Human anatomy is complex. Anatomy is the study of body organs. It can appear stressful as each organ in the body performs multiple functions. Some of the vital organ functions can be easily remembered. For instance, the heart performs four main functions like

Pump oxygenated or pure blood to body parts
Pump hormones and other vital minerals
Receive deoxygenated blood
Pump deoxygenated blood to lungs for oxygenation

However, there are other organs like the liver, that perform more than 500 functions for a healthy body to sustain and stay normal. Thus human anatomy is not just a complex array of different organs, but a difficult subject.

Preparing for anatomy for med and nursing school students

Anatomy course can be daunting and pose difficulties for most students as it involves learning complex anatomical structures of different organ systems of the body. A deep understanding of body parts and their related functions alongside other subjects can seem to be difficult. Since anatomy is a core subject for all healthcare professionals, every student should develop an effective study plan to comprehend and memorize the concepts. Here are a few checkpoints that will help you understand; How to learn anatomy and physiology at home?

Devise a study plan

Organize your calendar as per your other important schedules like class lectures and clinical rotations, and devise a dedicated study routine. Setting a routine will aid in better organization and help in recalling quizzes. Contrarily, a cluttered mind and desk will create roadblocks in your learning process with unwanted delays and hangups that you cannot afford in med or nursing schools. Students need to understand human anatomy concisely and how body parts function. The subject is long, and one that needs continuous preparation and self-evaluation to check the knowledge. Constant revision of the concepts will help in longer retention and be a life-saving hack for exam preparation. As free time is a rare resource in the lives of healthcare course students, it helps to be regular and consistent in your study approach. Few strategies that can help you devise a good plan are:

Waking up early to use the morning energy to understand complex concepts and memorize them throughout the day
Mnemonics help remember difficult orders of body organs and their functions
Study in short intervals and take short breaks to refresh your body and mind
Be consistent with studies, and read regularly to avoid cramming too much in too little time

There are a lot of other methods, and one has to adopt a plan that suits their style of reading and retaining.

Study groups

Be a part of a study group or start one with like-minded fellow students who can match your style of studying. If you are a morning person and like to meet your group and exchange best practices in the wee hours, then ask out for morning birds in the class to join you in a group. If you don't like large groups, settle for a small close-knit group that can help you get by with your revision exercises and help with flashcards, mnemonics, and other methods of study that help in longer retention. Being a part of study groups helps one in looking at the subject from a different vantage point and gives a clearer perspective.

Take notes regularly

Always maintain practice notes to journal everything you study in a chronological order that can be referred back to whenever you need to as a reference check. Taking down notes regularly will help the person remember for a longer period and help in the learning process. A student can always come back to his/her notes when there is self-doubt about a topic and is the most relevant reference for a topic already covered.

Use resources judiciously

An exhaustive subject like anatomy has many books that seem interesting. But as a student resources like time and money are limited and must be used prudently. As a practice, make note of the important textbooks that you will need to study, and the rest can be loaned from friends or the school.

Online courses

With the rise in edtech companies enabling clinical education that is accessible from app-based channels, all a person needs is a smartphone and a good internet connection to enlist in one. The courses are immersive and detail oriented with visual explanations using simulation and animated images. Learning the complex anatomy of organs becomes more interesting with well-explained videos, gamification that uses fun ways to remember difficult topics, and repeated learning methods like quizzes that test the person's understanding.

Manage time effectively

Despite organizing and setting up schedules, it is difficult to adhere to the calendar strictly unless one learns to finish their work with a focused mind and dedication. Consistent focus is difficult to achieve and demands high levels of energy. Timing yourself for a task, sticking to mindfulness, and immersing yourself in the topic without deviating from the core discussion are essential to fruitfully managing your time. Dividing the coursework into topics and sub-topics and finishing related topics together will aid in your learning process. Since anatomy and physiology courses have a vast number of topics to cover, it is advisable to balance your studies so that no topic is given too much or too less importance. Also read: Is it good to use spironolactone for hair loss?

Practice questions

Answering practice questions regularly will help a student test their knowledge both concerning the hard licensure exams that need to be cleared and for the sake of pure knowledge, to clear concepts and comprehension.

Summing up:

Human anatomy and physiology are important in every aspect of clinical and nursing education. Studying the basics and building a good foundation will help the students accentuate their clinical skills as future healthcare professionals. Learning anatomy is also important for the future as it is a continuous process to stay relevant and current. All the medical and nursing conferences that you will attend to help your professional growth will be linked to your understanding of anatomy and physiology concepts. To become a good healthcare professional who gives the best patient care, getting your foundation strong in human anatomy is mandatory.