18 August, 2008

Information Crit

I'm still in some sort of time vortex. I knew that it would be like this, but I can hardly believe the sheer amount of material that there is to learn. It's been barely two weeks and it feels like it's been years. The relationships in our class show it too. We're already joking with each other like we've known each other for years. Only problem is that we forget names periodically. So y'know, my anatomy crew is pretty awesome and we've done a lot of bonding over our cadaver, but half the time I forget their names. I know what they look like though, which is a plus.

A pretty common theme here is information overload, but it comes in waves. During the first wave, you're completely astounded that there could be so much. It's like running into a brick wall, over and over again. Then, you slow down a bit and take a gander at just a portion of the wall. Suddenly, it seems somewhat more manageable. You pick away at it for a week or two, gradually adding to your understanding of the wall. Then, just when you think you've finally got a hold on the massive amount of information in that wall, you see a tidal wave of even more. Rinse and repeat. Most recently, this happened with the upper limb. I learned all of the muscles in the shoulder/back area, as well as most of their attachments enervation, and blood supply. I could, and can, draw the brachial plexus. I felt like I had a tenuous grasp on the upper limb.

Of course, then we started in on the arm and forearm region. And let's not talk about the hand. Seriously.

And who names this stuff? Why is everything so similar? It makes it easy to get mixed up, whereas if we named things like Bob or Jerry, there'd be less to mix up. Bob sounds nothing like Jerry, whereas anterior circumflex artery of the humerus sounds strangely like posterior circumflex artery of the humerus, as well as circumflex artery of the scapula (not anterior or posterior though, just to piss me off).

The other day in anatomy lab, My forehead was itchy. I couldn't scratch it though, because my gloved hands were...gross. Really gross. My lab partner's first reaction was to say, "My elbow's clean! Use my elbow." And I did. I have no shame.

I need to go learn about various polygynal shaped spaces and intervals in the upper limb. Who decided to have the triangular space, triangular interval, quadrangular space, etc? Who's dumbass idea was that? There must be a really special place in hell for those bastards. And you know what's best? the triangular space is near both the quadrangular space and the triangular interval. Just for shits and giggles. Really.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry. I wish I could comisserate (no, I don't) but instead I will leave you with this, one of my favorite Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey:

If you were a poor Indian with no weapons, and a bunch of conquistadors came up to you and asked where the gold was, I don't think it would be a good idea to say, "I swallowed it. So sue me."

*hug*

Bethany said...

Let's see...
...just reading about the information overload makes me feel tired: good luck!
...ROFL the forgot-my-new-best-friend's-name!!!
...yes, they deserve a very special place right next to people who talk in the theater

Anonymous said...

I remember being in comparative vertebrate anatomy. I'd study and study one of the 3 species we had, get so that I was sort of competent, and then it'd all fall apart when I moved on to the *next* animal, which had more or less the same structure but was a liiitle bit different, just enough to confuse the heck out of me.
*pats on head* Do you put wintergreen oil under your nose to combat the smell? That's what we did.