Microbiology

NaomiAnselm · Jan 9, 2013

question :My gpa was 3.4 and this padt semester I did poorly on ap1 lab and lecture.I took on too many personal responsibilities which limitted quality study time ( memorization is not my best suit).I am about to take the teas5 exam and my gpa is a 3.1 and a c in ap1. should I redo ap1 in summer 13, or redo it in Fall 2013 along with micro biology?

pco8 · Jan 9, 2013

Thanks you guys!!! I just printed the syllabus for my Micro Lab & Lecture and it doesn't look as scary as I'm anticipating. I'm gunning for an A. I'm taking this class along with College Algebra & Intro to Professional Nursing. Since my semester is pretty light, I'm hoping for all A's! I plan on taking my HESI A2 sometime next spring & crossing my fingers I do really well in all my classes & HESI so I can get in the Nursing program the first try. My school only takes 120 out of 600.

Next semester will be the real test! A&P 1 & BioChem & maybe Patho? Definitely getting nervous.

zoe92 · Jan 10, 2013

For Micro, use flash cards for terms...that personally helped me a lot. Also, study a little bit every day. I didn't find microbiology too challenging, it was just a lot of big Latin words.

lolads85 · Jan 16, 2013

Also, there is a lot of memorization in micro as everyone has said. Maybe some of you visual learners can attest to this but what I did is color coordinate my bacteria to the disease on posters... if i couldn't remember the names come exam time I always remembered the colors! Best of luck!

pco8 · Jan 16, 2013

Thanks you guys!!! My class started today and my lab starts on the 28th. My professor seems to be pretty cool and I'm excited. She mentioned that there's usually 12% - 18% of her students that get A's and I plan on being in that percentage.

Wish me luck and thanks again! Good luck to you all on your classes/clinicals!

ADAngel · Jan 16, 2013

Have fun with quadrant streaks.. They were my absolute favorite part of micro! I think it is relatively easy to remember the names of the bacterium once you have become accustomed to the Latin.

pco8 · Jan 25, 2013

My first test is Feb 12 - so far we're learning the History of Micro, Chemistry of Micro and the Tools of the lab. There's so much info, my plan is to read & review at least 2 hours per day just to make sure it's all sinking in! I am aiming for an A in this course!

LoveNeverDies · Jan 25, 2013

Just posted this on another thread. Hope this helps!

So, I took Micro with my first semester of nursing and I passed it with an A. First off how does your teacher lecture? If she writes on the board and lectures then take notes. If she does power points or outlines then just follow those and write anything extra down. Read the chapter before class. Reading it really helps with learning schemes and it allows you to form questions on things you do not understand.Look over the questions at the back of the chapter once you have studied. If you cant answer 2/3rds of them then you probably haven't grasped the chapter well enough. If you have a lab BE SURE to learn the correct methods for streaking and introducing bacteria. If you can do the technique, then you wont mess up the results. Writing flashcards help me, I have a friend that reads through and makes up multiple choice questions for herself. My micro teacher advised 2-3 hours of studying for each class hour for the students not already in the nursing program. Lastly, if you are having problems understanding something ASK, utilize the teacher's office hours! They will likely explain it in the way they want you to understand it for the test.

pco8 · Jan 26, 2013

Thanks!! I've been studying and reviewing a little bit every day so I'm hoping that will help me. I really want to get an A in this class! Cross your fingers!

pco8 · Feb 5, 2013

So today in Micro lab, I learned about simple, acid-fast and gram stains. It all went over my head and it didn't help that I didn't pick up on it right away like the rest of my lab group. I was definitely struggling the whole time and am definitely going to have to go to open lab this week to practice on my gram stains because I have a practical on it next week. It was definitely a frustrating four hours. Any tips, hints or suggestions are welcome. I love the lecture but the lab, not so much.

On a happy note, I'm doing well in the lecture and I am confident that I will do well on my first exam next week. Crossing my fingers for an A!!!!

WoundedBird · Feb 5, 2013

1) Take your time / follow the times for staining.
2) Don't let your slide get too close to the flame while fixing your slides - you'll be able to quickly see the difference between brown and purple.
3) Do not be intimidated to be 'slower' than your lab mates. Even when I took micro the second time around I was one of the last ones done. It can be a great time to talk with the professor about not only the class but other things as well...never know when/if you might need them as an academic reference.
4) Practice, practice, practice.
5) Slides fresh out of the flame are hot. And they hurt like a @@@@@ when you touch them. So grab a drink of water or get supplies before you touch the slide again.

RubberDuckieLove · Feb 9, 2013

Loved my micro class!! I had to take it hybrid, so it was half online, half in lab. But it was very interesting and I had a great time. Also made a great grade!!