The first year of MBBS can be pretty hectic and difficult to manage. With so many new subjects, classes, and labs, you can often get lost on how to approach each subject. Anatomy is an important and scoring subject in the first year of MBBS.
What is Anatomy and its importance in MBBS?
Anatomy is the study of the identification of human body structure and other living organisms.
The MBBS portion covers human anatomy in detail. It covers the human body structures both at the macro and micro levels. This is the foundation for your medical degree and covers in-vivid details of how a disease-free body looks like and the normal functions of each structure. Understanding anatomical structures will help you strengthen your understanding of different diseases and their root cause. The impact of different conditions on these organs will be easily understood if your anatomy concepts are clear.
The best way to study human anatomy in first year is as follows –
Understand the syllabus
The first step to approaching a humongous subject like anatomy is to understand the vast syllabus. This will help you in preparing your studying strategy, and you will be better able to manage your time.
The subject is broadly divided into-
- General anatomy
- Upper limb
- Lower limb
- Thorax
- Abdomen, Perineum, Pelvis
- Head and Neck
- Neuroanatomy
- Embryology
- Histology
Make clear and concise notes
The next step for studying the human anatomy syllabus well is to make good notes. These will be your handy tool when preparing for exams. Don’t just copy and paste points from the notebook. Make illustrated notes using mind maps, cycles, and acronyms in your notes to summarise a topic. Highlight important keywords and make bullet points from your understanding. This will help you deepen your knowledge and understanding and help in the long-term retention of the concept.
Refer to a few important books
To study human anatomy well, refer to a few important books. Stick to these throughout the studying time to absorb maximum information. Since visual learning is essential to understand anatomy well, pick out a book with high-impact visuals, which will help you remember the structures well. Diagrams and illustrations will help you recall the theory immediately.
Here are a few recommended anatomy books for you-
- B.D Chaurasia Anatomy 7th edition part 1,2,3
- Vikram Singh Neuroanatomy
- Cunningham manual of practical anatomy (Volume 1,2,3)
- Snells anatomy
- Netter’s atlas of human anatomy
Be focused during dissections
The next essential point to remember when studying anatomy is to be very focused during dissections. This will further your understanding, and looking at things practically will help in building the basics.
Use online tools and capsules for revision and practice
The next step is to refer to high-quality video lectures and capsules for learning. You can refer to e-gurukul by DMBCI. They have a repository of best video lectures, test series, and live support and doubt clearing sessions. You can refer to these and understand the entire topic clearly.
Make a study schedule
The last but very important step is to make a realistic study schedule. Do not overestimate the time you have and try to fit everything in a day. Make a schedule that you can practically stick to and can learn from, effectively. Divide a large topic into smaller subtopics and plan the timetable accordingly. Understand that you will have multiple subjects to study along with classes and practicals. Understand the time you have and divide it for specific subjects like anatomy and physiology. This will help you cover the vast portion and prepare well for the exam.
Good time management, good resources, and a practical schedule will help you ace the Anatomy exam well.