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Not Just a Normal Class
As I enter finals week, I have been reflecting on new understandings I have gained from taking neurochemistry. The learning style of this course goes further than normal classes, which may simply involve memorizing neurotransmitters or signaling pathways. This class incorporated many skills I have developed through my college experience and has pushed me to think critically, connect ideas, and reflect on how neuroscience fits into more broad human health topics. In many ways, this course represented the greater purposes of Concordia’s liberal education goals and the idea of becoming responsibly engaged in the world.
One of the most significant kinds of learning I experienced in this class came in the form of integrative learning. Beginning this class, I had limited neurochemistry knowledge. I assumed this would be a highly complex class. While the course has been complex, it was complex dur to the broad categories neurochemistry is connected with. Instead of treating it as isolated content, throughout the class we connected topics to psychology, biology, ethics, and other social issues. For example, when studying neurotransmitter systems like dopamine or glutamate, we didn’t just analyze the molecular pathways. We dug deeply into how these systems relate to mental health disorders, addiction, treatment options, and patient care. I truly believe that this shifted my learning from passive memorization for exams to a more active application that I will remember long past my time at Concordia.
New Skills for the Future
This neurochemistry course both strengthened foundational and transferable skills, acting as the perfect course to wrap up my undergraduate degree. My scientific literacy improved greatly as I gradually became more comfortable with how to interpret research articles, analyze experimental data, and evaluate the current and future states of the research. Critical thinking was absolutely essential in this process, especially when conflicting findings came up in the readings. I also felt my science communication skills developed, specifically with explaining complex neurochemical processes and their subsequent effects in a clear way that could be understood by people with limited background knowledge. This is something that will be crucial in any healthcare-related field and is something that will transfer to my future education and occupation.
Looking back on all the topics we covered, I would also say I have gotten much more comfortable with interdisciplinary problem-solving. Neurochemistry integrated knowledge and background from multiple fields, and I’ve become more confident in understanding and interpreting language from a variety as well. For example, of the more recent areas of research we explored involved potential treatments for glioblastoma. In our discussions of the topic, we discussed how to break the news of a glioblastoma diagnosis and discussing treatment. This allowed us to step our of the neurochemistry aspect alone and think about molecular biology as a whole, pharmacology, clinical considerations, and broader ethics and professional relay of information. By combining these perspectives, we discussed how each of us would evaluate potential therapeutic strategies and how we would navigate the communication and interpersonal aspects.
This example also reflects my favorite aspect of this course, the real-world problems we dug into that allowed us to explore ethical and future aspects of neuroscience. Addressing complex issues like neurological diseases pulled together various fields with various interpretations of what is best for society, and this class helped me practice the mindset of interpreting and sorting these issues. This aspect of the class showed me that being responsibly engaged in the world includes the ability of taking in and drawing on diverse forms of knowledge and being able to apply them thoughtfully. As someone pursuing a future in medicine, particularly as a CRNA, the ability to think through the complex issues and the reflective skills I gained in this course are directly relevant. I received a great background on the pharmacological interactions with neurotransmitter systems.
Beyond this understanding, this course also reinforced the importance of approaching patient care holistically, incorporating biological mechanisms with environmental situations, such as psychological and social factors. This is not only a skill I have developed from this class, but also a new aspect to my worldview. Many times throughout the semester, our discussions came back to the idea that the brain is all connected and dysfunction of one aspect can lead to a whole cascade of issues. This has opened my eyes to the health of the human body as a whole, since this same idea can be applied to the entire body. When treating someone, there will be times when there is a deeper issue of what can just be seen by the eye. While at first this makes healthcare seem incredibly complicated, I am confident that the skills I have gained in my liberal arts education will carry over and my love of learning will be a great driver in tackling these topics in future education. This has been a great lesson for my future, that effective healthcare requires both technical expertise in a field and empathy for the bodily dysfunction not seen on the surface.
How Neurochemistry Has Contributes to My Liberal Learning
Throughout my college years, I have always known that learning at a liberal arts institution, like Concordia, comes with more educational implications than just a degree. It truly means being challenged each and everyday to see connections between disciplines, to question assumptions, and to reflect on personal values with new knowledge. This semester in neurochemistry encouraged me to think about ethical implications in science, such as the treatment of neurological disorders, the use of experimental drugs, and when treatment methods go too far in “correction”. It also pushed me to examine my own motivations and responsibilities as a future healthcare provider, with an additional perspective of knowledge many other CRNA will not have due to this unique class.
In conclusion, this neurochemistry course honestly strengthened my love for learning due to its unique structure and method of diving into topic. It challenged me by bringing real world and ongoing research topics into course material, making it feel relevant and impactful. I am leaving this class with a deeper understanding of brain signaling pathways as well as with a greater appreciation for how my education at Concordia has prepared me to think critically, act ethically, and contribute meaningfully to my future education and career.
