About to fail Anatomy... help !

[podlyfe95]

***disclaimer: not actually a pod student, using a friends account***

So I’m currently an oms1 and I’m struggling immensely with anatomy. I’m ok with the written portion but lab I am doing absolutely terrible and idk what to do now that I have one more practical left until the semester is over. The first practical I bombed because I did not spend enough time in lab . So for the second practical I went to 2 hr review sessions weekly spent a lot of time in lab to the point I was showing my own classmates how to ID structures . However for the second practical I did the same as the first because I mos labeled on the scantron . Now for the third practical did the same . It was lower limb so structures were much more easier to Id. Spent even more time in lab and attended more review sessions and did well on my practice practical. I just received my score to only get a C on my 3rd practical which I am very dissappointed in since I was pretty confident in my answer choices . I knew what I was looking at even before I looked at the multiple choice answers. Now I’m starting my last section of anatomy and idk what to do because I’m on the verge of failing. I’m starting head and neck which is notoriously hard and I literally need a 90 in order to pass the lab. Please if anyone who has been in the same position share some advice.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Might be too late, but reaching out to faculty is the only option that is left. Perhaps you could reach out to a 2nd year or someone that has done well in class to show you where you're doing poorly. Maybe your problem is not being specific enough or you easily get tricked. If it's pure testing anxiety, right now is the time to reach out to your advisor and see what resources the school has for that. I know for my school testing anxiety students would get a separate room to take the tests.

 

[podlyfe95]

Might be too late, but reaching out to faculty is the only option that is left. Perhaps you could reach out to a 2nd year or someone that has done well in class to show you where you're doing poorly. Maybe your problem is not being specific enough or you easily get tricked. If it's pure testing anxiety, right now is the time to reach out to your advisor and see what resources the school has for that. I know for my school testing anxiety students would get a separate room to take the tests.

I have talked to faculty members and they have suggested to seek counseling to see if I can get accomodations for lab . But I really don’t think that’s the case because I feel confident during the lab sessions but idk anymore . I have done review sessions with second years and asked for advice , but they basically told me to do things I’ve already been doing .

 

[Rekt]

***disclaimer: not actually a pod student, using a friends account***

So I’m currently an oms1 and I’m struggling immensely with anatomy. I’m ok with the written portion but lab I am doing absolutely terrible and idk what to do now that I have one more practical left until the semester is over. The first practical I bombed because I did not spend enough time in lab . So for the second practical I went to 2 hr review sessions weekly spent a lot of time in lab to the point I was showing my own classmates how to ID structures . However for the second practical I did the same as the first because I mos labeled on the scantron . Now for the third practical did the same . It was lower limb so structures were much more easier to Id. Spent even more time in lab and attended more review sessions and did well on my practice practical. I just received my score to only get a C on my 3rd practical which I am very dissappointed in since I was pretty confident in my answer choices . I knew what I was looking at even before I looked at the multiple choice answers. Now I’m starting my last section of anatomy and idk what to do because I’m on the verge of failing. I’m starting head and neck which is notoriously hard and I literally need a 90 in order to pass the
lab. Please if anyone who has been in the same position share some advice.

Human Anatomy Quiz

This website was far superior to any other resource for anatomy IMO. I stopped going to extra labs and only used this to study for my practicals.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I have talked to faculty members and they have suggested to seek counseling to see if I can get accomodations for lab . But I really don’t think that’s the case because I feel confident during the lab sessions but idk anymore . I have done review sessions with second years and asked for advice , but they basically told me to do things I’ve already been doing .

You doing the Rohens flashcards? Just keep hitting those faculty up for help. I struggled with Anatomy lab in particular and had a somewhat similar experience. Michagan anatomy lab quizs also. They have changed the website and it doesn't look like the lab questions are separate anymore: Resources - BlueLink

More than anything just grind, put in the time in the lab. And if you have to remediate, chances are it won't include the lab anyway, so chin up.

 

[Magus5454]

Wait..you get a multiple choice practical? Must be nice.

How did you mislabel a scantron?

 

[podlyfe95]

Wait..you get a multiple choice practical? Must be nice.

How did you mislabel a scantron?

Forgot my glasses that day and probably my anxiousness got the best of me ... for example when I thought I was filling in “e” I really filled in “f”

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Wait..you get a multiple choice practical? Must be nice.

How did you mislabel a scantron?

Getting in your own head. Or going thru the wrong lab on accident (I did that one). In fact, I can still remember missing a gimme because of anxiety. You put so much pressure on yourself to perform that you end up going crazy in the actual practical. I can still remember just having a panic attack at the end of my last practical. I knew I needed it, but I wasn't confident cause I didn't feel like I had enough time to grind. Its hard to trust yourself when you have been struggling. Pure confidence issue.

The way I finally overcame this is I stopped caring about failing out, I only focused on going after what I wanted. I stopped thinking about 'what if I fail' and decided that I didn't care if I failed out, I was just gonna go hard till I burned out in spectacular fashion. If I was going to fail, I was going out with a boom and would never look back. I am never going back to my old job, even if I do fail. NO backup plans, all in. My priority isn't trying to get '8 hours of sleep' or 'taking care of myself,' all that matters is pursuit of my dream. If its really worth it, you grind, you spend hours every night in that lab. It sucks, it sucks hard, but when you get to end of the semester and you pass it will be worth it. And even if you do fail, you know you gave it everything, you didn't leave anything on the field. I had to stop thinking like a neurotic premed who fears failure, and become a warrior who rushes towards battle without regard for the outcome.

See I may seem like I am debbie downer here on SDN cause I believe in keeping it real, but that has nothing to do with how I approach school and life. I am just trying to help others avoid undue hardship, but when your already in it, its time to get it. If your on the border of a failing grade in your first semester, rejoice, cause your getting tested. Your taking your lumps early, life is giving you a backhand, and now you get to get up. Build that character, overcome the weakness and become a stronger version of yourself. You are getting a chance to grow. Stop comparing to your classmates, look at yourself and improve, everyday. Control your complaining, don't ignore the reality of situation, but overcome it. Focus on your dreams and do everything you can to get them.

 

[sunshinefl]

At my school, the people who did the linked Masters Program and got a 90%+ in anatomy funtion as peer TAs/tutors in anatomy lab during their M1 year. SOSA (surgical club) would host 4 hour rotating station reviews the Friday night before a lab exam using these TAs/tutors or M2s who were TAs previously. You could also come in for 1 on 1 or group tutoring with your friends and pay hourly. It would help because they explain how tagging could look for something, identify structures, and then quiz you. I would always go to the SOSA reviews and pay for 2-4 hours of individual tutoring per exam. This was in addition to really trying hard to identify structures during dissection labs each week. AKA I didn’t blow off lab. I would diligently try to dissect and match with Grant’s dissector and Gray’s Anatomy books at our station. If you have tutors available at your school I highly recommend hiring one for several hours. Put up the money, if there is one. Also put in effort on your remaining dissection labs.

PS I was the opposite of you. I got Cs/maybe dipped below passing a couple times on written and As on every practical.

 

[Medic741]

Build in stops into your test taking strategy.

Ie, something like... I’m approaching the table, step 1: check that question number matches next scantron number. Step 2: answer question. Step 3: double check, filled in right number.

Being sloppy now means being sloppy later. Easy fix though, you’ll just need to pay attention to the systems that you use to do things

 

[getfat]

Build in stops into your test taking strategy.

Ie, something like... I’m approaching the table, step 1: check that question number matches next scantron number. Step 2: answer question. Step 3: double check, filled in right number.

Being sloppy now means being sloppy later. Easy fix though, you’ll just need to pay attention to the systems that you use to do things

Agreed with this OP.
So for example when I was taking lab practicals. This was my train of thought?

Step 1: What is the question? So it is just a simple structure label, is it asking "clinically relevant" question, histology question or embryo question. Do i even need to look at the tissue/sample/cadaver/model to answer the question? At least at my school. Some of the tags you could answer just by looking at the question. People would waste their time lookng around for a pin only to realize it was just 1st order question you could answer based on your memory.
Step 2: How is the cadaver placed and what system are they focused on? It it on the anterior, posterior side of the cadaver. Which system is this tag covering? This can help alot especially UE/LE when you are unsure
Step 3: Is the tag an vessel, nerve or structure (bone, muscle, ligament). Vessels have lumens and will appear thicker larger and less transluscent. Most nerves will be dense/small and look like floss.

 

[Jack Package]

This website was far superior to any other resource for anatomy IMO. I stopped going to extra labs and only used this to study for my practicals.

omg I wish I had known about this when I was in anatomy

 

[FistLength]

Forgot my glasses that day and probably my anxiousness got the best of me ... for example when I thought I was filling in “e” I really filled in “f”

lol...forgetting glasses? How can you even identify a structure if you can't see the letters on your scantron
Never heard of an F on scantron...

 

[podlyfe95]

lol...forgetting glasses?
How can you even identify a structure if you can't see the letters on your scantron
Never heard of an F on scantron...

Well you learned something new because surprisingly there are schools that utilize scantrons that go past the letter D

 

[Hippocrates II]

This whole thread is sketchy as hell (using a "friend's" account, multiple choice practical, not being able to read the scantron....), but I'll bite.

My approach from day one of anatomy has been to make anki cards based off of the structure list provided. Use real cadaver images in addition to artistic renderings so that you get a good feel for both appearance and spatial relationships. *After* you have that anki deck down (multiple days of going over it), go into the lab and reinforce what you've learned with the cadavers. Rinse and repeat. This has gotten me a solidly above-average score on the three practicals we've now had, and I have never taken an anatomy course in my life prior to school. I also probably spend half the time in the actual lab compared to many people in my class, which is a huge time saver for staying on top of lectures.

I always see the advice on here to just spend a lot of time in lab. I personally don't agree with this. I see so many of my classmates standing in the lab for hours on end trying to identify stuff, people argue about what is what, etc. I think it's much more efficient to learn the general idea of where one structure is in relation to another, and then go to the lab to see it, rather than poking around a cadaver for 15 minutes trying to find it.

 

[podlyfe95]

This whole thread is sketchy as hell (using a "friend's" account, multiple choice practical, not being able to read the scantron....), but I'll bite.

My approach from day one of anatomy has been to make anki cards based off of the structure list provided. Use real cadaver images in addition to artistic renderings so that you get a good feel for both appearance and spatial relationships. *After* you have that anki deck down (multiple days of going over it), go into the lab and reinforce what you've learned with the cadavers. Rinse and repeat. This has gotten me a solidly above-average score on the three practicals we've now had, and I have never taken an anatomy course in my life prior to school. I also probably spend half the time in the actual lab compared to many people in my class, which is a huge time saver for staying on top of lectures.

I always see the advice on here to just spend a lot of time in lab. I personally don't agree with this. I see so many of my classmates standing in the lab for hours on end trying to identify stuff, people argue about what is what, etc. I think it's much more efficient to learn the general idea of where one structure is in relation to another, and then go to the lab to see it, rather than poking around a cadaver for 15 minutes trying to find it.

yes it is very very sketchy for a student wno has testing anxiety and goes to a med school that does multiple choice practicals to seek help on how to do well on their anatomy last exam. Def a major troll alert. Thanks for the advice....

 

[de Ribas]

***disclaimer: not actually a pod student, using a friends account***

So I’m currently an oms1 and I’m struggling immensely with anatomy. I’m ok with the written portion but lab I am doing absolutely terrible and idk what to do now that I have one more practical left until the semester is over. The first practical I bombed because I did not spend enough time in lab . So for the second practical I went to 2 hr review sessions weekly spent a lot of time in lab to the point I was showing my own classmates how to ID structures . However for the second practical I did the same as the first because I mos labeled on the scantron . Now for the third practical did the same . It was lower limb so structures were much more easier to Id. Spent even more time in lab and attended more review sessions and did well on my practice practical. I just received my score to only get a C on my 3rd practical which I am very dissappointed in since I was pretty confident in my answer choices . I knew what I was looking at even before I looked at the multiple choice answers. Now I’m starting my last section of anatomy and idk what to do because I’m on the verge of failing. I’m starting head and neck which is notoriously hard and I literally need a 90 in order to pass the lab. Please if anyone who has been in the same position share some advice.

What are your class averages for the exams?

Ours are above 88% on all practical and written exams. Our first practical was about 92% average.

I never spent even 5 minutes extra in lab and did fine. Unless your tests are crazy hard, I dont know how it is even possible to fail practical exam. How can you miss a muscle from a nerve, or vessel from something else. Especially if your practicals are multiple choice.

Questions that are the hardest are the ones that ask about innervations and origins and insertions of muscles, for example. These are not the ones that you study buy going to labs or extra lab times.

 

[de Ribas]

Yes. Head and Neck is one of the hardest. I would advise against spending any extra time in lab. I find it useless. Regular lab time that you have should be more than enough to get an idea how everything looks. Spend time studying on your own. Use Anki, flash cards to learn what specific nerves do, where they go, ho is everything connected and all branches. Learn about all the fissures, foramen and what goes through them. I think the hardest part for me was to know all the 12 nerves and what nerves have motor and sensory functions at what region.

 

[de Ribas]

Wait..you get a multiple choice practical? Must be nice.

How did you mislabel a scantron?

Do you guys write out your answers for practicals?

 

[Magus5454]

Do you guys write out your answers for practicals?

Yes

 

[Magus5454]

What are your class averages for the exams?

Ours are above 88% on all practical and written exams. Our first practical was about 92% average.

I never spent even 5 minutes extra in lab and did fine. Unless your tests are crazy hard, I dont know how it is even possible to fail practical exam. How can you miss a muscle from a nerve, or vessel from something else. Especially if your practicals are multiple choice.

Questions that are the hardest are the ones that ask about innervations and origins and insertions of muscles, for example. These are not the ones that you study buy going to labs or extra lab times.

Our first MSK UE practical average was a 69%. It was ridiculous

 

[joujou116]

yes it is very very sketchy for a student who has testing anxiety and goes to a med school that does multiple choice practicals to seek help on how to do well on their anatomy last exam. Def a major troll alert. Thanks for the advice....

There is no shame in admitting that you need help, there are several people at my medical school who are on medication and/or see a counselor for their anxiety. If you truly believe that your anxiety is crippling your progress, if it can't be anything else, then you need to be your own advocate and seek help. At my school, those who make arrangements get time and a half for lab practicals and they're scheduled in the last group so that there are less distractions/people, etc. If you let your school know that you need help, they'll help you out, but if you stay quiet, then there's nothing they can do after the fact.