Right on, Brian. The most pre-meds I've taught in a single section is 178.
The most Med School letters of Recommendation I've written in a single
year is 52. Nonetheless, my evidence is anectdotal and based only on my
experience at my institution. My suggestion was not meant to imply that you
do as I do, but that you examine the students at your institution to
determine if you come to the same conclusion, and redirect those pre-meds,
accordingly. *That* is within *your* field of expertise, physics. I would
not suggest that you take anectdotal evidence from your physics experience
to determine what history course they should be taking.
Many of the pre-meds are now entering...not from the sciences...but from
the business schools, as Brian suggested. They are not stupid people. My
point (somewhat lost) is that watered down courses are misplaced on such
bright students. When they take algebra based courses, they wipe out the
GPA's of the pre-medical technician students who also take the algebra
course. (A phenomena I refer to as sharks in a pool of guppies). As one
other respondent pointed out: [The algebra based course is for those who
will not likely use physics again
to any great degree].
I certainly don't question the value of the engineering degree as a route
to a medical profession. My personal favorite is biochemistry as a route.
Those are few and far between, but here, they also take the major's series
in physics rather than the one for engineering students. I do wish that
such bright students would realize that MRI could have been deduced by one
of them from recalling NMR from their physics or chemistry class. Many
other medical advances could come the same way.
Regarding the history of surgery: I understand that the observation
galleys were originally a part of the spectacle of early surgery, *not*
part of the training arena for future surgeons. Spectators observed for
amusement, often cheering for the gruesomeness of the activity (and often
being disappointed when the patient survived). Surgery was originally a
last ditch effort applied to a person who was not expected to survive the
activity. smile...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