OT: Favorite Course This Year

[168135]

I remember being part of a thread where members discussed what courses they would be taking this semester and what they are looking forward to. The year is pretty much over and I'm wondering what your favorite course was and why! If you feel like venting, post your least favorite course too. It's nerdy of me, but I'm curious to see what you guys have to say.

For me?
It's a toss-up between entomology and general parasitology.

Entomology was FUN. We got to collect insects and learn how to properly preserve them and lable them. Studying their features under a dissecting scope was a lot of fun. We had several tests throughout the year, and for each one, we were asked to tell a story about the order of insects we had just covered. We had to word it so that everyone understood it. My prof was pretty impressed with my E.O. Wilson/ants/oleic acid story (anyone know what I'm talking about?)

General parasitology was hard work. About a month in, I regretted taking the course. After I did awesome on the midterm, I realized that the class wasn't that bad... parasites are anything but boring! Their weird lifecycles and the diseases they cause are fascinating. I got to do my first dissections in this class. I did an eel, a cichlid, and then a Barred Owl for my necropsy... it was a piece of cake and SO COOL. We had to pick an article, write a News and Views article about it and give an oral presentation. I picked an article on controlling athropod vectors that cause disease in dogs and cats. The class was very beneficial... it has been beneficial to med and pharm students, so I hope it's beneficial to me. If vet school doesn't pan out, I'm seriously considering doing my masters in it.

Alright... who's next?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SocialStigma]

Human anatomy & physiology was my favourite! I'm not sure if I preferred first semester or this semester more (it's a full year course). First semester was intro/basics, nervous sytem, MSK, bones, endocrine and this semester was CV, resp, immune, GI, repro, renal systems. Actually I'm going to go with this semester because memorizing all the muscles, their origins, insertions, and functions nearly drove me crazy. And the brain anatomy was really difficult on the bellringer since nothing ever looks like it does in textbooks.

My favourite part of the course was being able to dissect wet specimens and cadavers, it was really cool to see all the different body parts and taking this course has inspired to me take pathoanatomy as an elective next year.

Least favourite is a toss up between epidemiology and stats..I took epi first semester and didn't think it was possible to have a more boring course than that and then lo and behold I had to take stats this semester. No offense to people who enjoy these courses, the material is just too dry for me . And my profs for both courses weren't very good either, both spoke in monotones and made it very very had to not skip class/not fall asleep.

 

[racccjlm]

Ah that's tough...I'm torn between parasitology and molecular.

Parasitology is hard, and it seems like we have a practical or test every week! That being said, I am learning sooo much. The prof teaching knows I'm going the vet route so he throws in relevant cases whenever he can.

I'm still not sure why I like molecular...it's one of the toughest bio courses that I've taken. Gene strucutre and function is just plain interesting IMO.

edit: The profs make all the difference!

 

[Tiktaalik]

Best: Cell/molecular biology. Low on stress (this stuff sticks well with me) high on fun and interesting content. I have a really good lecturer, so the class is never dull. Plus, it's relevant to my PhD plans.
Genetics is a runner-up.

Worst: 2-way tie between physics & microbiology. Physics because I put in so much effort for so little return, and I hate the material. Microbio because I loved the material but the lecturer was so awful (loudmouth time-waster who just read the slides when he finally got around to "teaching") that I ended up cutting 1/4 of the classes.

 

[DVMDream]

Well this is my last semester!!! I am so excited to get out of this small town and back to Phoenix and away from this school that is literally falling apart and downhill really fast. Anyway.

I started off with a nice 13 credits taking Extreme Weather: Cyclones, Tornadoes and Floods (online), Introduction to Psychology, Second semester of Human Anatomy and Pys (liked first semester much better, the teacher was much better too), and Infectious Diseases (I had to drop this one because of a (insert choice of curse word here) prof.

Really, I was so busy at the beginning of this semester with interviews/family issues that I really had no idea what was going on in any class. I can not stand the Extreme Weather class it has way too much physics info. involved in it. Although some things are interesting. Like right now we are covering thunderstorms, hail, lightning and tornadoes which are all really cool. Introduction to Psychology just bores me. I feel like a 90 percent of the class is kind of common sense but I needed it for Western. Anatomy and Physiology. I love physiology and I love anatomy, but this prof is hard for this being a sophmore level class. I have done the study really hard and take the test method and got a C and then I have also done the I am just going to go for it without studying and also got a C. So, I am doomed to get a C in the class unless I can pull off a 95 percent on the final. Overall, this last semester has been nice and relaxing. I really wish I had not had so much going on at the beginning of the semester so I could have focused better and understood the material but it is what it is. I really do not have a favorite or least favorite. I think I have my eyes set on graduation a little too much at this point to really care about some of these classes.

 

[luplodw]

Either mammalogy or animal physiology.

Mammalogy was a lot of fun because we went on multiple field trips (even over a whole weekend) collecting rodents and bats. I really liked the subject matter too....just learning the basics of all mammals

Animal physiology is super interesting, and the labs are awesome! We get to do surgery on rabbits, rats, and frogs (but we have to kill them after ) It's really neat to be able to practice on your cutting skills and just being able to feel how to cut through different types of tissues.

Basically I mostly liked the classes because this is the type of material I enjoy learning about and it comes easy to me. Not boring classes!

 

[luplodw]

Oh and the worst is Biochemistry II. I swear I have the worst teacher on the planet. He's middle european so I can't understand what he's saying...guess it doesn't matter because when he does talk (rarely) he faces the board and speaks in a monotone voice. Most of the time he just draws pathways on the board and doesn't say a word about them and you have no idea what pathway it is, what it is doing, or where in the body it is. So terrible

 

[Willowhand]

Best: Animal behavior, since it was very interesting and a lot of fun. I got to spend hours each week playing with an African Gray parrot, and the classes themselves were very laid-back and full of entertaining animal stories. The one downside (which ended up being fine) was that I happen to be dating the professor's son... not a big deal, but it felt kind of awkward at first.

Worst: Hmmm... probably Environmental Ethics. Not very difficult, but imagine spending three hours each week in the kind of fierce debates about animal welfare and animal rights that sometimes pop up on SDN, plus a variety of other sensitive issues. Sometimes it feels like the same people are saying the same thing each day, and the loud, aggressive folks tend to drown out those of us who prefer to converse quietly and politely. Still, there have been some interesting and thought-provoking discussions -so it's not all that bad.

 

[Allthingsequine]

Best: Equine Reproduction. I took Physiology of Repro last semester and loved it, so I decided to take equine repro as an elective because it has an awesome lab and I'd heard great things about the class. I've gotten so much out of the lecture, and the lab has been amazing. So far I've learned how to build an AV, handled it to collect the stallion, and processed semen in the lab, including extending it for cooled shipping. I've also gotten to preform vaginal exams on several mares, and AIed two of them. The course is taught by a vet and so he's also demonstrated several repro procedures for us, including talking us through tons of ultrasounds. There aren't too many hands-on labs in my program, so this one has really been a fantastic opportunity.

Worst: Intro to Biotech. This was a freshman level class that I had to go back and take as a senior because I changed my major a little late in the game. Sounded like it would be an OK class, but then we spent the first month of the course discussing things like "What is DNA?" and it just went downhill from there. Having already taken general bio, general genetics, and biochem, I was very close to stabbing my eyes out sitting in that lecture.

 

[clairbear]

Best: General Biology 2: The material isn't as interesting as biology 1, but I love my professor and this semester isn't nearly as overwhelming overall. The professor makes plants, evolution, genetics, and photosynthesis more interesting then I thought they could be, but we get off on side discussions all the time on other biology related topics. Plus we get to go outside for lab sometimes. I can't wait to take him next year for cell.

Worst: General Biology 1: Mainly because I totally messed up in the first month and had to spend the rest of the semester trying to get decent grades in lab and lecture. The material was interesting and I the professor was really helpful and nice, and I do feel like I learned the material well. It was mainly my fault the course was so hard for me.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Best - physics. Never would have seen that coming, but the prof was amazing.

Worst - everything else. Ochem - blecch. Embryology was such a disappointment. I love the subject matter and we were supposed to have an incredibly awesome prof but ended up with someone who is beyond awful (meaning always at least 15 minutes late, unprepared, tells offensively sexist jokes...). Next year has to be better!

 

[Lissarae06]

My favorite class was Self Defense (yes, I actually got credit for it). Not only was it super easy, I learned a lot. It has been a great stress reliever!

 

[Coquette22]

Medical bacteriology. Totally fascinating! I love the professor, he runs the microbiology lab at the local hospital and so he knows this stuff inside and out, and for every pathogen we cover, he's got a story about a case he's seen.

Least favourite: Org Chem I. I really hope I get in to AVC this year so I can avoid taking Org Chem II next year.

 

[Willowhand]

My favorite class was Self Defense (yes, I actually got credit for it). Not only was it super easy, I learned a lot. It has been a great stress reliever!

 

[HopefulAg]

Best: Leadership and Negotiation. Spent a lot of time addressing the psychological aspects to the subject. Also did a lot of mediation, which is pretty damn challenging to come to a resolution agreeable to both parties.

Worst: Managerial Economics. Boring subject based upon calculus and obscure theoretical facts that have no real world applications. Also can't understand a single damn word that the Korean teacher is saying, so I have to teach myself the material (luckily I already have taken calculus, so i'm better off than some others in the course). And the worst part is that it's required attendance. So not only do I have to teach myself the material, but I have to waste my time sitting in a class where I can't understand the teacher and then waste more time outside of class teaching myself the material that the teacher failed to explain.

 

[scb44f]

Best: Biomedical Problems - a PBL style class where we are given case studies and we have to diagnose our "patient". It's interesting, and I've learned a lot because of all of the research we do in our groups to come up with possibilities and conclusions.

Worst: Senior Design - my group was given an outdated process that only one company in the US even uses. Plus, no one knows how the reaction actually takes place, which means no kinetics data, which means no reactor sizing, which means we can't finish the project... Our professor has never taught the class before, and it isn't his "thing" so he doesn't really know how and we are just stuck with what we've got. I officially hate my major because of this class.

 

[twelvetigers]

Meh. I'm looking forward to the classes I'll be taking next year, now. A micro degree will suit me much better than a zoology one has (but I'll have both in the end).

I'll be taking parasitology (hard to get into!) as well as advanced micro next fall, and those will be fun. In the spring I get to take pathogenic micro and immunology, both of which will be awesome!

As far as the zool stuff I've done so far, I liked... eh... I dunno. I didn't love any of it. My favorite class so far has probably been biochemistry. Or animal genetics (awesome prof).

 

[168135]

I'll be taking parasitology (hard to get into!) as well as advanced micro next fall, and those will be fun. In the spring I get to take pathogenic micro and immunology, both of which will be awesome!

My parasitology class was full on the first day of registration (12 students?) By the first day of class, it dropped... to 7... and then we lost a girl along the way, lol. I loved it. I wish all my classes had a maximum of 6 students

 

[chyactnate]

Best: Organic Chem! I love the class and the prof. is awesome!!! By far it has been my best class yet (grade wise). But I am taking Drug Development in the fall, which I think is going to be fun also..at least I hope

Worst: Ecology, I liked the prof., but the class material was awful. I couldnt connect anything I learned. I am so glad I am done with that class and never have to take it again!

 

[HopefulAg]

My parasitology class never filled

Course, it was scheduled at the same time as the Anatomy class, so that kinda conflicted with people's schedules. Shame too, cause it's a good class.

 

[Poochlover11]

My favs would have to be a toss up between animal anatomy and physiology or medical entomology. I loved the anatomy and physiology lab!!! It was so much fun-I loved being able to actually see what we were talking about in class.

But medical entomolgoy is also very awesome! I highly recommend that class, because you learn a lot about different bugs and diseases-could come in very useful in vet school.

 

[Whyevernot55]

Favorite...class? *looks bewildered*

I'm only taking O-chem II and Parasitology. I hate organic, but the professor is amusing and fair, and I like him.
I love parasitology as a TOPIC, but the professor is a ***** who likes to load us down with busywork, which is making me absolutely despise the class and the lab. The lab, unfortunately, is endless looking through the microscope at fixed slides. No fun stuff at all.

 

[sunnyshine]

My favorite class this year was cell biology hands down. Its amazing to see how much work one tiny cell can do all on its own

Worst class was probably my scientific research class because the professor was a total hard-ass

 

[Poochlover11]

Favorite...class? *looks bewildered*

I'm only taking O-chem II and Parasitology. I hate organic, but the professor is amusing and fair, and I like him.
I love parasitology as a TOPIC, but the professor is a ***** who likes to load us down with busywork, which is making me absolutely despise the class and the lab. The lab, unfortunately, is endless looking through the microscope at fixed slides. No fun stuff at all.

Im sooooo sorry, this is totally off topic-but Whyevernot is your avatar from The Outsiders? I love that book and movie!! My favorite part is when the guy who plays Dallas is in the hopsital and says "Let's do it for Johnny man! We'll do it for Johnny!"

Here is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpIcPde4rAo


I think I will end ever speech this way-heck I might end my vet school interview with this.