How to Study Human Anatomy and Succeed

Human Anatomy is a notorious course for demanding a high-volume of information in a

short amount of time. However, there are studying methods to assist students in learning
efficiently and effectively. I have studied and interviewed groups of medical and science
students that have mastered their course work. It is true that there are specific and detailed
guidelines that these students adhere to and credit for their academic success. The successful
student must excel in visualizing relationships, memorizing facts, and creating spatial maps of
the human body. With some time and applying these strategies and tips from past honor students
of Human Anatomy, you will greatly improve your academic performance.

Study Skill #1 - It is NOT enough to simply read, re-read, and re-type up the notes.
The goal in anatomy is to become a visual learner, so it is extremely important to keep pictures
in front of you. Let's say you are studying the forearm for example. The best is a three-prong
approach. That is, to have three pictures out side-by-side, one of the superficial structures, one
of the deep muscles and bone matrix, and a third of cross-sections. Now as you read each
sentence of your text, the words will have graphic substance to support them. This allows your
brain to start building the 3-D structure of the human body.

Study Skill #2 - Knowing the relationships is key. This means that if you are given a
point anywhere in the human body, that you should be able to navigate your way to any other
point by spatial relationships to landmark structures. The best way to accomplish this is by
describing the path of a body part in relation to its surroundings. Let's take the Ulnar Nerve for
example. Beginning in the axilla, it courses as the most medial branch of the brachial plexus. As
it descends down the arm, it remains superficial to the triceps muscles, medial to the humerus,
and maintains a tight medial position to the brachial artery. It continues this until the distal
region of the arm, where it courses on the posterior aspect of the humerus, and then it makes a
tight cross over the elbow joint posterior to the medial epicondyle. It continues between the
heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle and enters the anterior compartment of the forearm
where it accompanies the ulnar artery. This will enhance your understanding of human anatomy
because it forces your brain to travel through the mental images and describe it in your own
words. This is a skill that will be necessary for nerve lesion questions.

Study Skill #3 - Make charts for the muscles. List the muscles in the rows on the left
and then make columns on the right for Origin, Insertion, Action, and Innervation. Stare at
pictures of the muscle under study and match the answers in the columns with the pictures.

Study Skill #4 - Memorize the boundaries and contents of specific compartments of

the human body. For example, the Cubital Fossa is bounded: Laterally - medial border of
brachioradialis, Medially - the lateral border of pronator teres, Floor - brachialis, Roof - skin and
fascia, Contents - median nerve, brachial artery, tendon of biceps, radial nerve, & median cubital
vein. Once these have been memorized they serve as valuable landmarks to navigate your way
around the body.
Study Skill #5 Understand the terminology. This is obvious, but if
you do it from the very beginning of your human anatomy course it
will save you a lot of time later on. Anatomists often sound like they
are speaking a different language and it overwhelms students at
first. But if you take the time, you will see that a name of a muscle
or ligament will often tell of its origin, insertion, or action. Flexor
Digitorum Profundus for example, is the major muscle that flexes
the fingers. Therefore, you may already know what Flexor
Digitorum Superficialis does, it's the same action, but this weaker
muscle lies closer to the surface of the forearm. In addition, arteries
tend to be named for their destination. The right coronary artery
will supply blood to the right ventricle of the heart. Knowing the
terminology breaks down the information in digestable pieces and
makes it easier for you to remember where things are positioned.

#6 Knowing the relationships is key. This means, given any point in the human
body, you should be able to navigate your way by spatial relationships to structural
landmarks. The best way to accomplish this skill is by describing the path of a body
part in relation to its surroundings.

Let's take the Ulnar Nerve for example. Beginning in the axilla, it courses as the
most medial branch of the brachial plexus. As it descends down the arm, it remains
superficial to the triceps muscles, medial to the humerus, and maintains a tight medial
position to the brachial artery. It continues this until the distal region of the arm,
where it courses on the posterior aspect of the humerus, and then it makes a tight cross
over the elbow joint posterior to the medial epicondyle. It continues between the
heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle and enters the anterior compartment of the
forearm where it accompanies the ulnar artery. Studying with exercises like this, will
enhance your understanding of human anatomy because it forces your brain to travel
through the images and describe it in your own words.
Visit www.MedStudySites.com to read the next three study skills and boost your academic
performance. We also have more detailed study strategies, practice exams, and free study guides
for subjects, such as: Physiology, Genetics, Histology, Neuroanatomy, Biochemistry and more.