A&P 1: The Spring '05 Anatomy & Physiology Club

AmuraDina · Apr 21, 2005

Hello everyone :) My name is Dina & I am about to start A & P I on may 9th, this will be a fast course I think its for 6 weeks. I graduated back in 2001 so I am a bit nervous & a bit excited at the same time. I come from a background in fine arts & computer graphics, can anyone give me advice as to what are some good study habits & what is to be expected ( the ups & downs.) Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Dina

BoonersmomRN · Apr 21, 2005

Hi Dina

My best advice is to stay on top of everything. You are taking it in 6 weeks...which means you are taking the same amount of information in in 1/2 the time as a full semester...that makes my head spin:). My summer A+P 2 class will be 11 weeks.

I use flashcards and tons of them. There are lots of helpful links on the internet for basically everything you will cover...and fun2care here has a great website ( Im sure she will post it I can't remember the URL off the top of my head)...

A+P is a lot of brute force memorization. Plan on having a lot of material in your lap all the time. I didn't find the material hard - just the sheer VOLUME of it all. Like I said- stay on top...if you fall behind it's hard to catch up because everyday you're given even more. So read, read, read and memorize memorize memorize.

Good luck!

jules_ · Apr 21, 2005

Ok I know I was a little nuts taking online, but so far I am doing well. But.... springitis has set in and now I have to learn the Brain and automic system in 10 days. Ouch!!!!! I wish I could just have fun!!! Today is my birthday and here I sit studying. Cheer me up Nurses, Fast!!!!

Jules :

AmuraDina · Apr 21, 2005

Hi BoonersMom,

Thanks for your great advice! I decided since I need to get in the swing of things for now I will not work so I am leaving my job, so I can focus on this class. I will only be taking this one class in summer A which is like 6 weeks, I was given advice that A & P I can be done in summer but to avoid taking A & P II in summer because its also a 6 week semester , so I will probably take that in fall. I am just freaked out because this will be a new path for me & the info seems a bit overwhelming! But with your advice & concentration I pray it goes smoothly. So from the sounds of it, its basically a lot of memorization? I plan to tape record the lecture if that is allowed & take a lot of notes I already started looking up games, tutorials & online tools that will help. I'll check out the website you were talking about when I can find it. But I have a load of butterflies in my tummy ! But I will read as you said & memorize! I will keep you posted. Good luck with your A+P 2 class. :)

Thanks, Dina

Hi Dina
My best advice is to stay on top of everything. You are taking it in 6 weeks...which means you are taking the same amount of information in in 1/2 the time as a full semester...that makes my head spin:). My summer A+P 2 class will be 11 weeks.
I use flashcards and tons of them. There are lots of helpful links on the internet for basically everything you will cover...and fun2care here has a great website ( Im sure she will post it I can't remember the URL off the top of my head)...
A+P is a lot of brute force memorization. Plan on having a lot of material in your lap all the time. I didn't find the material hard - just the sheer VOLUME of it all. Like I said- stay on top...if you fall behind it's hard to catch up because everyday you're given even more. So read, read, read and memorize memorize memorize.
Good luck!

BoonersmomRN · Apr 21, 2005

It's a ton of memorization...but along with that you also have to understand what you are memorizing :)

What I do is every day after class I read through the powerpoints and the section of the book that we covered in class that day. I re-write my notes and make flashcards for that information. Then on my day off ( I do Tues/Thurs) I study what I just did. Then the next day I do the same thing...only this time I add the new flashcards to the ones I did for Tues class...and go through them again...and again...and again...LOL. Fridays and Saturdays I consider my "days off"..although I am awfully guilty of studying on those days as well:).

Once we finish a unit I do all the flashcards at once. I try to make my flashcards range from " easy" to " I am deliberately trying to confuse myself".

Before a test I do ALL the flashcards for ALL the units. I set them in 2 piles...ones I got right and ones I got wrong. Then I go through the wrong ones over and over and over...putting them back into the " right" pile...until I can get through the right pile w/ nothing wrong. Hope that makes sense.

My friends make fun of me because I have like 300 flashcards per test...but I have a 100.7% overall between lecture/lab right now....so I'd say it works for me!

I know a lot of people are more visual learners/auditory learners. Whatever works betteer for you...find a way to test yourself that way- over and over.

My best piece of advice is that on test day- dont open your notes unless you ABSOLUTELY need to make sure of a particular thing! I find that I confuse myself by looking at them again right before a test!

nursestudentin05 · Apr 21, 2005

Hey Dina,

Boonersmom gave you some great advice. Make flashcard, use Google ( I do it when I am bored with the material in the book lol), buy flashcards (great for muscles and bones), buy anatomy coloring book. And, oh yeah, study :)

Good luck!

nursestudentin05 · Apr 21, 2005

One more thing girls!

Could someone do me a favor and kill me now before I lose my mind over brain. lol

I am trying to go over brain now but this darn window next to my desk doesn't let me concentrate lol :)

Ah :coollook: :uhoh3:

AmuraDina · Apr 21, 2005

Wow that's awesome good for you! I know I will defiantly have to do some heavy duty studying like you, I cant just read a couple of times & expect to get it from the beginning by not doing any type of repetion, you are right using flash cards & that type of reviewing should do the trick. It's important to be consistent throu out all of the routines for studying. Your way seems to be working it sounds very thorough ! :) How are the labs, is it all hands on?

It's a ton of memorization...but along with that you also have to understand what you are memorizing :)
What I do is every day after class I read through the powerpoints and the section of the book that we covered in class that day. I re-write my notes and make flashcards for that information. Then on my day off ( I do Tues/Thurs) I study what I just did. Then the next day I do the same thing...only this time I add the new flashcards to the ones I did for Tues class...and go through them again...and again...and again...LOL. Fridays and Saturdays I consider my "days off"..although I am awfully guilty of studying on those days as well:).
Once we finish a unit I do all the flashcards at once. I try to make my flashcards range from " easy" to " I am deliberately trying to confuse myself".
Before a test I do ALL the flashcards for ALL the units. I set them in 2 piles...ones I got right and ones I got wrong. Then I go through the wrong ones over and over and over...putting them back into the " right" pile...until I can get through the right pile w/ nothing wrong. Hope that makes sense.
My friends make fun of me because I have like 300 flashcards per test...but I have a 100.7% overall between lecture/lab right now....so I'd say it works for me!
I know a lot of people are more visual learners/auditory learners. Whatever works betteer for you...find a way to test yourself that way- over and over.
My best piece of advice is that on test day- dont open your notes unless you ABSOLUTELY need to make sure of a particular thing! I find that I confuse myself by looking at them again right before a test!

Fun2, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2005

BoonersMom: Use my website for quizzing yourself on the muscles!! (http://www.NursingJourney.com) BTW, our A&P 2 starts with Endrocrine.

AmuraDina, you can use it too, and it has pictures of microscopic tissues. (You'll be responsible for IDing them though.)

Jules - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! It's almost over, you can do it!!!!!!

OK....here's my latest story:

4 people have yet to take the bones/muscles/muscle tissue/nervous tissue/joints/ lecture exam, so we couldn't go over the test. He said, "I can tell you that there is a 10 point curve." Then in lab, he let us see our grade, not the actual test. With the curve, I made a 100. However, IF any of those 4 take the test after an extra week of studying, make higher than I did (90), and set a new curve, I loose my perfect 100 average. LOL

Ok, the probability is low, but it could happen. (I've set the curve, or made there be NO curve, on every test so far.)

I just think he should leave the curve alone. I think if someone makes a 91-100, then give them 9-0 points and give them a hundred. Oh well....I'll should find out Tuesday if my grade will still be a 100. (At any rate, my grade is still an A, and my A won't look any different than another person's A with only a 90 average. Having all 100's going into the last lab exam, and lecture exam means that if I happen to somewhat screw up the last test, I'll still be fine.) :rolleyes:

OK, I'm through complaining!! :chuckle

jules_ · Apr 21, 2005

Thanks for bthe B Day wish. I will keep working hard. I love all the wesites people have posted. They are very helpful. I wish there was a magic trick to memorizing so much material.

Great news on all the good grades. I have an A, barely. I may not be able to keep it, the final covers all 15 Chapters. Yikes!!!!

Jules

Fun2, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2005

YW :)

I just hope I don't screw up my last lecture or lab exam and have to take our optional final. That would really bite!

Good luck, study hard!

Thanks for bthe B Day wish. I will keep working hard. I love all the wesites people have posted. They are very helpful. I wish there was a magic trick to memorizing so much material.
Great news on all the good grades. I have an A, barely. I may not be able to keep it, the final covers all 15 Chapters. Yikes!!!!
Jules

AmuraDina · Apr 21, 2005

Thanks fun2care I'll check out the website I'm sure its great! Whats iding them mean? Hey I also wanna say thanks to all of you actually who replied you all rock! Happy Bday Jules! Thanks for the great advice I can't wait to start I think thats what I mean lol!