The Student Perspective: interview with Yushi Li

On Wednesday 29th June and Thursday 30th June we opened the Department's doors for our biannual undergraduate Open Days. To mark the occasion, we spoke with Yushi Li, a first year undergraduate Biochemistry student, about his experience of studying Biochemistry at Oxford. You can watch the video below. A transcript of the video is available on this page as well. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xr3NUnhSR9o

Why did you want to study at Oxford?

The Department of Biochemistry is one of the leading research institutes in the field in the world. You are taught directly by world-leading researchers as a part of the course, and the cutting-edge research carried out in the Department is integrated into the course. At Oxford, there is also a something called the tutorial system, where you are taught by a leading expert in a specific field. A tutorial usually happens in a group of two or three students. You are challenged and encouraged to explore biological topics and chemical systems for a deeper understanding. On the pastoral side, the collegiate system makes Oxford's community a very tight one. You live, eat, and study with people in the college, so there is chance to build very close friendship that will last for the years to come. At Oxford, there are also a lot of extracurricular activities. There are more than 300 student clubs and student societies, which you can join, whether it is cheese tasting or modern pentathlon, you can try different and new things once you come to Oxford.

Why did you want to study Biochemistry?

When I was little, I was very interested in plants and animals. I became interested in living organisms in general, and throughout my studies I became increasingly fascinated by how life works. To understand how life works we need to study living organisms at the molecular, but sometimes also at the atomic level. And this is what biochemistry entails. Biochemistry studies chemical processes in living organisms, and tries to systematically elucidate what life is about, and when some things go wrong, how we can correct them. As I became increasingly aware of the health challenges around us, be it ageing, cancer or the global pandemic, I see that by harnessing the power of nature, and also by applying what we already know through biochemistry, we can develop solutions to efficiently address these challenges. And my ambition one day is to apply what I learned about Biochemistry, to contribute to solving these challenges.

What is your favourite aspect of the Biochemistry course?

What I like the most about the Biochemistry course is that it is very comprehensive. It gives you a very broad understanding of the life sciences. In the first year you have five modules, you have molecular biology, cellular biology, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and mathematics. In my opinion, to be able to excel in one research area later on, you need to have a broad understanding of natural sciences to be able to draw inspiration across the field, as science is becoming more interdisciplinary. Secondly, biochemistry is based on chemistry because it gives you a very good understanding of both the physical and organic aspect of chemistry, of which you can then apply the principles to understand how they work in living systems.

Tell us about a typical week on the Biochemistry course

The first year at the biochemistry course a week is structured as follows. There are typically about nine to twelve lectures per week. So around two a day, and they're usually in the morning. I recommend going to lectures because sometimes they are in very cool locations, like the Natural History Museum. Apart from the lectures, you also have lab work.

So, you typically have one long lab session a week. This lasts around three to four hours. The aim of the lab is to show you how biochemistry is being applied in context. And I think this is the highlight of the week. We also have tutorials; typically, around one to two a week. The tutorials usually last one hour and you have to do some preparation for them. Sometimes they can be essay questions. So, you have to research the topic of the essay in your own time. Sometimes they can be problem solving questions like organic chemistry questions. In terms of independent study, it depends on how much you want to do. Personally, I tend to do around five hours of independent study a day. Some people do more and others do less. However, please be assured that you will have time to enjoy Oxford's extra-curricular activities. I am part of the Oxford University scientific society and the Oxford finance society. I also row for my college. There are lots of opportunities around the place.

What was the interview process like?

When you apply to study Biochemistry at Oxford, you choose one college and you will be interviewed by the tutors at that college. You will then be randomly assigned a second college whose tutors will also interview you. So, you will have two sets of interviews from two colleges. The style of interview can vary, but the central thing is to try to find whether you have a flare for biochemistry and your potential in studying the subject.

I will talk about the preparation stage and also how I felt during the interview. To prepare for the interview, I made sure that I had a complete and thorough understanding of A-level biology and chemistry. I also did extensive reading around the subject. There are many popular science books about subject, which are very good. There are also some textbooks such as Bruce Albert's 'Molecular Biology of the Cell'. If you are interested, you can also read them beforehand to obtain a deep understanding of biology and chemistry. The interview itself was very enjoyable for me. It was more like a conversation and it should be treated as a conversation because, when it comes to tutorials at Oxford, the style is very similar to how tutors ask questions in the interview. Try to imagine you are having a dialogue with an expert in the field, and you are talking about something you both are very passionate about. If you don't know a question don't stress and don't panic, just think analytically and logically about what is the main underlying theme for the question and try to be logical in terms of responding. The tutors will then guide you and provide hints along the way. It is like solving a puzzle in a subject that you like a lot.

What advice do you have for people settling into life in Oxford?

Having come from abroad, I can understand there are many difficulties in terms of the cultural aspects, but also in terms of how things work. Firstly, before you come check the university website. There is a lot of useful information there. Make sure to find out what you should do by having a look at the website and know where things are on the web website. Secondly, your college will also have its own website and it tends to be very specific in terms of what you can do and should do before you come. Your college will also have an office where you can contact them directly should you have any queries. Whether you have questions about visa issues or what you need to bring with you, they're also very helpful. Your college also has a JCR, the junior common room, which is the student body for undergraduate students in your college. Before you come, the JCR officers will tend to reach out to all the incoming freshers and set up a group, usually on Facebook, to help organize all the logistics in your first week in Oxford. The JCR officers are all very helpful. You can ask them anything about living in Oxford and what you should bring, whether it is to set up a phone contract, or moving luggage into your college room. Once you arrive, the best way to integrate into the Oxford community is to make the most of the opportunities on offer.

If I have to summarize my experience here, one word I would use is "opportunity". There are extensive opportunities in terms of what you can do and what you want to do. As I mentioned, I'm a part of the scientific society and finance society. I also play the piano and the violin. In addition to this, I try to go to concerts and exhibitions. I also started rowing at my college. I think by doing more outside of your course you can meet more people and I'm sure your life will be very enjoyable in Oxford.

What advice do you have for aspiring Biochemistry students?

Firstly, you should be very curious about the subject. In science, many things are based on curiosity of the unknown.

While you're in class, be inquisitive and be curious and think about why a particular biological or chemical phenomenon is the way it is and why it happens in this way. If you don't know an answer, try to write down the question and find a book to read further about the topic. And secondly, it is important to think broadly about science. Don't just focus on biochemistry, try to also read around about some general physics, chemistry, medicine, physiology, psychology. By having a wider view of what science is about you are going to have a better appreciation of the beauty of science. This helps you to draw the links between different aspects. In terms of preparing for the course and for the interview try to read around subject and think about the subject critically. You can also try to practice with a friend and try to explain biochemistry to them in very plain language. In this way, not only can you show your understanding, but also you can help synthesize and build a framework of what the subject is about.