Neuro is the bane of my existence.

[nope80]

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Seriously, I have started studying with this topic knowing full well thats its my weakest link. I hated it during the block this year, probably due to the fact that our course was inundated with minutia and random detail that never really came together.

So my question is how picky are the boards with Neuro? What are some really high yield topics? Do they ask questions specifically about the various cranial nerve and sensory/motor pathways or is it more clinical? Basically I am trying to figure out how to study this minimally and most efficiently without wasting all my time getting frustrated with the detail, etc. Any ideas guys?

 

[basupran]

Hmmmm, I remember being really frustrated with neuro until it all made sense...kinda like
'eureka'. I loved it so much that I considered going into neurosurgery for a bit.

Neuro more than other subject relies on fundamentals. Until these fundamentals are mastered, it is near impossible to proceed...much like you need to learn your abc's before learning to read. Once the framework is established, things start to make a bit more sense.

For me, the fundamentals were
1) anatomy of the major neural pathways, where the appropriate decussation points were, and where the synapses were located. I found the haines atlas to be pretty helpful. This was also an excellent resource for me:
http://thalamus.wustl.edu/course/

2) anatomy of cranial nerves + basic neural anatomy

When I took neuro, I found a friend and met up with her to go over the anatomy of the brain... we quizzed each other until we were comfortable.

Good luck nope80 and keep going at it!

 

[ucsfstudents]

All neuro topics mentioned in FA is fair game, so I suggest memorizing it. For topics you just don't get, use Blumenfeld's Neuroanatomy. Neuro is very heavy on pattern recognition, and therefore difficult for Myers-Briggs Sensing types (those who are good are paying attention to and remembering details). It is easiest for Intuitive types (those with the ability to see the big picture and recognize patterns.)

Assuming memorization is a strength for you, and pattern recognition is not, I would approach Neurology with the goal of pure memorization. To learn new concepts, get a real Neuro book, review the topics you're having difficulty with (from beginning to end), and memorize the patterns (rather than recognize the patterns). Memorize what abnormalities go with specific lesions. Memorize, memorize, and memorize some more.

 

[nope80]

Quite the opposite! I can't remember details for the life of me - I always go for the big picture and concepts. Unfortunately I think I get lost in the details of Neuro, that combined with my dislike for the subject and its just a disaster.

To the poster above, that seems like a lot of detail!! FA doesn't doesn't seem like there is enormous detail at all. Granted I haven't annotated any of it..but thats partially because I don't know where to start.

 

[nope80]

For those that have looked at clinical neuroanatomy made ridiculously simple, is that pretty much all high yield? I just looked at it and don't know how in the world I would go about rememorizing all of that info again🙁 🙁 especially with my time crunch.

 

[ucsfstudents]

Oh, forgive me. Thank you for clarifying that you're a pattern recognition/Intuitive. Get the big picture first, then fill in the details, and use mnemonics as a memory aid.

1) Skim FA Neuro section (to get an overview of what you need to know) i.e. the big picture
By FA topics:
Cell Biology: should be easy for you.. mostly conceptual
Sensory corpuscles: you must memorize this. use mnemonics to help.
Any anatomy: review anatomy often - i.e. create flashcards and go over them often
Physiology: usually easy for Intuitives... but use mnemonics for any details that require memorizing
Brachial plexus: Use mnemonics and flashcards that you've created; review often
Nerve injury: first memorize the anatomy (flashcards/review); then reason through the deficits; if all else fails, use mnemonics!
dermatomes: mnemonics/flashcards
Cranial nerves: major mnemonics
Eyes/Ears: flashcards
Reflexes: should be easy for you. See the big picture first, then reason though the pathways
Visual field defects: absolutely use mnenomics, flashcards
Neuro pathology: Use flashcards and mnemonics for all random diseases; for simpler diseases, more straightforward diseases, just review them normally.

Let me know how that sounds.

 

[texasranger2003]

I found clinical neuro rid simple to be a good book for learnign the fundamentals, I also hate neuro and it helped me build a little bit of a foundation and understand the basics. I recommend it as a quick read and spend more time on the sections that you have trouble with, dont try to memorize ridic simple. Once your comfortable, move on to first aid to memorize and refer back to rid simple for clarification and maybe high yield neuro for images. Best of luck.