Do you recommend Biology before Anat and Phys?

Brookelin · Jun 8, 2012

YES!! You've been out of school for about as long as I have and although it seems that you have more personal interest in biology then I did, I think that you will set yourself up better for success if you take a Biology class first. You need to know the cell structure and function well, DNA replication, protein synthesis, and also cellular respiration. If you have these basic fundamentals then it helps you understand a lot of other concepts easily later on. Considering that A&P can be quite challenging at times, why make it any harder?

leenak · Jun 8, 2012

yeah and definitely prior to Micro. I grumbled a bit about having to take Bio before my other pre-reqs but was glad I did.

Jess0709 · Jun 8, 2012

I took A&P 1 this last fall semester and this spring I took A&P 2 along with Microbiology. I love biology because everything is interconnected. It was definitely time consuming and I had my face in a book at all times with the two classes together.

Taking a BIO class to brush up with everything will certainly help and give you confidence. My first lecture for Micro, I was sweating a little, but as you dive into the material it gets easier. :)

Everline · Jun 8, 2012

I don't recommend taking any unnecessary class. So, my advice is to only add on to your course list if you feel you really need to. I took Human Biology some twenty years before I took A&P I. I wasn't about to take biology again since it wasn't a pre-req where I took the class. I studied my butt off and got an A in both A&P I and II. I can't see that taking biology beforehand would have helped me. But that's just my opinion and since A&P classes and teachers vary widely, YMMV. Certainly, taken biology first wouldn't hurt!

Editorial Team / Admin · Jun 8, 2012

You should check with the providing school. I had to take a biology class as a prerequisite for anatomy and physiology. I would imagine that this is a fairly common requirement.

willowita, ADN, RN · Jun 8, 2012

For me, taking bio before A&P and micro was really helpful. I had a much easier time with DNA replication and protein synthesis that was covered in Micro because I already learned it in bio. Learning about cellular respiration was also important for me. This is all stuff I never saw in high school bio so I felt I needed to start with the basics. My micro teacher would commonly tell us "that's bio 101" to questions from students that hadn't taken bio. So, I'd say it's relevant.

Plus, some of the bio material that doesn't pop up in A&P or micro is on the TEAS exam.

Thujone · Jun 8, 2012

Nope. I made A's in AnP and Microbiology w/o taking General Biology, and I scored in the C range in HS biology about 7 years before I took AnP I and II.

MA_Davis · Jun 8, 2012

OK. I thought A&P is classified under Biology? Well either way atleast you have a choice! lol I have to take Chem as a prereque before A&P. Good Luck!

hoplite07 · Jun 8, 2012

I'm going to go against the grain and say "no" - don't bother with biology based on the fact that you say you find bio stuff fascinating and "often read medical articles" (this makes me think you have a pretty good idea of science and basics about the human body) with the following caveats:

1) You have found you can easily get good grades in college classes or classes similar to college if you apply yourself.

2) You recognize that you will be "behind" in what you understand and will have a bunch of unfamiliar terminology you'll need to wrap your mind around. Thus, you have to be willing at the front end to really devote a lot of extra reading time and maybe professor visits during office hours to help you understand stuff you don't get at first glance.

Personal anecdote from a similar situation: My first semester of college I was registered for Molecular Cell Bio and word on campus was this prof was super hard. This scared me to death because I had no idea how I would perform at a college level and my biology experience in high school was from very poor teachers - thus I didn't understand much at all. Anyways, I hung in there, studied like crazy, and visited my professor 4 or 5 times during the semester to try to clarify stuff I wasn't getting. In the end, I aced the class, needing only something like a 64 on my final to keep an A.

A&P material is self-contained. It makes it easier to have a strong bio background but it is by no means necessary. Just my two cents worth.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2012

Check with your school to see if it is actually required before taking micro. If you have an understanding of DNA and know what a gene is and do well in chem then you're way ahead of many people. I found it actually helped me in chem which in my program...in-organic, organic and a murderous 3rd quarter that tied bio, physical and analytical into 1 course were required...whewwwww. I certainly would've had an awful time if I hadn't taken bio prior to the chem.

Vanessa7227 · Jun 9, 2012

I think I would rather go into A&P with as much confidence as I can. Thanks for the feedback! I think I will take Biology first just for the extra little edge!