Hey hey!! Thanks for joining me again;)) In my last post, I promised you I will share my experiences for sem 2 courses, so here we go. Especially for those of you who are here to find more about what we learn as part II BME students, I hope you find this blog insightful and enjoyable.
ENGGEN 204 : Professional Skills and Communication
This course is designed to equip you with essential communication and professional skills that are crucial for any engineer. It covers a wide range of topics, including:
- Teamwork and Collaboration: You’ll learn how to work effectively in teams, manage conflicts, and make decisions collaboratively.
- Communication Skills: The course emphasises both written and verbal communication, ensuring you can convey complex technical information clearly.
- Ethics and Professionalism: Understanding the ethical responsibilities and professional conduct expected of engineers.
- Presentation Skills: You’ll get to practise presenting your ideas and projects.
While many students find this course to be their least favourite, it’s also recognised as one of the most necessary. The skills you develop here are not just about learning content but about applying effort and teamwork. The grades you earn in this course often reflect the amount of effort you put in, making it a bit different from other courses where understanding the material is key. Essentially, these are skills everyone can develop with dedication and practice.
One reason some students dislike this course is because it involves a lot of teamwork. However on the bright side, there’s no final exam!! Instead there are only four 1-hour long online tests on Canvas, which are basically quizzes.
course outline: https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/ENGGEN/204
MEDSCI 142 : Biology for Biomedical Science: Organ Systems
My personal favourite! This course is very content heavy, making it one of the most demanding in terms of the material you need to learn and memorise. It introduces us to the structure and function of various human organ systems such as the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, renal, endocrine, musculoskeletal, and reproductive systems.
This course is particularly challenging because no cheat sheets are allowed in both the two tests and the final exam, especially with the final exam not being mcqs. However, BIOSCI 107 well-prepares you well for this course making it easier to keep up with the pace.
The lectures cover a lot of material, so it’s super important not to let them pile up, especially with the fortnightly labs. At the end of each lab, there’s a 10-question quiz that examines lecture content, lab content, and pre-lab required reading. Labs are the favourite part of course for many students because they are hands-on, engaging, and fun. The labs include rat dissection, sheep heart dissection, and more. Many students say they learn more in the 3-hour lab sessions than in entire lecture modules. The only downside is that the labs often finish late while they are held at Grafton, so I’m always late to my next class.
course outline: https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/MEDSCI/142
SAMS course review: https://www.samsuoa.com/medsci142
BIOMENG 241 : Instrumentation and Design
It’s a small class, mainly consisting of BME students with a few EngSci students who take it as an elective, which makes the classes very engaging. BIOMENG 241 is probably the hardest course both content-wise, and with weekly assignments and a group project, according to myself and my classmates.
At the start of the course, you get to choose a project from a list. My group is working on making a PPG (Photoplethysmogram) and an ECG (Electrocardiogram). We start from scratch, designing PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) for them and 3D printing the cases. PPG is a device that measures the volumetric change of blood in the skin, therefore heart rate, using a light-based technology. ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart using electrodes placed on the skin. It is really cool to apply the knowledge gained from especially BIOSCI 107 and MEDSCI 142 into actual practice.
Although it’s very challenging, the lecturers are incredibly supportive and friendly, which makes a huge difference. So despite the difficulty, the hands-on experience and the supportive environment make this course a favourite for many. Everyone loves the lecturers so much for their approachability and willingness to help.
course outline: https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/BIOMENG/241
BIOMENG 261 : Tissue and Biomolecular Engineering
Like BIOMENG 241, it’s a small class consisting only of BME students, which makes the sessions very engaging.
The course is divided into three modules:
- Mathematical Modelling of Biochemical Kinetics and Gene Regulation: This module covers the basics of biochemical reactions and how to model them mathematically.
- Experimental Techniques in Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Gene/Protein Analysis: Here, you get to apply techniques in the lab, such as spectrophotometry and recombinant DNA techniques.
- Ethical Practices in Biomedical Research: This module explores the ethical considerations in biomedical research, which is crucial for any aspiring biomedical engineer.
One of the highlights of this course is the biolabs, which involve a lot of liquid pipetting and water bathing. Personally I find pipetting sooo satisfying. The labs are a great opportunity to learn various new lab skills and experiment with cool things like altering bacterial DNA. The hands-on experience really helps solidify the theoretical knowledge. The teaching staff are incredibly friendly and supportive, much like in BIOMENG 241.
course outline: https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/BIOMENG/261
ENGGEN 299 : Workshop Practice
ENGGEN 299 is a compulsory component of your Engineering degree and must be completed in Part II before you progress to Part III. This course is a zero-point practical component designed to make you confident with new tools, equipment, and techniques for creating physical objects and mechanisms in a variety of materials.
In Semester 2, you get to make a tic-tac-toe board, which involves turning, milling, and welding. All of these activities are really really fun, but my favourite was welding. The skills learned here are applicable in internships, the workplace, and future projects.
Mechatronics, Mechanical, and BME students participate in this mechanical tool part of the course. To secure a session that fits your schedule, you’ll want to complete the form early when they release it. It’s important to note that this is a continuous course. If you miss a session in Semester 2, even if you completed the motor in Semester 1, you have to redo the whole course in summer school next year.
In addition, I take CHINESE 130 as part of my conjoint degree. So, how has your semester been so far? Hope it wasn’t too hectic!!
Thanks for reading! Catch you later! 😊👋
Read more: BME Sem 2 Unveiled: A Deep Dive into Biomedical Engineering Studies
Great!! Nice information! it was lovely to read and was so interesting!! ><