A&P Lab suggestions

[MissionalMed]

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Good evening fellow nontrads,

For those of you who took Anatomy and Physiology postbac, how did you succeed in lab? My first lab practical is next Thursday, and I am feeling in over my head right now. I have exams in Chemistry, Biology, Biology Lab, AND A&P Lecture, along with the Lab Practical next week.

Any tips from those who excelled will be really helpful.

 

[curt656]

For the most part, I found introductory A&P to be pure rote memorization of structure. Try to develop your own mnemoics that you can. I think it's easier to remember a device that you created yourself than someone elses. My mnemonic for the 12 cranial nerves is not something that can be written or spoken in public, but I will never forget it, lol.

One thing I found helpful, especially with skeletal structure was to sit down with someone (I used my wife), and feel the structures as I named them. The tactile association really made a big difference especially with the skull. Trace the muscles with your hands, you can even give your SO a massage and kill two birds with one stone.

For the most part, it's going to be all about repetition. The more you go over it, again and again, the more it starts to become second nature. Good luck!!

 

[MedPR]

Good evening fellow nontrads,

For those of you who took Anatomy and Physiology postbac, how did you succeed in lab? My first lab practical is next Thursday, and I am feeling in over my head right now. I have exams in Chemistry, Biology, Biology Lab, AND A&P Lecture, along with the Lab Practical next week.

Any tips from those who excelled will be really helpful.

1. Pay attention in lecture/lab
2. Make photocopies of the tested structures and fill them out several times

 

[MissionalMed]

1. Pay attention in lecture/lab
2. Make photocopies of the tested structures and fill them out several times

Thanks for the suggestions!

I find it very challenging to really internalize the material via the lectures during lab. Looking at structures on a PowerPoint while the TA drones on about them, literally just reading the information off the slides, doesn't lead to conceptualization for me.

What I'm attempting for this Lab Practical is taking pictures on my phone of all the anatomical models in class, and then pairing those up with the labels from the PPT. I guess we'll see how that goes come Thursday!

I do like your suggestion of just sitting and filling out the structures over and again. I'm going to try this as well. Thanks!

 

[MissionalMed]

For the most part, I found introductory A&P to be pure rote memorization of structure. Try to develop your own mnemoics that you can. I think it's easier to remember a device that you created yourself than someone elses. My mnemonic for the 12 cranial nerves is not something that can be written or spoken in public, but I will never forget it, lol.

One thing I found helpful, especially with skeletal structure was to sit down with someone (I used my wife), and feel the structures as I named them. The tactile association really made a big difference especially with the skull. Trace the muscles with your hands, you can even give your SO a massage and kill two birds with one stone.

For the most part, it's going to be all about repetition. The more you go over it, again and again, the more it starts to become second nature. Good luck!!

I think you're absolutely correct in saying this class is purely rote memorization. I've not really ever been very good at that, so I'm struggling with the material, especially on top of all the other exams next week I'm preparing for.

I'm going to take what you guys have offered here and dig in. Thanks for your reply!

 

[Beandog]

OP,

I got A in A&P lab. Reason was, our lab teacher offered any of us to come to any other lab we wanted to just to sit in the back, mosey around and look at the structures/skeletons/models again.
I was one of the few who took her up on that and showed up to several off-lab days.

Come test time, I had a 92% and an A.

 

[HipChick]

Mnemonics were my best friend. I also cut little strips of post it notes, covered up the written word in my text but leaving the designated indicator line. Then I numbered the post it note and to quiz myself I just grabbed a piece if paper, numbered it and identified the structure.
Palpation is also AWESOME especially with OIAI!

 

[ejw5075]

http://www.google.com/products/cata...UJa-FYLk2QXMxICYDA&ved=0CF8Q8wIwAg#ps-sellers

I really like to color

 

[MissionalMed]

http://www.google.com/products/cata...UJa-FYLk2QXMxICYDA&ved=0CF8Q8wIwAg#ps-sellers

I really like to color

This is not the first time I've been told about the coloring books for A&P. I just ordered one. Thanks for the link!

 

[MissionalMed]

OP,

I got A in A&P lab. Reason was, our lab teacher offered any of us to come to any other lab we wanted to just to sit in the back, mosey around and look at the structures/skeletons/models again.
I was one of the few who took her up on that and showed up to several off-lab days.

Come test time, I had a 92% and an A.

Man, I would definitely come in on my off days if I actually had any :-/

This is a really good suggestion I wish I could take advantage of; very good work achieving the grade you did!

 

[MissionalMed]

Mnemonics were my best friend. I also cut little strips of post it notes, covered up the written word in my text but leaving the designated indicator line. Then I numbered the post it note and to quiz myself I just grabbed a piece if paper, numbered it and identified the structure.
Palpation is also AWESOME especially with OIAI!

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll give that a try. I'm really working different strategies leading up to the exam this Thursday, to see what is most natural and effective for me--being that which is most conducive to my learning style. The problem is, I don't have a "hard science" background, so I feel I am "starting over" in many ways, relearning how to learn. It's a major challenge.

Thanks again!

 

[HipChick]

I don't have a "hard science" background either. Do they let you check out models? How will the exam be given? We had cadavers with pins and stickers... Not super easy when everyone is slightly different anatomically. I also (don't get creeped out) start picturing people musculoskeletally as they walked, talked moved, thinking muscle groups OIAI. " oh hip flexion, muscles.... Origin... Insertion... Etc" making it more "real" and applicable.

 

[MissionalMed]

I wanted to update everyone here who offered suggestions. I earned a 88% on my first lab practical (just found out). I'll take it! There are 3 more this semester (starting in on muscles and nerves now for the next one), and I think/hope all will improve moving forward.

Again, thank you all for the input. I'm grateful.

 

[dsoz]

I took my camera into lab, took photos of the structures to be learned, then cut out the photos and pasted them onto 3x5 to make flashcards. This worked really well for the muscles.

My A&P class used a lot of the plastic models. The muscle test was mostly the plastic "muscle men" models with triangles pointing to the different questions.

I also took photos of the vascular system and did the same flashcard thing with the different vessels and heart anatomy.

I also got a bunch of free anatomy apps for my iPod touch (or if you have an iPhone or Droid). It helped me through skull bones, bones, muscles, vessels, etc. Some are good, some are crap. You need to find the ones that are good. I didn't pay anything for the ones that I got.

When I go to medical school and take anatomy there, I will be sure to get more apps. I will even pay for a few that they had as a limited sample. For example, 3D4medical.com was one of those that I would pay money for the full version. The "head and neck" skeleton was awesome, as was the muscles app.

It really helps when you have 10 minutes standing in line at lunchtime to take out the iPod and start looking at skull features. Or, waiting for something to take out your own flashcards made from photos of what you will be tested on.

dsoz