Powers of Ten

In A&P, many students have hard time wrapping their heads around the size of things.

For example, how many of us really have a good grasp of how small a cell really is, or a protein molecule within a cell, or an atom within the protein?  Or the relative size of tissues compared to individual cells—or compared to an organ?

And we are continually "zooming our focus" in and out among levels of organization—atoms and ions, molecules and crystals, organelles, cells, tissues, and organs.

Add to that the fact that the units of measurement used to describe the size of things are in the metric system (SI), which is based on powers of ten. That is, we use a measuring system based on units that very by a factor of ten—units are multiplied or divided by ten, then another ten, then by ten again.

Add to that the frequency of discussion of pH units, which on the surface seem to go up or down by single units—but in reality a change from one pH unit to the next is a change in hydrogen ion concentration by a factor of ten.

This nifty little video can help us wrap our heads around the concept of powers of ten.  It may help us in navigating the world of the human body. Click here to see the helpful material that accompanies the video.

 

Source: my-ap.us/1aFctxP

DNA image credit: 3Dscience

Is spelling important?

In A&P, correct spelling could be a life-or-death issue.  Really.

The topic of correct spelling—and the consequences of incorrectly spelled terms—was brought to mind a while back with the news story about a student on the TV game show Jeopardy! whose answer was disqualified because it was misspelled. A lot of folks were angry, as though the boy was cheated, but the producers calmly pointed out that it’s not an acceptable answer if it’s not spelled correctly.

Just like Scrabble or Words with Friends, Jeopardy! is a game with rules, after all.

But the A&P course is not “just a game.”  It is the foundation for many health professions.  Professions where misspellings can be the basis for life-threatening medical errors.

Most A&P professors serve humanity by enforcing accuracy in our courses—including correct spelling of scientific and medical terms.

Here’s what I tell my own students:

“That's part of learning how to communicate accurately and professionally. For those of you going into patient care or managing patient records, accuracy can affect a person's life . . . so it's best to learn that lesson here and now—where no one's life is in danger.”

There really IS a difference between perineum  (area between the genitals and the anus) and peritoneum (membrane covering your intestines and lining the abdomen).  Just two letters, and the whole meaning of a sentence or paragraph—or medical record—is changed. It may still make sense when you read it, even in context, but it is now wrong.  Perhaps deadly wrong.

Some A&P students counter that current software platforms used in hospitals and clinics have safety features that autocorrect or call attention to potential errors.  That’s true—to some extent.  But just like the autocorrect features found in word processing software, they cannot be relied upon entirely. We really must know which term is which by its correct spelling.

Now’s a good time to think about how how serious you are in preparing for your profession.  I want my healthcare providers to get it right.  You should, too!

Adapted from an earlier article at The A&P Professor

Why deadlines are important

In every class, there are students who believe it’s just fine to miss the deadline of an assignment and give an excuse (often a lame excuse) and expect it to be “okay” to submit the assignment late.

I’m here to tell you that it is NOT okay!

Here are some of the reasons that you should NEVER miss a deadline:

1. Missing deadlines is not professional behavior. You are on an academic path preparing you for a profession. Which means that you need to develop professional behavior now. Because it's not something you can simply "turn on" after you are in school and start your first day on the job in your profession.

2. You don't want to develop bad habits. Research shows that the more you engage in a behavior, the more likely that behavior will become ingrained as a habit. And we all know how hard habits are to break, eh? Is that the kind of student, or the kind of professional person, you want to become? Always late?

3. One thing often leads to another. Missing deadlines can have a "domino effect" by leading to other problems for you. For example, if you are missing an assignment, then you may not have the knowledge or expertise you need for the next assignment. So now the next assignment will be late. And you'll be unprepared for the test. Before long, your ability to succeed may really start to fall apart!

4. Meeting deadlines is respectful to your peers and your teacher. Teachers often have limited time for grading and other course management tasks. If you are late, then they have find additional time when you finally get around to getting your work done to grade that work. That's not respectful of the teacher's time. Do you really want to be a disrespectful student? It's also discourteous to your peers because the teacher may have to hold off grading their work, or at least hold off releasing the grades or graded work.

5. You don't want the grumpy grading grinch evaluating your work. Having to take extra time and effort to grade work that was not submitted on time (for no good reason) makes even the most patient person frustrated. Do you really want a grumpy teacher evaluating your work and assigning a grade? Nah, me either.

6. You want to avoid bad things. Sometimes, really bad things. Of course, you could lose some or all of the grade points on a late assignment. But it could also lead to a bad (perhaps failing) grade in the course, especially if it becomes a habit (see #2) or leads to missing knowledge (#3). But remember #1 above? Missing deadlines in your profession could lead to disciplinary action, including firing. Perhaps even a loss of your professional license! In health care professions, missing some deadlines could constitute criminal negligence that could seriously harm patients (and lead to jail time).

Okay, life happens and true emergencies occur. We all know that. So if you must miss a deadline, or even think you might miss a deadline, here are my suggestions:

1. Exhaust all other options. Missing a deadline should be your last resort. Can you get someone else to shoulder that interfering responsibility so you can make the deadline? Can you skip or postpone that other thing? Can you hitch a ride or hire a cab to get you there? Remember, this course is the foundation for everything else and you don't want to mess it up!

2. Talk to your teacher. Acknowledge the importance of the deadline. Be respectful in your approach by being clear that you really do understand the burden your situation brings to others. Also be clear that you take your academic success seriously. Do not demand anything. Present your situation and ask for your teacher's advice. You may be surprised by a solution you hadn't thought of. The teacher may even offer to extend the deadline.

3. Talk to your teacher. Really. Never, ever, ever, let a deadline go by without contacting your teacher. Failing to contact your teacher ahead of time, unless it is absolutely impossible, sends the message that you are blowing off the deadline. Availability of communication media these days means that there really are very few situations where a brief message cannot be gotten to your teacher.

4. Talk to your teacher. I mean it this time! For serious issues that impact your ability to engage fully in your course, bringing your teacher into the loop is the best thing. We have experience helping students and can often find ways to help you overcome your obstacles. At the very least, involving the teacher can make it clear that your missed deadlines are truly unavoidable.

5. Document your case. Even if it's not required, documentation will help clarify your position. Many, many students just make stuff up. Avoid that assumption by proving up front that you're not making up your situation. Be sure to follow up any verbal conversations with your teacher with a written confirmation of the conversation. For example, if you chat with your teacher and they extend your deadline, then follow up with an email to the teacher confirming the extended deadline. That way, it's in writing and in case your teacher forgets, you can remind them about the confirmation you sent. It also gives you both a chance to clear up any mistakes in communication that may have occurred, such as getting the new deadline date wrong.

Learning bones & skeletal features

Wow, not only must I learn all the bones of the skeleton, but also a humongous list of bone features?!

Beginning the study of the skeleton can be intimidating, for a number of reasons.  Not the least of which is that the names of the bones and bone features seem to be very odd—sometimes almost unpronounceable.

There's a reason the names are so odd.  They're based on a foreign language!  They're all based on Latin, with a lot of Greek word parts mixed in there. Once you realize that you're learning a new language along with learning new structures, the task ahead will be clearer to you.  And hopefully, a  bit less intimidating.

It turns out that if you actually focus on the fact that these are terms from a foreign language and try to translate them, then learning skeletal anatomy is far easier—and takes far less time and effort—than if you ignore the meanings of bone names.

To help you get started on this road, I've produced a couple of very brief videos that outline a proven method to quickly and easily learn your entire assigned list of bones and bone features.  Watch them both to get the greatest benefit.

In the videos, I mention a couple of lists of translations (and pronunciations) that will help you engage the method I'm recommending.  Links to those lists are found below.

Bone Names Have Meaning - Part 1 - Get Started

Bone Names Have Meaning - Part 2 - Types of Bone Markings

Want to know more?

List of bone marking types

• Translation of each term
• Pronunciation of each term
• Brief description of each term
• my-ap.us/16PNh3K

List of bones and bone markings of the human skeleton

• Translation of each term
• Pronunciation of each term
• Use with your textbook or Survival Guide for A&P (below), which has a description of each structure
• my-ap.us/15zZYom

Field Guide to the Human Body:  Bone Names

• Part of the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools series for A&P students
• Includes the videos and lists mentioned above
• my-ap.us/13ihrPs

Survival Guide for Anatomy & Physiology

• Many time-saving, effort-saving, and frustration-saving tips and shortcuts
• my-ap.us/16aa5zg

Learning A&P Terminology

• Brief introduction to the scientific terminology used in A&P
• You might want to look at this FIRST if you haven't seen it yet
• Includes short, helpful videos
• my-ap.us/14PncUV

More Tips on Learning the Human Skeleton

• Additional blog posts (including this one) focusing on bones
• my-ap.us/JJEEMF

Exercise (lightly) while you study

Some recent research has shown that if you exercise lightly while you study, you may learn a bit better than if you are sitting quietly.

Apparently, light exercise--for example, riding a stationary bike at a gentle pace--during the process of creating new memories helps you remember things better.  However, vigorous exercise seems to reduce recall in the short term and has no effect in the long term.

There's certainly more that scientists have to figure out about this phenomenon. But in the mean time, it may be worth trying these strategies:

• Walk slowly on a treadmill while reviewing your flashcards.
• Ride gently on an exercise bike while reading your textbook.
• Listen to an audio summary of your textbook chapters or a recorded lecture while doing light gardening or household chores.
• Quiz your study partners while taking a leisurely stroll through the park or across campus.  But NOT across the parking lot!

Memory Toolbox

Most A&P students face the challenge of quickly getting their memory skills up to speed.  It may have been a while since you were faced with having to memorize so many facts and concepts in a short period of time.  If you’re taking a summer course, it may be even more daunting because of a shortened term to get it all done.

Need some help improving your memorization skills?  I know, I know, you don’t have time to take more lessons!  That’s OK.  Here’s a really quick—but really useful—review of 75 tips and resources that can put your memory skills into high gear now:

The Memory Toolbox:
75 Tips and Resources
to Go from to Amnesiac to Elephantic

This sounds like a lot—75 tips—but it only takes a few minutes to go through them all.  Really.  And I’ll bet you’ll find a few good tricks in there that you hadn’t thought of.  Which would be well worth an investment of a few minutes, eh?

Legs and wings

What part of your body is the leg?

Wait . . . think carefully before you answer.

If you said the long limb below your waist (or equivalent), you'd be wrong!  Well, okay, it would be correct in everyday conversation.  But it is not anatomically correct.

In anatomical terms, the lower limb (lower extremity) is made of up of the thigh, leg, and foot.  Anatomically, the leg is only that section of the lower limb just below the knee.

The same sort of thing happens with the arm.  In anatomy, the entire upper limb (upper extremity) is not the arm.  Only the section above the elbow is the arm.  The section just below the elbow is the forearm.

One way to help you remember this is think of pieces of chicken.  I realize that not everyone is a meat eater. But those who eat chicken know that it's often served in pieces.  A chicken leg is not the entire lower limb--there's another piece just proximal to the leg: the thigh.  Remember that, and it may be easier to keep the distinction straight in human anatomy.

Likewise, one can think of the two types of pieces often served in an order of chicken wings.  The "drumette," which looks like a mini drumstick, is the arm.  The "flat" or "wingette" is the forearm.

Star power

I continue to be amazed at how many students let a phrase such as, “when you see something like this on the test . . . “ from their professor go by without notice.

Really?!

Don't they know that this is an intentional statement of what will be on the test?

Professors do this because we know that it's important and that we will be testing you on it.  And we're giving you this obvious hint so that you know that you will encounter it again.

I think it takes some training and practice to listen for those hints and respond to them in a way that helps you in the long run.  So what's a good way to do that?

Leo Malone, one of my chemistry professors, required us to put a star in our notes next to any concept or fact that he introduced with any statement hinting that we'd see it again on a test.  He even stopped class occassionally when he made such a statement to see if we’d put a star in our notes!  This habit has stuck with me for decades.  I still put a star on notes that I take in workshops, courses, meetings, and my other work. When I review my notes, I start with the stars.  I know that these are things that I really need to know or to act on.

In the classes that I teach, I put a star on the whiteboard when I want to emphasize that a point I’m making really is worth remembering.

Why don't you start practicing star power?  I'll bet that by listening for verbal cues and making note of them, you'll find better success in your performance.

It works for me and my students—I’m sure it will work for you!

This pencast shows you what I mean.

Click here to download the Livescribe PDF file.

Want more hints about note taking?

• Survival Guide For Anatomy And Physiology: Tips, Techniques And Shortcuts
• Previous hints in The A&P Student on note-taking at NOTES.

Study Blue

As stated recently, the best way to learn anything is . . .

Practice.

Practice.

Practice.

And one of the easiest and fastest ways to practice learning the basic facts and terminology of A&P is to use flash cards.

One great way of using flash cards is to use an online platform for making, studying, and sharing flash cards.

Study Blue is one of the more popular online flashcard tools.


Here's a brief video introducing the philosophy behind Study Blue

With Study Blue you can can create flash cards on your device based on your course needs, then use their automated system to review them.  You can also create custom study guides and quizzes based on those flash cards.

This brief video Tap. Snap. Speak, shows how simple it is to make a flash card with Study Blue.

Now imagine yourself in A&P lab with a skull.  Or a model of the torso.  Point to a structure, snap a photo and say, "mastoid process." and you've got a great flash card for studying!

Teachers can assemble sets of flashcards with Study Blue  then share them with students.  Of course, students can share with their classmates in study groups.  For example, in your study group you may assign each person a set of flashcards to make based on your course material.  By sharing each of these with the whole study group, everyone now has a whole library of flash cards based on the week's study topics.

Check out Study Blue at

Study Blue

For more advice on making and using flash cards effectively for A&P check out the collection of articles at

Flash Cards

READ and RAID your textbook

Most students don't know how to read their A&P textbook.

Oh yeah, they give it a try.  They sit down with the book and try to make it through a couple of chapters.  Maybe three or four chapters . . . because, well, er, they've put off reading the book as long as they can.  Look at that thing!  It's huge!  And all the complex terminology!

It's not that they can't read . . . the problem is that they don't have the needed skills to use an A&P textbook effectively.

So how can you get more out of that huge, expensive book?  Following are some tips:

1. Look over the organization of the chapter first. 

If there's a brief outline in the chapter opener, don't skip it. If there isn't one, then quickly skip the chapter and read each heading and subheading.  This gives you the gist of the story and provides a framework in your head upon which you can build your understanding as you read.

2. Read all the key terms out loud before reading. 

It sounds crazy, I know.  But it works.  By saying each word before you read, your brain becomes familiar with the term more quickly.  Then, as you read, you won't stumble over the word or simply skip over it—either of which won't help you learn what you need to learn.  If there isn't a word list in the chapter, then simply skim the chapter saying each boldface term out loud.

3. Chunk the chapter.

Some textbook chapters go on and on . . . and on.  Well, don't let them!  Just read one or two sections at a time.  By breaking it up, you can comprehend more of what you read.  And it spreads the work of reading out over several days, making it less likely that you'll avoid a painfully long reading session.

4. Actively review what you read. 

Most textbooks have review questions built into chapter sections and at the end of the chapter.  Don't ignore them.  Better yet, write out the answers.  By using multiple senses, your understanding (and memory) will be strengthened.  Always double check that your answers are correct, perhaps asking your study partners or professor for help.

5. Raid your book later.

After you've read a chapter in your textbook, you're not done with the book.  As you study the material, or build on it in later parts of the course, you'll want to come back to particular topics and "raid" it for specific bits of information to review again.  As you pay attention to the organization of each chapter (see item #1 above), you'll be able to easily find the treasures you need within each chapter.

For more on these tips--plus some additional tips to make your reading easier and more effective—check out the video.

For even more ideas to help you with your textbook, try these:

• Reading the Textbook (brief articles)

• Reading Strategies (tips, video, and links)

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Anatomy and physiology is something that you'll need the rest of your life!

That's right.  Not only will you need a strong foundation in the concepts of human structure and function for remainder of your academic program, you'll need that foundation for the rest of your career and beyond.  It's the basis for all clinical practice and research.

Some A&P students already have some skills in getting ideas into their short-term memories.  Enough to pass the test.  Then they relearn those ideas for the exam.  But often, much of it is gone months or years down the road.  How can one get it all into long-term memory?

The answer is easy!  

Practice.

Practice.

Practice.

A few months ago, I wrote about the Wallenda model of homeostasis, using the Wallenda family of high-wire fame as an analogy for how the internal environment of the body maintains its vital balance.  Decades ago, when I was a wild animal trainer in the circus, I asked Tino Wallenda the secret to his great talent as a high-wire artist.  He told me, "Practice. Practice. Practice."   That really resonated with me.  I already knew that constant practice is the key to animal training.  Later, when I began teaching [human] students, I realized that no learning "sticks" without a lot of practice.

It's a simple principle.  But how do you put it into play in your A&P studies?  Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Read the book more than once.  Break each chapter into chunks (sections) and read just a bit every day.  When you get to the end of the chapter, start the cycle again.  You'll be surprised at how much more you see and learn on a second or third reading.  It begins to "sink in" after repeated reading.  Don't forget to go back and occasinally re-read chapters you haven't looked at in a while.

• Do as much homework as you can.  If your instructor doesn't assign homework, then assign it to yourself.  Write out the answers to the review questions at the end of each chapter in your textbook.  Find a study guide (perhaps there is one that supplements your textbook--ask your bookstore or search online).  

• Make and use flash cards.  You can learn and practice terminology easily with flash cards.  But more advanced methods can be used to sort out relationships and understand the deeper concepts of A&P, as you can see in the video below.  You can also use published study cards to practice.

• Take the test repeatedly.  Ask your teacher if they have old tests you can use for review.  If not, then make up your own!  This works even better if you have a study group--you can each prepare a test for the others to take.  Review your old tests.  If you don't have them in hand, try to remember the questions that were on them.

• Do your practice every day.  Break your reading and other practice activities into chunks of about a half hour.  Then do several half-hour practices throughout the day.  Every day.  Holidays, weekends, and your birthday. Really. If you skip a day, you'll feel it.  So try not to skip.

Trick to reduce test anxiety

We all get it.  That nervous—sometimes paralyzing—anxiety just before a big exam.  Or worse—we panic and forget even the simplest things during a big test.

Test anxiety.  It’s not just annoying, it can affect your performance.  And your grades!

And final exams are almost upon us.

Recent research has revealed an easy and effective trick for reducing test anxiety during your next big test.  You do this trick just before the test.  I mean in the few minutes you have just before the text begins.  You know, that time you are sitting in the hallway nervously awaiting for the doors to open and the test to begin. Listening to your classmates talk about all that stuff you’re not sure you know well enough.  Frantically going over your notes one last time.  Making yourself a nervous wreck.

OK, so what is this nifty trick?

Journal your anxiety.

What?!  Write out my feelings like in a middle-school diary?

Well, yes—sort of.  Research shows that if you take about ten minutes to write out (not just think about) your feelings at the moment, you’ll feel less anxious during your exam.  And because of that (the research shows) you will do better on the exam! 

On average, students that use this technique raise their grade and average of one whole letter grade.  So even if you think it’s silly, isn’t it worth trying?

Students in a research study reported that by writing out their feelings, they quickly got to a point of calm and confidence.  The writing somehow took the energy out of the anxiety and replaced nervousness with readiness. 

So on exam day.  Get there ten minutes early.  Ignore the raving of your frantic pals.  And just write what’s going through your head.  When the exam starts, you’ll be ready for it.

Want to know more?

Read the story behind this trick:

Testing Anxiety: Researchers Find Solution To Help Students Cope
my-ap.us/TlD6Ba

Check out my advice on breathing to reduce test anxiety:

Don’t forget to breathe!
my-ap.us/dIdsS9

Need some advice on preparing well for exams?

Previous articles on exam strategies
my-ap.us/2CusmI

Brief video on preparing for exams
youtu.be/yrgNyDH3HrQ?hd=1

Another strategy with proven results: 

Tame Test Anxiety: Solid Anxiety Reduction Training
amzn.to/UDScQC

 

 

Photo by Josh Davis under CC license

Edraw Mindmap

Making concept maps or "mind maps" is a great way to learn A&P.  It's also a great way to study for your midterm or final exam!

As I've stated frequently in previous posts, a concept map is simply a drawing of a concept.  The simpler the better, so there's no need for artistic skills.

One of my students recently make me aware of another FREE tool you can use to make your own concept maps quickly and easily.  It's called Edraw Mindmap.

If you want to see how it works, check out the Edraw video Make an Effective Mind Map.  This video has a funky robotic narration, but it gives you a quick rundown on how easy the software is to use.  Maybe you should turn off the sound and play your favorite music (the narration simply speaks tips that clearly printed in the video).

Want to know more?

• Previous posts on how to use Concept Maps my-ap.us/MExHCf

• Kevin's video explaining Concept Mapping my-ap.us/SFMkEA

• Lion Den Tips & Tools tutorial on Concept Maps my-ap.us/3eSlIj

Flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Having trouble visualizing the ventricles and canals that contain CSF (cerebrospinal fluid)?   Or the pathway of circulation of the CSF?

Here's a brief animated video that walks you through it all in a simple, straightforward way.

The video uses eponyms and other terminology you may not be using in your course, so here are some translations:

• ependymal cavity = ventricle
• foramina of Munro = interventricular foramina
• aqueduct of Sylvius = cerebral aqueduct (aqueduct of midbrain)
• foramen of Magendie = median foramen or median aperture (of fourth ventricle)
• granulations of Pacchioni = arachnoid villi or arachnoid granulations

Click on the image above for a freaky animated MRI (magnetic resonance image) showing the pulsing of the CSF with the hearbeat in aa person with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Image (c) Nevit Dilmen.

For more on differences in terminology, check out my video: my-ap.us/TmWmiL

Master the trapezius

One of the most recognizable muscles of the human body is also sometimes the hardest to figure out.  I'm talking about the trapezius muscle.   How can it both elevate the shoulder and depress it?  And also produce so many other diverse movements?

The folks at Visible Body have offered a FREE helper to explore the trapezius.  It called the Trapezius Digital Kit and it provides both a downloadable mini eBook and a downloadable video.

Check out the free "digital kit" here:

my-ap.us/UJd1IT

Also, try out this video:

Blood typing game

Here's a nifty little game that helps you practice applying principles of blood typing.  The game has you type the blood of a series of "patients" then figure out which blood units are appropriate to use in a transfusion.

It's pretty simple IF you know the principles of blood typing.

First, review blood typing in your textbook.

Then try your hand at this game:


If you can't see the game in this blog window, go directly to my-ap.us/SYuJXo

Skull puzzle

The folks at Visible Body are offering a FREE mini eBook that clearly illustrates and summarizes the 22 bones of the skull. 

This handy little gem will help you get started studying the bones of skull and provide a valuable addition to your set of  study resources.  The three dimensional views of the skull will help give you a deeper understanding of the structure of the skull.

It also gives you an introduction to Visible Body's computer-based anatomy study tools.

Check it out at my-ap.us/UXwSHb

Blood viscosity and peripheral resistance

Learning about all the factors that affect blood flow can be daunting.  One of the tough things about it is trying to visualize how all the factors influence blood flow.

One factor affecting blood flow is peripheral resistance.  This is the resistance to blood flow in the peripheral vessels . . . the arterioles.

What kinds of things can cause blood to "resist" flowing as freely as possible?  Well, one factor is the viscosity of blood.  One way to think of viscosity is "thickness" of a fluid.  What makes blood thick?  One factor is how concentrated the red blood cells (RBCs) are in each drop of blood.  Is is often expressed as the PCV (packed cell volume) or hematocrit of blood.  The more blood cells there are in a drop of blood, the thicker--or more viscous--the blood is.  And the more it resists flow.

An analogy we can use to visualize this rather abstract concept is any of the classic TV commercials once used by Heinz to promote their ketchup.  Heinz claimed that their ketchup is better than other brands because it has more tomatoes per bottle of ketchup.  And that, presumably, can be demonstrated by the comparative thickness of their ketchup.  In other words, Heinz ketchup is more viscous than some other brands of ketchup.

As the commmercial below demonstrates, the extra thickness  or viscosity of Heinz ketchup means that it will flow at an incredibly slow rate.

So to summarize this analogy:

• More tomatoes per bottle of ketchup make the ketchup thicker, or more viscous. The higher the viscosity of ketchup, the more it resists flow and thus the slower it will flow out  the narrow neck of a tipped bottle.
  
• Likewise, more RBCs per drop of blood make the blood thicker, or more viscous.  The higher the viscosity of blood, the more it resists flow.  This resistance can be significant where the blood vessels narrow at the peripheral vessels called arterioles.

Planes of the body

In a previous post, I addressed that initial struggle with anatomical terminology when beginning a course in anatomy & physiology.  In this post, I'll pick up with another early--but essential--set of concepts: planes of the body.

As with any concept of A&P, one shortcut to understanding is to connect the concept to something simple that you already know about.  Let's see how that could work with anatomical body planes.

For planes of the body, think of them as ways you could slice the body if you had a big giant saw like illusionists use to saw people in half.

If you saw a person so that there is a top part and bottom part of their body, then you’ve cut along a TRANSVERSE or HORIZONTAL plane.  Either term can be used. They both mean the same thing.  It doesn’t have to be equal top and bottom halves . . . ANY separation of top and bottom is a cut along a transverse plane.

If you saw a person into left and right pieces, you are sawing along a SAGITTAL plane.  The word sagittal literally means “relating to an arrow” used in archery.  So imagine shooting an arrow into an apple that is sitting on top of my head . . . and then imagine the apple falling apart into a left and right piece as the arrow slices through it.  That’s a sagittal cut . . . a cut along a sagittal plane.

If the sagittal plane is exactly in the middle, dividing the body along its midline into equal left and right halves, we call that plane a MIDSAGITTAL plane.  If instead the plane is off to one side or another, splitting the body into unequal pieces, it’s simply called a SAGITTAL plan.

If you saw a person into front and back pieces, you are cutting along a FRONTAL plane or CORONAL plane. 

Again, seeing this visually is a good idea. 

• First, study the images of body planes in your A&P textbook and lab manual. If you are using one of my textbooks or manuals, you can find a handy diagram  of the planes of the body just inside the front or back cover.    By looking at many different diagrams, you'll get a better understanding of the essential concept of body planes . . . as well as plenty of practice.
• Try constructing a three-dimensional "paper doll" model that resembles the diagram shown here.  Or any kind of simple, hands-on model.  Such activities may seem like a childish project, but it engages many parts of your brain and thus strengthens your learning . . . and your memory.
• Here's a great YouTube video outlining the concept of body planes:
  



• You may find this FREE mini-course to be helpful.  It's called simply Anatomical Directions and it's provided as a free service from Insight Medical Academy. It requires a free registration to use the course, so be sure to register before trying to access the course.  Here's a brief video explaining how the free course works.
  
  
  

  
  
   

Anatomical directions

When starting out in A&P, it's important to get a good grasp of how we talk about directions in the human body.  That's so that we can get down to business and really start describing human structures.  Describing them in a way that is accurate enough to be really clear on where those structures are in the body.

The problem is that most of us feel overwhelmed when a long list of rather foreign terms and concepts seem to suddently fall on top of us and make it hard to breathe!

A good approach is to stay calm and look for ways to connect these ideas to simple concepts that are already familiar to us. Following are some examples to get a good start.

Think of the directions of the body as you would ordinary directions like UP, DOWN, FORWARD, BACKWARD, etc.:

• Superior UP
• Inferior DOWN

• Anterior FORWARD
• Posterior BACKWARD

• Lateral TOWARD THE SIDE
• Medial TOWARD THE MIDDLE

• Proximal NEAR THE BEGINNING
• Distal AWAY FROM THE BEGINNING

Notice that the directions above are grouped into opposite pairs.  This is a good way to think of them . . . as pairs of opposites.

Now try the same with these directions:

• (Anatomical) Left
• (Anatomical) Right

• Dorsal
• Ventral

• Cortical
• Medullary

Now look at the diagrams showing anatomical directions in your A&P textbook and lab manual.  If you are using one of my textbooks or manuals , you can find a handy diagram along with a list of direction terms just inside the front or back cover.  My books and manuals also use a an anatomical compass rosette in every illustration, pointing you in the right direction just like the compass rosette found on any ordinary map.

Then try to find similar diagrams by doing an internet image search for "anatomical directions." The more diagrams you look at, the more it will become clear how the directions are used.


Next, try searching for some YouTube videos that explain the anatomical directions of the body.  Here’s a really good one:  

But this is just the beginning.  To truly understand them . . . and to be able to recall them quickly and easily as you must during your A&P course . . . you need to PRACTICE using them.  How you ask?  Aha! I have some strategies that are both fun and effective:

• Start using them in every conversation.  Explain to your friends or family that the remote is superior to to the television screen but you are about to move it to a position inferior to the screen.  Explain that your pocket is on the lateral side of your jeans.   "Hey look, my shoelaces are dorsal!"  Yes, it's goofy.  But that's part of what makes it effective.  And your friends and family will love helping you study.  Really. The important thing is to do it frequently and throughout  each day . . . until you have reached total mastery.
  
• Label your body.  Yep, you read that correctly.  Remember when you were a little kid and you labeled one shoe "left" and one shoe "right" so you could learn your left from your right?  What?! You didn't do that?   Well, if you had then you'd have learned that lesson far more quickly.  Well, here's your chance!  Pin "proximal" and "distal" labels on your sleeve.  Pin a "superior" label on your hat.  Then add an "anterior" label to the front of your hat and a "posterior" label on the back.  Yes, another goofy strategy.  But it's one that works, while also letting others join in the silliness.
  
• An extra advantage of this strategy is that when folks see the labels and ask about them, you will be reminded to practice them.  "Oh yeah, I forgot about those labels.  Here, let me explain them to you."  Both the reminder and your explanation of each one will continue to give you the practice you need to master your anatomical directions.
  
• Use flash cards to practice anatomical directions.  If you're not already familiar with the many ways to use flash cards to quickly and thoroughly learn anatomical concepts and terminology, check out my many posts describing this method. 

 In an upcoming post, I'll follow up with some strategies for learning the planes of the body.

10 tips for studying the skeleton

One of the first major challenges in learning A&P is learning all the bones and bone features of the human skeleton.  Many students have not had much experience in memorizing physical structures to be identified by sight.

This video from my friend Paul Krieger is a good place to start.  It summarizes some of the basic shortcuts and tips that will help you learn the human skeleton . . . tips that will help you learn any anatomical structures of the human body.




Here are some additional links related to Professor Krieger's "10 tips"

• Flashcards
• Anatomical terminology
• Skeleton tips

Here's another resource from Professor Krieger that my own students find to be very helpful in learning the human skeleton as well as other concepts of A&P

A Visual Analogy Guide to
Human Anatomy & Physiology

Protein folding game

A&P students should be aware of the basic elements of protein folding:

Your textbook describes how the primary structure (a sequence of amino acids determined by the genetic code) is folded into a twisted and pleated secondary structure, then folded again into a complex tertiary structure.  Sometimes, tertiary proteins are combined to form quaternary proteins.  Sort of like origami, but way more useful. And way tinier.

I'd like to mention a interesting phenomenon related to protein folding and "citizen science" using an online game called Foldit.  


The Foldit game is an online puzzle game in which anybody can try their hand and finding which way a given protein folds most efficiently.  Interestingly, this has proven to yield useful results for biochemists not obtainable by traditional methods.

If you like video games . . . and the idea of actually contributing to scientific knowledge intrigues you . . . why not try your hand at Foldit?

Want to know more?

Online Gamers Achieve First Crowd-Sourced Redesign of Protein
Jessica Marshall & Nature magazine
Scientific American Online January 22, 2012
[Brief article about recent redesign of a protein by online gamers using Foldit. Original paper published in Nature Biotechnology]
my-ap.us/wRK2bV

Foldit Online Protein Puzzle
Scientific American Citizen Science accessed 23 January 2012
[Brief description of the online game Foldit and the goals of the project.]
my-ap.us/zIV75F

Foldit - Solve Puzzles for Science
[Direct link to portal for the game Foldit]
my-ap.us/wfRQPF

Homeostasis: life on the wire

A couple of weeks ago, I watched the live broadcast of Nik Wallenda's walk across a high wire suspended above Niagara Falls.  I've been a fan of the famous Wallenda family ever since I saw Karl Wallenda cross a high wire suspended above the baseball stadium in St. Louis. In my A&P classes, we often use the image of a Wallenda on a high wire as a model to help us understand a central concept of physiology . . . homeostasis.

This "Wallenda model" of homeostasis teaches us that to stay alive and well, our body must remain in "balance."  That is, our internal environment is at risk every moment . . . risk of losing the delicate balance of "just right" conditions inside our body that keep us functioning.  If we lose that balance, as Karl Wallenda (Nick's great grandfather) did in the late 1978, then we die.

Like a Wallenda's position on the wire, any physiological variable (any condition in our body that may change) has an ideal range called the set point. The oxygen content of our blood has an ideal range that keeps us healthy, just as the position of a wire walker's center of gravity must remain within a narrow range to stay on the wire (and thus alive).

When a wire walker is affected by wind, rain, distraction--as was Nik during his recent wire walk--this pushes the variable (body position) away from the set point.  If the wire walker reverses the shift by moving left when the body starts to fall to the right, then the set point position is recovered and all is well.  Likewise, when exercise causes a fall in blood oxygen content, the set point can be recovered by an increase in breathing rate . . . thus reversing the fall in blood oxygen content.

Such recovery by sensing a shift away from set point, then responding to the shift by reversing the direction of a disturbance, is called negative feedback.  This is a basic principle of how the body's organs function to keep us alive . . . they continually work to reverse disturbances to the balance of the body.

If you want to learn more about how to use my Wallenda model of homeostasis to understand the balance of the body, check out these resources:

Survival Guide Anatomy & Physiology: Tip, Techniques, and Shortcuts
Kevin Patton
Elsevier Publishing
[Includes a complete rundown of the Wallenda Model of Homeostasis]
my-ap.us/OQ2P3P

Mini Lesson: Homeostasis
Kevin Patton
Lion Den
[Outline summarizing homeostasis.  Includes three different models to help in understanding the balance of the body, including the Wallenda Model.]
my-ap.us/rs3KqV

Wallenda Model
Kevin Patton
Lion Den Slide Collection
[Animated PowerPoint-compatible slide summarizing some points of the Wallenda Model.]
my-ap.us/Mh9ylU

"Life is always on the wire.  The rest is just waiting."

Karl Wallenda

Photo (c) dpape

T-charts

T-charts are a simple way to help visually organize concepts when studying anatomy and physiology.  T-charts are a type of graphic organizer or concept map.

Basically, you just take a sheet of paper and draw a huge T on it. Above the crossbar of the T, write a title for your chart.  Then just below the title, create a title on each side of the crossbar.  These are headings for what each area (left and right) below the crossbar will contain.

Then fill in the spaces below the two sides of the crossbar.

 Fill them in with what, you say?  Glad you asked!

The sky is the limit, but here are some ideas (with simple examples). 

• Put new terms on one side and their definitions on the other.
• Example: nucleus; central membranous structure of cell containing DNA
• Example: diffusion; tendency of particles to spread out and reach an equilibrium of concentration
  
• Put the names of organs on one side and their functions or descriptions on the other.
• Example: small intestine; digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Example: kidney; filtering and balancing of blood plasma, resulting in the formation and excretion of urine
  
• Compare/contrast two functions by putting on each side.
• Example: anaerobic pathway; aerobic pathway
  
• Organize structures or functions by area or type.
• Example: humerus; upper extremity
• Example: brain; central nervous system
  
• List two divisions of a system or organ
• Example: central nervous system; peripheral nervous system
• Exampl: sympathetic division; parasympathetic division

Want to know more?

T-chart
[A FREE online tool for fast and easy creation of T-charts.]
my-ap.us/Lzxuko

T-chart graphic organizers
[Blank, printable T-charts in a variety of styles. FREE.]
my-ap.us/Ka1Vtg

Say it 18 times

Want to learn your A&P terminology quickly and easily?  In a recent post, I told you that one way to do that is to work on six new words every day.  My friend Jane, the foreign language professor, gave me another tip to help learn new terminology: say each new term out loud at least 18 times.

Apparently, there's evidence suggesting that to "own" a new word, you have to say it out loud at least 18 times.  The vocalization, along with the repetition, apparently help to reinforce memories in the various language areas in your brain.  Which means that you can recall and use the terms easily.

I know that seems silly . . . even childish.  But think about it.  Silly as it may seem, isn't it worth reducing your study time and improving your knowledge quickly?

Want to know more?

Six a day

Terminology tips

Using flash cards

Heart attacks in women

Tomorrow is National Wear Red for Women Day!

In the past, heart disease and heart attack have been predominantly associated with men. Historically, men have been the subjects of the research done to understand heart disease and stroke, which has been the basis for treatment guidelines and programs. This led to an oversimplified, distorted view of heart disease and risk, which has worked to the detriment of women.

Because women have been largely ignored as a specific group, their awareness of their risk of this often-preventable disease has suffered. Only 55 percent of women realize heart disease is their No. 1 killer and less than half know what are considered healthy levels for cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol. The Go Red For Women movement works to make sure women know they are at risk so they can take action to protect their health.

To help spread awareness at a time that many of you are studying the heart's structure and function, I'm sharing this brief video:




Need help studying the cardiovascular system? 

See previous helps posted in this blog!


[Text source: my-ap.us/AjGQ0u]

New look!

Your favorite blog for A&P students is now sporting a new look!

The new design is easier to read, easier to navigate, and easier to potty train.  It also facilitates sharing on social media (see the icons below each post on the blog).

Have comments on the new design?  Click the COMMENTS link below this post on the blog, OK?  I want to hear from you!

Six a day

As you begin a new anatomy and physiology course, you will likely feel a bit overwhelmed with the flood of new terminology.  Or a lot overwhelmed with all the new terms.

However, it need not be as big a struggle as you might first think.  There are some tricks and shortcuts . . . and I'm here to let you in on a few of those.

Today's tip comes from my friend Jane, who is a very talented professor of foreign language.  She told me that research as shown that most people can easily learn five to seven new words a day.  That is, if you work at it, you can add about six new words to your vocabulary each day without too much trouble.

That doesn't seem like a lot, but if you spend a few minutes a day you can easily pick up about 45 new terms a week.  That's over 700 new terms in a semester!

But of course, the trick is to put a little bit of effort into every single day.  Simply make yourself six or seven new flash cards, each with a new term, every day.  Review them for  just a few minutes, but do that several times throughout the day.

Don't forget to spend a few minutes reviewing your cards from the days before . . . you don't want to forget those new terms.

If you make this a habit, then you'll find that those few minutes a day can really make a huge difference in your mastery of the terminology of A&P.

Here are some more tips to help you get started learning the terminology of A&P:

There's more! 

Click here to browse my many tips for mastering the terminology of A&P.

Why be honest?

What if your health professional

cheated their way through school?

As you begin a new semester of anatomy and physiology, the notion of academic integrity is worth thinking about.

What is it? Academic integrity is the honesty with which you participate in your course and other learning activities.

Characteristics of students with academic integrity include:

• Honestly represent personal work as their own. These students do not copy the work of others and represent it as their own work. 
• Communicate with the instructor and others truthfully. These students do not make false statements about computer failures, family emergencies, etc., in order to extend deadlines, excuse absences, or gain sympathy.
• Engage other students with integrity. These students do not enable academic dishonesty by illicitly providing test answers or other academic assignments to other students. They do not "look the other way" when they observe dishonesty, but instead report it to the instructor.

The main reason you want to be honest in your anatomy and physiology course is that you need to learn these concepts. A&P is the foundation of everything else you will encounter in your professional training program and your career. If you use dishonest shortcuts to give the illusion that you have learned more than you actually have, then you will be under-prepared for the rest of the course and the rest of your academic program. It's likely that you won't be able to successfully begin your career.

If you get through your program by cheating, which is not very likely, you may later cause death or illness in a client! How? Because there will be concepts missing from your professional knowledge base.

Now is a great time to develop an ethical, professional mindset. And that mindset MUST include integrity because this is so important for health professionals. You don't want to set yourself up for  failure as a professional and as a person, do you?

Research shows that people who practice dishonesty become more dishonest over time. Yikes. Apparently, it's so easy to get in the habit of cheating that it soon becomes part of who you are and what you always do! Don't let that happen to you . . . it will only cause misery.

A few more reasons students want to practice integrity in the A&P course:

• They want to avoid the risk being removed their course, removed from their school, or (later) having their degree rescinded when their cheating is discovered.
• They want their credentials from their course and their college/university to be "worth something" . . . and the credentials won't be worth much if integrity is not the norm.
• They don't want to be one of the folks listed in the professional newsletters that have been censured, suspended, license revoked, jailed, sued, etc., for offenses that are essentially failures of integrity. Often, the listed offenses are supposedly "one time, this won't hurt anyone, itty-bitty" cheating incidents, as often claimed by the offenders.
• They don't want their classmates caring for their family and friends (or handling their health records) if their classmates made it through school by cheating, even a little.
• They want to be prepared fully for the next class, the next program, the next profession. And you cannot be fully prepared if you have pieces missing from your training.
•  They don't want to be known by their colleagues, friends, and teachers as a cheater.
• How will they find folks to give them acceptable references if they are known to be dishonest?

When it comes right down to it, you should ask yourself . . . what kind of person do I want to be? You'll sleep better every night for the rest of your life having made the better choice about integrity. This is a big deal when you are older and suffer from insomnia. Just wait.

You may want to review my prior article Why are you here? addressing the importance of learning everything you can in A&P . . . rather than just trying to get through it.

Updated September 2017

Trust image: Lukas Plewnia

How to start concept mapping

Concept maps are a great way to bolster your understanding of human anatomy and physiology.

They're easy . . . concept maps are merely simple sketches that summarize the elements of a concept.  Concept maps can also show how different concepts relate to each other. 

By drawing out a concept, you are arranging ideas in the way that your mind works.  It's how you picture an idea, not how your teacher or your textbook author visualizes that idea.  Therefore, it makes the concept easy for you to understand and remember.

As you construct a concept map, you may run into spots where you're not quite sure how things fit together.  That's great!  This shows you where your "weak spot" is with the concept . . . something you may not have discovered until you faced it in a test.  But when you face it in a concept map, you can stop and figure it out.  You can even take your map to your instructor, your tutor, or your study group and ask for help in figuring it out.  Then you'll "own" the concept and will not likely forget it.

Because it's a picture of a concept, a concept map helps you recall a concept easily.  You'll have the concept stored in your mind as a picture that makes sense to you.  Memory experts tell us that pictures of concepts help us recall those concepts.

If you are primarily a visual learner or kinesthetic learner (or both), then concept maps may become a favorite (and efficient) way of learning A&P!

However, if you've never made a concept map, it may be hard to figure out where to start . . . HOW to start.  So here's a short video that shows you an easy way to get started . . .

Check out this pencast on how to start a concept map.

Concept Maps - How to Start
brought to you by Livescribe






Want to know more?

Click here for earlier articles from The A&P Student on concept mapping.

Click here for the Lion Den Tips & Tools article on concept mapping.

Want to make your own pencasts?