Urgent Immuno help!!

[RAMAIR57]

Well, for some reason, I did horribly on my midterm. I felt I understood everything, but I guess not. 78 people failed this exam!!! I spoke with Dr. ***** regarding my situation, and I need a 72 on the final to pass the class. She said that people do worse on the midterm, so I am really worried. Can anyone give me some advice to hit this 72??!! I started going to a DES session and Im trying to get a private tutor, but any extra advice is appreciated. One last thing, do you think because 78 people failed the midterm, and probably more will fail the class if the final is harder, that she will perhaps lower the pass mark? I am really terrified of failing this class because decelling is not an option for me (family reasons). Any help is greatly appreciated!!

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Edited by forum moderator for containing personal information which is against TOS. Edited portion indicated by "*****".

[emt036]

[The Immunology Professor] really can't fail that many people...

*** edited by emt036 for containing personal name.

See, we really are self-trained :-P

[restlesseye]

i remember we had quite a few failures during that midterm but it was just under 20. we did have a disporportionate number of B's and A's in the class.... i know of 2 people who failed the midterm and ended up with a B after the final. they worked EXTRA EXTRA hard and it wasnt easy by no means.

listen. you are probably studying for immuno the wrong way or not focusing on what is important. that little coily book that you have for a text is awesome but really lacks on clinical info. the questions at the end of each chapter help you to understand that chapter but dont do enough to integrate. dont waste your time reading the entire book. you dont need to learn stuff like the JAK/STAT pathway and things like that. read on what is focused in class and DO ALL THE OBJECTIVES. if someone has given you a copy of a previous terms objective throw them out - you are not helping yourself.

2 books i would recommend are in the library under reserve. one book is by benjamani and the other book is an orange coloured book called "Case studies in immunology" by fred rosen and raif ghea. i used the benjamani book in grenada and now am using the other book here in vinnies as a case review. i like the 2nd book very much because it is easy to read and understand.

again, dont read these entire books but the questions and explanations are very easy to follow.

any grade is possible. if you really want an A in immuno its very possible. you just have to figure out why you are having a rough time with things.

the immunology prof is an awesome prof so you should set office hours with her. she is extremely helpful and can help you understand stuff that you are having a tough time with. one word of warning. dont go in there looking for answers if you havent prepared yourself. she's great and personable.

DES is good if you can get a decent tutor.

hope this helps a little

dont worry, its not the end of the world

work a bit harder thats all

[restlesseye]

[The Immunology Professor] really can't fail that many people...

*** edited by emt036 for containing personal name.

See, we really are self-trained :-P

phew.... i almost made the same mistake.....

remember that episode of the simpsons when they couldnt say the name of that team and covered their mouths with their beer mugs?.....

random ramblings should have been in another thread sorry...

[Drdumbledore]

I did overkill in immuno. Everything you need and more is in the coily book. I read it 3 or 4 times probably. Immuno is hard because of a lack of good questions to integrate. I found some on the DES quickplace that were very helpful last term.
You could also try drawing concept maps to integrate material. A lot of people were hurt b/c they stopped attending class. She is tough to follow at first, but the more you prepare with her coily book, the better it gets. The guy who does hypersensitivity is real clear though.
You can do it.

[EM bound]

Its been a few years but I TA'd the course when the coily book was in pre-print stages with PLENTY of typos and inaccuracies. I highly recommend reading the immunology chapter in the Merck Manual. Its a short read and will place everything into a clinical sense that will benefit you when you hit the wards. I used clinical examples from this when I taught our small groups and everyone got what we were doing when I incorporated that material. Do go to her office hours to mop up the rest of your knowledge as she is personable if not a little eccentric.

PS in general the Merck Manual will help to clarify many of your questions as you're studying, I kept it in my backpack and would break it out during lectures also when things slowed down in several courses.

[stevensgu]

Dr. ****** has released like 3 sets of questions, almost 70 questions each set. They are really good. I think they can be found on DES website or just go and ask her about them.

They are very clinical and very similar to what you will see on her exam. If you can start thinking your way thru those questions, you will do fine on her exam. Go to her office hours as well, try and get into her mindset, try to reason your way thru those questions as she does.

One caveat: She may come off as a little wacky (thus the nickname wacky -----) at office hours, but she knows her immuno. haha

All the best


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Edited by forum moderator for containg personal information which is against TOS. THe edited portion is indicated by "*****".

[RAMAIR57]

so assuming the final results for the class are similar, do you guys think she will fail 78 people, or will she be forced to go against the no curve rule and lower the pass grade??

[pitstar]

say eh diaz na problema pior qutoa. Cal sey imeney ?

[Silenthunder]

You CAN pass if you really want to.

I know, that's a remarkably sill thing to say.

Here's the deal - she hasn't given out the question set yet. I don't know why.

Go ask her for these. They help a bit, with showing you HOW you need to understand the material.

The final is almost NOTHING like the midterm. It IS alot more difficult.

You have already taken some good steps - going to a DES and trying to get a tutor. The only last thing you should try is: get in a group with other people to review.

this will help you pass - studying with other people is high yield.

also:

READ THE CASES AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER!!! these cases are fair game, and incorporate some new material.

Cheers,

Silenthunder

[restlesseye]

say eh diaz na problema pior qutoa. Cal sey imeney ?

hey pitstar how did you get that 2nd warning?

[algen]

The first thing you have to do in immunology, is DRAW out the cytokine table. Start at the begining of the book and work your way down, and each time you see a function for a specific cytokine, man, WRITE it down. That worked wonders, and I am not kidding. This way you do not need to even look at chapter 6. Cause by the time you reach finals you have everything down fully.

Second, do not underestimate those clinical cases at the back of each chapter. You need to carefully read the chapter, and then go to the clinical cases. and UNDERSTAND what is being done. Because between cytokines and the understanding of those clinical cases, you are more or less ready to take on at least 70% of the exam, the rest will come from ust the general information.