Seeking advice from former A&P students

richardjboro1 · Mar 20, 2008

A & P is really rote memorization. The application will come in your later classes. Have you taken a pathophysiology class yet? Each class you take in nursing usually has a review of what you "should" know, either in class or in the book. So, just get thru A& P the best you can, and the application will come with each renewal of info in the other classes.

Richard

jmiarn1029 · Mar 20, 2008

Thanks for replying back. No, I haven't taken Pathophysiology yet. I won't be able to take it until I complete A&P 1 and 2. My goal is to obtain an ''A'' in this class. I need to be able to maintain my GPA and increase it. Have you gotten accepted into a nursing program?

Amburgerz12 · Mar 20, 2008

I agree with Richard, I received a B in AP1 and an A in AP2, they are both memorization classes and you will learn in your classes to follow what exactly you need to know. I also believe that you will learn these parts with practice in the field, its obviously easier to remember something if you are constantly around it. I personally only remember some of the stuff from AP because everything is covered so quickly and then you move on to your next classes where you are trying to learn new concepts and you are only going to retain so much. If your grade is important to you and you want to get an A, I would focus on your grade first then understanding the concepts and retaining the information. Just my :twocents:

jmiarn1029 · Mar 20, 2008

I agree, I see where (Amburgerz) coming from. How do you remember so much information? Making an A is important to me for GPA purposes, especially trying to get into a nursing program but I also want to make sure I'm actually learning the material this way it'll be easier for me to remember.

HGJ78 · Mar 20, 2008

Repetition, repetition, repetition!! :wink2: I found for me reviewing the "high points" of the chapters first and then going back and re-reading the parts that I needed a little clarification helped me to retain and understand the info the best.

I agree with the OP, the info will come back as you use it in other classes and in practice.

kburns0016 · Mar 20, 2008

MissMia ,

I am in A&P II this semester coming from A&P I with a 96 average and memorization is the way to go! I know what you mean the grade is important to me as well but I think what most everyone is trying to say is memorization is the only way and at this point in time you only need a BASIC workling knowledge of systems, location ,and function...and once in A&P II lots of "new" things you learn are built upon the foundations you learned in A&P I, so you are really getting a constant review!Example would be like veins and vessels, many are named according to surroundings or location which you learn in muscles and bones ....make sense?

I am the same way about my grades I wanna keep that 3.89 I worked so hard for but I have heard from RN instructors at my school that the detailed intimate knowledge comes later actully more during your program, so it might be best to focus on memorization tricks to introduce this info in to your long term memory instead of thinking to learn it all , which I think is simply not possible with just one or two semesters. I have to say i would not recommend taking the A&P I class for 2 semesters just to affect your GPA a few tenths of a point ...if you are applying yourself , and it sounds like you are , you will learn and retain a suprising amount of info~

best of luck

coolpeach · Mar 20, 2008

I took A&P 1 and A&P2, and Anatomy, and physiology were mixed together. We did it by system like you are. We learned the parts then the physiology then moved to a different system. I memorized everything in anatomy, and then applied the understanding of how it worked in physiology.

FriendlyGhostRN · Mar 21, 2008

I would have to say that notecards worked best for me....and looking at diagrams of all they various bones, muscles, and other systems. I tried finding websites that had reviews on them to get some extra reassurance after I studied. Truthfully, anatomy is ALL memorization. It's the physiology that requires one to understand the steps involved, but even then you need to memorize it. I got an A in A&P 1 and 2, and enjoyed it very much. That was a year ago, and I still feel pretty confident in knowing most of the things we learned. I will be finding out come May 12th if I still have it in my head pretty well, as that is the day I start nursing school. Good luck with the rest of the class...sounds like you're doing great and I think your grades sound wonderful! :)

jmiarn1029 · Mar 21, 2008

Thank you, that was very encouraging to me. Congratulations on your accecptance into the nursing program! :yeah:

richardjboro1 · Mar 21, 2008

Have you gotten accepted into a nursing program?

Yes, I'm currently a junior, headed into our last clinical rotation week after next. Then on to SENIOR YEAR... woohooo...

But as to the original point, don't try to "apply" what you know yet, just learn the basics and repeat, repeat, repeat...

Richard

autumn_raine · Mar 21, 2008

I finished my A&P course with a 104% (I took advantage of extra credit opportunities). I agree that the anatomy part of the class is memorization but the physiology is NOT! Understanding the physiology will be extremely important to you as you go through the nursing program and if you just memorize it you will be at a disadvantage when your nursing instructors lecture with the expectations that you already understand the physiology basics. Believe me, when you are trying to study for a nursing exam the LAST thing you want to have to do is review A&P because you only memorized it for the tests. My method for doing so well and actually understanding the material was to study my notes and read the assigned material until I was able to tell others about the subject. My husband got a free college education because of this! :chuckle I also worked with a small study group and made many friends because I was able to explain the material to them in a way they could understand. Talking about what you are studying and being able to answer questions will not only help you on your tests and improve your grade but will enable you to better understand your nursing lectures! (If you don't have anyone available to listen to you just say it out loud to yourself, I promise it will help and if nobody is there to listen to you then there is nobody there to think your nuts for talking to yourself!!!) :bugeyes:

GOOD LUCK!!!!