Classes

shakeitup82 · Jan 17, 2009

It really depends on your study habits so you really have to tailor it to yourself. One big mistake I've seen a lot of my friends make is just try and memorize everything. This may work short term but it will be much harder to retain and it will be a lot more stressful. Make sure you UNDERSTAND it. You can't just memorize the facts, but you have to know WHY and HOW they happen. It might seem like it would take longer to learn it, but trust me... it will be much easier when it comes to testing because you won't just have a brain filled with random facts to sort through, but you will actually have knowledge and it will make more sense. Apart from that though, it really depends on how you learn best. I always found studying diagrams very helpful because I'm a visual learner and it helped me make more sense of processes... but you just have to try different things out to discover what's best for you!

Good luck!

dana7582 · Jan 17, 2009

When I took A&P I and II, I would make flashcards over the professor's notes and sometimes over the chapters in the book. I put a question on one side of the card and the answer on the other side. I would memorize one flashcard at a time and wouldn't move on until I knew the answer. I'd memorize 5 cards and then review those 5 again and then memorize 5 more, and so on. Then I would read the notes and chapters in the book to actually understand everything I had memorized.

For the lab, I would photocopy the pictures out of the book. I would white-out the names of the parts of the body (bones, etc.) and then make copies and just memorize those. This really helped me learn the names of the parts and made identifying them in the lab much easier.

I got A's in both of these classes. This is what worked for me.

AragornSkywalker · Jan 17, 2009

If you are taking it back to back, I would try to learn only what the instructor assigns. You dont have time to memorize everything and you need good grades when you apply to the program so filter out whats important.

My physio teacher told us to read the textbook multiple times, but he only tests us on less than half of the material. The superfluous stuff was not only difficult to understand and thus time consuming, but also detrimental to your grade cause it was time better spent elsewhere. I aced the course using mostly the note packet they sold and the study guide (which was pretty vague, but still narrowed it down). I had the book but I used it only for clarification and pictures. I also tried to find connections between anatomy and physio and tried to learn them in the same order.

Like if both classes had a midterm that covered the same systems, but were taught in a different order, I would change one to align with the other. It was easier for me cause physio lecture was a complete waste of time so I always altered that to fit anatomy.

I cant tell you how to study. Youve had 12 years to figure out what works for you. Dont make a "habit" out of anything, adapt to the situation and keep filtering out the bulk. During the beginning of the semester, I attended every lecture, read the textbook, made guides for everything. After about a week, I stopped going to physio entirely, used the textbook only for reference, and stopped making guides. I diverted that time and energy to reinforcing what I know will be on the test and gaming. I think I passed among the top 5 of each class of 200. I also got level 10 as Americans in company of heroes.

Figure out what works for you and shape it to the situation. I normally dont make flashcards cause its time consuming and boring, but I made them when learning drugs in micro I know it helps me memorize detached bits of info.

mkblakley07 · Jan 17, 2009

I got an a in both A&PI and A&PII. This is what I did:

I read the assigned chapters before going to class

I took the very best notes I possibly could and recorded the lecture, including the pictures and diagrams, then after class I rewrote my notes and added things that I missed in them while they were still fresh in my mind.

I had a study group for the lab portion. We did flashcards for the muscles and bones, etc. and quizzed each other on them each time before we met.

I asked questions when I was not sure of how something worked or where it was. The teacher WONT think your dumb, but if you don't want to ask during his/her lecture, you can always arrange a meeting before the test.

If I didn't get a study guide, I went through my notes and made one myself and I USED it.

After each lecture and prior to the exam, I relistened to my lecture (you can do this anywhere, I did it at the gym)

And I took any extra credit opportunity I could get.

And get with someone who does well and compare notes too. That helps alot.

Now I'm sure I went a little overboard, but these are what we're going to be building off of for the rest of the Nursing Program, so I wanted to make sure I got it.

PS save your notes after you finish the class. They are really helpful later when you go over assessment of body systems and such.

seasoned hopeful · Jan 18, 2009

:yeah:hello,

i found animations on line were very helpful to understanding different concepts ( i am a visual learner) flash cards were also necessary. good luck