A new schedule for classes has been proposed for 2nd and 3rd semester. The proposal is to move psych and ethics into 3rd semester to coincide with neuro, and to bring genetics and epi into 2nd semester to coincide with biochem. The faculty hopes that this new schedule will be implemented as soon as possible.
New 2nd semester courses: Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Epidemiology New 3rd semester courses: Immunology/Microbiology, Neuroscience, Psychology/Ethics
Pro's: - Greater course overlap and integration
- Biochem and genetics are co-requisites, tested by 1 shelf exam. Currently students take the biochem shelf without the genetics background, although genetics is included in the biochem shelf. Therefore with this new schedule, the biochem shelf scores will improve.
- Neuro and psych have overlapping concepts (ex: neuropharm is covered in both classes)
- Psych and ethics will be taught together, removes redundancy
- Classes over by 3pm (instead of current 5:30pm)
- Allows for more independent study time
- More time available for physio labs/research
- More time available in afternoons for more grand-rounds presentations and tutorials
- Less exams during last week of 2nd semester
Con's: - What courses will irregular students take? Need to ensure that they still qualify for student loans.
- Although this course schedule is more efficient, students will lose the repetition of certain topics being taught more than once in separate semesters (ex: learning the same genetic diseases in biochem and genetics in 2 different semesters, helps to solidify the information).
- Scheduling conflicts for professors still remain
- Making the transition
- Which semester should the transition take place?
- There will be overlap between the 2nd and 3rd semester classes
- Genetics and epi will have to be taught to one big class (2nds and 3rds combined into one classroom), or the professors will have to teach the same course (mainly genetics) twice in one semester
- Since genetics is a harder course than psych, 2nd semester may be perceived as harder workload
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