Anatomy
Core concepts
Anatomy questions test structure, position and relationships. Master the anatomical position and directional terms: superior/inferior, anterior/posterior, medial/lateral, proximal/distal, superficial/deep. Know the body planes - sagittal, coronal (frontal) and transverse - and the major cavities: cranial, thoracic (containing mediastinum, pleural and pericardial cavities), abdominal and pelvic. Learn the skeletal system divisions (axial and appendicular), the types of joint (fibrous, cartilaginous, synovial) and synovial joint features (capsule, synovial membrane, cartilage, ligaments). Know the muscular system - skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle - and the cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy, including the path of blood through the heart and the airway from trachea to alveoli. The digestive tract order and the nervous system divisions (central and peripheral; somatic and autonomic, with sympathetic and parasympathetic branches) are frequently examined.
Traps in questions
Do not confuse the trachea (windpipe) with the oesophagus (food pipe). Remember the left lung has two lobes and the right has three. Venous blood enters the right atrium, not the left. The diaphragm is the main muscle of inspiration, not the intercostals. Questions may swap afferent (sensory, toward the CNS) and efferent (motor, away from the CNS).
Worked rule of thumb
For any structure, name its location, function and one relationship to a neighbouring structure. Example: the pancreas lies behind the stomach, secretes digestive enzymes and hormones, and is related to the duodenum. This three-part answer covers most mark schemes.
Applying it
Anatomy underpins safe practice: knowing surface landmarks prevents pressure injuries and guides injections.