Cadaver lab

Anatomy class gives us the option between cadaver lab and Anatomay TV, an online virtual experience. I chose the cadaver lab for several reasons. I spend enough time staring at my computer screen that I'm glad to have the excuse to be studying with no screen in sight. I also like the hands on learning experience. Being able to touch and feel helps me remember things. My housemate, Jan, has learned not to ask any questions when I get home from lab since she thinks I give too much information. I'll try not to give too much information here.

We are working with 8 different cadavers that have already been dissected by med students. Our lab instructor shows us the structures we are to be looking for and then our job is to find them all on each of the cadavers. That isn't always possible but it does give us a good idea of how each of us are different. We know that people come in all sizes which means bones and muscles are different widths and lengths. In addition blood vessels and nerves branch off in a little bit different places. We spent quite a bit of time trying to sort out the brachial plexus, the area between the neck and the arm pit where several nerves branch off, join and branch off again. The major artery that supplies the arm runs in the same area. I was surprised that the nerves and blood vessels are about the same size. Somehow I always thought that nerves were quite small. The lab exam isn't until close to the end of the semester but our first test in class is on Thursday. My anatomy flash cards are never far away.