Biology Department

In a recent survey, graduates were asked, “What advice or comments would you offer to the current students majoring in biology at Spring Hill College?” These are their answers.

“Learn the material that is presented rather than “cramming” it. Spring Hill Biology Department gives you every opportunity to succeed. So, seize it.”

“Devote adequate time to studying and take advantage of the professor’s willingness to help.”

“Pay attention. If you are pursuing further education, you have no idea how important your current classes are in terms of providing a base for future knowledge to build upon.”

“Study!”

“For any student going to medical school, I would advise taking as many upper division biology courses as possible, e.g., genetics, histology, embryology, immunology, microbiology, mechanisms of disease, and biochemistry.”

“Enjoy your time at Spring Hill. It’s a wonderful place to learn, grown, and study. Also, get involved!!”

“Learn the material the 1st time around; don’t just memorize if for the test.”

“Take advantage of all of the educational opportunities at SHC. I was always impressed that we used the same histology text at LSU-NO Medical School that Dr. Dean used to teach histology. It was a graduate level course with a professor who was always available to his students for assistance.”

“The smartest people are not always the ones who succeed. Be persistent and study hard.”

“Learn the material now while you have time! Don’t just study for the test, but really learn the information. If you plan to go to Medical or other professional school, it is very intense, you are expected to learn ridiculous amounts of information in a short amount of time, and the better your base of knowledge and understanding the easier your life will be!”

“Anyone who is pursuing a career in medicine (including Veterinary Medicine) should really put forth effort in their studies at Spring Hill, because the information you receive there is extremely valuable for med/vet school. I feel like Spring Hill gave me a ‘heads-up’ on many of the other students I’m with now that came from bigger school.”

“Take as many biology/premed courses as you can because the courses will help you later. When you study/read try to understand the material instead of purely memorizing it. Ask questions, the faculty are exceptional at being there for you.”

“The most important way to get the most out of your classes is to put the time and effort outside class studying. Don’t be afraid to go to your professors with questions because you may not have that opportunity in graduate school. Go to study sessions.!”

“For those pursuing a medical degree, learn as much as you can from your biology courses at SHC, because a lot of this material is repeated in medical school, giving you an advantage over classmates if you already know it.”

“I think Spring Hill College Biology Pre-med well prepared me for medical school while also teaching me good time management skills.”

“Listen to your instructors! Dr. Dean’s and Dr. Culberson’s word is gospel. If they tell you to do something, listen to them. Learn how to study now, it doesn’t get easier.”

“Take advantage of the courses and instructors at Spring Hill, they will prepare you as well as a larger university. Stay focused on your future goals and use the career advice given by the faculty – because they know.”

“Go to class everyday. Study something every night. Start planning your future early. Speak to graduates or individuals who work in a field you think you may enjoy. Get exposure. Enjoy it! Don’t take it for granted. The time you have now passes quickly and it gets harder later down the road.”

“If the current students are planning on going to medical school, I would encourage them to truly learn and actively engage with the material, as it will all appear again during your first year of medical school. I felt as though I was very prepared when I stared medical school, and my grades reflected it.”

“Biology is a major which requires a lot of time & hard work. One’s heart and mind must be truly dedicated. The Biology faculty is wonderful and are available to help in any way. Enjoy your four years studying biology – they will fly by far too quickly!”

“This education is wonderful & definitely take advantage of it, but understand that this just gives you the basics and is a start for future endeavors (i.e., Medical School). Your classes & major won’t really give you what you need to know for a future job, so find experiences to enhance your classes, like participating in working internships, etc. Find a way to get to know the “real world” outside of SHC.”

“Don’t major in biology just because you like biology. Have a career in mind because if you aren’t going to medical school, dental school, vet school, or teaching – there’s not many jobs out there!”

“Listen during lecture & fully participate during labs. – it’s your time & alleviates unreasonable hours of cramming!”

“Attack your first exams in each course as if it were a final. Once you can figure out how exams are administered, tailor your studying appropriately. Visit faculty daily, weekly, or monthly for assistance, racquetball, or just to shoot the breeze. Why be at Spring Hill if you aren’t maximizing the strength of the small environment?”

“Each course builds upon another. Success in a course, beyond ‘cram & dump’ studying will place you above the curve in your chosen professional school. Dr. Dean had us retest slide after slide (on test after test) in our pathology course. We hated it because we wanted to ‘let go’ of that information and ‘move on’, but he knew better. If forced us to LEARN the material. I ended up tutoring my classmates in pathology in our doctorate program because his course helped me understand the material and not just memorize it.”

“Take as many classes from Dr. Culberson as you can. Spend time with Dr. Culberson in order to take advantage of his knowledge and experience.”

“Take advantage of the caring faculty, they want to see you succeed!”