November 29, 1912] 



SCIENCE 



733 



no student will tie allowed to devote his whole 

 year to one subject without the consent of the 

 head of the department concerned. 



When a student's research work in an elective 

 is necessarily prolonged beyond the time elected 

 for that subject, he will be allowed, with the per- 

 mission of the Administrative Board, to make 

 such changes in his electives as will enable him to 

 finish his research work, provided the time re- 

 quired does not extend beyond the school year. 

 (Catalogue of Harvard University Medical School, 

 1911-12, p. 55.) 



3. Johns Hopkins University. In the 

 first two years we find that 

 the major portion of the work of these years is 

 obligatory for all students, but the time is so 

 arranged that certain elective courses may be 

 selected; thereby making it possible either to 

 give more time to the obligatory courses, or to do 

 special work along the related lines. When any 

 elective course has been selected it must be com- 

 pleted satisfactorily if credit is to be obtained for 

 it. (Johns Hopkins University Catalogue, 1911- 

 12, p. 116.) 



In the third year 

 on certain afternoons there are also offered a 

 number of short elective courses of a practical 

 character, and each student is required to select 

 from them a sufficient amount of work to give 

 him a credit of one and a half units — the unit 

 for the last two years being defined as a course or 

 group of courses equivalent to six hours a week for 

 one trimester. (Johns Hopkins University Cata- 

 logue, 1911-12, p. 117.) 



In the fourth year the class is divided iato 

 three groups, each working in rotation for one 

 trimester in medicine or surgery, or in certain 

 elective courses. For one third of their time the 

 students are given an opportunity to vary their 

 studies according to their special needs and may 

 choose from a large number of elective courses. 

 (Catalogue, p. 117.) The courses so elected may 

 continue the practical work in medicine, surgery, 

 obstetrics, gynecology, etc., or may bear upon the 

 special branches of medicine, or may be taken in 

 the scientific laboratories. Each student, in other 

 words, after completing certain minimal require- 

 ments, chiefly in medicine and surgery, may extend 

 his knowledge by taking a number of short clinical 

 courses in different departments, or he may con- 

 centrate his attention upon the work of a few de- 

 partments. (Catalogue, pp. 118-119.) 



A quotation from Dr. Howell's letter is 

 of interest: 



The committee controlling the work of the first 

 two years decided also that students who had 

 shown inability to carry the required work success- 

 fully, as shown by their marks, should not be per- 

 mitted to engage in advanced or research work. 



4. University of Michigan. In the first 

 year an optional course in topographical 

 anatomy is given from April 15 to the end 

 of the term. At the same time stipulation 

 is made that 



students desiring to follow a laboratory career may 

 substitute other work for the latter course by 

 applying to the professor of anatomy. (Michigan 

 Catalogue, 1912-13, p. 25.) 



Other opportunities are given in anat- 

 omy, introduced by the following para- 



It should be pointed out that in addition to the 

 information and technique acquired in their ac- 

 complishment, the special study of such problems 

 possesses the additional value of developing inde- 

 pendent thought and the work is strongly recom- 

 mended to all students planning to follow a uni- 

 versity or laboratory career. (Michigan Catalogue, 

 1912-13, p. 28.) 



The same principle holds for the three 

 following years. Saturday work is not re- 

 quired except in the third year, and the 

 students are thus given a fair allotment of 

 time for independent work and thought. 

 The letter of Professor Victor C. Vaughan 

 sums up the Michigan attitude : 



1. We not only allow, but encourage undergrad- 

 uates to undertake research work, provided they 

 have good standing in their regular work. They 

 must not, under any circumstances, shirk their 

 regular work in order to do research. 



2. We do not give immunity from the routine 

 work to those who do research. During the fourth 

 year there is one period of three months in which 

 the bright student has half the day to do research 

 work. In addition to this, many students do some 

 of their ordinary work in the summer session, and 

 in this way get from six to eight weeks ahead of 

 the class. This time they may devote to research 

 work. (Extracts from letter received May 9, 

 1912.) 



