Course Master: Linda Pike, PhD (pike@biochem.wustl.edu)
Block: 1
Teaching style: Lecture and some small group
Grading: Two multiple-choice exams and three quizzes
Passing: 70%
Do you like learning fundamental processes of biology and the subcellular causes of disease? Then Molecular Foundations of Medicine (MFM) is the course for you. Dr. Linda Pike, the course master, is the most organized professor of first block. She always emphasizes a topic’s clinical relevance, and her course notes are so well-written that if you miss class to shadow or volunteer (okay, or if you oversleep), you’re fine reading the coursepack. Dr. Pike also includes nutritional “Know Your Food” segments in each lecture. You’ll learn what to eat (salmon and walnuts) and what to eat less of (Starbucks white chocolate mochas and pepperoni pizza). The one downside is that MFM is only audio-recorded, not video-recorded like other courses. While this is fine for Dr. Pike’s lectures (given her excellent coursepack), it can make catching up on guest lectures more difficult. On the bright side, the guest lectures are really interesting, and you’ll even get to meet Dr. Pike’s husband!
— Kelly M., M1