Biology Good For Pre-Med

Unlike concentrators in some subjects, those who select Biology for their field usually do so with the definite aim of entering one of three occupations following graduation; medicine, teaching, and government research, with medicine takng about 70 per cent of the group.

Unlike Physics and Chemistry, Biology is not directly connected with the war effort and biologists will not be deferred for the draft. Only one new course, Biology 121 (Sanitary Biology), has been added since Pearl Harbor, but in many other cases there has been a shift in emphasis to keep pace with the times.

Text Books Secondary

Lectures and laboratory periods largely supercede the reading requirements, and text books are generally used only for reference. The Laboratory has an excellently stocked library and periodical room which should meet the student's needs.

In personnel and facilities the Laboratory is one of the best, if not the best, in the country. Professors Weston, Bigelow, Hisaw, Dawson, Cleveland, Redfield, Romer, Thimann, and Hoadley are just a few of the men connected with the department, and there are many more, each a specialist in his own field.

Section Men Superior

Section men have always been one of Biology's chief strong points. No one section man is ever burdened down with a greater number of men than he can handle with ease.

Chemistry is a sine qua non for concentrators, at least to the stage of Chemistry 2 (Organic Chemistry). Elementary Physics is also required, although it is possible to have this requirement waived.

It is also possible, to kill off the pre- medical requirements at the same time as those of concentration, thus leaving ample opportunity to "round" out one's education in other fields.

Tutorial Has Twofold Application

Tutorial has two essential purposes. Primarily it is designed to account for ground not covered in courses, and, as such, it is used sparingly by most concentrators. It can also be used for over-concentration, should the student find some subject which particularly interests him.

The general exams are so arranged that the material on which they are based is covered in three and a half courses. A knowledge of the material in these will enable the concentrator to pass his generals, but for honors further work, to be done by tutorial, is necessary in the fields covered by these elementary courses.

Bio D. is adequately given by Darrah and after midyears Hisaw, Harvard's edition of Will Rogers. This is a remarkably complete course, and men who thought they had enough prerequisites to skip it have regretted its omission.

Also Weston's course on non-vascular plants, 1a, is universally praised and very necessary for generals. 1b is not recommended except for those who plan to do a lot of work in botany. Romer's 2a, which used to be a full course, has been cut in half, with no corresponding reduction of subject matter. It is a hard but necessary course, and not to take it would be scholastic suicide. 2b on invertebrates by Bigelow and Welsh is more elastic, not so essential, and can be covered by the reading