A&P1 & Chem together: insanity?

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2004

I did it. You will learn to prioritize your workload and time. Those are two vital things to practice nursing successfully, so you will be ahead of the game! What worked for me was to totally focus on whatever I was doing at the time (lecture, lab, work, home). Never get behind. Use all resources (mentors, websites, etc). The labs will be totally different but that is where I learned. Don't goof off in lab. We had an A&P instructor who would put the lab assignment on the board and we could leave after finishing the assignment. BUT, once the semi-serious learners left, he would start giving out really good info on a personal level, allowing questions, etc.. Those who left early missed out.

TLC RN · Jun 11, 2004

Yep - just keep focused and manage your time well.

I took Micro and A&P 1 last fall and Nutrition, A&P 2, and organic chem last semester and got A's in all of them.

Good luck :)

EMTtoRN · Jun 11, 2004

I am doing the SAME thing this fall!!! That is why I am taking my Math this summer. Math is not dificult for me, it would just be too tedious to add onto 2 lab course.

I also work 30 hours a week, have a household and a 2 1/2 yo.

twarlik · Jun 11, 2004

I took chemistry, A&P1, and nutrition during the same semester and it wasn't a problem at all. There was actually some overlap, which helped a lot. Like the other folks have said, if you manage your time well then you will do fine! Good luck! :)

Annabelle57 · Jun 11, 2004

Thanks to everyone... I guess I freaked out a little! I barely eeked through high school science: I liked bio, but I had the WORST teacher (the same one)for both chemistry and physics - she made it SO boring! Then, the one chemistry course I took in college was also taught by a horrible professor (he was fired a semester later) and I barely passed that as well. So, I've always thought that I'm science-inept... but now that I'm not only aceing Microbiology (and we have a hard instructor) but I'm really interested in the material, I'm having to change my perception of myself around a little bit. :rolleyes:

I think I should be okay - I work with a guy who used to teach in the bio dept, and he's giving me the skinny on all the good professors to get

ZeusMed · Jun 11, 2004

Hello Annabelle,

You are not insane if you think you can do it. I tried it and was unsuccessful. I am a newlywed and work full time. Was registered for Chem and Microbio classes, began them and my new husband felt neglected. Had to drop one of the classes. Dropped micro and passed chem with a B. It was hard, though. So if you are not married, no children, then go for it, becasue once you get married and have children it is harder.

ZeusMed

Okay...
So this semester I'm taking Microbiology and Human Nutrition. I have solid A's in both - in fact, my micro grade is the highest in class while a lot of people are failing or close to failing.
The way I worked my schedule to be ready for an accel BSN next summer, I'm going to be taking A&P1 and Intro to Chemistry in the fall - 2 classes, both with labs, and I do work full-time (though it's not a stressful job - I often have at least an hour or two to study everyday, in addition to what I do at home). I'm tickled I'm doing so well in Micro since I heard it was the "weeding out" class... but am I getting too overconfident in my abilities and taking on too much by taking two sciences at once? I don't really have anything else going on in my life besides work - I'm single with no kids.
Has anyone else done this... or taken 2 sciences in one semester? Am I completely insane? Registration is coming up and I don't want to make a huge mistake, if that's what this is... :uhoh21:
Thanks!

HididiScribbler · Jun 11, 2004

I'm planning, sort of, to do the same thing in the fall. Except, since our CC is changing over to eventually just having A & P seperatally, and since some BSN programs here require that they be seperate, I'm taking Anatomy, hopefully, in the fall along with Intro to Chemistry. I also plan, in spring, to take Physiology and Microbiology together. My mom thinks I'll be pushing myself too hard, buut, I'm thinking I can handle it.

The worries with my program, is that pre-reqs can't be taken over. A & P is a requirement, sooo, if I get a bad grade I can't re-take it for a better one. Is this normal, or.. is just my school?

mrsmoo2 · Jun 12, 2004

I'm married with 3 kids, no job, & I took micro & intro to chem one semester & physiology & general chem the next semester..3 A's & one A-. I hate to say it, but I really didn't feel it was all that hard..I just studied a little every day..(reveiwed/retyped notes) & got in a study group a couple days before exams. I'm a little nervous that I didn't really develop the study habits needed for the actual nursing program, which I start in August..I know a few minutes a day won't cut it anymore.

njh0325 · May 20, 2005

Hi,

I took Micro, Human Development, and A&P1 last semester and this semester completed A&P2, Chem, and Nutrition. I worked 30-40 hours per week, and was initiallly told by the school counselors that I would fail the classes if I took them together. The classes were intense, but I did very well. I am beginning an accelerated MSN program this fall (they changed it from accelerated BSN), and think that a big reason that I was accepted was my ability to handle those classes at the same time. Some people only took A&P 1, though, and couldnt deal with that, even without working, so it depends on the person, I guess. Either way, I think that you are the best judge of your abilities. If you are normally in the top 5% of your class, you can def. do it. I'd recommend doing it if you want to gain the time management skills for your BSN program. Good luck!

nursecher · May 20, 2005

Hello,

I am new to this site. I am starting my pre-req's 06/13/05. I am taking pre-alg & bio 1 this summer. This fall I am taking A&P 1, chem, AND psych. Hope I can handle all of this. I have a 3 yr old and 8 month old at home. I do not work outside of the home so hopefully this will all work out. I will give it my all!

pre-student in PA

Rosa2Little · May 20, 2005

Thanks to everyone... I guess I freaked out a little! I barely eeked through high school science: I liked bio, but I had the WORST teacher (the same one)for both chemistry and physics - she made it SO boring! Then, the one chemistry course I took in college was also taught by a horrible professor (he was fired a semester later) and I barely passed that as well. So, I've always thought that I'm science-inept... but now that I'm not only aceing Microbiology (and we have a hard instructor) but I'm really interested in the material, I'm having to change my perception of myself around a little bit.
I think I should be okay - I work with a guy who used to teach in the bio dept, and he's giving me the skinny on all the good professors to get

I think the key is finding out who the professor is and what is their teaching style/workload. I attempted Chem I (2nights a week) and A&P I(1 day a week, for 6 1/2 hours for 8 weeks in length.) My Chem I professor gave out a lot of work.... Homework (reading and assigned problems) every class, a lab notebook which had to be maintained in full scientific format, pre-lab work to be completed before we started each lab, and a complete lab report after lab (4-6 typed pages). Oh.... and quizes after every chapter and an exam every 4th chapter. There was no way I could have kept up with the memorization needed for the A&P class so I dropped it. By contrast, my Chem II professor last semester gave little homework, labs that took 15 minutes, with about 4 questions to answer after it was completed! It's funny. I took only Chem II figuring I wouldn't have time for anything else, and I could have definitely taken another course! BTW, I got an 'A' in each class, but the Chem I professor ended up being what I would consider the greatest teacher/professor I've ever had. I might not have thought it at the time, but the skills I learned have made me a better science student, and raised my confidence so much more than I could say.

So you never know. Only you can tell what is best for you. Don't feel pressured. What works for one situation can be a totally different story in another!