Class Choice: Ethics or Electronics?

[WJC biochem]

I am planning on applying to MSTP programs over the summer as I am currently a junior biochemistry major and I was curious to know if I could gain some insight on a choice I have been struggling with. You see for the first time I actually have the ability to choose a class to take for fun and have limited my options to an applied electronics class or an ethics class. Ultimately, the electronics class would be far easier based on the professors who are teaching the classes, however, this is of no real import as I think I can handle either as I will probably take the chosen class pass/fail. Therefore, I simply ask someone to advise me on which one will be most beneficial to me in my future endeavours, and whether or not it is wise to take the chosen class pass/fail.

I would appreciate any and all responses.
Thank you.

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[Neuronix]

My opinion is it's a toss up. Flip your coin and pick. As for P/F vs. graded, if you rarely take classes P/F, either way is fine. Nobody cares if you take an occasional (1 per year? I dunno, of course there's no guideline) P/F course. Of course another A never hurts, but the goal is always to get all As, so don't jeapordize getting all As if the course load is too high.

 

[hardy]

Definitely take electronics. You will get ethics in medical and graduate school.

 

[Neuronix]

Definitely take electronics. You will get ethics in medical and graduate school.

I feel like the ethics courses I've gotten in medical and graduate school have been kind of BS personally. In grad school we get the one day a year of, "don't cheat and we can easily screw you if we want to." In med school I don't remember much at all. I've been put in a lot of ethical dilemmas and unethical situations, but that's not in a classroom

 

[itsallthesame]

personally, i think the electronics will come in handy if it's well taught. i can't tell you how many times electronics comes up in my lab life (think electro-physiology in the neuro world as an example, also circuit design).

ethics, on the other hand, come on. will taking a class where you discuss differential morals really affect how YOU personally behave? i doubt it. will it give you the power to affect how others behave? no. the world is generally amoral, and a little class isn't going to change that. sure, it's nice to think about difficult situations, and might get you to think a little harder in the future... but generally a waste (especially with group/teacher bias ever present).

 

[WJC biochem]

Thanks for all of your advice, I think i will stick with the electronics class from what you guys are saying because I know it will be taught very well. I figured it would be more useful, I just wanted to make sure that missing out on ethics was not a big deal because I had talked to some people who made it seem that way. Also Neuronix, this is the first class I have ever taken P/F so I think I should be fine in that regard. Once again, I appreciate your responses.