Miserably failed first anatomy exam worth 22% of overall grade - help!!!

[CarlosKleiber]

We had our first gross anatomy exam (weighted to be 22% of our final grade) 2 weeks into the course. The first week was a total write-off because the way I was studying wasn't working - I was trying to do everything asked of me like reading all textbook pages and not focusing - so I retained very little information. Second week was exam week and I was playing catch up - and I was overwhelmed with the amount of material.

I received a 60% for the written part of exam, and 30% for the practical part - for a total grade of 47% for the first anatomy exam. I was so nervous and stressed during the practical part that I had trouble focusing and panicked. I never took anatomy before this course so the cadaver thing was a bit difficult for me. I also didn't spend as much time as I liked in the lab last week because I was playing catch up and simply ran out of time.

Can you all give me some encouragement but also be realistic? Is there a good possibility I can still pass the course? The pass mark is 65% at my school for gross anatomy. Thanks everyone!

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[Arkangeloid]

You're fine brah, I crapped up my first Anatomy exam as well.

Ask your Professor, Dean of Student Affairs, and TAs for additional resources and tutoring. Partner up with other students and go into the lab with them.

 

[CarlosKleiber]

You're fine brah, I crapped up my first Anatomy exam as well.

Ask your Professor, Dean of Student Affairs, and TAs for additional resources and tutoring. Partner up with other students and go into the lab with them.

Thanks - but can you be realistic? People don't do well - but is 47% something people can just bounce back from?

 

[Doctor Bob]

Can you all give me some encouragement but also be realistic? Is there a good possibility I can still pass the course? The pass mark is 65% at my school for gross anatomy. Thanks everyone!

Strictly on a mathematic basis, you need to get better than a 70% on the rest of the exams... that is doable. But fail another exam and the math becomes very difficult. One bad exam is not a pattern; multiple bad exams is a pattern and makes the probability that you will suddenly turn things around very unlikely.

 

[Akali]

Most schools (if not all?) have remediation options for failed courses.

I'm sure there will be a lot of first years (not necessarily you!) that will fail anatomy, but successfully remediate and still be MD's 4 years from now.

Also, when looking for students to study with for practicals, try to find the students who already have a strong anatomy background. And also, obviously, go to lab much more and don't procrastinate on it 🙂

 

[J ROD]

Thanks - but can you be realistic? People don't do well - but is 47% something people can just bounce back from?

I mean you are in a hole but it is not impossible. I know a girl in my class that pulled a low 50 up but we had quizzes too that helped with an ultrasound OSCE that was almost give me pts.

Like the others said, you have to go into the lab and learn all the stuff they want you to know. You cant learn the practical well from a book or online unless you are one of the few. Get into a study group. Mine was with my gross partners and we still are close today. Also, get TAs to work with you and maybe even professors.

Gross A is not some magic. It takes hardwork in the lab (hrs) and then about the same at home to learn all the material. Once you get a process it gets easier but head/neck is still the hardest part and the pelvic region is almost a cluster. It is the major leagues now and you have to adjust and step your game up.

You can usually cycle study the other classes and then stay up on Gross. We had Histo and Biochem and our Intro to Med with Gross.

 

[AlmostAnMD]

You still probably did better than the girl in my class that stopped a quarter of the way through the lab practical, hyperventilated briefly, then vomited and ran out of the room crying

I don't think she did well

EDIT: and she is somehow in my second year class now so I'm guessing she had a power recovery

 

[honeyyygirl]

i would echo Arkangeloid and encourage you to talk to your Dean ASAP and have them pair you with a tutor (usually AOA kids in 4th year who honored the course.)

You need to actively study meaning that you need to be always quizzing yourself to see if you have retained material.

 

[operaman]

You can absolutely turn it around, but obviously with a lot of hard work.

Seconding the advice to reach out for help now. Don't be an idiot and tell yourself you'll reach out for help if the next exam goes badly too. This Monday should be spent meeting with people to set up tutoring and any other help you might need. I've done some one-on-one tutoring for the dean's office for people who needed help and it can be very effective. Most of the time, the people I help end up not needing me anymore once they find a good rhythm; right now it sound like you could benefit from some additional help. Don't be afraid to ask for it. Sooner is better. I can also assure you it won't be the last time in medicine you feel over your head. Learning how to recognize those times and act accordingly is a valuable lesson.

ps - I've always loved Kleiber's recording of the Allegretto from Beethoven's 7th with Vienna. I love to sit right in the sweet spot of a high-end stereo and, thanks to Vienna's seating arrangement, hear the entrance of each section go back and forth from side to side. The Philadelphia Orchestra actually plays that movement from memory in rehearsal whenever a member or former member passes away.

 

[thefritz]

nothing anybody says on the internet is going to be able to help you. Just study more, spending a lot of time after hours in the cadaver lab. You can pretty much guess what they're going to pin. If you know it all you'll be confident.

If you fail, no biggie, your school will let you re-mediate over summer. Stop stressing, get the color atlas of anatomy if you don't already have it, and practice practice practice.