Pre-Req. Question

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Hello all:

I am in need of some advice please.

In August I got my MBA and decided that I would rather die than sit in corporate hell all day. I've always had an interestin the health-care, but I was too chicken to do it. I founf the guts and enrolled back in school to start my pre-reqs...

Now for my question:

This semester I enrolled in: Biology Lecture and Lab and Chemistry Lecture and Lab. I had a death in the family, and I had to go home for about a week an a half which totally threw me off. I was able to catch up in Chemistry and in my lab classes , but I am doing very poorly in my Biology lecture. My question is: Is is really necessary for me to take Bio I? I didn't take it in undergrad but all the prereq info I see mentions nothing of it. Would I be able to do well in Micro and S&P without having taken Biology?

My Bio. teacher is horrible anyways, and so I am defintely dropping that class for this semester, I just want to know if I can move on to some of my "core" classes in the fall.

Thanks

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I am sorry to read about the death in your family.

About the Bio, I personally think that it IS the foundation to the rest of the courses. Many people at my school for one reason or another are exempt from this course and jump straight to A&P. It has been my experience that most (not all) of these students regret not starting off with Bio.

In my case Bio gave me the foundation and support I needed for A&P and was able to breeze through it without much stress. I am now in A&P 2 and I say the same thing. It has been kind of the continuation of Bio but much more detailed and complex.

Again, this has been my personal experience but you are the one who ultimately will need to decide if you really will need it or not. I am sure there are also many more who will beg to differ and have not needed it to succeed.

With this in mind, I wish you continued success and much luck to you.

Jess

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Thanks for asking this question because I've been wondering about this myself. At my school A&P 1&2 are required of course, but General Biology isn't. I had thought about taking it next summer in order to prepare myself for A&P next fall.

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I went into A&P without taking any pre-req's for it. I have taken BIOL 1406 during a summer semester after A&P which to me didn't even compare to A&P and it wouldn't have even helped me anyways. I think it depends on the person though because some people said it did help them in harder science classes. Good luck!!

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Specializes in new mother/baby nurse.

In my experience, General Biology was not necessary for doing well in A&P or Micro. General Biology is a required prereq for the program that I am entering in January but I had General Bio in 1989 when I was working on my Bachelor's degree. I was able to transfer it and remembered very little, if anything at all, from the course when I took A&P and I did just fine in A&P. I think that every A&P course goes into a little general bio in the beginning. Basically, if it isnt a required prereq, then people in the program must be doing well in A&P and Micro or they wouldnt have it set up that way. Of course you are going to hear differing opinions about this subject. Just do what you are comfortable with.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Are you pulling our leg? With an MBA I can't believe you don't know how the university system works. :uhoh21: Get the college catalog of the college with the nursing program you are aiming for and look at the required pre-reqs. From that you should be able to compile a list of the classes you will have to take by checking the course descriptions and pre-req classes required for them in the college catalog. An alternative is to make an appointment with a counselor in the nursing school and sit down and have them help you make a list of the classes you will need to get into the nursing program.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

I think SuccessSW is asking if Bio is needed to be successful in A&P, not if it's needed for the program.

My A&P instructor said people can, and have done well in A&P without the Bio. I think it's just all up to the person. I do know several people in my class who did not take it and are doing well. I also know some people who did take it and are not doing so well. I think it's definitely a good foundation, but it's possible to do well without it.

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At our college, General Biology is not required before taking A & P, but Cell Biology is. I could see doing alright in Anatomy without the Gen Bio class, but not the Physiology class. You need the Cell Bio understanding to "hit the ground running" in Physiology. Our Phys classes do not "go over" the Cell Bio stuff, you are already supposed to know cellular respiration, glycolysis reactions in the body, mitosis/meiosis, etc.

You might see if there is a Cell Biology class offered and take that. Actually, you might do well to talk to an advisor in the Nursing dept. where you'd like to attend.

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Specializes in ICUs, Tele, etc..

Drop it....If you got behind and you don't need it as a pre req and it doesn't interest you then why do it. I took Gen BIO I and II after I took A&P I&II only because I couldn't decide on a major then. If you're getting behind you don't want your GPA to suffer because of it.

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WOW @ Daytonite. Thanks for the warm welcome. Believe it or not I graduated from my MBA program near the top of my class.

Of course I know how a university system works. I understand how prerequisities work. My question wasn't is Bio I a required class for Micro and A&P..my question was: is it necessary for me to complete Bio I in order to be SUCCESSFUL in Micro, A&P and whatever else. I've spent a lot of time in school, so I'm trying to mimimize my pre-req. time as much as I can without hurting my knowledge base.

I'm new here and I hope rude and completely unneccesary comments aren't the standard.

Also, Daytonite: If there is anything else you can't believe I don't know..please feel free to private message me directly.

To the rest of you: I really appreciate the comments. Unfortunately, I am living in a different state from all of the schools I want to attend. I've done some over-the-phone counseling, and I have gotten a mixed response from the various nursing program coordinators. Your responses will help me make a decision.

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Specializes in NICU.

Hi there,

I wondered as well if my lack of Bio experience with my other degree (Liberal Studies/Education) would hinder me. I went for it anyway b/c I just didn't want to waste time taking a class that I didn't officially "need". I did great in both Micro and A&P with nothing but high school level Bio and the required Chemistry pre-req. If you are motivated and have good study skills I would skip the Bio 1.

Take care and good luck!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
WOW @ Daytonite. Thanks for the warm welcome. Believe it or not I graduated from my MBA program near the top of my class. . .My question wasn't is Bio I a required class for Micro and A&P..my question was: is it necessary for me to complete Bio I in order to be SUCCESSFUL in Micro, A&P and whatever else. . .I'm trying to mimimize my pre-req. time as much. . .I'm new here and I hope rude and completely unneccesary comments aren't the standard.

Please accept my appology. I assumed that you were taking biology because it was required and assumed you were just complaining. Sorry. :selfbonk:

To answer your original question. . .if Biology is not a requirement to take A&P and Micro, then you don't need to take it. You'll get everything you need to know in those classes and in the nursing classes.

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