Question about labs?

Normally A&P lab classes are where one does dissection (rats, small/infant pigs, though in some classes geared for med students it would be a human cadaver), and other things to visualise what one has learned in A&P lecture. It is one thing to see a digestive track or circulation system in a book, quite another to get up close and personal. The course book should outline what is expected and done.

Yes what the previous poster said. Labs are the best part in A&P...at least I thought so. We did cadavers and it was interesting, I actually miss it, lol. Well we did a cat the 1st night and then dived right into the cadavers starting the next class. We also dabbled in sheep hearts and brains and the cow eyes. But every school is different. Keep in mind though (at least in my school) that the lab is basically a class all by itself. We had quizzes and homework....and the quizzes weren't easy and the lab does count towards your overall grade too. Anyway...good luck!

In the anatomy part...you'll look at a bunch of histology slides, examine/memorize models, dissect cadavers, do some organ pinnings, etc.

Oh and make sure you study for that histology lab! I think that might have been the hardest lab in A&P I. Good luck and use your time in lab wisely. I saw so many people waste it and they wondered why they weren't doing well in the class.

I found the labs to be the best part of the classes. I completely agree with mariposabella--don't blow off lab. There were several people in my A&P and Chem classes that did that and their grades reflected it. I also agree that the histology lab was the hardest; that totally kicked my butt.

my school only used fetal pigs and sheep for the brain and heart. I think the labs really reinforce your learning. Even though I always did better on the written exam than the lab exam I still enjoyed the lab portion.

On the school website there's course descriptions and mine stated you deal with cadavers. Have you checked it out? School sites are different though. Anyway....if you do have to deal with cadavers I was kinda freaked out too. The 1st night we did a cat which sucked because I'm an animal lover. The next class, we walked into the room where we'd do the dissections. The prof. opened up the cooler and just the sight of the wrapped bodies on the metal tables really made me nervous and sweaty. But I swear....halfway through that 1st class...we all forgot they were once human. It's not like what I expected....all the skin is gone and the head remains wrapped...so it doesn't look like a dead person laying there. It becomes a little more real when you're doing the vascular of the arms and you see their fingernails...it's kinda weird. But honestly...it's such a great experience and I really hope you have the cadaver opportunity instead of being stuck with another species.

To Mariposabella and Aurora77, have you all done A&P2? There's plenty more histology quizzes coming your way, lol! Ahhhh...I hated it!