Video: How to use your anatomy atlas

It's your first day of anatomy class and your professor says, “Buy this book or you shall fail!” So you did that. You go into your school shop or Amazon and purchase the anatomy textbook that is supposed to save your life. And then you realize – how the heck am I going to use this?

Well, I know the feeling. Taking 100 pounds of pages and making the best use of them is not easy for someone who just wants to do well in their anatomy class. So in this video, we will show you tips and tricks to make the most out of your new anatomy atlas. And no, it's not converting the pages into your favorite origami figure.

Let's start with the first tip: Use your atlas in the anatomy lab. Dissecting real human cadavers is an excellent way to learn anatomy and gain a deeper understanding of the subject. By looking at structures in your atlas and comparing it to real life, you will be able to make the information stick. Studying in a cadaver lab with peers and teaching each other can enhance learning and make the process more engaging.

Most atlases are huge and very heavy, making them almost impossible to carry around, unless you want to break your back. However, the Kenhub Atlas is compact and lab coat-friendly so it makes a great portable anatomy reference.

Time to talk about tip number two: Combine digital and physical learning materials. Ideally, during your anatomy studies, you will use resources that span both the physical and digital world. Some atlases like Netter's and Grant's have some complimentary online resources as well. You can access them by going to a specific website redeeming your code that came with a physical copy and then browse the available resources.

However, the most seamless way to learn anatomy is definitely using the Kenhub Atlas – oh yeah. Every section of the book has one or more QR codes that perfectly integrate the Kenhub printed atlas and the Kenhub website. When scanned with your smartphone, the QR code instantly leads you to the corresponding topic at kenhub.com where you can view any related images, articles, videos, and quizzes.

Now for tip number three: Use your atlas with other learning methods. Don't just read text or look at images. Using your atlas alongside other learning methods is a good way to go. For instance, you first lay down the foundation by learning the core information about a topic from your anatomy textbook, and as you go through the text, try to visualize the structures you're learning about by looking at the images in your atlas. Just look at them – really look at them. Please, look at your images.

The more comprehensive an atlas is, the more context it provides you, the easier it will be for you to truly understand rather than just simply memorizing anatomical facts. We need to connect the dots, people. Understanding is just the first step in the learning path.

In order to memorize, you need to try and actively recall your knowledge, so try different things. Some students do so by closing the book and trying to simply retell the subject in their own words. Some just take quizzes while some do a combination of both. Retelling a topic in your own words is a good way to actually check how well you understand the topic. Maybe even teaching a topic to a group of peers is another great way to process the information you learned.

If you know how to teach something to others, you're most likely to successfully apply that knowledge during your next exam. Quizzes like those we have available at Kenhub can take your knowledge to the next level. It's essentially a method where you are actively retrieving the information you have learned using different question formats which may help ensure you've truly learned the subject.

This is another active recall learning method which we know is highly recommended. Now remember one thing, folks, active recall is defined as the conscious effort to retrieve information without the aid of study materials thus significantly strengthening memory and understanding. So try quizzing yourself on all the information you have learned through your anatomy textbook.

And those were our tips for making the best use of your anatomy atlas textbook so no need to panic. It's all about finding fun ways to go beyond the printed pages. That's what we do all the time here at Kenhub – finding fun ways to help you learn the subjects of human anatomy and now physiology. That's why we have created our own atlas as you can see here. See this one here… beautiful, right?

It is packed with all the characteristics we know people need in an anatomy textbook. So if you are looking for a lighter version of an anatomy textbook where you can easily find all the anatomical information you need, then this is the book for you. This one right here… I'll show you again, even with the, you know, like when they do this to focus when they're showing, you know, things.

Check out the link in the description of this video to buy this book or download a free sample.

I hope this video marks the beginning of a new healthy relationship between you and your new Atlas of Human Anatomy. Here's to many fun learning moments and no origami please!

Will always love you ohh oh oh… an atlas of anatomy yay yay yay…