Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists
Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists
For two decades, I've been developing tools that have improved my practice in medicine, dentistry, and scientific research.
Join me every Friday to discover a new tool you can integrate into your workflow as a doctor, a scientist, or both.
I believe in sharing knowledge, embracing automation, boosting productivity, and finding joy in the process.
Preface
Video Guide
Text Guide
OMFS World
Stuff (App, Gear)
๐ธSpring is finally here!
Last weekend we had the first warm day here since October.
Walking to the train station at 05:20 am is still freezing cold ๐ฅถ, but it's no longer the โcut-you-throughโ kind of cold.
๐โโ๏ธ The warm weather is a great opportunity to take my jogging more seriously. Lately, I had a hard time fitting jogging into my schedule. So I played around with the idea of listening to scientific manuscripts while I jog. This way, I can squeeze a run into my literature-reading time. I've been listening to books, emails, and websites, so why not also listen to scientific manuscripts?
๐ฃ On the family front, thirdborn turned one month. His life revolves around eating, keeping food down, and having bowel movements. You know, the essential things in life.
He recently got his social security card in the mail. It took me an entire year of paperwork to get mine, and all he had to do was to be born ๐ ๐บ๐ธ.
That's life.
๐จโ๐ปIn today's newsletter, we'll discuss how I read manuscripts and manage references.
I call it Shay's up-to-date OS ver 2.0.
I've been using version 1.0 of Shay's up-to-date OS for some time now, but I still found myself repeating tasks that can be automated.
๐ป Let computers do the work for you.
โ๏ธAutomate and stop wasting time.
๐ปEnjoy the process.
Version 2.0 precisely does that!
In under 1 second, I import a reference and let automation do the rest for me.
It takes me a few seconds to categorize a manuscript and take notes. After that, I'm done!
I can resurface any manuscript whenever I need it, from any device. No more browsing my folders and opening 30 browser tabs simultaneously.
โน๏ธโโ๏ธMy entire process of reading the literature, categorizing, and writing manuscripts is done using Notion and Zotero.
After using almost every reference manager out there, nothing comes close to the integrated Zotero-Notion duo ๐ซ.
Today I will show you how.
And there's a surprise - I made an entire YouTube video!
So you no longer need to follow a text guide to install it. You can see how it looks and follow my video. Thumb up ๐, commenting ๐ฌ, and subscribing to my YouTube channel will be greatly appreciated!
Enjoy #33!
๐ถ๐ปโโ๏ธIn this video, I will guide you step-by-step to install Notion and Zotero, and integrate the two with Notero.
By the end of this video, you will have Shay's up-to-date OS ver 2.0 on your computer, ready to work.
Since the textual and video guide are identical, pick the one you're more comfortable with.
The video has closed captions (subtitles) that can be turned on by clicking the โccโ button.
๐ฟ Happy watching!
In this guide, I will teach you how to:
Install the โZoteroโ reference manager.
Install โNotion.โ
Establish a connection between them using โNotero.โ
Set up my Notion page on your computer and start using it immediately.
๐โโ๏ธ First of all, why Zotero?
The first reference manager I ever used was EndNote. It was cumbersome, but my PhD mentor used it, so I also had to use it.
๐ Then I discovered Mendeley.
In 2010, Mendeley was still buggy, but I loved how it could import citation data from the web with a click of a button.
So I used Mendeley to import references into my database and exported them into EndNote to insert them into Microsoft Word.
In 2019, I felt that Mendeley had matured enough, and I stopped using EndNote altogether. For four years, Mendeley was my go-to reference manager, from importing citations all the way to submission.
It had issues that set me back about 10 hours for every manuscript I wrote. I like total control over how the citations look, and Mendeley does a mediocre job. I also want to improve my system and introduce automation into my workflow. This way, I will use my brain for research instead of repetitive work and technicalities.
I've been using Notion since 2019, which saved me hundreds of hours on research alone.
But until recently, I always had to return to Mendeley and Microsoft Word to insert the references into my manuscript and waste time.
In this guide, I will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing everything you need by integrating Zotero, Notion, and Notero.
Navigate to the Notion website and download the appropriate version for your operating system. Once the installation is complete, create a Notion account (if you haven't already) and log in. Pick the free version. You don't need the paid version to run Shay's up-to-date OS ver 2.0.
Navigate to the Zotero website and download the appropriate version for your operating system. You will need to sign up for an account during this process. Pick the free version. Once the installation is complete, open Zotero and log in to your Zotero account.
Inside Zotero, open a new collection by clicking โfileโ and โnew collection.โ For the purpose of this guide, name it โShay.โ You can delete or rename it later.
The Zotero Connector is a browser extension that enables you to save web pages and other online resources to Zotero. Head over to the Zotero Connector download page.
Depending on your browser, Zotero will guide you on how to install Zotero Connector.
For example:
If you're using Chrome, you will click an โinstallโ button.
If you're using Safari, the โZotero Connectorโ was already installed when you installed โZotero.โ You need to enable it under the โExtensionsโ menu: Safari menu โ Settings โ Extensions โ tick the box next to โNotero Connector.โ
Go to https://www.notion.so/my-integrations
Click โ+ New integration.โ
Name your integration โZotero.โ
Under โassociated workspace,โ choose your Notion's workspace name.
Under โContent Capabilities,โ check the boxes โRead content,โ โUpdate content,โ and โInsert Content.โ
Under โComment Capabilities,โ leave the boxes unchecked (no V).
Under โUser Capabilities,โ choose โNo user information.โ
Click โSubmit.โ
Now you will have access to your internal integration token. Click โshowโ and copy-paste the Token into a place you can copy it again later. Write โtokenโ next to what you've just copied so you will know what it is later.
I prepared a Notion page you can duplicate into your โNotion.โ You are free to use it and share it.
Click this link: Shay's up-to-date OS ver 2.0. If you get a message starting with โContinue to external site,โ that's OK. Just click the link you see there.
On the top of the page, click โduplicate.โ This will copy my page into your Notion. You'll be prompted to log in if you're not logged into your Notion account.
Go to your Notion, and click "Shay's up-to-date OS Version 2.0.โ
Click the three dots on the top of the page โ โAdd connections,โ and search for โZotero.โ
Click โZoteroโ and click โConfirm.โ
Click โshareโ on the top of the page.
In the box that has just opened, enable โShare to web.โ
Copy the link in the box into a place you can copy again later.
Now pay attention!
The link you just copied has the โDatabase IDโ in it.
For example, suppose my link is:
https://www.notion.so/something/fdf8aeb4903744a3bb9f4509102f1ccb?pvs434343
The Database ID is the part BETWEEN the last โ/โ and the โ?โ
I highlighted it here:
https://www.notion.so/something/fdf8aeb4903744a3bb9f4509102f1ccb?pvs434343
In our case, it will be fdf8aeb4903744a3bb9f4509102f1ccb
Notice that I didn't include โ/โ or โ?โ.
Copy the Token ID to a place you can copy it from later, and write โtoken IDโ next to it so you'll know what it is later.
So the two things you should have saved by now are:
The integration token.
The Database ID.
If you don't have these two, go back, and make sure you have them.
A HUGE shout-out to David Hoff-Vanoni ๐, the developer of Notero. He made this magical integration between Zotero and Notion possible. Thanks, David!
Download the latest version of Notero from the GitHub website.
Follow the instructions there. They will guide you to click the โlatest version,โ and click the file with the .xpi extension.
Save it to your downloads folder. No need to open it.
Now we will enable this file inside Zotero: Open Zotero โ navigate to โToolsโ and โAdd-ons.โ
Click the settings icon and choose โInstall Add-on From File.โ
Navigate to the downloads folder, choose โNotero.xpiโ and click โopen.โ Then click โInstall Now.โ Close this window.
Now restart Zotero by closing it and opening Zotero again.
Go to โToolsโ in Zotero and click โNotero Preferences.โ
If you don't see โNotero Preferencesโ there, go into โAdd-onsโ โ disable Notero โ enable it โ check if you now see it in the โToolsโ menu. If not, restart Zotero. If you still don't see it, you probably didn't quit Zotero. Go to the Zotero menu and click โQuit Zotero.โ Then restart it. If you still don't see it, repeat the process.
So you're inside Notero preferences now.
Remember the two things you saved? The Integration Token and the Database ID? We'll use them now:
Copy the Token into the โIntegration Tokenโ box.
Copy the database ID into the โDatabase IDโ box. Notice that there are no โ/โ or โ?โ in it (as I explained earlier).
In the bottom window, double-click the row with โShayโ in it. You will see a green V. You can also hit โenterโ on your keyboard (" returnโ on Mac). Every collection with a V next to it will be synced to your Notion page.
There's no โsaveโ button. You can close this window.
Let's take it for a test drive:
Find any manuscript online.
Click the Zotero Connector in your browser.
See the manuscript on your Notion page.
This is so cool, right?
With a single click, you saved the reference to your Zotero library and your Notion.
SINGLE CLICK! Do you know how much time and effort went into this process just a few years ago? I'm not going to calculate it because it will make me cry.
Anyway, inside Notion, click on the row of the manuscript you've just imported (sometimes, you have to click on the โopenโ that appears next to the name of the manuscript once you hover over it.)
There you will admire the magic ๐ช. You will see the manuscript title, the authors, the year, a link to access the entire manuscript (" DOIโ), the abstract, and the best part - THE KEYWORDS. You can now add categories of your own.
You can add more columns and change their order. But always keep the titles of the existing columns the same!
Otherwise, it will interfere with the integration between Zotero and Notion. If anything goes wrong, you can always delete your notion page and duplicate my page again by clicking here.
Of course you do!
This way, you can save manuscripts to Zotero and Notion with a single click from your phone or tablet.
You can access and search your manuscripts from your phone. Anytime, anywhere.
Great for group meetings and study sessions with students and residents.
Sweet.
Suppose you're working on a review and have completed a search in PubMed.
With just a few clicks, you can export this entire list into your Zotero and Notion.
Click โSend Toโ in Pubmed โ pick โCitation managerโ โ pick โall resultsโ or just the ones that you selected โ click โCreate fileโ โ save it to your computer.
Now, inside Zotero, click โfileโ โ โimportโ โ โcontinueโ โ select the file you just downloaded โ โcontinueโ โ โdone.โ
Now you have a new collection inside Zotero, and want to push it into Notion.
All you have to do is to right-click the collection inside Zotero, and in the menu that just opened, click โSync Items to Notion.โ
Boom! Everything is inside Notion now.
This one is EXTREMELY cool.
It involves importing your RSS feed into Zotero, as I previously explained in issue #23.
This way, every new manuscript that comes out and matches your rule will automatically appear in your Notion!
In this video guide I show how to install it on your phone and computer:
I stopped using Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Word, and never looked back!
This is how I use Notion and Readwise Reader.
๐ฉโ๐For the student - I've been a student or in training for the last 20 years. Over the years, I learned how to study more efficiently, use power naps to boost my scores, deal with failure, and handle the stress of dental and medical school.
I summarized it all in a 7-day email course, and you can get it in your email by following this link.
๐ฅผFor the OMFS resident - Studying for the boards is extremely challenging.
Unlike dental school, you're juggling 80-hour weeks, studying, and sleep-deprived.
My advice - introduce Anki into your study routine as early as possible.
I've used this application every day (and I mean EVERY SINGLE day) for two years. It got me through med school and the USMLE.
If there's something I regret not knowing during residency, it's Anki. Do yourself a favor, and check it out.
If you want to get all my tips and tricks for residency (including my study system, Anki guide, how to deal with sleep deprivation, and more), you can sign up for my 7-day email course titled โHow to survive residency.โ
๐ฑApplication I use - iMovie is a free video editing application on Apple devices. It has everything I need to edit my videos. However, I treat my videos the same as my still photos: I adjust everything before taking the picture so I won't need to fix it later. When I prepared my YouTube video, I did the same. There's hardly any editing, and all the โeffectsโ were PowerPoint slides and browser tabs I presented along with the video. However, iMovie seems more than enough for most video editors.
๐กGear I use - The Blue Yeti Microphone is a high-quality microphone that provides superior sound quality compared to the built-in microphone on laptops. With its multiple pickup patterns, it can capture sound from different angles, providing more flexibility in the recording. Additionally, it has a built-in headphone jack for real-time monitoring, allowing you to hear precisely what is being recorded. I recommend adding a filter to prevent the sound of harsh โs,โ โp,โ and โb.โ
That's it for this issue.
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Have a great weekend!
Shay