The Human Body

Sally21

Sally21

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Do they really expect us to learn the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal system, musculoskeletsl system, ect. In a week! What are the most efficient study techniques you used to learn these different systems. How are the human body questions laid out on the actual state exam?
 
Make copies of your blank diagrams and practice filling them out. Straight memorization. You are probably familiar with more of the terms than you think.

There aren't any questions on just straight anatomy on the test, but the correct terms will be used in all the scenario questions (which is the majority of questions), so if you don't understand where they're saying the patient's pain or injury is, you won't be able to answer the questions.
 
If you're in Basic, you won't be going in that much depth. Memorization and repetition will be your best bet for a short timeframe. Go over it in your head throughout the day- you already walk around with a blank diagram all day, every day.
 
Sally21 said:
Do they really expect us to learn the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal system, musculoskeletsl system, ect. In a week! What are the most efficient study techniques you used to learn these different systems. How are the human body questions laid out on the actual state exam?
Click to expand...

The questions are rarely as straightforward as, "which bones are in the distal arm?"

You are more likely to see something like:

"You've been dispatched to an 18 year old male involved in a moderate speed single car motor vehicle collision versus a tree. We was unrestrained, but not ejected. He is alert and complaining of sharp left upper quadrant pain. Which organ is most likely injured?

A. Heart
B. Spleen
C. Liver
D. Gallbladder"
 
Oh okay. Well I guess just going over each system everday with flash cards and pictures is my best beat.

I'm actually on that part in the book about the abdomen quadrants and I would say the spleen. The heart would be in the chest cavity. Liver and gallbladder are in the right quadrant.
 
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See, you probably already know more than you realize. Keep up the work.
 
The anatomy chapter is one of the few chapters you really get bombarded with vocabulary.
 
Sally21 said:
Oh okay. Well I guess just going over each system everday with flash cards and pictures is my best beat.

I'm actually on that part in the book about the abdomen quadrants and I would say the spleen. The heart would be in the chest cavity. Liver and gallbladder are in the right quadrant.
Click to expand...

I ask my students to draw the four quadrants and label the organs in each one. If you can do that from memory (alos for the thorax, retroperitoneum, etc) you'll be ok!
 
Christopher said:
I ask my students to draw the four quadrants and label the organs in each one. If you can do that from memory (alos for the thorax, retroperitoneum, etc) you'll be ok!
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That's an excellent suggestion. Thank you! What other parts of anatomy do you have them do the same on? Tibia, fibula, etc.?
 
rails said:
That's an excellent suggestion. Thank you! What other parts of anatomy do you have them do the same on? Tibia, fibula, etc.?
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Bones I expect them to know where they all are, less so for the bones of the hands and feet, and the extensive number in the skull.

Basically I expect them to not sound bumbling when they encounter an injury, but I don't expect them to be an orthopedist either. They could memorize it all, but realistically its not necessarily that important.
 
Christopher said:
I ask my students to draw the four quadrants and label the organs in each one. If you can do that from memory (alos for the thorax, retroperitoneum, etc) you'll be ok!
Click to expand...

That's an great idea. Thanks! Any advice for the rest of the systems? (Skeletal, circulatory,respiratory, nervous, digestive, basically the whole body Lol)
 
Active vs. passive studying. Use the above mentioned techniques and repetition.
 
Draw organs on your torso. But erase them before the test!
 
Christopher said:
I ask my students to draw the four quadrants and label the organs in each one. If you can do that from memory (alos for the thorax, retroperitoneum, etc) you'll be ok!
Click to expand...

Drawing is the best way to study anatomy, IMO. I have a really hard time with rote memorization, but if I can find a way to diagram something and draw it a bunch of times it helps a lot.

mycrofft said:
Draw organs on your torso. But erase them before the test!
Click to expand...

I drew the nerves of the brachial plexus and lumbosacral plexus on my legs and arms with a sharpie a few days prior to an anatomy exam back in my first semester of anesthesia school.

I actually couldn't get it off......I had to wear pants and long sleeves to the exam.
 
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Halothane said:
<snip>
I drew the nerves of the brachial plexus and lumbosacral plexus on my legs and arms with a sharpie a few days prior to an anatomy exam back in my first semester of anesthesia school.

I actually couldn't get it off......I had to wear pants and long sleeves to the exam.
Click to expand...

This is a really good example of active studying. Halothane clearly determined what area was weaker in terms of knowledge, and found a way to study that area. It's also a funny story. :D
 
As part of my pre-EMT school program, I'm learning anatomy now. I agree, it sucks, but it's stuff we have to know. I'm just tired of all these pop quizzes!
 
Mthom said:
As part of my pre-EMT school program, I'm learning anatomy now. I agree, it sucks, but it's stuff we have to know. I'm just tired of all these pop quizzes!
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They're the best way to really know if you got it covered. I try and give pop quizzes whenever I can.
 
Mthom said:
As part of my pre-EMT school program, I'm learning anatomy now. I agree, it sucks, but it's stuff we have to know. I'm just tired of all these pop quizzes!
Click to expand...

We have a quiz every time we come to class.

Thanks everyone for you advice. I don't know about writing on myself though. Haha! I think drawing diagrams will help me best.
 
I wish I joined this site before I started EMT, but I didn't get my books til the day before classes started.. So I didn't know what to expect.
 
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