Rio A&P class

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 8, 2004

Has anyone taken the A&PI class online? What was it like? I am taking some Rio classes that I'm hoping to finish early so that I can get a start and finished on the A&P before my LPN course starts in Feb. How doable is that to take it online? And I wonder if it's the only thing I'm working on, if i will be able to do it accelerated like I am with my current bio and psych class.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Rebecca

I'm currently finishing it up (my final is in two weeks). IMO, it is very hard. I've talked to a lot of people who have said that, in general, A&PI is harder than A&PII. Couple that with the fact that IMO, the instructor I have for this class is VERY tough. In fact, I called the school to find out who was teaching the A&PII I wanted to take, because if it was the same instructor, I would not have taken it. So, my opinion is that while this is a tough class in general, the instructor whom I have compounds the issue. I would not recommend this instructor to someone unless they were already a 4.0 student and are not taking any other classes that semester and can devote 100% of their time to this class.

If you PM me, I will give you more details.

And no, I would not recommend accelerating A&P to anyone.

ayndim · Oct 8, 2004

Has anyone taken the A&PI class online? What was it like? I am taking some Rio classes that I'm hoping to finish early so that I can get a start and finished on the A&P before my LPN course starts in Feb. How doable is that to take it online? And I wonder if it's the only thing I'm working on, if i will be able to do it accelerated like I am with my current bio and psych class.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Rebecca

I am taking it online. I haven't taken the midterm yet so I will have to reserve judgement until I am further along. Just a note, you are not allowed to accelerate bio 201, 202 or 205 more than 2 weeks and that is only with the instructors permission (college policy and I taked to the head of the department to try to get around it and there is no way). My bio 205 teacher has flat out said no accelerating in the email he sent everyone when the class started. I think gateway offers an accelerated bio 201. It is something insane like 8 weeks. I have been told you need a good background in a&p and not to accelerate it by a nurse. She said it is important to take your time and learn it well.

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 8, 2004

Going into my midterm, I really felt like I had a good grasp of the subject matter.

I got a 76.

My labs and take-home quizzes (which comprise about 30% of your grade), I've gotten mid-90s consistently, so that's really helped.

Essays I've done REALLY poorly on, and I'm a VERY strong writer and have gotten praise from my last two science instructors at Rio. Here, I've done no better than 80%, and the last one (which I spent a lot of time on and felt I did well and was trying to get 90-100 on), I got 60% on it. So that was REALLY discouraging.

PhoenixGirl · Oct 8, 2004

Thanks for the feedback guys. What I'm thinking I want to do is start taking it in Jan. I am actually accelerating my bio 156 but that class seems to be really easy. I did one weeks worth of assignments and reading last night after my boys were in bed, and will do the lab tonight. I'm hoping to finish that class in half the time.

Anyway, I'm wondering if I start the A&P in Jan, how doable will that be since my HCC's start at the end of Feb? What do you guys think? I will basically be taking the second half of the class at the same time as the first half of my HCC's. HOw hard are the HCC's anyway?

What other classes are you guys doing besides A&P?

Rebecca

ayndim · Oct 8, 2004

Thanks for the feedback guys. What I'm thinking I want to do is start taking it in Jan. I am actually accelerating my bio 156 but that class seems to be really easy. I did one weeks worth of assignments and reading last night after my boys were in bed, and will do the lab tonight. I'm hoping to finish that class in half the time.
Anyway, I'm wondering if I start the A&P in Jan, how doable will that be since my HCC's start at the end of Feb? What do you guys think? I will basically be taking the second half of the class at the same time as the first half of my HCC's. HOw hard are the HCC's anyway?
What other classes are you guys doing besides A&P?
Rebecca

I am doing the HCC's now. They are a piece of cake. If I wanted to I could probably do the HCC's in a month (those you can accelerate). Plus, the midterm is online and only the final is in person. HCC 130 is stupid to have to take, imo. I am (as you may already know) doing Bio 201 and 205 at the same time. I did bio 156 in 8 weeks and it was time consuming but not undoable. It was scheduled that way and we basically had an assignment due every Wed and Sat.

Kabin · Oct 8, 2004

I think Rio's Bio department is a bit anal. I recall asking Rio's Bio department head if I could waive the Bio 156 prereq, as I had several science degrees with some general biology, and he said no. It was easy to say no to Rio's Biology after that.

I did A&P I at ASU, since they dodn't require Bio 156 as a prereq. But just the same, it was very difficult, and you needed to study religiously to get good grades. Looking back at the A&P sequence and Micro, I'm glad I didn't take Bio156, as even without it, there was so much needless overlap.

PhoenixGirl · Oct 8, 2004

I am doing the HCC's now. They are a piece of cake. If I wanted to I could probably do the HCC's in a month (those you can accelerate). Plus, the midterm is online and only the final is in person. HCC 130 is stupid to have to take, imo. I am (as you may already know) doing Bio 201 and 205 at the same time. I did bio 156 in 8 weeks and it was time consuming but not undoable. It was scheduled that way and we basically had an assignment due every Wed and Sat.

I am in bio 156 right now also (at Rio) and doing it accelerated. I'm actually not in the accelerated class, but the teacher let me put myself on a schedule where I turn in 2 lessons a week instead of 1. It's not hard, because I love biology.

Anyway, so it sounds like I can finish my A&P at the same time as starting the HCC's if they are easy. Plus, I am taking them in person at EMCC so it may be even easier than an online class.

Thanks to everyone for answering my questions.

Rebecca

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2004

Gosh Kerry...WHO is your evil instructor??? (praying it is not MY new BIO 202 instructor):) I don't see how the instructor could make it hard..I thought it was all "standardized" if you will at RIO. We all get the same boring labs with the same stinking essay questions..do em' all cuz they are going to pick 5 for your final..blah, blah. They send you that rubric for essay grading and that is it. Man, your teacher must of been a real stickler for that rubric. It is hard with the essays cuz how many DIFFERENT ways can you actually say "osteoblasts of the newly converted periosteum secrete osteoid against the hyaline cartilage diaphysis, encasing it in a bone collar". LOL!!!! Hey, I am great at english and I tell you, I had a hard time rewording this stuff. Maybe it wasn't so integral for my instructor.

What I did find helpful when I did the essays though was too look up additional information online to help me understand the info to reword it. Also, the essays ask for a "real-life" example, so at the end of each essay I would come up with some clever stuff to illustrate how we use whatever in real life. Master BS if you will.:) But, it worked.

I do agree that you can study forever about everything you think you should and then you get in to that test and everything on the test is everything you just couldn't get and did not study! HA! It sure feels that way. There is just so much information and when you have to learn it all yourself with no live teacher it is that much more intimidating! I walked out averaging about what Kerry did for his exams. I didn't care though....with the labs and essays it was enough to bump me to a B. I think A&P is a good prep course for Nursing classes. Nursing school is likely to feel just like or worse as a neverending A&P class. LOL.

I think online is easier in many ways as well as more convenient. However, if you lack discipline in studying, you need a physical class. You have virtually NO instructor, even though you do have one. It is very hard to grasp concepts you do not understand via email. So, if science is not a strong suit for you, take a physical class. You could register for both and then drop the online version if you hate it.?????

Well, good luck. I have got to get to doing online work that counts now.:)

Janice

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 9, 2004

Man, your teacher must of been a real stickler for that rubric.

Uh, yep!

If I can get a 70% on the final, I'll pass the class with a B.

I have to get at least 48% on the final to pass the class. I've already figured it all out. :chuckle

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2004

Uh, yep!
If I can get a 70% on the final, I'll pass the class with a B.
I have to get at least 48% on the final to pass the class. I've already figured it all out. :chuckle

Oh, I totally understand. Believe me, I was really crunching those numbers for the final exam as well!! Good Luck to you. Is this A&P one or two?

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 10, 2004

It's A&P I. I'm going to be jumping right into II the following week. But - a different instructor, and everyone I've spoken to has said that they found II to be easier - less memorizing, more critical thinking, more physiology.