UoM General Chat

[cameronp]

How have you found MAST10016 this semester?

Well this semester was my first time tutoring, but I reckon it's a great subject - possibly the most fun first year maths subject at UoM, because you see real applications as well as relatively modern methods (most of the maths in the subject is less than 100 years old). Probably wasted on some of the Biomed students who don't love maths and care about their marks above everything. On the other hand, it was really nice to see some of my students who hated maths in high school find themselves enjoying this subject. And the Biomed cohort has some seriously impressive people in it.

[Stick]

Well this semester was my first time tutoring, but I reckon it's a great subject - possibly the most fun first year maths subject at UoM, because you see real applications as well as relatively modern methods (most of the maths in the subject is less than 100 years old). Probably wasted on some of the Biomed students who don't love maths and care about their marks above everything. On the other hand, it was really nice to see some of my students who hated maths in high school find themselves enjoying this subject. And the Biomed cohort has some seriously impressive people in it.

That's nice to hear. I liked maths at school and didn't mind this subject - my biggest issue with it at the time was the fact that we weren't often exposed to questions that could be asked in the exam; I'm not sure if things have changed since then but I recall that the lecture note questions, tutorial questions, assignment questions and exercise sheet questions were all rather distinct from the exam questions (although maybe in hindsight the tutorial questions were close). Until I got the practice exam I felt a little bit lost, although that was probably exacerbated by the adjustment to university learning (maybe this is what it's like for all MAST subjects, I'm not sure) and the different focus of this subject - I guess it's not so much about questions but rather understanding how all the techniques work. Additionally I struggled not being able to immediately consolidate concepts with questions until the end of the week when the relevant exercise sheet was released, but that immediately got changed for the next semester (so the university does pay attention to what students suggest in the SES ). The first year Biomedicine students should know by now there's far worse subjects they'll have to endure than this one. ^_^

[Shenz0r]

Well this semester was my first time tutoring, but I reckon it's a great subject - possibly the most fun first year maths subject at UoM, because you see real applications as well as relatively modern methods (most of the maths in the subject is less than 100 years old). Probably wasted on some of the Biomed students who don't love maths and care about their marks above everything. On the other hand, it was really nice to see some of my students who hated maths in high school find themselves enjoying this subject. And the Biomed cohort has some seriously impressive people in it.

Good to hear the subject has changed. I was part of the guinea pig cohort and remember absolutely hating it back then. Maths ain't my forte even though I enjoyed it in VCE.

[sjayne]

How do you all sit through exams every semester? I feel like this is enough to drive someone insane

[cameronp]

That's nice to hear. I liked maths at school and didn't mind this subject - my biggest issue with it at the time was the fact that we weren't often exposed to questions that could be asked in the exam; I'm not sure if things have changed since then but I recall that the lecture note questions, tutorial questions, assignment questions and exercise sheet questions were all rather distinct from the exam questions (although maybe in hindsight the tutorial questions were close). Until I got the practice exam I felt a little bit lost, although that was probably exacerbated by the adjustment to university learning (maybe this is what it's like for all MAST subjects, I'm not sure) and the different focus of this subject - I guess it's not so much about questions but rather understanding how all the techniques work. Additionally I struggled not being able to immediately consolidate concepts with questions until the end of the week when the relevant exercise sheet was released, but that immediately got changed for the next semester (so the university does pay attention to what students suggest in the SES ). The first year Biomedicine students should know by now there's far worse subjects they'll have to endure than this one. ^_^

I think the newness and uniqueness of the subject makes exam study harder - it's not like e.g. Calculus 2 which has been essentially identical for many years, and covers the same material as other first year maths subjects at other universities. It also makes it more effort for the course coordinator to prepare practice materials. It's definitely a subject where you need to understand the big concepts well (e.g. equilibria, stability, long-term behaviour) and be able to apply the techniques, rather than memorising lots of little details in case you get asked about them, which makes it rather different from high school and from what I've heard about other bio subjects.

The university definitely listens to the SES (and those mid-semester surveys as well). There are certain things that aren't going to change no matter what students say, but student feedback really can affect course content and even who lectures which subject.

[cameronp]

How do you all sit through exams every semester? I feel like this is enough to drive someone insane

I'm already insane. Coincidence?

[Leronziia]

I did the subject in semester 2 of 2013, which had a different lecturer and some modifications from semester 1.
It was an awesome subject, the most fun I've had at university, legit. I'm still disappointed that I've gone down the biomedical science path and not learning any more math.

I enjoy biomedical science, no doubt, but revision just gets tedious. This may also be end of semester exhaustion speaking.

[cterminal]

I did the subject in semester 2 of 2013, which had a different lecturer and some modifications from semester 1.
It was an awesome subject, the most fun I've had at university, legit. I'm still disappointed that I've gone down the biomedical science path and not learning any more math.

I enjoy biomedical science, no doubt, but revision just gets tedious. This may also be end of semester exhaustion speaking.

I miss maths too...
though i didnt feel maths for biomed was maths, it was just biology & chemistry application!

i wish i had chosen science over biomedicine to explore more options... mmmm...  tbh biomed is so overrated!

[nino quincampoix]

i wish i had chosen science over biomedicine to explore more options... mmmm...  tbh biomed is so overrated!

Each course has its perks, but it's really what you make of your opportunities that counts. Besides, if your course gets you to where you want to be, isn't that the point of the exercise? Sure it's hard to see these things before they happen, but with hard work (and maybe even a bit of luck), you just never know what your capable of doing.

[cterminal]

Each course has its perks, but it's really what you make of your opportunities that counts. Besides, if your course gets you to where you want to be, isn't that the point of the exercise? Sure it's hard to see these things before they happen, but with hard work (and maybe even a bit of luck), you just never know what your capable of doing.

haha! That's my problem... I'm starting to question what I always thought I wanted after undergrad.

..super early mid life crisis

[nino quincampoix]

haha! That's my problem... I'm starting to question what I always thought I wanted after undergrad.

..super early mid life crisis

It's a good thing that you're questioning yourself. That way, you'll hopefully reach a conclusion that you've given some serious thought to - not just a career/pathway you picked because it was time to do so.

[heart]

you can still do maths apply for a Diploma in Mathematical Sciences im planning to do one part time while doing whatever grad course I get in

[ChickenCh0wM1en]

you can still do maths apply for a Diploma in Mathematical Sciences im planning to do one part time while doing whatever grad course I get in

What if you do medicine mate? Apparently you cant do any other study at the same institution - i.e. I asked whether it would be possible to do dentistry/medicine/optom with a diploma of languages (and they said no )

[kaybee94]

I miss maths too...
though i didnt feel maths for biomed was maths, it was just biology & chemistry application!

i wish i had chosen science over biomedicine to explore more options... mmmm...  tbh biomed is so overrated!

As someone that is doing biomed I think it is pretty overrated. In terms of interest it's been great and you get exposure to aspects of bio that you wouldn't if you did science e.g. M2M in 3rd year. I knew a couple of people finishing biomed when I finished year 12 and they said they would do science if they had their time again. I see their point 3 years down the track

[Mieow]

I've only done one semester of biomed and even I would say that I would have done Science had I known then what I know now. Not that there's anything wrong with Biomedicine (I lied, Chemistry is a freaking tragedy) but pretty much everything you do in Biomed you can do in Science, minus that Health Informatics major. Plus all the engineering pathways are available and you pick all your subjects.

Just wondering tho, would it be easier to apply for exchange with a Science degree than a Biomed degree? It sounds impossible to get the credits to make up for HS&F/MCB while doing subjects on exchange...