Will it help me in any of my future endeavors (research, med school, etc.)? At my university, it seems like a lot of busy work, yet it's not required so would there be any future benefit in me taking it? Thanks in advance.
Microbiology Lab
- Thread starter crprep23
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2008
- Messages
- 333
- Reaction score
- 1
Ehh...if you decide to go into pathology or do some research in a related area it could be helpful. I tend to enjoy lab classes (yeah, I'm weird), so I'd take it if I were in your spot, unless it's just really stupid / bad scheduling / bad grading. If it's not a requirement and you don't really want to, then don't. Do what makes you happy.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
- Messages
- 35,574
- Reaction score
- 15,503
Microbio lab is fun, and an easy A. It could potentially be useful if you get a research gig that would use those skills, but you can also be taught those techniques "on the job" too. You'll probably take it in your second year of med school. In the meantime, take the class if it suits any of the above goals.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2008
- Messages
- 7,415
- Reaction score
- 5,745
Micro is interesting and the techniques they teach you in lab are pretty useful. I applied it to some of the research I'm currently doing.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2007
- Messages
- 2,101
- Reaction score
- 4
Speaking as a micro major, I thought that lab was fun as previous posters stated, but I really don't see it as being helpful for med school, unless you want to go into Infectious Diseases or something that required you to know the lab tests somewhat, although you'd never have to do them. Just my 2 cents
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2009
- Messages
- 540
- Reaction score
- 2
I'm guessing the OP is referring to taking Microbiology with lab as an undergrad class?
Sure, why not? Even though you'll be retaking microbio in medical school, it can't hurt you unless you don't do well and it damages your GPA. In my experience, I enjoyed learning the subject, I thought the labs were fun- not busy work at all, and it was an easy A. I don't know how the microbio class at your university would compare. Ask students that have taken it, ask the professors that teach it.
I don't know if it would be a significant advantage in med school. I would think it would be somewhat useful since at least some of the material that you'll be learning in med school will be familiar. It may help in applying for research assisting positions. Only from the standpoint of demonstrating interest however. Not because you would really gain the skills and experiences required for working in a lab. The focus of microbio class lab is to learn about various types of microbes, learn about and try out a few techniques (such as the gram stain, inoculation, plasmid transfer, etc.)
Sure, why not? Even though you'll be retaking microbio in medical school, it can't hurt you unless you don't do well and it damages your GPA. In my experience, I enjoyed learning the subject, I thought the labs were fun- not busy work at all, and it was an easy A. I don't know how the microbio class at your university would compare. Ask students that have taken it, ask the professors that teach it.
I don't know if it would be a significant advantage in med school. I would think it would be somewhat useful since at least some of the material that you'll be learning in med school will be familiar. It may help in applying for research assisting positions. Only from the standpoint of demonstrating interest however. Not because you would really gain the skills and experiences required for working in a lab. The focus of microbio class lab is to learn about various types of microbes, learn about and try out a few techniques (such as the gram stain, inoculation, plasmid transfer, etc.)
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2007
- Messages
- 13,095
- Reaction score
- 334
At my school it was a waste of time, but I needed it for graduation.
My only problem is the busy work listed in the syllabus. A lot of the work comes out of class, where we have roughly 15-20 multiple part questions that aren't exactly answered in the lab background, so some answers must be found on your own. I'm fine with this, but the lab is only 1 credit, 3 hours a week, and there are 2 practicals and 3 tests. Getting an A isn't an issue (I assume), it's more that it could possibly extract time from preparation for other classes or time I could spend with friends.
It isn't required luckily, but if I'm going to get something special out of it that could help me in other areas or later down the line, I will do the work for that in return. So knowing that, should I just drop it and focus my time in other areas or should I just do it? Thanks for the helpful responses.
It isn't required luckily, but if I'm going to get something special out of it that could help me in other areas or later down the line, I will do the work for that in return. So knowing that, should I just drop it and focus my time in other areas or should I just do it? Thanks for the helpful responses.
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2005
- Messages
- 776
- Reaction score
- 0
It's amazing how much theories in textbooks fall through when you actually try to perform the experiments in the real world. Any lab experience is good. IMO, colleges and universities place far too much emphasis on inane and completely obsolete science and not enough on labs (especially in organic). I'd estimate 50% of the reactions you learn in intro organic courses are completely worthless in the real world.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
- Messages
- 142
- Reaction score
- 1
I would have said take it, but if it IS indeed full of busy work...I would stay away. But if you're even a little unsure about the busy work, I would ask prior students about it.
I just took micro with a required lab and it was a lot of fun...and dare I say--useful? We learned a lot via the lab about real world applications, and just wrote a lot of lab reports about our findings.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2006
- Messages
- 3,839
- Reaction score
- 184
If nothing else than teaching you gram positive vs. negative it will help you in medical school during your micro course. Knowing that is half the battle in choosing antibiotics for empiric treatment. More and more PCR and the molecular techniques are going to be used in medicine. It is in your interest to understand the underlying principles behind them. It will also help if you do any kind of research. You are also tested on the molecular techniques in your biochemistry course in medical school
(FYI I loved Micro in med school and undergrad).
(FYI I loved Micro in med school and undergrad).
