Current instructor

David Wassarman

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.75/5 from 12 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

GENETICS 467
Quality 5/5Difficulty 5/5
He understands how to teach biology. I am a senior, have taken all kinds of biology classes, and he is my favorite. I even took a graduate level class specifically because he was teaching it. He is a very tough grader and the tests are difficult (my most difficult class). Work hard and engage and whatever grade is worth the knowledge.
Rate My Professors ↗
GENETICS 467
Quality 4/5Difficulty 5/5
Exams were incredibly difficult and he's a very fast paced lecturer. Clearly explained the processes and gave several examples, often giving many chances to ask questions after giving a summary of sections. Was very understanding and kind, truly cared for students!
Rate My Professors ↗
GENETICS 467
Quality 4/5Difficulty 5/5
He was an good professor who would would help you if asked for it, passionate about his content. The class was very difficult though with him rushing through many different things in one lecture making it very difficult to keep up.
Rate My Professors ↗
GEN467 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
He was good and got his point across, but his lectures/slides were often hard to follow/not clear what you were supposed to take away. He was a tough grader on FRQs (the questions were simple/didn't seem to need very detailed answers but he would deduct if you didn't go in depth parts enough). Some FRQs ask about scenarios not discussed in class.
Rate My Professors ↗
GENETICS 467
Quality 4/5Difficulty 5/5
David was a good teacher but his material is TOUGH, no matter how much I studied I just could never give enough information on my short answers. I would verbatim write something from his slides and he would tell me I did not have enough depth in my answer. His exams averaged more than 10% lower than the first exams he did not teach.
Rate My Professors ↗
GEN467 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
I loved Dr. Wassarman! I had an understanding of MCB before coming into class, and so his unit was very easy but I also still learned a lot. Participate in class! Talk to him after class! You may not get a 100% on the exams, but it's very easy to get a 7/8 on every question as long as you show some understanding of some relevant mechanism.
Rate My Professors ↗

Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with David Wassarman

EUKARYOTIC MOLECULAR BIOLOGY focuses on basic molecular mechanisms regulating DNA, RNA, and protein metabolism in eukaryotes, including a thesis research project.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.54 GPA, 72.4% A/AB (n=58 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.43 GPA, 64.2% A/AB (n=53 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.57 GPA, 76.6% A/AB (n=47 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Spring 2026

Independent study involving research work in Genetics under the direct guidance of a faculty member, with students arranging work and credits with the instructor.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2023–Spring 2024 · limited sample

Special Problems course for individual advanced work in Genetics under faculty guidance.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026
GENETICS 990

Research

1–12 credits

Independent laboratory research in preparation of a graduate thesis under supervision of a faculty member.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

No recorded grade history

PHMCOL-M 990

Research

1–12 credits

A graduate research course where qualified students use departmental facilities to conduct independent research using various approaches.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

No recorded grade history

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027BIOCHEM/GENETICS/MDGENET 620Eukaryotic Molecular Biology
Spring 2027GENETICS 299Independent Study
Spring 2027GENETICS 682Senior Honors Thesis
Spring 2027GENETICS 699Special Problems
Spring 2027GENETICS 990Research
Spring 2027PHMCOL-M 699Independent Study
Spring 2027PHMCOL-M 990Research
Fall 2026GENETICS 299Independent Study
Fall 2026GENETICS 467General Genetics 1
Fall 2026GENETICS 681Senior Honors Thesis
Fall 2026GENETICS 699Special Problems
Fall 2026GENETICS 990Research
Fall 2026PHMCOL-M 699Independent Study
Fall 2026ZOOLOGY 681Senior Honors Thesis

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
{
  "instructor_uid": "instructor_00bbe5700f999a6db64781f4",
  "source": "enrollment",
  "source_instructor_id": "dawassarman",
  "identity_basis": "netid",
  "identity_status": "source_identified",
  "name": "David Wassarman",
  "email": "DAWASSARMAN@WISC.EDU",
  "first_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
  "last_observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
  "ratings": {
    "review_count": 12,
    "quality": 3.75,
    "difficulty": 4,
    "quality_count": 12,
    "difficulty_count": 12,
    "profile_id": "rmp:2693449",
    "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2693449",
    "match_basis": "exact_name",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 19:17:24.086457+00:00",
    "courses": {
      "course_bbfd76ac0fb3ee00a37e7090": {
        "review_count": 7,
        "quality": 4,
        "difficulty": 4.57,
        "quality_count": 7,
        "difficulty_count": 7
      }
    },
    "bayesian_quality": 3.6932459878102937,
    "prior_mean": 3.65919358049647,
    "prior_weight": 20
  },
  "current": true,
  "courses": [
    {
      "course_uid": "course_59f42ea7d5dfccc99f8a7c88",
      "course_id": "GENETICS 299",
      "title": "INDEPENDENT STUDY",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": 4
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_6ee3c1ed0ed9f8fbc2c126f3",
      "course_id": "GENETICS 699",
      "title": "SPECIAL PROBLEMS",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": 3.984
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_9bfd08157e06c67fbe196cb8",
      "course_id": "PHMCOL-M 699",
      "title": "INDEPENDENT STUDY",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": null
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_ae09acfd4c9f201db6451a9c",
      "course_id": "GENETICS 990",
      "title": "RESEARCH",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 12,
      "gpa": null
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_bf59c1bddfc53dfaa25b02af",
      "course_id": "BIOCHEM/GENETICS/MDGENET 620",
      "title": "EUKARYOTIC MOLECULAR BIOLOGY",
      "credits_min": 3,
      "credits_max": 3,
      "gpa": 3.301
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_c1f36fc9adea765dd2fa6195",
      "course_id": "GENETICS 682",
      "title": "SENIOR HONORS THESIS",
      "credits_min": 2,
      "credits_max": 4,
      "gpa": 4
    },
    {
      "course_uid": "course_d5139edc15601c09a0bfa076",
      "course_id": "PHMCOL-M 990",
      "title": "RESEARCH",
      "credits_min": 1,
      "credits_max": 12,
      "gpa": null
    }
  ],
  "revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "instructor_url": "/instructors/DAVID_WASSARMAN"
}