I have four classes, and I have started a new lab rotation. All of my classes, except one, are only one day a week (for three hours) so my schedule is a little more open than last semester.
My first class, Techniques in Pathology, focuses on learning different lab techniques. Each week the class meets at a different lab where we are shown how a lab technique is used. Last week we watched a video of an autopsy, which I thought was super cool, but we will be learning primarily molecular biology techniques: immunohistochemistry, PCR, flow cytometery, etc. Fortunately there are no tests, we simply write a one-page review about the technique, the demonstration, and the future value of the technique in our research.
My second and third classes are both epidemiology classes: Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Control and Prevention. I'm not too excited about them, but there should be some interesting information in there somewhere.
I am also taking the second semester of Oncology for Scientists. This semester is much more clinically based, although the last few lectures seemed more like psychology and sociology than biology; behavior based on cancer knowledge, the usefulness of different study/survey techniques. Eh, not my cup of tea.
I am also in the seminar class, which might be interesting this semester. The first day we spent the time talking about what we wanted to do in the class, and we listened to Dr. Leong and Dr. Zhang disagree about the point/value of the seminar class. It was a little like watching your parents fight. I was awkward to say the least.
I have also started my second lab rotation with Dr. Smith, who is the cohead of the Urology department. I am really excited to work with him, and I hope I can do my PhD work with him. He is currently studying prostate cancer and angiogenesis, but he is also challenging the popular thoughts towards prostate cancer treatment and development. Basically he thinks the way prostate cancer has been treated for the last 40 years is silly, especially considering there is a very high rate of recurrence. I will be starting a small project for him that involves looking at how androgens (testosterone, DHT, and DHEA) get into endothelial cells (the cells lining blood vessels).
It should be a neat semester, primarily because of the rotation.
-Jon
3 comments:
Sounds like a great semester - enjoy! These are great days to stretch your horizons.
PS - see ya soon - Dena
Wow...that's a lot of stuff that sounds very complicated to me! But I'm glad you enjoy it! Keep taking care of my little sister! Hope to see you both soon!
Thanks for the update and the little explanations in the last paragraph. I hope that things are going well, and I definitely understand the 'not enjoying this class' part. Last semester was not fun at all for me because I wasn't interested in the classes that I was taking, and I was only taking the Luke/Acts class so that I could take Ecclesiology this semester (theology of the Church).
Have fun.
Post a Comment