One of the most powerful ways AI can assist EMS students is by helping explain complex topics in a way that’s easier to grasp. Often, students encounter concepts that are challenging to understand, whether it’s advanced airway management techniques, intricate pharmacology, or complicated anatomy and physiology. AI, particularly tools like ChatGPT, can break down these complex ideas into simpler, more relatable terms by tailoring explanations to each student’s learning style.
Additionally, with innovative tools like the Plaud device, students can take their learning to the next level by transcribing lectures or class discussions in real time. These transcriptions can then be imported into AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, to further break down the content, summarize it, or even generate study aids. This process allows students to make the most of classroom time and revisit difficult concepts on their own, outside of class.
However, the key to making the most of AI for explaining difficult topics lies in how you ask your questions—known as “prompting.” With the right prompt, you can guide the AI to provide a personalized, understandable explanation that connects the concept to things you’re already familiar with. Let’s dive into how students can effectively use AI and the Plaud device to tackle tough subjects.
1. Start with What You Know
When writing a prompt for AI, it’s helpful to start by thinking about what you already know about the subject. This gives the AI a foundation for tailoring its explanation. For example, if you’re struggling with acid-base balance but you’re familiar with respiratory processes, you can prompt the AI to explain the concept using terms related to the respiratory system.
Prompt Example:
“Explain how the body maintains acid-base balance as if it’s similar to how breathing works. I understand how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged, but I’m having trouble connecting this to pH balance.”
By starting with a familiar concept, the AI can use analogies and metaphors that make sense to you, creating a bridge between what you know and what you’re trying to learn.
How Plaud Can Help:
During class or study sessions, the Plaud device can transcribe discussions or lectures in real time. If your instructor explains a tough concept like acid-base balance, you can later import the transcript into ChatGPT and ask it to break down the specific parts you didn’t understand during class. This allows you to review content at your own pace and get personalized explanations that cater to your learning style.
2. Ask for Simplification
If a concept feels overwhelming, don’t hesitate to ask the AI to simplify it. AI can provide step-by-step breakdowns or offer a less technical explanation. This is especially useful when learning new medical terms or procedures.
Prompt Example:
“Can you explain how epinephrine works in the body during an anaphylactic reaction? Pretend I’m a beginner and have never studied pharmacology before.”
This type of prompt encourages the AI to break the information into bite-sized pieces, making it easier to digest. The goal is to reduce the complexity of the subject so that you can focus on mastering one piece of information at a time.
How Plaud Can Help:
With the Plaud device, you can record complex lectures, such as pharmacology lessons, that may move too fast for note-taking. After class, the transcription can be uploaded into AI, allowing you to break it down at your leisure. You can ask ChatGPT to simplify certain sections that were harder to grasp, making it easier to understand challenging content on your terms.
3. Use Analogies or Comparisons
Analogies are a great way to make abstract or difficult concepts more relatable. AI can generate helpful analogies that compare the EMS concept you’re learning to something more familiar, making it easier to understand the unfamiliar subject.
Prompt Example:
“Can you explain how electrical conduction in the heart is like the flow of electricity through a power grid? I’m having trouble understanding how electrical impulses travel through the heart’s conduction system.”
Analogies like this help by framing the topic in everyday terms. The AI can compare electrical signals in the heart to a more tangible system, giving you a clearer picture of the process.
How Plaud Can Help:
During class discussions, your instructor might use complex medical jargon that’s hard to follow. By transcribing the class using Plaud, you can revisit the conversation and ask ChatGPT to explain it using analogies. This way, you can turn a complicated lesson on heart conduction into something as understandable as comparing it to electricity in a house, making the learning process much more intuitive.
4. Request a Real-Life Scenario or Case Study
EMS students often learn best when they can apply what they’ve studied to real-life situations. If you’re struggling to understand a particular concept, asking the AI to provide a scenario or case study can make it easier to see how that concept plays out in practice.
Prompt Example:
“Give me a real-life EMS scenario where a patient is experiencing a tension pneumothorax. Can you explain the steps I would take to treat this, and why each step is important?”
This prompt directs the AI to create a practical, step-by-step explanation of how to handle the situation, making it easier to connect the theoretical knowledge to real-world applications.
How Plaud Can Help:
During scenario-based training in class, you might miss some of the finer details of patient care steps due to the pace or complexity of the scenario. With Plaud, you can record the session and later input the transcript into AI, asking for a breakdown of the steps. For example, you could upload the entire tension pneumothorax scenario and prompt the AI to explain each part in more detail or clarify sections that confused you during class.
5. Break It Down Step-by-Step
If a topic still feels overwhelming, ask the AI to break it down even further by focusing on one part at a time. This can be especially helpful with multi-step processes or systems, like interpreting an EKG or managing a trauma patient.
Prompt Example:
“Can you break down how to read a 12-lead EKG into steps? Start with the basics and go step-by-step, assuming I’m just learning.”
This type of request encourages the AI to create a structured explanation that you can follow at your own pace. With the process broken down into clear, manageable steps, you can master each piece individually and build up to a full understanding.
How Plaud Can Help:
If your class covers complex, multi-step processes that you struggle to keep up with, using Plaud to transcribe the class discussion allows you to upload that content into ChatGPT for a step-by-step breakdown. For instance, a lecture on EKG interpretation can be revisited later, and you can ask the AI to walk you through the exact steps in digestible pieces, helping you retain and apply the knowledge more effectively.
6. Ask for Repetition in Different Ways
Sometimes, hearing the same information repeated in a different way can help solidify your understanding. AI is great at providing multiple explanations of the same concept, each one slightly different, so you can find the explanation that clicks for you.
Prompt Example:
“Can you explain the difference between preload and afterload three different ways? I’m struggling to fully understand the distinction.”
This allows the AI to explore the concept from various angles, increasing the chances that one of the explanations will resonate with you. Whether it’s through analogies, metaphors, or clinical examples, multiple approaches can deepen your understanding.
How Plaud Can Help:
By transcribing class discussions using Plaud, you can capture any repeat explanations your instructor offers. If the initial explanation still doesn’t click, you can prompt ChatGPT to provide additional explanations or different ways of describing the same concept, until you find the one that works for you. This method allows you to keep reviewing the material until it fully makes sense.
7. Customize Based on Learning Style
Everyone learns differently, and AI can adapt its explanations based on your preferred learning style. Whether you’re a visual learner, prefer auditory descriptions, or need logical reasoning, you can tailor the AI’s response to your needs.
Prompt Example for a Visual Learner:
“Explain the clotting cascade in a way that I can visualize it, like a flowchart or step-by-step diagram.”
Prompt Example for a Logical Learner:
“Explain the clotting cascade in logical steps, emphasizing how one event triggers the next, like a sequence of cause-and-effect relationships.”
How Plaud Can Help:
If your instructor’s teaching style doesn’t match your learning preferences, the Plaud device allows you to capture the lesson and customize it afterward. You can input the transcript into ChatGPT and request the explanation be tailored to your learning style. For instance, if you’re a visual learner, you can ask for a simplified diagram or a step-by-step guide based on the lecture transcript, helping you retain the material more effectively.
8. Ask for Additional Resources or Study Aids
AI tools like ChatGPT can do more than just explain a concept—they can also point you toward additional resources. This can include providing lists of books, videos, or articles that can give you a deeper understanding of the subject.
Prompt Example:
“I’m studying how the respiratory system responds to shock. Can you provide me with any good resources, like articles or videos, that go into more depth?”
How Plaud Can Help:
By using Plaud to transcribe class content, you can import the transcript into AI to not only break down complex topics but also ask for supplemental resources. You can prompt the AI to offer further reading or video resources that relate to the specific topics discussed in class, providing you with additional study materials to deepen your understanding.
Google’s NotebookLM is an experimental AI-powered tool designed to enhance note-taking and research. It integrates large language models (LLMs) to help users summarize, query, and make connections between their personal documents, such as Google Docs, PDFs, and other sources. NotebookLM was previously introduced as “Project Tailwind” and is part of Google Labs’ effort to reimagine how AI can assist with research and knowledge exploration.
How NotebookLM Works
NotebookLM allows users to upload documents and then interact with them through AI. Once documents are added, the tool creates summaries, lists key topics, and allows users to ask questions related to the content. This feature is particularly helpful for students working with large, complex documents, as it generates a high-level overview, enabling them to dive deeper into specific areas of interest. The AI can also make connections between different documents and provide citations, offering an advanced way to cross-reference and explore the material.
Key Features
- Document Summarization: Once a document is uploaded, NotebookLM provides a short summary and lists key topics, helping students get an immediate overview of lengthy or dense material.
- Question and Answer Interface: You can ask the AI questions about the document content. NotebookLM will generate responses based on the documents you’ve uploaded, making it an interactive research assistant.
- Document Snapshot: While documents can be added, it’s important to note that the AI doesn’t reflect real-time updates to the source files. If a document is edited outside NotebookLM, users need to re-upload it to get an updated analysis.
- Collaboration: Users can share their notebooks with others, allowing collaborators to ask their own questions and explore the uploaded material. This makes it useful for group projects or shared research efforts.
Use Cases for Students
For EMS students, NotebookLM can be especially useful for managing and breaking down large study materials, such as textbooks or case studies. For example, after uploading your class notes or readings, you can ask the AI to summarize difficult topics or create connections between different parts of the curriculum. The AI can act as a virtual tutor, helping clarify complex concepts or answer questions you might have missed during class.
AI-Driven Research Assistance
NotebookLM excels at turning data-heavy documents into accessible summaries and actionable insights. This could be highly beneficial for students revising for exams or those trying to digest intricate medical content. For example, if a student uploads a pharmacology textbook and asks about specific drug interactions, the AI could pull relevant sections, summarize the material, and even provide deeper explanations tailored to the user’s queries.
Though still in its experimental phase, NotebookLM demonstrates how AI can facilitate smarter, more efficient learning experiences by turning vast amounts of information into organized, digestible insights.
Googles Notebook LM https://notebooklm.google.com/
Conclusion: Writing Effective Prompts and Using Plaud to Master Difficult Topics
Learning how to write effective prompts for AI, combined with the use of the Plaud device, can turn challenging EMS topics into manageable lessons. By transcribing lectures and discussions with Plaud, students can revisit difficult content and break it down using AI tools like ChatGPT, customizing the explanation to their own learning style. Whether it’s simplifying complex topics, using analogies, or providing real-life scenarios, AI offers a versatile learning experience.
By leveraging both AI and the Plaud device, EMS students can gain a deeper understanding of critical concepts, making them more confident and prepared for real-world emergencies. With thoughtful prompting and the ability to transcribe and revisit classroom discussions, even the most challenging subjects become more accessible and easier to master.