JPWilson92 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Hey guys. So as it stands I'm thinking of applying to H. Spec in Phys for my 3rd year. As it stands my schedule would look like this: Semester 1: Phys 3120 Phys 3140A Phys 3130Y Anatomy 3319 Elective Elective Sem 2: Phys 3120 Phys 3130Y Anatomy 3319 Elective Elective And then since 3130 is a Y course I need to take 6 courses in one of the semesters (that is my understanding anyway), meaning I would have an extra 0.5 elective either first or second sem (but probably first sem since there are a lot of A courses I would want). Some other courses I am thinking of taking are: Path 3240A/3245B, Pharm 3620, Micro/Imm 3300A, Biochem 3381A. Some of these I am assuming I could also push to 4th year. I was wondering if I could get feedback on some of these courses, and particularly balancing all these challenging courses. Would it be feasible? And how difficult is it to deal with having 6 courses one of the semesters? I know some of you may suggest taking a "bird course" to lighten the load, and I did attempt to take a bird course this year (psych 2070 with Olson) and that backfired terribly. I have a tough time studying something I have no interest in. EDIT: My first choice of program would be path, but the entrance average is usually quite high. So I'm still pretty interested in taking the path courses and maybe trying to squeeze in for 4th year path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markov79 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 i've heard 3381 is pretty bad, but everyone's different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPWilson92 Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Is it really? I figured since McLach is teaching 3381 it would be as cool/interesting as the section he taught of Biochem 2280. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markov79 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 lol i heard he's way less cool to third years (i dunno why he would be) LOL. but again, it's kinda hearsay. and path 3240 is pretty much just a straight memorization course from what i recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrenchToast Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 I'm in 3rd year and that's my schedule. I took 6 courses last semester and it was fine. Phys 3130Y only has work at specific times... it's really not a time consuming course. I'm also in Pharm 3620 and it's not time consuming either. It's a bit difficult conceptually, but it's manageable. If you take pharm and path as your electives, you could still potentially do H Spec Path in 4th year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tb123 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 While path may seem interesting, I think its way more advisable to specialize in phys/ pharm. you can always grab a spot in the 4th year path classes as an elective. If you're doing a thesis, it important to get something you like, and with so many different areas that's easy in phys/ pharm, plus the PIs/ labs tend to be a lot better. I had friends with great averages who were in Path switch into phys/ pharm before 4th year to avoid a path thesis. Take the courses but stay away from the module. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Okidoke so I graduated from Phys at Western and I would say ignore the science courses and go for fun electives that you'll enjoy doing. Phys + anatomy + cell phys + 3130Y is actually quite a heavy workload as is (its not REALLY bad, but why make life worse?). Seeing as you're interested in med, and GPA is king, it makes sense to do things that will boost up your gpa. All of the courses that you listed are actually going to involve quite the commitment in terms of keeping your gpa as high as possible. They're interesting, yes, but you're gonna learn it all once you're in meds anyways. Go out and learn about how the ancient greeks boozed, or how to differentiate between all the cool types of rocks in the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecih Posted February 3, 2013 Report Share Posted February 3, 2013 Hey guys. So as it stands I'm thinking of applying to H. Spec in Phys for my 3rd year. As it stands my schedule would look like this: Semester 1: Phys 3120 Phys 3140A Phys 3130Y Anatomy 3319 Elective Elective Sem 2: Phys 3120 Phys 3130Y Anatomy 3319 Elective Elective And then since 3130 is a Y course I need to take 6 courses in one of the semesters (that is my understanding anyway), meaning I would have an extra 0.5 elective either first or second sem (but probably first sem since there are a lot of A courses I would want). Some other courses I am thinking of taking are: Path 3240A/3245B, Pharm 3620, Micro/Imm 3300A, Biochem 3381A. Some of these I am assuming I could also push to 4th year. I was wondering if I could get feedback on some of these courses, and particularly balancing all these challenging courses. Would it be feasible? And how difficult is it to deal with having 6 courses one of the semesters? I know some of you may suggest taking a "bird course" to lighten the load, and I did attempt to take a bird course this year (psych 2070 with Olson) and that backfired terribly. I have a tough time studying something I have no interest in. EDIT: My first choice of program would be path, but the entrance average is usually quite high. So I'm still pretty interested in taking the path courses and maybe trying to squeeze in for 4th year path. I'm not sure about Pharm 3620 and Biochem 3381A, but I took both pathology courses as well as Microimm 3300. Stay clear from those. Pathology 3240 is a decent course, but 3245 is nothing like 3240 - it requires a lot more memorization. Similarly, microimm 3300 requires quite a bit of work, and, looking at your schedule, it doesn't seem like it's a good idea to load with them. "Easier" courses include: Biochem 3385 or 3386, Bio 3593, Chem 3393 or 2211, pretty much any psychology 2nd year course, ACB 3309, 4410 + 4411, 4429, or 4451. If you want to branch out from science, try Classics 2200, 2300 or 2800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer24 Posted February 3, 2013 Report Share Posted February 3, 2013 I'm in 4th year phys honours spec. so I took those prereqs last year. I suggest you look into Anatomy 3309- Mammalian Histology. Here's my sort of sales pitch: 1) The course is very enjoyable because it is interesting 2) 3319 will go into great details about certain systems and 3309 will go into detail on others. The courses compliment each other well. 3) The instructors are great. Dr. Rogers is very nice and same for the rest of them. The lab tech Zach is a little weird but helpful and nice. 4) Lectures are recorded if you are in the online section 5) 50% of your mark depends on a lab component (which you can do online, if you have friends in the class... and get high 90's on you labs, quizzes, and 'lab exam'.) I loved this course and this year all my 4th year friends are taking it. I took it in-class but online is very popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecih Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 ^ I second this. I took 3309, and it is probably one of the most enjoyable courses I have taken, next to genetic engineering and advanced medical cell bio. Histology is non-cumulative, and it surveys tissues from a cellular perspective. there aren't many mechanisms/processes that you need to memorize, but you do need to learn how to differentiate between the different cells. The midterms were fair, and the lab assignments/quizzes would probably the easiest way to get a 30% in a class. Most, if not all (I can't remember who they all were), of the professors were great - though my favourite will forever be Dr. Sandig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPWilson92 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Okay, I've decided to scrap Biochem/Path/Micro until (maybe) fourth year, or not at all. I think for one of my electives I'll take Human Sexuality because I've heard good things and it will lighten the load a bit. Dreamer & Gecih - what made you guys enjoy 3309 so much? It is offered this coming summer and I was considering doing that one over the summer and taking 3319 during the year (because I'm pretty interested in anatomy on a gross scale, as well as a microscopic scale), as well as third year pharm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecih Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 The subject material was just more interesting (well, considering I'm currently having an aversion towards the musculoskeletal system in 3319 so my opinion is skewed), and the lecturers make that course. Most of it is pictures (lectures, assignments, quizzes, tests), too, and since I'm a visual learner, I was just comfortable with the way it was taught. If you have the chance to take it face-to-face instead of online, I say go for it: it might be a bit physically tiring, but it would push you to keep up to date with the work rather than procrastinate because the lectures are recorded. However, if you have a conflict and you can only take 3309 online, then make sure to keep up with the material. Other than the lab evaluations, there are only two midterms scheduled during the winter and spring exam periods. Although the midterms are not cumulative, there is a lot to deal with as it is, so being on top of things is mandatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPWilson92 Posted March 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Okay so I've done a lot of thinking as ITR draws nearer and I have a couple more questions. 1) If I were to do phys/pharm, how manageable is it to have 6 courses per semester? How intense are the two lab courses? It seems like it would be a pretty heavy workload, but I'm not entirely sure about those lab courses.. 2) If I were to do just phys, would it still be feasible to take all the required phys courses + pharm 3620, anat 3319, and sex psych? Or would that just be overkill? Again a lot of this comes down to the lab course, I'm unsure what to expect in terms of study time required etc. Otherwise I dont think phys/anat/pharm together would be too bad, right? EDIT: I really want to find a way to take pharm and anat, would taking say anatomy 3319 in 4th year be reasonable with the thesis and 2.0 4th year phys/pharm's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrenchToast Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 Okay so I've done a lot of thinking as ITR draws nearer and I have a couple more questions. 1) If I were to do phys/pharm, how manageable is it to have 6 courses per semester? How intense are the two lab courses? It seems like it would be a pretty heavy workload, but I'm not entirely sure about those lab courses.. 2) If I were to do just phys, would it still be feasible to take all the required phys courses + pharm 3620, anat 3319, and sex psych? Or would that just be overkill? Again a lot of this comes down to the lab course, I'm unsure what to expect in terms of study time required etc. Otherwise I dont think phys/anat/pharm together would be too bad, right? EDIT: I really want to find a way to take pharm and anat, would taking say anatomy 3319 in 4th year be reasonable with the thesis and 2.0 4th year phys/pharm's? (1) The lab courses are kind of pulsatile. Very quiet, no work --> a lot of work. Having said that, I know for Phys 3130Y (I didn't take Pharm), there are only 4 assignments throughout the year, and those are really the only things you need to spend time on. 3/4 are in groups, so I really haven't invested too much time, lol. The issue that I would imagine would be that the Pharm and Phys assignment times likely overlap. Someone else would have to confirm whether or not this is the case. (2) Yes. Not overkill at all. As I mentioned above, I'm in Phys 3120+3130Y, Pharm, and Anat 3319. I'm not so sure about Psych 2075 though... I hear it's time consuming because you need to know all the lecture stuff and all the textbook stuff. Are you really interested in sex psych, or did you just hear that it's a bird course? If it's the latter, if you want courses that aren't too much work, feel free to ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee88 Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 Hey I took 3300A last semester and it was by far my favourite course (easily walked into the final with a 99...) HOWEVER... take it if you really enjoy immunology!!! It's really fascinating and the profs are great but prepare to work your *ss off. It is the one course that isn't pure memorization, it requires you to understand the processes (thank god because I am terrible at memorization courses) so if you're up for that, there isn't any reason you wouldn't do well! I took a fifth year and I'd have to say it's definitely one of my favourite courses I have had the opportunity to take Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPWilson92 Posted July 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 UPDATE: This summer I took ACB 3309. This school year I will be taking: PHYS 3120 PHYS 3140A PHYS 3130Y PHARM 3620 PHARM 3580Y PSYCH 2075 (I've already read through most of the textbook this summer/made notes) The goal is to cover all my bases so that I can potentially enter phys, pharm, or phys/pharm in fourth year. I feel this is a safe move to make seeing as spots are limited in each area - and I don't really care which I get as long as I get one of them. My questions are 1) How hectic/manageable is this courseload? 2) Is it wise to take both lab courses next year, seeing as this will cause me to overload both semesters? 3) Would it be beneficial to maybe defer one lab course and then take that in 4th year? 4) General comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 UPDATE: This summer I took ACB 3309. This school year I will be taking: PHYS 3120 PHYS 3140A PHYS 3130Y PHARM 3620 PHARM 3580Y PSYCH 2075 (I've already read through most of the textbook this summer/made notes) The goal is to cover all my bases so that I can potentially enter phys, pharm, or phys/pharm in fourth year. I feel this is a safe move to make seeing as spots are limited in each area - and I don't really care which I get as long as I get one of them. My questions are 1) How hectic/manageable is this courseload? 2) Is it wise to take both lab courses next year, seeing as this will cause me to overload both semesters? 3) Would it be beneficial to maybe defer one lab course and then take that in 4th year? 4) General comments? Doable! Very similar in difficultly to 2nd year...you will be studying a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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