Netter + Google

With the first anatomy practical approaching, we've been spending a lot of time with Netter, Moore, the bone boxes, and the cadavers. And for good reason: our practical is 50 questions, 50 minutes, and 15 percent of our grade. One third of it consists of identifying any of the arteries, nerves, veins, muscles, or miscellaneous structures in the upper portion of the body (minus the head and neck, we haven't gotten there yet). One third of it is identifying these structures on various types of images (CT, MRI, arteriogram, radiograph, etc.) The last third is identifying structures on bones. These are either plastic, or leftover from students who failed previous anatomy practicals (we can only assume).

Given these circumstances, I thought I'd take a welcome study break at 8:48 on a Saturday morning to bring to you the project that Google SHOULD be working on. I present: 

Google Maps + Netter: The Ultimate Road Map To Your Body. 

Query: Directions from HEART to FINGER. Transportation method: BLOOD.

Distance: Varies per person. 

Time: We didn't have to know that for the test.
View: Map. Satellite images only for medical students. Trust me, those books are NOT as pretty as Netter.

START: Left ventricle. Make the only legal exit possible, through Aortic valve. Avoid turnoffs to coronary arteries--they're probably congested at this stage in life. *Avoid mitral valve--it's a one-way.

CONTINUE on Ascending Aorta to Aortic Arch.
TURN onto Brachiocephalic Trunk.

CONTINUE on Subclavian Artery.
CONTINUE on Axillary Artery.

After Lower Margin of Teres Major, CONTINUE on Brachial Artery.
BEAR onto Radial Artery at fork. If you reach Common Interosseous Artery, you've made the rookie mistake of bearing onto Ulnar Artery.

BEAR onto Superficial Palmar Branch of Radial Artery.
CONTINUE on Superficial Palmar Arterial Arch.
BEAR onto Common Palmar Digital Artery.
CONTINUE on Proper Palmar Digital Artery to your final destination.

I'd like 10% of the profits, Google.

***CREDIT: All photos shamelessly iPhoto-stolen from my dearest Netter.