A+ in A and P 1 with Lab , Is it possible?

[2L8]

I'm gonna take up A&P I with this fall and was aiming for an A or even an A+ but many whom I talk to say that this isn't possible and say that I'm reaching to high. But I decided to do it anyway. As for now I am taking Medical Terminology (I have an A+ in that) and brought a book for Anatomy and it seems to be very interesting. But I also have heard that your teacher plays are big role as well I'm searching our teachers on that department and narrowed it down. His class is full but I'm praying he'll let me get an extra seat. Memorization plays a big role so I'm working on that too. I plan on studying 2-3 hours a day.

I know that Anatomy is a very tough class but I really want to soak up the material but it's kind of discouraging with people saying that you can't get anything higher than a C or a C+ if you're lucky. Has anyone made a good grade how did you manage to get it , is the teacher an important aspect for you or memorization? How many hours did you study? Where your classes early in the morning or late in the afternoon? What advice can you give?

[dfrecore]

I guarantee you people trying to get into med school are getting A's on all of their sciences. If you're willing to work at it and study hard, you should be fine as well.

Don't ever listen to people who make blanket statements about things like this - they're idiots (I know, blanket statement).

[MNomadic]

I guarantee you people trying to get into med school are getting A's on all of their sciences.  If you're willing to work at it and study hard, you should be fine as well.

Don't ever listen to people who make blanket statements about things like this - they're idiots (I know, blanket statement).

I agree. Sure it's a hard class but if no one could get higher than C, they would make changes.

I actually did similar to you, bought a used anatomy text book from a garage sale the summer before my class. I did very well in the parts that I found interesting enough to study ahead of time.

[cookderosa]

I'm gonna take up A&P I with this fall and was aiming for an A or even an A+ but many whom I talk to say that this isn't possible and say that I'm reaching to high. But I decided to do it anyway. As for now I am taking Medical Terminology (I have an A+ in that) and brought a book for Anatomy and it seems to be very interesting. But I also have heard that your teacher plays are big role as well I'm searching our teachers on that department and narrowed it down. His class is full but I'm praying he'll let me get an extra seat. Memorization plays a big role so I'm working on that too. I plan on studying 2-3 hours a day.

I know that Anatomy is a very tough class but I really want to soak up the material but it's kind of discouraging with people saying that you can't get anything higher than a C or a C+ if you're lucky. Has anyone made a good grade how did you manage to get it , is the teacher an important aspect for you or memorization? How many hours did you study? Where your classes early in the morning or late in the afternoon? What advice can you give?

You can get a head start watching A&P videos on youtube.
The Great Courses series used to be there- excellent in every way (you can stream them through The Great Courses Plus if they aren't there.)
trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBPr9arLS2Y&t=30s

[TheMaskedMutant]

I got an A in A&P w/Lab. However, to date, it was the most excruciating class I have ever taken, and I was doing it as a solo class! I thought I had personal interest in the topic, but doing it in an 8-week format took all of the fun out of it. I used Khan Academy quite extensively to further explain concepts that weren't making sense to me in textbook format. The class was just such an overload of new material to memorize each week, and I don't do well with brute memorization. I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving a realistic assessment of my experience; it was painful for me, lol.

I would say that the instructor can play a factor. I always look for professors that are rated for giving good and timely feedback. I'm not looking for them to give me an "easy A," I'm looking for them to help me correct my mistakes or lack of knowledge, so I can incorporate their feedback and do better on future assignments.

[cookderosa]

memorization will be key for the anatomy part. Label bones. Label muscles. Label parts of the heart. If you're good at that (I'm not) you'll find that doable.

The part that kills most people is the physiology. The body is a system of chemical, biological, and physical interactions. A does B which causes C which causes D which causes E. What happens when the gas exchange during stage B is X. You will NEVER understand the complexities of the human body from a simple A&P class. The entirety of med school is understanding it- so you're getting an appetizer portion. What your professor looks at, asks you to learn, and how you have to demonstrate your understanding will matter.

In addition, whether or not your class is open book / open note will matter.

I don't think anyone's goal coming out of A&P is to "get it" but rather to "get through it" with a good grade. I got A's in both I and II. I was too busy memorizing and doing labs to really learn anything. My college didn't give A+, so not an option, but my grades were high AND we had open book.

[2L8]

I got an A in A&P w/Lab.  However, to date, it was the most excruciating class I have ever taken, and I was doing it as a solo class!  I thought I had personal interest in the topic, but doing it in an 8-week format took all of the fun out of it.  I used Khan Academy quite extensively to further explain concepts that weren't making sense to me in textbook format.  The class was just such an overload of new material to memorize each week, and I don't do well with brute memorization.  I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving a realistic assessment of my experience; it was painful for me, lol.

I would say that the instructor can play a factor.  I always look for professors that are rated for giving good and timely feedback.  I'm not looking for them to give me an "easy A," I'm looking for them to help me correct my mistakes or lack of knowledge, so I can incorporate their feedback and do better on future assignments.

  Hmmm , this class seems very similar to Medical Terminology , this is an excruciatingly painful class too lol ( I missed a chapter and had to work my butt off all night to catch up) and I feel you on the personal interest part. I'm trying hard to get into the best teacher's class , yeah he's hard but he really knows his stuff and wants the best for his students. But what I really appreciate about him is if he sees that you are trying he'll help you. 


Easy A's to me are nothing , I love working for what I want. Even if it's pure hell.

[Jody7818]

I took Human A&P1 and 2 in 2010. From what I remember, I made a 94 average in 1 and 97 average in 2. My advisor at the time told me it was going to be a very difficult course due to the amount of material and complexity. I absolutely had to get an A in order to get into the nursing program...so I was somewhat motivated. He highly recommended taking the courses alone. And that's exactly what I did.

I always studied ahead of my instructor by 1 lesson. In other words, what ever he was teaching for the day, I had already studied the lesson the day before. One hour before the class started, I studied the same lesson again. I kept doing this until exam time. I was very diligent in my study patterns. I didn't go to the next lesson until I absolutely understood what I was trying to learn. Repetition in studying the same lesson/material for 3 or more days in a row is key....this is true for any subject, but especially biology. Things began to make better sense by day 3 of studying the same material.

I generally studied 3 hours a day for 7 seven days a week. When I studied, I studied in 30-45 minute increments...no more than this. Then I would do something else...like watch t.v. or yard work. Then I would study again.

You need to be able to VISUALIZE many of the processes and functions of the body...don't just memorize them...this is key. You need to be able to speak out these processes as well. Many times I would recite everything that I learned to my wife. I stayed away from study groups...they were more of a slow distraction.

Find an instructor who you can understand 100 percent and has a great attitude. I had to drop microbiology on day 1 because my instructor was a foreigner ( I could only understand 25 percent of what he was saying ), and he wasn't very friendly at all.

I camped out in the lab all the time. In human A&P 1, it was all about memorizing bones and locations on bones. In 2, it was about muscles and internal organs. I stayed in the lab for about 1 hour per day, 4 days per week. It always amazed me how empty the lab was for the entire semester until just before the lab exams. There was no way they could learn that much stuff in just a few days. My instructor at the time was always preaching to make sure we studied in the lab in our off-time away from class. Average grade for the first lab exam was in the 30s...I made an A+. My instructor gave everybody who failed a 70...I shook my head.

There is one part of the course that I simply couldn't grasp very well...it was the bicarbonate formula. I just memorized it the best I could. I really stink at chemistry for whatever reason...it's just a boring class for me. I wish I was interested in it, but I just can't seem to want to learn it.

I really hope you do well in the course. It is possible to get an A+...I'm walking proof...and I'm not a genius by no means...just make sure you study a lot and understand the material very clearly. You can do this....Good luck!

[2L8]

I took Human A&P1 and 2 in 2010.  From what I remember, I made a 94 average in 1 and 97 average in 2.  My advisor at the time told me it was going to be a very difficult course due to the amount of material and complexity.  I absolutely had to get an A in order to get into the nursing program...so I was somewhat motivated.  He highly recommended taking the courses alone.  And that's exactly what I did.  

I always studied ahead of my instructor by 1 lesson.  In other words, what ever he was teaching for the day, I had already studied the lesson the day before.  One hour before the class started, I studied the same lesson again.  I kept doing this until exam time.  I was very diligent in my study patterns.  I didn't go to the next lesson until I absolutely understood what I was trying to learn.  Repetition in studying the same lesson/material for 3 or more days in a row is key....this is true for any subject, but especially biology.  Things began to make better sense by day 3 of studying the same material.  

I generally studied 3 hours a day for 7 seven days a week.  When I studied, I studied in 30-45 minute increments...no more than this.  Then I would do something else...like watch t.v. or yard work.  Then I would study again.  

You need to be able to VISUALIZE many of the processes and functions of the body...don't just memorize them...this is key.  You need to be able to speak out these processes as well.   Many times I would recite everything that I learned to my wife.  I stayed away from study groups...they were more of a slow distraction.      

Find an instructor who you can understand 100 percent and has a great attitude.  I had to drop microbiology on day 1  because my instructor was a foreigner ( I could only understand 25 percent of what he was saying ), and he wasn't very friendly at all.  

I camped out in the lab all the time.  In human A&P 1, it was all about memorizing bones and locations on bones.  In 2, it was about muscles and internal organs.  I stayed in the lab for about 1 hour per day, 4 days per week.  It always amazed me how empty the lab was for the entire semester until just before the lab exams.  There was no way they could learn that much stuff in just a few days.  My instructor at the time was always preaching to make sure we studied in the lab in our off-time away from class.  Average grade for the first lab exam was in the 30s...I made an A+.  My instructor gave everybody who failed a 70...I shook my head.

There is one part of the course that I simply couldn't grasp very well...it was the bicarbonate formula.  I just memorized it the best I could.  I really stink at chemistry for whatever reason...it's just a boring class for me.  I wish I was interested in it, but I just can't seem to want to learn it.      

I really hope you do well in the course.  It is possible to get an A+...I'm walking proof...and I'm not a genius by no means...just make sure you study a lot and understand the material very clearly.  You can do this....Good luck!

  This is giving me motivation . But asking for quick advice due to registration coming up do you think 2 classes is enough for the semester?

[sanantone]

For me, A&P is about memorization. When it comes to the sciences, I've always been stronger in the life sciences than anything else. I took A&P and health science in high school, I have an associate's in biology, I passed the Uexcel for A&P with little study, and my medical sciences graduate program has covered some anatomy and physiology. When I took HESI and TEAS practice tests, do you know what my weakest area was? A&P! It's one thing to remember something a couple of years later, but with all the terminology that's covered in A&P, it's hard to remember most things several years later. I performed well on the physics questions, and I haven't taken a physics class in about 15 years! Physics can include difficult math problems, but the terminology and concepts in physics I and II are simple compared to biology. Biologists are crazy. They name every single little thing. They will name an indentation in a bone something long and complicated.