Getting a Good Start in your Anatomy & Physiology Course

For those entering the health professions, the human anatomy and physiology course is the arguably the most important—and most difficult—step in their schooling.

To get a good, solid start in A&P, I've pulled together some advice to share with you—things you need to know as you start, so you won't get into trouble you can't get yourself out of.

Learn how to read and raid your textbook

• You can't just sit down and read an A&P textbook. It's not meant to be read like a novel or magazine. There are steps you need to take to really comprehend the contents, and if you don't take those steps, then you'll be wasting your time.
• You also need to learn how to raid your A&P textbook.  That means knowing how and where to find information in your book when you need it to solve a problem or clarify something from your class discussion or lab activity.
• You need to actually use your book.  Many students just set it aside (it looks so big and scary, after all) and never use it to supplement and complement what's going on in other parts of the course.  They often exclaim, "why did I have to buy that thing, when I didn't even use it!"  Yet, by not using it on their own, they are making it much more difficult—and time-consuming—to succeed in their A&P course.  
• To learn more about how to read and raid your textbook, check out Read and Raid Your Textbook.

Brush up on your study skills

• Prior to their A&P course, I've found that many students have been successful (or not so successful) in their high-school and college courses by just "winging it." Or by simply taking a few notes in class and reviewing them before a test or exam.  That won't cut it in A&P—no matter how brilliant you are.
• You need to employ a set of study strategies to be successful.  I've listed just a few of them here, so you have an idea of what I'm saying.  Click on any of the links to find out more.
• You'll be learning a new language, the language of science and medicine, so learn some basic principles of how that language works.
• Use flash cards to help you learn new terms right away.  This is a first step before you can master the deep meaning of science concepts.
• Use concept maps to sketch out the new sets of facts, theories, and principles that you are learning.  By drawing it out, you learn what aspects you've already mastered—and you reveal your weak spots and get them corrected.
• Use concept lists to help you see connections between concepts you've learned and build a framework for seeing the "big picture" of human structure and function.
• Manage your time by scheduling several short study sessions every single day. Cramming at the end does not work—and certainly won't prepare you for your later courses, nor your career, both of which rely on a deep understanding of A&P.
• Study in a group.  Regularly.  Research shows that this is one of the most efficient (time-saving) and effective ways to study pretty much any subject.
• Take good notes.  If your course involves lectures or online presentations, then take notes.  In lab, take notes.  Reading or raiding your textbook?  Take notes.  Take notes. Take notes.
• Practice. Practice. Practice.
• Spend a little time and effort learning effective study strategies. Here are some ways to get started:
• Ask past A&P students what worked for them.
• Explore the study tips I've mapped out over time in this blog. 
• Sign up for the newsletter to keep new tips coming directly to you!
• Check out the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools resources.
• Check out the Survival Guide for A&P and the Handbook of A&P.
• Subscribe to my YouTube channel, which features study tips for A&P
• Talk to your A&P teacher during their office hours to get their advice.

Take A&P seriously

An awful lot of students look at the A&P course simply as a hoop that needs to be jumped through—a credential to get down on paper—before getting a degree or certificate needed to start a career.  A more realistic view sees the A&P course as a "first year on the job" experience.  Where you learn most of what you'll need to survive the first day, the next day, and the last day working in your health career.

So, how does one get serious about A&P?  Here are a few tips, with links to more information.

• Develop habits of professional ethics by acting with academic integrity.
• Realize that you've really got to learn it all, and learn it correctly.  And yes, spelling is important.
• Exhibit professional responsibility by working regularly, attending class activities, and  honoring deadlines. 
• Get others in your life on board with your plan.  A&P—then your later courses and clinical experiences—are going to temporarily take you away from some of the other responsibilities in your life.  If your friends and family don't realize what you need from them, it'll cause a lot of problems.  So have that discussion now and clarify things.  Need help?  Check out Help Significant Others Help You.

Edraw Mindmap

Making concept maps or "mind maps" is a great way to learn A&P.  It's also a great way to study for your midterm or final exam!

As I've stated frequently in previous posts, a concept map is simply a drawing of a concept.  The simpler the better, so there's no need for artistic skills.

One of my students recently make me aware of another FREE tool you can use to make your own concept maps quickly and easily.  It's called Edraw Mindmap.

If you want to see how it works, check out the Edraw video Make an Effective Mind Map.  This video has a funky robotic narration, but it gives you a quick rundown on how easy the software is to use.  Maybe you should turn off the sound and play your favorite music (the narration simply speaks tips that clearly printed in the video).

Want to know more?

• Previous posts on how to use Concept Maps my-ap.us/MExHCf

• Kevin's video explaining Concept Mapping my-ap.us/SFMkEA

• Lion Den Tips & Tools tutorial on Concept Maps my-ap.us/3eSlIj

T-charts

T-charts are a simple way to help visually organize concepts when studying anatomy and physiology.  T-charts are a type of graphic organizer or concept map.

Basically, you just take a sheet of paper and draw a huge T on it. Above the crossbar of the T, write a title for your chart.  Then just below the title, create a title on each side of the crossbar.  These are headings for what each area (left and right) below the crossbar will contain.

Then fill in the spaces below the two sides of the crossbar.

 Fill them in with what, you say?  Glad you asked!

The sky is the limit, but here are some ideas (with simple examples). 

• Put new terms on one side and their definitions on the other.
• Example: nucleus; central membranous structure of cell containing DNA
• Example: diffusion; tendency of particles to spread out and reach an equilibrium of concentration
  
• Put the names of organs on one side and their functions or descriptions on the other.
• Example: small intestine; digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Example: kidney; filtering and balancing of blood plasma, resulting in the formation and excretion of urine
  
• Compare/contrast two functions by putting on each side.
• Example: anaerobic pathway; aerobic pathway
  
• Organize structures or functions by area or type.
• Example: humerus; upper extremity
• Example: brain; central nervous system
  
• List two divisions of a system or organ
• Example: central nervous system; peripheral nervous system
• Exampl: sympathetic division; parasympathetic division

Want to know more?

T-chart
[A FREE online tool for fast and easy creation of T-charts.]
my-ap.us/Lzxuko

T-chart graphic organizers
[Blank, printable T-charts in a variety of styles. FREE.]
my-ap.us/Ka1Vtg

How to start concept mapping

Concept maps are a great way to bolster your understanding of human anatomy and physiology.

They're easy . . . concept maps are merely simple sketches that summarize the elements of a concept.  Concept maps can also show how different concepts relate to each other. 

By drawing out a concept, you are arranging ideas in the way that your mind works.  It's how you picture an idea, not how your teacher or your textbook author visualizes that idea.  Therefore, it makes the concept easy for you to understand and remember.

As you construct a concept map, you may run into spots where you're not quite sure how things fit together.  That's great!  This shows you where your "weak spot" is with the concept . . . something you may not have discovered until you faced it in a test.  But when you face it in a concept map, you can stop and figure it out.  You can even take your map to your instructor, your tutor, or your study group and ask for help in figuring it out.  Then you'll "own" the concept and will not likely forget it.

Because it's a picture of a concept, a concept map helps you recall a concept easily.  You'll have the concept stored in your mind as a picture that makes sense to you.  Memory experts tell us that pictures of concepts help us recall those concepts.

If you are primarily a visual learner or kinesthetic learner (or both), then concept maps may become a favorite (and efficient) way of learning A&P!

However, if you've never made a concept map, it may be hard to figure out where to start . . . HOW to start.  So here's a short video that shows you an easy way to get started . . .

Check out this pencast on how to start a concept map.

Concept Maps - How to Start
brought to you by Livescribe






Want to know more?

Click here for earlier articles from The A&P Student on concept mapping.

Click here for the Lion Den Tips & Tools article on concept mapping.

Want to make your own pencasts?

Video on running concept lIsts

What in the world is a a running concept list, anyway?!

Put simply, running concept lists are a set of lists, each list relating to a single concept, that you update continually as you learn more about each concept.  They are easy to make and to maintain.  And they are very handy tools for learning new concepts . . . or for reviewing old concepts.

But they are even more helpful for learning the connections between concepts . . . thus developing your critical thinking skills!

Concept lists are also called connection pages because they help you see connections.

I've outlined this ongoing study technique several times before. You may want to review those previous articles.

As you grow your library of running concepts lists, you'll find that you have constructed a personal encyclopedia of knowledge!  One that you can build on (and refer back to) for a lifetime.

If you haven't bothered to learn about running concept lists before, you may want to reconsider this powerful tool.


Recently, I added this video to my page on Concept Lists found in the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools.

Concept Map Video

I've outlined the benefits (and how-to instructions) of concept mapping several times before. You may want to review those previous articles.

Also known as mind maps, these tools are simply a way to visualize a concept.

Concept maps are diagrams that related different elements of a concept to each other and/or to the main idea.  These diagrams can be simple or complex—depending on your own style of learning and what helps you understand the concept.

If you haven't bothered to learn about them before, you may want to reconsider this powerful tool.


Recently, I added this video to my page on Concept Maps found in the Lion Den Study Tips & Tools.

Concept Mapping

In a previous post I outlined some of the benefits of using concept maps.  Also known as mind maps, they are simply charts that sketch out how you understand a particular concept.  This helps you map out for yourself how the pieces of a complex topic relate to one another . . .and perhaps also how they relate to other concepts.

You've seen concept maps before.  They are scattered throughout your A&P textbook.  They can take the form of flow charts, tables, circle diagrams, sketches, and so on.  When you make your own concept map, you help yourself to learn how it all fits together.

If you struggle with putting together a concept map, that's great!  That means that you've identified a specific hole in your understanding.  You can't complete a concept map unless you understand where to place all the bits into the picture, right?  Once you stumble, you know what parts of your understanding are weak.  And that means you know what sections of the textbook you need to explore further.  Or what questions you need to ask your study group, your professor, or your tutor.

When you've finished the concept map, you've learned quite a bit.  Your understanding of the concept is deeper.

And the finished concept map serves as a handy reference for future study and review.  If you keep it for the long term, which I recommend, it becomes part of your own personal encyclopedia that never stops growing.  And which, I hope, you continue to update as your learning expands.

I recently ran across a FREE online tool that creates concepts maps in a simple chart style.  It's called Text2MindMap.com and it's really easy to use.  You just cut and paste (or type in) and outline of a concept and the tool will automatically generate a concept map! 

You can then tweak the layout, the levels, the colors, the fonts, etc.   Then with a single click you can save your concept map as a graphics file.  You then have the option of printing out your concept map or sharing it with a friend or embedding it in your class notes.

Want to know more about concept mapping?  Visit my page on Concept Maps in the Lion Den.

Concept Maps

Concept maps are a great way to make your study time more efficient . . . that is, they help to learn more in less time. And the learning you do will be deeper learning than simply memorizing facts!

Also known as mind maps, these tools are simply a way to visualize a concept.

Although visual and kinesthetic learners will adapt most easily to this method of learning, anyone can benefit from it.
Concept maps are diagrams that relate different elements of a concept to each other and/or to the main idea. These diagrams can be simple or complex --depending on your own style of learning and what helps you understand the concept best.
For example, you can draw your own diagram of how blood flows through the cardiovascular system that makes sense to you--maybe quite different than something you may see in a book or online. It could be a simple figure 8, labeled with different sections like heart chambers, valves, systemic arteries, systemic arterioles, capillaries, and so on.
Or a flow chart, where a main idea is placed in a box at the center of the page and all the concepts related to the main idea radiate out from the central box. Then you could draw lines between the boxes to connect related concepts (maybe labeling the connecting line with how they relate to each other).

For a more complete explanation of how to make and use concept maps, including examples and links to more resources, visit Concept Maps in the Lion Den now.
You'll also want to download the FREE concept map creation tool called FreeMind . . . and start playing with it.
If you want a nice, short book that lays out how concept maps unlock your mind to organize, understand, and learn just about anything, check out the book How to Mind Map: The Ultimate Thinking Tool That Will Change Your Life.