Just started A&P1

I took A & P 1 over the summer in 10 weeks opposed to the normal 16 weeks my college usually does. It was my first science course I took in several years. I was super stressed the first couple of weeks, but I soon acclimated to the class and started to enjoy it. I devoted probably at least 5 hours of studying each day, which probably sounds excessive, but I wanted to make sure I got an A.

The anatomy portion was the most difficult I think. The bones were difficult to memorize, but I found memorizing the muscles even harder. We had to know additional details for that, like insertion and what direction the muscle rotates. I also struggled with the muscular system in the physiology portion. It's my least favorite system (and yes I do have favorites, haha), so maybe that's why!

A & P 2 is a lot easier in my opinion.

I am also taking A&P 1 this summer, started at the end of May. So far I have an A in the class. It's really difficult and requires a great deal of study time. So far we have covered the Integumentary System, Tissues, the basics and the Skeletal System including joints. We are beginning the muscles next. There were 32 of us in the beginning and now we are down to 13 in the class. Is this normal to lose so many people in the class? My instructor is really hard, he loves to give us timed tests and his lectures are pretty much just him covering every word in the chapter with little to not hint on what's important for us to know. So, we end up trying to learn the entire chapters. Is this the way others are viewing their class? I dream about bones, foramen, condyles, simple squamous epithelial, articulations.... LOL I think it's funny though, I will be struggling with something then I'll dream about it, and in my dream I just know it! Then I wake up and I don't struggle with that one any more. Wow... what a semester I am having! :)

I am also taking A&P 1 this summer started at the end of May. So far I have an A in the class. It's really difficult and requires a great deal of study time. So far we have covered the Integumentary System, Tissues, the basics and the Skeletal System including joints. We are beginning the muscles next. There were 32 of us in the beginning and now we are down to 13 in the class. Is this normal to lose so many people in the class? My instructor is really hard, he loves to give us timed tests and his lectures are pretty much just him covering every word in the chapter with little to not hint on what's important for us to know. So, we end up trying to learn the entire chapters. Is this the way others are viewing their class? I dream about bones, foramen, condyles, simple squamous epithelial, articulations.... LOL I think it's funny though, I will be struggling with something then I'll dream about it, and in my dream I just know it! Then I wake up and I don't struggle with that one any more. Wow... what a semester I am having! :)[/quote']

I do this too! I'm halfway through A&P and literally wake up saying things. Once I work them through my dreams I haven't struggled either!

Maybe this is the successful studying secret? :)

I will never forget A&P 1 .... I took it online and the lab at the campus. My mom went into the hospital on the first day of class and died 3 days later. That coupled with the funeral, and just the fact I could not concentrate on A&P for a little while past her death, I got behind. I thought about withdrawing but I could hear my mom telling me to get my butt in gear and do this thing. Long story short, I pulled an "A" in both lecture and lab. I know mom was there to motivate me the whole time.

Last thought, I'm actually surprised at how much I retained in that class. My wife and I like watching Real Stories of the ER and NY ER. They use a lot of anatomy terms on those shows that would have been Greek to me prior to taking the class :-)

Ok... One more thing. I thoroughly enjoyed lab class. There was the normal identification of tissues under a microscope, locating different phases of cell division on a slide, etc... But what I really enjoyed was labeling bones. Our tests were a lot of fun. The instructor would set up about a dozen different stations around the room. We would rotate from station to station and record the bones or muscles at those stations on an answer sheet. One test was just different bones of the skull. Who knew the skull had so many bones and features? Bad thing was our Lab instructor was a stickler when it came to spelling. Even though I had to study hours every day, I look fwd to A&P 2.

I just finished my 5week A&P with an A!!! I am so happy! It was really intense and fast paced. I'm starting A&P2 Monday but I heard its not as hard. I'm hoping I can pull another A!! Good luck to everyone :)

I have found A&P 2 to be much more complicated than A&P I. The physiology is much more involved and extensive and I feel there is a LOT more to understand and remember. I have a pretty challenging teacher known for his insanely hard exams (he's an M.D., so he has high expectations) though, so your mileage may vary. Good luck!