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Things to remember [work]
Feb. 14th, 2024 03:53 pmYesterday's lab involved study of heart function, using frog hearts as our model system. Partway through lab, a student said, "Okay, now I see and REALLY understand how drugs can affect physiological processes." I think this was right after the student applied some acetylcholine to their heart prep. When it comes to heart function, heart function is modulated by nervous system inputs from the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. The primary parasympathetic input is in the form of acetylcholine signaling. So if a whole bunch of acetylcholine is applied to the exterior of a frog heart, the heart will slow down to the point where it will completely stop contracting and flatline. This always (understandably) makes students nervous (oh no, how will we finish lab?!), but then it's possible to "rescue" the heart by applying atropine shortly thereafter. (note that this work is carried out using frogs that have been euthanized following the appropriate approved institutional procedures, so the "rescue" is, at best, temporary).
There is so much involved in the preparation and setup for these labs. But it's comments like that one that keep me going.
Many of the students who take the class want to go on to medical school. It is also always interesting to see where they are in their manual skills development. For example, at a couple of points in these labs, I instruct students to tie slipknots or square knots, using thread. Many of them struggle with knot-tying.
They also often struggle with dissecting tool use when working with fresh tissue, which can be very slippery.
Computer and instrument skills are also often all over the board, as are quantitative reasoning skills.
I almost want to tell them to just get out and try their hand at cooking or baking. Put off medical school for a year or two, and get some real-world experience. Sure, book smarts are important, but manual skills are also incredibly important!
There is so much involved in the preparation and setup for these labs. But it's comments like that one that keep me going.
Many of the students who take the class want to go on to medical school. It is also always interesting to see where they are in their manual skills development. For example, at a couple of points in these labs, I instruct students to tie slipknots or square knots, using thread. Many of them struggle with knot-tying.
They also often struggle with dissecting tool use when working with fresh tissue, which can be very slippery.
Computer and instrument skills are also often all over the board, as are quantitative reasoning skills.
I almost want to tell them to just get out and try their hand at cooking or baking. Put off medical school for a year or two, and get some real-world experience. Sure, book smarts are important, but manual skills are also incredibly important!
