HBIO Lecture 2 Notes

Introduction to JP House and Volunteering Programs at USC

  • Sean introduces himself as a junior studying Global Studies and a pre-med student
  • He is a program assistant at JP House, a volunteering program at USC
  • JP House matches students to K-12 sites around USC
  • Key Benefits of JP involvement:
    • Engage with the community
    • Gain educational insights
    • Earning extra credit for human biology classes (2% to 2.5%)

Trojan Top Volunteers Program

  • Application process for the Trojan Top Volunteers (THB) program
    • Office closed for the current semester
    • New applications open each semester starting next fall
  • Weekly volunteer commitment:
    • Four hours of volunteering at hospitals
  • Opportunities for discussion sessions and panel events with medical professionals:
    • Interaction with physicians, PAs, and nurses

Project Health Volunteers

  • Overview of Project Health Volunteers
    • Involves discussion sessions and panel events for premed students

Readers Plus Program

  • Overview of Readers Plus program
    • Involves teaching kids how to read and write
    • Availability of paid work through the program
    • Local opportunities around USC

PLP (Pre-Law Program)

  • Overview of PLP for pre-law students
    • Involves volunteering and internships during the semester

STEM Program

  • USCJP STEM program details:
    • Registration and training for experiments with K-12 students
    • Oversight by USC staff

Advising Structure for Continuing Students

  • Explanation of continuing student advising structure for years 2 through 4:
    • Weeks 1-3: Advising appointments for schedule changes or questions
    • Weeks 2-5: Exploring options with advisers
    • Weeks 6-12: Mandatory advising period for discussing future courses
    • Importance of timely appointments to avoid conflicts on registration day

Major Academic Pathways and Options for Human Biology (HBIO) Students

  • Transitioning to continuing student advising in June after the first year
  • Assigned to an advising team throughout graduation (Natural Sciences cluster)
  • Flexibility in changing majors or exploring different tracks

Career Paths with Human Biology Degree

  • Overview of career options post-HBIO:
    • Public health (Masters or PhDs)
    • Teaching, especially STEM-related subjects
    • Personal training and athletic training
    • Biotech and pharmacy sales
    • Health care consulting

Bachelor of Science vs. Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology

  • Bachelor of Science (BS) tracks:
    • Four specialized tracks:
    1. Applied Physiology: Focus on anatomy and movement
    2. Biomedical Science: Prepares students for medical school content
    3. Health and Disease: Covers nutrition, genetics, and treatments
    4. Human Evolutionary Biology: Studies evolution and psychosocial trends
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) options:
    • Three flexible tracks with customizable classes:
    1. Evolutionary Biology track
    2. Human Physiology and Metabolism track: Ideal for pre-PA/premed students
    3. Human Performance track: Focuses on athletics and personal training

Minors and Study Abroad Opportunities

  • Overview of minors available for HBIO students:
    • 150+ minors offered at USC, with recommendations against STEM minors
    • Common minors include Nutrition, Healthcare Studies, Business (Finance and Entrepreneurship)
  • Study Abroad Overview:
    • Importance of planning (communicate with advisers early)
    • Restrictions on taking certain courses abroad (no pre-health courses)
    • Most popular locations: Maastricht, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand

Importance of Research and Academic Rigor

  • Discussion on research opportunities:
    • Not required for HBIO degree
    • Pre-health programs often look for research experience
    • Option to participate as an extracurricular or for credit

Attendance Policies and Class Structure

  • Importance of attendance in labs and classes
    • Description of HBIO lab procedures and lab types (e.g., body composition, thermoregulation)
  • How classes intertwine with research; emphasis on quality over quantity in essay assignments
  • Attendance strategy to monitor student engagement and support

Conclusion

  • Encouragement to explore the HBIO department and various opportunities
  • Importance of academic support systems and connections with advisers
  • Reminder to keep communication open and seek guidance as needed for academic success.