Failure? - Need to vent

[No Imagination]

Nothing substantial in this post - but my Anatomy exam tomorrow is going to tell A LOT about my future...

Somehow, I am pulling A's in all classes (well, B in parasitology), but anatomy is killing me. I walked into Exam 1 confident, and FAILED IT. Not just <60 failing it, but BADLY.

With only 2 more exams to go, and me not being an A student in this class...ergh, I'm frightened.

Wish me luck...

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[aspiringDVM]

Nothing substantial in this post - but my Anatomy exam tomorrow is going to tell A LOT about my future...

Somehow, I am pulling A's in all classes (well, B in parasitology), but anatomy is killing me. I walked into Exam 1 confident, and FAILED IT. Not just <60 failing it, but BADLY.

With only 2 more exams to go, and me not being an A student in this class...ergh, I'm frightened.

Wish me luck...

Good luck! I've heard that anatomy is one of the hardest classes the first year, and it sounds like you have amazing grades in your other classes to help pull you up. And this time you probably have improved your study skills and figured out your weak spots, whereas for the first test you were going in totally blind.

 

[cuitlamiztli]

I know how you feel, but don't set yourself up to fail by letting your anxiety run the show (so to speak). You've got one test under your belt, so you know what they're like now, and like aspiringDVM said you've probably tried to address the weak spots in your studying. I'm sure you know the material; just take your time, and I'm sure you'll do fine.

And don't discount the rest of your A's! Whatever you're doing there is obviously working.

Good luck !

 

[twelvetigers]

Dude. Own it. You got this.

 

[THEOSU2012]

Hey,

I'd suggest looking to see if you can get a tutor. I don't know what school you are attending, but here at OSU, you can go to the main office and get a list of tutors. The tutors are free to you and can help you on any number of subjects.

I'm a tutor for my school and I love helping people, and I loved anatomy. Plus, we get paid for our work, so everyone wins!

It seems like people are afraid to use a tutor because they might look down on them. Nothing like that for me, I'm an anatomy tutor and a general tutor and I love helping. So go ask your academic office if they have free tutors that you might be able to use.

No one wants you to do poorly, and if you can get help to excel then that's great! I hope you do well on your test!

 

[GellaBella]

I hope everything worked out for you today!!

Good luck!

 

[sumstorm]

Let us know how it goes! I think we all have moments that feel this way. I absolutly failed my histology practical, and despite lots of hours in the lab, I don't feel confident I will do better on the final. Even the professor was SHOCKED at how poorly I did. there was some causes. but it was still devastating.

 

[No Imagination]

Whew. Thoracic limb anatomy exam done. While I wont know how I did on the exam for 4-5 days, I definitely feel better about this then the previous one. Certainly didn't get a 100, but a high B is not out of the question.

Thanks for the kind words.

In regards to the tutor - Miss State doesn't really offer tutors per say, but other students who are doing well in any particular class are usually more than willing to help out and sit down with you.

My problem can be traced 100% to Nerves, Arteries, and Veins. While I am (barely) capable of tracing them in one species (and a lot of the questions are "Trace a drop of blood from X - Z ") - I constantly mix and match the paths of Equine vs. Canine. The similarities between the paths (and names) of nerve, arteries, and veins make is infinitely harder for me to get them right.

I tend to mix up minutia like that in my head, and I usually re-learn it right before the exam, and write it out in full on the test paper soon as they hand it out - but I had the lab practical first, so couldn't do it this time.

All in all, I feel SO MUCH better about it, and think I know what works and what doesn't, so going into the final I should be stronger.

P.S. No partial credit really sucks - I put "Radial" and they wanted "Deep Radial" = wrong. Left out 'distal' on oblique sesmoidian ligament = wrong. But I see their point in that respect.

P.P.S I wish I paid attention to exactly how BIG the medial epicondyle was in the horse.

Good luck everyone!

 

[dyachei]

My problem can be traced 100% to Nerves, Arteries, and Veins. While I am (barely) capable of tracing them in one species (and a lot of the questions are "Trace a drop of blood from X - Z ") - I constantly mix and match the paths of Equine vs. Canine. The similarities between the paths (and names) of nerve, arteries, and veins make is infinitely harder for me to get them right.

When I had issues with this, I drew it out. I'd make copies of the limb and draw in the arteries, nerves, and veins and name them as I went. Many, many copies. Repetition like that can help. Try a mneumonic for it, too. Find ways to make the parts that are different relate to equine or canine.


Here's hoping you did great, and good luck with the rest of the class.

 

[flyhi]

sounds like you may have done great...congrats! Here's hoping for great news...let us know!

 

[lailanni]

I would construct a map of the vessels or nerves. Then I would draw it over and over and over until I had it memorized. When I got to the test I'd just draw the map on the back of a page and voila! Instant not-so-cheat sheet. It's kind of painful but works well for me.

Also once I took some yarn and reconstructed the vessels from whatever limb I was studying. Do that and it'll make more sense.

 

[No Imagination]

Also once I took some yarn and reconstructed the vessels from whatever limb I was studying. Do that and it'll make more sense.

Now thats an idea! I can just see everyones face when i have 14' of Red, Blue, and Green (don't know why, but always use 'green' for my nerves) yarn in a tangled mess during my next lab practical!

But really, I know what you mean - I use a dry erase and just draw, erase, repeat, draw, erase, repeat, ...

I had a 65 species 'cheat sheet' (wrote it on the back of my exam) for my last parasitology exam - Had 7 nmeonics use to classify all the ticks, fleas, mites, lice, and flies...

 

[jellyfishing]

I had a 65 species 'cheat sheet' (wrote it on the back of my exam) for my last parasitology exam - Had 7 nmeonics use to classify all the ticks, fleas, mites, lice, and flies...

that's hardcore!! how did you have enough time to do that?
in our exams here, they always seem to make sure u have to RUSH thru the paper to finish it ie.60 minute exams.. we write until our hands are about to fall off

 

[No Imagination]

that's hardcore!! how did you have enough time to do that?
in our exams here, they always seem to make sure u have to RUSH thru the paper to finish it ie.60 minute exams.. we write until our hands are about to fall off

Well, I didn't have to write out all the species, just enough to remember about it "Ixode" was enough for me to remember Ixode scapularis.

Able American 'eye = Amblyomma americanum and maculatum (eye = Macula) - **** like that.

For the lice, I discoverd if I put the hosts in alphabetical order instead of how they presented them; Cattle, Cat, Dog, Horse, Pig, Sheep/Goat, then I had 2 nice mnemonics L,H,L,H,H,L (Linognathus and Haematopinus - I didn't even need to look in the scope - just needed to read where the samples came from) - then the chewing was "Do Menapasal Teens Do Drugs" = Damalinia, Menopon, Trichodectes for the same hosts...

 

[twelvetigers]

I'm glad I have a leg-up on tick species. Probably the only leg-up I'll have!

 

[lailanni]

Now thats an idea! I can just see everyones face when i have 14' of Red, Blue, and Green (don't know why, but always use 'green' for my nerves) yarn in a tangled mess during my next lab practical!

You use green for nerves too? Rock on!!

It was probably around 4' and I kept it laid out on my floor so it wouldn't get tangled. Well, until the rabbit got curious about it - he munched on the paper tag labels.

 

[Shanomong]

.

 

[sumstorm]

Hey, I use modeling wire in place of string for areteries/veins/nerves/ducts! I also use non hardening modeling clay on skeletons to replicate muscles and learn attachments. It helps alot! I use differen't colors for different functions (flexor/extensor.) I am a very tactile learner. Also, when it starts to look like the CSI 'face' recreations (even if it is a limb) it feels like I have actually done something other than just memorize things! It take a lot of time, but for me it is much more productive time.

For people who print copies and draw things out, I either use a plastic sleeve or laminate sheets to do similar things. Dry or wet erase markes will work on those and can be cleaned very easily. I also have a tablet which I do that on a lot. You can also use dry/wet erase markers on glass. So we have a glass overleaf on my desk that I slide sheet under and will interrupt studying other things to do a quick 'illustration' on. My windows and mirrors also end up being covered in facts. I also put white board paper (the sticky backed kind) inside kitchen cabinets (for supply lists, I cook and bake a lot) but will put things that I need to KNOW long term in there...things I know will show up on the final...so that when I open a cabinet I just get a random refresher (I will jot it down while cooking dinner one evening.)

I started laminating things earlier this fall to keep them from getting nasty in anat lab, but found that they were great for the swimming pool. I could swim a lap while repeating ideas/concepts, check the sheet, do another lap. If you bike, there are 'map envelopes' you can attach to your handlebars for sheets. When I jog, I listen to recorded lectures. I run with a dog, so I also will stare at her and run through muscles of a limb or such.

 

[eventualeventer]

I'm glad I have a leg-up on tick species. Probably the only leg-up I'll have!

Isn't that about 8 legs up?

 

[missDVM2B]

You can do this! BTW, could you e-mail me the parasitology cheat sheet I could really use some help with that! I PMed you!
As far as anatomy, I actually printed out a gazillion copies of a horse skeleton and then drew on whatever I wanted to learn... this helped me immensely (I also would add species differences dog/cat/cattle)

 

[No Imagination]

You can do this! BTW, could you e-mail me the parasitology cheat sheet I could really use some help with that! I PMed you!
As far as anatomy, I actually printed out a gazillion copies of a horse skeleton and then drew on whatever I wanted to learn... this helped me immensely (I also would add species differences dog/cat/cattle)

While I certainly wouldn't mind passing any 'sheets' I made for my class to anyone else, I can't imagine how it would be useful to you. Every school emphasizes there own material and have their own specimens in their lab. The material that we are taught (to focus on) is undoubtedly different then what you would need to know.

For example, for some of my para prof., Life Cycles and PPP are key and heavily emphasized, while for others, its all about geographical locations, clinical diseases and 'rule outs'.

Furthermore, my 'sheets' are usually not typed up, and are very much shorthand. I doubt anyone (even in my class) would be able to make sense of them.

All I can do is suggest you take some time, list out all the parasites that your prof. emphasizes, and put them in some order that would make sense to you, because "L, H, L, H, H, L" will not help you unless you are learning the exact same lice on the exact same hosts and have the same specimens you your lab.

 

[VAgirl]

Isn't that about 8 legs up?

Only 6 if it's a larval tick. Heh.

While I certainly wouldn't mind passing any 'sheets' I made for my class to anyone else, I can't imagine how it would be useful to you. Every school emphasizes there own material and have their own specimens in their lab. The material that we are taught (to focus on) is undoubtedly different then what you would need to know.

I also find that, for me at least, if I didn't make the study sheet or have a hand in making it, it's not very useful to me. Half the benefit is in making the thing. Unfortunately.

Yay parasitology. We had awesome profs for that and I really enjoyed it.

 

[No Imagination]

Anatomy Exam Update (As promised) - High (very) "B" Back in the game

 

[flyhi]

Anatomy Exam Update (As promised) - High (very) "B" Back in the game

There you go! Well Done

 

[eventualeventer]

 

[twelvetigers]

Wooooooo! You kicked its butt and called it names.

 

[Caninerepro]

 

[GellaBella]

Yay! Take that anatomy!