Anatomy help?

hwhite7787 · Sep 19, 2010

Hi Chris!

I took AP 1 and 2 this past Spring/ Summer and I would recommend not reading the entire book, as that can become cumbersome, boring and uninteresting. I actually googled Human Anatomy study guides and found some good ones.

Also, I bought the Anatomy/Physiology flashcards at Barnes & Noble and those were very helpful, especially when memorizing bones and muscles.

Also, do not hesitate to use the internet when you don't understand a concept. During the metabolism and respiratory portions of AP2, I googled certain topics and found short videos explaining the concepts in a way I could understand. I used google for nearly every chapter we studied. There are a lot of valuable teaching tools online - utilize them!

One last thing - the BEST thing I did was to join a study group. Obviously, this is dependent upon your learning style, but I am a combination of kinesthetic and auditory and a study group was the best thing for me. Find what your learning style is and stick to that, even if other people try to convince you to learn their way.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

Chris NS · Sep 19, 2010

Hi Chris!
I took AP 1 and 2 this past Spring/ Summer and I would recommend not reading the entire book, as that can become cumbersome, boring and uninteresting. I actually googled Human Anatomy study guides and found some good ones.
Also, I bought the Anatomy/Physiology flashcards at Barnes & Noble and those were very helpful, especially when memorizing bones and muscles.
Also, do not hesitate to use the internet when you don't understand a concept. During the metabolism and respiratory portions of AP2, I googled certain topics and found short videos explaining the concepts in a way I could understand. I used google for nearly every chapter we studied. There are a lot of valuable teaching tools online - utilize them!
One last thing - the BEST thing I did was to join a study group. Obviously, this is dependent upon your learning style, but I am a combination of kinesthetic and auditory and a study group was the best thing for me. Find what your learning style is and stick to that, even if other people try to convince you to learn their way.
Hope that helps! Good luck!

is anatomy just only a lump of memorization?

NewSN13 · Sep 19, 2010

The ability to memorize is important but I think being able to conceptualize is important, too. When it comes to the names of pieces and parts, you need to just be able to commit it to memory. But for the physiology aspect of it, you need to remember how it all works and in what order. When we were learning about action potentials, for example, I memorized all of the steps (16, I believe) in order but I knew that we would be asked to put an incomplete list (say 10 of the 16) in order on the exam. Until I really understood and had a visual in my head of the whole process, I couldn't put them in order without all of the steps being listed.

For me, drawing out and diagramming different systems and processes was really useful. We'd bring white boards to our study group and practice over and over again. On tests, I'd have little drawings all over my test.

cheesewhiz, LPN · Oct 1, 2010

I am currently taking APHY 1 online. For concepts I do not understand, I google the concept and add 'for kids' to my search. I looked at websites for elementary students pertaining to cells, mitosis, etc. I have also used some youtube videos for certain things. I picked up a set of Mosby's Anatomy flash cards from Barnes & Noble. I think they are really great. They have case studies, quiz questions, pictures of cartoons & cadavers for labeling, and a 'compass rose' at the bottom, showing you how the image is superior, inferior, medial, lateral, etc. They include all systems. I also have been using the website from my text. Some of our quiz questions have come directly from the practice quizzes offered through the text website. OH, and check out: Medical Mnemonics .com: World's Database of Medical Mnemonics. There are tons of mnemonics that might help (in case you can't think of your own, or just don't want to haha). For example, to remember the path that semen travels through the reproductive system, remember SEVEN UP. To remember the carpal bones, say 'Stop Letting Those People Touch The Cadaver's Hand.'

Good luck with your class!