Why anatomy is hard

Following the lecture, review the chapter and us the the notes taken in class as a guide. Take breaks between reading sections and review the information before moving on to the next session.

Make a list of what you need to read and budget out the material in an easy to manage manner, this will prevent you from cramming too much information into one study session. Set goals that are realistic and attainable. The SQ3R reading method can be incorporated into your note taking system. The Cornell Note-Taking System will help improve your note taking and overall study skills. When taking notes during the lecture, record only the essentials or telegraphic sentences.

Formulate questions based on the lecture material immediately after class, this will improve retention of the material and also provides study questions for upcoming exams. Recite the answers to your questions in your own words and then reflect on the material. Once you have completed this process, spend ten minutes every week reviewing your previous notes to improve retention and prepare you for exams.

Active study techniques are important for many reasons, especially when it comes to learning about human anatomy. Learning any complicated subject takes time. Understanding human anatomy involves a number of pre-requisites and drawing from information gained from previous courses. The human brain learns by hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting and detecting motion or kinetic energy.

When studying human anatomy you will listen to your professor lecturing, you will read your course material, you will feel the anatomical models, and record the information from lectures, labs and reading.

There are a number of active study tips including mnemonics, study cards, memorization that can help you increase material retention. Repetition is essential to learning a complicated subject like human anatomy. Developing effective test strategies is much easier when you have established a sound study routine.

When dealing with course material that you are familiar with rather than material you are just learning will improve your overall retention and lead to better performance in exams. Many of the strategies previously discussed will prove to be beneficial leading up to your exam. The impact of the medical curricular reform on anatomy education has been inconclusive. A pervasive perception is that graduates do not possess a sufficient level of anatomical knowledge for safe medical practice; however, the reason is less well-studied.

This qualitative study investigated the perceived challenges in learning anatomy, possible explanations, and ways to overcome these challenges. Unlike previous work, it explored the perceptions of multiple stakeholders in anatomy learning.

However, these notes will become invaluable during your study times. I found they were even more helpful than my textbook when studying for a test. I would plan on dedicating a moderate amount of time to this class each week. You should not have a laboratory portion with this class, which will save you some time.

However, memory work will take up an hour or two each week, and your reading and homework will probably take up several more hours. You may also have one or two major projects to turn in for this class. Anatomy models are a favorite requirement of many professors.

Pro Tip: If possible I would try to pair these classes with easier classes for the semester. As with any college class, the steps you take from the beginning to aid your learning will be what get you through with the best grade. Whether you want to get started on the right foot or want to improve your grades in the middle of your semester, use these tips to make your human anatomy and physiology class easier.

Here are some example videos from YouTube. This first one is from Crash Course on YouTube for digestible anatomy and physiology segments.

This second one is from Khan Academy. You can go to their YouTube channel for more in-depth physiology information. Unlike chemistry and similar classes , it is very easy to imagine how your newfound anatomy and physiology knowledge will come in handy not only during future nursing classes but also in your career.

This class will give you the fundamental facts you need for understanding how the human body works. It is a highly practical course that will help you understand ideal physical health and help you track and manage health changes in your patients. Human anatomy and physiology is definitely not a class that should scare you. Simply plan to take plenty of time for weekly study and memorization. Comment below with study tips that have helped you with human anatomy and physiology or similar classes.

Human anatomy and physiology is considered very hard by many pre-health and pre-nursing students. Anatomy and Physiology 1 is typically the prerequisite for Anatomy and Physiology 2.