The Best Way to Study Anatomy in Medical School: Tips from an Anatomy TA

Clinical Anatomy is a cardinal experience of medical education. For many, the cadaver dissected during the first year of medical school will come to be remembered as their “first patient,” inviting a novel reckoning with both the resilience and inevitable mortality of the human body. In addition to its rather emotional dimension, Clinical Anatomy is very academically rigorous. It demands extensive memorization of a new vocabulary steeped in Greek and Latin origins. With a well-crafted approach to studying, you can master Clinical Anatomy’s foundational content and be well-poised for success in future medical school coursework. 

It’s important to note that institutional approaches to Clinical Anatomy vary. Historically, cadaveric dissection has been the traditional method of instruction, but the Covid-19 pandemic and the emergence of artificial intelligence learning platforms have prompted a rethink of anatomy education. While some institutions continue to feature entirely in-person, in-lab dissection, others have transitioned to either entirely virtual course experience or a hybrid model. Regardless of your institution’s approach, the following tips are designed to guide you through this unique educational journey.

Tip #1: Intentionally Select Your Medical School Anatomy Resources

Anatomy is a cornerstone of medical education and as a result, there are a wealth of resources on the subject. You can quickly reach “resource fatigue” by using too many sources, all at too surface of a level. Your school may have institution-specific anatomy resources or offer guidance on which to choose from. Whether or not this is the case, a general approach to selecting resources might be as follows: 

Atlas

Think of an atlas as a comprehensive “dictionary” of the human body. Atlases typically feature diagrams of different regions of the body (e.g., thorax, abdomen, male/female pelvis) and are often organized by system (e.g., vascular, nervous, musculoskeletal). This allows learners to explore individual structures and systems in isolation, as well as layer them on top of one another for a deeper understanding.

There are many excellent atlases available, each with its own strengths. Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy is one of the most well-known, with incredibly detailed diagrams that follow a regional approach to human anatomy. Additional options include Gray’s Anatomy, Human Anatomy (John Gosling), and Moore’s Clinically Oriented Anatomy. These core reference guides are indispensable for anyone studying Clinical Anatomy.

Clinical Correlation

To truly understand anatomy, it’s essential to connect the structures you see and dissect, with their clinical significance. Because anatomy is seldom taught in a vacuum, medical schools typically present this information in parallel with dissection labs or have their own internal materials for clinical correlation. By focusing on these connections, you’ll be able to thoughtfully apply new content and retain it more effectively in the long term.

Rote memorization may help you pass a test, but it’s not enough to ensure lasting knowledge. By contrast, integrating clinical correlations into your learning process will help you build a deeper understanding of anatomy and its practical applications.

Online Modeling

One of the biggest hurdles in learning human anatomy is grasping the complex spatial relationships between muscles, vessels, and nerves. To overcome this challenge, online 3D modeling software can be a game-changer. These tools allow you to visualize how different structures interact and relate to each other in a highly engaging and interactive way. In my experience, Complete Anatomy is a very user-friendly learning platform. However, it’s worth noting that different institutions may recommend alternative software that can achieve similar results.

Tip #2: Study Anatomy Content in Terms of Its Clinical Application in Medical School

To me, Clinical Anatomy is like learning the landscape of a foreign city that will eventually become your home. It’s the backdrop on which your understanding of medicine will be built, the roads and highways along which the knowns and unknowns of the body transit. However just as it would be inefficient to learn the geography of a city by simply staring at a map, so too is Clinical Anatomy so much more than a routine of rote memorization. To truly know a foreign land, you need to walk its streets, find places of interest, and imbue your journey with meaning.

Similarly, to learn Clinical Anatomy, you must pay heed to both components of the course title––the “clinical” application of the foundational “anatomy” that endows the unique landscape of the human body with newfound significance. What’s so special about the saphenous vein? It’s a commonly harvested conduit for coronary artery bypass procedures. Why is the needle for a thoracentesis inserted at the superior border of the rib? Because the intercostal nerves are found at the rib’s inferior aspects. 

“Why?” is arguably one of the most invited questions of both Clinical Anatomy and medicine in general. Most institutions have clinical correlates of anatomy embedded into the curriculum. So I would highly encourage studying those in parallel with structure identification and memorization. Don’t just memorize the map – explore the city, and make the anatomy come alive.

Tip #3: Space Your Anatomy Studying in Medical School

When studying for multiple courses, it’s tempting to put off studying anatomy until just before the exam. Given the amount of memorization required, this can be particularly challenging. Deferring study can impede long-term content retention, in turn making material from future organ systems-based blocks harder to grasp. 

Especially for anatomy, spaced repetition is key. Try to dedicate some time every day to learning and reviewing content using flashcards or spending extra time in the lab identifying different structures. Remember, active recall is always better than passive content consumption. While lectures and textbook chapters can provide a useful knowledge base, actively checking your memory and understanding is what will make that information stick. By making anatomy a daily habit, you’ll take control of your learning and build a strong foundation for future success.

Tip #4: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Particularly for programs with in-person dissection, students often dissect a cadaver as a team with several classmates. This shared experience offers a great opportunity to build both an academic and personal community. Group studying is an excellent way to expose and fill the gaps in your knowledge.  Another group mate may know the thing you can’t remember and vice versa. Collaborative learning builds confidence in your collective knowledge and promotes a culture of mutual support within your class. If you’re lucky like me, your anatomy lab-mates might end up becoming some of your closest friends! 

Tip #5: Study Using More Than One Cadaver

While human anatomy is fundamentally conserved, there are unique person-to-person anatomical variations. The cystic artery may vary in its relation to the common hepatic artery. As a result, the cholecystectomy performed on a Monday morning may look very different from one performed later that day. Because individuals who donate their bodies to medical education may have passed away due to a variety of conditions, their bodies show diverse sequelae of disease. This means that the anatomy learned from a single cadaver or textbook may not always match what you’ll see in clinical practice.

To bridge this gap, take advantage of opportunities to explore different anatomical variations. If your institution practices in-person dissection, consider asking a neighboring table if they can walk you through their dissection or if you can respectfully try to identify structures of interest on their cadaver. You may also encounter cadavers with implanted devices (e.g., pacemakers, PEG tubes) or surgical histories (e.g., bowel resections, appendectomies, cholecystectomies). It can be very unique to see how these interventions map to the human body. By exposing yourself to these variations, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of human anatomy and navigate clinical complexities with confidence.

A Transformative Experience Awaits

For many, Clinical Anatomy becomes a beloved experience that leaves a lasting impact.. Little compares to the satisfaction of having traversed the many organs and accompanying structures that comprise the remarkable feat of human life. With these tips and a growth mindset in tow, Clinical Anatomy can hopefully be as formative and memorable of an experience for you as it was for me.

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