This blog post is based on insights from Dr. Justin Sung‘s YouTube video: “How to Remember Everything You Read” (iCanStudy/iCanMedicine).
Discover the PACER method—A 2-Stage Learning System Developed by Dr. Justin Sung that Helps you Retain 90% more of what you Read using Targeted Digestion Techniques.
Have you ever finished a book chapter only to realize you can’t remember a single thing you just read? You’re not alone. Research suggests that without proper techniques, we forget up to 90% of what we consume within days .
But what if there was a system—tested over 7 years through medical school and beyond—that could flip that statistic on its head?
Dr. Justin Sung, a former medical doctor and learning coach, developed exactly that. It’s called the PACER method, and it transforms passive reading into a deliberate, high-retention learning machine. The secret? Stop treating reading as a single activity and start treating it as two distinct stages: consumption and digestion.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to apply the PACER framework to any subject—whether you’re studying for exams, learning to code, or reading business books. Let’s dive in.
Why Remembering “Everything” Isn’t Actually the Goal
Before we explore the system, let’s address the elephant in the room: Is it even possible to remember everything you read?
The short answer is no—and that’s actually good news.
To understand why, meet Kim Peek, the real-life inspiration for the movie Rain Man . Born with a rare condition called FG syndrome and missing the corpus callosum (the bridge connecting brain hemispheres), Peek possessed arguably the most remarkable memory in recorded history. He memorized over 12,000 books word-for-word, could read two pages simultaneously (one eye per page), and provide driving directions between any two cities worldwide using mentally calculated shortest routes .
But here’s the critical insight: Despite his superhuman memory, Kim Peek struggled with reasoning and problem-solving . His IQ measured just 87, and he lacked “theory of mind”—the ability to understand others’ perspectives .
For Example:
If you and Kim Peek took the same junior high exam testing memorization, he’d win effortlessly. But if you took a university-level exam requiring critical thinking and application, you would likely outperform him.
As Dr. Sung notes, “For most of you listening, probably using the knowledge you have consumed to reason and problem solve is kind of the whole point of why you’re trying to read and remember in the first place.”
The goal isn’t perfect recall—it’s functional mastery: remembering what you need, when you need it, in a way you can actually use.
The Two Stages of Real Learning
Most people treat reading like a race to the finish line. They speed-read, binge-watch lectures at 2x speed, and consume audiobooks by the dozen. But this approach fundamentally misunderstands how learning works.
Dr. Sung breaks the process into two non-negotiable stages:
| Stage | What It Is | Common Mistake | The Fix |
| Consumption | Taking information in | Speed-reading without purpose | Identify information type first |
| Digestion | Processing and encoding into long-term memory | Skipping this entirely | Apply targeted techniques for each type |
The crucial principle: These stages must stay balanced. Consuming without digesting is the mental equivalent of overeating—you’ll just “vomit” it all up later through forgetting .
As Dr. Sung emphasizes: “Everything you consume must be digested in order for you to retain and use it. Only when stage one is followed by stage two does learning actually occur.”
The PACER Framework: Five Types of Information
Not all information is created equal. The PACER acronym helps you categorize what you’re reading so you can apply the right digestion technique immediately.
P — Procedural Information (The “How-To”)
What it is: Step-by-step instructions for doing something. Medical clinical examinations, coding syntax, language grammar, cooking recipes.
The Consumption Strategy: Recognize it immediately. Ask: “Is this telling me how to execute something?”
The Digestion Process: Immediate Practice
Here’s where most learners fail. They read about a procedure, take detailed notes, and plan to practice “next week.” By then, they’ve forgotten 70% of it.
Dr. Sung’s rule: Apply procedural information in real life as early as possible.
For Example:
If you’re learning how to take blood pressure from a medical textbook, don’t finish the chapter first. Read the steps, then grab a cuff and practice immediately. The muscle memory formed through physical practice creates stronger neural pathways than re-reading ever could.
What if you don’t have time to practice right now? Simple: Stop consuming. Move to something else or wait until you can practice. Do not waste time trying to memorize procedures through repetition alone—it’s ineffective and creates false confidence.
A — Analogous Information (The “This Reminds Me Of…”)
What it is: New concepts that connect to knowledge you already possess. It’s the bridge between the known and unknown.
For Example:
You’re an avid swimmer learning about muscle contraction physiology. You notice the sliding filament mechanism resembles your freestyle stroke technique. That connection? That’s analogous information.
The Consumption Strategy: Actively ask while reading: “Does this remind me of anything I already know?”
The Digestion Process: Critique the Analogy
This is the step everyone skips—and it’s the most powerful. Creating the analogy is only 20% of the work. The other 80% is critiquing it:
- How specifically are these two things similar?
- In what ways are they different?
- Under what conditions does this analogy break down?
- Can I extend or modify it to be more accurate?
Dr. Sung explains: “This critiquing process massively drives up our attention and depth of understanding… instead of new information just being new information that your brain doesn’t know what to do with, we’re actually extending it from what we already know.”
Research consistently shows that elaboration strategies like analogy-building significantly boost retention by creating deeper associative links in the brain .
Note: The “A” in PACER is written strangely because analogous information can exist within procedural information (creating analogies to understand steps) and within conceptual information (connecting theories).
C — Conceptual Information (The “What” and “Why”)
What it is: Facts, explanations, theories, principles, and relationships between ideas. This forms the bulk of most academic subjects.
If procedural is “how to listen to a heartbeat,” conceptual is “what you’re listening to and what it means for the diagnosis.”
The Consumption Strategy: Identify when you’re reading about theories, principles, or interconnected ideas rather than steps or isolated facts.
The Digestion Process: Mapping (Non-linear Note-Taking)
Experts don’t store knowledge in linear sequences. Their expertise exists as a highly connected network—they can start at any point and navigate to any other point . This network structure enables complex problem-solving.
Beginners see isolated concepts. Experts see a web of connections.
The Technique: Create mind maps while reading. Don’t just list facts—draw connections between them. Show how Concept A leads to Concept B. Illustrate relationships. Use arrows, clusters, and spatial organization.
For Example:
While reading about World War I causes, don’t bullet-point them linearly. Create a central node “WWI Causes” with branches for militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. Connect the branches—show how the alliance system amplified the assassination trigger.
As your understanding deepens, reorganize the map. Move elements. Add cross-connections. This active reconstruction mirrors how experts actually organize knowledge.
No time to map? Consume less. Balance is non-negotiable. If you can’t digest through mapping, you’re over-consuming and setting your future self up for re-learning work.
E — Evidence Information (The “Proof”)
What it is: Specific facts, statistics, case studies, dates, and technical details that make conceptual information concrete. The “supporting examples” that prove broader points.
For Example:
Understanding that “World War I started due to complex alliance systems” is conceptual. Knowing that “Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip” is evidence.
The Consumption Strategy: Recognize when you’re reading specific details that illustrate broader concepts.
The Digestion Process: Store and Rehearse
Step 1 — Store (Immediate): Capture the evidence in your system immediately. Options include:
- Adding to your conceptual map as supporting nodes
- Saving to a “Second Brain” system (Notion, Roam Research, Obsidian)
- Creating flashcards for key facts
Step 2 — Rehearse (Later): Schedule time to actively use this information. Rehearsing means:
- Solving problems that require this evidence
- Writing detailed answers using the facts as support
- Teaching the concept to someone else using these examples
- Writing essays that cite this evidence
Critical distinction: Do not waste consumption time trying to memorize evidence through re-reading. Store it quickly, then rehearse it through active recall later .
R — Reference Information (The “Lookup Data”)
What it is: Highly specific, nitty-gritty details that don’t change your conceptual understanding but might be needed later. Mathematical constants, specific gene names, coding variable definitions, molecular formulas.
The Digestion Process: Store and Rehearse (with modifications)
The storage process is identical to Evidence information. However, rehearsal differs because reference information is used differently.
Since reference data is typically needed for direct fact recall rather than problem-solving or discussion, use spaced repetition software like Anki .
The Anki Method:
- Create flashcards during consumption (quick capture)
- Set aside 30 minutes daily for review
- Let the algorithm handle the spacing—difficult cards appear more frequently, easy ones less often
Research shows that spaced repetition through apps like Anki can improve long-term retention by 200-300% compared to massed studying . Medical students using Anki consistently outperform peers on board examinations .
The Golden Rule: Never waste precious consumption/digestion time trying to memorize reference material through repetition. That’s what Anki is for. Use your active learning time for the first three PACER categories—they form the foundation that makes Evidence and Reference information useful.
The Balance Equation: Why Less Consumption = More Retention
Dr. Sung identifies the most common learning mistake: overconsumption leading to “mental vomiting.”
When you consume without digesting, you trigger the forgetting curve immediately. Hours of reading become wasted time when 90% evaporates . Worse, you’ve created future work for yourself—re-reading what you forgot.
The Solution: If you can’t apply the appropriate digestion technique (practice, critique, map, store/rehearse), stop consuming.
This feels counterintuitive in our “more is better” culture. But consider:
- 30 minutes of balanced consumption-digestion beats 2 hours of pure consumption
- One chapter fully digested beats three chapters skimmed and forgotten
- Active processing creates durable memory; passive reading creates illusions of competence
As Dr. Sung notes, “What goes into your brain is less important than what stays in your brain.”
Putting It All Together: A Real-World Example
Let’s say you’re learning Python programming from a textbook:
- Procedural (P): The chapter explains how to write a for Action: Stop reading and code the example immediately. Type it out. Modify it. Break it. Fix it.
- Analogous (A): The for loop reminds you of a recipe’s “repeat for each ingredient” instruction. Action: Critique it. How is it similar? (Both iterate through a sequence). How different? (Loops can modify data; recipes don’t). When does the analogy fail? (Infinite loops have no cooking equivalent).
- Conceptual (C): The chapter explains iteration theory and loop logic. Action: Map it. Central node: “Iteration.” Branches: “Definite vs. Indefinite,” “Iterables,” “Loop control.” Connect to previous concepts like variables and conditionals.
- Evidence (E): The book provides a case study: “Here’s how Netflix uses loops to process viewing recommendations.” Action: Store in your notes. Later, rehearse by explaining to a friend how loops enable recommendation engines.
- Reference (R): You encounter the exact syntax range(0, 10, 2). Action: Flashcard in Anki. Review tomorrow during your spaced repetition session.
FAQ: Common Questions About the PACER Method
Q.1. How long does the PACER method take to learn?
The framework itself can be understood in an afternoon, but developing the habit of categorizing information in real-time takes 2-4 weeks of conscious practice. Dr. Sung developed the system over 7 years of experimentation, but you can see retention improvements immediately by implementing just one category at a time.
Q.2. Can I use PACER for fiction or casual reading?
PACER is designed for instrumental learning—reading to acquire skills or knowledge. For pleasure reading, the “digestion” stage might simply be reflection or discussion rather than formal techniques. However, if you’re reading to understand complex literature, the Conceptual (mapping themes) and Analogous (connecting to personal experience) categories still apply.
Q.3. What’s the best tool for mind mapping?
Free options include Microsoft Whiteboard (Windows), Obsidian (networked note-taking), or simply pen and paper. The tool matters less than the process of non-linear connection-making. Many learners prefer physical paper for the spatial flexibility it offers .
Q.4. How is Evidence different from Reference information?
Evidence supports conceptual understanding and is used in problem-solving, discussion, and analysis. Reference is “lookup data” needed for recall but not deep processing. For Example: Historical dates supporting a thesis about war causes = Evidence. The exact atomic weight of Carbon-12 for a chemistry calculation = Reference.
Q.5. Do I really need to stop reading if I can’t practice immediately?
Yes—if you’re reading procedural content. For other categories, you can store the information for later digestion, but procedural knowledge requires immediate practice for effective encoding. Reading further without practicing is actively harmful to learning efficiency.
Conclusion: From Passive Consumer to Active Master
The PACER method isn’t natural—and that’s precisely why it works. Our brains have biological limits on how much they can consume and store in one session . In an age of infinite content, exceeding those limits is dangerously easy.
By categorizing information into Procedural, Analogous, Conceptual, Evidence, and Reference, and applying the targeted digestion technique for each, you transform reading from passive entertainment into active skill-building.
Remember:
- Balance consumption with digestion—never let intake outpace processing
- Practice procedures immediately—delay destroys retention
- Critique your analogies—connections deepen understanding
- Map your concepts—networks beat lists
- Store and rehearse evidence and reference—active recall beats re-reading
You don’t need to remember everything. You need to remember the right things in the right way so you can use them when it matters.
What’s one book or subject you’ve been struggling to retain? Try applying just the “P” (Procedural) or “C” (Conceptual) category to your next study session, and notice the difference.
Source & Credit
This blog post is based on insights from Dr. Justin Sung‘s YouTube video: “How to Remember Everything You Read” (iCanStudy/iCanMedicine).
The original content has been translated, expanded, and repurposed for educational purposes.
Dr. Sung is a former medical doctor, learning coach, and founder of iCanStudy, where he teaches evidence-based learning techniques to students and professionals worldwide. His free weekly newsletter covers advanced learning strategies that build upon the PACER framework.
