Need Study Tips for Bio classes

sailorchrono

sailorchrono

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Hi, just wondering if we had any medical students or whatnot in here. I've changed my major from education to nursing and I'm currently in my first anatomy/physiology class (intro). I've never taken a biology class before (except life science in high school, but trust me when I say it was beyond basic.. we didn't learn ANYTHING in there, just watched animal planet videos -_-), so this is a pretty rude awakening to say the least. Anyone have any websites/tips/etc to make this a little easier?

Thanks.
 
Ouch. That's gonna be rough. It's alot of memorization which requires lots of studying. There's really no quick way. Just daily review until you have the material down. I have some Biology study guides but nothing with Anatomy.
 
Go on a Homeless/Bum/Hobo/Jehovas witness killing spree and dissect the bodies...Hands on experience, its the only way to learn.
 
Review your notes everyday for atleast an hour, talk about concepts to yourself or to others outloud. Flashcards help with definitions, it also helps if you know some latin haha. Memorization is okay, but it doesn't help on tests most of the time. I'm a Psychology/Neuroscience major, I would rewrite my notes from my Bio. and Chem. classess each day and review them. That's pretty much what got me through those classes.
 
CrimGhost gave solid suggestions. Although it's cliche, I would say flashcards are a good study aid for memorization tips. Cut out all the extraneous bs from textbooks and just post the vital info down onto a card and let it sink in. Helped me for Organic Chem, quite a bit, and I used to be a big naysayer for flashcards.
 
I am so glad I am studying engineering at times like this.

My cousin is a pro at studying this type of stuff. She has a mental filter to retain only the key points made which would be important for tests and such. Just read an practice as much as possible and hopefully you will do ok.
 
I feel your pain, I am working towards my second bachelors in biochemistry.

Depending on the exact class you can find various websites, but the book and lecture notes are probably what you should stick with.
It seems childish, but try flashcards. Flashcards are my best friend. I'm not sure if nursing gets as brutal as some of the other science majors, but learn to really budget your time. ...and be prepared to never see any loved ones. ;)
 
Once you're taking anatomy, let me know. I have tons of mnemonics I used in medical school that you might find useful.
 
[quote name='dopa345']Once you're taking anatomy, let me know. I have tons of mnemonics I used in medical school that you might find useful.[/QUOTE]

That's what he's taking now. RTFOP. ;)
 
OP, you've given me a good idea for an article for my new blog. I might write something up in a few days.

I agree with the flashcards, but let me suggest you look on amazon for flashcards that are already made, so you can get straight to the studying.

Also, figure out something you are really interested in and study in the context of whatever that is. Say you decide you are interested in the process of blushing. Don't look it up, but carefully study all the parts of the body and how they interact to see if you can come up with the process by yourself. Or you could pick something like pimple production, fingernail growth, etc. The body is an system of it's own so you need to understand all of it to understand any of it. In short, it's difficult to study anything you are not interested in for some purpose, give yourself a purpose and you will WANT to study.
 
Just drop it and switch majors again. I started out Bio/Pre-Med myself. I switched after Organic Chemistry, got my BS in Psychology and am now months away from having my MA in Industrial / Organizational Psychology.

That is the only advice I can offer to anyone in Bio and Chem courses (I know it's not helpful advice, but, in my opinion, it is good advice.)
 
[quote name='tholly']Just drop it and switch majors again. I started out Bio/Pre-Med myself. I switched after Organic Chemistry, got my BS in Psychology and am now months away from having my MA in Industrial / Organizational Psychology.

That is the only advice I can offer to anyone in Bio and Chem courses (I know it's not helpful advice, but, in my opinion, it is good advice.)[/QUOTE]

Sounds like what I did. I started as Bio/Pre-Med major. I couldn't take it anymore after Macrobiology, so now I'm finishing up a B.S. in Psychology within Neuroscience and I love it.
 
I started Biology and went Environmental Science and Policy... Now I teach for a living.

I finally got a hold of my best friend. 10 minute convo and he said he has to get back to studying. Med school is a bitch.
 
[quote name='JolietJake']I love computer science, it's almost nothing but memorization.:lol:[/QUOTE]

how so? i don't remember ever spending time memorizing anything. its mainly concepts. there aren't formulas or anything. and if you're memorizing algorithms then you probably don't fully understand them.
 
[quote name='AngellicLulu'] Med school is a bitch.[/QUOTE]

This is a lot of the reason why my cousin, who used to be premed, is now heading for a physician's assistant degree/certificate. Only 2 more years after undergrad and she's out, with far less hassle. Undoubtedly she could handle med school, as she has a great GPA along with work and a shitload of activities, but this seems to be the best option for her.
 
[quote name='ryan838']how so? i don't remember ever spending time memorizing anything. its mainly concepts. there aren't formulas or anything. and if you're memorizing algorithms then you probably don't fully understand them.[/quote] People here never agree wit my opinions on these things, maybe it's because my degree is really a business degree, apparently I'm not taking the same classes most of you all do.

There are plenty of things to memorize to me, things that if you forgot you'd have to go look up or you couldn't go any further.
 
Like for example, if you forgot exactly what the code for a specific function was, you'd have to look it up before you could continue. Probably why most of my teachers say we should keep our books for later reference.
 
[quote name='omgu8myrice']dont get ready made flashcards, writing the stuff down onto the cards yourself will help you remember them[/quote]

I would agree with you if you have the tenacity to get through writing them. However, some people have study habits that keep them from getting them all written out. For those of us who study best in small spurts, these pre-made cards are good for the 5-10 minute studying on the go.

However, if you do want to make your own cards and you are a visual learner, then I suggest incorporating a small and simple hand-drawn picture on the back of the card to help you get a visual association.

T
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']That's what he's taking now. RTFOP. ;)[/QUOTE]

The OP said anatomy/physiology so I assume it's one then the other, not both simultaneously (which would be difficult to teach/learn at the same time).

One good study tip is to study while drinking coffee (or anything else that has a distinctive, pleasant smell) and then drink the same kind of coffee/beverage during your tests if allowed. The scent helps to trigger your memory while taking the test.

Med school is tough but it is definitely worth it if you want to go into medicine for the right reasons (i.e. not for the money). Being a PA is a fine profession as well but you end up being a scut monkey for the physicians that you work under, basically like a professional resident.
 
Actually, it is anatomy/physiology at the same time T.T;; and I really appreciate the tips everyone, I will be implementing it into my daily studying routine :D

The worse part I forgot to mention is I'm also taking chem at the same time (it also combines physical chem/organic chem T.T).. it's pretty overwhelming.. hope I can survive this semester!
 
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