Learning innervations and blood supplies

[Caspid]

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Two weeks in, and having never taken it before, anatomy's killing me. I'm using Moore's, Netter's, and Rohen's; I don't find the class notes helpful, they're just a bunch of slides with pictures and labels.

Bones and muscles I can piece together alright, but I'm pretty lost as to how to study the accompanying nerves and vasculature (beyond rote memorization of tables)... how does one get the "big picture" and understand relationships for those?

 

[NickNaylor]

Netter's and drawing schematics of the pathways helped for me. That and following the routes in your cadaver.

 

[swamprat]

Nerves tend to innervate a compartment with some exceptions so like once u know the muscles of the anterior forearm or whatever you can say for the most part they are innervated by nerve x or whatever and just need to memorize the few exceptions. Blood supply is generally the same thing once you know how the vessels bifurcate if its passing in the anterior compartment you prob know it has some branches that supply that muscle.

 

[Ghost22]

Netter's and drawing schematics of the pathways helped for me. That and following the routes in your cadaver.

Seconded on drawing the pathways. Start with the most major blood vessel you're responsible for and work your way down to whatever you're working on. Trying to keep them roughly oriented like they would be in a body is also helpful.

Mnemonics help a lot when vessels tend to branch like crazy in a relatively short area (I'm looking at you Subclavian and Axillary).

 

[CaptainSSO]

Two weeks in, and having never taken it before, anatomy's killing me. I'm using Moore's, Netter's, and Rohen's; I don't find the class notes helpful, they're just a bunch of slides with pictures and labels.

Bones and muscles I can piece together alright, but I'm pretty lost as to how to study the accompanying nerves and vasculature (beyond rote memorization of tables)... how does one get the "big picture" and understand relationships for those?

Go through those tables enough times and you'll get it down.

 

[paul411]

Drawing out schematics works well.

And when you learn muscles, try to memorize their innervation and vascularization.

 

[TallScrubs]

The chest, shoulders, arm, forearm, hand, and back are relatively simple to learn the neurovasculature.

Know the subclavian/axillary/brachial artery (draw the branches) and draw the brachial plexus a few times and you should be golden. Haven't gotten past these regions yet so I can't give you any more advice.

 

[Salient]

Almost the first thing we started with in anatomy was the neck. I'm pretty sure they're just doing it to screw with us.

 

[Caspid]

Yeah, we've been doing the back and neck.

It's a little hard to find plates that do a good job of showing nerves/vasculature alongside muscles, but I'll try drawing the paths and see if I can relate to the stuff I know (I can't stand memorizing tables, but I like drawing 🙂

Thanks all

 

[JOHNNYCAGE]

I find if I am dissecting/learning and come across a random vessel or nerve and try to memorize it as it lies, I forget it very easily and get it confused with others. However, if I trace it back to its source and understand where it came from and why it runs in the place it runs (innervating nearby muscles, its named this because that is where it goes) it makes much more sense to me.

 

[DrFit]

Flashcards.

In the MS1 gross class last year I got a 98 overall in the class last year. Flashcards I designed on flashcardmachine.com worked wonders. I put the pic from netters online atlas, had the origin/insertion/innervation/action/vessel supply on the flashcard. I made them the day or night before lecture. Reviewed them during the lecture (while I recorded the audio) and then went to the lab and found as much as I could. I listened to all the audio on drives to and from work, and reviewed flashcards until I knew them cold. I used a UMSLE review book for general questions where I had to integrate a lot of the info. Also used the umich website for questions, and some other sites. Overall flashcards really worked well for gross, histo, neuro, and embryo for me.

 

[paul411]

DrFit, do you mind sharing those flashcards? Sounds like an awesome resource.

 

[Jack is Back]

Flashcards.

In the MS1 gross class last year I got a 98 overall in the class last year. Flashcards I designed on flashcardmachine.com worked wonders. I put the pic from netters online atlas, had the origin/insertion/innervation/action/vessel supply on the flashcard. I made them the day or night before lecture. Reviewed them during the lecture (while I recorded the audio) and then went to the lab and found as much as I could. I listened to all the audio on drives to and from work, and reviewed flashcards until I knew them cold. I used a UMSLE review book for general questions where I had to integrate a lot of the info. Also used the umich website for questions, and some other sites. Overall flashcards really worked well for gross, histo, neuro, and embryo for me.

I think making flashcards takes a lot of time.

In the same amount of time, you could go over the material a few more times.

IMO, your success came from your time, effort, and focus more than the method of using flashcards.

I think the key is:

• Find your learning preference (visualizing, drawing, auditory, etc)
• Repetition - (5 times fast, spaced repetition is better than 2 times really slow. Your brain needs spaced practice accessing the neurons holding the memories)
• Make sure you are using a quiz, recall method.
  
  You don't need flashcards but they can help here. Another method is just being able to recite an entire page of notes or a few ppt slides like you are lecturing it, rather than spending time making study materials. Or buy Netter's flashcards. Making study materials is slow and won't be a skill you can use efficiently your entire career.

If you add in multiple senses you have more opportunity to recover the memories.

I think as students or human beings, we think there is some special method or tool out there. Just any good resource that you master really well will get you to the finish line... i.e. Netter's flash cards could get you there or just the atlas.

 

[Shadowmoses]

I'm doing head and neck anatomy now, its a pain. I made a flowchart of the innervation and blood supplys, and everyday I just try to redraw the flowcharts from memory, if I forget I look it up.

For an artery like the external carotid or maxilla which has lots of branches, I make up mnemonics which are pretty stupid but they make sense enough for me.

 

[Suncrusher]

@ jack is back: but if you can get other people to loan you their pre-made flashcards...

 

[Jack is Back]

@ jack is back: but if you can get other people to loan you their pre-made flashcards...

Agreed 100%. Flashcards are amazing IF you don't have to make them, just like learning maps.

 

[swamprat]

Agreed 100%. Flashcards are amazing IF you don't have to make them, just like learning maps.

Yeah but to be honest Netter's flashcards were only good for the beginning getting some of the nomenclature in your head... the class had a lot more material tested then the 70 or so cards in head/neck etc. Yeah it covered most of the muscles.. sometimes in groups but there were always things left out.

 

[DrFit]

DrFit, do you mind sharing those flashcards? Sounds like an awesome resource.

Yes. PM me and I'll see what I can do. I was limited on space so I might have deleted some...It was last fall so I'm not sure if I still have them all on there or if all the pics are still attached due to the size.

FWIW- it only took me about an hour to do a set of flashcards for each section in the syllabus. I could easily make all the flashcards for the entire course in a weekend and still get out to the bar if I wanted and grab a workout too. Not very time consuming at all. Typing= much faster than scribbling.

 

[Jack is Back]

Yes. PM me and I'll see what I can do. I was limited on space so I might have deleted some...It was last fall so I'm not sure if I still have them all on there or if all the pics are still attached due to the size.

FWIW- it only took me about an hour to do a set of flashcards for each section in the syllabus. I could easily make all the flashcards for the entire course in a weekend and still get out to the bar if I wanted and grab a workout too. Not very time consuming at all. Typing= much faster than scribbling.

I always find it funny how SDN always relates efficiency with how many times a week you can go to the bar.

 

[DrFit]

I always find it funny how SDN always relates efficiency with how many times a week you can go to the bar.

Absolutely. I figured it was a practical metric because most on here probably can relate. To be honest I rarely make it to the bar unless I'm out of town and not working. 🙂