Taking anatomy and physiology separately

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

The school I'm in offers anatomy and physiology as two separate courses. To me it makes more sense to do A&P together and learn the whole system at once. Has anyone else taken separate A and P? How was it? What is the logic of the school doing it this way?

[MB37]

LSU offers them separately, and you take both your first semester of nursing school instead of as prereqs. If you take them at the same time then they'll probably match up. It'll just be a really instense 8 credit A&P class. If one is a prereq for the other at your school that's a little weirder. I only made it 2.5 weeks into LSU before Katrina came, but it didn't seem awful so far to take them at the same time. Hope that helps!

[Jilaweez, BSN, MSN, RN]

I took A&P seperately and I loved it. I liked anatomy, memorizing all the parts of the body and then the next semester taking physiology, learning how they all worked. I think it could be condensed into 1 class over two semesters and that would work too. I would recommend taking them back to back though, so you don't forget what you learned in between.

[JaxiaKiley]

When I was taking classes a few years ago, they were not together, but now they are. I don't think it will be a big deal one way or the other.

Good luck!

[pickledpepperRN]

I had memorized most of the parts in two dimensions in LVN school.

My school had the separate so I took anatomy first. It was easy and fun to do the dissection in three dimensions.

The only time I missed any questions was when the skeleton was disarticulated with numbered flags on pins. The pelvis taken apart with the question, “What part of what bone articulates here?” stumped me. I turned myself, tried to place where on a person this part of a bone went.

I asked why we need to know this.

The answer was, “You may work for the coroner’s office and have to identify bones in a hillside or the dump.”

So far I care for living people.

All I do if someone dies is post-mortem care.

Physiology was great. I got to find out why I was doing what I did as an LVN.

In LVN school we had to memorize instead of understanding due to time constraints.

[harpinblue]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting. But on this subject I have a bit experience. I actually took physiology before anatomy. This was not the recommended way of doing it, however my decision to become a Nurse was very sparatic and I took every class I could. Basically I jumped in a semester late or early you could say. Truthfully do whatever you want. I learned the systems and the anatomy of the human body anyway. I say take it how you get it. I do know that some Instatutions will not except a seperated P&A classes and some do, So do a little research on the schools that except it or not. For me this took a bunch of phone calling to get the real grit of the subject. So start now!!! Let those guys know your coming Man!!!!!! Sure you could rack your brain thinking about why the schools do it differently, But why? A year later you won't remember everything anyway. I found the two classes very different. Anatomy is simply memorization....unless the instructor wants to add a little physiology while teaching anaotmy. The two are completely different subjects, Why Not Teach Them differently? Good Luck Brothe or Sister.... You'll do fine, Jeff

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

I took them separately, first Anatomy, then Physiology. I liked it that way. I felt that the anatomy class gave me a very solid base from which to understand the physiology. I did very well in physiology partly because I didn't have to worry about memorizing anatomy, I could just concentrate on understanding the way the systems worked. If the prof mentioned a body part in lecture, I knew what it was, without having to look it up later to see how it related. Grin...I already had the bones of knowledge to hang the meat of physiology on...I know, I know, lousy joke.