A BIOLOGICAL ERROR

Perhaps the most puzzling problem confronting any college student is that facing the future physician in his choice of an undergraduate field of concentration. In order to gain admittance to a good medical school, of course, he must take several scientific courses, usually in physics, chemistry, and biology. Since these requirements must be satisfied, and since the student is interested in science, the logical field would appear to be bio-chemistry, biology, or something of the kind. Indeed, this is the choice usually made by premedical students, some of whom never even consider electing such a subject as English or History.

In other times, such scientific concentration was generally advised by those in authority. Of late, however, tutors and advisers have begun to observe the advantages to be gained from a more liberal education. In spite of this slowly changing attitude, there remains a conviction, or rather, a habit, which leads unfortunates to the laboratories in droves. Disregarding the well known advantages of a "cultural background" many men continue to elect courses in Biology, which involve a great deal of laboratory work, and which will later be almost duplicated in medical school. Their time is spent crouched over a defunct dog-fish, while literature and life alike are closed to them.

By concentrating in some cultural field, and taking only the minimum medical school requirements, a man is enabled at once to broaden his mind and to have time for that social intercourse which is so important a part of his education, and of which he will have so little when entombed for four years in the Fenway. But Freshmen are afraid to take this step, believing that they need all the since they can get; the impetus here must less walling and gashing of teeth among future pre-medical students: and, more important, the rank and file of doctors will have something in their heads besides Gray's Anatomy.