Quote:
Originally Posted by chutneyP
hey kenneth I see that you're in Biochem. I just got into it for next year, wondering how it is, and wondering if I should do a specialization or not. I heard its more difficult to do one. How are the class sizes and work load? is the 4 hour lab every week as bad as it sounds?
Can you help me make my decision?
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hey chutney. I just finished year II of biochem, so I can try and answer some of your questions. I remember trying to decide if I wanted to do the specialization or not. I remember speaking with the advisor and this is kinda of what she said:
The specialization is much more prescribed and you have fewer options for electives compared with the core program. The specialization also incorporates more laboratory work and research experience with Biochemistry 3P03 and then a thesis course in your final year. If you are considering graduate studies, the specialization is the best preparation. This would also give you more laboratory/research experience if you are considering getting a job in academic research or in industry when you graduate.
If you are in specialization you can do the thesis projects. where as in core, you ca ndo th eproject, even thought there are some exceptions to being able to do the thesis (depending on your grades, etc). The same career opportunities are open to you from either avenue, but you would be better trained and more competitive with your experience in the specialization.
I'm not sure which speicialization you are considering. If it is molecular biology one (which was the one i was in). The year II requirements are the same with core, so if you are unsure, pick the specialization. Then get more time to feel out how year II biochem is, if you realize you liek the research and want to go to graduate school you can stay, if not, then you can go and drop out to core. Going from specialization to core is easier. If you pick core now and want to go to specialization, it is harder becuase there is limited spaces.
The class size is a good size. There is enough of biochem students, but not too many, that you do generally know everyone in your program. If not, you recognize everyone. The workload is not that bad.
The four hour lab for Biochem 2L06 does not last 4 hours every week. Sometimes you finish in 2 1/2 hours. sometimes 3 hours. Throughout the entire year, I think there were only 3 times that I had to stay for the 4 hours. So its not that bad. The labs actually have alot of waiting time. So you aren't actually all the time. During that time, you can work on your lab report that week or just bring notes in to read. You do alot of gels and chromatography that requires lots of waiting time. That lab class was my favourite class. You get a lab partner and you work with them for the entire year. Dr. Willems is awesome!! I like him alot. haha.
even though some people didn't ike him as much. He listens to you and when you ask him a question, he tries to make you think of hte answer yourself and gives you questions that leads you to the answer. Which is important to be able to think on your own.
I loved the labs.
cuase you work on a project for each term, it feels more purposeful than regular labs in first year.
This was a long post, but I hope it helped! I went through the same trouble too. so i want to be able to give you all the information I had. Hope it helps, and if you have any more questions, post and i'll try and answer.
