SUBSTAGE 1st year

 ANATOMY SUBSTAGE 

All the information I'd be sharing,  I'll be telling this on last year's grading and style. It might or might not be different for you guys  this year so kindly ask about the recent one's from your demonstrators :) 

● How it takes place?

So substage is basically a one on one viva. We have multiple demonstrators and the class will be divided amongst their respective demonstrators who will take their viva. 

1.Firstly you'd be asked to pick a bone and describe it. From there your impression settles in so make sure you know your bones right! 

2.Then they will question you on the theory part
 and then you'll be questioned regarding the models 1 question from there
 and then a question from the cadaver. 

As you guys are going online their take the cameras and show you from there. If something is not clear let them know politely and answer when it's clear to you. 

Or just make a guess then if it can't get any better. 

●Marks and markings:

Total marks: 20

Highest marks: 16 (not graded more than this)

Internal evaluation contribution: 0.7 

THE STYLE:
Guys now markings depends from teacher to teacher and also your performance in class previously. Sometimes teachers cut your one mark for 1 question wrong but sometimes they might cut 1 mark for 2 questions wrong. Depends. 

Every teacher has different preference of questions, some focus on clinicals, some focus on muscles and their tables, some focus on nerves and lymphatics and some start from the beginning and ask small questions on every topic till the end. 

TIP:
Do keep in touch you guys and ask everyone who goes in first to share their questions in group discussion later on, this way you guys will get to know any peculiar questions and can read them before your turn.

But just so I tell you we wasted a lot of time fretting over which teacher we might get. Trust me it doesn't matter, you just have to be so well prepared that it shouldn't matter! 

●Study technique: 

I'll divide the anatomy studying to two parts, The first and most important being having a clear concept, and then comes the  word to word memorization, both these things are  directly proportional to your grades. Now I'll describe how you can get both: 

•Concept building: 

They say that if you can describe something in your own words you have a grip on it. Following are some ways we rely on for concepts clarity: 

1. Imagination: draw, use atlas, have an active recall and imagine the shoulder joint the elbow joint the nerves their pathways or the anastomosis around the scapula just try and remember by closing the book once after studying and you'll know how much you know on the topic 

2. Active recall: make flashcards of things you find hard and forget and try to recall it as much as you can no matter where you go. If you cant make virtual ones, use anki or quizlet and try to remember the topic when you're doing anything other than studying and see what you remember. If you forget something check the flash cards. In this way you never forget that single nerve or origin of trapezius which has been bothering you. 

2. Teaching someone: get on a google meet with a friend or two whom you actual have an understanding with and feel comfortable with (doesn't necessarily has to be a nerd) and just discuss what each one of you has learnt. Whether you all know it all or not just discuss. It always clears the concept. 

We used to have days of discussions in museum live before substage but if you guys cant do that just have a Google meet discussion by generating your own link! 

•Memorization: 

1. I would suggest you to first enlist all the topics you have in hand from the upper limb.

2.Then go through them at least twice before the substage from snells and if you want to do it really superiorly you can learn twice from snells , read gray's for any left out clinical or point and then revise the snells a day before your substage. 

3. When to start studying? You'd know a week before substage at least so don't waste time and start preparing from the day you know. Studying or learning and arranging a day before can get you 13 14 Marks but not an impressive grade. 

4. To study BD or gray's? 

The topics which the teachers have marked you from BD do it from there. Make short bone notes which are precise and describable in easy words because no one asks for a bone crammed knowledge, you need to understand all it's attachments and clinicals and peculiarities and describe it coherently. Also do BD for clinicals 

For gray's I'd say no need to cram it. Just read it if you want a distinction but beware overdoing and over obsession on the hard books takes even the simpler knowledge from you, which can lead you to quite opposite.  So just briefly go through it. To see if anything is left out. 

●Types of questions: 

1. can be asked about clinicals

2. Can be asked to explain a nerve pathway ( tell me if you guys need notes, I have some made on it already) 

3. Can be asked about lymphatic drainage 

4. The fossas and the openings

5. Drawing of brachial plexus and the anastomosis'

6. Joints movements and muscles making the movements, their types 

7.  Surface anatomy (learn exact definition )

8. Could be asked how a particular joint is formed 

9. Muscular innervations 

10. Hand arterial plexus and nervous plexus 

11. Breast lymphatic drainage and related carcinoma 

●Protip:

Now the main question, how to handle this substage? First of all ,  drop the anxiety, worry or any inhibition you have. 

Anatomy is all about the confidence and how you explain things. If you don't have any one of these, you'll have a tough time. 

So be confident,  be confident in your words and your knowledge,  know that you're right. Teachers might double question you to check your confidence but study so well that you won't be budged by it. 

So my first tip is 

1. Stay confident,  always! You're a doctor now

2. Don't be overconfident.  If you don't know something or haven't read something,  don't be arrogant in front of the teacher, succumb and listen to her/him , the humility helps at the end trust me!

3. Don't be disrespectful towards the teachers speak politely and give a respectful body language 

4. Don't make excuses. If you don't know you don't know, if you couldn't do you couldn't do it. End of story 

5. Never say that this topic wasn't taught to us or taught properly or this clinical was never mentioned. It drops a very bad impression 

6. Always dress well and be presentable 

And put yourself in an outstanding manner in front of your teacher. 

☆☆☆Guys, I know this is your first ever substage, that too online,  must seem a mess right now, but trust me this is the easiest bit, you'll laugh at it in the third block. So hang in there, trust Allah and be confident.  Best of luck guys.


contributor: Aiza Anwar (2nd year, Publishing direc.)
edited by: Aiza Anwar (2nd year, publishing direc.)