So I finished my first semester of college pre reqs to apply for the nursing program at my school. On my plate this semester is Anatomy. It's consists of 2 classes a week from 6 to 10 at night. I don't know if all Anatomy classes are like this but it seems like you have to have a photographic memory to remember all the parts of the human skeleton. I'm doubtful that i will retain any of this knowledge past test time. It seems like so much to remember I'm just cramming and it's the first week! Hopefully the entire semester won't be like this but I'm not hopeful.
So my question is, how do I get through this class with a passing grade and how much do you remember of your anatomy class. I'm a good student, last semester I earned a 3.7 while playing basketball for my school and the first 4 weeks of this semester are during the tail end of the season. Study habits are not a problem I just want to know how much I need to retain and if I should bump up my study time. As it is now I'm probably studying 2 hours a day, 6 days a week. Any advice as to how to survive will be greatly appreciated!
Of course I didnt figure this out until halfway through A&P 2 when we were doing veins/arteries, but the easiest way for me to memorize anatomy is filling out the diagrams, over and over and over again. If you have a lab workbook you have to buy that has blank diagrams to label, do not fill those out until you photocopy them. Then do them over and over again. Find other diagrams so it is not just the one diagram you are familiar with. And take pictures of models your lab has if permitted.....print those and label those as best you can from memory, and look up what you havent remebered. Do this enough and you will remeber. And with models you have in your lab, they will likely be what you will have to go off of in lab practical, so using pictures of them in your studying will help.
Anatomy and Physiology is a Fun Course! You will need to be a good note taker and have good critical thinking skills. It requires alot of reading and understanding, as well as a decent amount of study time. Be creative and savvy when memorizing the tissues,bones,muscles, joints etc. Make hints or inferences that will help you during test time . Best of Luck!!
It is memory for parts of the body, but A&P is way more than just memorizing. Honestly, I remember bones and some muscles, but that wasn't the first time I had learned them.
Well the actual bones aren't the problem it's the 15 ridges and grooves on EVERY bone that make it hard. I learned bone names in high school anatomy, what my professor is asking is astronomically difficult.
Do the best you can to learn them, you will use them later on. I also really liked the method someone described with the photocopies :-) When I figured that one out it helped a TON!
PghRN30
318 Posts
Of course I didnt figure this out until halfway through A&P 2 when we were doing veins/arteries, but the easiest way for me to memorize anatomy is filling out the diagrams, over and over and over again. If you have a lab workbook you have to buy that has blank diagrams to label, do not fill those out until you photocopy them. Then do them over and over again. Find other diagrams so it is not just the one diagram you are familiar with. And take pictures of models your lab has if permitted.....print those and label those as best you can from memory, and look up what you havent remebered. Do this enough and you will remeber. And with models you have in your lab, they will likely be what you will have to go off of in lab practical, so using pictures of them in your studying will help.