Mnemonics

During the course of Anatomy classes a student has to come to terms with the fact that their quantitative abilities and analytical skills are of little use.  Much of Anatomy is brute force memorization, a simple storage of hundreds of proper names to be held just long enough to be regurgitated on a lecture and lab exam.

One of the most helpful things for me during Anatomy last year was the use of mneomic devices. I recall during a lab exam having over 50 parts of the human nervous system laying on lab tables across a room. The device that helped me ace the portion where I had to identify whether a nerve was sensory,motor, or both (seen in the photo above) was:

Cranial nerves: sensory, motor or both “Some Say Money Matters But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More”:
· From I to XII:
Sensory
Sensory
Motor
Motor
Both
Motor
Both
Sensory
Both
Both
Motor
Motor
· Alternatives for “Brains”: Boobs, Buns, Bras.

The one I used for aiding me in the naming of these portions of the brain was:

For names in order: Oh Once One Takes The Anatomy Final Very Good
Vacations Are Heavenly

Each word’s first letter being a hint to the actual name,

I. Olfactory Nerve (smell sensations)
II. Optic Nerve (visual information)
III. Oculomotor Nerve (motor commands to eye muscles)
IV. Trochelar Nerve (motor commands to eye muscles)
V. Trigeminal Nerve (facial sensations & motor commands to chewing muscles)
VI. Abducens Nerve (motor commands to eye muscles)
VII. Facial Nerve (taste sensations & motor commands to muscles of facial expression)
VIII. Vestibulocochlear Nerve (hearing & equilibrium sensations)
IX. Glossopharyngeal Nerve (taste sensations & motor commands to swallowing
muscles)
X. Vagus Nerve (visceral sensations & motor commands to viscera)
XI. Accessory Nerve (motor commands to head moving muscles)
XII. Hypoglossal Nerve (tongue movements)