lol
potd
This.
In the mid-80's when I was a grad student at KU my entire monetary livelihood was as a result of my services as a teaching and/or research assistant in the Chem dept. In the former capacity most of the students I encountered (especially in organic chemistry class) were aspiring to be either doctors or pharmacists. I used to remark (only half-joking) that we were "the last line of defense in ensuring the quality of healthcare in the future". In fact we also used to joke that whether we rounded-up or down a student's grade depended on how comfortable we would be if said student was going to be the one treating us when we were 70 years old - "if I opened my eyes on the hospital bed and saw your face"-metric!
That's hilarious, and reassuring!zsn wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:31 amIn the mid-80's when I was a grad student at KU my entire monetary livelihood was as a result of my services as a teaching and/or research assistant in the Chem dept. In the former capacity most of the students I encountered (especially in organic chemistry class) were aspiring to be either doctors or pharmacists. I used to remark (only half-joking) that we were "the last line of defense in ensuring the quality of healthcare in the future". In fact we also used to joke that whether we rounded-up or down a student's grade depended on how comfortable we would be if said student was going to be the one treating us when we were 70 years old - "if I opened my eyes on the hospital bed and saw your face"-metric!
Obviously, Kelli Ward's chemistry TAs failed in their solemn duty.
Been dabbling in organic chemistry for nearly 40 years, if you count internship in college! Getting interested in and being good practicing is all about how one was initiated into the science. I had a great high-school chemistry teacher who got me interested in chemistry, and then particularly in organic chemistry. Then I had several professors in college who were each particularly good in their own way about how they taught it. My college (outside the US) was particularly strong in organic chemistry and this meant that physical chemistry and analytical chemistry were not taught deeply, and it shows in my experience! My job, which pays the bills and has helped put two daughters through college, is based in organic chemistry (manufacture of pharmaceuticals for clinical studies and commercialization) but involves a substantial portion of analytical chemistry. This is where I rely on talented colleagues because there is no way I could do what they do - too tedious and too much attention to detail. Good to know that it wasn't just me!Feral wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:58 pmThat's hilarious, and reassuring!zsn wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:31 am In the mid-80's when I was a grad student at KU my entire monetary livelihood was as a result of my services as a teaching and/or research assistant in the Chem dept. In the former capacity most of the students I encountered (especially in organic chemistry class) were aspiring to be either doctors or pharmacists. I used to remark (only half-joking) that we were "the last line of defense in ensuring the quality of healthcare in the future". In fact we also used to joke that whether we rounded-up or down a student's grade depended on how comfortable we would be if said student was going to be the one treating us when we were 70 years old - "if I opened my eyes on the hospital bed and saw your face"-metric!
Obviously, Kelli Ward's chemistry TAs failed in their solemn duty.
Being aware of the attitude pre-med students have rightly earned among their non pre-med fellow students and especially the faculty, I avoided ever letting anyone know my goal, and always replied when asked that I was majoring in biology. That is, until I had to own up to it, when it came time to take analytical chemistry, which while interesting, was a bitch.
You mentioned before that you're an "organic chemist". I absolutely loved studying science in college. Learning the physics and chemistry behind my "real" interest, "physiology", was fascinating, and more than worth the work and stress involved. I'm not sure why then, when I look back through all the hours I spent studying all those subjects, organic chemistry is the one where I almost never felt like I was really, really getting it, and hitting my stride.
So, my hat's off to you.