The Anatomy and Physiology Learning System

From The Critics

Reviewer: Michael L. Troxell, MEd, RRT(Medical College of Ohio)
Description: This learning system (textbook and workbook) is a general introduction to human anatomy and physiology. Each chapter of the book describes a system of the human body and includes a highlighted section on practical application in medical care.
Purpose: The learning system provides a textbook for a semester introduction to anatomy and physiology. The workbook chapters correspond to those in the text, and the questions provide a self-evaluation mechanism for the student. The author has achieved these worthwhile objectives.
Audience: The book is written as an introductory text for the health care student. The reading level and content seem appropriate for these students. The author has many years of experience teaching this type of course at the community college level.
Features: Illustrations are very important in a book on anatomy and physiology, and this book is well illustrated. This book does not include references. The table of contents and index are adequate. The books appear as typical paperback workbooks. The illustrator should be complimented on the original anatomical art. Each chapter contains a small "Focus on Aging" section and a section related to medical care application of anatomy and physiology.
Assessment: This text and workbook could serve as a useful guide to the beginning health care student taking a human anatomy and physiology class. Bookstores on college campuses offering introductory courses on human anatomy and physiology should have this learning system available. The books have a potential use in this setting.

Rita Getz

This is a comprehensive text in anatomy and physiology for pre-health professions students enrolled in a one-semester course. The text is student-friendly, and has been written to provide the necessary fundamental information in a variety of useful formats. Chapter objectives and a vocabulary list begin each chapter, and questions to test comprehension along with chapter quizzes reinforce key concepts. This book is written at an appropriate level for the intended audience, and has sufficient depth to hold the attention of the student with some prior knowledge of the topic as well as the student to whom the information is being presented for the first time. A highlight of the text is the clinical scenarios. This feature whets the appetite for the students' future career in a clinical setting and adds relevance to the fundamental facts. It is clear that the author has substantial teaching experience, and has incorporated comments and suggestions from students and colleagues into this work. This edition replaces the first edition published in 1995, and has numerous updates. For example, clinical terms are indexed, and a list of disorders common to each body system have been added to the aforementioned vocabulary lists and chapter quizzes. Five chapters covering basic concepts serve as the introduction to the book. These are followed by a systems approach to the human body. For reasons that are not clear, the cardiovascular system is presented in three separate chapters: blood, heart, and blood vessels. The chapter on structure and function of the digestive system is followed by a chapter on metabolism and nutrition, and presentation of the reproductive system is followed by achapter on development. The illustrations are visually appealing with relevant structures labeled. The use of color in the illustrations is helpful in distinguishing parts of a structure (e.g., the bones of the skull), but I am always concerned about the usefulness of colored illustrations for those readers with visual color deficits. Several minor errors are found in the text (on page 157, the description of the blood-brain barrier, and on page 164, misplacement of the homunculus in the brain). A more serious oversight is the lack of references. Readers who wish to know more about any of the basic science or clinical information presented here have no guidance on resources. All things considered, this is an excellent text for the target audience, and can be an invaluable learning tool for health professional students beginning their coursework. The author resoundingly meets her goal of providing a text which fosters learning and understanding of anatomy and physiology with practical applications.

Michael L. Troxell

This learning system (textbook and workbook) is a general introduction to human anatomy and physiology. Each chapter of the book describes a system of the human body and includes a highlighted section on practical application in medical care. The learning system provides a textbook for a semester introduction to anatomy and physiology. The workbook chapters correspond to those in the text, and the questions provide a self-evaluation mechanism for the student. The author has achieved these worthwhile objectives. The book is written as an introductory text for the health care student. The reading level and content seem appropriate for these students. The author has many years of experience teaching this type of course at the community college level. Illustrations are very important in a book on anatomy and physiology, and this book is well illustrated. This book does not include references. The table of contents and index are adequate. The books appear as typical paperback workbooks. The illustrator should be complimented on the original anatomical art. Each chapter contains a small Focus on Aging section and a section related to medical care application of anatomy and physiology. This text and workbook could serve as a useful guide to the beginning health care student taking a human anatomy and physiology class. Bookstores on college campuses offering introductory courses on human anatomy and physiology should have this learning system available. The books have a potential use in this setting.

3 Stars from Doody