Cheating in pre-med courses increasing
(CPS)—The chemistry lab was
deserted. The pre-med student
had been working all night on an
experiment that would mean one
fourth of his grade, a grade that
could take his GPA out of the
competition for medical school.
The experiment botched again,
there was only one thing to do:
lower the grading curve. He
picked up a vial of clear solution
and began adding it at random to
other students experiments.
With applications to medical
schools skyrocketing, sabotage
and cheating in pre-med lab
courses have become standard
fare at some colleges
Cheating techniques, accord
ing to Johns Hopkins Dean Sig
mund Suskind, ran the gamut
from cribbing and copying during
examinations to such extremes as
students deliberately altering
other students lab expenments to
gam a competitive edge in class
standings.
What I'm concerned about is
the flagrant examples,'' said Sus
kind Large groups working to
gether. major cribbing, alteration
of experiments, theft of exams,
major cooperative efforts
Large-scale cheating is not uni
que to Johns Hopkins. Pre-med
cheating at Stanford University in
California often takes place in or
ganic chemistry classes, accord
ing to a recent survey by the stu
dent newspaper
Students who were not pre
med, but who were going to be
come chemists weren t bothered
with, said one former pre-med
student who was dismayed by the
competition. "It was all done by
pre-meds with the attitude of ‘You
might be the one who keeps me
out of medical school."’
At Ohio State University, sev
eral pre-med students have re
ported stolen lab notebooks, or
notebooks just before grading and
returned with lab reports torn out.
No one expects that the thieves
will be caught. ' Most cheating
isn’t even reported,” said an Ohio
State biology professor. “Stu
dents aren't willing to turn other
students in.”
Part of the problem in stopping
pre-med cheating is the penalty
for the crime—failure in the
course. "To fail a kid in a course,
especially in a pre-professional
school is like a sentence for life
because it means they will never
make it into law or medical
school,” said an Ohio State stu
dent. “Profs know that and some
even look the other way.”
Although most school officials
direct their attention to the almost
hopeless cause of weeding out of
Preceptorship:
Program lets students
view a doctor's day
By JOYCE DeMONNIN
Of the Emerald
The pre-medical honor society, Asklepiads, has
developed a preceptorship program to let students
walk through a physician s day," according to Mary
Lee Baker, student director of the program.
Now in its third year, the program ‘‘permits stu
dents to observe doctors both in the office and in the
hospital," according to Baker.
Currently, 33 physicians are participating in the
program They work with one student during a
three-week period, called a rotation, and allow the
student to observe any medical procedures in which
he is involved, providing the patient is willing.
Preceptorship students have radiology and
surgery privileges at Sacred Heart Hospital, accord
ing to Baker, so if the doctor a student is working with
goes into surgery, the student may observe.
The program either makes the student really ex
cited about medicine or convinces him to drop the
pre-med program altogether, Baker says.
Pre-medical students are selected for the program
by the officers of the Asklepiads, according to Baker.
Generally, the student must have completed a year
of pre-medical courses with a 3.3 GPA or better in
science to qualify for the program, she says.
The preceptorship program began two years ago
and does not receive any money from incidental
fees, although the program is based at the Pre
Health Sciences Center which receives about $400
annually.
The students work with one physician about six
hours a week during each rotation, then change doc
tors. General practitioners, orthopedic surgeons, in
ternalists, and even an acupuncturist are among the
physicians currently in the program. Although the
students receive no credit for the time they spend
with the doctor, the program may be helping them get
into medical school.
The number of students from the University who
are accepted at the medical school in Portland has
gone up from approximately 26 in 1972-73 to about 40
for the past two years, according to Martiss Strange,
pre-health sciences coordinator.
Although many factors influence acceptance into
medical school. Strange says, the program makes
students better candidates for acceptance because it
gives them a better understanding of medicine rather
than just hearing about medicine from Ben Casey.
Strange said that since acceptance to medical
school is so fiercely competitive, acceptance is
based on motivation and devotion to medicine as
well as on the grade point average.
She pointed out that the preceptorship program
could be helpful to other disaplines as well, such as
pre-dental or pre-law. This pre-professional experi
ence can more adequately prepare students for their
chosen careers, she said.
The program has helped me gain a more realistic
view of the physicians s role—what it is to be a doc
tor. It has definitely confirmed my interest in
mediane,' says Baker.
fenders, others believe cheating
indicates underlying problems in
the criteria medical schools use to
screen applicants.
“An obsession with grade-point
averages is an unfortunate way to
select good practitioners of
medicine,'' says Albert Gelhorn,
director of the Center for Biomedi
cal Education at City College of
New York.
In 1970, according to Gelhorn,
pre-med students from several
universities told him: We cheat.
We try to give wrong information
to our colleagues. We sabotage
chemistry expenments.”
“Things have gotten worse
since then.” said Gelhorn. "Pre
med school is a cutthroat busi
ness. ’
The solution to cheating, says
Gelhorn, begins with a re
examination of medical educa
tion. "We shouldn’t be looking for
someone who does well in organic
chemistry—something the prac
ticing physician rarely uses—but
someone with a concern for taking
care of people."
Yet things may be looking up for
grade-pressured pre-med stu
dents. The Medical College Ad
missions Test, an exam which
weighs heavily in the screening
process at medical schools, is
scheduled for an overhaul in 1977.
The new test will attempt to
identify humanistic qualities and
problem-solving abilities rather
than just a knack for spewing back
information," said Boener. "We re
hoping this shifted emphasis will
eventually help humanize the
pre-med student s school experi
ence."
la BEER
ewy Monday 9-1030 p m
Free pool Sunday 12-6 pm
4 »6 wde screen TV
COLLEGE SIOE INN
30m ano Interstate 5
12566 tin
GOURMET COFFEE ROASTED DAILY
The Coflee Baan Coflea Company
2465 Hityard
110 Ami Broadway
12059 tin
GOLDEN TEMPLE
NATURAL FOOD
STORE
1211 Aider
(Neil lo Johnny Print)
Whole gram breads pastries made with honey
granola yogtai kefir dnr* odd iuices honey ice
cream and natural candy bars
Treat your sail to a natural treat!
12069 u»
1 EVENTS j
AMERICAN INOIAN STUDENT MEETING
Wednesday January 287pm m the Long House
1606 Columbia Si Free dinner ntormat>on on local
health social programs status repod on Indian
conflrct with Dr WiMiam Boyd and U of O administ
ration status repod on fund raising and legal posi
tion of Indians m higher education 12949 28
EMU CULTURAL FORUM
Presents
AN EVENING WfTH
LINWOOD DUNN
Academy Award winning creator ot special effects
lor motion pictures and television shows including
CITIZEN KANE. CATCM-22. THE BIRDS.
KUNG-FU. AND STAR TREK. He will show dips
from several of these films and will be available to
answer questions from the audience throughout
the presentation
Friday. January 23rd
7:30 p.m. EMU Ballroom
SI—U of O Students $2—general public
12934 23
EMU BEER GARDEN-., I ...lay Horn*to«Pm
Music by the EXPRESSIVE JAZZ SEXTET
12937 23
( ENTERTAINMENT )
ONLY 15 MORE DAYS TILL
THEATER of
THE
OPEN
EYE
February 5-10
TICKETS AT EMU MAIN DESK
12946 21
THE ANANDA MARGA SOCIETY
PRESENTS
QUACKSER
FORTUNE HAS A
COUSIN IN THE
BRONX
Gene Wilder (THE PRODUCERS YOUNG
FRANKENSTEIN) portrays a Happy-go
lucky horse-manure corrector in Dublin, in
this unusual lilm Delightfully wacky Quack
set is on lop of the work) Wl he encounters
true love ana automation Like HAROLD
AND MAUDE distribution ol this film was
botched so this is a rare opportunity to see
this comedy gem
Saturday January 24 180 PLC
SI 8 15 4 10 15 p m
12947 23
SATURDAY. JANUARY 24
“FRIENDS”
ELTON JOHN
BERNIE TAUPIN
SOUNDTRACK
Seldom seen 1971 Paramount Pictures release A
teenage couple desert all others to create therr own
life and deliver the» child »n Southern France Many
have heard the Elton John soundtrack but tew have
seen this color film
Saturday. January 24 7 and 9 p.m.
177 Lawrence $1 ODA
4016 23
THE EMU CULTURAL FORUM
Presents
THE CHUCK
MANGIONE QUARTET
on January 21.1976 8pm at the EMU Ballroom
Tickets available now. 12875
ON FRIDAY, February 6 SHINOLA will appear in a
dance-concert in the EMU Ballroom. 12943 23
THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR
THE PERMORMING ARTS
Presents
FRANK CAPRA S
MR. SMITH GOES TO
WASHINGTON
7:30
and
LOST HORIZON „937)
9:30
W O W HALL 8th and Lincoln
95*
Wednesday, January 21
4017 21
CINEMA 7
EUGENE MINI MALL. SECOND FLOOR
10th and Olive. 687-0733
Tonrte thru January 25
Firet Eugene Showing
CLAUDE GORETTA S
THE INVITATION
A new Swiss comedy about an office worker who
inherits a country estate and invites his co-workers
to a house-warming The guests get drunk and the
fun begins
In Cokx
Showtimes 7 and 9pm
Reduced admission matinees Saturday and Sun
day at 2 p m _12926.23
CLASSIFIEDS
EMU Cultural Forum
Presents
Saturday. January 24
CLAUDE CHABROL S
NADA!
“AN EXCITING
MOVIE!
Comparable to the work of Fuller and Peck
inpah A picture you'll attend breathlessly
every inch of the way
—Wmsten N Y Post
“AN ELEGANT
BLAST*at corrupt authonty
—Sayre. N Y. Times
7 & 9:30 p.m.
150 Science
$1
University Film
Society
presents
Sunday. January 25
INGMAR BERGMAN S
THE RITUAL
Bergman deals in THE RITUAL with themes
of obscenity and censorship A troupe of
itinerant players accused of performing a
public obscenity are interrogated by a
Kafkaesque judge in his chambers Soon
both the judge and the accused are
entangled in a Bergman nightmarish
fantasy
I can t imagine anyone who is deeply
interested m movies denying himself the
mixture o* pleasure and pain that the film
affords
—N Y Times
100 PLC $1 8 p m
12959:21
Acme-Bijou presents
John Ford's
TOBACCO ROAD
(1941. 84 min.)
Gene Tierney ana Ward Bond lust
tn the dust
8 p m.. Wed Jan 21. 180 PLC
$1 00 or by series ticket
1295421
BLACK FOREST TAVERN
2657 Willamette 344-0816
Live entertainment five nights a week
MICHEL06E ON TAP
I2749lfn
WHEATFIELD
at
MURPHY & ME TAVERN
Wednesday-Saturday
January 21-24
406523
( PERSONAL j
TO THE LADIES of Kappa Kappa Gamma thanks
for the great wake-up1 Chi Psi 407321
A TRI-DELT DEUGHT—to my Dotty—your happi
ness is my joy. From your Mommy 4074:21
TO THE FOXES of Beta Theta Pi Good iuck with
initiation and hang in there We love you' Love and
smooches, the court 407521
KAREN: GOOD LUCK this week' The nights will
be so lonely without you Ferda 4083 21
MYRTLEBELLA: ARE YOU gang to stand in line
with me Saturday7 Remember only honorable
intentions 406021
SCHAFER S GOT A SQUEEZE box they wea. on
their chest, and wnen Delta's have us over, we
•lever get no rest, a dancin all night, the dnnkm s al
nght. third floor thanx the Delta's. Hope you had a
lot of fun too' Remember were lovers, not poets
—Thanx—3rd floor Schafer, ext 5380 4055 21
SMITTY. YOUR FAN CLUB
Is gathering forces
It's getting near spnng—
No more cross-country courses
You might run the steeple.
A 2-rmle or ten.
But whatever you run
We re behind you again
You'll torture your body
For mile after mile
With intervals, road-runs—
And do it in style
Yes. we know that you re working
As hard as you can
Who needs Williams and those guys?
We ve got Superman
405421
INTERESTED IN FRATERNITIES? Delta Upsilon.
1774 Alder St IS having a Coffee Hour tonight at 9
pm. Interested men may cal 686-3580 for ndes
and information 4069:21
SHARE YOUR SKILLS AND talents while earning
academic credit ESCAPE is looking for students
interested in working in Junior Highs and High
Schools. Stop by the ESCAPE recruitment table in
the EMU Lobby or call 686-1351 to find out how you
can help 1295723
HAPPY BIRTHDAY—Kristi- Ondee Kelly Many
more! Your little Lebanesie 408521
HAMILTON STAINED GLASS
Complete supplies for stained glass at reasonable
prices Good selection of glass in stock now.
4th and High. Eugene
485-8650
12332.mwf
MCC
A Christian church for gay people holds ser
vices every Sunday at 1 p.m—White Bird
Annex For more *nformat»on caH Rev Ann
Montague— 746-7427
12526 wh
LANE MEMORIAL BLOOD BANK
Blood Donors Needed
A Positive 12 Units A Negative 1 Unit
O Positive 7 Units O Negative 2 Units
B Positive 0 Units AB Positive 2 Units
Please call Lane Memorial Blood Bank. 484-9111.
for appointments and additional information
C.B.J.—You re my V I P HONEY' Thanks for
being a real sweetie, good lookin Your Main Man
4079:21
BB TICKET. S25. 345-4744 (evenings) 4087 22
TO THE PERSON who took a hand gun stapler out
of my mailbox in ASUO Office Please return it; I
promise not to prosecute Richenstein SUAB-16
401121
DEPRESSED? As part of a research project, the
University Neuropsychology Lab is offering a 4
week treatment program for depressed persons
The treatment fee wiH be waived rf the client com
pletes all assessment and daily records needed for
the research Clients will be selected on the basis of
a screening test and an interview with a staff
member If interested, come to the Neuropsychol
ogy Lab in Straub Hall (entrance on 15th Ave ac
ross from the covered tennis courts) to take the
1-1 ’-2 hour screening test Testing will take place
between 8 30 and 3:30 on weekdays 12888 23
SONG WRITERS
Lead sheets made ready to submit to publishers
Call Charles Nathan. 686-9921 12932:23
WUN-HOP-KUEN-DO KUNG-FU. New class
being formed Will be taught near campus Call
747-0591 after 6 p m 391521