This fall I had the opportunity to take neurochemistry, both for my neuroscience minor as well as for the Capstone requirement for my core. When I signed up, I really had no idea what a Capstone was supposed to be; to me it just sounded like a sort of academic “cherry on top.” I have to say, it has been more than just something sweet, meant to sweeten the deal or look good on a transcript. This semester has been a great interdisciplinary experience, which would not have been complete without neurochemistry. Before I talk about my experience this semester, I would like briefly explain the structure of the class. During the first three weeks, we covered basic information that laid the groundwork for the rest of the course. For the duration of the course, each week was devoted to covering a specific topic such as obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, concussions, Parkinson’s disease, or endocannabinoids. One of the most interesting, yet challenging parts of these papers was their recent publishing. All of the research we used was published within the last three years, making our course material extremely relevant to developments in the world of medicine. During the first day of class for the week, we would cover the basics of the assigned article. On the second day, we would cover topics mentioned in the paper or related to the issue at hand that we wanted to learn more about. Last, we would have a discussion on the paper and related topics and try to relate the information to society at large.
I was really nervous to start classes and get into the swing of things this semester, and for good reason as Neurochemistry, integrated Anatomy and Physiology, and Drugs and Behavior proved to be a challenging combination, taking many hours out of my already abysmal sleep schedule. Despite sacrifices in leisure time and REM sleep, I can safely say I enjoyed my material this semester more than any other. I was very enthused by the physiology of the body, how substances are absorbed, their pharmacological profiles, effects on behavior, and the neurochemical correlates behind said behaviors. The intimidating course load I took on this semester turned out to be one of the most rewarding interdisciplinary experiences I could ask for, especially during discussions; I did not expect sociology to complement any of my other classes and was pleasantly surprised to discover the information learned there allowed me to speak about healthcare on a broader scale, examine both biological and social phenomena, and thereby enhance my own experience in the discussion portion of the class.
At the beginning, our class was told that we would get out what we put into the class. For me, this ended up being very close to the truth. Going into the class, I already had a passion for neuroscience as I one day wish to pursue a career in medicine pertaining specifically to the brain in some way. I was able to learn about things that I was interested in from the articles themselves and further explore these interests with the related topics we presented each week. The integrative type of learning encouraged in this class is not implemented often enough in the academic world; it feels so bittersweet that I only got to experience this at the end of my undergraduate career. Concluding, I would just like to say I am a huge proponent of interdisciplinary learning; after quizzes, tests, presentations, and other academic evaluations are no longer present, informational boundaries are blurred by the applications of this knowledge. Medical innovation for innovation’s sake is intriguing, but these emerging products and procedures must be relevant to the needs of the world and safe for use, not to mention practical. Dissemination of information regarding new discoveries and subsequent integration of new technology or procedures into everyday life requires a broad understanding the many facets of organization, including entrepreneurial ventures, corporations, societal needs, or governmental regulation. I am therefore more than satisfied with my experience this fall and hope many others receive similar opportunities.
Looking Past the Intimidation Factor of a Capstone Course
