You've come to the right place!

There are several options open to you if you find that you are having trouble in Anatomy. Certainly, you can talk to your GTAs, Interns, the Instructor, your own Academic Advisor, and several fine Tutoring services on Campus - They do not bite, and most have had their shots. They WANT you to learn - but YOU have to want to learn as well. The first step is to ask yourself some of the following questions...

1. Have you been attending class regularly?
2. Have you been reading and studying your lecture notes daily?
3. Have you been reading and studying from the book?
4. Have you been using the Practice exams on the Web site?
5. Have you studied 2+ hours for each hour in lecture/lab = 12+ hours/week?
6. Have you scanned/reviewed the lecture notes immediatly before AND after class?
7. Have you reviewed lab material before coming to lab?

 
If you answered 'NO', or 'SOMETIMES' to any of these questions, consider what you might do to improve these study habits because they are all are under YOUR control.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHILE STUDYING ANATOMY...

1. DO focus on your lecture notes first and try to cross-reference them with the figures and tables in the text book. I cannot recommend reading the text book. It's not that exciting, and I do not cover everything in every chapter. You will waste a great deal of time reading for content. Do go to the text if my lectures were insufficient or you need clarification on a certain topic or system.

2. DON'T try and second-guess what I will, or will not, emphasize in the lab or lecture. Certainly, if I go to the trouble of writing down a word, or put up a diagram on the blackboard, or I stride back and forth waving my arms like a nut, you can usually tell that I am excited about something….something that will probably find itself onto an exam - somewhere/sometime.

3. DO focus on the OBJECTIVES in your lab manual…those should help guide BOTH lecture and lab study efforts…..When in doubt, download the practice exams and gauge for yourself the depth of the material covered. Use the practice exams only as a teaser of things to come, do not memorize them, and do not try and learn from them!

4. DO study a little bit EVERYDAY....that's how your short-term > long-term memory brain-chemicals work. Start by reviewing your lecture notes IMMEDIATELY after class, or at the least, that afternoon. It will still be familiar and easily RE-processed. You will probably be able to skate through your notes & cross-reference figures in your text book in well-less than an hour. When you are done with that first read-through, go back, cover up a block of lecture notes and ask yourself... ‘what did that say?’. If you can repeat most of the material without peeking, then you are well on your way to mastering this stuff! It's not hard, really, though I certainly appreciate that it may not be much fun at times. But YOU can do a great deal to cut-back on the stress in this class if you take small daily steps, rather than trying to race around in a panic just before a big exam. What worked in High School will probably NOT work at SDSU. Cramming = academic suicide.

5. This class does take a great deal of time. I’d argue that for every hour you spend in ANY class/lab at SDSU, you should spend at least twice that much time studying the material outside of class. You might view your college career as a full-time job, where you will be ’working/studying’ 50+ hours per week just to KEEP your job (Grade of 'C'), and the only way that you will ever get a raise (Grade of 'A/B') is to put in OVERTIME, and lot’s of it!

WHERE CAN I FIND TUTORS & REVIEW SESSIONS?

Wintrode Student Success Center — Jody Owen at the Wintrode Center can help you find a one-on-one or a small-group tutor (688-4155). Visit this great page of links run by the Wintrode Tutoring Program. Nancy Jo Popowski can also help you hire a private tutor or put you into contact with someone to help you with any questions that you may have about career choices (688-6672).

TRiO Student Support Services provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students towards the successful completion of their postsecondary education. Phone: 688-6653, Box, 2815, SSU 065.

Supplemental Instruction (SI / TRiO) is an academic support program that targets historically difficult courses like Gross Anatomy. SI offers regularly scheduled, out-of-class review sessions to all students enrolled in a targeted course. SI study sessions are informal seminars in which students review notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and prepare for examinations. The SI sessions are facilitated by “SI leaders,” students suggested by the professor of the course and who have successfully completed the Anatomy course. SI leaders attend all class lectures, take notes, and act as model student for their classmates.

STUDY SKILLS & TEST ANXIETY?

Students needing assistance with study strategies or who would like to discuss concerns about test anxiety are invited to make an appointment to speak with Mr. Mark Binkley from the College of General Studies. Mr. Binkley is an academic advisor who coordinates the Master Student course (GS 143) and helps students connect with a variety of study resources on campus. His office is located on the second floor of the Medary Commons building. Phone: 688-4153.

NURSING STUDENT SERVICES

The College of Nursing wants to help you achieve your goal of becoming a professional nurse. If you are struggling in this course, we encourage you to visit with the GTAs, Interns, or the Instructor and arrange for tutorial services through the CAP Center. Seek help early (ex. after the first exam or anytime you feel you do not understand the material). Do not wait until midterm grades are reported before you get help! Keep in mind, all classes must be completed with at least a “C” to be considered for the Nursing Major. Points will be deducted from your application score for each “D” or “F” received in nursing pre-requisite courses (this includes BIOL 221). It is important that you utilize the advising opportunities in the College of Nursing. For help with academic decision-making, contact Meghan Peterson, Nursing Student Services Coordinator, at Meghan.Peterson@dsu.edu or 688-4089.

 

LEARNING DISABILITIES?

Students may have learning disabilities that require additional time during a test or may have physical disabilities requiring special accommodations. If you think you have a learning disability, contact Ms. Nancy Crooks at the SDSU Disability Services Office (WH-501, 688-4504) for help.