Test-Tube Jungle

Faced with the ambiguous yet strenuous demands of medical schools, harried premeds are often uncertain about the most propitious undergraduate preparation. Since medical schools urge a broad liberal arts background, and at the same time narrowly inspect grades in science, hopefuls cast about for the easiest way of satisfying these two divergent demands. Some of the more daring concentrate in non-honors in English, but most drift quietly into either Biology or Biochemistry. Both of these allow considerable freedom to take courses in outside fields, yet give the premed the comforting feeling that he can throw most of his energies into his science courses. A recently-proposed plan to exclude non-honors concentrators from Biochemistry would narrow the premeds' choice of field considerably.

In spite of this restriction on premeds, professors of both biology and chemistry favor the plan strongly, largely because they feel it would eliminate dilettantism. Because biochemistry majors are required to take only five concentration courses, including physics, many students never get beyond the elementary stages in this field. As a result, these undergraduates never receive the real benefit of concentration--discipline in a certain academic endeavor.

An increase in mental discipline, however, should not be the Faculty's only consideration. In medical school, students will face a severe and restrictive discipline. What premeds really need is a chance to dabble in the arts before facing the rigors of medical school. Admittedly, the Biochemistry plan would not deter the study of liberal arts appreciably; Biology concentrators only have to take one half-course more than Biochemists in order to satisfy medical school requirements.

Premeds, however, evidently feel that there is some definite advantage in Biochemistry, because it is one of the two largest premed fields. Undoubtedly, the Biochemistry department has checked every, possible aspect of the situation, but the desires of premeds should be consulted. Lamentably, the present plan has not been publicized at all. Perhaps the premeds will see in the plan no deterrent to their liberal education, yet it should not be rushed through without fully gauging the students' feeling about the change. If Faculty consideration were delayed until April, the plan could still be put into effect for the class of 1959. While the Biochemistry department naturally wishes to be a great deal more than an intermediate stage in General Sciences, the premeds' intricate path through scientific jungles and humanist waste lands must be kept clear of every possible obstruction.