Learner Profile
Khalil Ragland
School
Central Connecticut State University
HMX Courses
Khalil Ragland has been considering a career in medicine since studying biology as a freshman at Central Connecticut State University. When he heard about the opportunity to take HMX courses, he viewed it as a way to learn new topics, and to test his preparedness for medical school-level instruction. “It seemed like a great way to learn about what I could expect if I wanted to pursue a medical career,” says Ragland, now completing his sophomore year. “Honestly, it far exceeded my expectations.”
What did you like about HMX courses?
I was impressed by the way that each topic was broken down into chunks that you could really understand. It wasn’t like they tried to hit you with everything at once. It was broken down into pieces that you could digest, and you could go through it at the pace that was best for you.
I felt like the explanations were really stellar. This was the first time I’d ever heard half of these words, I didn’t know any of this material before – so it was like they took you from zero all the way to a level where you really felt like you grasped it and understood it. I was thinking that as an online course it was going to be a light fly-through of the material, but they really went in-depth in a way that I didn’t expect.
What elements of the courses did you find to be most useful?
The key concept videos were the best parts of each lesson. I felt like they broke things down, and the videos weren’t too long. I took notes on each video and they were really effective for me. And then the follow-up questions at the end, they really tested if you knew it or if you needed to watch it again.
Would you take an HMX course again?
Yes, I would definitely consider taking it again – I’m interested in the new course in genetics. I’m also taking a biochemistry class next semester, and I was thinking that with the way they broke things down in so much detail, it would really help me when I’m taking it at school.
It was such a good thing for me, I told some of the students in my other biology class that they should definitely check it out if they’re looking to go to med school.
Has your experience with HMX impacted your future academic or career plans?
I think it solidified my plans as far as, now I know I can really do this. I was kind of worried – when people say med school, you think, ‘this might be too much for me’. But now that I’ve taken this course I know I can really do it.
Not to mention that it really piqued my interest in immunology. I had never taken an immunology course before, and I felt like, especially the lessons at the end about cancer research and the new techniques they’re developing, that’s something I really want to go into and learn more about.
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