Science Reflection

Science Reflection

The way I think about science has changed dramatically since I began college as a freshman. As Carl Sagan said, “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” I find this quote to be very true as I near the end of my college career. Not only have I gained a greater knowledge in many fields of science, but the way I approach knowledge has also changed.

In high school I never gave much thought as to what I would do once I graduated. It changed my senior year when I took an AP biology course. I had enjoyed many biology and science courses before this, but this course was different. In this course we learned about cell division, cell respiration, and all the other basic, somewhat boring general biology topics. We also were introduced to some human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. I had never learned about some of these things before and I thought it was fascinating, specifically the section we did on the human cardiovascular system. My teacher went into more detail on these topics a lot more than all of my previous courses, which also sparked my interest. My teacher, an SUU graduate, was an awesome teacher as well. All of these things together made me think that I wanted to be biology major and potentially enter the medical field after college. Once I got to SUU my appreciation for science continued.

I really enjoy learning about biology and the other sciences, but there is also an enormous need for jobs in STEM fields. America use to lead the world in STEM jobs, but over the last while it seems America has slowly lost its global dominance. This is why there has been a real push for children in America to take STEM courses. I believe this will have an enormous benefit on the economy and advances in these fields. America will benefit as a whole from encouraging children to pursue a STEM career, and can hopefully regain its position as a leader in the global science community.

After my four years of college at SUU I have learned many different things. Just a few of these things are include how action potentials are conducted, how cells use complex signaling systems to accomplish everything they do, the structure of sugars

and how they change throughout glucose metabolism, the anatomy of the human body, and countless other things. Not only has my mind been expanded on terminology and facts, but the way I think has also been changed. Now when I hear results from studies I analyze them to see if the results are actually significant and if they obeyed the scientific method in the study. Whenever I see results that are on social media that aren’t in well respected in journals, I automatically disregard their findings. After reading many scientific journal articles, I know the process that is involved in publishing a legit study. Many things have to be taken into account before your findings can be taken seriously. I have also learned once your findings are accepted, how hard it can be for things like trials to take place.

In biochemistry we learned that the average FDA approval process can up to ten years and up to 300 million dollars. That’s insane to me! It’s a surprise that any advances in medicine can ever become approved for use. I have gained a greater appreciation for all scientists after learning about this. They go through tedious, expensive, and lengthy experiments to produce profound results. I have also gained a greater appreciation on the work they had to go through to get where they are. Not just scientists, but medical professionals and other professionals in science careers. They have to complete undergraduate and graduate work to get to where they want to be, which takes a long time (~ 8 years). Depending on if you want to be an MD of PhD you have to complete additional work after school before you become fully certified. This whole process is very expensive and difficult to complete. If you love the work though, the end result will be worth it.

Even though I just went over how long, difficult, and expensive this whole process can be, I still plan on pursuing a career in the medical field. I will have to use my knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics to be successful in this career. All of the science classes I have taken will help me treat human disorders. I also use my science knowledge in my daily life. I can make more well informed decisions on topics that relate to science now that I know more about what is happening. I have already been smarter when it comes to taking care of myself and providing advice to family members. This will also apply to making important voting decisions when it comes to legislation involving science. I’m sure in my lifetime there will be important legislation that becomes relevant in the field of genetics. I will be ready to make informed decisions as well as provide information to others that don’t understand.

Overall, I have gained a greater appreciation for the field of science and for scientists. Science is all around us and is very important if we want to continue to advance as the human race. Better medications and treatment technology are important as the incidence of cancer is on the rise. Climate change is also a very popular topic these days. Despite what your viewpoint is on climate change, it is difficult to deny that something is happening. My science education has allowed me to get to the truth behind all the political debating. With proper science we will be able to slow down the effects of climate change and preserve the earth for years to come. I know I have really enjoyed my education at SUU and I apply it every single day.