Studying anatomy again

Hey, I really like your blog a lot. I'm still doing my first year. I failed again. This is my 5th trial over all. I feel pretty lost at the moment, I don't know where I'm going wrong. I really love this field but day by day I'm losing my groove and don't even feel like reading the same stuff again. Please do help me out. I want to come out of this mess, so hard for me to motivate myself. I really feel lost. Thanks for your inspiring messages before. God bless you! :)

-Asked by Anonymous

Hey. I can understand that what you are going through must be really tough. Studying for the same subject again and again is really boring and can be frustrating at times. I am so sorry you have to go through this :(

 Alright! So what can we do?

Tip 1: Fake it till you make it.
Pretend you are a super awesome anatomy professor and teach it to yourself after reading.
Write cool things and fun facts about anatomy. Make colorful notes.
Celebrate after every page you read. Be happy while studying.
You have to fake interest in the subject. Because otherwise you won't be able to study for it.

Tip 2: Figure out what went wrong in the previous attempts.
I think you can tell what went wrong. Was there an easy question in your viva that you did not answer? Was there a question with high weight age that you didn't about? Did you mark more than half MCQ's wrong? Did you fail to draw diagrams? Did you forget the answer or did you not know about it? Are you just studying important questions and not reading everything that is supposed to be read? What are your weak points: Neuroanatomy? Abdominal anatomy? Embryology?

Work on it.

Tip 3: Get another book or resource
Maybe your textbook isn't good enough for you any more. Stick to you but get new books just to have a read in other words.
Google for diagrams.
Make mnemonics.
YouTube songs on anatomy. Play them and sing them!
There is a lot of help available, just look for it.

Tip 4: Visualize it
Palpate your brachial artery and tendons while studying. Imagine the muscles in your feet. Visualize how your skull looks like on the inside. Look at diagrams, cadavers and notice the origin and insertion of various muscles. If you can't see it, you won't be able to answer questions related to it.

Tip 5: Live in anatomy
So here's a fun thing you can do. Talk to yourself in anatomy.

Today, when I didn't know the answer to the question, I used my trapezius with my 11th cranial nerve to shrug my shoulders.
To tease my friend, I used Genioglossus to protrude my tongue :P
I used my facial nerve and orbicularis oculi to wink at my girl friend ;)
I am glad I have strong pelvic muscles iliococcygeus and my internal organs aren't prolapsing.

Maybe you could write a "Life in anatomy" diary! xD

Make stupid anatomy jokes. (Soleus has a soul and heart?) Play anatomy games and quizzes.

Have fun with studying, please. But please, study everyday. Make a study plan and study a lil bit of everything. An hour everyday of: Head and neck, limbs, neuroanatomy, embryology, etc. Revise. Revise. Revise. Anatomy is all about memorization and you are likely to forget if you don't revise. Have someone keep a track of your progress. If you can't, email me. I would love to help you out and see you kick anatomy's gluteus maximus this year :D

-IkaN

On 23rd Aug 2016 the person who asked this question messaged me:

Ikaannn... I passsedd! Thank you so much for everything. Really, you helped me so much, IkaN, you have no ideaa. I was so down. You lifted me up and helped me through it. I owe you <3

Sending you big teddy bear hugs :*

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers!

 

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