Evil Robot Shane From Another Dimension (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} evilrobotshane) wrote,@ 2007-09-14 18:28:00 |
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Class Roundup
EMC 340 - Introduction to Clinical Medicine
I had to talk my way into this one, since I was lacking one or two of the prerequisite classes and am not actually in the Emergency Medical Care degree programme, but in I got. It's taught by a physician who's been working with paramedics ever since there have been paramedics and who knows the field well. It's interesting and enjoyable, he teaches well with lots of anecdotal examples which I find help me significantly in remembering things. The course is mostly about performing examinations of patients and interviewing them, and I've heard from several sources that it's several years into medical school before doctor students get similar training. It's real icing on a paramedic cake, unnecessary but a major boon.
BIOL 291 - Human Anatomy & Physiology
The version of Anatomy & Physiology classes designed for healthcare professionals, this is the most boring crap ever. I don't even know why - the lecturer knows his stuff, uses good slides and is reasonably enthusiastic, but for whatever reason it's death. Maybe it's just that the topic doesn't really grip me so far - we've been doing cellular and molecular biology, and I find it hard to identify with a protein as a character. Nevertheless, I expect that the larger-scale stuff will seem tedious too. There's a lab component which is reminiscent of secondary school science, setting up simple experiments and filling out the steps in a book.
PSY 331 - Human Sexuality
The second of two slots from the Humanities or something category I need to fill, this class came highly recommended as fun and informative, and it is absolutely that. It's taught by an evolutionary psychologist with an extensive background in biology, who knows many of the possessors of the big names in the field, and he's been at it for ages and has his showmanship down pat. The class is full of anonymous surveys and interesting factoids, extremely easy to follow and yet with lots of learning accidentally going on. Some of the props he's showed around include a Victorian vibrator, a New Guinean extended codpiece and raccoon and bear penis bones, which he used as a pointer for slides. Definitely a great class, with a well-deserved reputation as such which makes it very difficult to get into. Fortunately the nearer you are to graduating the earlier you get to pick classes.
MATH 170 - Applied Statistics
This used to be mandatory for Parks & Rec students because of the amount of interpreting of data one has to do in a range of related jobs, but isn't anymore because Parks & Rec students are too dumb. Still, I had to take a maths class so I went for this because it might actually prove useful. Mostly thus far it's involved making a few simple graphs and a lot of fiddling with graphical calculators, but I do get the feeling that it's all headed somewhere. It's not difficult so far.
ART 104 - Introduction to the Visual Arts
Another slot-filler, this was instead of something like Theatre or Jazz Appreciation (I'm sure I'd appreciate jazz less if I had to take a class on it), which I chose so I might someday be able to look at a painting and have some idea what I'm actually looking at. We've watched a couple of videos about artists and been lectured to about various types of artists and broad art-related topics. The 1 at the start of its numerical code indicates that this'll be a total doddle.
I'm also signed up for a fifty-hour Parks & Rec work placement internship which I need, which I'll be doing at Base Camp but trying to wangle into a work permit extension so I can ski patrol for the winter. Then there's the matter of the English Composition II requirement, which class I'm not taking but intend to challenge the exam thereof in order to test out. Apparently very few people pass the challenge exam, but I figure I'm more likely than most (I made an A challenging the English Comp I exam). Not like I have much choice at this stage.
EMC 340 - Introduction to Clinical Medicine
I had to talk my way into this one, since I was lacking one or two of the prerequisite classes and am not actually in the Emergency Medical Care degree programme, but in I got. It's taught by a physician who's been working with paramedics ever since there have been paramedics and who knows the field well. It's interesting and enjoyable, he teaches well with lots of anecdotal examples which I find help me significantly in remembering things. The course is mostly about performing examinations of patients and interviewing them, and I've heard from several sources that it's several years into medical school before doctor students get similar training. It's real icing on a paramedic cake, unnecessary but a major boon.
BIOL 291 - Human Anatomy & Physiology
The version of Anatomy & Physiology classes designed for healthcare professionals, this is the most boring crap ever. I don't even know why - the lecturer knows his stuff, uses good slides and is reasonably enthusiastic, but for whatever reason it's death. Maybe it's just that the topic doesn't really grip me so far - we've been doing cellular and molecular biology, and I find it hard to identify with a protein as a character. Nevertheless, I expect that the larger-scale stuff will seem tedious too. There's a lab component which is reminiscent of secondary school science, setting up simple experiments and filling out the steps in a book.
PSY 331 - Human Sexuality
The second of two slots from the Humanities or something category I need to fill, this class came highly recommended as fun and informative, and it is absolutely that. It's taught by an evolutionary psychologist with an extensive background in biology, who knows many of the possessors of the big names in the field, and he's been at it for ages and has his showmanship down pat. The class is full of anonymous surveys and interesting factoids, extremely easy to follow and yet with lots of learning accidentally going on. Some of the props he's showed around include a Victorian vibrator, a New Guinean extended codpiece and raccoon and bear penis bones, which he used as a pointer for slides. Definitely a great class, with a well-deserved reputation as such which makes it very difficult to get into. Fortunately the nearer you are to graduating the earlier you get to pick classes.
MATH 170 - Applied Statistics
This used to be mandatory for Parks & Rec students because of the amount of interpreting of data one has to do in a range of related jobs, but isn't anymore because Parks & Rec students are too dumb. Still, I had to take a maths class so I went for this because it might actually prove useful. Mostly thus far it's involved making a few simple graphs and a lot of fiddling with graphical calculators, but I do get the feeling that it's all headed somewhere. It's not difficult so far.
ART 104 - Introduction to the Visual Arts
Another slot-filler, this was instead of something like Theatre or Jazz Appreciation (I'm sure I'd appreciate jazz less if I had to take a class on it), which I chose so I might someday be able to look at a painting and have some idea what I'm actually looking at. We've watched a couple of videos about artists and been lectured to about various types of artists and broad art-related topics. The 1 at the start of its numerical code indicates that this'll be a total doddle.
I'm also signed up for a fifty-hour Parks & Rec work placement internship which I need, which I'll be doing at Base Camp but trying to wangle into a work permit extension so I can ski patrol for the winter. Then there's the matter of the English Composition II requirement, which class I'm not taking but intend to challenge the exam thereof in order to test out. Apparently very few people pass the challenge exam, but I figure I'm more likely than most (I made an A challenging the English Comp I exam). Not like I have much choice at this stage.
