Anatomy Shenanigans

[hermit]

---

Members do not see this ad.

What is the general atmosphere like in your school's anatomy lab?

I ask because on a recent medical school interview, my group toured an in-progress anatomy lab and it was not at all what I envisioned. There was so much laughing and screaming that to carry on a conversation with another interviewee I had to practically scream myself. In all seriousness, this was like a sixth grade girl's birthday party. I was told by my tour guide that the students in the lab at that time were physical therapy students. Is this typical for gross anatomy? I wasn't expecting it to be library-quiet with people whispering but I didn't think it would be like new year's eve, either.

 

[Ashers]

My lab group was fun. We'd joke around, walk around to other groups to visit with friends, and see if their bodies had any findings. It's not always quiet. Maybe when you're in there on a Saturday night it might be. However, one of my friends and I would spend hours studying with each other the night before exams, and we had off the wall conversations. Anatomy lab was one of the most fun things from M1 year.

 

[nightowl]

we were loud. Our group was really fun, and gross lab was the one time during the day that I actually had fun during M1 year. It's hard to understand how necessary it is to laugh and joke around until you're completely miserable, overtaxed, and wallowing in material and tests and the misery that is M1 year. overall, we were probably a louder group, but we got the dissections done, we were very interested in learning the material, but in all honesty, it's a little easier when you allow yourself to have a little fun in the process. I was lucky enough to luck out with a really fun lab group. Anyway, you can't imagine what it's like until you do it, even if you did peak in the gross lab. There is plenty of time for complete silence at night and on weekends if that's what you need to learn.

 

[hermit]

Fair enough.

 

[Slide]

we were loud. Our group was really fun, and gross lab was the one time during the day that I actually had fun during M1 year. It's hard to understand how necessary it is to laugh and joke around until you're completely miserable, overtaxed, and wallowing in material and tests and the misery that is M1 year. overall, we were probably a louder group, but we got the dissections done, we were very interested in learning the material, but in all honesty, it's a little easier when you allow yourself to have a little fun in the process. I was lucky enough to luck out with a really fun lab group. Anyway, you can't imagine what it's like until you do it, even if you did peak in the gross lab. There is plenty of time for complete silence at night and on weekends if that's what you need to learn.

👍 Hear hear

After you get used to the long hours of anatomy lab, it's actually the part of the day you look forward to, but then again, I'm one of the more gung-ho cutters in my group. This is perhaps the only time where I can study effectively by talking a lot with my friends and colleagues. It's actually pretty social because people will walk around to see what you have and just shoot the **** while they're around you. You also get a deep appreciation of how knowledgeable the professors are (except for one of them that destroys anything he touches). It also provides for much needed socializing time to get to know the people in your class you usually don't talk to in the classroom. I guess I like it mainly because I'm the active learner type that learns anatomy best when I'm wading in a vat of fat digging out structures 😎

 

[coffeebythelake]

Fair enough.

There are four anatomy labs in my school and there is a different atmosphere in every room. Some of the rooms are very laid back; lots of conversation, laughing, joking around. Other rooms are more formal. But in both cases, we always treat the cadavers with respect.

 

[Crazy4F1]

we're pretty loud too. and as much as i really and truly hate anatomy, i still look forward to going to lab.

 

[ZipsPwn]

carrying on and having fun is all part of my group's quirky cohesion which translates directly into efficacy! 👍

it is my belief that you can take something seriously without necessarily keeping a rigid poker face.

 

[Midwest Medic]

We had a lot of fun, but were respectful. Our anatomy professor really came down hard on people who were unrespectful to the donors or were being unprofessional. But we still did have a lot of fun...

 

[sendwich]

i'm actually with a really formal group. no one likes to laugh. when i try to liven it up sometimes, they just stare at me with serious faces and go back to cutting. some people dont know how to have fun!! *shakes head*

 

[Sondra]

The anatomy lab mixes work with socializing. I have such a great time with my group. We do a lot of laughing and joking. I don't look forward to the work, but I look forward to socializing with my partners and talking with other classmates.

 

[ZagDoc]

This week, we were bisecting the whole head to get into the nasal cavity. Well the group next to me got through the ethmoid bone and was working down through the palate when all of a sudden they stop sawing... there stuck on the saw blade were the cadaver's dentures. The saw had hit the dentures and ripped them out of the body's mouth, but they had stayed stuck suspended from the blade as it went back and forth. The group starts hysterically laughing. Everyone turns to see whats going on... and starts hysterially laughing. Easily 2/3 of the room was in tears within moments.

Might be a gotta-be-there thing but the whole atmosphere of our lab is pretty much summed up in that sort of moment.

 

[LadyWolverine]

I had the greatest anatomy lab group ever, but we never screamed and carried on like 6-year old girls. We were too busy cracking up over things like the "facial" nerve.

Sometimes it amazes me that we ever got anything done.

 

[Hurricane95]

Anatomy is hard as it is, and it really helps if you make jokes and liven up the atmosphere (as others have mentioned, while maintaining proper respect for the donors). But keeping respect in mind, we had a lot of fun during lab despite all the hard work. Sure, there are frustrating moments (cleaning out EVERY structure in the hand, for example) and during those times people are more quiet and focused I guess, but at other times (especially during studying in groups for exams) fun is alright.


On a related note, you should have seen the commotion in the room when a penis implant was discovered in one of the bodies...oh man, that was good

 

[MattD]

On a related note, you should have seen the commotion in the room when a penis implant was discovered in one of the bodies...oh man, that was good

Heh, same thing happened in our lab. Except, the group with that cadaver figured out how to pump it up...... Unfortunately, they couldn't figure out how to deflate it, so for about a week their bag had a distinct tent-like appearance 🙂

Gross lab is a surreal experience

 

[njbmd]

Moved to Pre-Allo as this is a pre-med issue. Allopathic medical students read and respond to questions in pre-allo and may follow and respond to this one if desired.

 

[armybound]

 

[hermit]

Moved to Pre-Allo as this is a pre-med issue.

Right. Because premed students are best qualified to comment on the atmosphere in a medical school gross anatomy lab.

 

[etf]

Right. Because premed students are best qualified to comment on the atmosphere in a medical school gross anatomy lab.

lol, really.

 

[MattD]

Right. Because premed students are best qualified to comment on the atmosphere in a medical school gross anatomy lab.

I've noticed recently that some moderators feel that any statement by a pre-med automatically belongs in pre-allo, even if it pertains to allo. My theory is that if the same question and discussion had been initiated by some hypothetical first year who was starting gross anatomy in a month, the thread would have remained.

If it's true that "Allopathic medical students read and respond to questions in pre-allo and may follow and respond to this one if desired," and therefore everything should be asked in pre-allo, then why should there be two separate forums at all? Just lump it all together.

 

[cajunchrisbu]

this sounds like a lot of fun. At one of my interviews as we approached the lab on the tour we heard a student go "their coming...dude shut up...series of hard laughter..." As we walked in everyone was busy working trying to keep a straight face and cut. While we were standing there the girl next to me jumps and flips out because a med student was hiding behind the table and touched her and started talking. She didn't want to go near the cadaver for a few minutes. I lost it seriously, and kinda giggled a bit the rest of the tour every time i looked at her.