Advice from Previous Years' Classes

2006 Class

When students in the class from 2006 were asked, "What advice can I pass on to next year's students that would help them do well in this class?" this is how they responded:

• Study.
• Stay on top of things! Do the problem sets. Ask questions during lectures! It helps you learn. Study the clinical correlations - it helps put things together and usually shows application to pharmacy.
• Do the problem sets and keep on top of the material; it builds up quickly! It is doable, but you need to stick with it.
• Do the homework sets, keep up with the notes, if not just by reading them.
• Consider yourself screwed.
• Try to review lecture notes periodically, not just right before an exam.
• Keep up with the material.
• Study notes before class, go to class and listen and study notes after class. Try to know mechanisms and enzymes pretty soon after lecture is given. It will make studying for tests a lot easier.
• Study those pathways. Put diseases on flashcards for the last test and know them.
• Study a little daily is possible. Don't wait until the night before.
• Do the problem sets. At the very least, read through the given answers to help put all the cycles together as functional physiology/biochem.
• Keep up! It will pay off in the long run. You can't cram this material. Do the problem sets!
• Study for tests many days in advance. Do the problem sets and go over the notes several times.
• Keep up with the notes and problem sets. You don't want to be cramming the night before.
• Study ahead of time, a little at a time to prepare for test.
• Study problem sets and don't put off studying new material.
• A lot of material to cover.
• Study, study, study! Start early and don't let up. Problem sets are helpful and thought-provoking. Encourage students to participate! Questions asked in class contributed greatly to my understanding of the material.
• This class is intensive, study hard and learn, and above all keep up.
• Study more than one day before the exam, and form study groups to help go through all the various pathways/cycles.
• Try to keep up with lecture notes. But if you don't have enough time, cram as much as you can and use the old tests and problem sets as guides. Also, don't buy the book, even when they tell you that certain parts will be tested. They're not!
• It will be OK, you will make it.
• Study every day.
• Do problem sets. Don't wait until the last minute to study. Make sure you pay attention to what is emphasized in class. Read the notes. Try to understand and integrate the pathways as you go along.
• Read the lecture notes after class to help solidify concepts. Try to keep up with the material.
• No cramming allowed! Do problem sets!
• Read class notes before class so you don't get lost in class.
• Keep up. There is a lot of material shoved at you really fast (more than medchem 450) so read notes every day and do the problem sets.
• Cram if you want to, just make sure you cover everything. Kent's the best out of the three and Rheem explains everything quite clearly, so listen in class! Books was a waste of $. And pray. Now.
• Focus on the regulated, irreversible reactions.
• Stay on top of it!
• Do the problem sets on a weekly basis and study in groups with active discussion.
• Keep up with reading the notes after lectures or else you will have a ton to read before an exam.
• Read the notes after class. Don't cram for the tests.
• Stay on top of problem sets.
• Same as previous, do not fall behind. Always keep up with class and look/do problem sets regularly.
• Ask questions, study the notes and problem sets.
• Don't procrastinate.
• Try not to procrastinate about studying. Go to lecture; you'll pick up more of the material and see what the professor emphasizes.

2005 Class

When students in the class from 2005 were asked, "What advice can I pass on to next year's students that would help them do well in this class?" this is how they responded:

• Go to class. Memorize the stuff the instructors seem most passionate about. Relax. Pray.
• Be efficient when studying. Don’t waste time re-writing out notes on material that you already know or can commit to memory after reading once or twice. Save the effort for diagramming out stuff that is completely new and foreign.
• Be on top of things.
• Review lecture notes right away, study groups are the most effective.
• Do not procrastinate and do problem sets. The important things to remember for tests were in the problem sets.
• Stop worrying about the numerical value (i.e. grade), learn the material because it will help make you a more effective and efficient pharmacist.
• Start early on the class notes.
• Keep up with studying. Don’t get behind in reading notes.
• When he says you don’t need to know the enzymes names, study the enzymes names!
• Do your work.
• Read the notes, go to class and read the notes again. The material is difficult so it must be gone over more than once (or twice)!
• Do not get behind. There is an overwhelming amount of material. You must keep up.
• Attend all classes. Study problem sets.
• Just start crying now.
• Study, study, study, don’t fall behind, keep up in this class.
• Keep up on the studying! Material presented and tested is very reasonable if you keep up.
• Do the problem sets. Stay on top of notes, re-read periodically.
• Keep up with the material, do the problem sets, and know pathways (including important enzymes).
• Study the notes every day, even if it is just a brief scanning of a few pages ­ every little bit helps to familiarize one with the content.
• If you really want to ­ cramming does work.
• Don’t cram! You don’t need the book.
• Don’t cram, unless you can memorize 100 enzymes & pathways in one day and NOT GET THEM CONFUSED.
• Keep up on the material.
• Keep up with problem sets!
• Don’t cram! I read the same thing on last year’s advice but ended up procrastinating…make sure you don’t do that! Text useless…use class notes.
• Keep up with studying. Problem sets and past years exams are good reviews for tests (even at last minute).
• Know the notes, use the study guides, ask questions.
• Try really hard to keep up.
• Ace the first 2 exams so you can screw the final because there’s no way you’re going to have time to study for it in the end. Ask Kunze about his wife, and her vivid dreams. Ask Kunze why he keeps himself in a starved state every day until dinner even if he is a biochem prof and knows the consequences.
• Read the lecture notes after every class.
• Keep up with the material.
• Keep up with the readings. Do problem sets.
• Stay on top of things (especially toward the end).
• Don’t procrastinate!
• There’s really no advice that can prepare you for this class.
• Use the lecture notes like a textbook and summarize each lecture down to 1-2 pages.
• Know the details! They’re imp!

2004 Class

And this is how the class from 2004 responded:

• Ask a lot of questions when unsure.
• Be aware that there are few grading opportunities (only 3 exams), so make the most of each one.
• Definitely do the problem sets.
• Do not cram.
• Do not procrastinate! Read your notes every night!
• Do not procrastinate. Learn the packets right away.
• Do problem sets - don't skip class - come to as many conferences as you can.
• Do problem sets in advance. It helps to make your own cheat sheet listing out all enzymes.
• Do the homework problems.
• Don't leave studying till last minute.
• Don't wait til right before the test to study.
• Go to the conference sessions. Join a study group.
• If you do wait to the night before, read everything. Do the problem sets and just learn what you can learn. There are too many classes to try to learn everything for every test.
• Keep up with material as you go along. Problem sets are key - don't leave them until the night before.
• Keep up with reading notes. Do homework problems.
• Keep up with the work load - don't get behind.
• Keep up.
• Keep up... study notes for Kunze, problem sets for Rheem and Campbell.
• Read packets later that day as part of daily homework. This helps reinforce what was covered that day.
• Read the lecture notes (ahead) or at least on time, so not too much reading before the final.
• Read the packets as you get it! Falling behind is not a good feeling! The course is very interesting. It actually makes sense but there's a lot of material so read! read! read!
• Review - review - review. Do the homework sets early and do them at least twice.
• Review the handouts the week you do them in class. Do not cram for this class. (It can be done, but not well.)
• Re-write or re-organize the notes in a way that is meaningful to you. Synthesize the individual concepts and pathways into one big picture - it will make a lot more sense and you'll remember the individual components better overall.
• Spread out the studying.
• Start studying at least a couple of days before the test, too overwhelming to start the day before.
• Start studying early, impossible to cram.
• Stay caught up, do the problem sets. Memorize all the names of the enzymes.
• Stay on top of the material. Don't fall behind! (2)
• Stay on top of things, read material ahead of time, do the problem sets.
• Stay positive!
• Study ahead of time!! Do not cram.
• Study ahead. It can't be done last minute. Take notes and review every day after class.
• Study as you go along. Attend review sessions especially for Drs. Campbell and Totah. Don't believe Kunze when he says to only worry about big ideas. Learn every enzyme even is it is from left field.
• Study beforehand.
• Study daily, don't wait until the night before the test.
• Study every day, not just the day before the test. Attend class because often in class the instructors will explicitly clue you in to what they want you to know (stuff that will be on exams).
• Study from the lectures (text books last resort), practice with past tests/problem sets, Kunze looks scary but he's not that bad.
• Study or go over each handout every day right after class or before you go to bed. Try and find study groups to discuss the handouts.
• Study problem sets.
• Study! (2)
• Study, study, study! Keep up!
• Try to place out before registering for pharmacy school.
• Utilize time wisely. Even just an hour studying/reviewing topics would be helpful.
• Work through problems and old exams before looking at the answers.

2003 Class

And this is how the class from 2003 responded:

• Keep on top of things, do problem sets, ask questions, go to office.
• Don’t procrastinate!
• Learn the material before the test.
• Go to class! Don’t cram in finals week! Talk to profs if you need help! Use lots of exclamation marks!!
• Keep up with the work.
• Keep up with the readings.
• Stay on top of your notes, and stay caught up with problem sets. Doing these two things will provide the greatest benefit for this class.
• Read the notes, do the homework and practice exams.
• Keep up in learning material.
• Read the notes and do the homework.
• Do your homework sets and review old tests rather than just reading the notes.
• Focus on main topics.
• Study constantly, don’t get behind. Catching up is next to impossible once you get behind.
• Learn it as you go. Don’t wait to cram.
• Read notes before class (which I didn’t do).
• Don’t buy the book. I never used it and did okay, waste of $.
• Work problem sets, make pathway charts to see big picture with glycolysis/O.P. and TCA cycle.. Too difficult to see separate.
• Don’t read the book ­ focus on the notes. Practice tests are great!
• Do the problem sets, especially the definitions. Read the materials beforehand.
• If you haven’t had this course before, you must keep up with the material. Cramming is not possible if you have never had biochem.
• Study old midterms and do problem sets. (2)
• Keep up and read ahead.
• Don’t buy the textbook.
• It helps to go over the old tests and the problem sets. You don’t need to buy the book. I rarely used it.
• Don’t wait until the last minute. Textbook is a good reference.
• Go to class. Do problem sets early and go to breakout sessions to reinforce material on problem sets. Consult the book only when confusion sets in - generally lecture notes are sufficient.
• Don’t procrastinate!!
• Campbell - know problem sets to infinite detail. Kunze - know concepts within notes.
• Do the homework, pay attention in class, seek outside help!
• Read the lectures before class and after class. Do not cram. Try to follow the pathways and understand them in class.
• Do the problem sets as they come along in lecture, they make great study tools for exams.
• Do the problem sets, study old exams, and don’t leave the studying until the night before an exam (bad things happen).
• Don’t get behind, read lecture notes before class.
• Keep up with the problem sets and read ahead so you don’t end up staying up all night before.
• Review the material regularly!
• Go to the discussion sessions because they help to learn what will be on the test.
• Keep up with lectures, don’t fall behind, do the homework questions.
• Read the handout and memorize as much of it as possible ­ don’t worry bout the text book.
• Sit up early! The early bird catches the worm.
• Study in advance (don’t cram). Forget buying the text book.
• Make a point and study every chance you get, count on spending a lot of time understanding the flowcharts but its time well worth it. Stud more before tests ­ repeat, repeat, repeat.
• Refer them to conjoint notes and make sure to read material before coming to class. Class notes are much easier to understand than actual text. If you need it ­ go to library ­ its free!
• Do the problem sets and read the material!
• Spend time in instructors office hours.
• Study every day!
• Keep up with the material every day. Cramming does not work for biochem.
• If you don’t understand, the profs are always available and helpful.
• The problem sets help you group the concepts ­ don’t get behind!
• Do a little every day and keep up.
• Work hard ­ real hard, if you were not born ‘smart’ like me.
• Understand the material ­ force yourself to find it interesting.
• Start studying the 1st week of class because there will be a flood of exams in the 3rd week.

NOTE:   This year new textbooks were being used; textbook comments were concerning a different textbook than the one required this year.

2002 Class

And this is how the class from 2002 responded:

• Come to class and check out problem sets.
• Understand concepts, not details.
• Read the notes before lecture.
• Do problem sets, they really help.
• Make time to study for course.
• Don't get behind...read class notes before lectures!
• Keep up, make flash cards, lots of memorization-start early, do homework and go to review-the more times you hear it the better it sticks.
• Study the notes-I rarely had to read the book because the notes were so explicit.
• Always do the problem sets.
• Go to [the instructors] to ask questions if [you] are confused at all-it helps a lot!
• Keep up with the work.
• Stay caught up on problem sets and readings.
• I did not put in the hours this class demanded because of my work schedule. I had my reasons for working, but it would have been better for me to have the time to go over my notes - this class was a lot of memorization.
• Do the problem sets and read the notes. No need [for] the book - save your money. All the information is in the notes and problem sets.
• Don't get behind! Study the class material after every class.
• Yes, you actually need to just memorize stuff in addition to learning concepts!
• Study the notes not the book. Don't be afraid to ask questions - both professors were very willing to assist students. Study old exams and the problem sets. Think of things at the big picture level first, then worry about details.
• Do problem sets - stay on top of notes - read notes - go to breakout sessions.
• Keep ahead! Once you get behind your screwed (to put it lightly).
• Reread notes every day when you get home. More stuff becomes obvious when you can read at your own rate. Or pre-read notes then lecture will be made clear!
• Just what you have told us, pay attention to the problem sets.
• Study hard, review materials EVERY DAY!!! (very important). Procrastination will not get you a good grade.
• Stay caught up, use professors - they are willing to help.
• Keep up with lecture material by reviewing notes nightly! Last minute will not work!
• Don't panic about load of material, it isn't bad. Trust the consistency of the professors.
• Dr. Kunze's problem sets are key to understanding the material - the list of terms at the top of each problem set is so helpful. The way I studied for the test is I just made sure I knew what all the terms were and I think I did well with studying that way.
• Do not cram.
• Do problem sets, come to class, study on time.
• Do the problem sets before looking at answers. Memorize everything, but learn concepts too.
• Keep up with study problem sets.
• Keep up with material every week.
• Start studying/reviewing early.
• Study as material is presented.
• Don't fall behind in the material.
• I would really suggest to do the [past] midterms and finals. Also, what I found extremely helpful for myself was to write down in a chart all the enzymes and their reactions and their negative and positive regulators.
• Review material on a daily basis.
• Study and do problem sets.
• Study a lot.
• Study a little bit every day.
• Form study groups.