How to pass Gen Chem as told by Dr. Phillips

As someone who is struggling to even make it through Chem 101, I have nothing but respect for those who survive the infamous Gen Chem.

Dr Phillips, as well as coaching me through Baby Chem, teaches General Chemistry at Vanderbilt.

We sat down to talk about a class that has even the bravest students running for cover.

What is the hardest thing about taking Gen Chem?

For most students the hardest part is not having a lot of experience of problem solving in high school. They come in with a pretty good background of Chemistry but, when it comes to applying these concepts to specific problems, they struggle.

What is the best approach students can take to succeed?

Practice, practice, practice. As you know right? You know what it takes! You’ve just got to keep doing it. Raising my kids, they loved soccer, they loved baseball, so they would practice two, three times a week with tournaments every weekend. They got pretty good at it. But, how many kids do that with science?

Nobody wants to do what it takes to get good at Chemistry, it’s a commitment level like it is for sport, it’s just not as fun for some people.

What’s your favorite thing about teaching at Vanderbilt?

The best part of my job is meeting new students. It keeps me young, in touch with what’s going on.

Most students are good kids, pleasant to be around, all very capable, that’s the best part by far.

And your least favorite thing?

Dealing with people who don’t want to do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do it. And then they want me to make an exception for them because they didn’t.

When you’re overseeing 800 students there’s always going to be a small handful whining, “I didn’t think we had lab this week”.

I’m forgiving about that kind of immaturity but it’s annoying as hell.

Do you think Gen Chem deserves its fearsome reputation?

It can be as hard as people say it is. I’ve been at it twenty odd years and there’s no magic secret. If I went over to Memorial Gym right now and told Kevin Stallings I wanted to play basketball, there’s no way, at the best of my abilities, no matter how hard I worked, that I could be a good enough basketball player. It’s the same with science, not everybody has the same aptitude.

Most of the people who take this class want to go to med school. You hear all the time “this is a weed-out course”. The reality of it is that if you can’t have success in this class, you’re not going to succeed in medical school. But I can guarantee you, in no way, shape or form do I have any intention to limit the number of people who take it, there’s no desire to whittle it down.

Name three things scarier than a Gen Chem test

What scares me? Nothing scares me! But ok, three things scarier than a Gen Chem test.

I’d say missing a Gen Chem test, that’s scarier than taking it. Also, failing a Gen Chem test. And having to retake Gen Chem in the summer!

I’m so glad I’ve never had to take a Gen Chem test. Baby Chem is hard enough!

You’re doing well now, you just had to practice didn’t you! Are you going to take Gen Chem next? 

No, I know my limits…

Yeah, I guess you’re not going over to tell Coach Stallings you want to play basketball either.