Is this normal...to only take around 5 classes, and then start research...how can one become a expert this way?

I guess it depends what discipline you're in. In my experience it is normal to have little to no coursework as a PhD student.

How then can you become an expert? Well, you can't be taught to be an expert in your own field, you have to learn by yourself. Doing a PhD is more about doing your own research, that is, finding out something new, that nobody knows yet, than about studying/learning what other people already found out.

So, if you don't have a research background, you'd probably benefit from courses in 'how to do good research' which isn't necessarily about your field. But then again, I believe research is to a large part 'learning by doing'.

I guess the idea is that you already have a good knowledge about your general area of study from BSc/MSc etc, soy uo don't need to be taught all of the basic stuff.

Unless you're me, where you blagged your way through an interview and had a very steep learning curve in your first year...

You could ask to sit in on some masters or undergrad lectures too.

I did my BSc. in biotech/economics, but on the econ side, I never did econometrics....

Did my MS in biotech, very technical degree,

PhD would be in pharmaceutical econ, which is pure econ related, but no theory..its all applied econ relating to the healthcare and pharma industries.

Now, I read tons of econ papers, and I love pharmacoecon, and the work that health economists do is very stimulating. I guess I am just used to being told what classes to take to gain proficiency in a subject. But, I guess you are right...the classes I do don't really teach me, they give me some of the skills to conduct my research.

Worried that I will encounter something in my research that I do not know how to do, that I could have learnt in a class. I guess, worst case scenario, is after realizing that, just take the class :)

continued from above...

I mean, they will have me doing statistics, econ, and all of that, probably the major courses a structured program requires...the lack of structure just scares me...during my previous 2 degree they essentially "held my hand". Told me what to take and when.

Now, I am insanely motivated, and I want to do cutting edge research, soI know a PhD is 100% what I want. The supervisors also know that my MS was not thesis oriented...

Yep, not having someone to fall back on and hold your hand is something that is a bit of a shock to many PhD students at the start. But that's what makes it exciting, eh?

degrees dont make you an expert. Hard work and being focused does.