Reviews for BSCI202

Information Review
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/17/2023
I loved Dr. Lombardi! The material was really interesting and she taught it in a way you could understand! I got an A on each exam, but I put in work to study. I can see how the exams would be difficult if you didn't have a good study technique down. This class is mainly MEMORIZATION!!! I basically turned every lecture topic into quizlets, and some of my quizlets are 200-300+ terms. She teaches the conceptual info really well, and sometimes I wouldn't get it the first time in a lecture and would be able to get it on my own with the slides or a quick youtube video. She recorded her lectures which was really nice for if you couldn't come to class, but I highly suggest you go to class as much as you can. I went to every class and I think that was one of the reasons I was able to do well. She also verbally says/explains more info you should know or that is helpful that is not on the slides, but her slides are pretty comprehensive. There are lecture assignments you need to be present for in lectures and many people missed these because they were sometimes during random/unpredictable lectures. Some of our lecture assignments were also just canvas quizzes before exams. She dropped 3/10 lecture assignments which was nice. She is a great professor and you just need to be prepared to take the time to memorize. If you don't understand a concept, her office hours are really helpful and she is always willing to help. There are always a couple of points of extra credit on each exam, but some of the true-false and even multiple choice can be tricky. I recommend slowing down and going over the true false multiple times. The written portion of the exams always has a concept she emphasized or spent more time on. The final exam was all multiple-choice and pretty fair in my opinion. Overall a really interesting class with an amazing professor!!
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting a C+
Anonymous
12/15/2023
Dr. Lombardi is a really amazing professor, there is just so much content in this class that you really have to put in a ton of work - especially if it doesn't come as naturally (me sadly). She posts panopto recordings of the lectures that saved my life when studying and she explains things pretty well. I definitely suggest taking her over any other professor - just be prepared for pretty tough exams and definitely use crash courses + stuff to help!
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/15/2023
Overall, a very thoughtful lecturer. Each lecture includes a "think-pair-share" question that helps you consider the content in the scope of the real world. She has lecture assignments built into the class that help cushion your grade if you don't test well. Each exam has at least 1-2 extra credit questions which are also really nice. Super approachable, extremely kind, and accommodating. If I had anything negative to say, it would be that she has WAY too much faith in her students' math skills and doesn't allow calculators for some of her exams (luckily not too many math questions). I would definitely recommend, but be sure to go back and rewatch lectures because she puts some emphasis on very specific points that aren't always written on her slides.
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/11/2023
I absolutely love this class and Dr. O'Brien does an amazing job at explaining the hard concepts. While there is a lot of information to memorize, it is Anatomy 2 so what else can you expect? I'm not sure why a lot of the reviews say she is rude, if you go to her office hours she is extremely helpful and easy to talk to. She gives many opportunities for extra credit and you can get one every class just by answering questions which she asks a lot of (you do not have to answer correctly). She drops some of the assignments at the end of the semester which raises your grade. The only thing is this class is at 8 am, so be sure to be prepared for that.
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
06/28/2023
she's kinda weird. Her exams are extremely specific and its loads of memorization (but I mean it's anatomy so what can you expect). her lecture exam averages were mid 70's which I'd say is pretty ok for this level of class. she does give group assignments and extra credit which helps your grade a ton. You need to show her you are actively listening and participating for this extra credit. She drops a few assignments here and there which also boosts your grade. Her lecture exam dates would always fall the day before or after the lab practicals though which was super inconvenient. She is rude at times but you don't interact with her too much. Her voice is extremely annoying. Worst part of this class is the final. Her midterms were typically a 6/10 for difficulty, but the final is completely a 10/10, it delves into topics you have not learned and does not cover at all what is taught in class. I took this class at the same time as orgo and it was super difficult to balance both.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Anonymous
05/01/2023
I like professor Lombardi and I think she's a really good lecturer. However, BE WARNED, her exams are not as easy as some people say they are. She does try to trick you and she will if you are not paying enough attention to the entire scope of the question. ESPECIALLY THE TRUE AND FALSE. for people taking her next semester, read over the true and false a few times and underline the key words, I promise you there are tricks in there that if you're glancing at the questions quickly, you will miss them. Those are honestly the hardest parts of the tests, but other than that the class is definitely doable.
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting a B
Anonymous
04/30/2023
Not sure why reviews are so negative! She's a really strange lady, and her voice is definitely too loud and obnoxious for when I had it at 8am. But she's really really smart, gives you opportunities to rack up extra credit points during lectures just by answering questions, and there's a lot of filler assignments that make it easier to get a decent grade. The lecture assignments are kind of annoying, but it's NBD. Exams are hard but you really just need to memorize the slides. She gives out the slides, along with video recordings of her lecturing. pretty good
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
04/27/2023
Her exams are unnecessarily specific and you literally need to memorize everything she says in lecture to be able to pass them. When asking her a question she makes you feel dumb for even asking and will cut you off when speaking. She gives extra credit coupons in class for answering questions but you have to know the answer and raise your hand within 0.5 seconds or she won't call on you. The only reason I did well in the class was due to my own out of class dedication.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Anonymous
03/07/2023
If you want to rewatch lectures multiple times at 0.5x speed then this is the professor for you !
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
02/23/2023
Worst professor I’ve ever had by a mile
Caitlin Fox
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/25/2023
I only ever met Dr. Fox once, but she coordinated the BSCI 201 and 202 labs, and this review is for both. Like most lab coordinators, she's not good at her job, and gets away with it because she almost never has to interact with students directly. The activities in lab are incredibly time consuming but aren't actually helpful, especially the design an experiment activities with the lab computer software that never works right. The textbook is expensive and unhelpful, usually providing more info that you need so you don't know what to study. The lab practicals are done in an incredibly stupid format, where you move around the room in timed stations and do a question at each station. Studying for those practicals is worse, because Dr. Fox doesn't give you a good sense of what you need to study other than "everything", which sometimes includes 200 bones or 400+ muscles/muscle attachment points. You wind up studying a bunch of memorization stuff, most of which you don't need, then end up with a bunch of questions on something you barely studied because you thought it wasn't important. Unfortunately, there's no avoiding her if you need to take anatomy, so you just have to deal with the terrible lab.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/25/2023
This class covers a lot of content, but Dr. Lombardi does an amazing job of teaching it in a way that's easy to understand. She also records all her lectures on Panopto, which is nice. Overall highly recommend
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting a C
Anonymous
11/27/2022
Doctor Obrien fails to understand life outside of the classroom. During the semester things happen outside of school that are not within our control. I have had countless family issues which greatly affected my performance within the class and i have tried countless times to justify myself but it just felt as if there was no remorse at all. Its always just "no", here is the UMD counseling if you need help. There was never a moment when she would try to understand where I am coming from. I found it frustrating because at times I felt hopeless in the class. But I guess it just doesn't matter because I am a college student and feelings dont necessarily matter.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
10/26/2022
the absolute best
Tammatha O'Brien
BSCI202

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
05/11/2022
Great professor, I was worried because of the other reviews but she really cares about this class and her students. She gives snacks on exam days and lets you get 10 extra points for doing exam reviews. She gives LOTS of extra credit during lectures and on the exams and lets you drop a few assignments if you missed them. The class was tough and I had to study A LOT but it was worth it for the exams. Overall I would recommend her for sure. Everything you need to know for the exam she goes over in her lecture and her slides. (The practice exams help a lot!)
Caitlin Fox
BSCI202

Anonymous
04/28/2022
First of all... if you are going to make your students purchase YOUR OWN lab manual every semester, at MINIMUM make sure that it encompasses all the material. Studying for the practicals is more of a scavenger hunt than actually learning the material. I spent more time gathering the appropriate diagrams and lecture slides that actually memorizing them. Horrendous professor. Have fun taking her for two semesters.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
06/11/2021
I have nothing but very good things to say about Dr. Lombardi. She is consistently available to respond to any student questions or concerns, has an extremely approachable lecture style, and makes it very clear that she cares deeply about her students. I took her for both BSCI201 and BSCI202 and, while 202 was a bit tougher, both courses were highly dependent on the work the student puts in. Highly recommended!
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting an A
Anonymous
02/22/2021
Great professor, you can really tell she loves what she does and that makes the content a lot more engaging. She gives you everything you need for the exams right in her lectures, so keep up with the content and you should be fine. Especially online w open notes, everything you need she gives to you. I took her for BSCI201 last semester and got an A-, I'm taking her again for BSCI202 this semester and planning to get the same or above.
Sara Lombardi
BSCI202

Expecting a B
Anonymous
11/10/2020
AWESOME professor. She knows her stuff and is extremely passionate about A&P. She brings a lot of energy into her lectures and makes them engaging. There's a good amount of memorization but that's just the nature of the course. She makes all the material very understandable. I was dreading this course but she made me love it! Hands down the best professor I've had at UMD.
Justicia Opoku-Edusei
BSCI202

Expecting a B
Anonymous
04/28/2009
Opoku literally knows everything about Anatomy. Dont worry about the book, Exams are strictly from lecture so study hard and you will get an A. Coming to class is imperative because If you don't, Opoku is a machine and writes so much that you miss alot so make sure you have a friend who has your back. Lab manual you need though. Both lecture and lab require insane amounts of memorizing but Im assuming if youre taking BSCI201/202 you have to because otherwise this class as an elective would make you the dumbest person alive. Just make sure to study about 3 - 4 days in advance and you will be fine!