Acid--base chemistry is an important and challenging topic for virtually all chemistry students. Recent works have focused on conceptually linking molecular and symbolic representations to experimental evidence for many chemical concepts. In this work we describe a laboratory exercise designed to address students' conceptual challenges regarding…

Training in chemistry is essential for undergraduate medical students; however, at the National University of Colombia, basic chemistry courses are associated with high fail rates and low academic performance with regard to first semester students, especially in vulnerable special admission populations. A longitudinal study was carried out via…

The authors examine the effects of undergraduate research experiences on key steps in the path to medical school, considering the case of an undergraduate research experience (URE) offered to first-year students that also might influence performance in large introductory science courses. Using a historical dataset of 15,000 first-year students,…

Enzyme purification, characterization, and identification are some of the best ways to introduce undergraduate students to many aspects of biochemistry, particularly as part of project-based learning (PBL). These kinds of multi-step laboratory experiments not only help students to better understand basic biochemistry concepts but also serve to…

Students in undergraduate premedical anatomy courses may experience suboptimal and superficial learning experiences due to large class sizes, passive lecture styles, and difficult-to-master concepts. This study introduces an innovative, hands-on activity for human musculoskeletal system education with the aim of improving students' level of…

Textbook illustrations of 3D biopolymers on printed paper, regardless of how detailed and colorful, suffer from its two-dimensionality. For beginners, computer screen display of skeletal models of biopolymers and their animation usually does not provide the at-a-glance 3D perception and details, which can be done by good hand-held models. Here, we…

In this paper we share the experience of an interactive method of teaching that involves every student in the learning process in the classroom. We describe an interactive class conducted over a two year period for premedical students. The process involved three stages namely a study session, a test-yourself session and a review session. Through…

Previous research has documented that negative experiences in chemistry courses are a major factor that discourages many students from continuing in premedical studies. This adverse impact affects women and students from under-represented minority (URM) groups disproportionately. To determine if chemistry courses have a similar effect at a large…

Most physics instructors are motivated by a genuine interest in their subject area and in using physics to understand real-world phenomena. While many premedical students may share these interests, most are motivated by fulfilling their degree requirements and gaining admittance into medical school. To achieve this latter goal, they need excellent…

This study attempted to determine if test anxiety is manifested in pre-medical students as a result of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and if Beta-endorphin similarly responds to that type of situational stress. Seventeen participants completed the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) by Spielberger et al. (1980) and donated 30 ml of blood for…

Discusses issues related to the physics concepts/topics needed by health professionals, suggesting that medical students can better understand how the body works by completing meaningful physics courses. Also addresses related concerns expressed by medical students and faculty. A list of 41 physics topics cross-referenced to medical topics is…

Choices of courses and academic performances of premedical students were investigated at two liberal arts colleges. Four hypotheses were tested related to the areas of science concentration in the students' overall academic programs, breadth of the programs, depth of study in subjects outside science, and the grades achieved in all areas.…

A study of 200 medical students' records at Albany Medical College (New York) found that quantity of science-based undergraduate premedical education, either in its entirety or in subdivisions (specific subjects), did not materially affect performance in preclinical years of medical school. (Author/MSE)

Discusses electricity's documented effects on the human body, including both the dangers to human health and the medical application of electrical stimulation to heart problems. Discusses the teaching of such physics topics to potential medical students. (TW)

This document describes a study of 5,000 minority undergraduate students whose SAT mathematics scores were 550 and above. Background information, high school program, college experience, and the results of two questionnaires were analyzed. Other information was drawn from a national longitudinal database, High School and Beyond (HS&B). Results…