CHM 2350: Organic Chemistry II & Lab

In this course I expanded on my knowledge from Orgo I and went deeper into more complicated combinations of these elements and their atomic bonds. 

This course was paired with a lab class where I learned techniques for how to extract, purify, distill, and further manipulate materials based off their chemical structures. It conceptualized how Organic Chemistry directly translate to the real world.

HS 4500: Ethics in Health Care

In this course I learned about the different moral and ethical principles and how they can be attributed to real-world issues. This course really brought to light how complex medical care can be and that in most cases there really isn't one universally correct answer. Providers must collaborate with their patients and find a solution that best respects the patient's most optimum outcome. We were also tasked with writing a paper throughout the length of class which I decided to write about Medical Assistance in Dying as it is becoming a growing topic of interest.

BIO 3232: Biochemistry I

This course brought together the basic correlations between my biological studies and chemistry studies here at Ou. It expanded in detail, the roles of proteins/amino acids, and the fuel producing systems in our body such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation.

EXS 3030: Motor Control

This course took a deeper dive into the nervous system's correlation with exercise science, and how there are senses that allow our body to function the way it does (vestibular, proprioception, etc.). After brushing up the basics of the nervous system, we explored different neurological conditions (Parkinson's, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, etc.) and how physical therapy type interventions are almost always a way to treat, mitigate, or slow down the progression of these conditions. This course showed how important exercise intervention is for the average healthy adult, and for those with genetic or developed conditions.

EXS 4715: Integrated Laboratory (Capstone)

In this course I had the pleasure of creating a symposia project that explored the mechanics of a knee crutch. In the study we explored if their was favored laterality between one's baseline of access to both their legs, and if there was a change when one of the legs was strapped in to the knee crutch assistive device.

EXS 3010: Exercise Physiology

This course took a deeper dive into how the organ systems are influenced by exercise. Focusing on how training plans are created around expected changes and how to read different biometrics when they are graphed or analyzed by technology.

EXS 4030: Assessment Interventions Lab

In this course, I was given techniques and methodology that an Exercise Physiologist would practically use every week. These included use of manual blood pressures, height and weight assessments, and other common practices that I can take to any medically related field. I was also able to perform and proctor multiple types of exercise fitness assessing tests, as well as complete my own maximal test. I was kitted up to a heart monitor, ran on an automatically adjusting treadmill, and had classmates continuously check my pulse and blood pressure.

EXS 3020: Biomechanics

In this course I was taught in greater depth how the physics of our body produces the movement that we utilize everyday. It gave me a greater understanding of the different mechanisms and how they are powered. Further conceptualizing this information by using motion capture technology such as KINOVEA that showed a real time analysis of body movements done by my peers in class. 

CHM 2340: Organic Chemistry I

In the summer, I took Organic Chemistry which highlighted the relationships between the molecular bonds and configurations of elements on the subatomic scale and how those form to create the important fuels and processes that drive our body. As well as, the way our pharmaceuticals are made and reinvented.

EXS 2200: Intro to Exercise Science

This course was one of the first courses my major has to offer. This prepared me for the sort of content that I would come to expect from the following 3 years. The details of different energy systems, the basics of how physics is directly related to the different joints of our bodies, and how our physiology is affected by exercise programs.

HC 1000: Making Discoveries

This course was an interpersonal course required by the Honors College where they paired us with similarly driven peers in hopes of building bonds that would last. We were tasked with two large projects: a individual paper on a potential research topic, and a group project expanding more in depth how one of our topics could be feasibly attuned to the real world. Unfortunately due to COVID constraints we were not able to maximize this opportunity as year's past, but it did leave me with connections that I still value dearly to this day. 

BIO 1200: Biology 1

This course was my first deep dive into the realm of biology at the college level. I was challenged by the sheer magnitude of content from this class, and the allure of what we covered began to nudge me deeper in to a medical future.

JPN 1140/1150: Intro to Japanese Language and Culture I & II

This course allowed me to explore a culture and language that I only really knew from the country's media. It helped me contextualize what I saw in anime and manga better, and gave me a deeper appreciation for the way they live their lives and the customs that they hold.