so you’re taking physio? 🩻🫀
You do not want to be like senders of those text messages on the first slide. Here are some study tips I learned while I was taking Human Physiology last semester in grad school!
The physio course I was taking is aimed at students studying to be in medical and dental school, so it really went way more in depth than when I took A&P in college. Because of this, I needed to spend a lot of time preparing before lectures. Pre-read the slides, use the textbook provided, and utilize any outside resources. I loved Ninja Nerd on YouTube!
It helps to remember that everything is connected. When learning all the content, I was able to connect one system to the other, and things just made more sense. Get familiar with what organs, elements, and mechanisms correspond to what system. Drawing out these mechanisms (I recommend on a white board!) will help you understand and drill everything down. I really needed help with secretion regulation and all the heart mechanisms, but visualizing diagrams made it so much more understandable.
Good luck!
When I first started Human Physiology in grad school, I truly felt like I was drowning in a sea of information. It wasn't just about memorizing; it was about understanding intricate processes, and sometimes, the sheer volume felt impossible to tackle. My previous A&P courses felt like child's play compared to this depth! But through trial and error, I developed a study system that actually worked, helping me move from confusion to clarity. Let’s dive deeper into some of the strategies that really made a difference, especially when grappling with those complex "organs, elements, and mechanisms" of the human body. Beyond just pre-reading, I learned to actively engage with the material. Instead of passively flipping through slides or textbook chapters, I'd skim for headings and bolded terms, then try to formulate questions. These questions became my guide during the actual lecture or deeper reading. It transformed my learning from absorption to active problem-solving. For anyone looking for more than just a surface-level understanding, especially in "physiology studies," the key is active recall and spaced repetition. For example, when you "Draw out everything!" as mentioned earlier, don't just copy diagrams. Instead, try to draw a pathway, like the regulation of blood pressure or the cardiac cycle, from memory. Then, compare it to the original diagram, identify gaps, and repeat. This method, often called active recall, forces your brain to retrieve information rather than just recognize it, solidifying your understanding. I found whiteboards to be indispensable for this – easy to erase and redraw until it clicked. And speaking of resources, "Ninja Nerd respiratory physiology" was a game-changer for me, but not just for the respiratory system. While his videos on gas exchange and ventilation mechanics are superb, I applied his approach across all systems. Instead of just watching a video, I’d pause frequently to summarize what he just explained in my own words, or even try to predict the next step in a process. I used his videos as a supplementary lecture, taking detailed notes and integrating them with my textbook readings. He excels at making "everything is connected" truly understandable, especially for intricate neurophysiology or endocrine pathways. Don't just rely on one resource; use Ninja Nerd to clarify concepts that are fuzzy in your textbook or lecture notes. It’s like having a personal tutor breaking down the toughest concepts. Finally, for all my pre-med peers, remember to connect physiological concepts to potential clinical scenarios. Ask yourself: What happens if this mechanism goes wrong? How would a disruption in this organ affect the entire system? This kind of thinking not only deepens your understanding of normal physiology but also prepares you for future medical studies. It truly helps you "remember that everything is connected" in a practical, real-world sense.
