Motivation is one of the keys to success in challenging courses such as human anatomy and physiology (A&P) and may occur in the form of intrinsic motivation (IM, motivation for enjoyment), extrinsic motivation (EM, motivation for reward), and/or amotivation (AM, lack of motivation). The goal of this study was to identify ways of supporting student success in A&P by identifying sources of motivation correlated with increased performance and determining if motivational efforts change. Three surveys, including the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire developed by Pintrich in 1990, were administered to students enrolled in A&P I at the University of Mississippi during the fall semester of 2021. Relevant survey questions were categorized to source of motivation and summed motivation scores for each student were analyzed for correlations with student performance on major assessments in the course. EM was not correlated with any assessment score while AM (assessed only on the second survey) was negatively correlated with all assessment scores. IM scores from survey 1 were not correlated with any assessment score. IM scores from survey 2 were positively correlated with exam 1 and 4 scores as well as the total earned course score. IM scores from survey 3 were positively correlated will all assessment scores. For students accustomed to the rewards from EM, IM may be a latent variable that is only accessed by the individual when needed. Further, educators can promote student achievement by guiding students to identify and use IM early and consistently throughout the course.