Micro and Patho???

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 3, 2005

Have any of you taken Microbiology and Pathophysiology in the same semester? I'm taking both in fall, and I'm just trying to get an idea of how hard it's going to be. I've heard that Micro. is very "challenging," but I haven't heard anything bad and/or scary about Patho. Is it possible to take both and still keep my sanity??? If I'm going to feel like banging my head against the wall, I'd like some warning. :uhoh21: Thanks!

I have not, but do think it might require extra study time but doable. Good luck to you. :)

Couch30 · Aug 5, 2005

Have any of you taken Microbiology and Pathophysiology in the same semester? I'm taking both in fall, and I'm just trying to get an idea of how hard it's going to be. I've heard that Micro. is very "challenging," but I haven't heard anything bad and/or scary about Patho. Is it possible to take both and still keep my sanity??? If I'm going to feel like banging my head against the wall, I'd like some warning. :uhoh21: Thanks!

I haven't personally taken Micro and Patho in the same semester. I took Micro along with A & P II, and Patho with General Chem. They are both "challenging" classes. If you are determined and have done well in your other science courses, you will do fine. These classes are definitely not slide through classes. They are very interesting classes, and that is what kept me focused. Hope that helps you a little.

hikernurse · Aug 5, 2005

I took them the same semester, but I didn't take any other classes with them. I thought it was hard but doable. I actually thought patho was harder than micro because micro reviewed material from other classes I had already had. I got pregnant half-way through, so the last few weeks were miserable with morning sickness, but I got through and lived to tell :).

youknowho · Aug 6, 2005

I took Micro before the nursing program and I have my patho final this week. Let me just say that patho is one of the hardest classes that I ever took. Makes micro look like cake. Micro you can memorize the names or tests, bacteria, fungi etc but patho you need to understand regular normal physiology and then how it can go wrong. Key word understand, not memorize. It starts with basic things like fluid imbalances, acid/base, and builds and builds so if you didnt understand something in the beginning it is very hard to apply that to the harder stuff.

Buy a study guide if you can or review normal physio until you know it inside out and patho will be easier.

mattsmom64 · Aug 14, 2005

I took Micro and Patho last semester. It was a little challenging at times, but it ended up being ok. They were the only two classes that I took. Micro was a little bit more time consuming for me because of the lab and my professor liked essay exams. Patho was very interesting and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The key to doing well in Patho is having a very good grasp on your A&P. I was lucky enough to have the best A&P instructor ever created and she prepared her students very well for Patho......Also, my instructor modelled her exams after the NCLEX. Her questions were situation based and there was always more than one correct answer, however, you had to choose the "best" answer to get credit.......If you have good study and time management skills then you should do fine.....