I’ve researched the top courses that deliver exactly that and listed them in this article.

Here’s what else we’ll cover:

• Accredited online A&P courses from top colleges
• The best courses offering online or virtual lab
• Recommended free/cheap options
• What to expect from studying anatomy online

As a med student who’s taken anatomy and physiology courses myself, I know what’s important to look out for when it comes to selecting the best options available.

Ready to learn more about what’s out there? Let’s go.

Best Accredited Online Anatomy & Physiology Course Listings

Here’s a quick overview of the recommended A&P courses in this article: 

Best Accredited Online Anatomy and Physiology Courses

The following courses are a mix of full degrees at reputable U.S. institutions and semester-long courses you can take online for transferable credit. Some (but not all) offer accredited anatomy and physiology lab.

1. Online Anatomy & Physiology Course – Corexcel

Corexcel’s A&P course introduces learners with little or no knowledge of anatomy and physiology. It is entirely online and contains multiple exercises, games, quizzes, and tests to reinforce and test knowledge.

Classes will touch the following modules:

• Human body
• Chemistry of life
• Cell structure
• Cellular metabolism and reproduction: mitosis and meiosis
• Tissues
• Integumentary system
• Skeletal system
• Articular system
• Muscular system
• Nervous system (central, peripheral, autonomic)
• Endocrine system
• Blood
• Cardiovascular system
• Lymphatic system
• Nutrition and the digestive system
• Respiratory system
• Urinary system
• Reproductive system

Although it’s an accredited course, the institution recommends students submit their objectives and accreditation information to the college they intend to go to for approval before enrolling. 

This course also includes an eBook, case studies, concept maps, and animations.

Details:

• Name: Online Anatomy & Physiology Course
• Institution: Corexcel
• Level: Undergraduate (Credits: 4)
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 1 year access
• Hours: Self-paced (9.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) 95 hours)
• Website: corexcel.com/anatomy.physiology.online
• Price: $318

2. Introduction to Human Physiology – UC Berkeley Extension

Whit this course, UC Berkeley Extension offers an introduction to physiology.

It proposes to explore all the complexities of the cells, tissues, and different organs and systems. Besides that, the course promise to focus on the primary mechanism of the most common diseases affecting a normal function of the body, delving into the most critical things in physiology, like:

• The relation between structure and function
• The reasons process demands energy and how they are executed
• The coordination of body functions and its flow of information

Approved students earn three-semester units as credits. 

And the course teaches the following subjects led by the instructor Kashif Ahmad MD (you can find an interview discussing his teaching philosophy here).

1. Basic cell functions
2. The endocrine system
3. Neurons and the CNS
4. Sensory systems and motor control
5. The muscular system
6. The cardiovascular system
7. The respiratory system
8. The urinary system
9. Digestion and metabolism

You can start this class online at any time, including in the summer!

The course is based on the textbook Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (mandatory).

For those unfamiliar with the platform, here’s a primer…

Details:

• Name: Introduction to Human Physiology
• Institution: University of California Berkeley Extension
• Level: Undergraduate (Credits: 3)
• Prerequisites: 1 year of high school or college chemistry
• Length: Minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 180 days to complete the course
• Hours: Self-paced
• Website: extension.berkeley.edu
• Price: $1,200.00

3. Online Anatomy & Physiology I – StraighterLine (Optional Lab)

This StraighterLine course was designed to provide students with working knowledge of college-level anatomy, and it offers the benefit of one-to-one online tutoring.

It is entirely self-paced – the students can take the course at their own pace and take the exams whenever they feel ready. An average student, however, is expected to complete it in approximately 75 hours.

The course covers the following topics:

• Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
• Chemistry for Anatomy and Physiology Students 
• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Tissues
• Integumentary System  
• Bones and Skeletal System
• Joints
• Muscular System Histology and Physiology 
• Muscular System Gross Anatomy
• Functional Organization of Nervous Tissue 
• Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, Brain, and Cranial Nerves  
• Integration of Nervous System Functions   
• The Special Senses       
• Autonomic Nervous System
• Functional Organization of the Endocrine System and Endocrine Glands

The course is based on the McGraw-Hill Anatomy & Physiology I textbook.

StraightLine also offers an Anatomy & Physiology I Lab for $49. It is a lab-only course designed as a standalone addition to StraighterLine’s Anatomy & Physiology I. It involves dissections of both tissues and animal specimens. It also has no prerequisites but is highly recommended to follow the conclusion of Anatomy & Physiology I.

You can also try two free lessons first.

The video below provides some handy tips on how best to pass this course…

Details:

• Name: Online Anatomy & Physiology I
• Institution: StraighterLine
• Level: Undergraduate (Credits: 3)
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 30 days
• Hours: Self-paced
• Website: straighterline.com/anatomy-physiology-i
• Price: $59 plus $99 Monthly Membership

4. BIO 231, 232, 233 Human Anatomy and Physiology – Oregon Tech Online (Lecture & Lab)

Oregon Institute of Technology offers three fully online courses in A&P, delivering 12 credits upon successful completion. These credits are usually equivalent to eight-semester credits.

Each course has lecture and lab elements. They are offered every term but must be taken in order.

The lectures focus on physiology, while the labs focus on anatomy. The course uses 3D interactive programs for the latter.

BIO 231 covers an introduction to the principles of human anatomy and deals primarily with the support and movement of the body. BIO 232 deals with the control systems of the human body. BIO 233 treats the systems which maintain the body and ensure the survival of the species.

Here’s an introduction to Oregon Tech’s platform…

Details:

• Name: BIO 231, 232, 233 Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Institution: Oregon Institute of Technology
• Level: Undergraduate (Credits: 12)
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 11 weeks each
• Hours: Self-Paced
• Website: oit.edu/human-anatomy-physiology
• Price: $281/credit

5. Anatomy Courses Online – West Virginia University (Lecture & Lab)

West Virginia University’s School of Medicine offers two anatomy and physiology online courses: lectures and laboratory.

Lectures offer three credit hours, while laboratory may lead to one or two credit hours (the two credit hour lab course includes additional modules – upper and lower limbs).

Although it is an online course, students must take the semester exam on campus to qualify for the credits.

Introduction to Human Anatomy Lecture (PALM 205) ’s content is divided into four sequential modules presented over the semester. Each module has 4 or 5 sections.

The course covers the following topics:

• Organization of the Body
• Cells and Tissues
• Skeletal System
• Muscular System
• Regional Anatomy of Thorax
• Respiratory System
• Cardiovascular System
• Lymphatic/Immune Systems.
• Regional Anatomy of Abdomen
• Digestion System
• Urinary System
• Reproductive System
• Regional Anatomy of Pelvis
• Fundamentals of Nervous System
• Central Nervous Systems
• Peripheral Nervous System
• Special Senses

The exams are taken online on scheduled dates.

You can get an insight into the level of quality West Virginia University’s School of Medicine provides in the video below…

Details:

• Name: Anatomy Courses Online
• Institution: West Virginia University
• Level: Undergraduate (Credits: 6)
• Prerequisites: one semester of introductory undergraduate biology (PALM 205) and one of introductory undergraduate biology. They recommend a general anatomy course such as PALM 205; instead, it is not required (PALM 206).
• Length: 1 semester
• Hours: Not Self-Paced (follow a schedule based on a complete semester or summer term)
• Website: medicine.hsc.wvu.edu/anatomy-courses-online

6. Human Anatomy & Physiology I Online Course – University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota offers a Human Anatomy & Physiology Online Course divided into two parts that complete each other: BIMD 220 (3 credits) and BIMD 221 (3 credits).

Together the courses are a complete survey of the anatomy and physiology of the major human organ systems and the foundational concepts required to understand them. By completing BIMD 220 and 221, students work their way through 14 content badges representing all the major body systems.

BIMD 220 covers cells, tissues, skin, skeletal, muscle, nervous and endocrine. BIMD 221, endocrine, lymphatic, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive.

Details:

• Name: Human Anatomy & Physiology I Online Course (BIMD 220)
• Institution: University of North Dakota
• Level: Upper-level undergraduate (Credits: 3)
• Prerequisites: Either BIOL 150 and BIOL 150L, or CHEM 116 and CHEM 116L, or CHEM 121 and CHEM 121L
• Length: 3-9 months
• Hours: self-paced
• Website: und.edu
• Price: $370.08/credit

Free/Low-Cost Online Anatomy and Physiology Courses

The following courses, while not accredited, can also help further your education in A&P. Some have certificates available to purchase on completion.

1. Anatomy Specialization – University of Michigan/Coursera

The University of Michigan offers an anatomy specialization series through Coursera. It is a four-course series that approaches the anatomy and function of the integumentary and skeletal systems, besides joint classifications, function, clinical correlations, and skeletal muscle anatomy and function.

Taught by instructor Kathleen Alsup, Lecturer and Curator for the Division of Anatomical Sciences, the specialization covers the following:

• Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems
• Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Urinary Systems
• Human Neuroanatomy
• Gastrointestinal, Reproductive and Endocrine Systems

This course has a 4.8/5 rating among its 43,000+ participants!

Details:

• Name: Anatomy Specialization
• Institution: University of Michigan
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 5 months
• Hours: Self-Paced
• Website: coursera.org/anatomy

2. XSeries Program in Anatomy – Michigan University/edX

Michigan University offers a self-paced program containing four courses within it – and it is recommended to take these four courses in order:

1. Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems
2. Cardiovascular, Urinary, and Respiratory Systems
3. Human Neuroanatomy
4. Gastrointestinal, Reproductive and Endocrine Systems

While students can access them for free, there is a fee to obtain the certificate.

Details:

• Name: Anatomy
• Institution: XSeries Program in Anatomy
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 5 months
• Hours: Self-Paced
• Website: edx.org/xseries/anatomy
• Price: $176.40 (for full experience)

3. Human Anatomy for Stroke – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University/edX

This course proposes to teach human anatomy through a real-life case study of stroke and explain anatomy concepts.

It’s the first MOOC to teach Human Anatomy from multiple healthcare professional perspectives (including nursing, radiography and optometry) via case-based study.

Students may enroll for free but must pay a fee to obtain a certificate.

The course covers:

• Body systems and vital organs
• Anatomical orientation and skeletal system
• The muscular system
• The nervous system
• Cardiovascular and pulmonary system
• Role-play and round-ups for six healthcare disciplines

This is one of the most popular courses on edX. Over 133,714 students have enrolled for this class!

Details:

• Name: Human Anatomy for Stroke
• Institution: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Prerequisites: None
• Length: 8 weeks
• Hours: Self-Paced
• Website: edx.org/course/human-anatomy
• Price: Free

4. Easy Anatomy and Physiology – Udemy

Udemy’s A&P covers many of the fundamental topics found in the 2-semesters college anatomy and physiology course.

It will benefit allied health program students, high school biology/anatomy and physiology students, and anyone wanting to review this subject.

The course delivers 127 video classes, counting more than 11 hours of quality content.

Details:

• Name: Easy Anatomy and Physiology – Platinum Edition
• Institution: Udemy
• Prerequisites: there are no prerequisites
• Length: 8-12 weeks
• Hours: self-paced
• Website: udemy.com/easy-anatomy-and-physiology-platinum-edition
• Price: $19,99

Related Questions

What Are The Most Important Things To Look For In An Online A&P Course?

Learning anatomy and physiology can be tricky (to get an understanding of how hard check out our article; Is Physiology Hard? (Beginner Tips!). Learning it online, however, can (in some cases) be just as effective as taking a class in person.

To get the best out of an online A&P course you’ll want to pay close attention to the following criteria.

1. Structure: how well are the course goals defined and the curriculum laid out?
2. Time commitment: does the course give you a rough estimate of how much time you’ll need to commit to it each week?
3. Cost: does it fit your budget?
4. Instruction: is the teaching professor suitably qualified and delivering the classes in an easy-to-understand format?
5. Prerequisites: what level of knowledge should you have before starting the course?
6. Support: once signed up, how much support is available to you to help meet your goals?
7. Assessment: how is your knowledge and progress assessed?

Many of these questions are answered in the introductory table at the beginning of this article.

Anything else should be researched via your own criteria and the contact you make with course providers.

What Can I Expect Learning Anatomy and Physiology Online?

Learning A&P online, although highly unlikely to put you directly in the cadaver lab, can still put you there virtually! To learn the intricacies of the human body that’s hugely important. For that reason, expect plenty of detailed images and videos walking and talking you through the various organ systems of the body.

Online accredited courses are designed to teach you systematically and build on your knowledge as you go. Although it’s entirely possible to self-study anatomy using anatomy games, free anatomy learning websites, and the like, having the guidance and support of instructors, coupled with the camaraderie of other online students, can make a huge difference to your success in the subject.

To get an early heads-up, before enrolling in any of the classes above, it can be useful to have a read over my various anatomy study tips and resource round-ups:

• Best Anatomy Apps For Medical Students (Free & Paid!)
• 7 Best Anatomy Anki Decks: Learn Anatomy Fast
• How To Study For Anatomy Practical (11 Best Ways)

For more tips/resources on learning A&P make sure you check out the Anatomy Section of this website.

Learning A&P online can be a huge endeavor. Hopefully, by spending a few moments browsing the content above, you’ll have some kind of roadmap on how best to approach it!

If you found this article useful, you might find the following interesting:

• 11 Best Accredited Online Biochemistry Courses
• 6 Best Accredited Online Microbiology Courses

Julian Farret

Writer | Lawyer | PhD Student at @DerechoUCA and @UFPel
I spend most of my time washing dishes, changing diapers, playing doll/ball/house/doctor/cooking with my daughter, and making my son sleep. I write and read about education, philosophy, law, religion, finance, and real estate when there is some time left. And I usually don’t sleep!

julienfarret.com

What’s definitely worth your time and money? We’ll go into them in this article.

You’ll learn:

• The 7 best free and 4 best paid anatomy apps
• If apps are better than textbooks
• How to use these apps to your full advantage

To save you the time of downloading and testing poor quality apps, I’m only including those with the top ratings and reviews.

Note: you don’t have to necessarily be a med student to enjoy or learn from these apps either!

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

Best free anatomy apps

The following range of apps are great for different areas of the subject. The fact that they’re all free (with no in-app purchases) makes them definitely worth a download.

3D Skull Atlas

• iOS and Android
• 4.8/5 from 2,209+ reviews (Android)
• Free (no ads)

3D Skull Atlas gives a high level of anatomical detail of the skull, featuring over 1500 specific labels and descriptions.

The app features 3 modes each with full 3D interactivity (rotation, zoom and pan):

• General: main visualization, bone browser, bone isolation, general and specific labels of details and sutures etc.
• Skull base mode: intracranial and extracranial surfaces and subdivisions
• Craniometric: points, lines, angles etc.

Officially supported by World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS).

Grays Anatomy Student Edition

• iOS and Android
• 4.6/5 from 17,089+ reviews (Android)
• Free (contains ads)

A digitized version of the excellent Gray’s Anatomy For Students atlas, this is a must-have resource for beginner anatomy students.

The fact you can use the app offline, zoom in/out of images and make precise searches makes it perfect for using as a quick reference in cadaver lab or the lecture hall.

The Android version also has a bonus quiz section covering the cardiac and GI systems, general pathology and even the Glasgow Coma Scale.

Essential Skeleton 4

• iOS
• 4.8/5 from 5,400+ reviews (Appstore)
• Free

The number one free medical iPad app in over 95 countries, Essential Skeleton 4 is probably the best introductory anatomy app out there.

Famed for its state-of-the-art 3D technology, Essential Skeleton 4’s functionality enables you to:

• Isolate, hide and fade bones
• See skeletal structures from any angl
• Create customizable pins and notes
• Create and save customizable views.

Get this now if you’re studying anatomy.

Visual Anatomy

• iOS and Android
• 4.2/5 from 30,300+ reviews (Android)
• Free (contains ads)

Visual Anatomy is a free interactive reference tool offering a rotational 3D organ overview model and animations.

It’s main features include 500 feature points with labels and descriptions, a rapid search function, over 1200+ images and an additional 23 multiple-choice quiz.

It also has audio pronuncation and tap and zoom technology too.

Here’s a video demo of this highly rated app…

Speed Anatomy Quiz

• Android and iOS
• 4.2/5 from 17,592+ reviews (Android)
• Free (but contains ads) on Android, $0.99 on iOS

Free on Android, Speed Anatomy Quiz is another supremely useful anatomy app utilizing active recall to really boost the effectiveness of your study sessions.

Doing what it says in testing your speed, enjoy rapid fire questions on bones, muscles, arteries, veins and all the major organ systems and earn points as you go.

The quiz has 28 levels. You can zoom into the images for extra precision.

iOS version costs $0.99.

Daily Anatomy Flashcards

• Android and iOS
• 4.2/5 from 4,282+ reviews (Android)
• Free

Brought to you by the team at Kenhub (see my Kenhub review), Daily Anatomy Flashcards take digitize some of their best learning content and bring it to you on mobile.

Perfect for beginners, this app starts with the absolute basics and introduces you to anatomy slowly. Increasing in difficulty and complexity over time, you’ll learn all the major bones, muscles, nerves and vessels etc that you’ll need to do well in the subject.

A great alternative to Anki (but where everything is set up for you), the app uses evidence-based learning techniques like spaced repetition and active recall to really bring the benefits for each study session.

3D Bones and Organs

• Android and iOS
• 4.5/5 from 16,000+ reviews (Android)
• Free

Promoted as a “true and totally 3D free app for learning human anatomy”, this app is brought to you by the creators of Visual Anatomy.

Featuring every bone and organ in the body, this app also enables you to complete virtual dissections (actually peeling layers of muscles and revealing structures below), complete location quizzes and load and save customizable views.

Here’s a demo that shows off more of it’s functionality and features…

Best paid anatomy apps

The followings apps, although paid, are highly rated by medical students, nursing students and tons of other anatomy and physiology students.

If you get value out of the free apps above and find yourself wanting more, these could well be worth spending your money on.

Essential Anatomy

• iOS
• 4.8/5 from 11,700+ reviews (iOS)
• $14.99 (Offers In-App Purchases)

Billed as “the most successful anatomy app of all time”, the Essential Anatomy series is considered the gold standard in its class.

Impressively comprehensive, with over 8,200 structures, the graphics are what makes it.

This demo shows up most of its functionality including male and female models, customizable views and slicing and social sharing…

There’s a reason schools like Stanford University etc. swear by it.

Human Anatomy Atlas

• Android and iOS
• 4.8/5 from 11,600+ reviews (iOS)
• $24.99 (Offers In-App Purchases)

Human Anatomy Atlas is Visible Body’s rival to Essential Anatomy.

The winner of Digital Health Award’s Gold for Mobile Applications and named one of the App Store’s Best Apps of 2017, Human Anatomy Atlas has been a massive hit.

Featuring over 10,000 anatomical models, here’s a few more of this apps features:

• Male and female gross anatomy models that can be dissected
• Common muscle actions
• Sample animations

For more of an idea on how the app works (as well as what it can offer you), check out this demo…

Teach Me Anatomy: 3D Human Body & Clinical Quizzes

• Android and iOS
• 4.5/5 from 18,819+ reviews (Android)
• Free (Offers in-app purchases)

Teach Me Anatomy is one of my favorite websites for learning anatomy – and one I used a ton when studying for it.

Their dedicated app is just as high quality as you would expect from the team behind the site.

Basically an integrated textbook, the app takes all of the site’s easy-to-read content (free) and packages it up alongside 3D anatomy models and a 1700 anatomy question bank (paid).

For med students this is one of the most beneficial apps on this list given the amount of clinical knowledge the content delivers. Learning from this will prove fundamental to your clinical success.

Check out this teaser to learn more…

Complete Anatomy

• Android and iOS
• 4.6/5 from 3,000+ reviews (iOS)
• Free (Offers in-app purchases)

Complete Anatomy is from the same makers of Essential Anatomy 4 (3D4Medical.com).

You can download it for free (free 3-day trial) but you’ll have to make in-app purchases to really unlock the true potential of the app.

Features include:

• 17,000 interactive structures
• Living, beating, dissectable 3D heart
• Radiology: see radiological images in parallel with 3D models
• Cross-sections and real-time muscle motion
• 22 microscopic anatomy models

The list goes on. Check out this promo video for more info…

Related Questions

Are anatomy apps better than textbooks?

Learning anatomy from apps has a couple of distinct advantages over textbooks. Apps give a 3D overview of anatomical structures that you can isolate, rotate and sometimes even dissect! That makes understanding the geometry of anatomy many times easier.

A couple of other pros:

• Apps can be more quickly and precisely searched for specific content
• Apps have additional functionality; quizzes, flashcards etc.
• Apps are extremely portable and take up no space in your bag/at home etc

The problem with apps however is that they vary in quality. Those mentioned above are all very different in terms of the content and functionality they offer.

Compared to decades old anatomy textbooks like Gray’s, Netters, Thieme and Grants etc. apps don’t always offer accurate or reliable information.

So you have to do your due diligence with what you decide to use.

What’s better value for money?

Another thing worth mentioning about apps is that they require digital devices to use. Not every anatomy student can afford these tools – or pay the additional cost on-top of purchasing a premium app.

Still, my personal opinion is that apps (especially those like Complete Anatomy and Essential Anatomy) are definitely worth the money.

You don’t need the latest, most expensive devices to run these.

And you can easily pull them out your pocket and reference them on the go.

It’s hard to do that with (a sometimes equally expensive) textbook!

What’s the best way to use anatomy apps?

Some of the apps on this list are very comprehensive. But to really learn anatomy I personally feel you need a mix of resources (or combination of apps).

Learning anatomy well requires:

• Constant and repeated exposure to anatomical structures and features
• Quizzing to test your knowledge and to “hard-wire” the concepts
• Practice questions (based on your specific exams) to apply the knowledge you learn

That last point is particularly important. No one app is going to be able to replace a mock or sample exam that’s closely related to that of your anatomy test or final.

So make sure you use these alongside past papers, past test questions etc.

Related: How To Memorize Anatomy Quickly (The Ultimate 4 Step Strategy)

What are some other great anatomy resources for medical students?

For students who don’t mind paying for great resources, here are a couple of options:

• Kenhub premium (see my review)
• Biodigital: an excellent browser-based anatomy learning platform with 3D modelling that’s similar to Complete Anatomy and Essential Anatomy
• The combination of using an iPad (or tablet) with a digital version of Rohen’s or Netter’s Anatomy and a digital note-taking app

I’ve also got a bunch of recommended free resources in the following articles:

• 6 Best YouTube Channels For Anatomy Beginners
• 5 Best Anatomy Websites For Medical Students (Free, Fast & Easy To Understand)

Summary

Anatomy apps use cutting-edge technology to really advance your learning. You can’t really go wrong with any of the picks above.

Their reputation, functionality and features speak for themselves.

Have fun using them!

If you enjoyed this article, you might find the following useful:

• 7 Best Anatomy Anki Decks: Learn Anatomy Fast
• USMLE STEP 1: Reddit’s Best Tips 

Image Credit: @Anne Nygård at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

But are they effective? That’s the key question!

As a med student myself (and someone who’s successfully passed anatomy), I’ve always wondered if they’re worth the money.

So that’s what this article is going to explore!

We’ll cover:

• If anatomy coloring books are actually useful
• Who they’re good/bad for
• Tips on when to use them (if you absolutely must)
• What the best books are (if you definitely still want one!)

All to ensure you actually spend your time (and money) on things that will actually help you learn anatomy (and not just be a fun waste of time).

Ready? Let’s go.

Quick Answer

If you’re short on time, here’s the bottom line: there are much better resources out there for learning anatomy than coloring books.

But, if you still feel you want one then at least get a great one.

The best is Netter’s.

Now, here’s the first critical question…

Do human anatomy coloring books actually help you learn?

There’s no evidence that coloring books actually help you learn anatomy. At best, they only focus your attention and ease your stress.

While, yes, there is some small evidence that kinesthetic learning (i.e. coloring) can improve memory and recall, it’s no way as effective as proven study techniques like active recall and spaced repetition.

But whether they’re useful or not to you, depends entirely on your motivations for learning anatomy in the first place.

If you just have a casual interest, and want something relaxing to do that’ll serve as a good intro to the human body, then they could prove useful.

For nursing, medical students and other healthcare disciplines however? An anatomy coloring book just isn’t going to cut it in my opinion.

True mastery of the topic comes from constant exposure and repeated quizzing.

Why aren’t anatomy coloring books good for healthcare students?

Here’s more on why I believe they’re ineffective…

• Most* don’t test you repeatedly enough: coloring a structure is not the same as being asked to locate it or recognize it’s function over and over again (what anatomy requires).
• Coloring is a waste of time: time that could be better spent elsewhere; i.e. getting a broad overview of all the muscles of the thigh and then testing yourself to uncover knowledge gaps.
• Limited to 2-dimensional views: to really get a sense of the body you need to see nerves, muscles, organs etc. from all angles (via cadavers, 3D software).

Of course I have no problems with anatomy students using coloring books to wind down or take a break after actual focused study, but as a primary study tool?

I don’t think they’re worth it.

Related: How To Memorize Anatomy Quickly (The Ultimate 4 Step Strategy)

What do anatomy students say?

Let’s take a look at what some other anatomy students have to say on the topic…

I bought a coloring book three years ago. Only looked at it once. I learn anatomy by drawing it myself, not by coloring.

u/HoneyBeeColor

This one is a great tip for “visual learners”.

Although coloring books may appeal, you’ll get far better practice out of drawing and mapping out structures from memory (check out Armando Hasadungan for inspiration).

That’s active recall in a nutshell!

I found it was quite a time sink when I could have been revising more effectively. It doesn’t replace a textbook.

u/diihall

As mentioned before, you’ll want a more detailed primary resource to refer to while studying anatomy.

Something with explanations, practice questions and flashcards.

I bought mine and never used it…seemed like a good idea at the time…turns out nursing doesn’t go into anywhere near the detail as anatomy 1 and 2 would have you think.

u/gaz384384

Finally there’s also this contrary opinion. Perhaps some coloring books are even too detailed for particular healthcare courses!

So what’s the bottom line?

Figure out what (and how much) you need to learn first before shelling out on a coloring book.

Who are they best for?

So, based on all this, here’s who I feel anatomy coloring books are (probably) best for:

• Students wanting a visual resource that’s simple and comforting (nothing wrong with that)
• Students on “less-demanding” anatomy courses (minimal lab/exams etc.)
• People wanting a gentle introduction to the topic to help build confidence
• Anyone else interested in learning about anatomy who enjoys coloring

Everyone else though, especially people who need to pass some notoriously tough exams, you’ll probably be better served by tips from the following…

• 5 Best Anatomy Websites For Medical Students (Free, Fast & Easy To Understand)
• How To Study For Anatomy Practical (11 Best Ways)

But if you feel the above points are you (and you definitely feel you’d get value from a book), read on…

What’s the best human anatomy coloring book?

So if, after all that, you feel an anatomy coloring book is something you’d enjoy, one question still remains…

What’s best to look out for?

Personally speaking, I feel you should get as specific as you can to whatever you’re best trying to learn.

So here are a few options!

Complete anatomy coloring books

These cover everything you’ll need to know to get a broad overview of the subject.

As most are based on comprehensive atlases and textbooks, you’ll be getting high quality information following these.

The top two in the category, recommended both by anatomy students and online reviews, are…

Netter’s Anatomy Coloring Book

5/5 stars from 4000+ Amazon reviews

The Anatomy Coloring Book (Kapit/Elson)

4.5/5 stars from 7000+ Amazon reviews

Both these claim to be excellent resources that can help reinforce your understanding of organ systems and functions, muscle origins and insertions etc.

Cross sectional anatomy coloring books

As I mentioned before, spatial awareness is crucial in mastering anatomy. For that reason you’ll want a book that has cross sectional (dissection-based) images you can dip into and learn from.

The following options are good for this:

• Anatomy Coloring Book (Stephanie McCann): 450+ detailed, realistic medical illustrations – including very useful self-quizzing sections for each illustration
• The Human Body Coloring Book: The Ultimate Anatomy Study Guide (DK): highly recommended for personal trainers, physios etc. studying up on anatomy

Musculoskeletal anatomy coloring books

A great option for massage, physical therapy, chiropractic or movement therapy students:

Musculoskeletal Anatomy Coloring Book (Joseph Muscolino): 4.5/5 starts from 172 Amazon reviews

Neuroanatomy coloring books

Two solid options here include:

• Netter’s Neuroscience Coloring Book: 365+ page book offering an interactive way to trace pathways and tracts etc.
• The Human Brain Coloring Book (Diamond and Scheibel): 320 page classic – 4.5/5 from 860 Amazon reviews

Is there an anatomy coloring book app?

What might be cooler than an anatomy coloring book, is an anatomy coloring app.

Although it’s recommended for kids, this could be fun (it’s free too):

• Atlas of Body Parts Human Anatomy Coloring Book

And also remember that some of the books recommended above, especially Anatomy and Physiology Coloring Workbook, can be bought in its digital version and colored in via a tablet and stylus.

Related: Laptop Or IPad For Medical School? (Don’t Make This Mistake)

Free anatomy coloring pages

If you’re still on the fence about the utility of anatomy coloring books (I know I am), then there’s another solution.

Free anatomy coloring pages.

Downloading these – then either printing them out or coloring them in on a tablet/mobile device etc. – is a great way of figuring out if buying a book is worth it for you.

Here are some useful resources:

• Kenhub’s free anatomy coloring book (see my full Kenhub review here)
• Supercoloring: organ system worksheets, gross anatomy worksheets and more
• ColoringHome: several detailed cross-sectional anatomy coloring pages here

Also don’t forget to do a basic Google image search either!

Final Thoughts

I’ve long had my doubt about the effectiveness of human anatomy coloring books. But I didn’t want to let my bias totally close me off to the idea!

After putting together this article, I now see their value a little more. Especially with students outside of medicine who enjoy this style of learning.

Hopefully it’s given you a more neutral guide on whether they’re worth it too.

If you liked this review, you might find the following articles useful:

• Learn Anatomy With Board Games: 5 Off-The-Wall Options
• 6 Best YouTube Channels For Anatomy Beginners
• 35 Human Anatomy Quotes (Powerful, Funny, Spiritual, Scary And More!)

Image Credit: @Robina Weermeijer at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Thankfully the Anki community is fantastic when it comes to comprehensive anatomy decks. Using the excellent r/medicalschoolanki as a source, here’s a round up of the seven best of them.

The Best Anatomy Anki Decks

The 7 decks we’ll be looking at are:

• Anatoking
• Apple’s Neuroanatomy
• Dope Anatomy
• Dorian’s Anatomy
• Ranatomy
• Complete UMich Cadaver
• Hoop’s Anatomy Lab

You’ll find these decks cover a range of basic, pre-med and medical school anatomy. While others have a more specialised focus; anatomy labs, neuroanatomy etc.

Note: I’ve also listed plugins (you can download these free via search in the app), file sizes and the years of upload too. Making it easier for you to find exactly what you need.

Anatoking

Anatoking is a great deck for mastering one of the trickiest of disciplines; anatomy lab.

Created in October of 2020, this deck builds on basic, advanced and medical school anatomy classes (and is tagged as such for your benefit).

Sources used to build the Anatoking deck include Colored Atlas of Anatomy (Rohen’s), Pocket Atlas of Human Anatomy and VH Dissector.

You can check out my general guide for tips on how to study for anatomy practical (11 best ways) here.

This deck covers:

• All the major structures
• Every muscle
• Origins, insertions, actions and innervation

Where it might be a bit sparse is neuroanatomy. There are a few cards omitted from the deck due to copyright issues.

What makes this deck great is its formatting. Each card highlights the number of a structure on the front side of a card. Saving you time scanning the photo to find the number in question. Here’s how that looks…

This differs from the Dope Anatomy deck by offering several new cards testing different structures. The deck creator also suggests new updates (including a JPEG to PNG image conversion to save space) are on the way.

Possibly too detailed for USMLE Step 1 but great for general MBBS anatomy courses.

You can download it from this page.

Apple’s Neuroanatomy

Apple’s Neuroanatomy is a very short yet effective deck. It’s based on the Interactive Neuroanatomy Atlas from Colombia University and includes cards on the brain stem, thalamus and spinal cord.

Unlike the 2D cross-section representations of neuroanatomy that many flashcards use (namely Anking’s deck for Step 1), Apple’s Neuroanatomy uses histological slides and colored highlighting to teach the fundamentals.

According to users of the deck, it’s very centered on the high yield topics from neuro likely to show up on Step1.

It’s tagging system makes it easy to work with too. It looks like this…

You can download it from this page.

Dope Anatomy

Dope Anatomy is considered one of the gold standards when it comes to comprehensive anatomy decks. Actually part of a three deck series with Medical Science and Clinical Medicine, the anatomy component is an update of the earlier Netter anatomy deck (no longer available).

It’s well worth downloading each part of Dope here as the Medical Science deck has lots of neuroanatomy cards available built off Nolte’s Neuroanatomy and Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Cases. You can search for relevant cards for class and move them into a single Dope-based deck if you think that would help.

There’s also a very helpful update on both the Dope Anatomy and Ranatomy decks that overhauls the tagging system. This makes it much easier to work with sections of anatomy (lower limb: muscles etc) in an order that makes sense to you. That’s available here.

This is the deck I used to ace to anatomy. I can’t recommend it enough!

You can download Dope Anatomy from this page.

Dorian’s Anatomy

I remember using Dorian’s Anatomy deck a couple years back when I was going through my anatomy finals. It’s an amazing resource. Short too at just under 300 cards.

What I enjoyed about was it’s focus on clinical anatomy. Learning about the pathologies that anatomical dysfunction causes, I managed to build a solid foundation on future medical topics using this deck.

All the cards are based on St Matthew’s University School of Medicine 100 Most Important Gross Anatomy Concepts, put together by Dr. Mavrych. You can download this here. Well worth it!

Here’s how the deck looks in action. It’s mostly clozed-format (fill in the gap) style.

A very visual and fun deck to learn very high yield concepts of anatomy in no time at all.

You can download Dorian’s deck here.

Ranatomy

Rohen’s Atlas is based on the same resource as Anatoking’s deck (Rohen) but is a little more tried and tested – I actually used this myself ahead of my tricky anatomy lab practicals too.

Built on the same formatting (imageocclusion) as the Anettermy deck, estel95 (the creator of this deck), threw it together by taking high-res images of a legally acquired PDF version of the book and categorising it accordingly.

You can download the Ranatomy deck here.

Complete UMich Cadaver

The perfect deck for learning anatomy online for free (for pre-meds and everyone else), the Complete UMich Cadaver deck is organised by the categorisation over at University of Michican Blue Link Atlas.

A big fan of UMich’s stuff – I use their question banks and pathology stuff all the time – it’s amazing to have a resource like this that you can use to follow along with their content and build your anatomy understanding.

Lovely looking formatting too…

You can download the Complete UMich Cadaver deck here.

Hoop’s Anatomy Lab

Hoop’s is another gross anatomy lab deck that offers good value except for a comprehensive neuroanatomy section. It’s uses are mainly for surgery rotations (clerkships) and cadaver labs. Not for Step 1 or 2 based study.

Similar to Anatoking, Hoop’s also has numbered structures on its cards that it’ll ask you to name. Unlike Anatoking these aren’t highlighted however so can take a few seconds to scan!

Here’s how Hoops cards look…

Personally I’d go for other decks on this list due to the formatting issue. But it’s still nice to know it’s around.

You can download Hoop’s Anatomy Lab deck here.

Recommended Anatomy Flashcard Resource

If you’d prefer to keep your flashcards analog and aren’t a fan of digital, then I’ve got you covered.

Netters’ Anatomy Flashcards are the best set for your needs. The illustrations are top notch, the facts are on point and you don’t need any electronic hardware or software to make them work for you.

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

Recommended Anatomy Textbook Resource

To supplement your flashcard-based learning it pays to have a good anatomy textbook on hand to better contextualize your learning.

My favorite resource (that I used to score high in anatomy) was Gray’s Anatomy for Students.

I read over the electronic version of this along with doing flashcards and really expanded my knowledge.

Check Today’s Price on Amazon.

Related Anki Flashcard Questions

If you’re not familiar with Anki, I recommend checking out The Anking YouTube channel.

This offers many useful tutorials and tips for Anki users. It’s primarily designed for med students but the content is just as good for students in other fields.

CLICK HERE TO GET 10% OFF ANKI PALACE’S ANKI MASTERY COURSE

Here’s a good primer (as well as a good intro on what they offer) below…

Top Tips For Using Anki Anatomy Flashcard Decks

• Do your reviews everyday (leaving plenty of time before final exams are mid-terms)
• Supplement your knowledge with plenty of test questions (9 Anatomy Study Games For College Students (Free, Quick & Fun))
• Have a reliable and recommended anatomy atlas and textbook on hand to help fill any knowledge gaps

Why Use An Anki Anatomy Deck?

• They’re free
• Helps you save time putting together flashcards of your own
• You can rely on the hard work of dedicated med students who’ve gone before you
• Saves stress from having to work out what’s high yield enough to memorize

Where to Find More Anki Anatomy Decks

The best place to find more excellent user generated anatomy decks is the r/medicalschoolanki community. If something gets moved up to the sidebar then you know it’s been vetted and is of good quality.

Related Anki Questions

How Do I Add Plugins To Anki?

You can plugins, such as the hierarchical tags and image occlusion ones mentioned in some of the decks above, by going to tools > add-ons > get add-ons…

Alternatively press ctrl + shift + A on your keyboard.

From there, go to “browse add-ons” and copy the code of the plugin you want into the field here.

The code for image occlusion is 1374772155. For hierarchical tags it’s 594329229.

It’s that easy.

Why Do I Have To Go To Reddit To Download?

Reddit is where these decks are uploaded and shared. The original users deserve accreditation and the opportunity to be thanked for their hard work.

The files for these decks are hosted in these threads created by the deck’s creator.

Final Thoughts: Best Anki Decks For Anatomy

Anatomy is heavy and there’s an awful lot of it!

Learning from flashcards though is always my first recommendation to any students about to dip into it.

Flashcards help with active recall and making sure you memorize the subject effectively.

If you enjoyed this post, you might find the following articles useful:

• How To Memorize Anatomy Quickly (Ultimate 4 Step Strategy)
• 3 Best Histology Anki Decks: Learn Histology Fast
• 6 Best YouTube Channels For Anatomy Beginners
• 22 Amazing Anki Memes (Flashcards Can Be Fun)

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Make no mistakes, anatomy is hard. There’s an insane amount to remember; over 200 bones, 8000 terms and a lot of practical lab (cadavers) that, well, just look like spaghetti.

My four-step process to memorizing it all is very similar to the one recommended by Kenhub. What’s different about it is that it’s more expansive: I’ve thrown in my personal opinions about learning the topic and lots of useful ideas from others.

Obviously there’s never a one-size-fits-all solution to approaching anatomy. But this does do it’s best to accommodate!

Skip around to the various sections below…

Step 1: Preparation

I get that there’s a temptation to read an article or watch a video and jump right into memorizing anatomy. But I feel that’s a little counterintuitive. Especially if you don’t consider some basic things; like why you’re learning in the first place.

Because anatomy is so vast there’s simply no way you can condense it all into a short window of study. First you need to work out two things:

• How “quick” is quickly? How much actual time do you have available?
• How much anatomy do you need to learn?

The only way to answer these is to be honest. Know your schedule (exam dates etc). Then ask someone who’s already achieved what you need to achieve (maybe an older student, teacher or whoever), how much work it costs to get there.

The requirements (and time) for passing anatomy differ across all educational levels. An MBBS student, for example, is going to need much more time than a pre-med.

That said, here are some tips to prepare to memorize the right way…

Work Out What’s High Yield

Before you memorize you need to know what your course aims are. So get hold out of that syllabus and figure it out.

This should help you uncover which areas to focus your memorization efforts on. As well as unpick areas you can skip over on to ultimately save you time.

Potential High Yield Areas:

• All clinical correlations: maybe prioritise the things involved in pathologies first as opposed to random tubercles, ridges, insertion lines etc
• All anatomical exceptions: things that break basic rules (i.e. all obturator muscles innervated by the obturator nerve except the pectineus and medial rotator – innervated by femoral).
• All main nerves, vessels and muscles: those that have multiple functions instead of the more obscure ones dedicated to a single or smaller purpose etc.

Starting out, you can get a sense of these from basic tutorials. 

Figure Out A Schedule

Now you know more about what you have to learn and the amount of time you have to learn it, estimate how long the project is going to take.

Run through a chapter or section of your primary resource (more on this later) and time how long it takes. Work out how many of these you’ll need to do to complete a run through. Then allocate yourself some time either side.

The extra time will help you with the other parts of this strategy.

Understand What to Expect

Of course you won’t know completely what to expect when first embarking on a monster memorization rampage but you can have a rough idea. Based on my experience here are three rules to live by:

1. Use the first pass to familiarize yourself with terminology
2. Use the second pass to see how anatomical structures relate and fit together
3. Use the third pass to memorize

When I say “passes”, I’m referring more to an initial glance at the materials here. Assuming it’s the first time you’ll see them.

The basic premise being; don’t expect to memorize everything perfectly from the get go.

Temper your expectations.

Decide On References

The key thing here is to pick only one or two references and to stick with them. Time is of the essence. Don’t waste it constantly picking up one resource and exchanging it for another.

Ideally you’re going to want a primary resource and a reference resource.

To memorize anatomy quickly I’d personally recommend using flashcards as a primary resource. Then backing those up with videos, websites, books or whatever.

Do you need an anatomy atlas? To learn anatomy well yes. To memorize anatomy quickly? Probably not.

Pick one primary and one reference. 

If you need help here are some great websites for learning anatomy. And here are some great YouTube channels.

You won’t have to pay a dime for these and they’ll serve you exceptionally well.

Also there are more recommended resources at the end.

Step 2: Visualization

To speed up the learning process you’re going to have to visualize what you learn. Doing so will help you better contextualize it and encode it in your long term memory. This will aid retrieval later.

The two best ways to do this:

Anatomy lab: get up close and personal with cadavers. Touch them, name the parts, know what they feel like. Rinse and repeat. For important pointers on how to prepare for cadaver lab check out this article.

Exercise: yes, it may sound weird but exercising, moving your body, lifting weights etc, all these things help to put what you memorize into practice. Watch and feel as your muscles contract, arms and legs act as levers and blood starts circulating. Visualize and name all the structures involved in each.

Read on until the last section for extra tips regarding visualization. 

Step 3: Memorization

Memorization comes after having prepared and understood the benefits of visualization. This is where the real work gets done – it’s also the reason you’re reading this article!

Getting started, there are a few things to bear in mind…

System

First things first, I think it’s crucial to have a system when it comes to memorizing anatomy. Don’t just treat it like learning a phone book.

As reference I want to point to the excellent Mullen Memory website and their theories here. Especially those surrounding their approach to memorizing anatomy the second time around for their radiology specialist training.

Basically their approach (which borrows heavily on the memory palace method – more on this later) boils down to memorizing anatomical structures in the following ways:

• From superficial structures to deep
• From lateral structures to medial
• From large structures to small

Now this might sound like an obvious approach but most med schools (especially mine) don’t actually teach anatomy this way (you can see how the curriculums work more broadly here).

Viewing a cadaver and visualizing your own body though, this makes way more sense. It also contextualizes things better thus speeding up the whole memorization process.

Another thing to mention as far as the memorization system goes too is exploration. Exploration is something you’re going to want to do alongside your main efforts. Doing so will make learning more relevant and more fun.

Explorational can look like this:

– Depth: asking questions about new things you just learn. For example; why is it called the vena cava? Who discovered the vena cava? This piques your curiosity and makes what you’re learning more memorable.
– Lateral: wondering how things connect with each other. For example; what other vessels are similar to the vena cava? What’s next to it?
– Vertical: relating what you learn to topics outside of anatomy. For example; can a vena cava be like the sea tide drawing the ocean’s contents back to the beach? 

Obviously with quickness in mind you don’t want to spend too much time here. But it can aid the learning process!

Just another useful tip I picked up from this article.

Techniques

There are several different techniques you can use when it comes to memorizing anatomy. 

Flashcards

My personal favorite – and one I recommend all the time – is to use flashcards. A good anatomy deck, when used systematically, is probably the fastest way to memorize the basics. Especially as they center on active recall and spaced repetition – two science-backed effective study techniques.

You can go analog here or go with a digital app. Anki has a lot of great public anatomy decks you can download for free – I talk about the best ones in my article 7 best anatomy anki decks: learn anatomy fast.

Quizlet has some good options too, as explained in this video…

Here’s the link to the Quizlet anatomy decks he’s using.

Memory Palace

The memory palace is a technique I’ve mentioned before when discussing how to memorize medical textbooks. It’s used as a common hack by memory champions and works by associating items with visual images as if you’re walking through a house. 

Magnetic Memory has put together a good primer on how to use it for anatomy. It’s also the technique that Mullen Memory employs.

Mnemonics

Mnemonics are incredibly useful for memorizing lists, orders and functions in anatomy. Throw these in with flashcards and they become even more powerful. Bonus points if they happen to be funny ones too.

If you’re hunting for inspiration and don’t have the time to make your own (although making your own ones does improve recall by “personalising” the process) check out medicalmnemonics.com. There’s a huge database there.

There are also some handy ones at MBLEx Guide. Especially for bones, muscles, structures and positions.

Drawing

A lot of med students swear by drawing when it comes to anatomy. Just take some paper or a digital tablet and draw what you’ve been learning. The process definitely counts as active recall. As long as you attempt to do it from memory without copying.

Very similar to the Feynman technique – where you’d explain the concept in simple terms on paper as if you were teaching.

Step 4: Application & Testing

Alongside your rapid attempts to memorize you’ll want to be debugging your efforts as much as possible. Doing so will highlight areas you’re struggling with. Allowing you to put more emphasis on them later to help round-off your knowledge.

As your primary goal is to memorize fast it’s a good idea to dip into quizzes and tests as much as possible. Here is a good list of sites that can get you started.

The main things to keep in mind here are question types and question difficulty. The first you’ll want to have a broad mix of (preferably image-based, clinical scenarios, plenty of MCQ’s etc). The second you’ll want to ramp up from easy to hard as you progress.

Failing is essential here. You should expect to get lots of questions wrong. It’s the only way to effectively course correct and learn which areas of the content to come back to.

Is Anatomy Just Memorization?

Yes, but being successful in anatomy is more about effective memorization rather than normal memorization.

What does that mean?

• Learning things in context of the entire body
• Learning things functionally from the context of the relevant embryology (so you know why structures are located in the places you see them)
• Understanding the subject in terms of function, especially in the context of evolution

You shouldn’t just dive in without a plan. Although I appreciate you can be limited by time!

What Resources Can I Use to Memorize Anatomy Quickly?

The following resources are the ones more commonly recommended from my research into the topic. 

Note: the only one of these I’ve personally used is Netter’s Anatomy Flashcards. They were so much help for me I listed them on my own recommendations page here.

• BRS Anatomy: Excellent review style points that distils the subject into its high-yield concepts. Lots of self quiz questions to work with too.

• UMich: Another key resource that’s well worth checking out. Perfect for histology, embryology and the clinical correlations of anatomy. Some great question banks too. Free.

• Essential Anatomy: A 3D-anatomy software program that many med students swear by. Manipulate, dissect, trace and track all the different structures. Can maybe save time you’d otherwise spend in the lab.

• Netter’s Anatomy Flashcards: Perfect resource for 80/20’ing anatomy, getting the basics down and building a roadmap of the human body in your mind. Includes some very helpful mnemonics.

• Kaplan’s Anatomy Flashcards: Very similar to Netter’s Anatomy but a little more detailed. Lots of clinical correlations that could help with later science based subjects.

Summary

Memorizing anatomy in normal time is challenging enough. Memorizing anatomy quickly? Very tricky indeed.

It took me a solid two years to get to the point where I felt comfortable!

Hopefully however, based on my experiences and those of the many discussed above, you can find success faster.

Good luck!

Image Credit – @jeswinthomas at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Preparing for a cadaver lab can make the whole experience a little easier. Here are my top five tips:

1. Don’t go into lab on an empty stomach
2. Watch a few dissection videos beforehand
3. Let someone else do the cutting and dissection first
4. Wear a lab coat, scrubs or clothes that you don’t mind getting messy
5. Remind yourself; everyone else is anxious too

I’ll get into them all in much more detail, later in this article.

As a med student myself, these are the kind of things I wish I’d known beforehand!

Ready to get started? Let’s go.

How to Survive Cadaver Lab

Surviving cadaver lab is best done with preparation and awareness. For most people (myself included), a cadaver lab is a foreign place. Temperatures are lowered to slow decomposition. Chemicals are used to keep things sterile.

It’s not your usual classroom!

So here’s how to best handle it…

Eat Beforehand

It’s very easy to feel nauseous and light-headed in a cadaver lab if you’re not used to it.

Having something to eat (light) or drink beforehand can help prevent that. As can flexing your thighs if you feel like passing out (helps your blood circulate better).

It’s also a good idea to take some water to drink with you (if the lab allows it).

Staying hydrated helps you focus and keeps your mind on what you’re observing.

A little off-topic but this is also the same advice I give to med students before going into surgery.

Particularly the squeamish ones who have similar fears of fainting at the sight of blood, tissue, and everything else!

Chewing Gum?

Weird, but many people advise chewing gum (if you’re allowed) in anatomy or cadaver lab.

Apparently, it helps with nausea.

Just be careful your gum doesn’t fall into any cavities!

Dissection Videos

Surviving in this environment is all about knowing as much as possible about what you might face.

Dissection videos, for the most part, help in that regard.

They’ll show you a lot about how cadavers are stored, placed, and dissected. As well as best practices and the correct use of tools.

Thankfully there are many good sources online where you can watch videos of cadaver lab-based teaching and dissection work.

You don’t have to spend a long time watching these either. Just get a gist of what goes on and how it might look.

Watching videos can help in a couple of ways:

1. Identifies potential problems (aspects of the lab you might struggle with)
2. Identifies possible strengths (areas you could be of help to others in)
3. Shows interesting ways to overcome common problems (e.g. covering a cadaver’s face to make the experience “less personal”)

Obviously, there are many different lab setups and ways to approach cadaver dissections.

So the videos you watch might not be totally applicable to your case!

Let Someone Else Take Control

You might be surprised to learn but not all medical students have to dissect a cadaver. In fact, you can kind of coast through a med school curriculum without even touching one.

….If you let your colleagues do all the work!

The same applies no matter what context (or class) you find yourself in during cadaver lab.

If you think you might have problems, let someone else take the lead instead.

Nobody is going to expect you to start exploring free of supervision your first time around.

Wear Suitable Clothes

Obviously, surviving lab means not bringing home any “bits” to remind yourself of it.

To do that you’re going to want to wear sensible clothes.

Some cadaver labs might be strict on this, others might be a little more liberal.

Your best bet is to wear a white lab coat or a pair of scrubs. Both options are designed for this type of environment and are easy to clean and sterilize for future use.

Another top tip is to bring a spare pair of clothing to change in and out of too.

As well as storing the clothing you did use in cadaver lab in a separate bag or carrier so as not to “contaminate” whatever else it is you’re carrying.

And remember to cover up any part of your body you don’t want splashes on!

Understand: You’re Not the Only One

Most people are weirded out by seeing a dead body for the first time. It’s completely normal.

Entering into a cadaver lab, for the uninitiated, involves staring mortality directly in the face.

To not feel even slightly emotionally stirred by that would be quite unusual.

So take anyone who you might feel seems “confident” in that environment, with a grain of salt.

Inside, they’re probably just as nervous.

The Importance of Cadavers for Medical Study

If you’re in a cadaver lab for a medical course you might be wondering what the point of it all is.

I know I felt this myself at first – especially when you have so many great anatomy resources to learn from that don’t involve seeing a dead body!

But most schools put a lot of precedence on it. Especially as it gives a chance for students to explore the connections between anatomical structures and how they look in real life.

Most students, as this 2015 study in the Anatomy and Cell Biology Journal shows, are also in favor of it too, however.

It’s seen as being a “fundamental” aspect of anatomy study!

How to Deal With the Cadaver Lab Smell

Interestingly, one of the biggest complaints when it comes to cadaver lab is the smell.

I remember this all too well myself. Formaldehyde (one of the chemicals used to preserve cadavers) is quite pungent. It lingers in the nostrils for quite a while.

The smell is also one of the main reasons that 75% of medical students surveyed in this 2012 study (from the Ethiopian Journal of Health Science) claimed the environment to be “overwhelmingly stressful”.

As for how to deal with it, here are some good pointers:

1. Wear a medical mask (bonus tip: apply lavender or tea tree oil to the mask)
2. Study in a lab with a good ventilation system
3. Step outside and take a pause
4. Milk thistle – it can help with the headache caused by the smell (American Family Physician, 2005)

Failing that, you’ll also just get used to it.

Note: Formaldehyde is also likely to make you feel hungry. Yet another reason to eat beforehand!

My Cadaver Lab Experience

I’ve touched on my anatomy lab experiences before (and also given a few recommendations in this article; how to study for anatomy practical) but I’ve never shared my honest opinion on it.

So, here’s how I view cadaver-based learning:

Varying Importance

Personally, I only went to the lab during mandatory class time and did all my observations, dissections, etc there.

I saw very little value going after hours (like many colleagues).

Memorization happened with old-school resources (flashcards etc.)

Class Quality is Teacher-dependent

Success and surviving anatomy lab have a lot to do with your supervisor, professor, or teacher.

Get a bad one and the class is miserable.

Get a good one and the class is a joy.

The ones that really challenge you, put you on the spot with questions.

Fresh Cadavers

My school didn’t have fresh cadavers.

From that perspective, I’ve never actually seen a cadaver dissected from the surface.

Medically speaking I think it’s very important to see things done in the correct order!

Cadavers Vs Illustrations

Trust me. There’s a big difference between being able to identify a labeled structure on an actual cadaver and one drawn neatly in an atlas or textbook.

The experience is chalk and cheese.

But unless you’re hell-bent on pathology or surgery as a specialty, I’m not sure what the point of seeing a cadaver with all their guts ripped out actually is.

Where to Find Cadaver Dissection Videos

Here are a couple of recommendations on resources you can use:

1. Institute of Human Anatomy – amazing YouTube channel that’s actually set in a private cadaver lab. Commonly runs live Q&A’s from inside the lab too.
2. Sanjoy Sanyal – Hundreds of short dissection videos based on specific anatomy zones. Sanjoy is a demonstrator at one of the Caribbean med schools. This guy deserves more subs!

It’s also worth Googling around to see if you can find Acland’s videos too. They don’t have an official YouTube channel but you can find a couple of uploads.

They’re considered the “gold standard” when it comes to cadaver-based study.

Books-wise I got a lot out of Rohen’s anatomy; I basically have this to thank for scoring so high…

It’s great if you want photographic review and views from different angles and axis.

Where to Find Cadaver Lab Workshops

Finally, if you’re not a student but still interested in learning anatomy then it could be a good idea to find cadaver workshops locally.

A general search in the US, shows labs offering courses in:

1. Miami, FL
2. Boulder, CO
3. Bridgeport, CT

It might be worth hunting down some in your local area to see if you can get some hands-on teaching.

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Learning anatomy with board games could solve all that. Giving you a fun, social way to get to grips with the subject and impress next time you’re in class, these recommendations might just bring your grades up too.

But don’t quote me on that! You still have to put in the hard work…

Here are the six fun anatomy board games we’ll be exploring in this article:

• Rick & Morty Anatomy Park Game
• Looney Labs Anatomy Fluxx
• Scabs and Guts: The Meducational Board Game
• Cytosis: A Cell Biology Game
• Dr Livingston’s Human Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles
• SmartLab Toys Squishy Human Body

I’ve also got a handy related questions section at the end!

Awesome Anatomy Board Games

These recommendations are a lot different to the free anatomy study games for college students I put together.

Head over to that article if you’re looking for web-based quiz games and the like.

1. Rick & Morty Anatomy Park Game

OK, so it’s not exactly the most high-brow of games – but any fan of TV series Rick & Morty would already know that…

Anatomy Park is based on a Rick and Morty episode cribbing both 80’s film Innerspace and Jurassic Park. The basic premise being that the two main characters go inside the body of vagrant only to end up in Rick’s twisted theme park. From there, things, obviously, start to go wrong.

The game itself is centered on building “Anatomy Park” and avoiding the diseases (Hepatatis A, Pancreatitis etc) that inevitably get in the way.

Here’s the official vid…

Maybe you won’t learn much “hard” anatomy playing this but you’ll get a sense of what can go wrong! Bodily reactions turning into diseases is pretty factual but won’t be enough for you to get the basics down.

Included mainly because I’m a big fan of Rick and Morty myself…

2. Looney Labs Anatomy Fluxx

Anatomy Fluxx is a much more sensible educational resource. Designed by an actual ER doctor – and with all its facts checked by anatomy professionals – you’ll definitely sharpen your anatomy skills playing this one.

At its heart a basic card game, no round of Anatomy Fluxx plays the same. You get extra points for learning the anatomy factlets on the cards and play via rounds where you follow ‘goal cards’ to victory.

What’s great about it from an educational perspective is that learning is a built-in motivator to win the game. You’ll notice that certain cards have you read anatomy-based questions to whoever is next taking a turn. The outcome is dependent on whether they answer correct or not.

The detail on the cards is somewhere between basic and intermediate. The ‘keeper’ brain card, for example, divides the brain up into four main lobes. As does the stomach with its mention of pyloric and esophageal sphincters. For that reason it serves as a great overview and revision tool for students.

Here’s a review of it at the GAMA trade show…

Each round lasts 5-30 mins. You can also play with up to six players…the perfect med school drinking game anyone?

3. Scabs and Guts: The Meducational Board Game

Scabs and Guts isn’t strictly about anatomy but it definitely includes a lot of it! Aimed at younger learners (anyone 6+), it’s probably not going to be engaging enough for med students but could be useful to have in your back pocket if you’re tutoring or teaching.

Similar to Anatomy Fluxx, Scabs and Guts also has lots of interesting (and disgusting) human body-related facts. Playing involves moving around the body-shaped board and answering a series of multiple choice questions based on the following three categories; Scrapes and Scabs, Blood and Guts or Blubber and Buff.

Questions are very basic; “where does the digestive system start?”etc. But still useful for learning – especially as there’s so many of them.

There’s also a chance for some amateur-dramatics with action cards too.

Here’s a vid showing how the game is meant to be played…

4. Cytosis: A Cell Biology Game

There’s no anatomy without cell biology. To help teach us that there’s Cytosis, a strategy board game that involves building enzymes, hormones, cell receptors and proteins.

Created by Genius Games, a STEM-based publishing company on a mission to produce educational tabletop games for teaching science, Cytosis is a worker placement game, meaning you place pieces on the cell and its organelles to direct its functions.

The resources you collect from placements can then be used to build things and collect ‘health points’.

Here’s a 10-minute run through on how to play Cytosis…

5. Dr Livingston’s Human Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles – The Human Head

If you like puzzles and have the patience this might be a nice way of learning the major bones, muscles and vessels of the human head.

This is actually the first in a future series of puzzles that will map the entire body. It was created by the anatomy team at John Hopkins University. It’s also 2X the actual size of a human head too – making it a little easier to observe the finer anatomical details.

6. SmartLab Toys Squishy Human Body

OK, it’s not strictly a board game but it’s cool. It’s like a mini dissection you can do in the comfort of your own home. Without having to go near a cadaver (unlike most med students).

This 29 piece kit includes:

• Plastic human body model and stand
• 9 squishy organs
• 12 plastic bones and muscles
• Forceps, tweezers and collection mat
• 24-page illustrated anatomy book

Very cool for young learners or adults who just want something fun to play with.

Here’s how it looks…

Related Questions

What Other Resources Can I Use to Learn Anatomy Effectively?

Most med students are advised to use anatomy atlases and text books when it comes to school-based learning. Although those can help (and certainly serve as great references), my preferred method is to use flashcards.

Of course there are plenty of resources out there on the web to help you learn too. One resource I absolutely recommend beginners check out is YouTube. A lot of good content there can give you a quick and easy overview.

Websites are another useful resource to use. Especially those outlined in my best anatomy websites for medical students post.

The most important thing to do when it comes to learning anatomy – given just how many resources there are – is to pick one thing and stick to it!

How Do I Teach Anatomy in a Fun Way?

Games can make teaching anatomy fun because they add a competitive element to study.

Giving students the chance to show off their anatomy knowledge (or learn things through ‘gamifying’ the subject) can help capture their attention and prevent boredom.

Maybe they’re not suitable for med school-based learning – where cadaver dissections and serious lectures are commonplace. But they’ve definitely got a place in more informal environments; seminars, classes, clubs and workshops etc.

How Do Anatomy Board Games Help Students?

According to this 2019 systematic review, board games “improve the understanding of knowledge, enhance interpersonal relations and increase motivation.”

In the classroom though it’s probably safe to say they offer a bit of light relief from traditional study methods and probably shouldn’t serve as a primary anatomy teaching resource.

The games recommended above are just meant as a bit of fun more than anything!

Can Anatomy Board Games Really Help Students Master Anatomy?

Anatom mastery? No. Get a good idea of the basics and have fun while doing it? Definitely.

Where they will certainly help is with active recall and quizzing – study strategies I heavily depend on in my own med studies.

They might also add context to what you’re learning to. So the next time you see something in anatomy practicals or labs for example, you can say “hey, I learned that playing X’. Further strengthening your memory of that one fact or concept in the process!

Final Thoughts On Learning Anatomy With Board Games

Anatomy board games take all the sting out of lonely book or flashcard study and help bring you and your classmates closer together.

I wish I’d have known about some of these options before passing anatomy myself.

Especially as they would have made a nice guilt-free evening studying with my med school friends!

If you enjoyed this article, you might like the following:

• 6 Best YouTube Channels For Anatomy Beginners

Image Credit – @jessedo81 at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

Despite it being hard however it’s also one of the most fun subjects you’ll encounter. You get to know where each part of your body is, as well as understand why it’s important. You’ll also come to appreciate the complexity of yourself in a whole new light too!

But that’s not to say it will be easy. The anatomy exam syllabus I had in med school was a list of 400 topics long for example. So imagine having to synthesize all that and still know each area well enough to write a detailed essay.

Hardly childs play.

What Are The Biggest Challenges in Anatomy?

Here are the biggest challenges the way I see it:

• Huge amount of information: it’s not just muscles, it’s bones, joints, nerves, vessels, organs, anastomoses and much more
• Requires the memorization of a lot of lists: most of the time these lists are made up of very similar looking structures that are hard to differentiate. You’ll see what I mean when you get to the brachial plexus.
• Difficulty visualising certain regions in 3D: especially as we normally only see bodies from one perspective with our own eyes
• Requires a whole new language: terminology to describe locations and what you see (anterior, inferior, superior etc)
• Lab work: dissecting cadavers and all the challenges that go with handling scalpels, tweezers etc
• Teaching styles: not all anatomy teachers are equal
• Curriculum style: system based learning tackling one organ or region at a time may be less effective than a broad overview
• Clinical relevance: most anatomy courses like you to know as much about the body as possible, but not so much its clinical relevance. Without knowing the relevance though it’s quite difficult to stay memorize or stay motivated.

Each of these challenges carry their own separate problems too. For most students faced with a couple of these things however, the struggle of anatomy suddenly becomes real. Even more so if you’re on a tight schedule of a mere couple of months.

Even anatomists themselves don’t rush their studies of the subject. The absolute beast that it is.

Which Is Harder Anatomy Or Physiology?

I’ve written before how I consider physiology to be one of the toughest subjects on a medical or science-based curriculum. I still stand by that opinion.

Personally I’ll take the brute force memorization of anatomy over the applied math and physics (even though there’s little of it) of physiology every day of the week. I’m just not at all comfortable with the latter – as readers of this article will well know.

Objectively speaking though, the two subjects are usually taught together rather than compared. And this makes sense; anatomy identifies the object and physiology tells you how it works.

Oftentimes though, as I feel it is in anatomy, pointing to things is a lot easier than explaining them.

Even if there is seemingly thousands of things you could point at!

Answering which is more difficult however, is entirely dependent on you and where you’re learning either subject. At my med school for example, which follows a traditional curriculum, both had separate faculties and exams to go with them. Let’s just say the physiologists took things a lot lighter.

What To Do If You Find Anatomy Hard

I think the best way to get over problems in anatomy is to find great resources. Not only will these help break down and simplify the subject for you but they’ll also know the common pitfalls that could trip you up. Thus helping you avoid them and saving you confusion.

I’ve shared some particular great and free web resources for learning anatomy here.

Aside from this, it’s also really important to find a good teacher. Somone who explains things in a way you can immediately grasp it. Without adding layers of complexity that only distract you from the main point.

There’s also a bunch of these avaialble on the internet that teach anatomy for free too.

Finally, here are some extra considerations:

• Memorization: consider using flashcards to get a good general overview of each organ system first. Flashcards will help build your long-term memory and make you much more comfortable with anatomy moving forward. Netters cards, as mentioned in my recommendations, worked like a charm for me.
• Spend time with cadavers: learning to pick out structures on a real body, rather than a 3D training model or picture in a book, is a very different experience. You need to learn to get comfortable with them to better recognise how vessels look and feel (they’re not colored like in the books). Anatomy practical is all about this.
• Persevere: anatomy is just about regular exposure, familiarity and not giving up. If you can resist the urge to quit you will get it. Everythign eventually clicks into place.

Final Thoughts

Yes anatomy is hard but, as it is for a lot of core science subjects, it’s no way unsurmountable. It might require more time and dedication than most – and a lot of revision to get things ingrained – but eventually you’ll see results.

Taking the time to learn it well now is time well spent. No matter if you’re a med student or not.

Image Credit: @coolmilo at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

To save you time, I’ve rounded up six great beginner anatomy playlists. Each of these delivers the basics in plain English and is guaranteed not to waste your time. I’ll dive into each in more detail later.

• Sam Webster
• The Noted Anatomist
• Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology
• AnatomyZone
• Khan Academy Medicine: Human Anatomy & Physiology
• Dr John Campbell

Note: I’ve also ranked these in order of personal preference. Having used each channel myself on my road through med school (and passing anatomy), I’ll explain what went into the decision process.

I’m purposefully excluding dissection-based videos for a reason. Starting out in anatomy for the first time, I don’t consider them essential. But if you’re interested in my opinion on them (and their role in med school) you can go here.

Let’s get to the channels.

Sam Webster

Who is Sam Webster?

Sam Webster is a human anatomy lecturer at Swansea University Medical School in South Wales, UK (not too far from home – perhaps that’s why I love him so much!)

His YouTube channel, of the same name, is always the first recommendation I have for any students asking me about anatomy. I first started following him a couple of years back when I was doing my own anatomy exams (he had only a couple thousand subscribers back then). But I knew it was only a matter of time before he would blow up (he now has 170K plus subscribers).

His anatomy playlist has well over 200 tutorial videos.

Why Sam Webster Is Great for Anatomy Beginners

The thing about Sam is that he has a knack for simple explanations. Watch him explain mesenteries with clingfilm for example, and you’ll see exactly what I mean. He’s also a YouTube regular, with new uploads every week.

Another great thing about his channel (aside from his weekly personal vlogs – where he’ll often draw his hobbies back to his anatomy teaching) is his access to top of the range anatomical figures and 3D models. Watching Sam play with these (if you’ll excuse all the clattering and clanging), makes you better able to visualize the spatial arrangements of structures in the body. Something you just don’t get from 3D software.

Sam is all about useful mnemonics too. Who could forget his very memorable one for the autonomic nervous functions aiding the male genitalia?

You’ll have to dig through his vids to find that one!

The Noted Anatomist

Who Is The Noted Anatomist?

The Noted Anatomist is Dr. David Morton, Anatomy Professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, US.

According to his web bio he got a C- in his first anatomy class in high school. Don’t worry he’s improved a lot since then!

His channel, nicely divided into individual video playlists for key anatomy topics, has over 120K subscribers. He uploads roughly once a month.

Why The Noted Anatomist Is Great for Anatomy Beginners

Like Sam Webster, The Noted Anatomist is a generalists channel to anatomy – not just medical students. Because of that he is careful to keep things plain and simple, while not bogging down his viewer with extra detail. Each video starts out with a key couple of questions he wants the viewer to think about.

What’s nice about the channel is Dr Morton’s tone, delivery and pacing. The illustrations and diagrams that run alongside his commentary are very engaging. Also meaning you’re unlikely to switch off.

Another great feature that makes it good for beginners is the way he breaks down to terminology and makes it less daunting. Just watch his video on divisions of the brain for example. There he explains gyri and sulci as “hills” and “valleys” – making it much easier to visualise and remember.

Crash Course Anatomy and Physiology

What is Crash Course A&P?

Crash Course is a YouTube series made by Hank Green, it covers lots of different subjects (not just anatomy). What’s cool about it are the amazing graphics (seriously the team they hired did a superb job) as well as Hank’s zany run throughs on complicated topics.

This anatomy and physiology playlist is 44 videos long. Judging by the huge amount of traffic this series gets though, you’ll know it’s a good one.

The whole ethos of Crash Course is to be quick while covering all the major essentials. The average video length is about 10 minutes. Perfect for cramming.

Why Crash Course Is Great For Anatomy Beginners

Crash Course is great because it can serve as a fun and fast overview of the subject before you dive deeper into anatomy. You can watch these videos kicking back on a tablet or a phone or whatever and just take it all in.

It’s actually impressive just how factual each short video can be. I also like the way Hank draws various analogies to the complicated science to compare it to wacky things. A refreshing approach.

AnatomyZone

Who Are AnatomyZone?

AnatomyZone is run by two UK-based doctors, Peter de Souza and Jack Hurley. The channel (and site) has been running since 2011.

This channel differentiates itself from others in it’s use of 3D imaging software. Watch the tutorials and you’ll see how Jack and Peter remove structures in an easy to see way. Without the interference of a messy dissection.

The channel itself is divided into separate playlists focused on different anatomical regions. Videos are pretty short, usually ranging from 5-10 minutes.

Why is AnatomyZone Great For Anatomy Beginners

The best thing about AnatomyZone is the graphics. The 3D modelling used in the videos – alongside the detailed commentaries – really helps viewers imagine the contours and shapes of major structures as well as better associate their locations.

Another nice touch AnatomyZone has is it’s focus on clinical anatomy. Explaining what certain pathologies look like in terms of organs and structures they effect, makes understanding diseases a lot easier.

Khan Academy Medicine: Human Anatomy & Physiology

What is Khan Academy?

Khan Academy is one of the web’s best known free education sites. It’s medicine related courses were moved from their main site to YouTube. Unlike their other courses, that’s the only place you can access the material for now.

The anatomy and physiology playlist from their medicine content is massive (over 200 videos). Covering all the major organ systems and anatomical regions, there’s enough content here to keep you busy for months.

Why Is Khan Academy Medicine Great For Anatomy Beginners?

Khan Academy is well known for its simple explainers of complicated subjects. Their format, commentary made over blackboard-style drawings, works well too. Each video is clean and doesn’t distract.

What’s great about it for beginners is that the video content is specifically targeted for someone at that level. Most videos include recaps, or define terms so that you don’t get lost if you’ve jumped into a subject from somewhere else.

I used this and Crash Course both heavily in my year doing A-levels as a prerequisite to studying med. If you’re interested about that you can read about how I got into studying medicine later in life here.

Dr John Campbell: Anatomy

Who is Dr John Campbell?

John Campbell is a retired nurse teacher and emergency room nurse from the UK.

His YouTube channel is one of the oldest on this list, starting way back in 2007. It was originally started to help John teach his healthcare students both in the UK and in places like Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

John has over 750K subscribers. Incredible.

Why Is Dr John Campbell Great For Anatomy Beginners?

Dr John’s videos are a little different as they were originally aimed at nurses and other healthcare professionals (not medical students). He doesn’t use any flashy graphics, animations or other bells and whistles. His teaching is more old-school style; traditional classroom-based explanations using lots of real-life 3D models and drawings.

John’s delivery is actually very similar to Sam Webster’s. Both are British, both speak clearly and both organise their videos very systemically and in ways that newcomers to anatomy will feel very comfortable. I also discovered his videos around the same time as Sam’s too!

Final Thoughts

Learning anatomy is hard. Choosing great resources however can make it easier. Each of these channels above fit that category.

For extra tips – especially if you’re a med student looking to level up in anatomy – check out my article on the 5 best anatomy websites for medical students. There are lots of good beginner-friendly tutorials there also.

Good luck and have fun learning anatomy.

Image Source: @ninoliverani at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

willpeachmd.com

It also requires you to get comfortable with the technical side of the subject!

So how to study anatomy practical the right way?

• Accept the challenge
• Use a good dissection guide
• Ask your professor for tips
• Know what questions to expect
• Hold organs in your hands
• Focus on orientation over identification
• Learn tissue types and key landmarks
• Ask active questions while dissecting/observing
• Use mnemonics
• Don’t rely on colleagues
• Be consistent with resources

For a newcomer that might seem a little simplistic. But don’t worry we’ll go into it more in this article!

As someone who found anatomy practical a difficult subject, I wish I’d have prepped myself with this info beforehand.

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

What is Anatomy Practical?

Anatomy practicals generally refer to the part of an anatomy exam that involves physical lab work.

This is in direct contrast to the written component of an anatomy exam; a section where you’ll usually have to answer questions or write an essay.

Anatomy practical work can be:

• Cadaver-based: where you might be asked to identify dissected structures
• Histology-based: where you’ll be asked to look and identify microscopic slides or their components
• Osteology-based: where you’ll look at bones and joints

And sometimes there’s some radiology and embryology thrown in too!

Related: Do All Medical Students Have to Dissect a Cadaver?

The way these practicals are structured depends entirely on how your school, college or University organises them. As medical school curriculums differ quite a lot, there’s no such thing as a typical anatomy practical. Although most do seem to include the sections explained above!

Tips On How To Study For An Anatomy Practical

Now for the tips.

These are intended as key things to keep in mind as you start and continue anatomy lab work. Things that will make preparing for an exam all the more easier.

They don’t just apply to med students either!

Using these things helped me score well on my own University’s internal exams.

#1: Accept the Challenge

The first thing you’re going to need to do when approaching anatomy lab, whether you have an upcoming exam or not, is recognise; it’s seriously tough.

As anatomy is such a huge topic with so many levels of detail, there’s a lot of learning ahead of you. That’s also on top of learning to dissect, adjust a microscope and talk your way around a radiograph (x-ray) too.

So accept that it’s completely normal to struggle, feel overwhelmed and even fail. Just don’t let that deter your ambition to master the subject.

Seriously though, learning to identify and label structures on a cadaver is a completely different story to seeing them in a book. Oftentimes, to me at least, cadavers just look like jumbled pieces of spaghetti (maybe it was just my med school’s). So figuring them out is no easy thing!

Dissection Guides

One way to get a good grasp on what you’re seeing during a live dissection, especially if it’s being done by someone else, is to use a dissection guide. These are books that offer walk-throughs of the process. Often going layer by layer and showing what the key things (nerves, vessels, organs) are to look out for.

The two best guides that usually get recommended are Rohen’s (my personal fave, especially as it’s digital – you can take it into the lab on your iPad) and Grant’s Dissector. Both these books do an excellent job of supplementing what you see. They also provide a quick reference you can use at home. Saving you extra time away from the dissection hall.

Check out my recommendations section for other top resources I use.

Use the Professor

Nobody will know what’s on your anatomy practical exam better than your professor or supervisor. Trust their knowledge. Also look out and listen for any time they mention any structure or part of anatomy that’s likely be tested.

As I already mentioned, all anatomy courses differ in the way they test students. Using the experience of your teachers, and actually asking them for their own recommendations (not just mine!), is a sensible way to figure out what your course expects of you. They’ll also maybe be able to discuss with you what was on previous exams or even run mock-style tests with you.

Usually you only have to ask!

Know What to Expect

Following on from that last tip is knowing what to expect. This means scanning course materials, syllabus points and exam guides to know exactly how you’ll be tested. I remember my own anatomy lab exam had something like 250 plus syllabus points on a five-page document!

Another good idea is to ask students in older years (if available) what anatomy lab was like for them. Maybe they can even accompany you to the dissection hall one time, or walk you through radiographs or micro slides. I did exactly this and the advice I got, specifically when it came to individual examiners and their favorite structures to test, was absolutely gold.

Hold and Position Organs

Now for some more specific lab-based tips.

The first one involves physically holding organs to observe how they look from all angles. You’ll notice a heart, for example, looks very different in the superior anterior view than it does from a posterior inferior! Since you don’t know how or what view of them you’ll get on the final exam, it pays to go over each of the possibilities.

Related: Can You Be A Doctor If You’re Squeamish?

The same goes for positioning them on a display table or in a formaldehyde container. Get a good look at everything and notice the more obvious features that can help you tell them apart.

Orientation Vs Identification

One hack to get better at anatomy practical is to figure out where you are on a cadaver by orientation rather than identification. This involves getting a broad overview of what part of the body you’re in (thorax, abdomen, limb etc) and then doubling down from there. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with these cavities and parts beforehand.

Another tip here is to work on things like your muscle origins and attachment points. That way, if something is dissected and arranged unnaturally, you can simply trace it back with your hand to figure out start or end points. Obvious the same goes for vessels and nerves too.

Don’t be afraid to really touch, feel and follow what you see. Doing so can really help.

Tissue Types and Landmarks

A good tip for improving on histology is to look at things via tissue types. This involves looking for critical microscopic features that help you determine what it is you’re looking at that’s magnified. Knowing what staining techniques are used for what (i.e. Sudan stain for lipids) can also help you work out what organ system a sample is from too.

Landmarks, on the other hand, can help in cadaver-based study. Learning the major anatomical points (as you would by covering basic tutorials) like the clavicle, sternum, epicondyles etc first, can make further exploration and study easier. Especially when communicating with colleagues and professors without touching or pointing to samples too.

Thankfully there are a lot of great, free and fast websites that can help you do this. Here are the five best anatomy websites for students I most often recommend.

Active Questions

Readers of this site will know I’m a huge fan of active recall techniques for study. I talk about them all the time. Just check out some of the advice I give in my article; how to study medicine more effectively for examples.

The same goes for anatomy lab. Everything you do, learn and see, you want to follow with active questioning. Ask yourself why what you’re seeing is important, where does it go, what would happen if it was blocked, obstructed, impaired etc.

And do this as you dissect. Or observe things.

Doing so serves to better contextualise what it is you’re learning. Not to mention improve your long-term recall. Or make a boring anatomy class more interesting!

Maybe you want to take some brief bullet-points in each lab class in a question-based format you can visit later during revision.

Mnemonics

Learning useful anatomy-based mnemonics are a great way to supercharge your recall of structures, orders and positions. You can make your own if you feel more comfortable. Or use the thousands of others out there on the web made by other dedicated students or teachers.

The reasons mnemonics work great is that they help with visualising anatomy away from cadavers or images themselves. They can also be applied to each section of an anatomy lab.

Mnemonics also work better the funnier they are too.

Related: 20 Funny Medical Mnemonics

Don’t Rely On Colleagues

This could be controversial but personally I wouldn’t recommend studying for anatomy labs alone with colleagues without experienced supervision. The reason being? Anatomy is just too complicated and confusing for the inexperienced to figure out on there own.

Sure there are ways around this; I already mentioned the use of dissectors and websites for guides etc. But there’s no real substitute for a proper teacher. Someone who can show you what a real vein, artery and nerve feels like. And can also explain why.

Hint: They’re not colored blue, red and yellow in real life like they are in most anatomy atlases!

Be Consistent With Resources

The final tip I’ve got for doing well in anatomy lab is to choose one resource and stick with it. Too many times I saw colleagues of mine constantly switching books, atlases and apps etc whenever they felt something wasn’t quite working. This is a massive time waste!

It also involves you going back to scratch and having to get used to each resources’ approach to teaching and explaining.

My recommendation here is to figure out ahead of time the best resource for you. That might mean browsing several books or sites in the days leading up to class or an exam block and staying with them.

You can trust that almost all resources will have the information you need. The only difference usually is the way they present it.

Bonus: Questionable Cramming Approach

Some students also recommend spending the evening before an exam in the dissection hall to quickly go over major points. Personally, I limited my time in the hall to scheduled classes only (while keeping the aforementioned tips in mind). This is because I’d rather approach exams in a relaxed way in the lead-up to them (safe in the knowledge I’ve already prepared effectively) – not make myself more nervous!

Summary

Anatomy lab exams are tough. The environment is sterile, the professors are often unforgiving and the cadavers are well, motionless. Hopefully the pointers above can help guide you a little better.

If you want more tips on how I recommend preparing for anatomy – especially when it comes to saving time – check out my article; how to memorize anatomy quickly (the ultimate 4 step strategy). It’s not an ideal approach for a MBBS but there are some good pointers there.

You can also check out my tips on how to focus better for exams here.

Good luck!

Image Credit: @aurificina at Unsplash

Will

Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.

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