Biology

[wolfyzheart]

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So I'm in my first year of college. I chose to be a biology major because I loved biology in high school. But now, I'm in biology and I really don't like it. I don't care for learning about cells or respiration all that stuff... Am I going to have a hard time in vet school? I mean, I LOVE zoology and anatomy and even microbiology, but this biology I I'm taking is killing me. I'm just not interested at all.

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

So I'm in my first year of college. I chose to be a biology major because I loved biology in high school. But now, I'm in biology and I really don't like it. I don't care for learning about cells or respiration all that stuff... Am I going to have a hard time in vet school? I mean, I LOVE zoology and anatomy and even microbiology, but this biology I I'm taking is killing me. I'm just not interested at all.

What you're learning right now are foundational topics that span many different majors, and will likely be in just about any science class you take. I don't think you can draw a direct comparison and say because you hate learning about organelles = flunk out of vet school, but this learning is core to understanding life.

You'll go into more depth in certain majors than you will in others. For example, you'll dig deeper into action potentials and nerve signaling in a neuroscience class than you likely would in, let's say, anatomy. For me, studying biochemistry and nutrition requires me to know the interplay between every specifc reaction of Glycolysis, Krebs, ETC, urea cycle, etc, but a microbiology class may just touch on the generalities of glycolysis and respiration.

No matter where you go, you'll see this stuff. Check out some other majors, but I'll give it to you straight: you can't escape it.

 

[LetItSnow]

Meh. I don't really like cell bio much. And I wasn't particularly interested in non-animal bio at all. And all of those biochemical pathways? Yeah, ok. I'm sure I learned them at some point.

You certainly may have a hard time in vet school - for any number of reasons. But i think not enjoying basic biology classes doesn't INHERENTLY mean you will. No matter what there will be parts of vet school that you don't like and/or struggle with.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

General Bio is definitely the fundamentals of much of the upper level science classes. You'll hear so much of it again and again so it's best if you can find a way to make it interesting for yourself. That being said, some of that general stuff can be a little dry and I've found myself enjoying upper level classes much more.

I definitely don't think that just because Gen Bio isn't your thing doesn't mean vet med isn't for you HOWEVER I think finding ways to apply yourself even when a class isn't your favorite is a very important skill that goes a long way to getting into vet school.

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

No matter what there will be parts of vet school that you don't like and/or struggle with.

The man in the avatar looks like a dude who struggles with nothing. Maybe you should change it.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I really loved learning biology overall but hated like 60% of everything I learned in vet school. But you know, it's all a means to an end. Pre-reqs and vet school, you don't have to love all of the courses you take. I love clinical practice.

 

[Pugsforlove2014]

Looks like the summary is, if you think you can deal with it enough to do decent at it, you'll be okay.
I personally love molecular biology, biochemistry, etc. I don't like other topics so much but...you just sort of get used to it. As long as you like at least half the courses you should do alright. 😀

 

[wolfyzheart]

Thank you all so so so much! 😀 I have managed to pull a B in my bio class I'm hoping to bring it up though. Hopefully I can before the semester ends :3

 

[pp9]

So I'm in my first year of college. I chose to be a biology major because I loved biology in high school. But now, I'm in biology and I really don't like it. I don't care for learning about cells or respiration all that stuff... Am I going to have a hard time in vet school? I mean, I LOVE zoology and anatomy and even microbiology, but this biology I I'm taking is killing me. I'm just not interested at all.

I'm only two 3 months in...but we're not learning about cells necessarily. We're learning about cells in a histology setting, but things like what organelles do and details of biochemical cycles were skated over already. We are expected to have that foundational knowledge going into veterinary school, that's what pre-reqs are for. I don't think disliking bio is necessarily a death sentence, but basic biology is essential to all life. There will be disorders/diseases/genetic abnormalities that can relate back to things as small as the cell, so that stuff will come up. You can't really avoid basic biology in medicine.

Also, I'm not being judgmental, but I'm curious- how did you not learn about cells/respiration in high school bio?

 

[Starry-chan]

FWIW when I was in high school I took a biology class called "agricultural biology" and the teacher was lazy so basically all we did in that class was watch random movies. I don't remember learning much about biology.

The only respectable biology class I ever took was at a community college.

 

[stealthoscope]

Some input - I HATED intro bio in undergrad freshman year because they were trying to give such a broad foundation, no topic went into enough depth to really provoke an understanding as opposed to asking students to memorize what happens and not worry about why. Upper level bio classes were infinitely better because they helped me understand mechanisms behind what I had been memorizing and then, biology made sense! After all - nothing just "happens" in biology, it all has some kind of fundamental basis that explains why, and I think that intro bio loses that in pursuit of covering lots of topics. Stick it out, it honestly is not reflective of what you will do later in undergrad.

 

[doe_eyes]

My undergrad introductory biology courses consisted on one quarter of intro cell biology, one quarter of evolution and ecology, and one quarter of plants and the tree of life. I was bored out of my mind learning about plants and the tree of life and didn't really see the relevance in it since none of my upper division science classes ever referred to it again ( but I was not a general bio sci major). I do think general bio is just something you just have to get through as they serve as pre requisites for vet schools and for your upper division science classes. The only "useful" general bio course was the quarter on intro cell biology. Although this was a freshman course, it did introduce topics that no doubt materialized again in my Genetics, Microbiology, and other upper division science courses. I wouldn't say you necessarily have to be extremely knowledgable about it, but you definitely have to know the names of certain cellular components and functions so it will be easier to grasp other concepts introduced in your "harder" science classes.

In all honesty, I think you will be fine! If you are struggling with a class, makes sure to get help for it if your school offers tutoring or something similar. This is something I figured out too late when I was an undergrad.

 

[wolfyzheart]

I'm only two 3 months in...but we're not learning about cells necessarily. We're learning about cells in a histology setting, but things like what organelles do and details of biochemical cycles were skated over already. We are expected to have that foundational knowledge going into veterinary school, that's what pre-reqs are for. I don't think disliking bio is necessarily a death sentence, but basic biology is essential to all life. There will be disorders/diseases/genetic abnormalities that can relate back to things as small as the cell, so that stuff will come up. You can't really avoid basic biology in medicine.

Also, I'm not being judgmental, but I'm curious- how did you not learn about cells/respiration in high school bio?

I did, but not in the depth I do now. I just memorized stuff and it was fine, its much harder now and more incredibly boring. Maybe it has to do with the teacher *shrugs*

Thank you guys, this was a huge confidence boost! I was like freaking out I was done for, haha.