Autumn 2020
BIOL 220, HONORS 220, PSYCH 210, P BIO 499
BIOL 220
In the final course of the biology sequence, I experienced a stark contrast to BIOL 180 and 200. Exams were open-note and open-colleague and split over two days so although there were only four exams, it felt like eight because of this format. I recognized that staying on top of things were particularly important for this course. By watching lectures early, timing myself and correcting mistakes while doing the unit packets, and having review sessions with my exam partner every week, my academic performance in this course greatly improved throughout the quarter. On the right is a study plan I made and committed to one of the exams, contributing to the highest score on an exam that I have ever received in the entire biology sequence.
HONORS 220
Ever since I found out I was accepted into the Honors Program, this is a class I have been interested in taking. Not only did I fondly remember my experience at the 2016 BioE Summer Camp with the professor, but the course content seemed to be incredibly relevant to my interests and career goals. As much as I enjoyed the breakout room discussions and in-class lectures, I personally found the final paper to be the most enriching part of this class. I chose to investigate a topic that hits close to home: the impact of language barriers on the quality of care in patients with limited English proficiency. From the topic pitch to the peer review, it was such an engaging assignment and I really felt like I had all the support I needed to make a great final product, which ended up being a pamphlet for medical students in addition to a 6-page paper reflecting on my creative process. I had so much fun designing the pamphlet and incorporating the research I had found as well. With this new understanding of the intersection between cultural perspectives and healthcare, I hope to continue addressing this important topic in the future.
Although the exams were challenging, many of the units aligned with my areas of interest. Ranging from neuropathic pain to thyroid hormone production, I found the content that we were learning were both relevant and fascinating. Like last quarter, I also enjoyed the take-home exam shown on the right, where we demonstrated our basic knowledge from this quarter in explaining how avian salt glands produce a fluid with a high salt content. Overall, I am proud of how hard I worked these last three quarters to finish the biology sequence during the pandemic and I am excited to apply what I have learned to future courses.
