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Oh dear god... what have I done?


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After a mere two days of Advanced Mammalian Physiology, I'm officially getting my skinny little butt kicked. Holy crap! I thought I was pretty strong in physiology before. NOT! I see the instructor's mouth moving, but I don't really understand anything that's coming out of it. I see why this is the "weed out" class for first year medical students. Failure however, is not an option for me! Two hours of lecture has cost me about 12 hours of study thus far and I still feel like I'm drowning... They say it gets better. I dunno... :cheers: :cheers: :rofl:

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Yikes. If you're dedicated, you'll make it though. A few friendly tips, as a university prof:

Is a study group possible with fellow students?

Is there advising linked to this course (e.g. via students who've had the course before)?

Go see the instructor! Make yourself a regular during office hours.

Good luck!

:cheers:

Mike

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Yikes. If you're dedicated, you'll make it though. A few friendly tips, as a university prof:

Is a study group possible with fellow students?

Is there advising linked to this course (e.g. via students who've had the course before)?

Go see the instructor! Make yourself a regular during office hours.

Good luck!

B)

Mike

I'm in a distance ed class of five, none of whom (other than me) has ever studied in a group, and they don't seem very interested in trying it despite my arguments.

I have any number of folks who have taken it recently at my disposal, but they all say "I felt exactly the same way, and you'll get through it too". I sure hope so!

Unfortunately the instructor is three and a half hours away in Richmond...

Tks!

J

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Take a dictaphone and a camera (or learn to copy him exactly)

Fortunately all the lectures are recorded and made available as video podcasts. I've watched both lectures about six times thus far...

After the lecture in your own rooms you can learn, the lecture isnt a place to learn its a place to get bombarded with info lol

Ain't that the truth!

B)

J

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Fortunately all the lectures are recorded and made available... I've watched both lectures about six times thus far...

Doing this was the only thing that got me through a couple of tough classes when I was in college.

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For what it is worth

When I began my masters in marriage and family therapy, there was a huge learning curve. Professors utilize terminology that they forget not everyone knows, or is fluent in. After about a month, it does get better. I do realize that your courses are difficult, and mine are not the same, however, as you become more fluent, and develop the mindset, things will get better.

Besides, I have faith in you, what more do you need???

Ric

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I'm in a distance ed class of five, none of whom (other than me) has ever studied in a group, and they don't seem very interested in trying it despite my arguments.

I have any number of folks who have taken it recently at my disposal, but they all say "I felt exactly the same way, and you'll get through it too". I sure hope so!

Unfortunately the instructor is three and a half hours away in Richmond...

Tks!

J

Ouch. Well, is the instructor at least available for students? Live chat, phone, or at least via email? If not, I hope you didn't pay too much.

B)

Mike

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Fortunately all the lectures are recorded and made available as video podcasts. I've watched both lectures about six times thus far...

Ain't that the truth!

B)

J

I think you'll be alright!

The other guys will/might scrap through, but a good study guide to spend you time wisely will see you through just fine mate.

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Good luck, I sucked at biology, so i went into the Air Force. Oh, wait, you already did that. I do have a degree in Biology (barely made it....).

What's the university in Richmond?

Terminology is the least of my worries right now. I'm swimming in Greek letters and all kinds of equations that make no sense...

Virginia Commonwealth University (used to be Medical College of Virginia).

What'd I do with the 800 number for that truck driving school??

J

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Terminology is the least of my worries right now. I'm swimming in Greek letters and all kinds of equations that make no sense...

Virginia Commonwealth University (used to be Medical College of Virginia).

What'd I do with the 800 number for that truck driving school??

J

Interesting how things have changed in science in the last 40 years. I thought Biology would be easier than a math-based science, since I thought, rather naively of course, that I would be in the back seat of an F-4 after graduation anyway. But back then it was all about memorization, endless memorization of a million things, especially in anatomy. Oddly, I did great in organic chemistry. Looking back on it, however, I should have changed my major to physics and gone on to astrophysics. Hindsight is great...

bob

Edited by sierrascale
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Good luck with your studies Jennings..you CAN do this... :rofl: :D

they say that you should study and have a rest every so often for 15 minutes to allow the brain to let it sink in....

and the experts tell us that studying and revising early in the morning the brain absorbs so much more

so that is what I used to do when studying..and you tend to retain more...... Btw I LOVE Biology and that kind of sciences...

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Like in sports training and practice the first few days/weeks are the hardest. After that things settle down and it's all about commitment. You'll do fine, just don't let it bumrush ya.

Yes, exactly. Any sufficiently complicated education will do this. In entering into a new field, or a more intellectually rigorous level of one's own field usually involves suddenly encountering a tremendous quantity of new concepts, methods, vocabulary, and frequently mathematics. You need to maintain faith that you'll eventually "grow into" the material, given persistence. This may even seen like a sort of blind, fanatic's resolve, but it works. I've come to believe, based on what I've seen in higher education, that persistence is far more important a factor than native intelligence.

Prior to beginning graduate study, I hadn't been doing anything that intellectually challenging or at that pace very recently, and my brain was, so to speak, "out of practice." You'll build the mental equivalent of muscle memory as you go on. By the end of the first semester of very, very intense study, comprehension, and writing, I found I could read and comprehend things at explosive speed, everything from literature, to software instruction, to legal documents. It's amazing what one's brain is capable of once on shuts off CNN, Fox News, sitcoms, ball games, History Channel, or whatever's on the TV and really starts pounding through complex material to reach cruelly close deadlines. Ask the instructor if there are additional, basic texts she or he might recommend that, although they didn't include on the syllabus for practical reasons of cost or a feeling students wouldn't bother, would be helpful to the extra-motivated. When students do this, I'm impressed.

As you suggest, this process usually culls the less motivated. They had other priorities, anyway, whether they realized it or not. If they dropped their weapon and fled, you just keep fighting, and you'll begin to learn how the enemy thinks, acts, reacts, and where his weaknesses are.

Edited by Fishwelding
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...and upon further reflection, it has occured to me, however, to warn you against burnout. ;) Make certain you get some down-time for at least a small period each day, and for a more extended period sometime each week. You can maintain a very severe study schedule for days or even weeks, but when it starts to catch up to you, you'll know it, because your ability to comprehend will measurably deteriorate. It's an odd and frightening feeling, sort of like when you are aware your judgment or comprehension is impaired because you are drunk, but you're not drunk. I have found that eating a healthier diet and exercise can combat this greatly, but not indefinitely. (Eventually, this can lead to overtraining there, too!) All in all, pace yourself.

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Thanks VERY much for that Fish... fine words of encouragement. I've shared them with my classmates this evening, so hopefully they'll take some solace in them as well. All good advice and encouragement from everybody. I know I'll forge through it, but holy c**p! ;)

J

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Jennings,

Can you get yourself a Digital Voice Recorder and bring it into class? They usually run about 6-8 hrs in length of voice recording time and run only when the prof is talking. That way you can go back home (or to your dorm) and re-run the lecture over again at night to catch up on your studying. I'd suggest that highly. Better yet, you can also get the DigiVoiceRecorders that will also upload the lecture in a digital file on your computer. So if you schedule it right, you have time to dump the voice digital files into your laptop.

Edited by The_Animal
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Don't tell anyone this Jennings :), but sometimes those on this side of the table will attempt to make the class seem insanely daunting for the first week or two in an effort to scare some folks off. Personally, I don't do that, but have several friends that do. :whistle: Since this is known as a "weed out" course, that may be what your instructor is attempting to do with everyone. After scaring the bejesus out of everyone, he may lighten up.

John

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I know the feeling.

Back in the early 90's when I went to Uni we had a few subjects we could choose. One of mine was ocean meteorology I thought as a sailor this would be OK, after all it sht e weather hey, cant be hard.

WRONG

This was basically advanced mathmatics about how the earth revolves, coriolis force etc, we came out of the first lecture going ARHHHHHH!!!!!!

Luckily a few of us "mature" students (even though I was 22 they still called me this!) formed a study group, I can tell you that got us through this and a few hairy subjects.

I wish you luck.

Julien

Edited by Julien (UK)
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Don't tell anyone this Jennings :wub:, but sometimes those on this side of the table will attempt to make the class seem insanely daunting for the first week or two in an effort to scare some folks off. Personally, I don't do that, but have several friends that do. :unsure: Since this is known as a "weed out" course, that may be what your instructor is attempting to do with everyone. After scaring the bejesus out of everyone, he may lighten up.

John

Looking at the instructor-supplied text (which is about 4" thick), it doesn't appear to lighten up any... Nice thought though. I'm shooting for a 50 on the first test :cheers:

J

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