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Why Are Anatomy & Physiology Studied Together?
Anatomy
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Anatomy, in its simplest form, is the study of the human body, especially body structure and the relationship between body parts. Anatomy is a natural science that predates recorded history; some of the earliest forms of anatomy involved simply studying the outwardly visible components of a mate's body, or analyzing the bodies of the recently deceased. More modern students may study the individual components of a body such as the skeletal system, the nervous system and the digestive system, in addition to the myriad other components that make up a living organism. As a whole, the study of anatomy can be applied to any species, and some students study insect anatomy, anatomy of household pets (dogs, cats and rodents), or even anatomy of food animals. When most students think of anatomy in terms of college coursework, however, the common association is with human anatomy.
Physiology
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Physiology, in contrast to anatomy, is the study of the body in its entirety and how the various components of the body interact to make the organism function as a whole. In its most broad form, physiology is simply the study of life (including specific emphasis on how all the components of an organism function). In addition to studying how various anatomical components interact with one another, professional physiologists may also study the effects of outside influences--sunlight, space travel, even pollution--on a given organism by breaking down how the effects occur on systems within the organism.
Physiology and Anatomy Are Inseperable
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Because the study of physiology necessitates an understanding of the function of individual components of the body (anatomy), the studies of anatomy and physiology are virtually inseparable. Some medical or scientific professionals may devote many hours of coursework to both anatomy and physiology as individual sciences, but students who study anatomy and physiology as part of a broader higher education program--those whose career will not revolve around an advanced understanding of the body--gain the most benefit from combining the two studies.
eHow Article: Why Are Anatomy & Physiology Studied Together?
