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Compare Sketchy Medical vs Picmonic

Discover which is the more effective, more affordable med school study resource. Pass USMLE STEP & COMLEX, guaranteed.*

Picmonic Covers MORE Med School Topics

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 see a 331% increase in long term memory retention. Picmonic is the only visual learning resource for medical students that’s been research-proven to boost test scores by 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, and an extensive library of content, you’ll remember more in less time.

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A Comparison of Picmonic vs Sketchy Medical

Picmonic Logo Sketchy Preclinical Sketchy Clinical
For Medicine USMLE STEP 1 USMLE STEP 2
Price
Price $180/year $400/year $400/year
CONTENT
USMLE Step 1 / Pre-Clinical
USMLE Step 1 / Pre-Clinical
USMLE Step 2 / Clinical Rotations
USMLE Step 2 / Clinical Rotations
Videos / Topics
Videos / Topics 2,000+ 480+ 355+
Quiz Questions
Quiz Questions 24,000+ 3,800+ 3,800+
Benefits
Avg. Video Length
Avg. Video Length 2-3 mins 10-30 mins 10-30 mins
Definitions
Definitions
Topic Summaries
Topic Summaries
Daily Quiz with Spaced Repetition
Daily Quiz with Spaced Repetition
Study Scheduler
Study Scheduler
Custom Playlists
Custom Playlists
Follow pg-by-pg w/ Popular Books
Follow pg-by-pg w/ Popular Books
Real Images & Video
Real Images & Video
Board Style Questions
Board Style Questions
Flashcards
Flashcards
Customize & Share Content
Customize & Share Content
Study Guides / Workbooks
Study Guides / Workbooks
Webinar Videos
Webinar Videos
Academic Infographics
Academic Infographics
Integrated with Other Study Aids
Integrated with Other Study Aids
Anki Integration
Anki Integration
Mobile Apps
Mobile Apps
Validated by Published Research
Validated by Published Research
Last Updated 05/2024

Which resource is best for medical students? We compare both Picmonic and Sketchy Medical on a variety of factors including vastness of content, practice quizzes, study schedulers, academic infographics, integrations with other study aids and more!

With Picmonic, we’ve taken what the science shows – picture mnemonics work – and boosted their effectiveness by creating a research-proven visual learning system filled with mnemonic pictures, unforgettable stories, interactive videos and built-in quizzing guaranteed to boost your test scores by 50%.

Why Visual Learners Love Using Picmonic

Viking mnemonic from Picmonic

10 Key Things SketchyMed Users Don’t Know about Picmonic

Whether you are studying for the USMLE STEP 1 or STEP 2 exams, COMLEX, or just trying to stay on top of what you need to know to be a successful med student, you might want to learn a little more about Picmonic’s high-yield visual mnemonic learning system.

Read more >
Study using Picmonics

Picmonic or Sketchy? Here’s what you’re missing out on with Sketchy

This dilemma for future medical students comes time and time again; Picmonic or Sketchy? Is one better than the other? You can’t afford to fail, and as a student, you need to know if it’s worth your time and money.

Read more >
Tips for getting a

8 Reasons why Students Choose Picmonic over Sketchy Medical

Find out why med students choose Picmonic over Sketchy for their USMLE STEP 1 or STEP 2 prep, or COMLEX exam prep. Picmonic gives you MORE high-yield coverage of subjects, topics and facts, so you can enjoy better results.

Read more >
Picmonic med school tips video

“I Would Not Have Passed Med School without Picmonic”

Dr. Marc Katz, the author of mykittykatz.com, shares his tips for succeeding in medical school and matching with the residency program you want.

View clip >
What is the secret to getting a good match for medical residency?

Why Do Mnemonics Work? It’s Science.

Wacky characters with word-play associations may seem like a silly way to remember important concepts, but the fact is that mnemonics work—it’s science.

Read more >
MedStudentTips.com: Sketchy vs Picmonic

MedStudentTips.com: Sketchy vs Picmonic

Take a look at Picmonic vs. SketchyMedical to see how they compare as USMLE® Step study tools.

Take a look >

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 video mnemonics along with thousands of practice questions. With Sketchy, you will need two products with less than half the number of videos for a price that is $500 more for two years.

Picmonic Logo Sketchy

Picmonic for Medicine
USMLE Step 1
Pre-Clinical
USMLE Step 2
Clinical Rotations

$180/year
or $287.76 for 2 years

Sketchy for Medicine
USMLE Step 1
Pre-Clinical
USMLE Step 2
Clinical Rotations

$400/year

Last Updated 05/2024

Why 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.

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Sketchy Medical is missing many things you need to know. I turn to Picmonic for learning Biochemistry, vitamins, embryology, musculoskeletal system. The quiz feature is an added bonus that helps me retain what I’ve learned.

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Wished I had used Picmonic for Micro because Sketchy Medical is missing many things you need to know, such as exotoxins and endotoxins, a drawing for Moraxella catarrhalis, a drawing for Haemophilus ducreyi, and more.

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Personally, I used both for Pharm. At the end of it, I retained way more from Picmonic. They both have good comparisons, but given my attention span, seeing images that actually sound like our symptoms, vs seeing abstract made things confusing for me. So I stick with picmonics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SketchyMedical?

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.

Is SketchyMedical worth it?

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.

How long is the Sketchy trial?

The Sketchy free trial period is 7 days. After which you’ll be asked to sign up for a paid subscription to Sketchy Preclinical or Sketchy Clinical.

Is Sketchy Preclinical enough for USMLE Step 1?

Sketchy Preclinical covers Micro, Path, Pharm, Biochem, Physio, and Anatomy, frequently considered the core courses to study for USMLE Step 1.

Does Sketchy have a mobile study app?

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. 

What is the Sketchy Method?

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.

What is Picmonic?

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.

Should I use Sketchy and Picmonic together?

Many medical students who already use Sketchy use Picmonic to cover the topics Sketchy doesn’t cover.

What does SketchyMedical cost?

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.

Does Sketchy have an Anki Add-On?

No, Sketchy doesn’t have an Anki Add-On, but Picmonic offers an Anki Add-On.

Does Sketchy offer other products?

The entirety of the Sketchy product line includes Sketchy Medical, Sketchy Nursing, Sketchy Pharmacy, Sketchy PA, and Sketchy MCAT.

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By the Numbers

Over 1 million healthcare students have used Picmonic to ace exams and boards/certifications on their way to becoming successful professionals.

1.8M Students

100 Countries

80K High-Yield Facts

*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.

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