You guys are making it too easy :(

[dstormz]

This is my second year in a community college.

I'm taking Biology 1 (or whatever you want to call it) and Chemistry at the moment, and i'm starting to feel the pressure.

I really want to become a pharmacist, but I'm afraid I don't have such a good memory.

Is it "ok" if you'r a slow learner?

By the way, what other classes should I take beside 2 general bio, 2 general chem, 1 organic chem, and 2 physics?

I heard that you need MicroBio, Genetic, and BioChem aswell?

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[TCB]

WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY FEELS THE SAME WAY I DO. I WAS STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT I WAS DUMBEST HUMAN BEING ON SDN. WELCOME IN MY CLUB! I KNOW, I KNOW , YOU RATHER be ELSEWHERE right now , BUT HEY! AT LEAST THE MEMBERSHIP IS FREE.

You don't have to take Biochemistry unless you want to go to USC, Butler University in Indiana, I think Western University in L.A? Etc?

By taking: BIO I and II, Human Anatomy and physiology I, Microbiology, you will pretty have the all the requirements for most pharmacy schools. You can take Human Anatomy and Physiology II if you want to go to Nevada College of Pharmacy, Northeastern University in Boston, and Purdue University in Indiana etc......

Hey don't forget about your math?s requirements; make sure you take statistics. You probably have taken calculus I already... Again no need to take Calculus II , unless you want to go Purdue University, USC and UCSF. etc.....

You have to take two Organic ChemistryI & II. I don't know where you're getting your information from. I think you should start looking at schools where you're planning on applying to, and go from there.

Slow learner? Sounds like me haha. My organic professor tried to make me change my plans just because she realized that its takes me forever and one day to grasp the material? WTF? She definitively won't be writing me any letter of recommendation anytime soon. Don?t worry, if I can do it EVERYBODY CAN DO IT haha.

Oh yeah I remember you! So, you?re back huh? I remember asking you if you were attending Montgomery College, but you never answered me!! I bet you're.
Too bad, I would have been able help you and tell you want instructor to take for General chemistry II in case you haven't taken that class yet. I have my old tests, and that professor was so easy, or maybe General Chemistry II was too damn easy? no no my professor was easy. Oh well I don't really care.

Good luck.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Originally posted by dstormz
This is my second year in a community college.

I'm taking Biology 1 (or whatever you want to call it) and Chemistry at the moment, and i'm starting to feel the pressure.

I really want to become a pharmacist, but I'm afraid I don't have such a good memory.

Is it "ok" if you'r a slow learner?

By the way, what other classes should I take beside 2 general bio, 2 general chem, 1 organic chem, and 2 physics?

I heard that you need MicroBio, Genetic, and BioChem aswell?

Okay here is the scoopage. I have been a pharmacist now for twenty years. When I was in school I did not learn how to study until my third year. Does that tell you anything about how I did?
Once I learned how to study I became known for my excellent notes because I taped the lectures, then transcribed them virtually verbatum. With that done I would then begin to study. I lived in the library, closing the place down at 2am (I was there after the med students went home), taking as much as a month to study for major exams then would run to the exam with the information leaking out my ears. My rote memorization got better with time like a muscle does with weight training. Four weeks worth of study was paired down to a week. My best buddy could take my notes with a hangover the night before the exam and get a better grade than I.

I had to work harder than some. So what?

What they are asking you is how bad do you want it. Those of us who sweat blood to get there know the value of hard work. You need to decide if you want it badly enough to bleed for it, then hunker down and watch smarter people with less resolve fall by the wayside. You will notice that they make it artificially more difficult than it needs to be. This is intentional. On the other side that ability to bite the bullet and bulldoze your way through will serve you your entire life. Have you got what it takes?

 

[dstormz]

Thank you so much for those friendly replies.

I used to be a computer sciense major and aced most of the computer classes. I got bored afterward 'cause I felt that it's utterly useless.

Anywhow, TCB, I do attend Montgomery College. I like it somewhat, but it makes me feel so stupid being in a community college and all.

I know a girl, she's doing internship with me at Virion System, who aced Organic Chemistry. According to her, it was pretty easy.

And, baggywrinkle, I'm glad that you told me of your personal experience with pre-pharm. I will try to study harder next time.

 

[TCB]

Baggywrinkle wasn't telling you about his experience during his pre-pharm years , but during pharmacy school.

If being in a communiry college makes you feel stupid, why don't you just transfer to College Park or UMBC next spring ? they will admit you in a heart beat. You may as well finish your pre-req there if that turns you on. If you can't go that far, you might want to look at University of Maryland at Shady Grove.

I am taking organic I right now, is not difficult, I am just having some minor problems with resonance and synthesis, I guess I Just have to practice more.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Originally posted by dstormz
I will try to study harder next time.

Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
---Yoda,

http://film-movie-posters.junglewalk.com/Star-Wars-Poster-311822.asp

 

[SteveL]

I think I'm a pretty slow learner, although my study habits are MUCH better than most. The fact is, it's very hard to memorize all the stuff you need to know two or three days before a pharmacology/biochem exam. I started doing my stuff a week ahead of time (at minimum). I would break my work load down by a day at a time and things wouldn't seem so bad. 200 pages of med chem (on pwr point) might seem overwhelming, but breaking it down over 5-7 days makes things much easier. I find myself not having to run to the class with little factoids leaking out my ears (to paraphrase baggy) and I find myself smiling and laughing before a test instead of looking scared and nauseated. To be brutally honest, pharmacology is not hard. The concepts are never difficult to understand, it's just memorizing facts...and the best way to do that is through repetition. The best part about starting ahead of time and lots more repetition, is that not only do you just memorize facts for a test, but you understand those facts, can regurgitate for a longer period after, and actually apply those facts to other classes/concepts. It really makes things much more enjoyable.

The fact is it's hard work, so get over it. Just buckle down and kick ass...how bad do you want the grade?

 

[baggywrinkle]

My routine of taping, then listening to and transcribing, then studying the notes proved very effective for me. During the peak pressure periods I remember getting to the point with my notes that I could actually page through them in my mind seeing diagrams and tables only to find a blank spot where the information I needed resided (kidding or I wouldn't be here today)

Something I cannot, btw, do now.

If you look closely at the laws of learning that I posted elsewhere you can find several of them at work in my little ritual. There were at least three passes through the notes prior to even beginning to study (exercise). It was a positive experience because people came to me wanting my notes(effect). Having a family to feed and student debt to service was a powerful motivator(readiness). The act of transcribing engaged more than just one sense(intensity). Having the notes on tape insured they were correct and complete(primacy)

The more you are able to engage all six laws the better you will learn the material. Look at how a baby learns through play. All of their senses are brought to bear. They want to know how it looks, how it feels, how it sounds, how it tastes. It is fun so they want to do it again. Thus the value of silly rhyming neumonic songs even if they frown on singing in the library (!) A healthy dose of fear doesn't hurt either.

 

[lilmk]

Originally posted by dstormz
This is my second year in a community college.


I really want to become a pharmacist, but I'm afraid I don't have such a good memory.

Is it "ok" if you'r a slow learner?

i have a terrible memory. i'm a slow learner as well. i consider myself to be pretty darn stupid but seriously my grades are fine cuz i've always been a hard worker. i'm sure you'll be fine too. if you were a C.S. major then you're way smarter than me!! good luck.

 

[Triangulation]

Originally posted by lilmk
i have a terrible memory. i'm a slow learner as well. i consider myself to be pretty darn stupid but seriously my grades are fine cuz i've always been a hard worker. i'm sure you'll be fine too. if you were a C.S. major then you're way smarter than me!! good luck.

Where was your undergrad lilmk?

 

[Triangulation]

I'm with Bag. it's ALL about developing your skills through practice. One day it'll just gel. Just keep at it and stay hella positive, you'll get there.

 

[chunkyb]

Just another tip: Cut out all the tuna fish from your diet and throw way any candles with leaded wicks. All that mercury and lead really screws up your memory and concentration. I think that these things negatively impacted on my life a few years back.

 

[jdpharmd?]

Originally posted by chunkyb
Just another tip: Cut out all the tuna fish from your diet and throw way any candles with leaded wicks. All that mercury and lead really screws up your memory and concentration. I think that these things negatively impacted on my life a few years back.

What have these crazy canadians gotten themselves into now?!

 

[lilmk]

Originally posted by Triangulation
Where was your undergrad lilmk?

UCLA, baby! go bruins.

calling myself stupid is just like a little disclaimer thing i use to excuse all the spelling and grammar mistakes i make on sdn .

What about you? your undergrad?

 

[Triangulation]

The University of Washington. Go U-Dub!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lyzziebeth]

UC Davis! Go Aggies!

 

[Triangulation]

Originally posted by lyzziebeth
UC Davis! Go Aggies!

No kiddin. you guys run our class!!!

 

[Caverject]

This may sound stupid....whats an Aggie? I didnt realize UC was one as well! I've always known about Texas A&M. Just curious!

 

[neonam11]

A high school teacher puts it best. An aggie: anything that has to do with agriculture.

In the case of UC Davis, the California legislature first established it to be a state agriculture school, coined the University Farm, with a large percentage of the students coming from UC Berkeley.

Go, Aggies!

 

[ucdbiochem]

yeah, i miss driving pass La Rue in Davis. the lovely cow dung.