Jim Peters reports:
"Actually, we have two sequences. One is for engineers, chemists and
physicists, and utilizes calculus. The other is for life scientists,
earth/space scientists and middle-school teachers, and does not utilize
calculus."
At the University of Texas at Austin, we have found that the life
scientists include two broad categories: pre-med students (who plan to go
to medical school), and pre-medical technician students (who do not expect
to become medical doctors). They are very different in their skills,
preparation, and motivation.
The pre-meds have GPA's averaging well above 3.0 and generally above 3.5 on
a 4.0 scale. They take calculus because most medical schools expect it.
We offer a separate calculus-based physics for pre-meds, which the health
professions office counsels them to take. Some, realizing they are
swimming with their fellow academic sharks attempt to take the
algebra-based general physics. Because there is no "pre-med degree", and
since biological sciences (from which many of them enter the health
professions) allows either course, they can get away with this free ride
until they interview with med schools who realize the difference (its
pointed out in the first sentence of every letter of recommendation which I
write).
I encourage each of you to review this option, and separate out the two
groups. Pre-meds are among the very brightest students in college.
Generally, they are much brighter than most engineering students and
frequently they are motivated to outperform our majors. The medical
profession uses more scientific technology every day. To not encourage
them to engage in a deeper understanding of physics is to short-change
them. To discover they hated physics as you enter the operating room is
downright frightening...Karl
Dr. Karl I. Trappe Desk Phone: (512) 471-4152
Physics Dept, Mail Stop C-1600 Demo Office: (512) 471-5411
The University of Texas at Austin Home Phone: (512) 264-1616
Austin, Texas 78712-1081