AP1, any tips?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi there! I'm currently taking AP1, we just started Monday. Mine is a private uni in which we take our pre-requisites one at a time, in a one month format. This means, for AP, I am in school Monday through Friday, 9 am to 1 pm, with study group directly following and varying in length depending on our needs. AP2 will directly follow, and be the same format and times.

Now, I had to gain acceptance into the RN program *before* I took any of my pre-reqs, and I did. However, in order to advance to core in May, I have to have at least a 3.0 GPA. So far, so good, but I am very frightened about AP. I can't believe all the information I have already been saturated with in the first three days. I realize the actual core will be much harder and more demanding, and I'm looking forward to it oddly enough.. but here is my question.

For those of you who have already done your AP classes. What, besides study group, do you recommend as extra work to really help retention and understanding of the material? Are there any extraneous websites for me to check out that will complement the class and enhance my understanding? Any tips, suggestions, comments? I'm normally an A student, and I truly wish to continue this trend. I dearly wish we had been required a Chem prerequisite, by the way... yesterday's lecture was crazy! :eek:

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Hey! That scheduling sounds insane.

I really recommend writing out the names to commit them and their spelling to memory. Like the muscles or bones. I also say them out loud when I am study. I reorganize notes and reword them so that I can understand processes better.

For websites, I know a lot of people use anatomy arcade. I recommend two great ones I've used:

http://www.getbodysmart.com/

https://www.biodigitalhuman.com/home/

Good luck!!

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If possible, ask the teacher if there is a "free lab" where you can just go to lab and just study the anatomy parts and function, that way you cover the visual part of learning. Also those same parts are most likely going to be on the exam so at least you are more familiar with them once you get your exam. Another thing, if a question arises, you can always ask your teacher or the lab supervisor on anything.

I stayed another 2 hours after class with my lab partner to study the anatomy part and of course some days where you can go over the physiology (preferably a room with a white board so you can write out things and explain it yourself).

I've also bought flash cards from barnes and nobles.

Hope this helps, I ended up getting an A =)

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Specializes in CVICU.

Hey there! I am taking A&P1 and A&P2 currently, but it's a traditional 4 month semester. That sounds crazy to do A&P1 entirely in one month, but I am sure you can do it. Rest assured that A&P2 is easier.. in my opinion, anyway.

What has helped me a bunch in learning the bones for A&P1 is going into the lab when it isn't being used and studying the models along with my lab manual. You should also see if there're any apps available for memory matching the bones on your phone. I have an Android phone and there's a set of apps called "Speed Anatomy"; they rock!

There's also a website online called "Anatomy arcade" which helped me remember the location and fossia of some bones. I don't know if you are covering muscles in your class, but typically that is reserved for A&P2. If you are, the same concept applies. Apps and websites are your friend in these classes, because you can't simply memorize them out of a book imo. At least I haven't found that to be effective.

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HAH! i wanted to correct myself... i meant "models" not "parts" just to clarify on what I was talking about.

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Thanks for all your suggestions! And yes, it IS crazy doing this in one month - and it's not some watered down, hackneyed version, but the real deal, terribly difficult and absolutely saturated with information. On the one hand, I'm happy that I don't have to worry about any other classes while trying to do these, but on the other hand, twenty hours a week of lecture alone is... just a tiny bit stressful. But I have to get used to it, after all, it's only going to get much harder ;)

I will check those sites, I will buy some flash cards. I sit at my desk and no matter what I'm doing I'm also reviewing my book/notes. And I find that I learn and retain something new each time that I missed on prior run throughs. My goal is to memorize this book :roflmao:

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If your class room has any models of the figures that you're studying, that is also a great way to learn! Its one thing being able to point it out in a picture, but doing it on model is completely different. It will help you in nursing school. Being able to see the real thing, not a picture, is really important. When I was in A&P, I had my book out during lecture and I would high light the topics that my professor covered in the book so I wouldn't wast my time focusing on other sections that weren't as important for test/quizzes (not that you shouldn't read them). Flash cards were great for terms. I also sometimes put pictures on flash cards, labeled the parts with letters and on the back put the corresponding answer to the letter. Its great for when you go out and you'll have some time to study but you don't want to bring all your stuff.

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Yes agreed with all of the above. I have an exam on muscles this Monday and have spent every day this week in an open lab. I love using the models!

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

For the Physiology component, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Leslie Samuels videos. You can find him on YouTube under Interactive-Biology or you can go directly to his website: http://www.interactive-biology.com

He has a way of putting tough concepts in a format that's easier to understand. (Especially cellular respiration, action potentials, cardiac cycle, muscle contraction, senses, etc.)

Watch his videos. You'll be very happy you did :D

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I agree with Deris. I've been in lab on at least two of my days off to learn things like bones and bone markings. It's helped me so much! I don't know if I would be getting an A without doing extra time in-lab.

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Our classroom IS our lab, IE: line of microscopes on a back L shaped table that covers two walls (the end comes up right behind my chair so i am smashed like a sardine, LOL) and we have some of those enormous posters of the skeletal and muscular systems, we have a skeleton that they used to put a wig on, a box full of miscellaneous bones in a corner, and another dummy that has organs you can remove. I haven't touched them yet - this week day 1 we just did an overview of what AP is, homeostasis/neg feedback, the hierarchy of complexity and each part, intro to how med terms work, and then your general Atlas A which is your "general" orientation to human anatomy. Basics, directional terms, planes, regions, quadrants, cavities. Day 2 was the scariest day for me, with a ton of biochem and orgochem. Day 3 we did cell form and function which isn't so bad since I can remember Bio review from studying for TEASV, and somehow I retained the 4th day's Genetics content from 10th grade, so that was 13 years ago. Amazing how things stick. Yesterday was Histology and I don't recall much at all, but I was really sick during class, so I will just have to review this weekend. So none of the apps etc are helpful in those *particular* areas.

BUT we get to start the integumentary system on Monday so yay!

P.S. Speed Anatomy is AWESOME!

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Hi, RainbowDash! :D I have a book recommendation for you!

It's called Pathophysiology: A Clinical Approach (2nd edition) by Braun and Anderson. Even though it's a Patho book, each chapter typically starts with an A&P overview.

It's very concise: no mountains of text to sift through, and it might help you see how the A&P relates to disease process. There's also lots of pictures to help you review, and flow charts. Only thing it doesn't have are pictures of the muscles and bones...because again, it's not really an anatomy book. :p

I looked on Amazon, and I think you can get a used one for around $60. I wish I had this book during A&P I, but it's helping my A&P II grade a LOT (my anatomy teacher likes to nit-pick complicated charts and diagrams only he comprehends, and never gets to the point).

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