We're about to spend some time learning a whole bunch of anatomical terms for body parts and body regions. Now, these anatomical terms are just Greek and Latin terms for body parts, and there's going to be a number of them. In our videos, we're going to learn close to 50, but it's really important to remember here that every class, every professor tends to give you a slightly different list that you need to learn. So check your notes and make sure the words that you're studying are the exact words that are going to be on your test. So why are we doing this now?
Well, as you go forward in the class, these words are going to come up over and over again. As you learn the names for muscles, bones, blood vessels, and nerves, you're going to see these Greek and Latin words come up repeatedly. For example, if you know the femoral region is your thigh, well, where's the femoral artery? It's the largest artery in your thigh. That's one less blood vessel that you need to know because you learned your anatomical terms.
To learn these, there's really nothing conceptual about it. It's just a list of words, a list of vocabulary that you have to memorize the definitions. So this is my suggestion for learning these. First off, start by practicing one region at a time. Break it up.
Close to 50 words is a lot. Break it up into region by region. We do that in the videos when you start with the head and neck, move to the trunk, the arms, legs, etc. Learn one region, move on to the next, go back and practice the first. Next, I really suggest you practice saying the terms out loud.
Being able to say a word will help you remember it so much more easily. So practice pronouncing the word. Even if you pronounce it wrong, say it out loud so you can hear it in your head. You'll remember it better. Next, give yourself a self-test sheet.
So I suggest printing up an anatomical model just like this. Print up a number of them. Practice labeling. Write in those words over and over, figure out which ones you're missing, and then practice those more. Flashcards are your friends.
Right? In anatomy and physiology, this is a course that really helps to make flashcards. This section will probably help more than any other. Your learning vocabulary flashcards are great for that. Next, I suggest playing Simon Says with your friends.
Right? That classic kids' game. Simon Says, touch your ear. Simon says, wiggle your nose. Touch your chest.
Oh, Simon didn't say. You can do the same thing with anatomical terms. Right? Simon says, touch your otic region. Simon says, wiggle your nasal region.
Touch your thoracic region. Simon didn't say. Sounds dumb, sounds corny, but if it's 11 o'clock with your study group and your brain is mush, take a group, take a break, play a game and stay on task. Alright. Finally, I suggest making and using memory tools.
As we go through this, for pretty much every word, I'm going to give you something that helps me remember the meaning of that word. If it helps you remember the meaning of that word, great. If it doesn't, come up with your own memory tool. Alright. With that, let's go learn some anatomical terms.
