I’ll start by saying that I’ve never taken a class like Neurochem. But that shouldn’t be a surprise – it’s the only capstone course I’ve taken, so it should be different than the others. But the reasons why it was different are important to understand. Coming into the class, I expected more of a discussion based day to day experience, but beyond that, I was in the dark. Now leaving the class, I can say that Neurochem absolutely fulfilled its requirements as a capstone.
Firstly, this class was definitely based on discussion. If the people in the class weren’t able to contribute to the topic at hand, they basically didn’t contribute to much at all. Luckily, this semester’s class was full of some awesome and capable students that were seemingly all passionate to learn about the brain and its abnormalities.
Secondly, the class was challenging. This is important to understand because, according to some of my other peers, not all capstone classes are challenging in the slightest. This class not only required discussion and participation, but everyone had to come prepared having read the material, the class wiki had to be posted to, and the exams we had required a significant amount of thinking as well. Additionally, the second part of each exam – the oral exam – was not only enjoyable but was also challenging.
Lastly, this class was a group effort. No doubt about it. We all were learning together and problem solving together, including Dr. Mach. Having the opportunity to learn alongside the instructor is undoubtedly unique as well as beneficial in my opinion. I think that this component especially epitomized the capstone experience. No matter how discussion based or BREW-oriented a class is, if the instructor is there just to test the students on how well they know the material, it’s too similar to a standard class. Neurochem was very different in that sense.
Overall, this was one of the most enjoyable classes I’ve taken during my time at Concordia. I wholeheartedly enjoyed discussion each day, and felt that I learned a ton regarding the brain, the chemistry behind it, and the numerous abnormalities and disorders associated with it. In addition, I felt I will be better prepared in my future studies as a medical student because of the many discussions I had with my peers and Dr. Mach regarding the material we learned about. Without hesitation, I would recommend any student taking Neurochem as their capstone.
Neurochemistry – The Epitome of the Capstone Experience
