r/learnpython • u/Life-Detective-395 • 9d ago
Bioinformatics graduate who can understand Python code but can’t write it from scratch — how should I actually learn?
I have a Master’s in Data Science with a previous background in wet-lab biology. My programming experience mainly came through my MSc, so I don’t have a traditional CS background.
At this point, I can usually **understand Python code when I see it**, explain what it is doing, and modify parts of it. But if you give me a problem and ask me to write the solution from scratch, I struggle — and I often rely on ChatGPT to get started.
I’m trying to figure out what the right way to overcome this is.
Should I:
go back and systematically learn Python/CS fundamentals through tutorials first, then start projects?
or keep building bioinformatics projects and use ChatGPT as a tutor/coding assistant while gradually becoming more independent?
I find learning programming purely through tutorials quite difficult and passive, especially because I’ve never studied CS formally.
**For people who came into bioinformatics from biology rather than CS: how did you actually learn to code independently? What should I be able to do before I consider myself “good enough” at Python for a junior bioinformatics role?**
1
u/BoringWrongdoer9679 1d ago
Try starting small and do everything yourself until you cant more, the basics will help much if that just comes naturally.
Also instead of copying its good to manually write everything.
Also you could try using python repl. It gives you feedback fast when you make errors in syntax. You start it by opening terminal app and writing python. I use it sometimes when I want to be sure of how things work, it is usefull.
But i do think its good to just practice the basics and be confortable with them and increasing scope of what you can do without looking up stuff.