Mnemonics for Week 1Supination vs. Pronation"SOUPination": Supination is to turn your arm palm up, as if you are holding a bowl of soup."POUR-nation": Pronation is to turn your arm with the palm down, as if you are pouring out whatever is in your bowl. Alternatively, Pronation donation: Pronation is palm facing downward, as if making a donation.

aDducction –adding to the bodyaBduction—away from body

Erector spinae muscles: “I Love Standing” (from lateral to medial)IliocostalisLongissimusSpinalisThese muscles help you to stand erect.Alternatives: “I Love Sex” OR “I Long for Spinach”

- “Sex” helps you think of “Erector”, but “Long” and “Spinach” help you to remember the muscles’ names.

Erector spinae muscles: orderSpinalis is on the spine (most medial).Iliocostalis is on the ribs (most lateral).And it's a Long (Longissimus) way between the spine and the ribs!

Superior Transverse Scapular Ligament“Save The Sea Lions”

Suprascapular artery and Suprascapular nerve in reference to the Superior transverse scapular ligament“Army (artery) goes over the bridge; Navy (nerve) goes under the bridge”The bridge is the Superior transverse scapular ligament

Rotator cuff muscles: “SITS” (clockwise from top)SupraspinatusInfraspinatusTeres minorSubscapularis A pro baseball pitcher has injured his rotator cuff muscles. As a result, he SITS out for the rest of the game, and then gets sent to the minor leagues.

Axillary Artery branches: “Screw The Lawyer Save A Patient” (from proximal to distal)Superior thoracic artery or Supreme thoracic arteryThoracoacromial trunkLateral thoracic arterySubscapular artery (branches into circumflex scapular artery and thoracodorsal artery)Anterior circumflex humeral arteryPosterior circumflex humeral artery These 2 arteries anastomose.

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Alternatives: “Some Times Life Seems A Pain” OR “Send The Lord to Say A Prayer”

Thoracoacromial Trunk branches: “CAlifornia Police Department”ClavicularAcromialPectoralDeltoidAlternative: “ABCD”

- Acromial- Breast (pectoral)- Clavicular- Deltoid

OR “CAP D”

- Clavicular- Acromial- Pectoral- Deltoid

Serratus anterior (innervation & action): “C5-6-7 raises your wings to heaven” Say this aloud and it rhymesC567 injury causes inability to raise arm past 90 degrees up to heaven, and results in a winging of the scapula.· Long thoracic nerve (cervical roots 5, 6 & 7) innervate Serratus anterior.

Serratus Anterior (innervation and artery): SALTSerratus Anterior = Long Thoracic nerveSerratus Anterior = Lateral Thoracic artery

Mnemonics for Week 2Arm fractures: nerves affected by humerus fracture locationARM fracture: (from proximal to distal)Axillary nerve: surgical neck of humerusRadial nerve: mid shaft of humerusMedian nerve: distal end of humerus

Radial Nerve: muscles supplied (simplified)“BEST muscles”:BrachioradialisExtensorsSupinatorTriceps

Elbow: muscles that flex itThree B’s Bend the elbow:BrachialisBiceps brachii

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Brachioradialis

Flexor digitorum muscles: how they insert onto fingersA little rhyme:Superficialis Splits in twoTo Permit Profundus Passing throughFlexor digitorum superficialis flexes at PIP joint Flexor digitorum profundus flexes at PIP and DIP joint

Brachioradialis: function, innervation, one relation, one attachmentBrachioRadialis:Function: It’s the Beer Raising muscle, flexes elbow, strongest when wrist is oriented like holding a beer.Innervation: Breaks Rule: it’s a flexor muscle, But Radial nerve innervates it. (Radial nerve is usually for extensors)Relation: Behind it is the Radial nerve in the cubital fossa.Attachment: Attaches to the Bottom of the Radius.

Anterior forearm muscles: superficial flexorsThere are 5 digits of your hand.Place your thumb into your palm, then lay that hand palm down on your other arm.Your 4 fingers now show distribution.Spells PFPF: Pass/Fail, Pass/FailPronator teresFlexor carpi radialisPalmaris longusFlexor carpi ulnaris

Median nerve: hand muscles innervated“Meat LOAF”: Median nerveLumbricals 1 and 2Opponens pollicisAbductor pollicis brevisFlexor pollicis brevis

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Muscles of the Hand: palmar surface“All For One And One For All”· Thenar:Abductor pollicis brevisFlexor pollicis brevisOpponens pollicisAdductor pollicis.· Hypothenar:Opponens digiti minimiFlexor digiti minimi brevisAbductor digiti minimi

Interossei muscles of hand: actions of dorsal vs. palmar“PAD and DAB”The Palmar interossei ADduct and the Dorsal interossei ABduct.Use your hand to dab with a pad.Lumbricals: actionLumbrical action is to hold a pea, that is to flex the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) and extend the interphalangeal joints (IP).When you look at the hand in this position, it makes an “L” shape, since L is for Lumbrical.

Carpal bones:"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle":· Proximal row then distal row, both rows lateral-to-medial: ScaphoidLunateTriquetrumPisiformTrapeziumTrapezoidCapitateHamateAlternatively: “Stop Letting Those People Touch The Cadavers Hand”

Carpal bones: trapezium vs. trapezoid locationTrapeziUM is by the thUMB, TrapeziOID is inSIDE.

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Mnemonics for Week 3Femoral triangle: NAVELFemoral NerveFemoral ArteryFemoral VeinEmpty space lymphaticsLacunar ligament

Pes anserinus: Sgt. AMPSartorius: AnteriorGracilis: MedialSemiTendinosus: Posterior

Posterior compartment muscles (medial side, posterior to medial malleolus)Tom, Dick and HarryTibialis posteriorFlexor digitorum longusPosterior tibial arteryTibial nerveFlexor hallucis longusAlternatively: "Tom, Dick And Nervous Harry". Alternatively: "Tom, Dick And Not Harry".

Popliteal fossa: muscles arrangementThe two Semi's go together, Semimembranosus and Semitendinosus.The Membranosus is Medial and since the two semis go together, Semitendinosus is also medial.Therefore, Biceps Femoris has to be lateral.Of the semi's, to remember which one is superficial: the Tendinosus is on Top.

Inversion vs. eversion muscles in legSecond letter rule for inversion/eversion· Eversion muscles:pErineus longuspErineus brevispErineus tertius· Inversion muscles:tIbialis anteriortIbialis posterior

Leg: anterior muscles of leg"The Hospitals Are Not Dirty Places"Tibialis anteriorextensor Hallucis longusAnterior tibial Arterydeep fibular Nerveextensor Digitorum longusPeroneus tertius [fibularis tertius]

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Mnemonics for Week 4Rib costal groove: order of intercostal blood vessels and nervesVAN (from superior to inferior)VeinArteryNerve

Diaphragm innervation“C3, 4, 5 keep the diaphragm alive”Diaphragm innervation is by cervical roots 3, 4, and 5 (phrenic nerve)

Lingula location:LingULa Left Upper Lobe

Lung lobe numbers/Heart AV valves: right vs. leftRight side: Tricuspid heart valve and tri-lobed lungLeft side: Bicuspid heart valve and bi-lobed lung

Atrioventricular (AV) valves:LAB RATLeft Atrium: Bicuspid valveRight Atrium: Tricuspid

Semilunar valve cusps: Aortic and pulmonaryBoth of them have a right and left cusp, but one has an anterior cusp and one has a posterior cuspPulmonary trunk is anterior to the Aorta It has the anterior cusp (right, left and anterior cusps)Aorta is posterior to the pulmonary trunk It has the posterior cusp (right, left and posterior cusps)

Aortic Arch: major branch orderKnow your ABC’S:

Aortic arch gives rise to:Brachiocephalic trunkLeft Common Carotid artery

Left Subclavian artery Beware of the trick question of “What is the first branch of the aorta?” Technically, it’s the

coronary arteries.Coronary circulation: arteries and associated veins

Small Margin: Small vein and Marginal artery

Middle schoolers show Public Display of Affection (PDA):Middle Vein and Posterior Descending Artery

Great LAD:Great vein and Left Anterior Descending artery

CC’s:Coronary sinus and Left Circumflex artery

Main Bronchi: which one is more vertical?“Inhale a bite, it goes down the right”

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Inhaled objects are more likely to lodge into the right main bronchus, since it is the one that is more vertical.

Mnemonics for Week 5This is actually a mnemonic from last week’s material. But this was in the textbook, First Aid for USMLE 2007 under the respiratory section. So I thought it was worth mentioning:

Pulmonary artery location on each lung, in relation to the bronchi. RALS R ight lung the pulmonary artery will be A nterior to the main bronchi. L eft lung the pulmonary artery is located S uperior to the main bronchi. Remember the bronchi have cartilage so they should be easy to identify.

Diaphragm apertures: spinal levels “I 8 10 Eggs At 12” (read this as “I ate ten eggs at twelve” if it doesn’t look right to you)Interior Vena Cava T8T10 EsophagusAorta T12

Posterior mediastinum contents:DATESDescending aortaAzygous and hemiazygous veinThoracic ductEsophagusSympathetic trunk/ganglia

External carotid artery branches“Some Angry Lady Figured Out PMS”Superior thyroid arteryAscending Pharyngeal arteryLingual arteryFacial arteryOccipital arteryPosterior auricular arteryMaxillary artery Superficial Temporal artery

Alternative: As Steve Lay Frozen Olive Palpated Some More

Tetralogy of Fallot- 4 findings“PROVE”Pulmonary trunk stenosisRight ventricular hypertrophyOverriding aortaVSD

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Mnemonics for Week 6

Branches of the Facial Nerve (after stylomastoid foramen) "Tell Ziggy Bob Marley Called"· From superior to inferior: Temporal branchZygomatic branchBuccal branchMandibular branchCervical branch· Alternatively: “Two Zebras Bit My Cheek”The motor branches of the facial nerve go through the parotid gland

V3: Sensory BranchesBAILBuccalAuriculotemporalInferior alveolar Lingual

Face muscles: large muscle groups’ cranial innervationMandibular nerve (CN V3): Mastication.Facial nerve (CN VII): Facial expression.

Foramen spinosum: location on base of skullForamen spinosum is adjacent to the spine of sphenoid.

Scalp nerve supplyGLASS: Greater occipital/ Greater auricularLesser occipitalAuriculotemporalSupratrochlearSupraorbital

Cavernosum sinus contents

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O TOM CAT: O TOM are lateral wall components, in order from superior to inferior.CA are the components within the sinus, from medial to lateral. CA ends at the level of T from O TOM.· See diagram. Occulomotor nerve (III) Trochlear nerve (IV)Ophthalmic nerve (V1) Maxillary nerve (V2) Carotid artery (internal) Abducent nerve (VI) T: When written, connects to the T of OTOM.

Skull Bones:"STEP OF 6 "SphenoidTemporalEthmoidParietalOccipitalFrontal6 skull bones

Mnemonics for Week 7Orbit: bones of medial wall:My Little Eye Sits in the orbitMaxilla (frontal process)LacrimalEthmoidSphenoid (body)

Extraocular muscles cranial nerve innervation:LR6SO4 rest 3Lateral Rectus is 6th

Superior Oblique is 4th

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Rest are all 3rd cranial nerve (CN III: oculomotor)

Extraocular muscles: movementsObliques cause Lateral rotation (abduction) of eyeballActions of the oblique muscles are opposite to their nameActions of the recti muscles are rightly fitting their name

Relationship of lingual nerve and submandibular ductThe duck lies over the lakeSubmandibular duct is passes on top of the lingual nerve(The lingual nerve courses laterally, inferiorly then medial to the submandibular duct.)

Mnemonics for Week 8Celiac trunk branchesLeft Hand Side (LHS):Left gastric arteryHepatic artery commonSplenic artery

Oblique muscles: direction of external vs. internalsExternal obliques: points toward your “external parts”Internal obliques: points toward your “internal soul”Alternatively:External obliques: Hands in your pockets; down and towards the midlineInternal obliques: right angles to external obliquesNote: “oblique” tells that it must be going at an angle.

Retroperitoneal organs (major):AC/DC Rocker Kids Party DownAscending ColonDescending ColonRectumKidneysPancreasDuodenumDoesn’t distinguish between primary and secondarily retroperitoneal.

Secondarily retroperitoneal organs:AC/DC Party DownAscending ColonDescending ColonPancreasDuodenum

Retroperitoneal structures list:SAD PUCKERSuprarenal glands

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Aorta & IVCDuodenumPancreasUretersColon (ascending & descending)KidneysEsophagusRectum

Nerves of the posterior abdominal wall: Some Idiots Ignore Lab F’s Given OutSubcostal nIliohypogastric nIlioinguinal nLateral Femoral Cutaneous nFemoral nGenitofemoral nObturator n

Mnemonics for Week 9Layers of the Testis: (from superficial to deep)Some Damn Englishmen Called It The TestisSkinDartos muscleExternal spermatic fasciaCremaster muscleInternal spermatic fasciaTunica vaginalisTestis

Alternative:Scrotum layers “Some Days Eddie Can Irritate People Very Thoroughly”:SkinDartos layerExternal spermatic fasciaCremaster muscleInternal spermatic fasciaParietal tunica vaginalisVisceral tunica vaginalisTunica albuginea

Penis: spinal level innervation “S2, 3, 4 keep the penis off the floor”:• Alternatively: “S2, 3, 4 make a mess on the floor”.Penis innervated by pudendal nerve branches, derived from spinal cord levels S2-4.

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