ELI5 Medical Prompt: Translate Doctor Speak to Plain English

Explain this like I'm 5 years old. Use simple words, short sentences, and a clear analogy:

[PASTE YOUR CONFUSING TEXT HERE]

After you paste your medical document, the AI will:

1. Rewrite in plain language (no medical jargon)
2. Use an analogy if needed (like comparing your immune system to soldiers)
3. Break it into 3-5 simple bullet points
4. Explain “why this matters” in one sentence

What to expect: The reply will be short, plain-language, and focused on what matters for you.

What you’re trying to read:

“The patient presents with multifocal periventricular white matter hyperintensities on T2-weighted FLAIR sequences, consistent with demyelinating plaques. No significant interval change compared to prior study dated 2024-03-15.”

What you get with ELI5:

Your MRI shows:

• Bright spots in brain areas (these are MS lesions)
• They haven’t changed since your March scan
• This means your MS is stable right now

Say this into your phone or computer:

“ELI5 my MRI report” (then paste or read the text)

Variations for Different Situations

For Insurance Documents

ELI5 this insurance policy. Focus on: what's covered, what's not, and any deadlines.

[PASTE INSURANCE TEXT]

For Medication Guides

ELI5 this medication info. I need to know: what it does, side effects to watch for, and when to take it.

[PASTE MEDICATION GUIDE]

For Research Papers (Abstract Only)

ELI5 this research abstract. What did they study? What did they find? Should I care?

[PASTE ABSTRACT]

Pro Tips

• Make it even simpler: Add, “Pretend I only have a sliver of energy and brain fog today.”
• Get definitions: Add: “Define any medical terms you use.”
• Compare to something: Add: “Compare this to [something familiar]” (e.g., “Compare MRI findings to a weather report”)
• For multiple documents: Run ELI5 on each section separately instead of the whole document at once.

Quick Reference

Why This Works

The “ELI5” trigger:

• AI recognizes this as a specific instruction to simplify
• Automatically removes jargon
• Uses analogies and examples
• Breaks complex ideas into small pieces

The psychology:

• Brain fog makes complex syntax feel like word soup
• Simple sentences require less working memory
• Familiar words process faster than jargon
• Clear structure (bullets, short paragraphs) is easier to scan

Works across all AI platforms:

• ChatGPT (free or paid)
• Claude (free or paid)
• Microsoft Copilot
• Google Gemini

Troubleshooting

“The AI still uses big words”

• Add: “Use 5th grade vocabulary only”
• Or: “No words longer than 3 syllables”

“The explanation is too long”

• Add: “In 3 sentences or less”
• Or: “Give me just the 3 most important points”

“I need it even simpler”

• Try: “Explain like I’m 5, then explain like I’m 3”
• Or: “Use only pictures and emojis to explain”

“It’s not specific to my situation”

• Add your context: “I have MS and take Ocrevus, so focus on what matters for me”