NO spatial understanding of Gross Anatomy :-(

[AtomKr]

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Getting to medical school, I've discovered that I seem to have NO spatial intelligence, which is really hurting me in anatomy. I can look at the 2-D diagrams in the book and learn those, but when I try and picture all the structures I know in the anatomical position, I can't. Even after dissecting them out, I have trouble imagining how they relate to one another. Cross-sections and radiology killed me on our first exam.

Does anyone else have this problem? Are there any tricks to improving spatial understanding of anatomy? Are there any good 3-D resources I could check into?

 

[dtreese]

Well it's not 3D, but I got the Netter's CD, and you can use it to quiz the hell out of yourself until you know it. If that doesn't help, you could try spending extra hours in the gross lab looking at other bodies. Do you have cross sections in the lab to study? That can help a lot.

 

[azzarah]

I was the same way last year...I practiced with this cross-sectional CD that my school gave us and it really helped. Go to the library and get a cross-sectional book and try to cover the answers and quiz yourself. For me passing anatomy was all about practicing and repeating things 1 million times. Look at some CT scans--that helps too. Be positive! you can do it!

 

[closertofine]

I have this exact problem, too...I've always known that I'm "spatially challenged," as I put it ...couldn't even rotate the molecules in my mind for organic chem. And now it's just gotten kind of ridiculous...with the heart especially, I often find myself just wondering which side of the body I'm on, much less where all the arteries and veins are!

And then there are the CT scans, which we're also supposed to learn to interpret...yikes! A second-year is going to lend me his Netter's flashcards, and I just bought a Rohen's atlas to try to visualize things better...and I do plan on studying a lot (plus my anatomy group is great, and one of my partners helps explain things to me sometimes)...but still, I feel like I'll be lost on the exam.

So you're not the only one! I'll be reading for any more tips that anyone has on how to deal with this.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

And then there are the CT scans, which we're also supposed to learn to interpret...yikes!

Don't worry the vast majority of non surgical clinicians have absolutely no idea what they are looking at on a CT of the body.

 

[lattimer13]

Don't worry the vast majority of non surgical clinicians have absolutely no idea what they are looking at on a CT of the body.

thanks. 👍

 

[itsaliger]

i hear you. i had the same problem. it frustrated me so bad when my boyfriend would look at something and just seem to . . . understand the anatomy. understand the relationships. someone would try to explain things to me and helfway through i'd be like, 'wait, what's under that -- wait. where are we now?' until i wanted to cry.

i don't really have a good answer for you, just wanted to let you know that a) i relate and b) i managed to pass anatomy. the exams actually weren't so terrible for me, but i nearly failed every practical. i should have spent more time going over things in the anatomy lab, but i hated being there so much (because i was so bad at understanding what was going on!) that i just didn't.

i'm still going to have to learn some of this stuff for the boards, but after that, i figure that THAT's what radiologists and surgeons are for!

ps: i plan to go into endocrinology. we don't have to know where anything is other than the thyroid and adrenals 🙂

 

[euromd]

ps: i plan to go into endocrinology. we don't have to know where anything is other than the thyroid and adrenals 🙂

pancreas and pituitary might help just a little too, among other other glands and hormone-producing structures....

 

[spiridon]

I am an MS2 and I had the same problem with anatomy last year. It was very hard in the beginning but then I did quite well. It is always hard to switch to memorizing visual information when all you've been learning so far were verbal concepts, but eventually you'll get used to it.
Some recommendations from my experience:

1. Netter flashcards can be a life-saver, definitely get them. I recommend the Rohen atlas too if you are uncomfortable with the bodies.

2. Become VERY comfortable with your directions: lateral-medial, anterior-posterior, superior-inferior etc. Those are the very essence of anatomy, even though you don't spend much time covering them in class.

3. Don't become brought down by the fact that some of your classmates are very fluent with recognizing structures. Always feel free to stop people in your lab group if they are going too fast and clarify things. Remember, some of them took anatomy before in undergrad and they have some experience with visual learning. "Spacial intelligence" really comes from practice, it's not something you naturally have.

4. Repetition, repetition, repetition!

And remember, anatomy is very hard but it's totally doable if you are willing to invest a good amount of time into it.

 

[SoulRFlare]

Getting to medical school, I've discovered that I seem to have NO spatial intelligence, which is really hurting me in anatomy. I can look at the 2-D diagrams in the book and learn those, but when I try and picture all the structures I know in the anatomical position, I can't. Even after dissecting them out, I have trouble imagining how they relate to one another. Cross-sections and radiology killed me on our first exam.

Does anyone else have this problem? Are there any tricks to improving spatial understanding of anatomy? Are there any good 3-D resources I could check into?

This may not apply directly, but try playing video games a few times a week. Not only do the newer games help you with 3 dimensional orientation, but they will improve your dexterity and hand eye coordination. no joke...i'm sure everyone has read about the study that found that video game playing surgeons having statistically better outcomes.

 

[sobo5]

I hear you guys. I am glad there are others out there like me. I feel like I am so terrible at looking at cadavers; it takes me such a long time to figure out what is what and even then i seem to get it wrong. I just took my first exam and I think I totally bombed the practical. I was starting to consider the worse case scenario of possibly failing the class. I guess I am just going to have to work harder and spend a lot more time looking at different cadavers and more cross sections. Thanks for the suggestions. Hope I do better and pass this freakin gross anatomy!

 

[lattimer13]

pancreas and pituitary might help just a little too, among other other glands and hormone-producing structures....

 

[thackl]

I'm spacially gifted (engineer) and still have to spend time with cross sections. The 2D's are good for building base knowlege, but don't tell the entire story. I'm good at building 3D mental images from descriptions and the clinical correlates in Moore really help with that.

 

[Blade28]

I also had a hard time when I first started med school. No, I didn't have problems with stereochemistry or anything during undergrad o-chem, but there was a HUGE difference (for me, at least) between what anatomy looks like in Netter's, and what it looks like in the actual cadaver.

All I can recommend is: practice, practice, practice. We'd meet in the anatomy lab every Sunday morning to review dissections/prosections. This went on for months, in addition to our usual gross anatomy classes. Review Netter's often, learn the relationships between different structures, and eventually they'll make sense in the real, physical, 3-D world.

Fast-forward to now, I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of it. I'd better hope so, since I just completed my ERAS app and am applying to General Surgery programs. 🙂

 

[bnichols0330]

You guys might also try the Acland video series. It is a video series of dissections of actual cadavers and it actually does an extremely good job of showing the 3-dimensional view of everything. It will basically put you in the pelvis (no jokes here please) and turn you around and let you see all of the structures. It also will show you video of a layer, then remove it and show you what is beneath it. Good luck.

 

[daisygirl]

All of the advice posted so far is really good. If you still find yourself in a rut, try to find out if your anatomy department can hook you up with a second year anatomy tutor. Such a tutor could work one-on-one with you in the lab. If that is not an option, look into whether there are any anatomy phd students at your school. The anatomy phd's are awesome (better than the second year med students since they've been studying this stuff for quite awhile), however, they charge for their services (~30 bucks an hour at my school).

Med school is all about repetition. You can do well if you plant your butt in a chair and study the stuff on a consistent basis. Once you find out what works for you in terms of books/notes/flashcards/insert study source here, you'll do just fine as long as you put the time into learning (mostly memorizing) the material.

 

[!dr_nick!]

Get a copy of an atlas that you dont mind getting dirty. Spend LOTS of time studying the actual bodies. First hand studying of the cadavers is the best thing ive found, at least for me. Also, while you are dissecting, either quiz yourself or have your group members quiz you on what structures are what. Plus, looking at the bodies prepares you for seeing non-idealized structures and potential anomalies.

I think Rohen's (sp) atlas has good photos of bodies as well.

Oh btw, i think the netters cd is WAY better than the flashcards. I have both.

 

[thackl]

Get a copy of an atlas that you dont mind getting dirty. Spend LOTS of time studying the actual bodies. First hand studying of the cadavers is the best thing ive found, at least for me. Also, while you are dissecting, either quiz yourself or have your group members quiz you on what structures are what. Plus, looking at the bodies prepares you for seeing non-idealized structures and potential anomalies.

I think Rohen's (sp) atlas has good photos of bodies as well.

Oh btw, i think the netters cd is WAY better than the flashcards. I have both.

I'll second Rohen's. Netter is a good resource for laying the foundation, then quiz yourself with Rohen.

 

[AtomKr]

This may not apply directly, but try playing video games a few times a week. Not only do the newer games help you with 3 dimensional orientation, but they will improve your dexterity and hand eye coordination. no joke...i'm sure everyone has read about the study that found that video game playing surgeons having statistically better outcomes.

Trust me, hand-eye coordination isn't a problem...I rock at video games! in fact, I had to force myself to put the PS2 up for awhile so I can study anatomy instead...sigh...

 

[AtomKr]

Thanks everyone for your advice...I picked up an atlas w/ real pictures of bodies and I've been in the lab all afternoon and evening today. Here's hoping it works!