How to study for neuroanatomy test?

[MissionStanford]

I'm part of an accelerated medical program, and as an undergraduate I'll be taking a neuroanatomy test at medical school (Our program is trying to make sure its students are capable of handling medical school level work, so this test is separate from the rest of our classes, etc.). We were assigned 46 pages of reading (which is what the test will be on), and the test will be 46 days from today. What's the best way to study for this? I was looking through, and some pages have a ridiculous amount of detail. For example, one page has a table with lots of different neurotransmitters, the location of the cell bodies, the main projections, the receptor subtypes and the main actions of each. I don't know if medical schools typically require you to memorize all that much, but if so, how can I remember so much?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Apoplexy__]

Alright, you have 6 weeks. More than enough time. Here's what I would do:
-Have the 46 pages read 2 weeks from now
-Re-read the 46 pages by 4 weeks from now
-5 weeks from now, have a 3rd read completed and take notes on anything you didn't know from reading, as well as the most important minutia
-Cram those notes every other day until the test, looking up anything in the book you don't remember the significance of or need a background explanation for
You do need to know the most important ~10 neurotransmitters cold, you always need to know where cell bodies are, you need to know almost every main projection, and you need to know all the actions of the following receptors:
-Alpha 1 and 2
-Beta 1 and 2
-Muscarinic 1 through 3
-Dopaminergic 1 and 2
-Histaminergic 1 and 2
-Vasopressin 1 and 2
Use Google as needed, typing "usmle" or "med school" at the end of your inquiry to get the high-yield info. Mastery of this information is repetition, repetition, repetition. You won't understand the significance of what you're learning until you get more background, so feel free to brute-force cram facts that have no meaning to you as needed. Best of luck.

 

[Psai]

I would do it by each neurotransmitter
norepinephrine - from the locus ceruleus
dopamine - mesolimbic, mesocortical, tuberoinfundibular, nigrostriatal
whatever it is

start off with the big picture stuff like too much dopamine is associated with psychosis and not enough is parkinson's
then you add the areas you find them in
think about what each area does then what the neurotransmitter's role is
then you can think about where the cell bodies are and the receptor subtypes

 

[bcrocker]

In med school you need to memorize every detail, memorizing it now will make it much easier for you down the road

 

[colbgw02]

1. cut a hole in a box

 

[mcloaf]

We were assigned 46 pages of reading...I don't know if medical schools typically require you to memorize all that much

 

[Chrissisissi]

Did they give you lecture notes? I typically condense our lectures on as few pieces of paper as possible. Copy it on a white board, and erase words to quiz myself. Dr. Najeeb also has a lot of neuro videos.

 

[VisionaryTics]

I don't know if medical schools typically require you to memorize all that much, but if so, how can I remember so much?

Seriously though, repetition.