Hypothetical: How would you get 100% on a difficult anatomy class?

[zaztong]

As title, just curious, not going to attempt it since it would be a massive drain on time.

This includes practical and written portions.

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[The Knife & Gun Club]

It would involve inventing a time machine in order to first pursue a PhD in anatomy IMO.

Obviously that's hyperbole but I don't believe there are enough hours in the day/week/month to be able to learn cold everything the professor is going to teach you.

Especially on the practical where he can dissect out something you've never seen before. You can memorize every slide and netters image to death but none of that can completely eliminate the possibility that you'll see something you've never seen before on the test

 

[Kazaki]

There isn't enough time to master anatomy in medical school. What I did was learn the anatomy in the lab, read over Moore's ONCE! and only ONCE! Then review clinical anatomy.

 

[Azete]

As title, just curious, not going to attempt it since it would be a massive drain on time.

This includes practical and written portions.

I've gotten a few 100s every now and then (not in Anatomy), but they're more about luck than anything else. Sometimes I've put in more time, and had more knowledge, for exams I scored in the low 80s than I did for exams I scored 100 on.

Even if you put all your time and effort into mastering 100% of the material for Anatomy (for me this would mean failing other classes to do so), there still exists the possibility that your professor will test you on something that wasn't covered in the material. Which, for us, has been happening with annoying frequency lately.

 

[Ismet]

For practicals - going to lab every day (or whenever lab is scheduled) and participating in dissection. Going to different tables and identifying the structures there too. Dissect it yourself (or be there with your labmate while they're dissecting it) and identify it as you go.

 

[Anicetus]

I've gotten a few 100s every now and then (not in Anatomy), but they're more about luck than anything else. Sometimes I've put in more time, and had more knowledge, for exams I scored in the low 80s than I did for exams I scored 100 on.

Even if you put all your time and effort into mastering 100% of the material for Anatomy (for me this would mean failing other classes to do so), there still exists the possibility that your professor will test you on something that wasn't covered in the material. Which, for us, has been happening with annoying frequency lately.

I observed this too personally which is why I just say to try your hardest possible on every exam. Going hard on all exams still puts my range mostly between 80%-95%. Obviously you feel like crap if you try everything you could but end up with an 80% but that's life.

 

[Fenixak]

Go to MUSC

 

[Azete]

I observed this too personally which is why I just say to try your hardest possible on every exam. Going hard on all exams still puts my range mostly between 80%-95%. Obviously you feel like crap if you try everything you could but end up with an 80% but that's life.

My philosophy is to try as hard as I can without sacrificing my health. So I prioritize sleep, eating well, and exercise -- whatever time remains I put into class, and if that's not good enough then so be it.

 

[mcworbust]

As title, just curious, not going to attempt it since it would be a massive drain on time.

This includes practical and written portions.

Written portion always dragged me down, but got 100s or close on my practicals back in the day. I'd say try and do as much of the dissection yourself, take the lead at your station, and teach everyone else in your group the anatomy. Also go around and ID the anatomy at as many other tables as you can during lab and especially before test - I think my practical exams were the last exam in a week long exam block, so I would stay in the lab till midnight (actually more like 3am) the night before the test just going thru as much as I could at each cadaver so I saw the anatomy in each cadaver right before the test and during the test I didn't really have to think but instead just reacted. This worked so well that for our thorax/abdomen exam I answered all the structures that were tagged for my group AND for fun (cuz I had a lot of time left) wrote down what the tags were on for the other group (there were always 2 tags on each cadaver). Caveat to this is I only was comfortable having slightly less sleep the night before this test as it was the only test that day and it was the last test of the block usually, otherwise it would be epic-ly stupid to do this.

Also helps to have a fair and awesome anatomy instructor and a good practice practical exam organized by tutors at your school. best of luck.

 

[Goro]

Do something radical like, ......oh, I don't know.....study? I have students who manage to do this. You get out of med school what you put into it.

That said, you don't need to get a 100%. Give me an 85 and you'll do fine.

As title, just curious, not going to attempt it since it would be a massive drain on time.

This includes practical and written portions.

 

[Azete]

Do something radical like, ......oh, I don't know.....study? I have students who manage to do this. You get out of med school what you put into it.

That said, you don't need to get a 100%. Give me an 85 and you'll do fine.

Unfortunately a lot of this is dependent on the professor. You would think in med school tests would be more about testing the material and less about intentionally trying to trick the class to lower averages, but I guess some teachers get upset when everybody skips class and the average is too high.

Actual (paraphrased) anatomy question from our written exam:

What muscle is this?
A) iliococcygeus
B) illiococcygeus
C) illiococygeus
D) iliococcygeous
E) illiococcygous

 

[mcworbust]

Unfortunately a lot of this is dependent on the professor. You would think in med school tests would be more about testing the material and less about intentionally trying to trick the class to lower averages, but I guess some teachers get upset when everybody skips class and the average is too high.

Actual (paraphrased) anatomy question from our written exam:

What muscle is this?
A) iliococcygeus
B) illiococcygeus
C) illiococygeus
D) iliococcygeous
E) illiococcygous

That's the stupidest question I've ever seen, and it will not help you become a better physician. At a minimum it should be thrown out or all answers accepted. I would complain to the prof and then, if not satisfied, to the dean for curriculum/education, and (unless the prof brings in tons of $$$ for research) either the question writing needs to change or your school needs a new anatomy prof. This wouldn't be tolerated at my school by the students or leadership. You have 3 options: 1) take action, 2) stop complaining and memorize or 3) accept your losses and move on; I'd choose the first option. You're paying too much money to tolerate this ****.

 

[Goro]

Sometimes I write exam questions like that, but I am nowhere near as devious as your professor. Thus you have my sympathies.

Unfortunately a lot of this is dependent on the professor. You would think in med school tests would be more about testing the material and less about intentionally trying to trick the class to lower averages, but I guess some teachers get upset when everybody skips class and the average is too high.

Actual (paraphrased) anatomy question from our written exam:

What muscle is this?
A) iliococcygeus
B) illiococcygeus
C) illiococygeus
D) iliococcygeous
E) illiococcygous

 

[Ismet]

Unfortunately a lot of this is dependent on the professor. You would think in med school tests would be more about testing the material and less about intentionally trying to trick the class to lower averages, but I guess some teachers get upset when everybody skips class and the average is too high.

Actual (paraphrased) anatomy question from our written exam:

What muscle is this?
A) iliococcygeus
B) illiococcygeus
C) illiococygeus
D) iliococcygeous
E) illiococcygous

You need a better professor.

 

[JB50]

Hey guys, just curious. Did any of you take anatomy with or without a cadaver in undergrad?

 

[DNC127]

Done it. I studied. A lot!

 

[zaztong]

Do something radical like, ......oh, I don't know.....study? I have students who manage to do this. You get out of med school what you put into it.

That said, you don't need to get a 100%. Give me an 85 and you'll do fine.

Not to sound rude(difficult electronically), but the question "how to" and "hypothetical" was not answered, and I fully am aware I do not need 100% and I wouldn't ever attempt it due to time, just wondering how would one would approach such a caveat in the least amount of time possible. Is it truly meaningless to ask how?

 

[Goro]

No, it's a good question. But you'll never get a definite answer because there are so many different study styles, especially for a brute memory subject like Anatomy.

Not to sound rude(difficult electronically), but the question "how to" and "hypothetical" was not answered, and I fully am aware I do not need 100% and I wouldn't ever attempt it due to time, just wondering how would one would approach such a caveat in the least amount of time possible. Is it truly meaningless to ask how?

 

[MSTPlease]

Did any of you take anatomy with or without a cadaver in undergrad?

I took an evolutionary biology class that required dissecting multiple vertebrates and knowing their anatomy. Obviously not 100% overlap with human but it was definitely helpful.

 

[coldcase331]

Not to sound rude(difficult electronically), but the question "how to" and "hypothetical" was not answered, and I fully am aware I do not need 100% and I wouldn't ever attempt it due to time, just wondering how would one would approach such a caveat in the least amount of time possible. Is it truly meaningless to ask how?

I wouldn't focus on getting 100% on exams to be honest. The reality is that if you want to do so, it will require use of short term memory in some capacity. It would be better if you were to focus on an approach that focuses on long term retention, even if that means you score an 85.


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[JB50]

I took an evolutionary biology class that required dissecting multiple vertebrates and knowing their anatomy. Obviously not 100% overlap with human but it was definitely helpful.

I was able to take anatomy with a cadaver at my undergrad and one of my fellow interviewees about fell over. I'm thankful for it though. Got me used to formaldehyde and the sight of it all.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I dunno the vast majority of anatomy seems all but useless clinically for the non-surgeon. If you aren't interested in surgery and the class is pass fail then I say just get a C and move on.