A&P 1 - how to study Histology?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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OK, today I signed up for A&P 1 and 2 for the spring semester. Each will be an 8 week class, so I'm planning to do a little studying in December to prepare myself. I had another thread and it was suggested I learn bones and muscles as much as I can before the class starts.

I saw somewhere that histology is also difficult?

Any tips? Is it really that hard? I'd really appreciate any tips that will help prepare me so that I'm not completely overwhelmed when class starts.

I've never taken Biology or Chemistry in college (and only biology in highschool 20 yrs ago) -- so I'm looking for all the help I can get to make this class a success.

Thanks!!!

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Specializes in Lactation.

Can you find another student that has taken these classes before you at your school? I have found alot of times previous students are more than happy to help others with difficult classes. Sometimes they can point out which muscles/bones you need to focus on and may even have their own notes or study guides that they are happy to share.

I would suggest that you get really familiar with the descriptive terms ie fossa, foramen stuff like that and also be familiar with anatomical terms of location.

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Thank you! I haven't had any classes in the science bldg, but I have been asking in all my other classes if anyone has taken A&P -- I haven't found anyone yet.

Thanks for the tips!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I found memorizing the bones soooo much more difficult than the histology. Get started on that now. Start with the skull and work your way down! There is no way you can go wrong with studying the bones because they will be the same everywhere you go.

The histology in some ways will depend on which slides your teacher wants to focus on. But it is helpful to start with the types and go from there. Study this chart.. and google images for each.

Send me a PM and I'll email you a tissue chart that will help your organize them.

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In my experience, students are REALLY afraid of histology when they don't need to be. It's a big departure from gross anatomy like muscles and bones and this can be overwhelming.

So first piece of advice - don't be afraid. It's actually pretty easy and super helpful for understanding physiology later on. If you ever go on to study cancer it's very helpful there as well.

Next. Somewhere near the very beginning of your anatomy book there will be a chapter about cell types and tissue structures. Read this. Figure out the difference between connective tissue, muscle, nervous tissue, and epithelium. Muscle and nervous tissue are pretty straightforward. Spend some time on "epithelium" - it doesn't just mean "skin." Understand that it includes glands and solid organs - anything that relies on layering cells, bunching them together by function, or forming glands and ducts with them. Understand that connective tissue is largely acellular and therefore will look totally unique on slides. Figure out what connective tissue really is made out of.

Learn what an H&E stain is and the difference between the pink and purple bits on a slide.

If you really understand the 4 basic tissue types, the next step will be MUCH easier ...

Finally, identifying specific tissues. This is what will matter in A&P. The best way to study for an histology exam is to practice, practice, practice. Look at slides in lab, and then go home and google "histology of xxxx". There are TONS of online resources for histo. The more pictures you look at, the more you will start to appreciate how different types of tissue (muscle versus epithelium) look under the microscope.

When in doubt, think about how the structure of a tissue might relate to its function. If the slide in front of you has cells arranged in circles around lumens - that's a gland. Therefore it's a secretory tissue - this narrows down your choices.

I've seen students panic trying to memorize what an individual slide of liver or kidney or uterus looks like. Don't bother. Approach histology at a really basic level - the 3D arrangement of individual cells, groups of cells that form tissues, and how that tissue structure helps it perform its function.

The more examples you look at, the easier it will get. Look at liver and kidney slides long enough and the difference between them will become painfully obvious. Really !

Anyhow, hope that helps. As you can tell I am a huge histology nerd :o.

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Anyhow, hope that helps. As you can tell I am a huge histology nerd :o.

I'm glad you're a histology nerd, this gives me hope! :)

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I did not find Histology difficult at all. A breeze compared to memorizing all the bones and muscles.

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I found memorizing the bones soooo much more difficult than the histology. Get started on that now. Start with the skull and work your way down! There is no way you can go wrong with studying the bones because they will be the same everywhere you go.

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I am definitely planning to study the bones and the muscles before I start -- if that's all I get to before then, I'll at least be happy I did some of that.

My question for you: what resource would you suggest using to study the bones?

I won't have the textbook for another month or two.

I did order flashcards - Kaplan's Anatomy Flashcards.

I also purchased Kapit's Anatomy Coloring Book.

If I can just figure out what I need to be looking at to memorize these bones so I don't leave any out.

I'm sorry this might be so basic for most of you, but I'm just overwhelmed! I want to do well, and I'm probably over thinking all of this. I'm worried if I don't, I won't do as well as I'd like.

Thanks!

Traci

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Try getbodysmart.com

It has amazing quizzes and tutorials. They are very helpful to me! Especially with bones and muscles.

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Specializes in no experience yet.

Tissues isn't that bad. Muscles isn't that bad, bones...for me a little trickier. I think you just have to have the mindset that you are going to practice, practice and practice some more and try to enjoy yourself! If you find it interesting, I guarantee that you will do better on it. I'm in AP1 now and I have a very difficult professor that has very hard exams. If his questions were worded differently I'm sure I would have an A average instead of a B right now.

Also remember, what's hard for one person may not be for the other. Oh, nerves and the nervous system is pretty tricky!

Sure doesn't hurt to get a head start. But I would start with the first 3 chapters if that's what your going to do. Bio, Chem and the intro chapter.

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Ah! I know how you feel! When I first saw epithelium under the microscope I was like "what?!" Ha, but go to youtube and enter shotgun histology and he really helps you out with different slides and etc! Hoped this helped!

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