Larry M

Need help with A and P?

1. Is it because you're not spending enough time studying?

Work, family, other classes, scheduling??---Work it out. Make yourself more efficient. Use every minute. Spend an hour each week organizing all the material into little packets and take those packets with you--to breaks at work, on the bus, after dinner, whenever. It's probably better to study a few minutes at a time, several times a day, then in one big block.

Are you not interested in anatomy and physiology? Then you might be in trouble--do some serious self-reflection and think about why you want to take the class. If you want to go into health professions and you're not interested in A and P, then you're probably not going to like your job!!.

2. Are you studying a lot, but not getting results? Think about what resources you have that you might not be taking advantage of:

YOURSELF: Change your study mode--do something different--don't just listen to lectures and read your book!! Use all senses and abilities--read and take notes, listen and take notes, then outline your notes. Try saying your notes aloud. Draw pictures or make diagrams of your notes. Try presenting the material to a willing friend or family member--get out some scratch paper, use a blackboard--when you can teach someone else what you know, then you probably really know it. Do you like tables? Outlines? Sketches? Those are ways to organize this material. Do it in small bits--topic by topic--to help get yourself organized. Start early on your compendium notebook, piece by piece.

PEERS AND COLLEAGUES: Try to find a friend or study partner--this really helps. Maybe it doesn't have to be someone in the class (try teaching anatomy to your kids--I'm sure you'll learn it along the way!)

TUTORS: This can really help if you find someone that works well for you. The college has a free (yes, free!!) tutoring service at the Science Resource Center

MORE TIME STUDYING: Spend more time studying, by yourself, but especially with others. Try to form a study group, or tell your friends, family, co-workers, whoever, about all the interesting stuff you're learning. Always carry a sheet from your compendium notebook...a nice summary of this week's work with you. Take it out on break, at lunch, during your down-time. It takes repetition, and lots of it...little bits at a time...to learn this new language.

ME: Send me an e-mail, post your questions/concerns on our comment page or come visit during my office hours

3. None of these things help...do you need academic or personal counseling? The best place to start is through academic advising and your academic advisor (if you don't have one, get one!)

Larry M Frolich, Ph.D. ∞ Miami Dade College ∞ Wolfson Campus ∞ Natural Sciences ∞ Miami, FL 33132 ∞ Office 1504 ∞ (305) 237-7589 ∞ e-mail