is biology really necessary???

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · May 14, 2008

I agree with the premise that if you don't have to take a course, then don't.

But.

I would seriously consider getting a base knowledge of Chemistry, such as you find in an intro course. To me, knowing the chemical principles behind molecular bonding, cellular energy and nutrition, as well as organic structures, has been invaluable in studying A&P, Pharmacology, Nutrition and Pathophysiology. Will Chemitry be something you will call upon every day of your practice? Probably not, but later you'll never complain about knowing something you didn't need to! I think Chemistry is fun.

Good luck!

butterflies135 · May 14, 2008

I agree with the premise that if you don't have to take a course, then don't.
But.
I would seriously consider getting a base knowledge of Chemistry, such as you find in an intro course. To me, knowing the chemical principles behind molecular bonding, cellular energy and nutrition, as well as organic structures, has been invaluable in studying A&P, Pharmacology, Nutrition and Pathophysiology. Will Chemitry be something you will call upon every day of your practice? Probably not, but later you'll never complain about knowing something you didn't need to! I think Chemistry is fun.
Good luck!

thank you, that was my other question that if biology isn't a necsessity then should i go ahead and do chemistry next, i'm finishing up algebra this summer and thought the freshness of math might help w/ chemistry, i never thought about it relating to a&P great point. thanks for all your help:up:

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · May 14, 2008

You are absolutely correct about the relationship between algebra and chemistry. Chemistry was 75% math. I was grateful to have had a base knowledge of one to help with the other.

One of the really great things about this website is that there are any number of people willing to help. I'm glad you found some of my information helpful, but I am not the expert on what you need; you are! So take it all with a grain of salt, and don't forget to use your advisors in your school! They have so much more knowledge than I do and they have it right at their fingertips!

Does your program require Chemistry as a pre-req?

I wish you much good luck and success in school!

anne_in_maryland · May 15, 2008

I took Bio in 1986. When I went to take Anatomy, my school recommended it but I didn't. I think it would have been better to have taken Biology but I got through it.

It depends how strongly you are in the sciences. How did you do in HS sciences?

butterflies135 · May 15, 2008

i took bio in 1986. when i went to take anatomy, my school recommended it but i didn't. i think it would have been better to have taken biology but i got through it.
it depends how strongly you are in the sciences. how did you do in hs sciences?

i was not very strong in science in h.s. at that time social time was way to important.. stupid me. so now i am alot older and want to keep a good gpa so now its very important to me. thanks for the advice

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · May 24, 2008

I previously took biology in 1998 and am in A&P I now. And I gotta say, the fact that I can remember so much from 10 years ago has been a HUGE help so far. The fact that I took chemistry last semester has definitely been helpful too. A lot of my classmates are complaining about not being able to follow the professor or get what is going on, and for the first 2 weeks of class we've done a lot of in depth microbiology stuff. Maybe things will even out once we get beyond the cellular level.

But personally, I was on a time crunch. I talked my way in to this class and in to registering for microbio in the fall before having the bio prerequisite for either course. So I'd say it's probably a good idea to take recommended prerequisites for the class, but if you're able to work hard and tend to *get* science, it's possibe to do it without the prereqs.