & Share Content | |||
| Study Guides / Workbooks | |||
| Webinar Videos | |||
| Academic Infographics | |||
| Integrated with Other Study Aids | |||
| Anki Integration | |||
| Mobile Apps | |||
| Validated by Published Research | |||
| Last Updated 12/2020 | |||
| SketchyUltimate | |||
| For Medicine | Level 2 | ||
| Price | $180/year | $270/year | |
| CONTENT | |||
| USMLE Step 1 / Pre-Clinical | |||
| USMLE Step 2 / Clinical Rotations | |||
| Videos / Topics | 2,000+ | 230+ | |
| Quiz Questions | 23,000+ | 0 | |
| BENEFITS | |||
| Avg. Video Length | 2-3 mins | 10-30 mins | |
| Definitions | |||
| Topic Summaries | |||
| Daily Quiz with Spaced Repetition | |||
| Study Scheduler | |||
| Custom Playlists | |||
| Follow pg-by-pg w/ Popular Books | |||
| Real Images & Video | |||
| Board Style Questions | |||
| Flashcards | |||
| Customize & Share Content | |||
| Study Guides / Workbooks | |||
| Webinar Videos | |||
| Academic Infographics | |||
| Integrated with Other Study Aids | |||
| Anki Integration | |||
| Mobile Apps | |||
| Validated by Published Research | |||
| Last Updated 12/2020 | |||
Which mnemonic flashcard resource is best for you? We compare both med study resources on content coverage, number of videos, number of quizzes, definitions, topic summaries, and features like daily quiz with spaced repetition, study schedulers, custom playlists, real images and videos, flashcards, customizing content, webinar videos, study guides, workbooks, academic infographics, and integration with other study aids. Plus we look at extras like Anki integrations and Add-Ons, alignment with popular textbooks, and mobile apps.
How Med Students use Picmonic & Sketchy Medical
| Sketchy | ||
Picmonic for Medicine USMLE Step 1 Pre-Clinical USMLE Step 2 Clinical Rotations | Sketchy for Medicine USMLE Step 1 Pre-Clinical USMLE Step 2 Clinical Rotations | |
$227.88/year or $359.76 for 2 years | $400/year | |
| Last Updated 02/2022 | ||
Save up to $500 with Picmonic
For the most comprehensive and effective coverage of USMLE Step 1 & 2 topics, all you need is a single subscription to Picmonic for Medicine with access to more than 1,800 sketches, er, video mnemonics. With Sketchy, you will need two products with less than half the number of videos / topics at a price that is $500 more over two years.
Picmonic Is Different
Picmonic is the only visual learning resource for STEP and COMLEX with powerful creator tools students can use to create the perfect study resource for them. Personalization isn’t something offered by other resources such as Sketchy Medical. Add facts, characters, images and videos. Customization also helps with retention, and can become an integral part of a robust study routine.
More Than 1 Million Healthcare Students Served
Picmonic is the toolkit of choice for medical students who want to master hard-to-learn topics and retain what they study longer by harnessing the power of picture mnemonics and spaced repetition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sketchy Medical is a picture mnemonic visual resource that includes 530+ videos for Micro, Path and Pharm, Biochem, Internal Med, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Surgery and is used as a study resource for Step 1 and Step 2.
Each 10-30 min video has someone drawing out a sketch that is telling a story. The story then relates to facts about a certain topic and uses word associations and visual cues to help students more easily remember those specific facts.
Topics covered by Sketchy Med are discussed in deep detail. Comprehensive treatment of specific topics can be a replacement for lectures or a supplement if you don't absorb the facts through lectures alone.
The Sketchy free trial period is 14 days. After which you’ll be asked to sign up for a paid subscription to Sketchy Preclinical or Sketchy Clinical.
Sketchy Preclinical covers Micro, Path, Pharm, Biochem, Physio, and Anatomy, frequently considered the core courses to study for USMLE Step 1.
No, Sketchy doesn’t offer a mobile study app for med students. Picmonic offers a mobile app that you can download for iOS and Android, to enable on-the-go studying even without an internet connection. As of 2021, the Picmonic for Medicine app has a rating of 4.8 stars out of 5, and you can read reviews in the App store.
According to the team at Sketchy, the Sketchy Method is based on an ancient Greek memory technique called the “Method of Loci.” This method exploits the power of spatial learning to connect memories with specific objects placed in an imagined physical space.
Picmonic is a picture mnemonic visual resource that’s research proven to increase retention 331% and increase test scores 50%. With more than 2,000 videos Picmonic covers many of the hardest to remember, high-yield subjects, topics and facts frequently tested in classes and board exams. Each 2-3 min video provides a succinct review of high-yield facts for easier, faster and more effective review throughout medical school, and STEP 1 and 2.
Many medical students who already use Sketchy use Picmonic to cover the topics Sketchy doesn't cover.
A 12-month subscription costs $399.99 for Sketchy Preclinical STEP 1 plus an additional $399.99 for Sketchy Clinical STEP 2. Both Sketchy Preclinical and Sketchy Clinical cost $599.99 for a 24-month subscription, for a total of nearly $1,200.
No, Sketchy doesn’t have an Anki Add-On, but Picmonic offers an Anki Add-On.
The entirety of the Sketchy product line includes Sketchy Medical, Sketchy Nursing, Sketchy Pharmacy, Sketchy PA, and Sketchy MCAT.
By the Numbers
Over 1 million healthcare students have used Picmonic to ace exams and boards/certifications on their way to becoming successful professionals.
*Pass STEP/COMLEX, guaranteed. Start using Picmonic in your first year. If you do not pass we’ll hook you up with a full refund or double the length of your access free.
