Human anatomy & physiology part 1?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello all! This upcoming semester, I will be taking Human Anatomy & Physiology part 1. I was wondering do you all have any tips or tricks as to how to study and pass this course? Also, I applied for MWF class from 1-2:45 if that helps.

Specializes in CVICU/ED, CCRN-CSC, CFRN.

This class is mostly memorization, or it was for me. Spend a lot of time with the mannequins for the anatomy part because being able to visualize different body systems in the future will help you the most to understand how they work etc

For those of you that responded or that may respond in the future, thank you for your help and generosity. You are not only helping me, but others that may have the same question. I wish nothing but the best for all of you in your endeavors and never give up! 😊😊

Study groups saved my life for A&P 1 and A&P 2. Literally had to be friends with the smartest kid in class so my behind was not behind haha.... , but in all honesty for A&P 2 I was feeling the pressure to the point where I broke down in front of my classmates, but my prof. helped me out that was a great help . She encouraged me.

Took my anatomy and physio separately but for anatomy, I recorded my teacher bc she's a fast talker, and I would write my real notes with them. She also drew in class so I always took photos. Study weeks before the test! Memorization is the key here but also make sure that you understand the concept. For physio, I hated that class and I'm surprised to get a B. But I took them 1 year apart, maybe it will be easier to take them together like how you'll be taking it. Anyway, good luck!!!!

I'm a little late to the party, but I'll throw in my 2cents.

I passed A&P 1&2 with As, and now I tutor it too (which is great because it keeps me current haha); I managed to maintain a solid A in both classes while taking other heavy classes simultaneously, but in order to keep my head above water I really needed to stay focused.

As others have said; make flash cards - I used quizlet a lot since I could make flash cards and then access them on any device with either a browser or by using the app. I'd be looking at my flashcards while I had downtime at work, while waiting for a professor to show up, while eating meals etc. You can even test yourself on quizlet too which was a great resource; first I'd start with multiple choice to get a feel for things, then move on to fill-in-the-blank when I really nailed the material.

Manage your time: I have a schedule and I stick to it like glue; this is especially helpful when you're trying to take a couple of classes together, then also trying to balance work and family life, and THEN trying to find a moment for yourself to relax. Make sure to reward yourself! Which ties into my next bit of advice~

Take breaks: If you start feeling like you're becoming irritated after a long study session and things are starting to make less sense than they were an hour ago, take a breather. Go get a drink, some fresh air, or a snack. Clear your head and go back to it. If my day wasn't too crazy, I'd try to fit in at least 30mins to exercise; once I got that energy out of my system I was ready to face my books again, and more often than not I'd do better this time around.

Read the chapter summary first: If your college is using Hole's A&P, it's at the end of the chapter along with an assessment. Read this first to prime your noggin', and then when you start to read the chapter properly you'll see things jump out that sound a little familiar. If you're not too swamped and your Professor has given you guys a syllabus with what they're going to cover and when, try and read the chapter summary for the next unit ahead of time. Don't be scared by the textbook- sure it's large and could probably kill someone if you dropped it on them from a great height, but it's an amazing resource so be sure to get your money's worth out of it.

A final note: many colleges offer tutoring for free on site, so be sure to take advantage of this if it's something you feel like you could benefit from!

Repetition, repetition, repetition. I created flash cards and study guides on Quizlet from my instructor's PowerPoint slides and went over them again and again and again until I knew the material backwards and forwards. I got a high A in both lecture and lab.

You have gotten some amazing advice!

I took the first semester during a six week course by itself with a notoriously "difficult" professor. I had heard to avoid him before I even considered switching to nursing, but once I did make the decision, I talked to some previous students who I knew were similar to me and how I approached my studies. They were able to give me some amazing advice and I picked up some other bits of knowledge from other students I was taking the class with. My first two recommendations are 1) talking to previous students who have taken your professor and 2) talking with your professor from the beginning whether you need help or not. You may be able to find out if you need to buy the textbook or not, how the instructor tests (book heavy vs. lecture/PowerPoint heavy vs. combo).

Once the class starts, I found that recording the lecture was only beneficial if you had time to actually go back and listen. I did record because my professor talked incredibly fast and often would make connections to things we had not covered just yet. I was unsure of whether I needed to know that info or not (I didn't until we actually covered it). I did not use the recordings due largely in part to poor quality issues and the fact that I just honestly did not need to.

Initially, I recommend scanning the chapter(s) you are going to cover that day in class so you're not going in blind. It may also be beneficial to read ahead and come with a list of questions prepared to ask when appropriate. I did not do this after awhile because I found that me paying attention and staying engaged throughout the lecture was just as beneficial. Do your best to participate when the instructor asks a question and make connections between chapters.

Come study time, review the information within 24 hours! There is a whole study on this magic window of time. I never waited until the last minute to cram and I found myself not having to study nearly as often or as intensely as my classmates for exams or the final because I had been reviewing all along. You may find having a small study group (1-3 other people). My buddy and I buckled down and got down to business. When we needed a break we would take one and come back. We used models, pictures, recited the info back and forth, and used whiteboards. We took turns teaching each other the material. We were able to catch mistakes each other made. Require that everyone in your group come prepared (studied beforehand so they know what is going on at least, pinpoint specific areas they are having issues with, etc.). Everyone should be on the same or a similar page as to how you would like things structured.

Pinpoint the study method that works best for you and do not be afraid to be flexible with it. I find myself adjusting for every class. As a minimum, many colleges advise that for every one hour in class you study two hours outside of class. Take into the level of difficulty/homework load for other classes in addition to any volunteer, job, or personal commitments (marriage, having children) you make. You know yourself best and what areas you may struggle in. Start developing a time management routine and a way to stay organized now. My friends currently in nursing school stress these things. Best of luck!

On this topic you have to decide asap if mnemonics helps or hurts you while studying. learn what works fast so you don't waste your time. for me these do not help and only hurt me. so many different ways of learning. I make up things for different body parts. example for thoracic vertebrae I imagine dinosaur spikes down its back side and at home I would point it out to my kids on their toys lol. Write down the body parts name a million and a half times. the worst thing you can do is forget what part is called what during the exam. youtube is your friend. and lastly for me I didn't spend too much time reading the book, instead I rewrote the teachers notes and made my own flash cards. good luck!

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