A & P question

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 14, 2005

well i just went and registered for A & P I at my local community college for the spring semester. i will only be taking one class next semester cause of a full time job. i have never taken a college level science class. I already have a BA in Psychology and haven't taken a college course in two years. (I kind of feel like that will help me though, since I don't have any burn-out going on)
I noticed a couple of other posts about A & P here recently and now I am wondering if I made the right choice by taking A & P first and not chemistry or microbiology or something?? I think I will have enough time to study for it being its only one class.
What do you all think? Is there some recommended order of how to take the pre-requisites?

My school recommends the sciences in this order: Human Biology, Chemistry, A&P 1, A&P 2, Microbiology. I have taken them in this order and have done very well. I think you will be fine by taking it before Chemistry. Either way, best wishes to you. :)

stpauligirl · Dec 14, 2005

well i just went and registered for A & P I at my local community college for the spring semester. i will only be taking one class next semester cause of a full time job. i have never taken a college level science class. I already have a BA in Psychology and haven't taken a college course in two years. (I kind of feel like that will help me though, since I don't have any burn-out going on)
I noticed a couple of other posts about A & P here recently and now I am wondering if I made the right choice by taking A & P first and not chemistry or microbiology or something?? I think I will have enough time to study for it being its only one class.
What do you all think? Is there some recommended order of how to take the pre-requisites?

I think that it is better to have had A&P before microbiology. Because you learn all about cells in A&P and it will come back up in micro. Although knowledge in chem would help you in A&P it is not necessary and since this is your only class you would have enough time to research things that you don't quite understand. I had a hard time in my A&P class regardless of having chem previously. it was mainly because of my insane teacher. It seemed that 24 hrs weren't enough hours in one day to study to get everything that he wanted us to know on his terrible tests. I am so glad that I made it my only class last semester.

go in with a positive attitude and good luck

Annabelle57 · Dec 15, 2005

it's funny how schools differ: mine requires microbiology to be completed before you can take a & p i, although i know of a few students who got around that somehow. honestly, when i look back to the course material i had in each class, i think i could have started with either and been just fine.

i don't think you have anything to worry about. i'm also a second-degree student, and while the science courses were definitely a challenge - i'm not normally science-inclined - they were not impossibly hard. of course, it all depends on the professors and where you take the classes and stuff, but the effort you gave to get the first degree (even if it was minimal effort, like me ) actually does come in handy the second time around. you either remember your good study habits and apply them, or you remember what a lousy student you were the first time around (ahem) and dedicate yourself to your studies with unprecedented zeal and focus. :rolleyes:

good luck! i'm sure you'll be fine...

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2005

back when i was in jc i put off the chemistry for as long as possible because i was scared to death of it. the fact is that it won't be until you get into the phsyiology, the second part of a&p, that having had chemistry might make a difference. however, chemistry is not a pre-req for a&p and any chemistry presented in physiology you should be able to handle without having had a formal class in it.

micro was the last science i took and i took it when i was also in my second semester of clinical nursing classes. it seemed like most students put it off until the last. it was the most fun. well, that and making soap in our chemistry lab.

unless a class has a pre-req on it, you can take them in any order you like.

more importantly is, how are you with study skills? there is a lot to memorize in anatomy. you start out with cells and move to bones and then muscles. in a few of my older posts i've listed some really nice links to websites you can use for anatomy help. don't remember if i've given this one out before (i have two pages of a word document with lists of anatomy links on it).

http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy/ - is the entrance page into a series of pages that are anatomical pictures you can print out and label to help you out. it includes pictures to be labeled of cells as well (your first subject in anatomy). here's the link to the diagrams on cells, body cavities, body regions, and little quizzes relating to the content of beginning chapters of anatomy on that same site.

http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy/wa_cell_chem/default.htm

you got through a bachelor's program. you'll get through this.

CRNAhopefulguy · Dec 16, 2005

believe it or not, my first class out of hs was anatomy and phys. yes, before i even took basic biology, i took anatomy and i got A's across the board. you'll be just fine because chem and all them are not even related to anatomy and phys.

Achoo!, LPN · Dec 16, 2005

Our book had a chapter that went over basic chemistry, so I think you'll be ok.