Life-Size skeleton for studying--helpful?

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avatarftw

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Just curious if anybody has a life-size (well, like 4-5.5 feet tall) skeleton to help them study all the bodies' nooks and crannies. When I interviewed for med school, the medical student that I stayed with had one. Does anybody have one? If so, what is the best value skeleton? The one I'm looking at is about 200 dollars before shipping and is 5'5" tall. I'm not looking for the deluxe version but one that's a little cheaper.

Or is it a waste of money? Thanks.


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i dunno, it seems like a lot of money for only being able to learn the skeleton from it..going to lab after hours to study your cadaver seems way more useful since you can see relations to other tissues and stuff..and its free (ha, well, included in tuition at least =D)
 
A lot of schools will allow you to borrow a bone set for your personal study. Theres also likely to be several fully assembled skeletons in your anatomy lab.
I wouldnt spend any money on something that you use for a small portion of 1 course.
 
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A lot of schools will allow you to borrow a bone set for your personal study. Theres also likely to be several fully assembled skeletons in your anatomy lab.
I wouldnt spend any money on something that you use for a small portion of 1 course.

Yeah, my school did give us a 'bone box' to use during anatomy. The bones themselves are really the easiest part of anatomy, so I didn't use it much until we got to our 'head and neck' section. The skull was really helpful for really picturing the different foramen through which the cranial nerves exit, it was helpful for making sure i understood the pathways of the parasymp nerves and all that other junk.

maybe the feet also is one other time i used the bones.
 
That's a lot of money. Netters and Rohen's together will be more than enough for you to study from, and probably costs a little less.
 
We got a skull and bone box to study from and you will should have 24 hour access to the lab. It's not worth it. Plus, most of our exams were on the cadaver. good luck
 
Yeah, I know. I actually have both Netter and Rohen (even an old, cheap version of Grant's for extra measure) but the skeleton just seems so COOL! It would be ballerific to have one in your house. Me thinks.

That's a lot of money. Netters and Rohen's together will be more than enough for you to study from, and probably costs a little less.
 
unless you're using it as a conversation piece or to coordinate your outfits, it's probably fairly useless considering the other resources you'll have available
 
Yeah, I know. I actually have both Netter and Rohen (even an old, cheap version of Grant's for extra measure) but the skeleton just seems so COOL! It would be ballerific to have one in your house. Me thinks.

Ballers don't order dummied-down plastic skeletons off Amazon.
 
Ballers don't order dummied-down plastic skeletons off Amazon.

:D:thumbup:

I agree w/ the posts above. The skeleton will be nothing compared to the resources you will have at hand. We got a bone box, a separate skull box, and 24/7 access to the lab. That was more than enough. At that point, if you're not doing well, it's not because of lack of resources - it's because you're doing something wrong.
 
Dude, that's a complete waste of money. It might give you a good idea of how it articulates but any school worth its salt has bone boxes/sets... that's really all you need, and maybe if the school has a fully articulated skeleton somewhere too (which they usually have).

Either way anatomy is a LOT more than bones and joints. The names and structures are the bare minimum of what you need to know. You'll need to know where the muscles attach, where the nerves/vessels run, what is beneath which intercostal space, etc--and if you're taking the NBME exam it's not even huge on that unless it's clinically relevant.
 
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I wouldn't spend the money on it. My school had at least 20 fully assembled skeleton models in our lab to use with 24/7 access. We had bone boxes in there as well and also could check bones/skeletons out and use them from a resource center in t he library- we weren't allowed to bring them home but it wasn't that big of a deal. I promise you that you will want to spend more time with the actual cadaver (a lab exam with 60-70 questions usually only had 5 or less questions on the skeleton/bones with exception of head and neck foramen).
 
$200 is a waste of money. Stick to Netters (may be Rohen's for dissections) and your lab resources (they should provide you with a skull/bone box which is more than enough.)
 
Save the money and buy good scrubs for yourself when you do hospital rotations (that's if the hospital lets you wear your own scrubs instead of a uniform). You'll also want to use that money inviting residents for breakfast when you rotate (far more useful in the long run instead of buying a skeleton that will only be useful for 1-2 months of one course of your med school education).

I'd rather buy an ophthalmoscope with that cash. Now that's something you'll actually use in the real world.


Another fine WTF moment sponsored by vasca.
 
Yes, your lab may be open 24/7. However, not ALL labs are open all day and night. Like mine, for example. It would be more convenient not having to go to the lab at certain hours since it takes some time to commute to school. But since the unit is only two weeks, I'll hold off on buying it. I just thought that it would be cool.

:D:thumbup:
I agree w/ the posts above. The skeleton will be nothing compared to the resources you will have at hand. We got a bone box, a separate skull box, and 24/7 access to the lab. That was more than enough. At that point, if you're not doing well, it's not because of lack of resources - it's because you're doing something wrong.
 
Yes, your lab may be open 24/7. However, not ALL labs are open all day and night. Like mine, for example. It would be more convenient not having to go to the lab at certain hours since it takes some time to commute to school. But since the unit is only two weeks, I'll hold off on buying it. I just thought that it would be cool.

If you wanna buy it because it's cool - that's a totally different reason and topic. If you wanna buy it because you think it will help you with the material, then even if your lab is open only a few hours a day, it would still be a bad decision. You won't find anyone who is more 3-D ******ed than I am. I had the worst time in anatomy because I couldn't visualize for crap. I still did just fine with rohen+netters.

$200 is a lot of beer (or whatever it is that you're into).
 
Not it med school but I have one and I use it to scare people who come over :D

I also have a jiujitsu dummy which I use for a similar purpose
 
Save the money and buy good scrubs for yourself when you do hospital rotations (that's if the hospital lets you wear your own scrubs instead of a uniform). You'll also want to use that money inviting residents for breakfast when you rotate (far more useful in the long run instead of buying a skeleton that will only be useful for 1-2 months of one course of your med school education).

I'd rather buy an ophthalmoscope with that cash. Now that's something you'll actually use in the real world.
Just about every post you make has some kind of ridiculous recommendation that the OP should never follow. Pre-meds/M1s - don't do any of those things.
 
Just looked at Vasca's history, and it seems that every single post is written assuming that SDN is in mexico. :confused::confused:

There's a current thread where someone is asking about which medical groups to join, and Vasca's response was:

I'd consider joining the mexican GP organization "Medicina del primer contacto" since I've done several curriculuma gaining activities. However, I'm not a member.

I'm confused by every single one of his/her posts. Also, s/he never responds to people who are like "wtf". I wonder if s/he knows we're all in the U.S.:confused::confused:
 
Just looked at Vasca's history, and it seems that every single post is written assuming that SDN is in mexico. :confused::confused:

There's a current thread where someone is asking about which medical groups to join, and Vasca's response was:



I'm confused by every single one of his/her posts. Also, s/he never responds to people who are like "wtf". I wonder if s/he knows we're all in the U.S.:confused::confused:

Vasca is Fidel Castro. We sorted that out a while ago.
 
So, is this a general consensus of "no"?
 
Save the money and buy good scrubs for yourself when you do hospital rotations (that's if the hospital lets you wear your own scrubs instead of a uniform). You'll also want to use that money inviting residents for breakfast when you rotate (far more useful in the long run instead of buying a skeleton that will only be useful for 1-2 months of one course of your med school education).

I'd rather buy an ophthalmoscope with that cash. Now that's something you'll actually use in the real world.

What drugs are you on, exactly?
 
Save the money and buy good scrubs for yourself when you do hospital rotations (that's if the hospital lets you wear your own scrubs instead of a uniform). You'll also want to use that money inviting residents for breakfast when you rotate (far more useful in the long run instead of buying a skeleton that will only be useful for 1-2 months of one course of your med school education).

I'd rather buy an ophthalmoscope with that cash. Now that's something you'll actually use in the real world.

<sigh> Just so the pre-meds reading this don't do something stupid and rush out and buy scrubs for themselves, or stock up on IHOP gift cards....

- In US hospitals, scrubs are provided to all medical students rotating, either from the hospital laundry or from scrub machines that dispense scrubs. In any case, the chances that you will have to BUY your own scrubs as a med student are really really really low.

- Again, in most US hospitals, residents are provided with meal tickets/cards AND are getting a salary. There is no earthly reason for the med student, who is PAYING to be there, to shell out and buy bagels for everyone.

I mean, if your hobby is baking elaborate danishes on the weekend, then by all means, bring your leftovers in. But don't run out to Dunkin Donuts and pick up a dozen bagels for rounds or something.

- Most people will rarely use an ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmologists almost never use one - I had an optho attending tell me, last week, point blank, that he NEVER uses the direct ophthalmoscope. The main places you need one are in the clinic or in the ER, and both of those places have ophthalmoscopes hanging on the wall.

So, to review:

- Don't buy the skeleton.
- Don't buy scrubs.
- Don't buy your residents breakfast.
- Don't buy an ophthalmoscope.

Save your $200 for something like, say, food, or rent, or even just leave it in the bank and save it for UWorld when you're about to take Step 1. But definitely don't buy the skeleton.
 
I bought like $12 scrubs from amazon for anatomy because I didn't want to ever wear those again, but don't buy scrubs for any other reason. But I second everything above.
 
I'd buy one only if you have a long commute to school and there is a HOV carpool lane that you could use along the way.
 
I guess I never really was going to buy it; I just thought (and continue thinking so) that it would be nice to have a skeleton.

<sigh> Just so the pre-meds reading this don't do something stupid and rush out and buy scrubs for themselves, or stock up on IHOP gift cards....

- In US hospitals, scrubs are provided to all medical students rotating, either from the hospital laundry or from scrub machines that dispense scrubs. In any case, the chances that you will have to BUY your own scrubs as a med student are really really really low.

- Again, in most US hospitals, residents are provided with meal tickets/cards AND are getting a salary. There is no earthly reason for the med student, who is PAYING to be there, to shell out and buy bagels for everyone.

I mean, if your hobby is baking elaborate danishes on the weekend, then by all means, bring your leftovers in. But don't run out to Dunkin Donuts and pick up a dozen bagels for rounds or something.

- Most people will rarely use an ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmologists almost never use one - I had an optho attending tell me, last week, point blank, that he NEVER uses the direct ophthalmoscope. The main places you need one are in the clinic or in the ER, and both of those places have ophthalmoscopes hanging on the wall.

So, to review:

- Don't buy the skeleton.
- Don't buy scrubs.
- Don't buy your residents breakfast.
- Don't buy an ophthalmoscope.

Save your $200 for something like, say, food, or rent, or even just leave it in the bank and save it for UWorld when you're about to take Step 1. But definitely don't buy the skeleton.
 
$200 buys a whole lot of beer and coffee. You know the right decision.


Or is this really for some Halloween party you're trying to give a justice of a purchase??

Honestly: You pay a lot of cash to utilize the resources the school has to offer.
 
I bought like $12 scrubs from amazon for anatomy because I didn't want to ever wear those again, but don't buy scrubs for any other reason. But I second everything above.
Just utilize some old t shirt and sweat pants to save those 12 dollars
 
<sigh> Just so the pre-meds reading this don't do something stupid and rush out and buy scrubs for themselves, or stock up on IHOP gift cards....

- In US hospitals, scrubs are provided to all medical students rotating, either from the hospital laundry or from scrub machines that dispense scrubs. In any case, the chances that you will have to BUY your own scrubs as a med student are really really really low.

- Again, in most US hospitals, residents are provided with meal tickets/cards AND are getting a salary. There is no earthly reason for the med student, who is PAYING to be there, to shell out and buy bagels for everyone.

I mean, if your hobby is baking elaborate danishes on the weekend, then by all means, bring your leftovers in. But don't run out to Dunkin Donuts and pick up a dozen bagels for rounds or something.

- Most people will rarely use an ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmologists almost never use one - I had an optho attending tell me, last week, point blank, that he NEVER uses the direct ophthalmoscope. The main places you need one are in the clinic or in the ER, and both of those places have ophthalmoscopes hanging on the wall.

So, to review:

- Don't buy the skeleton.
- Don't buy scrubs.
- Don't buy your residents breakfast.
- Don't buy an ophthalmoscope.

Save your $200 for something like, say, food, or rent, or even just leave it in the bank and save it for UWorld when you're about to take Step 1. But definitely don't buy the skeleton.

:thumbup:

I personally bought my own scrubs for preclinical years and a stethoscope, but that's it. Also while the Panoptic Welch-Allyn ophthalmoscopes are nice and work pretty well they're a MASSIVE waste of money unless you're gung ho on becoming an ophthalmologist (and if you don't become one, well, sucks). I know that W-A does go to some places during student orientations and tries to hawk their merchandise to gullible first years, so please please please DON'T do this.
 
Sure, why not? You can just sell it back for the same price if not a profit. But I'd rather have just a skull, for the foramina, etc.
 
A cheaper option would be to get a 3D anatomy software. I used visiblebody. You can access a free trial to see if you like it. From what I remember it was like $15/semester if you're a student.
 
um, i would use the $200 to buy a portable xray machine built into my sunglasses.

...007
 
I'd buy one only if you have a long commute to school and there is a HOV carpool lane that you could use along the way.

best reason for the skeleton. think I'll just get one for that purpose.
 
Didn't need one. Feelin up the one in labs was good enough for me.
 
We got 2 sets of brand new scrubs the first day of anatomy, and when they were dirty you could take them to the hospital laundry room and exchange it for a fresh pair. Of course, you could also wash them yourselves, but since I didn't want to take home anything from anatomy lab, or God forbid wash these scrubs in the machine where I wash my regular clothes, I just exchanged them for a clean pair before every class.
As for the skeleton, absolute waste of money to get one. If you want one to be cool, get a skeleton key chain.
 
asdf
 
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damn you guys get free scrubs? my school requires us to buy a set for lab...:thumbdown:

Yeah I've never gotten free scrubs. For anatomy lab they made us wear one of those surgical smocks if you didn't have anything, and gave you a lab coat.
 
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