/sci/ - Science & Math

What is your favorite colour?

how many first author publications you have during your undergrad

Since you named you school,
where did you go for your undergrad?

>>5376755
Black

>>5376757
Two. Both of which I posted under Neuropsychopharmacology

If a tree falls and there is nobody to hear it, does it make a sound?

CAPTCHA: garbage libaity

>>5376760
University of Minnesota, College of Biological Sciences. I also was accepted into Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Yale Undergraduate programs, but decided on the U because it was close to home and the cost was half of Ivy League schools.

Do you have any advice for someone who is attempting to overcome a severe marijuana addiction?
I've gone only 1 day without smoking since mid august, I'm trying to quit now that I'm staying with my parents over break, I'm currently in about my 30th hour since last smoking and I'm fine now but in 3 or 4 hours when I still have nothing to do but 4chan I'm afraid I'm going to smoke again.

>>5376761
i knew it, affirmative action strikes again

>>5376770
An addictive brain is an addictive brain. Studies show that even 20 years after quitting cold turkey, meth, heroin, cocaine, cannabis, and nicotine abusers still had increased sensitization to those drugs. Keep the fight on, keep your mind off of it, go out and do something. The longer you stay idle the greater the temptation.

>>5376771

Do you enjoy your work or are you just doing it for pride/money

how do you keep yourself from procrastinating, or how do you keep yourself organized and productive?

>>5376774
I love it. I started out just doing it for the money, but it really grew on me. I love research, however medicine has always been my long term goal.

>>5376765
how do you find time to write papers, class, research, conferences, and a social life

this is one of the problems i got being a chem undergrad, when i'm not in the library studying i'm in the lab researching.. and my advisor gets pissed at me when i don't meet my research timeline exactly

>>5376769
Are you my clone?
I'm in my junior year at the U. What did you think improved your changes of getting into medical school the most?

>>5376775
I've always had an inner drive, however my family keeps me humble. No matter what undergraduate grades I got, my mother and father always said it wasn't good enough. Harsh, but effective. It taught me work ethic and if I missed a beat, I was punished for it.

1) Is there any physical evidence that the brain of someone with ADHD is different from the brain of a neurotypical?

2) What, if any, are the effects from long term use of stimulants like adderall, ritalin?


The reason why I ask this is because a fucking neurologist, who is also a professor at my uni, told me I have ADHD but just based on 3 tiny tests. He suggested I should take ritalin.

>>5376782
I worked really hard on the weekends, I didn't drink or party or anything like that. I just stuck to the books, found new, more efficient ways to study, and really stuck to my goals

>>5376785
RESEARCH. HMED loved that I worked in two different undergraduate labs. I also volunteered quite a bit at Fairview Med and my hometown hospital, as well as getting my EMT my junior year.

>>5376789
Adderall and ritalin are amphetamines, so they may cause damage to the brain if taken by someone that does not have a disorder similar to ADHD. Amphetamines block dopamine reuptake in the synapses of neuronal communication.

do you even lift?

>>5376803
I do lift, actually. Here's a picture of my leg.

in what ways do you feel an addictive brain are an advantage and are there any aspects that aren't totally disadvantageous?

do you have a girlfriend?

>>5376801

how did you ever come to the conclusion that having ADHD makes you immune to brain damage from amphetamines

>>5376816
The addictive or reward pathway of the brain works in many aspects of life. Sex, food, drugs, etc function with this pathway, and all cause the sensitization of neurons in the nucleus accumbens, which many consider to be the basis of addiction. After many years looking at addictive brains and the harmful effects addiction has, I would say that I haven't really seen anything that would indicate that addiction to ANYTHING is good for you. You can always have too much of a good thing.

>>5376819
Goddamn, fuck off with your retarded posts.

>>5376819
yes

What did you spend summers doing? What was your typical course load? Did you ever study abroad? If you could do something differently, what would it be? What was your GPA?

>>5376821
Never said that, you're implying/putting words in my mouth. Amphetamines have negative side effects even on those who have ADHD and use ritalin to treat it. I implied those not having ADHD and taking ritalin to be worse than those having it because I believe taking ritalin for academic progression is morally wrong.

are computers good for braens or a distraction

>>5376830
Spent my summers in the lab mostly. I averaged 17 credits per semester, did not study abroad, had a 3.833 GPA with a 37 MCAT, and I would most definitely do physiology if I could do something different. I love working out, keeping my body healthy, etc.

>>5376833

how did I put words in your mouth you said


>so they may cause damage to the brain if taken by someone that does not have a disorder similar to ADHD

that implies if you have ADHD then you wont have brain damage caused by amphetamines

>>5376831
You obviously don't want to spend too much time on facebook, twitter, etc when you're studying. It's my break and I'm bored so that's why I'm doing this.

>>5376833
>I believe taking ritalin for academic progression is morally wrong.
Lol, fuck off you childish faggot. "Waaaaah I'm scared of doing something that lets people who do it get ahead of me! Waaaah you're all bad people! Waaaah!"

>>5376833
oh, you're one of THOSE faggots. Whatever, enjoy your precious morals, while I take my brain roids and accomplish far more mentally demanding tasks

>>5376839
My apologies for the implication. Obviously it would be ridiculous to say this.

>>5376833
Why is it morally wrong? If someone is genetically 'inferior' in terms of dopamine regulation, is it his/her fault? Why should contemporary ethics get in the way of that?

>>5376841
>>5376843
Do what you like, my morals are my morals, and opinions cannot be right/wrong. Maybe you are correct in using your resources, but I just decided not to.

>>5376822
no I didn't mean actively in addiction, I meant if a brain more susceptible to addiction, "addictive personalities" as it's known colloquially

>>5376844

new question

do you think there is enough evidence to come to the conclusion that amphetamines such as adderall and ritalin cause detrimental effects over time?

I honestly dont think enough studies have been done

>>5376850

>opinions cannot be wrong

Harvard you say?

you seem to know a lot about addictions/addictive behaviors. ok op, please tell me. How do I stop being addicted to the internet/the computer. It's pathetic really, but I tell myself everyday that I will finally accomplish something in an hour or half a day or tomorow, but it never happens. I have, for the past 5 years probably spent an average of 7-8 hours a day on the computer, mostly on 4chan. So please, how do I stop this addiction to the internet, I want to live, I want to be productive.

>>5376765
Link me to these.

Congratulations HMED anon, you must be bursting with excitement!

This is what you're getting yourself into, I hope you enjoy every terrible moment of it ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn360trGChY

There no other medical students who ever troll this board, so please come back and visit occasionally after you've started school.

also I just ignore the ADHD/amphetamine questions that shit up the board because they usually end up like this

>>5376854
pubmed would be a good resource to check out. I know that many studies have been done on METHamphetamines and I have read them, and they do show deterioration of the brain.

What defenses do you offer against procrastination?

>>5376862
I prefer to stay Anonymous

GPA?
MCAT score?
African American or international?
Penis size?

>>5376865
Establishing a timeline, such as writing in a planner. It worked for me, then again I never had to deal with procrastination, because of the work ethic I established in high school.

I started another thread for this, but what do you think is suitable for a basic nootropic stack?

Beyond piracetam and choline, of course.

How the fuck do you find undergrad research opportunities? I'm a senior with a 3.0 gpa, with no asparations for medschool. However, I'm thinking about grad school, so at this point undergrad research would probably be a requirement to compensate for my shit GPA.

>>5376860
An addictive brain is an addictive brain, see
>>5376822
>>5376778
You really just have to quit and not go back. I really feel for you, because I know quite a few people in your situation. Are you in school at all?

>>5376883
Email professors. My freshman year I emailed about 50 different professors in the neuro department and got 2 emails back, both of which were the labs I worked in now. I also used my universities employment site, to no avail

>>5376860
>>5376860
requesting answers to this as I too have a similar problem. I am a NEET and I want to get out of the pit of shame and stagnation that is my life. Please op, how do I into accomplishing tasks, how do I follow my dreams?

>>5376873
3.833, 37, Caucasian from the US, 1232234234 inches

>>5376868
At which University did you receive your undergraduate degrees?

>>5376890
>>5376769

>>5376889
>Caucasian
Confirmed for baby dick.

How does it feel knowing that women will always pick me over you, irregardless of your credentials and degrees, due to my superior length and girth?

how many tenured dicks did you have to suck?

If I have a 3.1GPA, no references, but destroy the MCAT is it worth applying to some lesser American medical schools?

>>5376896
Congrats on your penis length my friend, jelly4lyfe

>>5376899
Yes it is. You would definitely need research or extracurricular activities, as well as a well rounded understanding of medicine, but I would always suggest applying. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

>>5376885
Can you tell us more? Did you email them for UROP? Or were you just looking to be an assistant?

Also, why/how did you work towards being an EMT? That seems difficult with your load.

>>5376896
>implying status isn't everything
>implying women need more than 6 inches
>implying you aren't a 17-year-old virgin

>>5376884
thanks for the reply. I used to be in college until my grades became so shit (due to my not doing anything on time or anything at all) that I had to leave. I now live in a small place paid for by relatives, I hate having people over because I feel so ashamed of myself.

>>5376897
0.00, respectively.

>>5376907
I emailed them to allow me to be a part of their undergraduate laboratories. I started out as an assistant, washed dishes for a few months, got into behavior, and the next thing I new I was a junior doing electrophysiology. I wanted to help hands on a bit instead of being cooped up in a lab my whole undergrad. It cost 1200 and it was a time suck, but I got quite a bit of patient experience.

MCAT study regimen?
Recommended materials?
How much studying is required to score ≥ 37 i.e. ≥ 40+

whats it like being a homsexual nigger who brags about shit on an anonymous forum.

tldr: what is it like being an enormous tool?

>>5376916
feelsgoodman.jpg

since your someone who got into medical school (congratz on that :D), and since I am someone who will soon apply to medical school, how low can my gpa be to even be considered for acceptance?
lowest for a normal tier medical school?
lowest for a top tier medical school?

>>5376915
Spent my whole 2nd, 3rd summer studying. I'm not that naturally talented, I just worked very hard. I would say that anybody who wants to get above a 35 basically dedicates their life to their goals and their aspirations of getting that score.

About to graduate, and I have no references. I never went to office hours for a single class and I have no research under my belt. I'm going to walk into some professors offices and ask for references straight up. Likelihood of them writing me one?

>>5376921
My aunt works for Mayo Medical admissions, and she says they rarely look at applications below a 3.0, and if they do, the MCAT is very high. I would say that a 3.5 and above is "safe" and an MCAT of 30 or 31 and above is "safe". If you have extracurriculars and lab experience, this will change. For a top tier, more towards 33 and a 3.75. (U of M med average was 32.4 and a 3.74 last year I believe)

>>5376770
Learn to deal with stress.
There is no addictive brain, that's BS.

You were using your "addiction" as a substitute for the lack of reward you were feeling out of your life.

>>5376925
Not very, establish relationships, take professors out to lunch, do whatever you can. I know a friend who straight up asked a random bio prof and he laughed him out of his office..... best of luck

>>5376930
>take professors our to lunch
What the fuck.

>>5376933
We have a program at the U where if you take your prof to lunch to learn about him/her, the U will pay for it and you get some good "office hour" time one on one. It's chill

>>5376939
that sounds like an extraordinary awkward program to take part in.

>>5376933
aka suck their dicks
in the end, it's all about how bad you want it.
are you willing to trade a few minutes of shame for a few years of (potential) excellence?

>>5376942
I took my hot ecology prof out once. She was one of my references actually.

>>5376939
So you metaphorically sucked some tenured dicks, then. Oh well, that's the name of the game.

Also, you should get into pathology.

>>5376931
*lack of reward you were getting

>>5376944
No. Integrity and reputation is everything. Without my morals and beliefs I would feel like an empty shell... no purpose. IDKwateva

>>5376946
Never had the chance to take the class, but I've heard it's incredibly interesting.

Did you enter freshman year knowing you wanted that double major? Were there other majors you were considering?

>>5376946
Also always dreamed of being House

>>5376942
>>5376944

it's not about sucking dicks, it's about having intelligent conversations for once. these are the people that are successful with their lives and made the right choices to get where they are today. every time i go to one of my professors office hours i learn more about life than if i were to go back to my house and look at 4chan. professors are people too, and they like socializing just as much as the next person. once you realize this maybe you'll have a better life

since /lit/ is only full of idiots with english and humanities majors, I'll ask you
how do I deal with my existential crisis HMED? I feel like there is no purpose anymore

How many delusional C average pre-meds have you encountered?

>I'm gonna be a doctor xDD

>>5376957
I started as a single Neuroscience Major. I considered physiology and nutrition but I knew I wanted to double in something, and it was easiest with genetics.

>>5376963
>Delusional C average pre-med male
>I'm gonna be a gynecologist
It hurts to laugh so hard.

>>5376960
nigger, please.

professors are people, but by being a student you are as if their subordinate. you are not their peer. there is a class system in academia whether you want to admit it to not, and most people don't feel as comfortable with people not in the same class.

tl;dr your professors aren't your peers.

>>5376963
HOLY SHIT so many. I would ask people what their major was and they would say oh, I'm pre med, or some shit and I would lololololol. I also knew this dumbass blonde girl who kept tweeting about wanting to be a neurosurgeon and shit, and she ended up with a 2.2 and got denied by 14/14 med schools she applied to. 2000 of application fees, MCAT preps, and etc out the door

>>5376961
What's going on in your life? Are you depressed? Lonely? What are your aspirations?

how do i become like you hmed?
i go to an alright school already

What if I fucked up in my earlier undergrad years. Like a 2.5GPA, flunking out of a university, and then changing majors and university. I have a 3.5GPA at this new institution (3.0 cumulative) now. Will medschools notice this trend?

>>5376983
Hard work and dedication. I was blessed with parents that drove me into a hard work ethic, and my morality caused by my faith keeps me humble I think. Ironic that whilst doing science I have to come at it from an agnostic standpoint.. probably shouldn't be talking about religion on /sci

>>5376970

i guess if you have that idea about professors i would be scared to talk to them too. you might not be on the same level as them, but if you show them you have the passion to get to that level or beyond they will do everything to help you.

>>5376926
Which study books do you recommend e.g. Kpalan, Princeton, Exam Krackers, etc?

>>5376984
Yes, all official transcripts are sent and delivered to medical schools. It is, however, very good that you improved and got your academic life together. Explain to them about what was happening in your life, be honest. I would have had a 4.0 if I didn't get a 3.1 my first semester, because I had trouble finding friends and was depressed. (I have SAD) so keep up the good fight.

>>5376989
>faith
RETARD ALERT RETARD ALERT

>>5376994
Haha, I was expecting this.

>>5376997
Kaplan, definitely. That's what I did, had no experience with other study books, and I also kept many biology, organic chemistry, etc books from my freshman and sophomore years to study from.

>>5376974
not depressed or lonely, just can't do anything, its like I wasted all my brain power the last 3 years. I have 3 projects that were due before the break. Because I did well all year and through school at this college, my professors know I am a good worker and so they gave me until the the beginning of January (when I get back) to do finish my projects. However, all I have been doing for the past month was just puttering around feeling like nothing matters. And I am nether lonely nor depressed, just feeling stuck

>>5377002
Felt that feel. I think that you're an intelligent person and you know what you want in life, you just need the motivation for it. I think that you just need a kickstart of some kind, something to make you interested in the work that you're doing and then you'll be more inclined to do it. The work you put in now affects what happens in the rest of your life, remember that ALWAYS. You give up now, you give up on your dream. Many, many college kids don't understand that

>>5377010
thanks a lot for the advice

>>5376992
wuts SAD

I'm going next year into either Biophysics or Biomedical Engineering. I love physics and biology and I plan to do a double major. If I did want to go down the Med stream, would that majors suffice?

>>5377019
Seasonal Affective Disorder. I get depressed in the winter. (No sun in Minnesota :'(

>>5377017
No problem man. Just trust that you can do it. It's a huge task, and quite a few people drop it. Show the people evaluating you that you WANT it. That you've been dreaming about it your whole life and would literally kill to be in their program, and your work shows it. Show them that you gave your life to be a part of the Medical Community, and you will be rewarded. I know you can do it, and you do too.

>>5377020
Yes, absolutely. My best friend is a Biomedical Engineering Major and He got into HMED, U of M Med, Johns Hopkins Med, Boston Med, and Mayo. BME is a very difficult major, and they like different paths other than the typical LOLBiOlOgY majors. You'll be set apart.

>>5377020
Fellow BME. Getting physics alongside BME would be difficult to pull off and require an 18/20 credit courseload, or summer classes. If you're considering Med stream, try to find a double that's more alike.

>>5377030
>ey like different paths other than the typical LOLBiOlOgY

Thanks a bunch! So you're suggesting I major in something besides biology? What should I do in that case?

>>5377031
This too, Neuro and Genetics were alike, that's why I did it. My friend took 20 credits/semester his whole undergrad (He's a chinese minor too) and he worked incredibly hard.
inb4 he's chinese, he's a whitey like me

>>5377030
What other schools did you apply to? Why did you decide HMED?

>>5377031
What majors are you doing?

>>5377037
is 20 credits a semester a lot?

>>5377035
Well if you do go into physics, and ultimately a BME program, your double won't matter much, and they'll mainly look at your GPA/MCAT scores to make sure you have a good biological foundation as well as your foundation in physics. Depending on the curriculum you decide to take, you might have this already. Physics on its own going into a BME program would suffice. Maybe pick an interesting minor that you're passionate about and that's off the beaten track e.g. ethics or anthropology or some shit

Is getting through med school more about intellect or hard work? I want to go into psychiatry or neurology but I'm not sure if I'm smart enough.

>>5377038
JHU, U of M Med, Boston U, Mayo Clinic, Cincinnati, Tulane, U of M Duluth, and Michigan. I chose HMED because, well, it's HMED. I love the U but I've been in MN my whole life and I wanted to experience the best. U of M was my second choice based on location, expense, curriculum, and emotional ties.

>>5377044
Yes, my University recommends 15.

>>5377053
Like I said, I wasn't incredibly gifted to start out with. I got a 29 and a 32 on my ACT, however was valedictorian of my highschool because I had the highest GPA. Even if you're not talented naturally, your work ethic and dedication can easily overcome it. Put the work in, you will reap the rewards. Trust in yourself, talk to your professors, put in the hours, study, and go out with your friends once in a while. Keep a good balance, and no matter who you are, you can achieve your goals.

>>5377048
Ahhh. Sorry I don't entirely know the full system haha, I'm just a math nerd that applied 2 weeks ago and I'm just personally interested in biology.

Basically, my major will be Biomedical Engineering and my minor would be physics/ethics/anthropology?

-Canadian btw, if it matters.

Fuck you bitch ass American pre-med/med students.

DURR HURR LOOK AT ME I HAVE A 3.4 GPA AND GOT A 30 ON THE MCAT AND I MANAGED TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL TEHEHE TIME TO SUCK MORE NIGGER DICK! XD

Hope you all die.

>>5377069

How hard do you think it is to get into Michigan for a PhD in chemistry field? Is a 3.5 GPA and tons of research experience (international included) with great recommendation letters good enough? I won't have any publications though as far as I can tell, but have presented at regional conferences before

>>5377082
Hmm... Well not sure if it's any different in Canada, but normally you apply for a Biomedical Engineering after, say, your sophomore year, or when you declare your major. I guess normal terminology would be "I'm in the BME program, and I'm also a physics minor" or something to that avail. You will have many career options. Most people go straight out of BME and work for 70,000 a year and don't put up with medical school.

>>5377089

>>5377089
Love you too, internat. I had a 3.833 and a 37. Normally with those scores you would not be able to get into a highly regarded medical school, and would probably defer to a school of osteopathic medicine, or something.

>>5377092
Depends on your MCAT. sounds like a good base, and recommendation letters from your PI and supervisors will be a great help. Mention what you're studying in your research field, try to "wow" your interviewer if you get to that stage. Also think about other extracurriculars like volunteering, starting clubs, etc. Do whatever it takes.

>>5377099

Fuck yeah my jimmies are rustled. Punk ass Americlaps think their shitty GPAs and MCAT scores are great where a 3.5 pretty much guarantees you interviews, and here I am getting butt-fucked from all my textbooks maintaining a 3.95 GPA this semester AND I STILL MAY NOT EVEN GET FUCKING INTO MED SCHOOL HOLY FUCK KILL ALL AMERICAN PRE-MEDS, NUKE THEM, DESTROY THEM, OBLITERATE THEM.

>>5377092
ohshitjk read that wrong. PhD fields are generally less competitive, so I think with research experience and that GPA you'll be fine.

>>5377108
Where are you from, and where are you trying to get in to?

>>5377101

>Normally with those scores you would not be able to get into a highly regarded medical school

Who gives a fuck which medical school you get in (as long as you're not going into research)? Once you're a resident, a SUNY graduate is the same as a Harvard graduate.

>>5377115
This is true, the worst person in the class in the worst medical school in the nation is still called a doctor at the end of the day. Just nice for job placement, etc.

>>5377095
>Well not sure if it's any different in Canada, but normally you apply for a Biomedical Engineering after, say, your sophomore year, or when you declare your major. I guess normal terminology would be "I'm in the BME program, and I'm also a physics minor" or something to that avail. You will have many career options. Most people go straight out of BME and work for 70,000 a year and don't put up with medical school.

Got it! Thanks a bunch anon. I wish you luck in your future med schooling.

I see. Sounds like my kind of program. Thank you HMED anon, you've been very helpful today!

>>5377108
> AND I STILL MAY NOT EVEN GET FUCKING INTO MED SCHOOL HOLY FUCK KILL ALL AMERICAN PRE-MEDS, NUKE THEM, DESTROY THEM, OBLITERATE THEM.
this is why you wont get into medical school
people who look at potential candidates can tell recognize an angry asshole who will most likely shoot up the college. Maybe you need to calm down

>>5377118
Thanks, friend. Best of luck, fight the good fight.

>>5377126

Sorry, I've just been spending too much time around SDN. "Wahhh I got a B now I'll never get into med school!' Please, you neurotic twats, it's not even that difficult to get into a Murrikan med school.

>>5377134
Murikkan? What is that? I'm sorry if I'm unfamiliar to a certain culture or group...

sup OP, Canadianfag here. how hard is it for canadians to get into a US medical school (not a permanent resident)?

I applied to med school this cycle.
Got 2 interview invites, 2 rejections, and 10 silences so far.
How to ace interviews? I'm a shyfag

>>5377115
not a doctor, nor do I want to be, but my father is one and gets to look at applicants for the hospital he works at. It is a large metropolitan hospital with many candidates every year and he says with all the people, for the few positions available, they have to narrow down the applicant pool quickly and one of the first and fastest ways to do that is to deny those with a gpa below a certain number and then to look at the schools. He says, they only look at people from certain schools. Even though medical schools are tough throughout, there are differences between the best ones and the worst ones

>>5377143
No idea. I don't know any Canadians who have applied nor do I know how international applicants fair vs domestic applicants. I do know that the U of M medical school matriculated 170 people this last year, and 133 were from minnesota... so I think your chances are less than most Americans, which is wrong, but unfortunately is the case.

>>5377146
get yourself a suit, a haircut, a shave, and a shower. Do practice interviews with someone

>>5377146
Be confident! Know that you should be in medical school and that you put in the work to get there. You BELONG there and you should be there because of your efforts. Show them that you really want it, that you have a well rounded idea of medicine, that you have a dedication to the progression of humanity, and that you're a well rounded individual. Like I said, be confident, honest, and CERTAIN that you belong there.

>>5377155
This too.

>>5376740
What were your extracurriculars?

Do neuroscientific degrees require medical school/a medical degree if all I want to do is get into research, mainly with rodent models? I don't want to have to deal with patients at all, so I figured because of that an M.D. wouldn't be necessary, but then again I haven't looked into neuroscience degrees much at all.

>>5377168
I worked in two labs listed above, I got my EMT my junior year, I started two clubs on campus, and ended up as president of our AMSA club (I suggest you become a part of yours on campus if you're at University) and I also played rugby on our University team, however I didn't mention that in my interviews. Basically you want to show that you have a dedication to medicine, human progression, and self progression in one tight knit ball of, well, awesomeness. Be sure to volunteer too, I did it at my local hospital.

>>5377173
Absolutely not. I work with mice and rats every day and have been for the last three years now. I highly suggest looking into graduate programs, such as neuroscience, pharmacology, etc other than your a-typical med school, pharmacy school, PA school, etc.

MD or MD/PhD?

>>5377180
M.D., simply because I want to hurry things up a bit. I would love to do M.D./PhD, however I want to start a family, travel, etc. I have a firm belief in being a life long learner though, so I might even go back to get my PhD in Neuro when it's all said and done. Of the 170 matriculants for the U of M this year, only 7 were M.D. PhD.

What life advice can you offer? How can I achieve a good GPA? I really need an overhaul, any links/guides/whatever will help.
Random question- Is there a gay gene?

I'm in my late twenties, I was a miserable student in high school. My work ethic is better now, but the prospect of going back to school now seems so daunting. Would biochemistry be a suitable major if I want to get into med school?

Have you come across someone who went to college late and succeeded?

>>5377188
Establish your goals, and don't give them up, no matter what. Treat your goals like a briefcase with 1,000,000 dollars in it that no one can take from you, and dedicate your life to making it happen. Do something you love, more than anything else though, because it's better to be a happy garbage man than a depressed rich doctor. GPA? Work ethic, do your homework, increase your study hours and make time to study. If you drink or smoke, stop. They're money and time sucks. Gay gene? As in, if you have this gene that encodes for this protein expressed in this way, you're a homosexual? I haven't heard anything about that and that topic was not covered in my genetics courses, however much of the genetic code is not known, so my answer is possibly.

>>5377204
I think I've found my problem. I've heard the term "study" over and over again. I haven't found any effective way to study. How do you study? I've heard rote memorization is the worst way to study but it's the only way that's worked for me.

>>5377193
Yes it would, and yes I have. There's currently a 70 year old male in my Molecular Biology of Cancer class, and there's a 31 year old that I had as a lab partner my sophomore year that still goes to the U now and applied to med schools with me. Biochemistry is very interesting and it's a fantastic major to do. Put the work in, you'll succeed. Ask yourself if you really want it. If the answer is maybe, then don't do it. You have to have the drive. So really consider things, especially since college is so expensive nowadays. I highly suggest you do it though, change your life for the better.

what would you say to the faggots who say college is a waste of time?
what would you to all the (mostly non STEM) faggots who after graduation that they can't get a good job anywhere

>>5377215
Never heard of "rote" memorization, but I study with notecards, visual memory cues, and shortening long explanations into short words I can quickly remember and make use of. For example, I memorized the seven indications of dependance explained by the DSM-IV using the acronym SLUT WTP.

>>5377215

Crystal Methamphetamine is the only way.

>>5377235
I've heard tales and legends of this "Crystal Methamphetamine" and the positive effects it can have on a person's work ethic, but I heard getting some can be a dangerous journey

>>5377234
I would say that they're wrong and that college gives you endless opportunities and opens the world up for you in terms of making friends, learning everything you would ever want to, job placement improvement, girls, and things you can experience that you wouldn't be able to while you weren't in college. If it is a big money and time waster to some people, I can understand where they're coming from, however I think that whatever they're doing in the mean time would be, generally, a bigger waste of time than bettering yourself by learning and improving your mind. Well, if they don't get a job that's unfortunate, but it all depends on if they love what they're doing. I would rather have someone be broke and be completely happy writing things for an old small town newspaper than be making 500k doing anesthesiology and being miserable. Dentists and lawyers have the highest suicide rates. Know why? Because behind all that money and wealth is something sad because they didn't do what they wanted to do, and they only did it for the money.

>>5376811
i think you posted in /fit/ before

>>5377244
You're right. I don't necessarily condone the use of amphetamines or adderall to make academics easier, but it's your life man.

How can you make the best use of your brain? How can I keep it healthy?

>>5377254
Ha, I did. I am a fit lurker and have been for a while, I mostly go on /sci because of my interests, but I am very big on working out. I posted earlier today in a leg thread to see how I compared to others. I currently work out 5 times a week at my recreation center, and love the transformation my body has gone through, as I used to be skinny fat. I fully support the principle of bettering yourself in all aspects, progressing physically, mentally and spiritually your entire life. Evolutionarily it's the right thing to do.

What is your philosophy?

What's your opinion on so-called nootropic drugs, specifically the racetam family? Do you think they show promise in empirically improving mental cognition?

>>5377257
Antioxidants, eating right, work out or run. I have a few studies to show you how mice that ran increased the size of their cerebellum 2 fold or so done by Rozenweig. Also several studies have been done on people eating blueberries and their positive effects on the body. Eat, move, play.

Do you come from a wealthy family? If not, how do you plan on paying for Med School?

>>5377268
Philosophy for life? I believe in the full progression of humanity, always seeking to better myself and the current population for the good of the population to come after us. I'm a scientist, athlete, and christian, and I always will be. I know that spirituality is looked down upon in the scientific world, and the two directly clash because science cannot prove the unnatural, and the unnatural cannot be proven. I, however, find balance in theistic evolution, as well as doing science and research with an agnostic mindset. I work out, I study, I learn, I pray. Above all, be happy, because at the end of the day, that's what matters. If you're not, change.

>>5377274
I do, however I will be paying and have payed for my education my entire life. My undergraduate career was fully paid for by my University with a scholarship I received and I was very blessed for that. I will be taking out around 36,000 in loans every year from now on though, but typically med school loans are paid off quickly due to high salary. My cousins are both doctors (one operated on Wes Walz if any hockey fans are out there) and they were combined 750,000 in debt a few years ago. Aren't anymore, and they live a few blocks down from the governor's mansion now in MN

>>5377269
Hmm. I have to look into these more, but whatever drugs modulate acetylcholine can help modulate the onset of alzheimers, so I suppose I support them blindside.

>>5377284
Are you planning on coming back to Minnesota, then? Or will you be sticking to places that don't massively suck as soon as you can afford to?

How old are you? Have you ever wanted to quit college? Have you struggled with depression ever?

>>5377293
Haha I've always dreamed of going to North Carolina. White sand beaches. I love Minnesota though, and I will probably come back sometime in my life. I've got emotional ties and family here. We'll see what the future holds.

>>5377265
sound sweet.
Post your stats and routine if you're not too bored.

>>5377294
I'm 21, I have wanted to once, and then I quickly told myself to fuck off, and I do, yearly. I have seasonal affective disorder, which causes me to become depressed in the winter. I treat this with Vitamin D. I became depressed severely when I was 17 because I tore my ACL/MCL in a rugby game and could not exercise anymore, taking away things I loved most: sports and working out. All better now though

any tips for staying dedicated? I find myslef getting distracted easily

Anything edifying to say to somebody interested in researching how the brain works in a reductionist way, in particular how knowledge, inference, creativity and problem solving are done by neural networks?

>>5377304
Deadlift: 380
Squatz: 325
Bench: 230
OHP: 135
I have a 5 day split, normally ABCxDxE.
I do german volume training currently, but I've done a number of things in the past. (Kris Gethin's DTP, Pyramid lifts, etc.) Here's my current sample routine:
http://www.simplyshredded.com/german-volume-training-a-new-look-at-an-old-way-to-build-mass-strength
.html

>>5377305

>21

Assuming you started your undergrad at age 18, you finished in 3 years?

>>5377299
Hey
I do TKD, i was hoping you could help me with something

Do you know anything about how the brain reacts during a fight? Could you explain the process?

>>5377304
Also I'm 5'11" king of manlets and 155 pounds

>>5377312
I have a late birthday, in June, so I just haven't turned 22 yet. I was 17 when I graduated high school.

What's your favorite film?

>>5377314
Adrenaline rush, fight or flight, tunnel vision, and other hormones are released. Basically you activate your bodily system for survival. I'm not sure about neurotransmitter release or neural communication during altercations.

>>5377322
Either Good Will Hunting or The Departed... I love Matt Damon.. no homo

Do you drink alcohol?

Since you have worked in addiction research, I'm curious to see if you have an opinion on using certain psychoactive drugs to treat severe addictions. Example, studies performed in the 1960's suggested LSD may show significant promise in treating Alcoholism, and certain hallucinogens like Ibogaine have shown incredible promise in treating everything from too much soda to a full-blown heroin addiction (as well it seems to kill severe opioid withdrawal right in its tracks, making recovery much easier). If you know much at all about this area of addiction treatment I'd be fascinated to hear your opinion about it.

Do you have any clue how thought works on a neural level?

I'm not competitive for medschool. Pharmacy seems like shit, as most of the jobs are in a retail environment. What else can I do?

>>5377328
I do not, and I only have once or twice in my life. Just decided it wasn't for me. It would interfere with my goals, both physical and mental, and I've seen the problems alcoholism can have on the human body, specifically in my family. I never met either of my grandmothers. One died from lung cancer, the other from liver failure and complications following. You do the math.

>>5377323
So does this cocktail of chemicals increase the stress on the system? Does the body slowly start to adapt if it's been introduced to it since pre-adolesence?

How does the brain process adren? Is there anything i can do to maximize it?

What about the brain's activities? How does training affect it?

>>5377333
Graduate programs, Engineering, Research like that. What major are you?

>>5377331
A few of my last posts were about addiction and the effect it has on the brain. I suggest you look up Donald Hebb, and look at Hebbian Principles, as well as looking up Michael Merzenich and his work with reprogramming the brain in terms of plasticity. Very interesting stuff

>>5377337
Microbiology, lel

>>5377333
u can always try ENJUHNIREENGH

>>5377341
Research, definitely. You could apply to your universities PhD or Masters program, and go from there. Becoming a professor after those degrees is always an option.

>>5377334
Thought? As in neural communication? All neural "talk" goes through either the peripheral or central nervous system, and the relay center of the brain is the thalamus, where the brain receives and processes information, and directs signals towards proper brain regions, similar to a traffic cop on a busy street. Did I answer your question effectively?

>>5377311
Does really high volume produce better results?

Also what is the best way of cutting and your thoughts on cutting agents.
Currently going into ketosis really works for me but haven't tried much of anything else.

>>5377344
Don't want to teach. I was thinking about an MPH, because I'm not sure about research either. Fuck.

>>5377336
Absolutely it does. Adaptation is a possibility, the Hebbian principle "neurons that fire together, wire together" explain how your neurons become more adaptive to certain situations, and this also contributes to the neural basis of addiction. Adrenaline sensitization may last a long time or a short time depending on the situation you're in, I don't believe you can do anything to "maximize" communication or release in your body. It's all subconscious.

would you consider yourself a monk? based on your lifestyle and dedication to hard work and self improvement

>>5377349
No, that's the super-neural level. I'm asking if you know how neural nets do computation. How the brain 'works', basically; how to build one. Subquestions would include 'what is the neural correlate of an inference', or 'what is the neural correlate of an object in memory'.

Have you ever had an existential crisis? How do you feel knowing the world and everything you've done eventually won't matter?

Also how did you do your research for your papers?

>>5377351
I noticed significant definition after I did DTP (50,40,30,20,10 sets) and I lost quite a bit of fat. (15% down to 9%). I have noticed that volume produced the most muscular gains, however I've gone up to 11% body fat during the time that I've been doing GVT. I have gained 5 pounds in a month already doing it though, so I'm happy with the results. I definitely don't do ketosis, I just lower calorie count, eat very clean, and maintain a 50% protein, 40% carb, 10% fat ratio for macro intake. I also use Cellulor HD, and I've used shred matrix before. Both work well.

>>5377363
Meh, not really. I may be by definition, but I don't really associate with the word and its connotation.

>>5377357
>neurons that fire together, wire together

Don't the neurons need to be wired together in the first place? It's not so much two general neurons firing together, as one repeatedly stimulating another. That was my understanding, anyway.

>>5377368
Exactly

>>5377364
I have, and that's the point. The things I do on earth do matter and will matter. The progression of humanity is the progression of life as we know it, and my contributions to that will make the world a better place, in a gooey sort of way. I did my research under two PI's, and I did my research via rodent models. Want me to fully explain both my cocaine and my chemotherapy pain research?... It would take like an hour

>>5377278
>I'm a scientist, athlete, and christian

You guys...

>>5377357
So i really am addicted to the martial arts and or fighting?

I've been doing TKD since i was ten, so i've been getting kicked in the head for the past 8 years or so. How can i spot the early warning signs of brain damage?

Also, this is more of a genetics thing, but i'm super flexible. As in, i can do a oversplit at 6"3. What caused this? Why am i so flexible?

I'll admit, my calves get tight, but that's the only problem i've ever had. I see amazing gains in static flexibility whenever i split, and my balistic flexibility has baffled even professionals.

Also, Coulture, a MMA fighter, had his lactic acid levels tested pre fight and after a min of holding a headlock. His Lactic acid levels were lower after holding a full force chokehold for a min straight. He describes it as "Operating on another level". What are your thoughts on this? Although i havent had such tests, i've felt similar reactions during fights, particularly grappling.

>>5377372
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBPqksG9nbA

>>5377372

But eventually every last person will die, the earth become a husk of its former self, the sun will burn out, and the entire universe will die. All of our accomplishments as a tiny race on a tiny planet in a tiny section of one of billions of galaxies seems kind of meaningless then.

Any advice for someone with a porn addiction? It's been about a week since I last indulged, and I've decided to quit. Would it be best for me to never fap again after I've recovered?

>mfw op is christian
You went full retard

What do you think of mindful meditation?

Any personal insights to offer about the brain? The more general the better.

>>5377374
Sports? Or do you just lift

>>5377379
True, but I guess we don't know that for sure. I also think that you've been given a great opportunity to even live, so you should make the most of it.

>>5377392
Rugby, Track (200,400), and Wrestling for a while. I went to state in Track and Rugby

>>5377390
What could you get from a guy who believes there is such a thing as "addictive brain". THat's the biggest bullshit drug companies paying for research would want to make you believe.

Not to mention the stuff about religion.

>>5377385
Opinions are opinions, brah

Do you feel bad for the little mice?
I was REALLY keen on doing research until I got my first real brush with stereotaxic surgery

>>5377402
wat

Some people are genetically disposed to addiction, this is a scientific fact you pleb.

>>5377382
Yes. Addictive brains are highly sensitized after withdrawal. That is, if you quite cold turkey, and "fap" two weeks later, it will be of greater sensitization and pleasure if your mind is truly addicted, that is, your neuronal pathway from your ventral tegmentum to the nucleus accumbens is sensitized and wired to that process.

>>5377409
Never tried it... I guess I never had an interest. Not afraid of falling or anything, it was just never suggested to me.

>>5377400
>Track
>not being being a god tier pole vaulter
well OP, why didnt you pole vault? serious question

>>377398

I do look at life as an extraordinary experience, it's just that it seems so cruel to dangle such an incredible thing before me only to snatch it away in such a short period, leaving me to rot forever. Memories feel a lot less important when they are viewed as impermanent. If when I die I will forget everything I've ever done, it might as well never have happened in the first place, the way I see it. My actions are impressed onto the external world and live on, but even this will eventually leave no trace given enough time.

>>5377404
Nah, I used to but I got used to it. I don't kill them at all, I just inject with cocaine, and in fact my chemotherapy work deals with reducing the pain felt in mice who have had chemo, so I think their lives aren't that bad.

>>5377402
There's a biological basis for addiction. Proven scientific fact. No FDA bullshit, just science. read up son

>>5377390
I think it's fascinating. I think that the way we are controlled and the way we think is absolutely incredible. I will never be able to understand the brain in its whole glory, and that depresses me, however I think that the meaning and basis of life, every word, action, and deed done, coming from an electrical communication network, is outstanding.

>>5377406
You're stupid if you believe that. Evolution doesn't create brains with a predisposition to addiction...

Addiction is about substituting reward that you don't get from a "normal" life with direct ingestion of substance which gives the feeling of reward. So, it's really not about people being genetically programmed to seek drugs/porn/cigarettes.

>>5377411
Depressing. If it's that way for everyone, why not just have fun? If that's your true philosophy, just go do whatever the fuck you want. Why not?

>>5377400
>200, 400
how did it feel coming behind all the niggers. serisouly, I went to a 40% white, 25% asian, 20% latino, and 10% black school and all of the best sprinters I saw were black. I saw the same at states and in college

>>5377427
There are genetic predispositions to having an addictive brain, that is, having a brain altered to be more sensitive to drugs and addiction. The basis of addiction is the sensitization of dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens.

If you replaced each neuron connected to various other neurons via axons in a human brain with a Chinesman person connected to various other Chinamen via phone lines, would China be conscious?

>>5377429
I beat most african americans when I ran. Then again MN doesn't have that many black people to start with... unless you're in minneapolis, which I was not.

>>5377419
True. But from this to saying that addiction is genetically programmed or that there are brains which are programmed for addiction is a big leap. Laymen and the media with the help of some scientists have promoted this idea that addiction is not a question of controllable variables, it's a question of having particular genetics. That is misleading. Nature doesn't push you to seek drugs, it's nature in a particular environment which can do that.

>>5377438
100% yes

>>5377440
That's true, there is a nature vs nurture argument in life, in all aspects. The truth is that if the people around you are doing drugs, there's a greater chance of you doing drugs, but we cannot say that it's 100% dedicated to this. There's a small amount of genetics and predisposition that goes along with it, but it's not major. It's like fat people saying they're "big boned" and have hypothyroidism and shit. It's horse shit, you have a choice to eat, you have a choice to take drugs. Same difference.

>>5377439
>MN
that makes sense I guess. My school was in NYC

>>5377433
So if no one invented drugs, what would these people with genetics for "addictive brain" have substituted their need for reward with?

>>5377447
fapping and sexing

>>5377447
Sex, food, love, etc. The "addiction" pathway of the brain is actually technically the "reward" pathway. That is, when you do something pleasurable, dopamine neurons are released in that pathway and you receive positive feedback. Biological functions that better your chance of survival, evolutionarily, would affect this pathway.

>>5377448
This

>>5377442
So I imagine if you instead replaced each neuron with a 'point', and each axon with a 'line', and it was all functionally equivalent, that would be conscious, too.

And we could also imagine that this network were the only thing living in a particular universe.

Does it freak you out that a bunch of points and lines, floating in empty space, can embody the experiences like 'red' and 'pain'?

>>5377428

That is one of the core concepts of Existentialism (to make your own purpose for life), so yeah technically that is what I should be doing, it's just easier said than done I guess. Oh well, practice makes perfect.

>>5377454
I was being sarcastic with the 100% yes... but electronic communication is the basis for basically the modern technological world... as well as physiological communication. And yes, the concrete converted to abstract freaks the fuck out of me and I don't understand it

>>5377450
So you're saying evolution created people with "addictive brains" because it's a trait which increases one's chances of survival? Are junkies a new type of evolutionary fitness demo?

>>5377461
No no no. I'm saying that we abuse our reward pathways with drugs. You would have this pathway regardless of if you do drugs or your parents did drugs or the first person evolved did drugs. It's there. It always has been. We have it because evolutionarily, when we eat food, or have sex, we pass on our genes, which is good for our evolutionary goals, so we receive positive biological feedback in the form of sensitization. We found things that activate this system in the form of drugs, and we activate it wrongly.

>>5377448
Was that really observed when ancient people had no meth, no heroine, no LSD etc? Were they having more sex, drinking more alcohol and so on, because their need for reward was the same but it had no such modern object as drugs?

I don't think there was such an obviously common incidence of addiction to different types of substance in older times.

>>5377467
I mean I wasn't really there, so I couldn't say, but I would assume that they were attempting to evolve and better their population, and they did, so yes. You can have behavioral addiction just as easily as biological addiction. Ex gambling, sex, porn, etc.

>>5377464
Ook. So you admit that there are no brains predisposed to taking drugs. Only brains which are challenged about getting to rewards, so they take a shortcut by using substance. That's totally different from what the media promotes, ie that there are brains programmed to be addicted to smoking.

The story is a whole lot more general than that. The reward system is not really hardwired for one particular reward, maybe only for the most basic ones (sex, food, etc). But besides that, there is no particular "genetics for being predisposed to..." liking porn (ie, images of/substitutes for sex, not sex), taking meth/LSD/smoking pot, etc.

>>5377478
Correct, you cannot be predisposed to liking a certain thing, like cocaine over meth, based on what your genetics are. The FDA would argue against that, but we know better

If there are no more posts I'd just like to thank everyone that contributed to this thread. I'm glad I could share my information and knowledge with you all, and I'm glad I could receive information and hear different philosophies on life. I may do this again in the future, as for now, dedicate yourself, make goals, and fight the good fight.

>>5377486
Thx, that's what I wanted to hear.

>>5377492
Absolutely sir.
OP out, have a good evening.

>>5377491
Thanks a lot op

>>5377493
>>5377378

Hey man, i hate to bug you, but i'm trying to make a whole scientific study of my whole fighting thing.

>>5377403
So if a person's opinion is that the earth is flat, will you consider him a reasonable person?
No.

There are right and wrong opinions.
You confuse them with preferences, which is having a different taste in foods arts etc.

>>5377538
A complete scientific study? What is your hypothesis? What are you looking at?

>>5377539
That's not an opinion, that's someone stating an incorrect piece of science, or a reevaluated one, that is. Those who say the world is flat are disregarding science and something that has been proven. You're mixed up.

>>5377547
Well, that's the problem. I kinda just want to anylize the human body to figure out the optimal kicking ratios.

I don't have a hypothesis, but i have a goal, and that's the creation of a complete scientific explanation of fighting.

Part of this is the psycological level, but a larger part is understanding the exact numbers behind everything

For example, you can punch someone. But if you use your triceps, like a boxer, you don't get anywhere near as much power as you do if your hands are kept near your hips, because that uses your back muscles much more

Or in grappling where you use your body to create geometric shapes involving the body's contractions to excede the optimal fuctional capacities of your opponent.

I'm trying to focus on striking first because it's what i know best.

>>5377559
Wow, alright. Well establishing a neural basis for "fighting" won't be that hard. People say Ali "out thought" his opposition, which is true. It's about confidence. It's about adrenaline, and it's about training your body and forming muscle memory to achieve perfect fighting stances, target zones for punching, and timing. This comes from training your brain repeatedly to do a simple task, making neurons that fire during that task "automatic" which is the same reason MJ hit all his shots, why pele scored all those goals, why Ali landed all those hits. It's because they trained their brains and conformed muscle memory to complete the same task over and over again, to the point where it became automatic.

>>5377564
Ali was actually a master of fighting outside the ring. Figthers need to be at 100% during a match. a 5% differ in ability can be the differenceb etween a loss and a win.

Also, the amazing thing about fighting is like...George Foreman. He came back as a human blob, but because he was much more relaxed then before, he slowly gained his fangs back.

I guess my end goal would be to create a program that would take one of those motion capture suits and show a perfect form version of the kick (Or strike) for training.

What about my earlier question? (The flexibility thing and the lactic acid stuff)

I've got a friend who's a doctor, and he was baffled by it.

>>5377574
Your genetics obviously have played a role in your success in fighting. You have amazing muscle fiber if what you say is true, and you have your parents to thank.
Lactic acid is formed when the body is in anerobic conditions. During cellular respiration, after glycolysis, glucose is broken down into pyruvate, which is normally broken down into acetyl coA and goes through the Krebb cycle. However, when you do not have adequate oxygen in your body, you go through anearobic respiration, and your pyruvate is instead turned into lactate (the uncharged form being lactic acid) and that is used for energy and is recycled through glycolysis, used for energy, and then is converted back into pyruvate.
To answer your question, his body may have adapted to his conditions and started using a different form of energy aerobically, specifically using oxidative phosphorylation and atp synthase to make atp and to drive his cellular processes. That would be my explanation.

Is your name Damir?

>>5377589
No, it is not.

>>5377550
same goes for religion.
It doesn't have any proof and yet you believe in fairies.

You're mixed up.

No really, what do you think of meditation?

>>5377587
I see.

Yeah, i'm tall as fuck and flexible. Half of my fights i win because my opponent can't mechanically hit me.

BTW, i don't drink as well, i only vape weed. Tis my sole vice. Beer is for people who need to feel better about their live, IMHO.

Also, i've noticed i take a lot of risks, and i've heard that brain damage starts with depression. Is there a correlation? I was suicidal as a teen, but that was as a teen.

What sort of mental gymnastics does it take to be a religious (any religion) scientist? I know only 2 and their very smart people. However when they talk about religion suddenly they degrade themselves by not using facts or logic but using MUH FEELINGS.

>>5376740
wait, were you at SFN 2012 presenting on glutamate and gene expression with regard to cocaine dames?

Are you a smug asshole or do you try to stay humble? I've met people that got into med school and they tend to be assholes.

Good for you OP! I got accepted to medical school too! Great fucking feeling to know youre in before you go home for the holidays.

Too bad with your fancy publications, research and double major you forgot what it is to be human, and will go back to the lab after you graduate. why didnt you just get a phd?

>>5377833
I always though of the "scientists can/can't be religious" question as pretty interesting.

In the end I think it comes down to the question of whether or not you "are" your job. When a person "is" their job, they can have no other major attributes and everything they think or do is filtered through the lens of that job. If a person isn't their job, that is the job is something a person does but not what they are, then it becomes okay for that person to hold beliefs outside of that job.

To my mind saying a scientist cannot reasonably be religious is like saying a crest salesman cannot reasonably prefer arm and hammer toothpaste. It is possible to hold opposing viewpoints so long as your person is defined by more than what you do for a living.

>>5377888
I'm afraid I'm quite steadfast in my opinions on religion. I think theism is akin to a type of psychosis. It displays an utter lack of independence and independent thought, which is ironic, considering your discipline. A moral compass should not be equated to a theistic one. There are those that believe that atheism and philanthropy are mutually exclusive. I'm not saying you're one of these people, but they do exist.

How worth it is an Ivy League program as far as finance and prestige?

>>5377888

>To my mind saying a scientist cannot reasonably be religious is like saying a crest salesman cannot reasonably prefer arm and hammer toothpaste. It is possible to hold opposing viewpoints so long as your person is defined by more than what you do for a living.
That is a horrible analogy, kill yourself.

>>5376778

>cannabis

>>5377896
It doesn't necessarily relate to a moral compass, it could just as easily provide comfort to a person in the face of the suckitude of life. I'm not religious myself, but I can hardly blame a person for wanting a better answer to "why do bad things happen to good people" than "sometimes life will just shit on you for no reason". If seeking comfort in something unscientific helps a scientist, as long as it doesn't affect his work, what difference does it really make?

>>5377946
Great argument! I'll file that away for later. You're gonna go far.

>>5377996
Sarcasm! Why do retards always think it's witty or funny?

>>5378000
It's not witty or funny, but the post I responded to was neither intelligent nor insightful so if he isn't going to try, why should I? The other guy had no problem providing a well thought out post.

>>5378004
Tooth paste preference is just that, a preference. Both brands do almost exactly the same thing. A person doesn't have to "be their job" as you put it. But overiding the intellectual barrier between organized theism and science, just because it's convenient and protects their feelings, is not a matter of preference.

>>5378010
A large part of being a salesman is convincing people that your product is somehow better than the other guys, but using a different brand of the same product at home implies that you don't believe absolutely that your product is better.

Being a scientist at work, but practising religion at home just implies that you don't believe absolutely that science is the only/best answer.

Choosing to be a scientist both at work and at home, "being your job" does not necessarily mean that you are a better scientist than someone who is not their job, it just means that you believe your answer is the only/best one.

Goes both ways. A pastor who is willing to teach science or accepts evolution is not a worse pastor that one who believes only in religion at work and at home, it just means they accept that the answers they propose may not be the only/best ones.

You say overriding the intellectual barrier is not a matter of preference, but give no basis for thinking that. Why can't a person simply choose to believe everything happens for a reason because it makes them feel better to think that? An illogical decision will not somehow instantly make your IQ drop, nor will it render the logical/scientific conclusions you have reached somehow less valid.

>>5376761
How Black?

>>5378028
I'm not going to pretend I'm good at arguing over the internet, but a scientist who affiliates themselves with an organized religion, and thinks religion and science hold equal weight in uncovering truths is an enormous contradiction.

>You say overriding the intellectual barrier is not a matter of preference, but give no basis for thinking that.
It is completely contradictory, and again, it goes back to the convenience of replicating and proving an idea.
>Why can't a person simply choose to believe everything happens for a reason because it makes them feel better to think that?
I suppose they could. Read bellow for further explanation.

>An illogical decision will not somehow instantly make your IQ drop, nor will it render the logical/scientific conclusions you have reached somehow less valid.
I'm sure there are some religious people with very high IQ's, but I wouldn't consider them intelligent.

Again, choosing to believing in something with no other basis other than to bring you comfort and because it is convenient is ridiculous.
Your arguments always come back to, "Well why does it matter if they believe."

And the answer is, I guess it really doesn't. Not at their personal level. But it is illogical, and to me, it destroys the integrity of the scientist. Logic isn't something you use one moment, and discard the next.

Keep in mind, OP is not a research scientist. So this future "human body mechanic" can think what he wants.

>>5378028
Comfort in death and in creation thats well and good. Water into wine, raising the dead, and a 6000 year old earth isnt valid.

>>5378086
Thanks for being alot more clear than I would be.
I was trying to come across the same point.

>>5378095
Thanks. It took a lot of control not to say, LOL UR RETARDED FAGIT.

In your opinion, how important is research in determining acceptance? Do applicants with research experience give any significant edge over applicants without any research experience?

Can you summarize your ECs starting with freshman year?

Coincidentally I'm also a neuroscience major thinking about minoring in English (I love reading and literature) or double majoring in biology.

Any advice on when to do research and volunteer?

>>5376792
>found new, more efficient ways to study

Can you go into detail about this?

>>5377178
>I started two clubs on campus
What were the clubs?

>>5376971

Quick question: In a situation like this - where someone got a 2.2 could they re-take the classes necessary to get a 4.0, and then get accepted by med-schools? Or is it an all or nothing approach - meaning you only get one chance?

>>5376989
>>5376996

Not the guy you were replying to, but I have serious doubts about your competence in logic if you have faith. Just saying.

>>5377278
>I'm a scientist, athlete, and christian
>I, however, find balance in theistic evolution

I appreciate all the great info. you've provided, but you can't accurately call yourself a scientist and be christian, and if you were my doctor and I found out you were a christian who believe in theistic evolution you wouldn't be my doctor anymore. Doctors need to have a solid base of understanding in evolution if they are to practice medicine properly. Hell, evolution plays an integral role in understanding medicine (bacteria mutation for example), and for you to think that a god directs this evolution is just lunacy.

Please throw away the christianity. As a college educated guy, you should understand the basic rules of logic - that the burden of proof is on the positive claimant, and also that just because I can't disprove something does not mean there's a 50/50 chance of it existing. Meaning, if I say unicorns exist, then the burden of proof is on me to prove that, and just because I can't prove unicorns don't exist doesn't equate to a 50/50 chance that they do exist.

For you to even call yourself an agnostic in the matter is just bad. Very bad.

>>5378355
>>Doctors need to have a solid base of understanding in evolution if they are to practice medicine properly.

Confirmed for not knowing anything about doctors

>>5378329

Re-takes don't mean shit for MD, but it makes a difference for DO.

>>5378450
You're right, they don't.

There are thousands of asshat doctors out there.

Any advice for a high school senior who wants to get into medicine?

I planned on majoring in Biochemistry and possibly getting a minor in something depending on how much room I have in my schedule.

>>5378450

Confirmed for being a fucking dumb ass. You think a doctor can practice good medicine without knowing the science it's based upon. You're a fool. Do evolution a favor and kill yourself before you spread your retard genes. Lol.

>>5378450

>Confirmed for not knowing anything about doctors

SERIOUSLY?

Hoooooooly SHIT, you're an idiot. Viruses and bacteria alone are evidence enough that doctors need to understand evolution to practice medicine properly. Why in the FLYING FUCK do you think doctors have become so hesitant to provide antibiotics in recent years?

Doctors need to understand evolution to do their jobs properly. That is a fact - not an opinion, and if you wish to disagree with it, see if you make it out the doors of any reputable med-school in the nation with a degree without knowledge of Darwinian evolution. You'll be laughed off the goddamn campus.

People like you are absolute fools. You are a complete disgrace to rational thought and science. Get the fuck off of /sci/ you utter fool and imbecile.

Moron. Just an utter fucking moron.

Well HMED, it's been interesting reading all these and I do hope you'll comeback soon. Kinda sad how people got off on that tangent (though I feel the same way philosophically.).

>practicing christian
>studied sciences
>going to Harvard
The world is fucked. This honestly should be illegal.