If you'd like to support us and get something great in return, check out our bank of 500+ OSCE Stations. You might also be interested in our OSCE Checklist PDF Booklet, Clinical Skills App and our OSCE Flashcard Collection which contains over 2500 cards.
Table of Contents
The Geeky Medics list of anatomy mnemonics has been curated to help you remember important anatomical concepts and facts.
Upper limb
Attachment of latissimus dorsi: “Lady Between Two Majors”
Latissimus dorsi attaches to the humerus between pectoralis major and teres major.
Rotator cuff muscles: SITS
- Supraspinatus
- Infraspinatus
- Teres minor
- Subscapularis
See our guide to the intrinsic muscles of the shoulder.
Structure of the brachial plexus: “Reach To Drink Cold Beer”
- Roots
- Trunks
- Divisions
- Cords
- Branches (nerves)
See our overview of the brachial plexus.
Contents of the cubital fossa: “Really Need Beer To Be At My Nicest”
From lateral to medial:
- Radial Nerve
- Brachial Tendon
- Brachial Artery
- Median Nerve
Muscles involved in elbow flexion: “Three Bs Bend the Elbow”
- Biceps brachii
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
Carpal bones: “Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle”
Starting from the thumb:
- Scaphoid
- Lunate
- Triquetral
- Pisiform
- Trapezium
- Trapezoid
- Capitate
- Hamate
See our guides to the bones of the hand and the wrist joint.
Median nerve supply to the hand: LOAF
- Lateral two lumbricals
- Opponens pollicis
- Abductor pollicis brevis
- Flexor pollicis brevis
Actions of the interosseous muscles of the hand: PAD DAB
- Palmar interossei: ADduction
- Dorsal interossei: ABduction
See our guide to the intrinsic muscles of the hand.
Lower limb
Contents of the femoral triangle: NAVEL
From lateral to medial:
- Nerve
- Artery
- Vein
- Empty space
- Lymphatics
Femoral triangle boundaries: SAIL
- Sartorius
- Adductor longus
- Inguinal Ligament
Abdomen
Borders of the inguinal canal: MALT
- Muscles (roof)
- Aponeurosis (anterior wall)
- Ligaments (floor)
- Tendon (posterior wall)
See our guide to inguinal hernias.
Retroperitoneal structures: SAD PUCKER
- Suprarenal (adrenal) Glands
- Aorta/IVC
- Duodenum (2nd / 3rd part)
- Pancreas (not the tail)
- Ureters
- Colon (ascending and descending)
- Kidneys
- (O)esophagus
- Rectum
Abdominal wall muscles: TIRE
- Transversus abdominis
- Internal oblique
- Rectus abdominis
- External oblique
See our guide to the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.
Meckel’s diverticulum: “The Rule of 2s”
- 2% of the population
- 2 times more common in males
- 2 inches (5cm) long
- 2 feet proximal to the ileocecal valve
- 2 types of mucosal lining (gastric and pancreatic)
Branches of the coeliac trunk: “Left Hand Side”
- Left gastric
- common Hepatic
- Splenic
See our overview of the abdominal aorta.
Thorax
Atrioventricular valves: LAB RAT
- Left Atrium: Bicuspid
- Right Atrium: Tricuspid
See our guides to thoracic anatomy.
Innervation of the diaphragm (phrenic nerve): “C3, C4, C5 keep the diaphragm alive”
Diaphragm apertures
Count the number of letters:
- Aortic hiatus: 12 letters (=T12)
- Oesophagus: 10 letters (=T10)
- Vena cava: 8 letters (=T8)
Serratus anterior: “SALTy WINGS”
- Serratus Anterior is innervated by the Long Thoracic nerve
- Loss of function results in a Winged scapula
Nerve roots of the long thoracic nerve: “C5, 6, 7 reach to heaven”
- C5, C6, C7 are the nerve roots of the long thoracic nerve
Head and neck
Layers of the scalp: SCALP
- Skin
- Connective tissue
- Aponeurosis
- Loose connective tissue
- Pericranium
Structures passing through the foramen ovale: OVALE
- Otic ganglion (lies inferior)
- V3 (mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve)
- Accessory meningeal artery
- Lesser petrosal nerve
- Emissary veins
Contents of the cavernous sinus: 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
- Oculomotor nerve
- Trochlear nerve
- Ophthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve
- Maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve
- internal Carotid artery
- Abducens nerve
- Trochlear nerve
Extraocular muscles: LR6 SO4 3
- Lateral rectus: 6th cranial nerve (abducens)
- Superior oblique: 4th cranial nerve (trochlear)
- Everything else: 3rd cranial nerve (oculomotor)
Cranial nerves: “On, On, On, They Travelled And Found Voldemort Guarding Very Ancient Horcruxes”
Note – many other different versions of this mnemonic exist!
- Olfactory nerve (CN I)
- Optic nerve (CN II),
- Oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- Trochlear nerve (CN IV)
- Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
- Abducens nerve (CN VI)
- Facial nerve (CN VII)
- Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- Vagus nerve (CN X)
- Accessory nerve (CN XI)
- Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
See our cranial nerve summary.
Tonsils: “PPL (people) have tonsils”
- Pharyngeal
- Palatine
- Lingual
See our oral cavity examination guide.
Dermatomes
Cervical
- “C7 the middle finger to heaven”
Thoracic
- T4 nipple: “teet pore” (sounds like T4)
- T10 umbilicus: “Bellybuten“
Lumbar
- L4: Knee “On all fours“
Sacral
- S1: “Small toe”
See our overview of dermatomes and myotomes.