Anatomy Venting/Help

Mami.RN, MSN, RN · Feb 26, 2015

Its ok to feel overwhelmed. Don't cram and study after lectures and take small breaks in between study sessions. Its hard. I didnt so well on my first exam. However I have been studying for my exam tomorrow since the first lecture on that lesson. Making flashcards and quizzing myself everywhere and anywhere has really helped me. The same as going into quizlet.com it has helped tons. Remember you can't remember everything overnight. Good luck!!

futureLVN40 · Mar 1, 2015

Khanacademy.org is Amazing! I was trying to learn the blood flow through the heart etc. and the videos helped me so much. You should check it out if you haven't already. Maybe they will have something that can help you get the information to stick and make it easier to remember without over studying. Good luck! :)

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 2, 2015

A&P is a bear of a class. I studied for 5 hrs at a time multiple days per week. I actually read the chapters, more than once. If you do a search on here, you'll find tips for passing A&P.

I dropped it the first time I took it because, in spite of my studying, I was getting Ds on some tests and Bs on the next.

I went on to take Micro, then repeated A&P1. I went on to earn As in all my science prereqs. It is a hard class, but with dedication and focus, you can pass.

I read books on how to study. I read books on how to speed read for school. I read books on how to improve my memory. I attended tutoring sessions as well as my professors office hours. You can do this!!

AZBlueBell · Mar 2, 2015

I used flash cards and split them up...would do a few a day and memorize that set each day until I knew them all. We also used masteringaandp.com which had practice tests and that was helpful for me to gauge how well I knew the info...most of the time I'd feel super overwhelmed and like I didn't know anything but I'd take those practice tests and find out I knew more than I was giving myself credit for.

dorkypanda · Mar 3, 2015

Ah I feel your pain. It was tedious to study for this class as it was so important.studying everyday is good. Don't forget to take a break though like taking a short nap, exercising, eating a snack. there was an app I liked on the google store or apple store it literally quizzes you on the locations of various organs and they have one for bone locations. If you're stuck on something don't hesitate to ask your prof for help. They are the ones who make your exams and so talk to them. If you have labs take that opportunity to learn more about what you're learning and ask questions. If you have a voice recorder which I highly recommend to bring to class and take sporifice notes. You will fill in the gritty details at home. It takes awhile to listen to it but it's worth the hours.

dorkypanda · Mar 3, 2015

Reading on a daily basis if you can is great, before coming to class and after class. The book can b a bit boring from time to time after spending so much time with it. When you get really bored you may want to break and do something else fun. Your first exam is how it is since you didn't know their testing and teaching style and by now you do. It's important to consistently study the material so you get familiar with concepts and allow yourself time to understand things before it's too late to do so. Don't cram all your readings , especially multiple chapters because that's a lot of pages to read before an exam. Exams will be multiple chapters focused so you know that you have to be working hard after an exam just ended.

Good luck

BreakRebuild · Mar 6, 2015

This might be a weird one, but I personally find there's only so many times I can review something before I'm no longer giving it my full attention.

Personally I find drawing and labeling forces me to really learn material. Anatomy and physiology are two sides of a coin. If you take the time to break the pieces down the function makes sense or if you break down the function the structure makes sense. ((Though I will admit I can't find a way to apply that to the nervous system haha)) Putting the extra effort of drawing it helps you remember and you can structure the material in a way that works for you. This also works with charts, and tables. The more you interconnect information and how it relates to each other the easier it is to remember!

RubyRabbit, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2015

I completely feel you. I made the horrible decision of taking a split session A&P class, so I'm knocking out A&P I and II in one semester. We usually go over 2-3 chapters a day and my professor absolutely refuses to omit any details so I've been really stressed. (We do not have multiple choice or word banks either). I'm struggling to find a study method that works, so my time management has been awful. I often study 10+ hours a sitting but can still end up knowing essentially nothing by the end of the day. :roflmao:

I somehow pulled through and managed to make an 85 in A&P I.

Things that I've found are helping:

-Watch youtube videos of the concepts that are difficult to grasp (skeletal muscle contraction, action potentials, etc.) I cannot emphasize enough how much easier your life will become.

-Make SIMPLE charts and outlines with none of the detail! This will help you to organize the information and know what goes under what (e.g. "subtypes of the subtypes of the types.. which are only one type of something", lol) You can mentally fill in the details later.

-Use online flash cards instead of making actual physical ones. Too time consuming.

-Teach the material to somebody else.

-Devise systems for remembering things. Make mnemonics, observe prefixes/word roots, draw diagrams. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

-Purchase supplemental resources if you don't like your textbook. I browse my Medical Terminology book at times because it breaks down the basic information in a way my anatomy book does not.

Lastly, keep up a positive attitude towards the material. This stuff seems impossible at times but complaining and feeling hopeless doesn't help (I've tried). Keep reminding yourself that you're gonna have to get through the information eventually. Also, remembering that one day you'll have to apply this information is a good motivator. Good luck to the both of us!!