Subunits of Brachial Plexus

Remember Rajasthan Transport Development Corporation Board (RTDCB):
Roots join to form Trunks
Trunks join to form Divisions
Divisions join to form Cords
Cords join to form Branches
Branches

Alternatively, remember Real Teenagers Drink Cold Beer

Other alternative mnemonics sent by Mr. Frank Hopkins made with his mnemonic generating software:

Uses 1st Two Letters of Each Term
Romanian Troops Diverted Combat Brigade
Round Trembling Divas Cold Breasts

Uses 1st Letters Only
Real Tight Dollar Closed Banks
Raining Twenty Days Collapsed Bridge
Real Tequila Drinker Charlie Boozer
Remember That Dudes Chick's Bootie
Raise The Dead Crying Behold!!! (This has a more religious tone to it)
 

How medical students learn

Here is a power point presentation on how your memory works. It will give you new ideas for effective learning.

How bones got their names

Many of the medical names are derived from latin. If you study a bit of latin or greek you will find medical terms getting simpler. Below is a picture depicting how few bones got their names (Starting from the first picture row wise):

• ACETABULAM 

In Latin, acetum = vinegar and -bulum, a suffix signifying the instrument. Acetabulum was thought to resemble a small vinegar cruet of roman times.

• TIBIA

In Latin means a flute. Yes, a tibia after removal of external fixators looks like a flute :-)

• PATELLA

In Latin means a little plate. So next time have food in a big patella !

• SKULL

In Anglo Saxon means a bowl. Eat brain from the bowl !

• OLECRANON

In Greek, olenokranon, from olene = elbow and kranos = helmet. In other words, the protector of the elbow. Elbow's helmet !

• COCCYX

In Greek, kokkyx = cuckoo. This bone looks like the beak of a cuckoo. Huh?

• PELVIS

In Latin, pelvis means basin.

• CLAVICLE

In Latin, clavicula, diminutive of clavis = a key. Clavicle resembled those old keys. Anyway, don't use your clavicle to open your door :-)

 

If you want to study the origin of more medical terms try these websites:

1. http://www.eet.unsw.edu.au/~timm/GreekLatin.html
2. http://www.emory.edu/ANATOMY/AnatomyManual/Etymology.html

Download free medical picture mnemonics 1st edition in word format

Some of our readers complained that they could not open the pdf e-book, while others thought that the file size was big. So we thought that we will give you the raw file in .doc format (File size: 689 kb)

Download MEDICAL PICTURE MNEMONICS.doc

Password: medicalmnemonics4u.blogsot.com

Mnemonics and shortcuts to learn ECG

ECG or EKG simplified in this book packed with illustration and mnemonics. Get a preview of the book "EKG made incredibly simple" below, again a big hit from incredibly simple series.

Atrioventricular Valves

tRIcuspid valve is in RIght atrium
Bicuspid valve in Left atrium ( Remember BiLe)
Bicuspid valve is also called MitraL valve. So mitraL is on Left
If you know what is a "mitre", then you can easily remember that bicuspid valve is mitral. "Mitre" is the hat that you see often worn by bishops. It has 2 leafs resembling the cusps. See picture below.

               

• Alternatively, imagine a RAT in LAB; Right Atrium Tricuspid, Left Atrium Bicuspid.

• If you know Hindi, remember DoMitr (Two friends) Bicuspid valve = Mitral valve by  

Aorta and IVC - left or right?

Anatomy was very confusing, especially relative position of structures. One constant confuser was the position of Aorta and Venacava as they descend into thorax.
I remembered that the AoRTa is RighT .
Here's another way to remember : Both a-o-r-t-a and r-i-g-h-t have 5 letters; v-e-n-a and c-a-v-a and l-e-f-t have 4 letters.

Frozen shoulder: Sequence of manipulation

CONTRIBUTED BY MR. KAMAL A.P.
Remember FEAR: (The manipulation of shoulder has to be carried out in this sequence)
Flexion
Extension
Abduction, followed by Adduction ( Remember Ab comes before Ad in dictionary)
Rotations (Internal & external)

Thank you Kamal for the good mnemonic :-)

Enzymes

The picture can be remembered for classification of enzymes. Note the mnemonics highlighted in big black letters.

Medical mnemonics links and useful materials for nurses

Mnemonics for nurses were found at the following links:
http://www.impactednurse.com/?p=1461
http://pinoynurseszone.blogspot.com/search/label/mnemonics%20in%20nursing
http://forum.nursereview.org/t28566-mnemonics-and-memory-aids-flash-card.html
http://www.istorya.net/forums/career-center/138684-nurses-share-your-secret-mnemonics.html
http://nursingbulletin.com/2008/04/24/medical-mnemonics-prove/

The following is a sample of book "Health Assessment Made Incredibly Visual!" maximizes visual learning to help nurses master patient assessment. Also, this is a book full of visual mnemonics !

Coagulation factors consumed in clot

The factors consumed in clot are 1, 2, 5, 8. You can remember this by imagining a watch showing the time as 12:58 - 1,2,5,8 ; Also imagine CFC (Clotting factors consumed) written on the watch.

Another mnemonic was sent by our reader Mr. Shiva; Shiva just keeps singing 1,2,5,8 what do we appreciate? clots!

Digestive system song videos

If you are a DJ, you will remember your lessons better by making music albums out of the confusing points. Take for instance the following two videos. The first video works with models of GIT with real actors and actress, whereas the second deals with medical animation mnemonics or medical graphic mnemonics with songs in background.

Demand a medical mnemonic

Do you want a mnemonic for remembering some medical facts or names. Did you have confusion while attending you exam papers? If so please send us the subject, we will try to get you suitable mnemonics for the same. You can either use the comment box below or send an e-mail to shajilkpdn@gmail.com

Amyloidosis of Spleen

There are 2 types of Amyloidosis of spleen - Sago spleen and Lardaceous spleen
What is the difference between the two?
Remember - Super Fast bus has Less Passengers (SF-LP)
Sago spleen - Amyloid deposit in Follicles
Lardaceous spleen - Amyloid deposits mostly in Pulp

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

In NPH, there is
Abnormal P,H ( P = Pee problems = urinary incontinence; H = Head problem = dementia )
Ataxia
Absent signs of raised intracranial tension ( like headache, vomiting )

Medical mnemonics quiz

Take this test to find out how well you can pickup mnemonics:
Play Quiz: Medical Mnemonics now!

Quadriceps femoris

Components of Quadriceps femoris muscle are:
Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis, Vastus intermedius, Vastus medialis. Remember the picture below:

Confusion created by Acronyms

A trauma surgeon and MD physician were chatting over Yahoo messenger. The MD wanted to know about latest treatment for his child's bow leg deformity. The chat sequence went thus:
MD: It was following RTA. Failed to detect early.
Ortho: RTA! And you didnot take an Xray that time?
MD: No, we took Xray only after noting the bowing.
Ortho: What about the normal leg; Is there gross disparity?
MD: No, it's bilaterally the same.
Ortho: What bilateral bow legs following Road Traffic Accident (RTA)?!!!!
MD: No, following Renal Tubular Acidosis (RTA)...... Ha ha ha

New idea to remember cycles like Kreb's Cycle

Here's a new idea to remember the TCA cycle. Get a T-shirt with Krebs cycle printed on it. Visit this website to get my point: http://www.zazzle.com/krebs_cycle_citric_acid_cycle_biochemistry_tshirt-235956078092549858
You can remember the toughest cycles by using this method, because you will repeatedly revise this way. Remember the Indian film "Gajini" in which Ameer Khan suffers from short term memory loss and writes facts all over his body, room wall etc.

Also you can make small cards to remember the difficult cycles / diagrams and keep it in your wallet. One of my friends used to laminate such cards and take with him while bathing also!

Citric Acid Cycle

Here's how to remember the KTC = Kreb's or TCA or Citric acid cycle:
Remember "Citric Acid Is Kreb's Starting Substrate For Mitochondrial Oxidation"
These stands for the substrates in order:
Citric acid
Iso-Aconitase
Iso-citrate
Alpha-Ketoglutarate
Succinyl CoA
Succinate
Fumarate
Maleate
Oxaloacetate

9 types of mnemonics for better memory

Take a look at this article published by Dennis Congos, University of Central Florida, who explores the scope of mnemonics:
http://www.learningassistance.com/2006/january/mnemonics.html

Vitamin K dependent factors

To remember the vitamin K dependent factors, try to memorize this picture. They are factors 2, 7, 9, 10. The story behind the picture mnemonic. In year 2K ( = 2000 = factor 2 is K dependant ), a pregnant lady after carrying her child for 9 months, caring all 7 days a week, gave birth to a child. The child grew up, got 10 upon 10 marks.