Pathophysiology

[SunkissedRN2b]

Do you think taking patho after completing AP1 is a good idea or should I wait until after I've completed both AP2 and Micro?

My school doesn't require it but if it helps me get a better understanding of the body, I don't mind taking it.

Thank you for your comments.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Good day, Kryptonite:

At the school I am attending, completing AP2 is a requirement for being able to take the class. I completed AP1, AP2, and Microbiology (the latter two this past semester); I'm signed up for this class for the fall. It would probably be better to at least have finished AP1 and AP2 prior to taking it.

Thank you.

[yoga pants]

I would wait to take patho until after you've taken A&P 2 and micro. IMO, you need to have a pretty good understanding of the human body to really be successful in that class.

[MultiTasker33]

I had the exact same question before I started nursing school. I ended up taking patho last. From my personal experience, finishing physiology (AP1&2) prior to patho was helpful, but microbiology was not a major key to my success in patho. My patho class focused on diseases, their risk factors, which anatomical abnormalities cause what issue, etc. Knowing about eukaryote vs. prokaryote, permeable membranes, etc. did not impact my ability to perform in my patho class. That is just my personal experience. Keep up the hard work!

[SunkissedRN2b]

Thank you both.

I'll hold off until after I've completed AP2.

[shannon81]

Hey there! Just finished up AP2 & Patho! I would suggest (if you can manage it) taking them at the same time. That is what I did, and it help bundles because one class constantly reinforced the other. I took Micro as my first class, so I wouldn't necessarily say I used a lot of it in Patho.

Best of luck!

[NRKB, MSN, RN]

I would say that it depends on how strong you are in a&p. I took patho and a&p2 together and then micro the following semester and did well, but I felt confident in a&p. In my patho book they would review the anatomy and physiology of the topic they are discussing and I made sure I took the time to read that and understand it. I'd use other sources as needed. If you're not so confident or you struggle a little in A&p 1 then maybe wait till after. Patho is very important so be sure you are going to be successful

[Episteme]

All of our students have taken AP 1&2. But when it comes to the patho of heart failure, they can't get why left sided failure causes pulmonary edema, and why right sided failure causes edema throughout the body. Seems to me if they knew physiology... it wouldn't be confusing to them.

[Just A Wanderer]

I am taking patho right now and I think finishing up physiology first would be a good idea. I'd be so lost right now if I didn't take it prior.

Take any class you can, *when* you can - especially if it's being taught by a "preferred" teacher.

Getting the section you need can always be a challenge.