Physiology is the scientific study of the normal function in living systems. And no, it is not the same as Psychology as I sometimes have to remind my friends. This science can be absolutely interesting but on the other side it might be demotivating if you have to remember all the different channels and ion flow… The books I can recommend using a textbook which deals with an basic overview at the beginning. I have read this one first and deepened my knowledge in the other book with more detailed information. Invest your money wisely in a good book, and by good book I am meaning a basic work and not those 4-year old lectures notes from previous students. It might hit in the pocket, but in my opinion it will be worth, especially when you see the satisfied face of your professor during the practical course. Surely, you can also lend a book from the library but unfortunately all books are already gone within 1 day and it is hard to get one when your year was faster than you … The lectures There is the well-known question “Should I go to lectures or not?”. If you ask me: YES, you should. Physiology is a science that never ends. If you are attending lectures, the profs will mention the “most important” facts to them and you can calculate your study-to-do-list better. Moreover, it’s always good to hear things first. And let’s be serious: If you don’t go to lectures, you are more likely to do somethings else … (at least I am) The practical course Nowadays, many med schools draw attention to “practical Physiology”. In most cases, universities are providing a course script for the different experiments. My advice: Always appear prepared. First of all, you will probably save time since you have already read the instruction once and you can focus better on the outcomes and interpret them better. Moreover, use the course time to understand facts & do not see it as a boring must go. On top of that, try to explain your findings to each other. The study methods I am the type of person who gets easily bored by just starring into the book. First of all, I read the text first while highlighting important key words. Since I am a passionate pen collector, I loved writing summaries. Moreover, I used my old filofax and file cards to draw diagrams and write down the most important facts. Summing up… … Physiology offers a great connection between pure science and medical subjects. Have patience and some imagination and you will survive Physiology as you did with Anatomy! All the best! Source
