A & P without taking chem first?

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Sep 20, 2007

There's really not a lot of chemistry in A&P; there's enough where some of what you had before may come back to you. It's mostly just referenced in physiology at the cellular level, and that will be or should be taught to you by your professor, or explained in the text.

I think you're going to need a broader base in Chemistry when you take Pharmacology and Nutrition.

Good luck to you!

luvmy3kids · Sep 20, 2007

I took Anatomy and Phys (separately) last year before I had chem and I did just fine (A's in both). There is a bit of chem in Phys but you don't get into too much detail and it's pretty basic.

Now I'm in chem (it's been well over 10 yrs since I had a chem course) and I think if I would have started back to school with this class I would have dropped out. LOL Only kidding but I'm glad I took A&P first. They were much more interesting to me and I was able to do well and keep it up throughout the course of the year. (not sure if I'll do that with chem or not :trout:)...

My school just changed the pre-reqs this year for Anatomy and Phys to have chem first... luckily I missed that but I'm still not sure it's necessary anyway.

HTH's... take care!

cristina2581 · Sep 20, 2007

The community college I attend in Ct they are going to start requiring students take intro to Bio before A&P.

catzy5 · Sep 20, 2007

I was wondering how difficult it is to do A & P without taking chemistry first? The school I will be taking my prerequisites at does not require Chem as a prerequisite for A & P, but I know a lot of others do. I had Chem in high school many many moons ago and really don't want to revisit it. How much chem knowledge is expected in A & P?

I don't think you really need it, if you had some chem or general bio that should get you through the one chapter on chem in AP.

I took Chemistry with AP and it helped a little for the 2nd chapter but really what I did in chem had no relation to any of the classes I took, but I think it will help me in Nursing, as far as dimensional analysis, and of course knowing some of the basic chemistry of things.

nurz2be · Sep 20, 2007

I was wondering how difficult it is to do A & P without taking chemistry first? The school I will be taking my prerequisites at does not require Chem as a prerequisite for A & P, but I know a lot of others do. I had Chem in high school many many moons ago and really don't want to revisit it. How much chem knowledge is expected in A & P?

Now, mind you, I haven't been in high school for almost 17 years; so that being said my first 2 classes were AP I and II. I don't think chemistry would help like a biology class would have. I got A's in both, but I really had to do A LOT of extra studying. There is a ton of biology. In fact, our AP instructor who has been a actual medical doctor/surgeon for over 30 years, said he is requesting that students have biology first. The chemical compositions were not as tough as the how's and what's of cellular structure as well as mRNA and DNA.

Good luck. JMHO>

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 20, 2007

Generally speaking, all the chem you'll need to know in A&P will be covered in A&P I during chapter 2 (of most books). Bottom line, not much.

luvlilly · Sep 20, 2007

Thanks everyone! I feel better!:yelclap:

Cherish · Sep 21, 2007

I took AP 1 & 2 without taking Bio, or Chem. I got an A and B in those classes, so I think you can do it. My AP 1 teacher was a Research Doctor so it helped by her explaining many things in laymen terms to people. Many people have done this without these classes and many CC's in my area do not even require a pre-req except HS sciences to get into the class.

NoviceRN10 · Sep 24, 2007

There is minimal chemistry in A&P, you should do fine :).

Sarah Bellum · Sep 24, 2007

Sure, I was 35 when I started back to school and the first classes I took were A&P 1 and 2. I wasn't required to take Bio or Chem first so I just dove into A&P. Worked out fine. The little bit of chemistry involved in my A&P classes was explained in the book and labs so I didn't feel at all like I was working at a disadvantage.

Good luck!

Karen

ERGirl83 · Sep 25, 2007

I did take college chemistry before A&P, but it was 5 years ago, and there's not much I remember..Honestly, you need it more for Physiology than Anatomy, and most of the stuff you really need to have down pat, your professors will review, or give you resources to review...It'll take more work, but you can do it!