A&P II before A&P I ?

slc1984 · Oct 28, 2013

Generally, if AP1 was a prereq to AP2 the system wouldn't even let you register for it without written approval from the teacher (which the person registering you usually does not have the authority to override). If 1 is not a prereq for 2 then it's pretty safe to say that they do not build and it's fine to take them out of sequence. My school did not have A&P but rather had a semester of anatomy and a semester of physiology. It would have been VERY helpful for me to take anatomy before physiology which is the order they were supposed to be taken in, but I took physiology first and anatomy second and made it through alive. Just know that you might have the teacher reference some things that they know was taught in 1 assuming that everyone had already learned it. Just take that in stride.

sjalv · Oct 28, 2013

I took A&P1 and A&P2 at the same time. I never once heard my A&P2 teacher say "As you recall from A&P1...". I know people who took A&P2 before A&P1 and did fine. It will differ from school to school.

EricBranson · Oct 28, 2013

I don't think that they would set you up to fail (plenty of people do that all on their own). That being said there is going to be quite a bit of terminology that, if you have to learn on the fly, is going to make the course much harder than it has to be. Directional terms for example, noting will ever be behind you anymore, it will be posterior to you. Even SAP (standard anatomical position) when foreign to you is going to make things tricky. This class goes fast and takes no prisoners so I would really investigate to how the two curriculum work with each other. There is a reason that it isn't anatomy and then next semester physiology, because form follows function so studying them together helps. Start with the cells and end with the brain, you won't be disappointed. Even if you have to wait and fill some other requirements.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 28, 2013

I vote for "depends on the school." In my school, A&P II didn't really build on A&P I--they focused on different body systems. So it may be possible.

You will get your most accurate answer from your schools biology department.

Jillmarie63 · Oct 28, 2013

Where I go to school, it wouldn't really matter. A and P I covers muscular, skeletal, nervous, and A and P II covers cardiac, endocrine, etc. I don't think I really use anything that I learned in A and P I in the second course and neither one is harder than the other.

ztran · Feb 2, 2015

i know this is an old post but i was wondering if you could help me?

I am currently taking A&P 2 before A&p 1 due to scheduling. Class just started and we are currently learning about the Endocrine system, i have no prior knowledge so i feel completely lost and im stressing myself out way to much.

How did you study? do you have any tips or advice?

ztran · Feb 2, 2015

I took A&P1 and A&P2 at the same time. I never once heard my A&P2 teacher say "As you recall from A&P1...". I know people who took A&P2 before A&P1 and did fine. It will differ from school to school.

i know this is an old post but i was wondering if you could help me?

I am currently taking A&P 2 before A&p 1 due to scheduling. Class just started and we are currently learning about the Endocrine system, i have no prior knowledge so i feel completely lost and im stressing myself out way to much.

How did you study? do you have any tips or advice?

caliotter3 · Feb 2, 2015

I would visit the instructor and ask. This person is in a better position to properly advise you. ztran: Instructors often make a table for the endocrine system. If you look, you might find a table online or in a text. No way to get out of a good deal of memorization here.