An undergraduate course in human anatomy and physiology is required for admission to many health-related schools. If you intend to go into nursing, for example, you will probably need to take this course and do well. If you are applying to a competitive program, you will need to get the best grade possible in anatomy and physiology. So what do you need to do to get the best rating? What does it take to get an “A”?

This is a good question to ask yourself before registering for the class. Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) is not an easy class, but it is not impossible. It’s really just a memorization exercise, but on a much larger scale than you’ve probably encountered before. You will have to memorize, and memorize, and then memorize some more. Even the best students can stumble upon such a mountain of memorization. So it’s helpful to have a plan of action before you start class. It helps to know what to expect and then approach the problem systematically.

You will need to develop a set of skills before you start. The most important skill is memorization. You must develop your own set of tools that will allow you to memorize as efficiently as possible. Next, you’ll want to review your note-taking method. If you’ve never been serious about developing a good way to take notes, now is the time to go online and do some research to determine the best method for you. Personally, I use an outline format to take notes (with a pen) during class and then type the notes with MS Word. It’s easy to let Word automatically create the outline format. This is a good way to review the lesson and gives me a chance to correct any mistakes I made in the notes I took during class.

You should also consider improving your drawing skills. Being able to create a good, simple sketch is a skill that anyone can learn, and if you can’t draw, you should do some research online or in the library, and study the basics of drawing so that a) you won’t be intimidated when you ask you to draw in class, and b) you will be able to use your own drawings as study aids.

One thing that will greatly help you get that “A” is to go and talk to your instructor as soon as possible after the start of the semester. Just walk in during office hours and introduce yourself and tell your instructor why he’s taking the course and that he wants to do well. Then ask him for some tips on how to do it. This is a conversation that every instructor hopes to have (but rarely does). If you show real enthusiasm for the subject and ask the instructor for advice, then you will begin to build a relationship with your instructor, and that relationship will pay off.

Ultimately, your grade will depend on how you do on tests, and this will depend on how well you learn the material. It’s a good idea to get help on this. Make connections with other students in your class. If you’re not interested in joining a study group, you should (at the very least) prepare for the possibility of missing a class and ending up without the most important notes for that lesson. In this situation, you will need to copy someone else’s notes. If you’ve offered to help other students (especially in the lab, especially if you offer to draw a sketch for your “artistically challenged” lab mates), then you already have friends who can provide you with the lecture notes you missed.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of test-taking skills and techniques. Very often, the difference between an “A” student and a “B” student is not what they know, but how well they take the test.