Study Aids?!

All of the items listed  below are aids I have bought (or they were given to me) to help me learn better in the past 2 years. These opinions are my own… you may love what I hated or hate what I loved, but thats what makes the world go round, right?! 

First, none of the materials listed below were required for my program. These are additional resources that I found because I felt like I needed information explained easier or I need the loads of information condensed. 

Second, I could have done without all of these items. Yes, some of them were super helpful and I would totally buy them again, but I technically didn't HAVE to have them.

Finally, I am a major visual learner. I can have someone verbally explain something to me for 3 hours but the second they draw or show me a picture I will understand. 

Enough blabber… on with the show!

This is an Anatomy Coloring book I bought during Gross Anatomy. I must have been desperate or feeling overwhelmed at the time because I don't how I thought I was going to have the time to color! The book is really neat and a wonderful tool if you have the time to color all the pages. I would not re-purchase this item. 

Yay! A resource I LOVED! This is the Lippincott's Biochemistry book that I used for my MCBM (micro and biochem)  course.  I can not say enough good things about this textbook. The illustrations are wonderful and the chapters are easy, and dare I say it… maybe even fun to read. Concepts are explained in full without being too wordy or intense. I would buy definitely buy this book again. 

These are Gray's Gross Anatomy flash cards. Again, must have been feeling desperate when I bought these. I maybe looked at a few of them once or twice but never really bothered with them again after that. In my defense, GA was the first class I took and I was hastily trying to figure out how to study and retain information. Sadly, it looks like it costed me a little money to figure it out. I would not re-purchase this item. 

The is another resource I used for MCBM. I do believe I bought this before I purchased Lippincott's. This book is ok. It isn't horrible, but it was nothing to get to excited about. One bonus about this book it that at the end of each chapter there are quiz questions and they were actually pretty similar to my test questions. I used this more for the micro part of MCBM and the Lippencott text for the biochem. I would maybe re-purchase this book. (I'm really on the fence with this one…sorry.)

This is a Neuroanatomy text book. I bought this after a friend recommended it to me, and I am super glad I did. This book is amazing. It is only around 130 pages and it contains almost everything I needed to know for neuro. This  is another very easy read, with wonderful diagrams, and concise information. All of the nerve pathways are laid out very simply, and the lesions are included in the drawings and text. I would buy this book again for sure

A brain model? Oh yes. This is that visual learner in me coming out. I bought this at the very beginning of neuro when I was feeling panicked about the brain anatomy. This is the model with all the arteries and nerves on it. I did use it and it was helpful, but certainly not necessary. I would probably not re-purchase this item. 

Another view of the brain… with half of it disassembled. Yah, maybe it was an impulse buy but it is a great conversation starter now.

This is an EKG interpretation book. I got this book for cardio, which I took in my second year. This book is really great. I read it all in about 2 days. (It's only like 90 pages). Another text book with concise information and great diagrams. I would re-purchase this book. 

These are little tooth models. Our faculty gave us these at the end of last year. I am still not sure why they gave them to us, but I like them. They are anatomically correct and they are good for hammering in that dental anatomy. I would accept (?) this item again. haha. 

This is a dental model by Viade Products.  Our dental faculty told us about this product at the end of last year and recommended it to us for boards studying. I think the majority of my class bought it. I really like this model for a few reasons. First, the gingiva on it is clear and this allows you to see the roots and better visualize how the teeth are positioned. Second, each tooth is removable and the anatomy is pretty accurate. Finally, it is really durable. I have taken mine all over the place and used it quite a bit and it still looks new. I would for sure re-purchase this product. 

Another view and showing how the teeth can be removed ^