Human Anatomy and Physiology — priority systems
Not all body systems are tested equally. Focus your A&P preparation on these systems in priority order:
| Body System | Key Topics | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular | Heart anatomy (4 chambers, valves), cardiac cycle, blood pressure regulation, blood vessel types (arteries, veins, capillaries), blood components (RBC, WBC, platelets, plasma) | HIGH |
| Respiratory | Mechanics of breathing (diaphragm, intercostal muscles), gas exchange (alveoli, partial pressures), lung volumes, respiratory regulation (chemoreceptors, CO₂ levels) | HIGH |
| Nervous | Neuron structure and function, action potentials, synaptic transmission, CNS vs PNS, somatic vs autonomic nervous system, brain regions (cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem) | HIGH |
| Endocrine | Major glands (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, pancreas), hormone types (steroid vs peptide), negative feedback loops, diabetes (insulin, glucagon), thyroid disorders | HIGH |
| Renal | Kidney anatomy (nephron structure, glomerulus, tubules), filtration, reabsorption, secretion, urine formation, fluid and electrolyte balance, acid-base regulation | MEDIUM |
| Immune | Innate vs adaptive immunity, B cells vs T cells, antibody structure and function, inflammation response, vaccination principles, autoimmune vs immunodeficiency | MEDIUM |
| Musculoskeletal | Bone structure and types, major bones (axial vs appendicular skeleton), muscle types (skeletal, smooth, cardiac), muscle contraction mechanism (sarcomere, actin, myosin) | MEDIUM |
| Digestive | Organs and their functions (mouth, esophagus, stomach, small/large intestine, liver, pancreas), digestive enzymes, nutrient absorption sites | MEDIUM |
Biology
TEAS 7 Biology covers cell structure and function (organelles and their roles, cell membrane transport \u2014 diffusion, osmosis, active transport), cell division (mitosis for growth and repair, meiosis for sexual reproduction, phases of each), genetics (Mendelian inheritance, dominant and recessive alleles, Punnett squares, DNA structure, protein synthesis \u2014 transcription and translation), and ecology and evolution (natural selection, adaptation, ecological relationships).
Chemistry
TEAS 7 Chemistry is introductory college-level: atomic structure (protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number, mass number, isotopes), the periodic table (periods, groups, trends), chemical bonding (ionic bonds \u2014 metal + nonmetal, covalent bonds \u2014 nonmetal + nonmetal, hydrogen bonds), chemical reactions (reactants, products, balancing equations, reaction types), acids and bases (pH scale, strong vs weak acids, neutralization, buffers), and solutions (solute, solvent, concentration, molarity, osmosis).
Scientific Reasoning
The Scientific Reasoning component tests your ability to interpret experimental data, identify variables (independent, dependent, controlled), evaluate experimental design for flaws, draw conclusions supported by data, and distinguish between correlation and causation. These questions often present a table or graph and ask what conclusion the data supports. Practice reading graphs carefully and avoid over-interpreting beyond what the data shows.