I Love Science Classes- But...

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

.. I'm not really great at them. I have had to study hard and still haven't received higher than a B on any of the three I've taken in the last year (Bio1,2 and Geog). I really want to be a nurse and am looking forward to more science classes but I'm kind of concerned since they are not my strong subject I may not be "cut out" to get the grades to be competitive. Does anyone worry about stuff like this? I really find science (and medicine) fascinating, it just doesn't come naturally to me.

Looking through a lot of these threads it seems that the nursing students that take the entrance exams (NET, HESI, Etc.) doing exceptionally well on the science and math portions and maybe a little lower on the reading and English portions. In spite of my dyslexia I've always done better in the reading/english portions of standardized tests. It may be silly but I worry this destines me to be a liberal arts type person forever.. even though I really want to go in the direction of a science based profession.

I'd love to hear from people who have overcome this type of issue!

[shortnorthstudent]

I work very hard for my grades in science classes. Nursing school is a second career for me and I hadn't taken a science in 20 years when I started my pre-reqs.

I was a liberal arts person my whole life until starting these classes. I do think that they have helped me incredibly. I learned so much about reasoning in school and know that that skill learned in liberal arts will help in the reasoning tests for nursing.

In some ways the higher level sciences - physiology/pathophysiology have come easier than the general bio and anatomy type courses. I think it's because I'm better able to reason my way through rather than the rote memorization of anatomy.

[daniedi77]

You dont have to be perfect, you just need a strong foundation. With each science class, you build upon which you have learned previously. I made B's in all science classes, except Chem, made a C. I am a senior now about to start my third semester in nursing school and I have done just fine.. Dont worry, dont be intimidated.

[RNTutor, BSN, RN]

In some ways the higher level sciences - physiology/pathophysiology have come easier than the general bio and anatomy type courses. I think it's because I'm better able to reason my way through rather than the rote memorization of anatomy.

Agreed! I studied harder in my science pre-reqs (especially A&P) than I had for any other class I've ever taken...and I had been in school for a looooong time. But it definitely paid off. Students who spend the time memorizing and retaining A&P do better in nursing school than students who believe they can just 'check off' A&P from their list and forget the info. But when you know you're A&P, it really makes you able to reason your way through nursing process and pathology. In my opinion, that's actually where the whole "critical thinking" part comes into play!