What to Expect
Neuroscience students learn all about the brain and how it works.
An ion channel in the eye that causes color-blindness was Samantha Fenton's
particular area of interest during her graduate work in neuroscience at Washington
State University. Her days always included multi-tasking.
"Basically, in the first few years, you take classes and fit in research
and homework whenever you have time," she says. "Later, your work consists
of performing research in the lab as efficiently as possible and preparing
for your final thesis."
Sarah Giles also studied neuroscience. "A typical day in my program [started]
with two classes, a break for lunch, one to three hours spent in the lab working
on one of my projects or assignments, one more class, and then typically one
to three hours of reading or writing," says Giles.
She says the program kept her busy, but it was challenging and rewarding.
"The brain is so incredibly complex and holds so many mysteries that I don't
think I'll ever get tired of studying it."
The broadness of the field was hard for Fenton. "It is good in that
there are many areas of research to choose from, but it's bad when it comes
to creating a general base of knowledge. It is hard to decide which are the
most important areas of knowledge to understand by the time you leave the
program."
How to Prepare
Students should be prepared to learn lots of anatomy and terms,
says Giles. An eye for detail and the ability to memorize well are great assets.
Work hard in math, biology, chemistry and physics, which is surprisingly
important. "You should enjoy problem solving," says Giles.
"You should enjoy the lab components of your classes and be a good team
player. You should be interested in living organisms, disease and cell structure."
Extracurricular activities could involve volunteering in a home for
the elderly so a student can see the effects of brain diseases. "Or volunteer
in a lab, or join the science club," she adds.
"My advice is that you should do what you enjoy doing. If you study something
you are passionate about, it won't seem like work!"