Useful List For Others? Please Help With Evaluating Long-Ish List Of Courses From Ubc And Tru For Upcoming Fall+Winter Semesters

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

I am compiling a list (it's quite large at the moment) of interesting-sounding UBC classes from which I plan to choose a full-load (5 courses a semester) for 2017W if I don't get into MED this year, but need some help narrowing it down... Also, I am completely unfamiliar with online/open-learning Universities like TRU and Athabasca and have no courses listed for those, so any help there would be appreciated!

 

Are courses from Athabasca/TRU-OL used to calculate GPA as well - as long as they transfer to UBC?

 

Is a combo of in-person and online classes appropriate? Will online classes be looked down upon? Some of those in the list from UBC are online... and Athabasca/TRU-OL are online as well.

 

What about a combo of classes from UBC and Athabasca/TRU?

Is it possible to finish Athabasca/TRU courses in a short period of time (though they give you 30 weeks)?

Which is better: Athabasca or TRU?

 

If anyone has a course outside of the list I've written of courses they found enjoyable and a good grade (A- to A+) was achievable please feel free to list them in a response!

I am really averse to writing papers or having "assignments" and "projects"... also, not into labs. I live very far away and want to get the "best bang for my buck" in terms of time spent at the school or on studying the material at home... so the more a course is broken into grades based on tests the better it is for me (ex: quizzes, midterms and finals or even just midterm + final). I tend to do the best in those classes.

 

What I am interested in is feedback regarding course difficulty, course work load, and whether it is feasible to get a good grade (A- or better, ideally) with a reasonable amount of work. I'm not looking for total bird courses here, but I am definitely trying to avoid GPA killers... I can't risk it at this stage of the game (non-trad, non-degree). If any of these fall into bird course category (I think a few might/do) then that's ok but I won't fill my schedule with them...

 

Any suggested professors for any department is also greatly appreciated.

 

I have been lurking the threads, ratemyprofessors and have been using PAIR but I have accumulated quite a list and it is always helpful to hear some subjective feedback regarding this from people who've actually taken the classes or know others who have.

Here is the list:

 

CAPS 301 - Human physiology (I am leaning away from this though I feel I could do well... I have read some unfavourable reports of a few of the profs who teach sections of this class)

CAPS 391* - Intro gross anat (I would like to take this as it is a requirement for another professional program and I may as well start planning a backup career)

CAPS 390 - Intro micro anat

CAPS 422 - Mammalian Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology* ALL THE CAPS 4-- require CAPS 301 for a pre-req... it's not offered in the summer!

CAPS 423 - Mammalian Renal and Gastrointestinal Physiology*

CAPS 424 - Mammalian Endocrinology*

CAPS 424 - Physiological Basis of Central Nervous System Functions*

EOSC 326 - Earth + life through time

ASTR 310 - Exploring universe

PCTH 325 - Rational basis of drug therapy (what is the course format?)

MICB 201 - Intro to enviro microbio

MICB 302 - Immunology (I have heard it's a GPA killer but it seems so interesting...)

MICB 412 - Topics in immuno research (requires 302 as prereq; what is the format? Are there papers to write?)

MICB 306 - molecular virology

PSYC 360 - Biopsych (needs PSYC 260 as prereq - probably won't be taking it...)

PATH 405 - Seminars in current topics (what is the class format? papers involved? tests?)

PATH 415 - Immunopathology

PATH 417A - DISTANCE - Human bacterial infection

PATH 427 - DISTANCE - Basic principles of infection prevention and control

PATH 437 - Viral infections in Humans

PATH 467 - DISTANCE - Basic microbiology for infection control

PATH 477 - DISTANCE - Basic epidemiology for infection control

BIOL 331 - Developmental bio

BIOL 343 - Plants and peoples

BIOL 345 - Human ecology

PSYC 300A - Behaviour disorders

PSYC 301 - Brain dysfunction and recovery

SWED 100 - Elementary swedish I (I have swedish friends and want to go there!)

CSIS 450B - Topics in critical studies in sexuality

CSIS 300A - Intro to critical studies in sexuality

GRSJ 310 - issues in gender and health (figure these last three would be helpful for reaching marginalized groups...)

FNH 350 - fundamentals of nutrition (prereq is FNH 250 so prob wont take)

FNH 351 - vitamins, minerals and health (same prereq ^)

FNH 402 - Functional foods and nutraceuticals

FNH 472 - Maternal and fetal nutrition

SPPH 200 - Understanding the Sociocultural Determinants of the Health of Populations (probably helpful come interview time and dealing with various populations anyways)

SPPH 300 - Working in international health (interesting if you ever plan to do Medcins sans frontiers/doctors without borders)

SPPH 302 - Topics in health informatics

GERM 433 - SMETTERLING!!!

 

Thanks in advance everyone!!

I hope this list and all the replies can help anyone who is in a similar position or will be in the future!

[yych208]

I don't go to UBC so I can't comment on the courses.

As for the online courses, as far as i know, UBC views them similar as normal courses. I'd recommend having a good reason though (eg. can't fit into your course, you learn better at your own pace...etc rather than "i took it online cuz it's easier")

TRU and AU English courses are both very doable in a short amount of time. Honestly if you focus 100%, 3 month no problem (they usually give you 6). Otherwise 4-5 months is perfectly realistic.

I don't know anyone who took both so I can't compare them directly. From what I have heard, i think TRU is easier (but it could be just that friend of mine is smarter, who knows)

[Pterygoid]

caps 390,391,301 are easy to get good marks in, in my opinion. the difficult level is in order that i've presented them. If you want to go into medicine, you need to know these things (esp. 301 material), so i'd recommend them to get a taste of medicine.

 

stay away from caps423 if you're planning on taking upper-level caps. Kwok is not a great lecturer and you'll have to self-study most of the material.

 

pcth 325, micb306 are a joke. shame on you if you don't get over 95 (slight sarcasm here, but srs they are v. easy)

 

many of the courses you've listed require permission to take because they are specific for majors: e.g., upper level caps (400 levels), psych 360,  some path courses, some microbi courses

 

hope this helps.

[SillyPanda]

I highly recommend CAPS 301 if you are interested in med. 

SPPH 200 has also been hugely influential in how I think about the health of individuals and populations. It's a "gpa booster" class, but the content is very applicable and important in medicine. 

 

I never took CAPS 390, 391, and MICB 302 in undergrad, but I think they would help to give you a good foundation.

[quacksflaptogether]

I would replace MICB201 (enviro microbi) with MICB202 (Introductory medical microbiology and immunology) on your list. MICB201 imo, was a bit tedious and had a more ecosystem/industry focus. MICB202 on the other hand was very fascinating, it examined how different types of pathogens infect the human body and the process of the consequent immunological response. Also Tracy Kion is a great prof!

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

Thanks for the feedback on my list everyone, very helpful comments overall.

 

Quack flaps: I have taken micb202 already. Is 201 tedious in that it's a lot of volume to learn or just that it's not human-focused?

Thanks for the info

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

Pterygoid: I have read that kwok is not the best so I'm trying to avoid those classes. I do plan on needing to ask permission for some of the ones I'm interested in. Thanks!

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

Sillypanda: it looks like 301 is a good choice and thanks for the information on spph 200.

[M_Sea]

I have taken a few of these courses and you have a few good GPA boosters in there if that's what you are looking for!

 

PSYC 300A - I didn't have the prereq either, but did it online in one month and it was very easy to get a good mark and really interesting!

BIOL 343 - Such a fun class and super chill/easy to get a good mark

EOSC 326 - Not the most interesting course, but very easy

 

CAPS 391 - Really interesting! Can easily get a good mark if you study

CAPS 301 - Extremely interesting! But as someone else mentioned, some of the lecturers are terrible (Kwok). The exams are all mc (which I personally hate..) and I found that some of the questions on the final were unfair and didn't actually test your knowledge of the subject matter. Just my opinion though!

 

Good luck!

[JohnGrisham]

I have taken a few of these courses and you have a few good GPA boosters in there if that's what you are looking for!

 

PSYC 300A - I didn't have the prereq either, but did it online in one month and it was very easy to get a good mark and really interesting!

BIOL 343 - Such a fun class and super chill/easy to get a good mark

EOSC 326 - Not the most interesting course, but very easy

 

CAPS 391 - Really interesting! Can easily get a good mark if you study

CAPS 301 - Extremely interesting! But as someone else mentioned, some of the lecturers are terrible (Kwok). The exams are all mc (which I personally hate..) and I found that some of the questions on the final were unfair and didn't actually test your knowledge of the subject matter. Just my opinion though!

 

Good luck!

That is medical school haha.  With the caveat that you don't need a 90+ anymore.

[canucks_14]

How are the upper level biol lab courses? Biol 337, 340, 341? The genetics and molecular bio labs. How do they compare to first year Chem and bio labs or the organic chem labs? 

[starsky]

I am in a conflict between purchasing a MacBook pro or a Surface pro. Does anyone have experience with either one of these for the pre-clinical courses, specifically for note taking? How about for overall? I am currently leaning towards a MacBook but I'm open to opinions!

Thanks