ABFM Exam Prep App: The Best Way To Remember Everything For Boards Without Burning Out – Learn smarter with spaced repetition flashcards that actually stick.
So, you’re hunting for the best ABFM exam prep app that actually helps you remember stuff long term, not just cram the week before the test.
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Why Flashcards Are Your Secret Weapon For ABFM
So, you’re hunting for the best ABFM exam prep app that actually helps you remember stuff long term, not just cram the week before the test. Honestly, your best move is to pair whatever Qbank you’re using with a solid flashcard app like Flashrecall because that’s what locks in all those random guidelines and numbers. Flashrecall lets you turn questions, PDFs, images, and even audio into flashcards in seconds, then uses spaced repetition so you keep seeing the right cards at the right time. It’s fast, works offline, and saves you from the “I swear I studied this” panic. You can grab it here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
How ABFM Studying Actually Works In Real Life
Alright, let’s be real for a second.
Most people prepping for ABFM do some combo of:
- A big Qbank (UWorld, BoardVitals, TrueLearn, etc.)
- Review books or PDFs
- Maybe a course or video series
- A lot of panic Googling
The problem? You see a question, read the explanation, think “got it,” and then two weeks later… gone.
That’s where a good ABFM exam prep app should help you:
1. Capture the important info quickly
2. Force you to actively recall it
3. Bring it back right before you’re about to forget it
That’s literally what Flashrecall is built for.
Why Flashrecall Works So Well For ABFM
1. Turn Any Resource Into Flashcards Instantly
You don’t have time to sit there hand-typing every single card.
With Flashrecall you can create cards from:
- Images – Screenshot a Qbank explanation, guideline table, or algorithm → turn it into cards.
- Text – Copy/paste key points from PDFs, review books, or question explanations.
- PDFs – Import sections and have Flashrecall pull out the important info.
- YouTube links – Watching a review video? Turn the key takeaways into cards.
- Audio – Dictate notes while walking or commuting and convert them into flashcards.
- Typed prompts – Just type “Make cards about JNC 8 hypertension thresholds” and let it help.
You can still make cards manually if you like full control, but the point is: you’re not wasting energy on formatting. You’re focusing on learning.
Download it here if you want to try it while you read:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
2. Built-In Spaced Repetition (So You Don’t Have To Plan Anything)
You know how you mean to review stuff later but never actually do it?
Spaced repetition fixes that.
Flashrecall has spaced repetition built in, with:
- Automatic review scheduling – cards come back right before you forget them
- Study reminders – gentle nudges so you don’t ghost your cards for 3 weeks
- No manual planning – you just open the app and it tells you what to review
This is perfect for ABFM because there’s a ton of low-yield-but-testable content:
- Vaccine schedules
- Screening recommendations
- Age cutoffs
- Medication first-line choices
Those tiny details stick way better when spaced repetition keeps surfacing them.
3. Active Recall That Feels Simple, Not Overwhelming
Good ABFM prep isn’t just re-reading; it’s recalling.
Flashrecall is built around active recall:
- You see the prompt
- You try to answer from memory
- Then you check yourself and grade how well you knew it
Over time, the cards you know well show up less, and the ones you struggle with show up more.
That’s literally the most efficient way to study for a huge exam like ABFM.
4. You Can Chat With Your Flashcards (Super Helpful For Confusing Topics)
One of the coolest parts: if you’re unsure about a card or topic, you can chat with the flashcard.
Example:
- You have a card on “workup for suspected PE in pregnancy”
- You’re like, “Wait, why do we do this before that?”
- Instead of going back to Google, you can ask inside the app and get clarification
It turns your deck into a mini tutor instead of just static cards.
How To Use Flashrecall With Your ABFM Study Plan
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
Here’s a simple way to plug Flashrecall into what you’re already doing.
Step 1: Start With Your Main Qbank Or Review Source
Most people use:
- UWorld, BoardVitals, TrueLearn, Rosh, etc.
- Or a review book like AAFP, MKSAP for students, or similar
As you go through questions, don’t just move on after reading explanations. Instead:
- Screenshot high-yield tables or key pearls
- Copy/paste the “key learning point” text
- Turn tricky concepts into Q&A flashcards
Drop all of that into Flashrecall so it becomes part of your long-term memory system.
Step 2: Make Focused Decks For ABFM Content Areas
Organize your decks based on how ABFM breaks things down:
- Cardiology
- Endocrine
- Pediatrics
- OB/GYN
- Psychiatry
- Musculoskeletal
- Geriatrics
- Preventive medicine & screening
- Procedures & office-based care
This makes it easy to:
- Target weak areas
- Do quick focused sessions (e.g., “15 minutes of peds before clinic”)
You can even tag cards like:
- “Must know for ABFM”
- “Guidelines”
- “Numbers / cutoffs”
Step 3: Do Short Daily Reviews (10–20 Minutes)
You don’t need 2-hour flashcard marathons. Instead:
- Morning coffee? 10 minutes of reviews.
- Lunch break? 5–10 minutes more.
- Before bed? Quick run-through of whatever’s due.
Because Flashrecall works offline on iPhone and iPad, you can squeeze in reviews:
- On call (during quiet moments)
- On the bus/train
- Between patients
Tiny, consistent sessions beat once-a-week cramming every time.
Grab it here if you want to start building decks now:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
How Flashrecall Compares To Other ABFM Prep Apps
You might be wondering, “Why not just use the built-in flashcards or notes in my Qbank?”
Here’s the difference:
Qbanks / Review Platforms
- Great for questions
- Not always great for long-term retention
- Often don’t have flexible flashcard creation or spaced repetition
Generic Flashcard Apps
- Usually require you to type everything manually
- Some have spaced repetition, some don’t
- Many don’t handle images, PDFs, YouTube, and audio smoothly
- Rarely let you chat with cards for deeper understanding
Flashrecall
- Designed for fast card creation from almost any source
- Built-in spaced repetition + reminders
- Works offline
- Lets you chat with your flashcards if you’re confused
- Free to start, modern interface, and easy to use
So instead of choosing between “good questions” or “good memory,” you just combine:
- Your favorite ABFM Qbank
- Flashrecall as your memory engine
What To Actually Put On Your ABFM Flashcards
To avoid drowning yourself in cards, focus on high-yield, easy-to-forget stuff.
Good ABFM flashcards include:
- Numbers & cutoffs
- A1c goals by age/comorbidity
- BP thresholds
- When to start statins or aspirin
- Screening guidelines
- Colon cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer timelines
- AAA, lung cancer, osteoporosis
- First-line treatments
- For common primary care conditions (HTN, DM2, asthma, depression, etc.)
- Algorithms
- Chest pain workup
- Abnormal pap management
- Workup for anemia, thyroid issues, etc.
- Red flags
- When you must refer or send to ED
- Emergency management steps
You don’t need a card for every tiny detail in every explanation. Just ask:
> “Will I be mad if I miss this on the exam?”
If yes → make a card.
Example: Turning One ABFM Question Into Cards
Say you get a question on:
> 45-year-old with new DM2, no ASCVD, normal kidney function. Best initial therapy?
You read the explanation and learn:
- First-line: lifestyle + metformin (unless contraindicated)
- A1c goal usually <7% but individualized
- When to add a second agent
You could make these Flashrecall cards:
- Q: First-line medication for most patients with newly diagnosed DM2?
- Q: Typical A1c goal for many non-pregnant adults with DM2?
- Q: When should you consider adding a second agent to metformin in DM2?
Drop those into Flashrecall and let spaced repetition handle the rest.
Why Starting Early Matters (Even If Your Exam Is Months Away)
You don’t need to be in “panic mode” to start using an ABFM exam prep app like Flashrecall.
If you start:
- 3–6 months out: you can go slow, do small daily reviews, and feel weirdly calm later
- 1–2 months out: you can still lock in tons of details, especially guidelines and numbers
- 2–3 weeks out: perfect for high-yield review decks and last-minute fact drilling
The earlier you start, the less time you spend re-learning the same stuff over and over.
Quick Setup Checklist For ABFM With Flashrecall
If you want a simple “do this today” plan:
1. Download Flashrecall
→ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
2. Create decks for:
- Cardio, endocrine, peds, OB, psych, geriatrics, prevention, procedures
3. Do 10–20 Qbank questions
- Turn the trickiest concepts into Flashrecall cards (screenshots, text, etc.)
4. Review your due cards daily
- Aim for 10–20 minutes total spread throughout your day
5. Tag weak areas
- If cardiology feels rough, add more cards and hit that deck more often
Stick with that, and you’ll walk into the ABFM exam feeling a lot less like “I hope” and more like “I’ve actually seen this before… a lot.”
If you’re serious about passing ABFM without frying your brain, pairing your Qbank with a smart flashcard system is honestly one of the best moves you can make. Flashrecall makes that part easy, fast, and kind of satisfying once you see how much you actually remember.
You can grab it here and start building your ABFM deck today:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
Is there a free flashcard app?
Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
How can I study more effectively for exams?
Effective exam prep combines active recall, spaced repetition, and regular practice. Flashrecall helps by automatically generating flashcards from your study materials and using spaced repetition to ensure you remember everything when exam day arrives.
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Practice This With Free Flashcards
Try our web flashcards right now to test yourself on what you just read. You can click to flip cards, move between questions, and see how much you really remember.
Try Flashcards in Your BrowserInside the FlashRecall app you can also create your own decks from images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, and text, then use spaced repetition to save your progress and study like top students.
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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