microscope

[singer]

BIG sells new microscope for $595. THey claim and the ROSS booklist claims you need one 1st semester. When does each student need a microscope and for what purposes. Do students sell cheap microscopes when leaving the island. Does the school add it to the required 1st semestr equipment so BIG can profit by some possible connection to ROSS.

I would like to hear from the Dean on this one.

[Ross]

First, let's talk about the relationship between Ross and BIG. There is no business connection between the University and BIG other than one of landlord and tenant. BIG rents space from the University and in that space, they provide a bookstore. The University does not have any financial interest in the bookstore so there would be no reward in requiring a microscope from BIG when the students didn't really needed.

The microscope is on the required equipment list in first semester because the histology faculty put it there. The Microbiology Department also feels that it is required for third semester students. I'm sure that you have seen several postings by students saying that you can get by without the scope in first semester and they have a right to their opinion. The faculty, however, feel that a physician should know how to use a microscope. The University issues slide boxes so that students can have greater exposure to both normal and abnormal cells. Perhaps one can "pass" the course using only slides viewed on a CD but tissue from the patient in Room 303B won't look like the CD sample. Looking at a large variety of tissue samples increases the physician's skill.

Students do sell microscopes when leaving island so used ones are often available. The Island Thrift Shop also tends to have a selection of good, used scopes. I wouldn't call any of the scopes "cheap" but they are less expensive than new.

The University is researching the feasibility of supplying microscopes to students. Maintaining them is the problem. At this time, it does not look like that program will be in place by September. If something changes before September, I will let the forum members know.

[2ndyear]

It is not a big secret here that our administration do not have the highest regard for the students. We are a nuisance to them but as long as our financial aid checks clear.....But to imply that Ross is in bed with BIG is a little far-fetched. Granted, I think the microscopes are important and they should be provided by the school instead of requiring us to buy them. Microscopes are not exactly high maintenance items so I don't see the problem here. At my undergraduate school where hundreds of people take microbiology, freshman biology courses which require microscopes; all the they did was to put a bunch of microscopes in a cabinet in the labs and the students just pick one at the beginning of each lab. I TA onced and the microscopes rarely requrired any maintenance throughout the semester. And the students I knew weren't exactly scholars either.

Yes, there are lots of people selling their microscopes and you'll need one. But No, I don't think there's anything going on b/w Ross and BIG.

[pablo]

You will learn with our compressed schedule and high demand you have to get the most out of everything you study. Sure learning with a microscope would be nice, but it takes much longer. Some of our profs admitt this, and that is why we don't even bring a microscope to class..b/c they just put what we are supposed to see on a screen for us and tell us what we should know about it. As a prof recently said in class..I can show you 10 slides on the screen quicker than you could focus one on a microscope.

Dean Wagner seemed to imply that you cannot do well w/o a microscope. I believe that is not true..I just didn't pass..I got an a in the class and the lab with no microscope. There are computer disks available in the library that have all the slides you need on them.

First semester student will be even more crammed than normal next semester b/c dean wagner states that the normal pass/fail (which really was pass/pass) will no longer be a give me like it normally was.

If you still want a microscope though..don't buy a new one from big..you can get them for less than 1/2 that price here..and they will be hardly used or never used.