Don't read the book. In fact I suggest only using the book as a reference. Talk to him after lecture to clarify things. He is very kind and patient and willing to help you. I also found the internet to be useful. Many of his test questions come from the notes. Make sure you understand the concept entirely( seriously.) He did curve on some test.

This class was hard as hell! The trick is to write down *every single word* that comes out of his mouth, because anything could be on the test. Some physiology was included.

the class is challenging. you need to attend every lecture. i learned that if i just studied the notes from class and looked up anything i was unclear about in the book, it worked the best. i did much better by just knowing my notes from class. if you put the time in you can make a good grade.

He is a pretty good teacher, but his tests are very hard. He makes sure you know the concepts entirely when it comes to test time. But he does a good job explaining things and he offers help if needed.

You get out of this class exactly what you put into it. Buy a digital recorder, sit up front, write down everything from the digital recorder, know the practice tests. This class will be the bane of your existance as Mark said the first day of class. I got a 58 on first test, 92 on 3rd and trust me, I earned the 92!

He has been my favorite professor at UT so far. You do not need the textbook if you go to the lectures and take good notes. For physiology, he teaches a morning class where the tests are only multiple choice or a night class where you only 2 exams consisting of essays (which he tells you what they are) with mult. choice and short answer.

Good lecture,interesting class, but to succeed you need to come to class and study hard!

I am in his class now, and I completely agree with everything everyone has said so far. Also, make sure you have a few of the old tests and study them! Don't just memorize the answer, but look to see what the question would have been if the answer were one of the other choices...make sense? GO TO CLASS and make sure he knows who you are!

I love him. He has been the best professor I have ever had. He is one of those professors who really cares about the student (which is really rare to find). If you go to him and talk, you will actually learn something. He is an amazing teacher and an even better person. I highly recommend him to anyone.

go to ALL lectures--he gives extra credit the day following each exam--study old tests, the actual questions plus the answers and make up questions to match the other answers...make sure you go and talk to him!! i would have gotten a D in the class and he said because i went and talked to him throughout the semester he gave me a C. STUDY STUDY!

Good teacher. You'll learn a lot, but be prepared to do A LOT of studying outside of class. Use the textbook as a guide to understand your notes from class more in-depth. Find old tests!!!! Gives extra credit quizzes in class. I would recommend him!

John Mark is the best professor I have ever had. He is tough but if you go to his office and talk to him he can be really helpful. Be sure he knows your name! His physiology class is really hard, but anatomy is much easier. I'm really glad I had him. I learned alot about myself in this class. It was super rewarding and you know you earn your grade.

Dr. Alston is awesome! Try to get his class! He teaches anatomy systemically rather than regionally which makes it make more sense. Anatomy is a hard class that requires some memorizing, but Alston is passionate about his work and will break his back trying to help you understand something. He really cares about his students.

This class is challenging,but not impossible. Attend every single lecture and lab, get a recorder and study EVERY WORD he says - anything is fair game for the test, and he is very good at testing you on very obscure things he says but doesn't spend alot of lecture time on. Study old tests. Your grade will definitely correlate to your effort.

my favorite teacher i have had. this class was not the easiest class, but it very possible. you have tot go to every lecture and actually pay attention. i found the class interesting. he is very nice and helpful if you are having trouble GO SEE HIM. he will help you out grade wise if you show him you deserve it. I got an A, but i studied a lot

Great teacher, but not easy. You MUST attend class and MUST study. This is not an easy A. He will help you if you ask him. Study the notes and the practice tests. Try and reword the practice test questions to cover every possible question in that specific area. Most questions are opposite or dif versions of the practice questions. STUDY!!!

Alston is one of the best teachers I have had at UT. Also had him for EEB230. Will go out of his way to help you understand the material & is genuinely interested in helping you learn. You will have to work hard, because an A means a lot in his class. If you put in the effort though, it pays off! Study old tests, take good notes.

The only way to pass this class is to get on study blue and get all of his old tests. going to class will not help you because the material on tests are at a completely different level than what he lectures and he often leaves out things because he teaches from memory. Hardest class I have taken and the only way to do well is with a lot old tests.

I never attended a lecture in this class because of a conflict on tuesday and thursday mornings, but I studied a ton before every test with my friends in the class and lots of old tests and I managed to make a B...and so did my friends who attended every lecture and recorded him and wrote down every word he said. Just work hard and you will be fine

His class is probably the hardest I've take at UT, but he is a good teacher. He is understanding and helpful- you must study your butt off though. Take every chance you get in lab time because the lab exams are just a label on a muscle or nerve and to name it.

BCMB 230 with Alston is not an easy class by any means. I recommend attending every lecture and comparing notes with other students. My biggest piece of advice is to GO TALK TO HIM in office hours if you are needing help! Do not hesitate to ask him questions because he always wants to help his students! I made 50-60's on tests and still passed.

This is a difficult class. Simple as that. Alston can be intimidating at first, but he's a really nice guy. This class requires lots of work to do well in, and it's a 5 hour class, so it has a big impact on your GPA. Study hard, don't dare miss class, and take good notes.

He is brilliant and the class is difficult but very interesting. Take notes constantly and use the images in the book. Key to passing: getting your hands on old tests!!! Take every opportunity for bonus points and study 6 days or more out from the test!

Dr. Alston is an excellent professor. He is always available to help students if they need it, and he is very good at providing alternate explanations to concepts. His class is very hard, and his tests are very hard. However, if you study a lot and go to his office hours for help, you will do fairly well in the class.

Actually one of the best professors I've had at UT. Yes, it is a hard class, there is a ton of info to learn, but no it's not impossible to make an A. He is more than willing to help and answer any questions you have if you go to office hours. The course is also very interesting, especially if you are interested in a health profession.

THE hardest class I've ever taken at UT. That being said, it IS possible to do well. He gives bonus point quizzes in class, so GO TO CLASS, plus he doesn't post notes so you'd be screwed otherwise. Tests are extremely hard, but every question is just a modification on one on old test. Know your stuff backwards and forwards. and GO TO OFFICE HOURS!

This was the hardest class I've ever taken, but he is a great teacher. Go to office hours! He is intimidating but is so incredibly helpful. Talking to him throughout the semester will save your grade. When he says you need to know everything that he says in lecture, he's not kidding.

The material covered in this class is difficult, and you must take notes (he does not use PowerPoint; he just talks and occasionally draws something). But if you go to all the lectures and actually put in some effort to study, it's fine. The lab is a joke; show up and you make an A for 20% of your grade. The rest comes from four MC exams.

This page is saturated with a LOT of people that try to do the bare minimum. If you are genuinely interested in healthcare and the subject matter, you will enjoy this class. Professor Alston expects you to take notes and LISTEN to everything that he says, but saying that he expects you to read every chapter is ludicrous. Study and you will pass.

No power points, he only talks so take GREAT notes. I record lectures. Lecture exams are worded tricky, but if you know the material you'll be fine. Make sure you take advantage of your lab time. Lab exams are very tough and you must write out the part with no word bank. STUDY. Go to office hours, get help, talk to him.

I loved taking Alston. I loved the material and I really believe he wants you to do well. I recorded lectures and re wrote all my notes based on what he says. You can't cram and you do actually have to learn how stuff works, but why take this class if you don't want to. Had a study buddy and I found discussing the material to be really helpful.

This guy is TOUGH! And he knows it too. Don't be scared when he starts class of the first day by saying that a lot of you will fail... Honestly, it's true. I recorded his lectures, re-wrote and listened to EVERY. WORD. Went to office hours every week like it was another class, read the book, watched videos online, and discussed with classmates.

I loved anatomy with Prof. Alston, go to the extra lab times and go to his office hours if you can. Do not leave lab early because you really do need that time to grasp all the models and do well on lab exams. You have to work for your grade but if you do like he says in the beginning you will do fine.

I had Alston for both Anatomy and Physiology and got A's in both courses. He is a tough professor but if you put in the work for the class you will succeed. Go to his office hours, talk to him with any material you are struggling with he will help you. he's a great professor!

Alston is tough, don't get me wrong. But his class is NOT impossible. He is always willing to help students and is always in his office. Don't skip class because his tests come from his lectures. Rewrite your notes and reference the figures in the book. He will make you work for a good grade. He wants you to be able to critically think.

Look. Go to class every. Single. Day. Show up and take very good notes. He doesn't have PowerPoints so it's up to you to write down EVERYTHING. While the information is boring, he makes lecture something you want to listen for. Study everyday. I rewrite all my notes and make them into quizlets and go over them everyday. It's hard but not impossible

This class is by far one of the hardest I've ever taken. Professor Alston is a great lecturer and is more than willing to answer questions you have in office hours. However, don't think this is a show up and pass class. You have to dedicate a lot of time to studying because you are only graded on 4 exams and lab grade. Don't expect a curve.

Hardest class I've ever taken, but possible. Go to class, exams are straight from lecture. RECORD LECTURES! You will NOT write down everything you need the first time! His class is so hard, but I've never had a more caring professor. He will get to know you, and he'll never forget your name once he learns. Study as you go, and you'll be okay.

Lecture examsstraight from lecture, some Qs from exams in years past. Lab can and WILL tank your grade if not careful. Labmemorize structures on/within other structures. Testwrite terms on blank sheet; no word bank, spellingcrucial. Alston is such a sweet heart though. He cares, talk to him. Office hourslife saver. Hard! But not impossible!

You people make me nervous that youre the future of medicine... if you cant pass this stuff what makes you think you can pass any of it in Medical/graduate school? Youre in the perfect position with this class: an OUTSTANDING teacher that makes himself so available to you all & will explain so thoroughly in OH, USE IT. Work hard for the A.

Excellent teacher. Does not spoon feed material. If you are ready to learn and truly comprehend the material, this is THE class to take. How do you expect to do well in medical school etc without a complete fundamental understanding of basic anatomy & physiology. Must go to class. No powerpoint. Office hours are bonus. Brilliant teacher!

Grade is total of 4 exams+lab. You have quizzes in lab, 5 pts max. No powerpoint so so take notes from what he says. Office hours help & building a rapport w/him. He cares about his students & this class SO YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK for a good grade. His exams are "tricky" in a sense that he is very specific on what he ask . I enjoyed him & this class!

No PPTs; I would recommend recording lectures and re-listening to them to write down what you missed in class. If you study what he says in class and the pictures from the book he shows- you CAN get an A. It won't be handed to you and you'll have to work for it but it's preparing you for grad school where you have to do the SAME thing.

Professor Alston is very helpful through difficult courses. He is always in his office when you need him. He makes his courses very intense to be sure you fully understand the material. His tests are tricky but he is willing to go over material with you. He genuinely cares about his students but will require you to really work for your grade.

Yes, the class is hard. It is a difficult class because the material is difficult. You've got to put in the work. Professor Alston was a great professor. He was always available and happy to help you understand the material. The way his class is organized makes you know the material so you dont have a joke of a class credit.

Hardest class I've ever taken, but I learned a ton! He's hard, but good and cares that you learn—if you put in the effort. Do not miss class!