Term 1 Schedule?

[kmac6225]

Hey Everyone,

I was just going over the classes for term 1 students and was wondering how all of the classes are scheduled throughout the term. Are all of the classes (Histology and Cell Biology, Human Gross and Developmental Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry, Bioethics and the Professional: Medicine in Society I) taken at the same time throughout the term?

I have heard that some schools go through systems and concentrate on one class at a time for each system, but have not heard how SGU does it.

i don't have access to sgu's student services site yet but was wondering a typical weekly schedule for term 1 as well.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you all!!

[Wh0Kares]

all classes are taken at the same time

[tin]

umm................i have actually been hearing that systems based is not working for a number of med schools in the states...........and they're beginning to revert back to the traditional method.

I actually prefer SGU's method..........................
The clinical pictures dont really start coming together until end of 4th term and thruout fifth term anyways......

[kmac6225]

Thanks for the quick replies. It seems like a lot to do at the same time, but I'm sure there is some sort of structural organization to the material. I'll be looking forward to finding out!

[Anastomosis]

can someone explain what systems based is and what organs based is? and what is SGU? Is there a consenses on which is better? thanks

[tin]

Organ / System based is when the curriculum covers the respective basic sciences topics via a division based on a particular organ system

So for example..............The liver.................( in this module u will learn all the biochem, anatomy, histology, physiology, pathology, pathophysiology and pharmacology that involves this organ. Then u move on to the next organ.

SGU however,................has it the traditional way........by actually presenting the material by subject not by organ........i.e. in first term u take biochm, anatomy, histo and know all the systems.....w/n that subject matter

[T-dot]

All the classes do run at the same time, however, Bioethics is shorter than the other 3 courses and finishes sometime after 6 weeks if I recall correctly. A typical week will involve class every afternoon from 1-5. Labs are usually in the morning. Every week you'll have Anatomy lab once, Histo lab once and then some weeks you'll have Bioethics small group or Biochem small groups. Anatomy lab is 4 hours every week (split into discussing clinical cases, looking at radiographic studies and actual cadaver lab), Histo lab is for 2 hours each week going over what was taught in class that week and looking at prepared slides. Bioethics and Biochem small groups are a little bit less involved and mostly involve discussing cases.

[drno31]

You will be relieved when Bioethics is over, as you will then get another morning to sleep until after midterms when Biochem small groups start. And 4 hours of anatomy starting at 7:45 and then 4 hours of lecture will make you rethink your commitment to medicine. Before midterms, expect to have 4 hours of lecture every day. After midterms, expect only 4 hours of lecture twice a week (never on days that people have anatomy lab in the morning) and 3 or 2 hours a day for the rest of the week. And expect to wonder how you made it through 4 hours of class for five days straight.

Labs are mandatory, and you will learn a lot in a short amount of time. Lectures have an 80% attendance requirement, which will never be checked, and often depending on the particular lecture for the day, you might find it better to watch the lecture on Sonic Foundry at double speed and study it on your own. You will be given the teachers' notes for the lectures at varying times in the term and they are invaluable. Don't lose the anatomy notes because they're not posted online as PDF's which is infinitely annoying.

[digitalising]

OK, it's not as bad as what DrNo31 puts it. Getting up early is sort of a pain but you get used to it. The real shock comes when they flip your lab times, and instead of going to the wet lab first you go to small group or vice versa. Other than that, it's not terrible and it's manageable (i.e., you're not going to fail if you relatively keep up with the material).

[drno31]

OK, it's not as bad as what DrNo31 puts it. Getting up early is sort of a pain but you get used to it. The real shock comes when they flip your lab times, and instead of going to the wet lab first you go to small group or vice versa. Other than that, it's not terrible and it's manageable (i.e., you're not going to fail if you relatively keep up with the material).

Sorry, didn't intend to scare anyone, just meant to say that those days where you have lab, you will definitely appreciate less lecture. It's hard to be productive in early morning, be attentive all afternoon, and then go back and study some more in the evening. During my term, they never did switch the anatomy groups, so I started with 2 hours of small group in the morning, which IMO is better than cadavers at 8 AM. They did however switch the Histo labs, so I went from 10 AM to 8 AM after midterms. And in my experience, if you get into med school, you shouldn't have a difficult time at least passing the first term classes. I did poorly on the unified quiz and scored much higher on the midterms three weeks later. Don't fall behind, but if you do use the weekends and there's more than enough time to learn what you need to.

[digitalising]

Sorry, didn't intend to scare anyone, just meant to say that those days where you have lab, you will definitely appreciate less lecture. It's hard to be productive in early morning, be attentive all afternoon, and then go back and study some more in the evening.

Not going to argue with that. I took the tone of your post to be a bit doom and gloom, probably more than you intended for it to be.

[SalamaSeed]

So generally speaking, classes or labs in the morning and afternoon... I am guessing there is a break in the middle. Most of the studying is done after classes are over and on the weekends then?? I know this is very person specific, but I'm just curious what people found to be the best schedule for themselves.

[Apothecary]

There are pretty much no classes ever scheduled between 12 and 1 p.m. so you will have a break for food or a nap- which comes in handy when you have your days of 4 hour Anatomy lab + 4 hours of lecture.

To stay on top of things, I'd say it's always best to review that day's lecture/lab material on that very same day. Pushing it off until later or the next morning just allows it to pile up which can happen very quickly if you're not careful. On the weekends, I used to go back to the Anatomy wet lab to review the structures we went over in lab that week and then basically try to review that week's worth of material. It's a lot of stuff so it doesn't always get done but as long as you stay on top of stuff- as everyone else above me has said- you should be fine.

And most importantly- if you're having issues with the material, get help! Office hours, DES sessions, whatever you need- don't be shy or embarassed to ask for it. Med school, especially first term, is A LOT of work and it's natural to be overwhelmed at first...but if you make use of the resources available to you and don't slack off, you'll be good.

[SalamaSeed]

Thanks for the reply. You are aloud to access the labs on weekends? Do you need supervision? Or I completely off and I am just used to labs in the US?

[TheFooBar]

Thanks for the reply. You are aloud to access the labs on weekends? Do you need supervision? Or I completely off and I am just used to labs in the US?

Yes, you are allowed to use the lab on the weekends. As long as the lab is open, you have on the appropriate clothing and gloves, you can go in and get your learn on.

[drno31]

So generally speaking, classes or labs in the morning and afternoon... I am guessing there is a break in the middle. Most of the studying is done after classes are over and on the weekends then?? I know this is very person specific, but I'm just curious what people found to be the best schedule for themselves.

To be more specific about labs - Anatomy lab is from 7:45 - 12 once a week, every week, except for the two weeks after the midterm. Histology lab is two hours a week, every week, starting at either 8 am or 10 am. Before the midterm, Bioethics small group was an hour and a half and met 3 times, usually on Friday morning. After the midterm, Biochem small group was an hour and met 4 times. The Anatomy wet lab has great hours and there's always someone in there to help out.

[SalamaSeed]

Awesome, thanks.