MS1 student who is almost done with my 1st week and would just like to say....

[dr seuss]

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Im an MS1 at SLU, and the faculty decided that we wouldn't start with anatomy this year. We instead are starting with metabolism, cell bio, and biostat.

Was anyone else confused by this post?

 

[DrCoffeeBean]

Anatomy rocks. Full stop.😎

 

[welcometomedsch]

Wait til second year starts before you start the freak out

 

[Flapjacks]

Was anyone else confused by this post?

Yes it is strange because Anatomy starts with those things...

 

[OpalOnyx]

One of the most useful courses. Need it to understand what people are talking about on the wards. If you can visualize the structure, where it is, what it's innervated by, what is the normal function... and then what might be wrong with it, explanations from attendings/residents make a lot more sense than if you cannot 😛

 

[Warped Apostle]

I might be in the minority here, but I have really enjoyed anatomy. Its the only class where you can physically see what is being referenced in the book. I also like how there isn't much of a competitive advantage from one major to the next. Everyone starts from ground zero, unlike say a biochemistry class. I also feel like it's a right of passage, similar to pledging a fraternity. Yeah it's tough but everyone before you has done it and if they can do it why can't you. I am enjoying it while I can before someone starts lecturing me for most of the day about amino acids.

 

[thedoctor8706]

I might be in the minority here, but I have really enjoyed anatomy. Its the only class where you can physically see what is being referenced in the book. I also like how there isn't much of a competitive advantage from one major to the next. Everyone starts from ground zero, unlike say a biochemistry class. I also feel like it's a right of passage, similar to pledging a fraternity. Yeah it's tough but everyone before you has done it and if they can do it why can't you. I am enjoying it while I can before someone starts lecturing me for most of the day about amino acids.

I agree with you, I really liked anatomy, especially when compared to classes like biochemistry. Maybe it's the different style of learning attached to either, but I just found anatomy so much easier when I could picture the structures and where they were in relation to other structures. That and our anatomy class was just very well taught.

 

[dhbighit]

Don't worry, its not that important for step 1, no matter what anyone tells you. There may have been 5-7 questions on anatomy, of those you could probably have gotten 3 or 4 of them just from knowing very very basic anatomy, and the other 2 or 3 you probably won't get anyway unless you guess well or are shooting for the 260s. In other words, don't stress it to much, do your best, study hard, learn how to memorize seemingly unrelated facts, and find ways how they do relate (or make up ways for them to relate with mnemonics if you have to). Its the study skills from 1st year anatomy that will really help you with 2nd year & step 1- the most important test you will likely take in medical school.

 

[dhbighit]

One of the most useful courses. Need it to understand what people are talking about on the wards. If you can visualize the structure, where it is, what it's innervated by, what is the normal function... and then what might be wrong with it, explanations from attendings/residents make a lot more sense than if you cannot 😛

I think this is an interesting statement.... not sure if you have been on the wards yet, but 99% of non-surgery attendings/residents have no clue about anything anatomically.

 

[cowme]

I think this is an interesting statement.... not sure if you have been on the wards yet, but 99% of non-surgery attendings/residents have no clue about anything anatomically.

Eh, i'd disagree. Every field knows a great deal about a small subset of anatomy.

Any cards, GI, pulm guy obviously knows the hell out their respective organ system's anatomy. Any neurologist excels at central and peripheral neuroanatomy and innervation schemes.

The only exceptions I would say are psych, derm, and optho.

 

[Dral]

I'm 7 weeks into 3rd year and it is far worse than either first or second year. The hours are bad and having to be so nice and so submissive to attendings and residents with horrible personalities is going to be the toughest part of all of medical training.

Second year is the best year of medical school. People say it's 4th year but I doubt there is any way it's going to top 2nd year.

Fourth year sucks because of that whole interview process/matching thing...the related stress crushes any enjoyment you obtain from having a cool schedule.

I group studying for and taking step 1 with second year which qualifies it as the worst year of med school...er, of my life.

However, I'm going into Derm so maybe that is the confounding factor of stressing over Step 1 and the stressing over interviews during fourth year.

Regardless, everyone gets a bit out of anatomy. Just do your best to keep up and when they tell you to go into the lab once or twice a week on your own time, do it...even better if you meet other people there.

 

[2012mdc]

Fourth year sucks because of that whole interview process/matching thing...the related stress crushes any enjoyment you obtain from having a cool schedule.

I group studying for and taking step 1 with second year which qualifies it as the worst year of med school...er, of my life.

However, I'm going into Derm so maybe that is the confounding factor of stressing over Step 1 and the stressing over interviews during fourth year.

Regardless, everyone gets a bit out of anatomy. Just do your best to keep up and when they tell you to go into the lab once or twice a week on your own time, do it...even better if you meet other people there.

Even with the stress of applying and IV's I rarely hear people say that 4th year sucks. Of course it's stressful at times because it's an important year.

Just a newly minted 4th year but IMO M4>M1>M3>M2.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

Just a newly minted 4th year but IMO M4>M1>M3>M2.

Yep, I agree with this. It's a very expensive, long vacation. Enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[Jolie South]

Even with the stress of applying and IV's I rarely hear people say that 4th year sucks. Of course it's stressful at times because it's an important year.

Just a newly minted 4th year but IMO M4>M1>M3>M2.

6 months of doing nothing? Um, yea, Imma say that MS4 is awesome. I'm pretty excited about interviewing.

 

[2012mdc]

6 months of doing nothing? Um, yea, Imma say that MS4 is awesome. I'm pretty excited about interviewing.

Same here. It's going to kill my bank account because I'm applying all over but getting to see a wide range of programs and cities is going to be fun.

 

[Substance]

it gets worse

This guy is aptly named.

 

[dhbighit]

Eh, i'd disagree. Every field knows a great deal about a small subset of anatomy.

Any cards, GI, pulm guy obviously knows the hell out their respective organ system's anatomy. Any neurologist excels at central and peripheral neuroanatomy and innervation schemes.

The only exceptions I would say are psych, derm, and optho.

Good point, I guess anyone specialized would know there anatomy cold. To be honest I am just basing that statement on my experience in Gen-med, I haven't experienced much in the realm of sub-specialties yet.

 

[bad virus]

First off, congratulations on joining the club. Anatomy isn't that bad when you realize how to deal with it. In reality, it is exactly like that boyfriend who just goes way too fast and thrusts way too deep causing significant dyspareunia. You will soon realize that all your pain originates from the fact that you never were provided enough lube and your poor glands are just not producing it enough. The trick here is that the lube to anatomy are Pretest, Gray's Anatomy Review, and the UMICH questions. When properly lubricated, even that God Damn Loch Ness monster can't come up and sneak up on you and ruin your day by asking for tree fiddy.

Good luck. You will soon realize that the entirety of medical school is a waste of time and that everything your teachers will ever spew out is found in a text book and worded much better. Take it from a guy who is enjoying third year and who only attended literally 47 days of classes during the first two years.

 

[235009]

You will begin to appreciate anatomy for it's straight-forwardness. Memorize important structures, their relationships to other structures, and a few clinical correlates. It does seem overwhelming at first, but it's honestly one of the best classes in MS1 (and most fun).

Just wait until the ****-show that is Pathology, Pharm, and Phys for organ systems where you have no real idea what you need to know.

anatomy is only "straight forward" if you are a memorizing machine who doesn't mind "learning" things in a vacuum. in later classes there are concepts to understand and logical processes to follow while anatomy is most similar to memorizing a map of a very poorly designed city.

Can someone estimate how many anatomical structures there are to memorize in anatomy for the purposes of examination?

my anatomy prof estimated that we learn 3000 new terms in the class

 

[cbrons]

Welcome to med school. Close your eyes, plug you're nose, and lap up as much of what hits you in the face as you can. It does get better, and try to have some fun with it along the way. 🙂

Lol!!!

 

[Lokhtar]

Anatomy was the hardest class of first year, by far. It wasn't even close for me.

 

[notbobtrustme]

pretty sure anatomy has sex with other anatomy classes, making it gay.