10+ Best Anatomy Resources For Medical Students

Anatomy is one of the most voluminous and hardest courses in medical school.

Yes, a pre-clinical medical student can give proof of that.

Anatomy is the backbone of medicine, and 40 percent of medical operations are based on the knowledge acquired during the study of Anatomy.

So a medical doctor must have a sound knowledge of Anatomy.

Many medical students find it very difficult to study anatomy, and trust me it’s normal.

Anatomy is very wide and for you to study anatomy very effectively, you need to understand the basics.

And understanding the basics depends on the rate of your exposure to the best anatomy resources for medical students, both online and offline.

During my pre-clinical years, it took me semesters of searching for the best Anatomy resources before I started having good grades in Anatomy.

After I discovered the best resources for studying Anatomy as a medical student, Human Anatomy became one of my favorite courses in medical school, because I have the right approach with the best resources.

If you are currently reading this post, you don’t have to struggle with Gross Anatomy again, because I will be sharing the best Anatomy resources for medical students.

What Is Human Anatomy?

The word Anatomy was coined by the famous philosopher, Aristotle.

The word Anatomy, according to the Greek language means “Dissection”.

This means as science is studied by dissection.

Anatomy is the backbone of medicine.

This implies medical Anatomy is a major course in medical school that deals with the study of the structures of both internal and external organs.

Generally, medical anatomy deals with the study of the human body.

ANATOMY DEALS WITH THE FOLLOWING AREAS;

• Embryological developments
• Histological composition
• Description of body organs
• Clinical correlates.

How long does It take to study Anatomy In Medical School?

As a medical student, you will only have to study Anatomy and its related course in your Pre-clinical years which is usually two to four years in Nigerian medical schools specifically.

However, studying Anatomy is like going to a new country, you have to learn the language before you can communicate.

As a medical student, you can never stop studying Anatomy because you will always need the knowledge, even during practice.

Anatomy is an essential prerequisite for all medical students because you will have to apply the basics in your clinical years.

5 Best Anatomy Textbooks For Medical Students

As a medical student, the textbooks you use determines how well you will understand a particular course.

Anatomy is a very wide course, and it is best understood with medical Anatomy textbooks that are well simplified.

Here are a few medical Anatomy textbooks that will enhance your study of anatomy as a medical student:

• Atlas of human anatomy
• Clinically Oriented Anatomy

Atlas of Human Anatomy

Seeing is believing and understanding. You tend to understand and recall faster during exams when you study human internal or external structures with their pictorial representations, which can be majorly found in a well detailed format, in a book called atlas of human anatomy. Now allow me to tell you a trick: the brain assimilates very fast with pictures or diagrams, and this resource has come to help medical students achieve.

The Atlas of Human anatomy is a book containing pictorial representations of all the structures of the human body. The atlas of human anatomy is specifically designed for both paramedic and medical students to enhance their understanding of the knowledge of the human body. I remember then, when I was in medical school, one of the things that always motivates me to study anatomy was because I have an atlas.

What are the benefits of the atlas of human anatomy?

1. Atlas helps to provide detailed information about the human body through diagrammatic representations.
2. It helps medical students to identify structures during dissections
3. Atlas is an essential material for upcoming surgeons
4. It is easy to understand.

3 Best Atlases of Human Anatomy

• Atlas of human anatomy by Frank H. Netter
• Thieme Atlas of Anatomy by Gilroy
• A photograph atlas by Rohen

A sound medical student must be able to identify and describe every structure contained in the human body.

Yes, this might seem impossible but it is needed for you to pass your medical exams.

The only trick behind it is getting a good resource that will be very accessible and help you understand better.

Clinically Oriented Anatomy

This textbook is the secret behind any sound student in anatomy.

The clinically oriented anatomy textbook is one of the most popular medical textbooks worldwide and is highly rated for its detailed explanation and simplicity.

If you find it very difficult to understand anatomy, I fully recommend this book.

The first few 100 pages of this medical textbook explain in detail everything you need to understand before studying anatomy.

In a very simple word, this textbook is meant to build both medical and any medical-related student from a beginner to a pro in anatomy.

This book is clinically oriented because it gives every possible clinical correlation to every organ or structure.

Clinically oriented anatomy textbook is subdivided into regions, parts, bottom-line box, and clinical correlations, this makes it user-friendly and very easy to understand.

Authors of Clinically Oriented Anatomy Include: Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, Anne M.R. Agur

Gray’s Anatomy Textbook

Grays anatomy is also a medical textbook written for medical students.

The contents of this book are more than the normal anatomical terminologies you learn in other textbooks.

It is inspirational, historical, and highly educational.

Grays anatomy textbook is one of the oldest medical textbooks as it has been written for over 160 years.

While in medical school, I remember my friends always referring to the grays anatomy textbook as the Bible of medical knowledge.

Grays medical anatomy textbook is highly preferred by the most medical student because it is the most complete available medical anatomy textbook.

One of the major reason why I enjoy reading this textbook is that I can always read the embryogenesis of any organ or structure which automatically enhance my assimilation.

This textbook is also divided into sections that contain a quality detailed description of the human anatomy starting from embryogenesis to the neuroanatomical relations.

Grays anatomy textbook also contains video tapes to enable students to learn faster and better.
Author of Gray’s Anatomy: Adrian Rad BSc.

Last’s Anatomy Textbook

You will definitely be amazed that, what was looking so bulky or comprehensive in other anatomy textbooks now looks clear and concise in Last’s anatomy textbook.

As a medical student, if you are looking for theoretical knowledge of anatomy, I specially recommend this book.

When I was in medical school, I found myself using this textbook for physiology, because the contents are well explained and you can get more information even than what you need.

For intending surgeons, you will also find this textbook very educative because the contents are surgically oriented.

Though the diagrams may look very blurry, that is why it is advisable you use it in conjunction with an atlas.

Author of Last’s Anatomy: Chummy S. Sinnatamby FRCS

BD Chaurausia’s Human Anatomy Textbook

One of the things you will definitely like about this book is its readability and functionality.

If you are looking for new discoveries about anatomy, this textbook is the best source.

BD Chaurasia’s human anatomy textbook is divided into volumes {volumes one and two}, though you can get the combined eBook version online.

All anatomical structures are well drawn and organized in order to help medical students reproduce during exams.

AUTHOR: B.D. CHAURASIA

Related: Top physiology textbooks for medical students

Best Anatomy Mobile App For Medical Students

1.TeachMeAnatomy (APP)

Yes, as the name implies “teach me anatomy”.

If you find it very difficult to read over 600+ pages on the gross anatomy of the Lower limb alone, this is for you.

This anatomy resource contains everything a medical student should know about anatomy.

It also contains basic resources that will help you understand and read anatomy on your own. 

This app contains over 400 topics in anatomy and over 1000 images.

This app is the major online resource that helped me in medical school, it is concise.

Using these online-based anatomy resources for medical students, you can be ten times more productive than reading big textbooks.

This app is subdivided into sections;

• The Basics: This aspect contains basic terminologies and terms used in the study of anatomy.
• The Question Bank: Contains revision questions and answers, you can easily use this feature to test your knowledge after reading.
• Neuroanatomy

Other subdivisions include the basic regions of the human body e.g. the back, the thorax, the abdomen, and so on.

This app is entirely free, making it the most preferable.

You can always use these online resources very easily, without any stress.

Just download the app on google play store and install and be that sound student in anatomy among your colleagues.

Is Teach Me Anatomy Good For Medical Students?

I can remember vividly; this was one of the questions is asked myself during my second year in medical school when I was introduced to these online resources.

According to a survey I did in a nearby medical school, 70 percent of medical students are using TM anatomy.

Now to answer the question, Yes! TM anatomy is good for medical students and the contents are fully accepted by any medical school.

The app was created by a team of registered medical doctors and certified anatomists.

The aim was to create an anatomy resource for a medical student that will be concise.

So as a medical student, this app was specially made for you to bring the complex down to simple.

2. Visual Anatomy

 This is one of the most downloaded anatomy apps on play store.

This is one of the most interactive and educational reference tool every medical student must have.

It is very concise and short.

I highly recommend this app for beginners in anatomy as the contents are well organised.

They are well detailed and realistic diagrams that will enhance your understanding.

In this app you can find 1000+ grays anatomy images, there are also quizzes at the end of each sections.

Other mobile Human Anatomy Apps include:

• BioDigitals
• 3D Anatomy
• Learning Pocket Anatomy etc.

You can get more anatomy apps on google playstore.

You can also get more details about the best app resources for studying anatomy here.

Best Anatomy YouTube Channels For Medical Students

As a medical student, if you love watching videos or you’ve noticed you learn faster through online video tutorials.

Below are the best online anatomy resource for you.

• ANATOMYZONE: One of the major ways to study anatomy very effectively is by watching online videos. Anatomyzone has over 200+ tutorial videos on anatomy for medical students, they are very concise and highly educative. When I was in medical school when of the major online resources that helped me was online videos. Anatomyzone is the best place to watch highly interactive 3D anatomy models.

• SAM WEBSTER YOUTUBE CHANNEL: This YouTube channel is majorly for beginners in anatomy. Sam Webster is an anatomy lecturer at a medical university in UK. This YouTube channel contains everything you need to know as an anatomist with well explained clinical correlates that will help you in your clinical years. One of the major reasons why I love his channel is because, he loves using useful mnemonics during his classes. You can never get bored watching his videos.

• THE NOTED ANATOMIST: {A YouTube channel by Dr David Morton} This YouTube channel got very popular in my medical school during our set when we found it very difficult to understand the gross anatomy of the heart. The videos are well organised and well explained, he breaks down hard terminologies and makes them less complex. Check it out today and be a witness.

Other good Anatomy YouTube channels include:

• Khan Academy medicine
• Doctor Najeeb lectures
• Kenhub etc.
• For more information you can also search for 16+ Best YouTube Channels for Medical Students.

Best Free Anatomy Websites For Medical Students

Technological advancement has brought ease to a lot of things in medicine.

I know a lot of friends that never bought a single medical textbook when I was in medical school and all he has was a smartphone.

Apart from the above-listed free anatomy resources for medical students, here are some free websites where you can learn anatomy for free.

• Inner Body research: This website contains over 300+ free animated videos.
• Get body smart
• University of Michigan medical school: You can download their free complete anatomy syllabus for medical students
• Body maps

In Conclusion

Failure and success in medical school both depend on the kind of resources you are exposed to.

Getting a good resource increases your productivity.

This post focused mainly on the best anatomy resources for medical students.

Fortunately, technological advancement has made a lot of things very easy in medical school.

Now, you can watch thousands of Dissections or live surgical videos online for free.

As a medical student, you don’t have to spend thousands on the expensive medical textbook, all you need is a good smartphone and download the e-book of your choice.