Most first-year students are wary of mathematics and this hurts their career options, a recent study by the Spanish University of Granada suggests.
The study, which looked at 885 first-year students in the health sciences, experimental sciences, technical education, and social sciences at the University of Granada, found that 6 out of 10 students reported symptoms of anxiety when confronted with a mathematical problem. Symptoms were similar to those many people feel during a dentist appointment: tension, nervousness, concern, worry, edginess, impatience, confusion, fear, and mental block.
The study noted differences across disciplines--health science students displayed the highest level of anxiety while technical students seemed more comfortable with the discipline. Gender made a difference as well: fewer than half (47%) of the male students suffered anxiety towards maths, compared to nearly two thirds (62%) of the female students.
One concern for the researchers who carried out the study is that some students unduly restrict their career opportunities for their fear of maths. "An indirect effect of mathematical anxiety is that of avoiding studies related to mathematics, which later conditions the type of degree they can choose," they state in a press release.
One concern for the researchers who carried out the study is that some students unduly restrict their career opportunities for their fear of maths. "An indirect effect of mathematical anxiety is that of avoiding studies related to mathematics, which later conditions the type of degree they can choose," they state in a press release.
I would go even further. Nowadays it's pretty much impossible to have a career in any field of scientific research without a solid grounding in mathematics. It's difficult to assess how effective a drug is if you can't do stats for example, and with research becoming increasingly interdisciplinary you may need to collaborate with mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, and engineers even if you are a biologist.
So if you destine yourself for a career in research, get yourself comfortable with maths. Get extra classes, ask questions to your professor, get a friend to help you, get some books... Do whatever you need for maths to become an ally in your career rather than an impediment.
