As for memorization in general, every science exam I take always ends up having:
(1) A large set of custom-made abbreviations for mechanisms, processes, and lists. A basic example would be from my recent pathogenic microbiology exam -- What are the virulence features of group A Strep? CLMHEDS(clamheads) --> Capsule, Lipoteichoic acid, M-protein, Hemolysins, Erythrogenic toxins, DNA/RNAses, and Spreading factors such as Hyluronidase and DPNase.
(2) If the class is graphical/picture oriented, I also have a "figures to memorize" pile. Each slide has its own set of letters/custom-made abbreviations(sometimes multiple abbreviations if the picture is very complex -- like in your anatomy class's case). A very basic example could be...uhh...for the bones in the hand. Carpals, Metacarpals, Phalanges --> CMP --> Camp. Haha...very basic, but if the diagram you were memorizing from showed a top-down view, you could also memorize what letters go where, as in the physical orientation:
C
M
P
Yeah, I won't go any further on this one.
(3) A general "concepts/things to remember" list on the side. This has all those extra things that you don't have to memorize, but are important to keep in mind and are small enough to not need an abbreviation.
Example:
-Always remember the Sodium Potassium pump allows two potassium back into the cell while expelling three sodiums. It utilizes one ATP during this process, and aids in restoring the concentration gradient.
It's one of those facts you just have to keep in mind, and aren't likely to forget so easily.
Haha that's all...just how I do it. Might not be effective but it's nice recopying my notes from lecture, day by day, into one of the above three categories. That way, I'll passively be recalling weird abbreviations and words that I made up well after I'm done. The weirder, the better. You'll keep thinking about it. I guess the biggest thing to get out of this is that memorization should be a structured approach. Memorize not the details, but the organization of the details(the abbreviations). If it's extremely complex, you might have to make double or triple layered organization, but that rarely happens. From there...the rest will flow. OK I SHUT UP NOW!
