09/20/2026
Medical school asks you to learn an enormous amount of information—but not everything you are taught is equally important for patient care.
In this episode of Dr. Tisdall Unfiltered, I talk about one of the biggest problems in medical education: the “data dump.” Medical students are often expected to memorize huge volumes of basic science without first understanding why the information matters clinically. That can lead to overload, short-term memorization, and knowledge that disappears before you ever have a chance to use it with a patient.
I explain why I want students to ask two different questions: What is testable? And what is actually important?
Using examples from biochemistry, gluconeogenesis, pharmacology, pathology, and clinical cases, I show how basic science becomes much easier to understand when you connect it directly to diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. We also get into my “Make Me Care” approach, why I believe in teaching “just enough, just in time,” and why case-based learning can help medical students build stronger clinical reasoning instead of simply memorizing more facts.
If you’re in medical school and constantly feel like you’re drowning in information, this one is for you.
Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ugkgfz194sI
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cx6shUwNcc1a09J4kopMd?si=6AL0qiJZRx-kXqOxPtkgeg
Get my free 6 week clinical reasoning series (12 high-yield multiple choice questions with MD-written answers): https://www.drphiliptisdall.com/mcq-email-series?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=post_share
Clinical Pathophysiology (Edition 2) is now available for purchase! https://www.drphiliptisdall.com/textbook?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=post_share
If you want to learn how to think like a doctor, join me and students from all around the world inside Medical School Companion: https://www.drphiliptisdall.com/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=post_share
