A Cambridge education

I'm sort of forcing myself to take time time off from reading papers to write this post. Back at Brown, I designated Friday evenings as no-work evenings, so I really ought to continue that habit here.

The thing is, Cambridge's education system is really quite horrible for a shameless workaholic like me. There are no real examinations until the end of the entire academic year (that means June), and it is up to you to decide how much work you want to do. For Part II Neuroscience, there are no clearly defined reading assignments—none of that "Read p. 134-165" bullshit. Each lecture is accompanied by a reading list spanning ten to twenty papers, but they are merely suggestions. Which papers you actually decide to read is entirely your choice. Plus, no specific textbooks are assigned to a course. You can purchase or borrow any textbook on your subject. Whatever pleases you, madam!

So naturally, I checked out three-fourths of the neuroscience textbook collection from the Pembroke Library. Not because I'm hell-bent on getting first marks on the exams (though that would be nice), but because I honestly want to learn as much about the brain as possible! If I had the mental stamina, I would read every single paper on every reading list. It's this sort of mentality that has me reading papers until my eyes bleed (but I enjoy it, I promise!).

One thing that struck me about the Cambridge education is how utterly bookish it is—at least for the sciences. Many Part II Neuroscience students and medics, who are all third-years, have never read a single research paper from a scientific journal until now. Even fewer have worked in a research lab. They have spent the last two years building and solidifying their knowledge base, mostly by attending lectures, reading material from handouts and textbooks, writing short essays, and attending supervisions. It seems that Cambridge doesn't really emphasize the application of science—specifically, research skills—until the third year, when you can attend laboratory techniques workshops, present papers at journal clubs, work in a research lab, and write up a research report.

They really want you to KNOW your science before you DO science. It's quite a different philosophy, compared to that of most American universities.

Anyways, here's a little something I made in response to what some people have been telling me:

Okay, I might pay a little less attention to molecular neuro