Anatomy Mnemonics

The best anatomy mnemonics for medical student finals, OSCEs and MRCP

Anatomical layers of the scalp (SCALP) mnemonic
- Skin
- Connective tissue
- Aponeurosis (galea)
- Loose connective tissue
- Periosteum

Bones in the medial wall of the orbit (My Little Eye Sits in the orbit) mnemonic
- Maxilla (frontal process)
- Lacrimal
- Ethmoid
- Sphenoid (body)

Bones in the nasal septum (My Very Fine Nasal SEPtum) mnemonic
- Maxilla
- Vomer
- Frontal
- Nasal
- Sphenoid
- Ethmoid
- Palatine

Nerves passing through the superior orbital fissure (Live Frankly To See Absolutely No Insult) mnemonic
- Lacrimal nerve
- Frontal nerve
- Trochlear nerve
- Superior division of oculomotor nerve
- Abducens nerve
- Nasociliary nerve
- Inferior division of oculomotor nerve

Structures in cavernous sinus and their positions (O TOM CAT) mnemonic
- Oculomotor nerve
- Trochlear nerve
- Opthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve
- Maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve
- Carotid artery (internal)
- Abducens nerve
- Trochlear nerve

Contents and structures draining into the cavernous sinus (Rule of 3’s)
- 3 afferent veins:
  - Sphenoparietal sinus
  - Superficial middle cerebral vein
  - Ophthalmic vein
- 3 efferent veins:
  - Superior petrosal sinus
  - Inferior petrosal sinus
  - Communicating vein to pterygoid plexus
- 3 areas draining into it:
  - Cranial vault bones
  - Brain
  - Orbit
- 3 contents
  - Cranial nerve III
  - Cranial nerve IV
  - Cranial nerve V (only V1 and V2 branches)
- 3 nerves
  - Motor (III, IV, VI)
  - Sensory (V1, V2)
  - Sympathetic

Where trigeminal nerve branches exit the skull (Standing Room Only) mnemonic
- Superior orbital fissure – V1
- foreman Rotundum – V2
- foreman Ovale – V3

Branches of the facial nerve (Ten Zulus Bought My Cat) mnemonic
- Temporal
- Zygomatic
- Buccal
- Mandibular
- Cervical

Brachial plexus (Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beers) mnemonic
- Roots
- Trunks
- Divisions
- Cords
- Branches

Nerve root supply of deep tendon reflexes (one, two – buckle my shoe, three, four – kick the door, five, six – pick up sticks, seven, eight – shut the gate)
- S1, S2 – ankle jerk
- L3, L4 – knee jerk
- C5, C6 – biceps and brachioradialis
- C7, C8 – triceps

Nerve root supply of long thoracic nerve which innervates serratus anterior
- C5, 6, 7, raise your arms to heaven

Nerve root supply of phrenic nerve
- C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive

Attachments of pectoralis major, teres major and latissimus dorsi to the bicipital groove (a lady between two majors)
- Pectoralis major attaches laterally
- Teres major attaches medially
- Latissimus dorsi (‘lady’) attaches to the floor in between

Muscles involved in elbow flexion (3 B’s Bend the elbow)
- Biceps
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis

Hand interossei muscles (PAD DAB)
- Palmar interossei – ADduct
- Dorsal interossei –ABduct

Wrist bones (She Likes To Play, Try To Catch Her)
- Scaphoid
- Lunate
- Triquetrum
- Pisiform
- Trapezium
- Trapezoid
- Capitate
- Hamate

Median nerve supply of hand muscles (ulnar nerve supplies all intrinsic muscles of hands except the LOAF muscles)
- Lateral two lumbricals
- Opponens pollicis
- Abductor pollicis brevis
- Flexor pollicis brevis

Level of diaphragmatic apertures
- Vena cava = 8 letters = T8
- Oesophagus = 10 letters = T10
- Aortic hiatus = 12 letters = T12

Alternatively
- ‘I ate ten eggs at twelve’
- ‘I ate’ = IVC at T8
- ‘ten eggs’ = oesophagus at T10
- ‘at twelve’ = aorta at T12

Position of thoracic duct in relation to oesophagus (left) and azygous vein (right)
- A duck between two gooses
- Duck = thoracic duct
- Two gooses = oesophagus and azygous vein

Paired erector spinae muscles from lateral to medial (I Like Standing)
- Illiocostalis
- Longissimus
- Spinalis

Relations of femoral nerve, artery and vein (from lateral to medial NAVY)
- Nerve
- Artery
- Vein
- lYmphatics (femoral canal)

Borders of the femoral triangle (shaped like a SAIL)
- Sartorius
- Adductor longus
- Inguinal Ligament

Pes anserinus attachments (Say Grace before Tea)
- Sartorius
- Gracilis
- semiTendinosus

Contents of the tarsal tunnel (from anterior to posterior Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry)
- Tibialis posterior
- flexor Digitorum longus
- Artery (posterior tibial)
- Vein (posterior tibial)
- Nerve (tibial)
- flexor Hallucis longus

Nerve root innervation of the urethral sphincter, anal sphincter, and penis (S2, 3, 4 keeps the pee/poo/penis off the floor)
- S2, 3, 4 innervates the anal sphincter, urethral sphincter and causes erection of the penis.

Relations of ureter and uterine artery/ vas deferens (water runs under the bridge)
- Ureter (water) runs posteriorly to uterine artery/ vas deferens (bridge)

Innervation of the penis (Point, Shoot, Score)
- Parasympathetic (erection)
- Sympathetic (emission and ejaculation)

Layers of the scrotum (Some Damn Englishmen Called It The Testis)
- Skin
- Dartos
- External spermatic fascia
- Cremaster muscle
- Internal spermatic fascia
- Tunica vaginalis
- Testis

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Anatomy Mnemonics

Anatomy Mnemonics

Anatomical layers of the scalp (SCALP) mnemonic

Bones in the medial wall of the orbit (My Little Eye Sits in the orbit) mnemonic

Bones in the nasal septum (My Very Fine Nasal SEPtum) mnemonic

Nerves passing through the superior orbital fissure (Live Frankly To See Absolutely No Insult) mnemonic

Structures in cavernous sinus and their positions (O TOM CAT) mnemonic

Contents and structures draining into the cavernous sinus (Rule of 3’s)

Where trigeminal nerve branches exit the skull (Standing Room Only) mnemonic

Branches of the facial nerve (Ten Zulus Bought My Cat) mnemonic

Brachial plexus (Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beers) mnemonic

Nerve root supply of deep tendon reflexes (one, two – buckle my shoe, three, four – kick the door, five, six – pick up sticks, seven, eight – shut the gate)

Nerve root supply of long thoracic nerve which innervates serratus anterior

Nerve root supply of phrenic nerve

Attachments of pectoralis major, teres major and latissimus dorsi to the bicipital groove (a lady between two majors)

Muscles involved in elbow flexion (3 B’s Bend the elbow)

Hand interossei muscles (PAD DAB)

Wrist bones (She Likes To Play, Try To Catch Her)

Median nerve supply of hand muscles (ulnar nerve supplies all intrinsic muscles of hands except the LOAF muscles)

Level of diaphragmatic apertures

Alternatively

Position of thoracic duct in relation to oesophagus (left) and azygous vein (right)

Paired erector spinae muscles from lateral to medial (I Like Standing)

Relations of femoral nerve, artery and vein (from lateral to medial NAVY)

Borders of the femoral triangle (shaped like a SAIL)

Pes anserinus attachments (Say Grace before Tea)

Contents of the tarsal tunnel (from anterior to posterior Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry)

Nerve root innervation of the urethral sphincter, anal sphincter, and penis (S2, 3, 4 keeps the pee/poo/penis off the floor)

Relations of ureter and uterine artery/ vas deferens (water runs under the bridge)

Innervation of the penis (Point, Shoot, Score)

Layers of the scrotum (Some Damn Englishmen Called It The Testis)

Common mnemonics for medical student exams, finals, OSCEs and MRCP PACES