Upper limbs in Anatomy...HELP!!

[lotanna]

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Anatomy has to be the worst class ever 🙁 I mean I get my Physiology and Biochem but Anatomy has whooped my behind raw 🙁 We started Upper limbs 2days ago and have an exam for it in a week. I'm on the muscles now, how on earth do I study for this stuff, I know its route memorization/repetition, but I cant afford to have this sink my ship, and right now I've to like ace everything to do well in the class.
Seriously though, any tips? my prof supposedly says whats important, but I studied that for my 2nd exam and he didnt even stress his so called important stuff

 

[Discobolus]

You think the upper limb is hard, wait until head and neck!!!

The key is practice questions, practice questions, and more practice questions.

 

[twinklz]

With the forearm its really helpful to think about the location and function of the muscles. They actually make sense as opposed to the random names of some other anatomical terms. Obviously the supinator and the 2 pronators are fairly easy to remember. Figure out whether its on the radial or ulnar side, whether its a flexor or extensor, and there you have about half the muscles!

Also try to remember the exceptions to the rules. Figure out which extensors DON'T have their origin on the lateral epicondyle. Its fewer things to memorize that way. Same thing with innervation. Vast majority of extensors are innervated by radial and flexors by the median...so the only things that don't fit in that category are the flexor carpi ulnaris and half of the flexor digitorum profundus.

Hope that helps.

 

[Puzzlebox]

Hey Lotanna...maybe you know already, but I suggest going to medicalpnemonics.com and do a search for upper extremity....lots of cool mnemonics to help remember ****!
Respect,
Puzzled--one

 

[deaftoan]

if it's any help here are some of the bigger concepts that were stressed for us:

-what the main flexor, supinator, pronator was
-main adductors, abductors etc. make sure you know all the muscles involved in abducting the arm from 0 to 180 degrees. this becomes really easy if you can have a mental picture of where all muscles attach

-brachial plexus (randy travis drinks coors nightly)
-what nerve innervates what compartment (ant. and post. arm and forearm)
-places where nerves are most commonly injured (ie the most common place to injure the ulnar nerve and what muscles that would then effect). also knowing the path of each nerve can help you know where they can be compressed between other structures.
-cutaneous areas supplied by each nerve
-cubital fossa - TAN+V

-branches of the axillary artery and the boundaries of it
-divisions of the venous system

-in the hand, understand the thenar and hypothenar muscles (OAF mnemonic), and the few remaining others such as palmaris brevis, lumbricals and interossei and the action and innervation of them. also 2 major venous arches in the hand.

and of course, exceptions to all the above, such as what muscles the ulnar innervates in the anterior forearm and the one flexor on the lateral epicondyle

this might seem like alot, but just spend a couple hours memorizing all the anatomy words. they seem daunting but aren't bad b/c they are very descriptive of where they attach to or what function they serve. then just try to understand how all these parts work together. in my opinion, it's much more straight forward then some other regions of the body. brs anatomy was very useful to me on this section. good luck!

 

[gatsbyjo]

Discobulus


Where do you locate these practice questions? I need some for anatomy, biochem, and cell/molec

 

[care bear]

Anatomy has to be the worst class ever 🙁 I mean I get my Physiology and Biochem but Anatomy has whooped my behind raw 🙁 We started Upper limbs 2days ago and have an exam for it in a week. I'm on the muscles now, how on earth do I study for this stuff, I know its route memorization/repetition, but I cant afford to have this sink my ship, and right now I've to like ace everything to do well in the class.
Seriously though, any tips? my prof supposedly says whats important, but I studied that for my 2nd exam and he didnt even stress his so called important stuff

just keep studying. i tend to grossly underestimate the hours needed for me to understand something, and then get frustrated. it is NORMAL to spend hours and hours and hours and hours learning the muscles and nerves and arteries and lymphatics and bones and ligaments. don't ever study 'what's important', study it ALL. until you feel like your brain is going to throw up. then, go to sleep 🙂
best wishes

 

[woowoo]

know your nerves backwards and forwards for the upper extremity along with the muscles, their functions. The upper extremity actually makes a lot of sense b/c the names of the muscles are practical and the innervation of them is fairly straightforward i.e. the radial nerve innervates all extensors such as extensor pollicis longus and extensor carpi radialis brevis, etc. Think of it as one big puzzle where you have make one piece fit before you can get the rest of it.

 

[jonb12997]

Compartments!!!

 

[lotanna]

Ok I just spent 4hrs in lab, and met with our weekly schl intensive anatomy study tutoring, and I actually get something it seems. I'm finding a correlation with everything, and not just focusing on one thing as I tend to do, which messed me up with anatomy. My prof is sticking to clinical stuff with this material, so thats great! I'm using BRS Anatomy, in addition to Clinical Anatomy made ridicuously simple, and clinical vignettes. So far, so good. Thanks people, still a week left! One day at a time, this med schl thing is interesting, interesting and crazy! 🙄

@carebear, what is sleep? is it the 2hrs I got last night? or the hopefully 3 I'll get tonight? 🙂

@gatsby, University of Michigan has awesome anatomy stuff!!! http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/

http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/courseinfo/learning_materials.html

 

[prophecy2]

Discobulus


Where do you locate these practice questions? I need some for anatomy, biochem, and cell/molec

Try this website---I used them for the upperlimb practice questions.

http://www.eddev.arizona.edu/courses/anatomy/modules.asp


http://mywebpages.comcast.net/wnor/


Also check out University of Chicago---I think they have some good practice exams.

Good luck

 

[lotanna]

Try this website---I used them for the upperlimb practice questions.

http://www.eddev.arizona.edu/courses/anatomy/modules.asp


http://mywebpages.comcast.net/wnor/


Also check out University of Chicago---I think they have some good practice exams.

Good luck

Thanks!!

 

[ddmo]

Upper limb, how I miss those days... kindergarten compared to head & neck.

However, my H&N exam is tomorrow, so it's going to be a crazy weekend.

p.s., just know the muscle charts forwards and backwards in BRS and be able to draw the brachial plexus and you will be fine.

 

[m1forever]

How does the thorax region compare to the head and neck and upper limbs/back? I've written off head/neck and am just hoping the heart and lungs make more sense. From the note packets I've previewed, it looks like it might.

 

[m1forever]

Anatomy has to be the worst class ever 🙁 I mean I get my Physiology and Biochem but Anatomy has whooped my behind raw 🙁 We started Upper limbs 2days ago and have an exam for it in a week. I'm on the muscles now, how on earth do I study for this stuff, I know its route memorization/repetition, but I cant afford to have this sink my ship, and right now I've to like ace everything to do well in the class.
Seriously though, any tips? my prof supposedly says whats important, but I studied that for my 2nd exam and he didnt even stress his so called important stuff

I'm in the same situation. I'm pretty much giving up on passing gross and concentrating on passing everything else. I'm hoping I will be allowed to take just gross over the summer. I think I could deal with the bs of gross anatomy if that's all I had to do. The problem at our school is that the gross comodule is combined with embryo and histo to give us one big grade. So my gross grade will be so low that I'll probably make a D in everything combined, even though I'm pretty sure I'll make B's in histo and embryo. But hell, either way I'll pass it eventually.

 

[ddmo]

How does the thorax region compare to the head and neck and upper limbs/back? I've written off head/neck and am just hoping the heart and lungs make more sense. From the note packets I've previewed, it looks like it might.

Thorax is much easier just because the structures are HUGE and the spaces are HUGE. It isn't very hard to visualize stuff compared to heand and neck which is like memorizing a ball of string.

 

[shocker]

Head and Neck is kicking my @ss! Can I please do Upper Limb again?

 

[Firebird]

There is no hope for upper limb.



Upper limb was combined with back, verterbral column, weeks 1-3 of embryology, the intro nervous system lectures and a few other things.

The problem with the practical at my school is that you can't touch the structures. This is really important with upper limb so that you can see where things are going. I don't know if that's typical for practicals, though.

 

[Barry Otter]

Much like strippers, we could look at, but couldn't touch, the cadavers during practicals.

There's very little rhyme or sense to anatomy, so you just have to roll with the punches and try to organize the information in as many ways as possible.

 

[PaddyofNine]

Much like strippers, we could look at, but couldn't touch, the cadavers during practicals.

There's very little rhyme or sense to anatomy, so you just have to roll with the punches and try to organize the information in as many ways as possible.

HUH? Seriously? You're not allowed touch the cadavers, much less disect? Why the hell not? It kinda defeats the purpose, no?

If we weren't allowed dissect I dunno why I'd bother with labs: the smell alone would be enough to keep me in bed on a Thursday morning.....

 

[MeowMix]

Upper limb was combined with back, verterbral column, weeks 1-3 of embryology, the intro nervous system lectures and a few other things.

The problem with the practical at my school is that you can't touch the structures. This is really important with upper limb so that you can see where things are going. I don't know if that's typical for practicals, though.

we have the same rule for practicals (note to last poster; during the PRACTICALS, not dissection lab itself!). Our curriculum is similar except that they took mercy on us and moved the first 3 weeks of embryo into a different block.

the worst part of the practical for me was identifying attachments on isolated bone specimens (what attaches to the pink dot?), and structures on cross-sections. Horrible.

 

[gioia]

Hey Lotanna...maybe you know already, but I suggest going to medicalpnemonics.com and do a search for upper extremity....lots of cool mnemonics to help remember ****!
Respect,
Puzzled--one

Hey DR WHO: You get to share that avatar w/ me!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[snapdad]

Try Netter's flash cards too...they helped me a lot. They probably don't cover 100% of the material you'll be tested on, but they should cover most of it, and for me it was easy to figure out what wasn't covered and fill in the blanks.

 

[Sean2tall]

Thorax is much easier just because the structures are HUGE and the spaces are HUGE. It isn't very hard to visualize stuff compared to heand and neck which is like memorizing a ball of string.

I agree. . thorax is so key. I felt like we just opened it up and everything was right in front of you. Abdomen as well. Pelvis gets to be a little intricate and confined again.

We start head and neck next 🙁

 

[divinemsm]

My 2 Cents: " Read " the Netter Atlas like it is the most interesting book you have ever picked up...I always found it HORRENDOUS trying to read the required textbook, much less understanding the spatial relationships based on words...the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve , etc, meant nothing to me until I could see it....I found that if I was able to look at the atlas, I became familiarized with the structures as well as their names...cut down tremendously on what I had to read...Use BRS for actions/innervations, and supplement with whatever materials your professor deems important. Lab becomes so much easier as well, 'cause you know what the hell you are looking for , and where it should generally be...this was helpful for me for all of gross.....good luck !

 

[gioia]

We start head and neck next 🙁

Wow, we just fiished H&N and are now starting TAPP.

 

[Giving My .02]

I would say repetition is the key, and get the stuff down from the start. Go into lab on the off days, and try to get a tutor in the lab. Hope that helps.

 

[Barry Otter]

HUH? Seriously? You're not allowed touch the cadavers, much less disect? Why the hell not? It kinda defeats the purpose, no?

If we weren't allowed dissect I dunno why I'd bother with labs: the smell alone would be enough to keep me in bed on a Thursday morning.....

Hello, my trans-Atlantic colleague. What I meant to say in my broken (American) English was that at our school, we have about 25 cadavers which students dissect in groups of 6. During the practical portion of the anatomy exam (as opposed to the written), students are expected to identify 3-5 parts per cadaver that have been marked. They are allowed to look at, but not touch, those marked parts during exams. They rotate through the cadavers until they've identified about 100 parts altogether.

 

[Gb15000]

I found the Upper Extremity to be trivial compared to Head and Neck. Our practical exam was similar to what Barry Otter described, where touching was not allowed (no cross-sections or specific points of insertion questions on ours though...just 100 straightforward 'what is this?' or 'what innervates this?' questions).

As people have mentioned before, I would know the Brachial Plexus inside and out (as well as what the different branches innervate), as well as some details of where the muscles of the forearm originate (i.e. which muscles originate from the epicondyles as opposed to from the radius/ulna). Basically, familiarize oneself with Netters (which I found to be almost useless when dealing with head and neck).

Thorax and Abdomen (which we are doing right now) seems alright...except I am having some trouble visualizing how some of the various layers develop. Too many bloody fascial layers looping around each other.

Finally, I'll throw in an additional anatomy source from the University of Arkansas, which has a fairly exhaustive series of tables listing muscle actions, insertions, blood supply, innervations etc... All the fun stuff.

 

[trudub]

The only caution about thorax is that at our school we emphasized cross sectional anatomy with CT's in this section which was very difficult. Gross identification of the structures is not difficult at all, in fact it was the easiest section. However, the more important thing is the relations of all the structures to each other. Overall, averages for head and neck were about the same as for thorax and abdomen. So, all I am saying is don't let your guard down during thorax and abdomen.

 

[Dogsnout]

You can't touch the cadaver during practicals b/c if you do, you'll mess up the pinned structure for the person behind you that has the question after you.

HUH? Seriously? You're not allowed touch the cadavers, much less disect? Why the hell not? It kinda defeats the purpose, no?

If we weren't allowed dissect I dunno why I'd bother with labs: the smell alone would be enough to keep me in bed on a Thursday morning.....

 

[chippydoo!!!!!!!!!]

guys I'm sooo scared..am writing my first anatomy exam,upper limb...any help will b greatly appreciated🙂🙂

 

[NontradCA]

guys I'm sooo scared..am writing my first anatomy exam,upper limb...any help will b greatly appreciated🙂🙂

Panic. No seriously, what can you do besides being confident going into the exam?

 

[EMDO2018]

guys I'm sooo scared..am writing my first anatomy exam,upper limb...any help will b greatly appreciated🙂🙂

Kid upper limb is ridiculously easy, chill.

 

[DermViser]

guys I'm sooo scared..am writing my first anatomy exam,upper limb...any help will b greatly appreciated🙂🙂

So scared to bump up a 10 year old thread?

 

[Pacna]

Upper limb, how I miss those days... kindergarten compared to head & neck.

However, my H&N exam is tomorrow, so it's going to be a crazy weekend.

p.s., just know the muscle charts forwards and backwards in BRS and be able to draw the brachial plexus and you will be fine.

We just did H&N, now we're on UL. I must say that if the time allotted was the same, then I'd agree with you, but UL has 8 lectures, most days are 2 anatomy lectures per day, and only 4 labs (MWF, M). A week and a half? Especially with a biochem final and a physiology exam in the middle? Ugh. How I miss you, H&N.

 

[tmn]

We just did H&N, now we're on UL. I must say that if the time allotted was the same, then I'd agree with you, but UL has 8 lectures, most days are 2 anatomy lectures per day, and only 4 labs (MWF, M). A week and a half? Especially with a biochem final and a physiology exam in the middle? Ugh. How I miss you, H&N.

Doubt you'll be hearing from ddmo. I have to agree, Head and Neck makes musculoskeletal (we did UL, LL, and back together in 3 weeks) seem like a walk in the park. Seriously, f*** H&N.