How to Ace Anatomy and Physiology

Studying for an anatomy and physiology course

Earlier this year, we received some advice from another ultrasound professor: Michael Keith, (B.S.R.T., R.D.M.S) who is the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Director at Rowan College at Gloucester County in New Jersey.

Director Keith had this to say:

“I would encourage all aspiring sonographers to make sure they pay strict attention in Anatomy and Physiology classes prior to getting into ultrasound education. I have found it to be a better indicator of a student’s success than the ACT or SAT.”

While Anatomy and Physiology may be a pre-requisite to apply for an ultrasound degree (or may also be included in the program) their concepts will carry through for the remainder of a sonographer’s career.

What is Anatomy and Physiology?

According to Dartmouth Medical School’s Ronan O’Rahilly, M.D., and his colleagues, anatomy is defined as “the science of the structure of the body” and it comes from the Greek word anatome which means “cutting up” as in dissection.

O’Rahilly and his colleagues (in their publication “Basic Human Anatomy”) continue by quoting the French physician Jean Fernel: “Anatomy is to physiology as geography is to history.” It is said that Fernel is the person responsible for coining the term “physiology” after all.

Fernel defined physiology this way: “So, if the five parts of a complete Medicine are set in order, physiology will be the first of all; it concerns itself with the nature of the wholly healthy human being, all the powers and functions” (Universa medicina, 1567).

So if we look at the digestive system for example, simply put, anatomy is the different parts of the digestive system (like the stomach and the esophagus); and physiology is how the digestive system works.

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