As someone who plans to enter the medical field at some point in their future but has yet to decide on a specific direction, I cannot recommend this course highly enough. While one month is really only enough time to scratch the surface of human anatomy and physiology, the amount of material we covered and the value of the experience we had should not be understated. Dr. Klepach has managed to run this course in such a way that we are able to cover and retain a huge amount of information without feeling overburdened or losing interest. Activities like the BMI lab and heart dissection gave us the opportunity to engage with the material we were learning in lecture beyond simply looking at models. Presenting case studies from the New England Journal of Medicine in our grand rounds project, and touring Inland hospital while hearing about the experiences of medical proffessionals were also invaluable experiences for those of us seeking to enter the medical field. However, my recommendation of this class is not limited to only those interested in Biology. Some of the most import lessons I took away from this course were not directly related to anatomy and physiology.
From day one, dr. Klepach made it clear that in his mind success was not defined by a letter grade received at the end of the course, but rather in the ability to find a balance between work and healthy living. We were constantly reminded to manage our stress levels, exercise, maintain a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. While slightly unexpected at the beginning, it was reassuring to see a professor as interested in how our lives were going outside of academics as they were in our performance in the classroom. I know that the lesson that having a healthy lifestyle should not be sacrificed in the pursuit of academic success will stay with me throughout the rest of my education. Another lesson I know will stay with me for a long time came from our guest speaker Scott Fried. Mr. Fried’s speech contained many valuable lessons, but the one that resonated with me the most was about the importance of loving ourselves. The cornerstone of living a healthy life is being able to know that we are enough exactly as we are, regardless of academic performance, interests, or social life. In this way, anatomy and physiology offered me a valuable and enriching experience, both for my future aspirations and my personal life.