I designed a piece of letterhead yesterday for our athletic department...

hhmmmm...not as interesting, huh? ha! ha!

Wow Tammy, that is awesome that you designed a letterhead! :)
Just wanted to give my report from my surgical experience this morning.
First off, I intubated the woman, since at my hospital, respiratory therapy intubates most general anesthesia patients. It was a little difficult visualizing the cords, but I finally saw them and slid the tube right in. So that was pretty cool.
Then I watched as they inserted the laproscopes and went to work. They did a laproscopic abdominal transverse hysterectomy with a right oopherectomy. So after watching this for a while, they asked me if I wanted to scrub in and hold retractors or something! I said hell yeah I do; so one the head scrub nurse took me out and showed me how to properly scrub in. I didn't realize how long you have to scrub your hands and forearms.
After I washed up, I walked into the OR and another surgery nurse gowned me up. She then put sterile gloves on me and tied up my gown. I was all set to go.
I first was in between this woman's legs, holding the retractor on the right side, pulling up to allow the physician to see. I did this for probably about a half an hour. Then I got to hold some Kelley clamps and also suction. After about an hour, I moved up to along side of her and hold a different retractor. At this point I really couldn't see what I was doing, so the other assistant physician would move the retractor to where he wanted it. This went on for another thirty minutes or so. Finally they were ready to close. They began to suture up the laproscopic incision sites, when the assistant doc asked me if I was still scrubbed in and if I wanted to suture. I instantly got a rush of adrenaline. I said I have no idea how to suture. He then said no problem, I will teach you.
Oh, back up, I also put in a foley catheter in the woman too. I have only done this one other time.
So I was standing next to the doc and just demonstrates how to sew. It is definitely tougher than it looks. But by the third stitch I put in, I was feeling more comfortable. I really wished I hadn't drank a cup of coffee that morning, because my hands were really shaky. But he said I did a great job, although I really didn't think so.
But I was so pumped after the procedure was over. I felt like I got my real first taste of being a doc. Sure I have done respiratory tasks before, but never holding instruments during surgery or suturing!!!!!

Anyway, just thought I would share that with you all. But I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me......I don't want you all to think that I think I know everything, because I freely admit I don't know a whole lot. I am just really happy to get the opportunity to experience some of these things before going to medical school!!! And I thought my future fellow classmates might be interested as well.

Well have a good weekend!!

Chris

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Tammy:
<strong>Qafas & Mary,

You can borrow my family for the ceremony. I'm sure my mom will be excited enough for all of us! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Nicest thing I heard all day! :) Thanks Tammy!

Hey Chris, thanks for sharing...sounds like really cool stuff, and I'm sure that atleast some of it will come in handy in the future. I especially enjoyed the baby stuff. I think most of us just take stuff like babies being born for granted; but, it has got to be something else actually being there when one is born.

By the way, I just slept and watched TV....thought I'ld share, as long as we are all talking about our days. :D :p <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> :p :D

Good day everyone!

Qafas,
I finally received my packet, but thanks for your concern <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> !!

Chris,
Congrats on your surgical experience! I've gotten to observe a few myself, but never scrub in & do things-- that is WICKED cool!!! (yes, I am from Boston)

For any of you who will be family-less at the White Coat Ceremony, my family seems to adopt everyone (there's 6 of them coming), so feel free to join the bandwagon! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

Good luck all, only 2.5 months to go!!

~Hillary

Wow Chris! Reading your posts is almost like watching Trauma: Life in the ER ! :D What an exciting job you've got!
Do you plan on trying to continue to work a little during the first 2 years of school? It would be sad to have to stick soley to the books after getting a little dose of "real" medicine already. I'm sure you'd miss it!

And for all those family-less for the White Coat Ceremony, count me in! We should start a club. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> I'm sure there will end up being quite a few of us.

And, I STILL haven't gotten that wonderful package from UHS yet!! Hopefully I'll get it Monday. I love it when I check my mail and find envelopes with their logo on them!

~~Danielle~~

Dear "Family-less at Orientation" Friends and everyone else:

We will just have to stick together and make the best of it! I promise I will be VERY proud of all of you! I'll bring extra Kleenex.

My day....did a plasma exchange (accessed a fistula with 17g needles), ate lunch, made phone calls (work related), looked at SDN for new posts, listened to one of my soon to be ex-coworkers vent on me about the weekend, had a discussion with the Pathology resident about metabolic vs. respiratory alkalosis/acidosis, put several units of Fresh Frozen Plasma into inventory, put new copies of the updated consent forms for all the different apheresis procedures in the folders they belong in, got in a heated argument with a dude from Clinical Engineering about the thermometers that they were supposedly calibrating that they owed us (he was an angry Irish guy--red nose and everything), printed out end of the month stats and left. 23 working days to go!

Chris, I think that is so awesome that you got to suture. I mean, what med student-to-be gets to do THAT? Wowsa. You rule. I got to work in the OR a couple times during heart transplants, but didn't really get that close, the blood lines to my machine were like 10 feet long and me and my big machine were shoved in a corner. Got to see the donor heart though. Pretty intense!

Qafas,what'd ya watch on TV?? I'm jealous!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!!!!!!
M.

OK, this started with Chris describing his fascinating day, and it devolved into the rest of us decribing our... lets call it "less than fascinating day". So, here goes with mine:

I continued to out-process from Ft. Stewart, GA! I can't tell you what a joyful time this is for me to be on my way out of this place and on my way to KC, via a month long stay at home in Philly.

I still don't know what floor I'm on in CT. I went the cheap route- no view for me. I'll just keep my nose buried in a medical textbook, rather than looking at a view of the Missouri River, or the Paseo, or that filthy-looking motel nearby.

I can't wait to meet all of you wonderful people. We are going to have such fun.

My parents will be around for the white coat ceremeony. Perhaps they can temporarily adopt one of you orphans (there's almost always a free dinner at a nice restaurant involved. Perhaps one of those expensive places at Country Club Plaza?)

Oh, speaking of Country Club Plaza (and continuing my random stream of Jungian consciousness), has anyone driven down that road away from the Plaza along the Kansas border? That must be one the most gorgeous neighborhoods I have ever laid eyes upon.

Gotta go now. Once again, its great to be on my way out of Georgia (my apologies to any Georgia residents, but frankly, your state sucks!) and on my way to KC.

Is anyone thinking about buying a Slice of Life Machine for at home? I think I am going to get one. Sounds like we could get a lot of studying for path done, at home.
Yeah we could throw a huge block party: studying slice of life.
"Go go go, aleigh aleigh aleigh, go go go aleigh aleigh aleigh; tonight's the night we're gonna celebrate the Slice of Life, aleigh aleigh aleigh"

Just wondering if anyone is thinking about getting one too.

Also, would anyone be interested in forming a flag football team, and taking on either KU school of med or UMKC? It could be the DO vs MD bowl!!

Have a good weekend!!

Chris

Okay, all this talk about "my fascinating day" is beginning to make me feel worthless for not having much to do these days! :( But, then, I'm sure some of you are jealous of me for exactly that reason (hint, hint, Mary) :p :D So, I guess it's not all that bad. By the way, I just watched some more TV and slept some more......NBA is the name of the game these days.......go KINGS!!

Chris, I have been thinking about the Slice of Life, but it is quite expensive; so, I'm not sure if I'm going to get one just yet. Perhaps if I can find a used one at a good price.
I do like the flag football idea.....I think it'll be fun, even if we can just get something going within UHS. Is there any place around the campus where we could play? I didn't have a chance to look around the campus much when I was down there, but maybe someone else did.

T.A.M, be sure to bring shorts.....philly is getting pretty hot these days! :) I'm outta here in another week; When I moved here last year, I didn't think there was a chance in hell that I would miss Philadelphia. But, now I think that I will. Hell, I am even thinking of coming back here to do some of my clerkships during the third and fourth year. But, for now it's back to California.

Good day everyone!

TAM,
My family will be there, but if you're talking about free food at the Plaza, then I'll ditch them and be adopted by yours! ha! ha! I hope you enjoy your time off!

OK, speaking about our exciting days...

Today we had an open house trying to sell the ole homestead. (Anyone want a vacation home in sunny Southeast Kansas? :p ) So I took my boyfriend's daughters hiking at Elk River in Independence, KS. It is beautiful there. However, we contracted ticks while hiking, so being the girly-girls that we are, we decided we won't be going hiking in the woods anymore until fall. Yeah...pathetic I know! We also took my overweight dog with us (she likes everything - even bananas and broccoli, in addition to all fast food) who just about died (not really) on the hike. She is really out of shape just like the rest of the family.

So, that was my day. Now we're watching a movie with Lance Bass from N' Sync. (Yippee skippy) Of course, you will notice I am online and not watching the movie. This is something the girls wanted.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone! Can't wait to meet you face-to-face in about 2 mos.

- Tammy

Hi Everyone-

I'm finally off for the night and my little brother isn't hogging the computer time. I am totally looking forward to moving to KC.

Mary-
I look forward to meeting you at the SLEP thing. Which one are you planning on going to? I will be going to the 2nd week b/c I don't move up there till the 1st of Aug.

It been really interesting reading about everyones day. Unfortunately, mine fall into the dull and boring category. Fri. was slightly interesting... I got to work at 8:30 where my boss tells me I've been ok'ed to sign for stuff at Sam's Club. He then hands me a list for each of our 5 pools and sends me on my merry way. I think my highlight was having lunch with my little brother but that was kinda a drag too b/c he made me buy

Well I should go now we are having our HUGE tourney this weekend and I have to be at work by 8. Have a good week everyone.

Take Care
Ronda

OK, point taken! Apparently, most us currently live dull, pointless lives (soon to change, though)! Please, can we change the subject? I'm starting to get depressed.

And did you notice... the rampant political extremism seems to have died down in the Lounge lately. Maybe there's hope for the world, or at least hope for the SDN.

OK, let's change the subject......let's see......
It is early Sunday morning and I can't really think of anything interesting to talk about. So I think someone else needs to come up with a topic.

Oh I have one....is anyone going to have a DO "knight" them with your first white coat at the ceremony? I think I am going to have Dr. K (DO from Phillipsburg featured in the last UHS-LINK); granted that he can make it.

That is all I can think of right now....I should still be in bed.....my two little ones woke us up this morning!!

Chris <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Ronda,
Looking forward to meeting you as well during the SLEP! I'll be going the week of 8/5 as well. It will be fun.

The other day at least three separate people "warned" me about how hot and humid it gets in KC. Don't you love how, when you tell people 1.)You're going to DO school and 2.) where you are going to DO school, the reactions can be of great variety? Here are some of the questions I've gotten recently in response to my good news:

1. "You really want to go to med school? Heh. Talk to me in four years". (my thought: (with a tone of sarcasm) "NO. Ya know, now that I've talked to YOU, I don't. Who cares that I've spent the last 3 years of my life working toward this. And thousands of dollars taking classes, preparing for and taking the MCAT, and another couple grand applying, traveling, and interviewing. No, you're right. I really don't want to go to med school. What have I been THINKING?" ---What I really say (with a nice smile) "Yeah...I've decided that medicine is what I will be happy doing as work for the rest of my life. It just makes me tick."

2. "So what's the difference between an MD and a DO?" ----I always give the dissertation. I feel that if I'm going to be a DO I better give a favorable distinction (or lack thereof) of the field.

3. "Why do you want to go to school in Kansas City?" ----I don't like giving this answer, but sometimes, depending on who's asking I say..."when applying to med school, sometimes you just end up going where you are accepted". It's nice to think that some people think you can just pick the school you want to go to and go there.

4. "Missouri? You'll find out why they say it's 'Misery'." ---I just smile and nod my head.

5. "Wow. Kansas City's so far away. Why don't you go to Case?" ---refer to #3.

6. "What kind of doctor do you want to be?" ---a good one.

I'm sure that all of you have experienced similar conversations. Someone I know keeps saying I'm going to "DO school." She's an MD.

By the way this post IS NOT meant to start any debates!!!!!!! Just talkin' about my reality.

Well, today I'm going to try to find some Copper River salmon to cook for dinner tonight. It's in season.

Well, just thought I'd tell you what's on my mind.

I am VERY excited about moving to KC and getting my new apt. and starting school and having a good time. I really can't wait to learn about OMT.

Have a great day everyone and stay well!!!
M. :)

Hi Mary,

I get the "DO school" thing a lot, too. Either that or "osteo school." It bothers me, not because I don't want to be a DO, but because I think that by calling it that, it kind of takes away from the fact that it is a "medical school." Does that make sense?
The general public seems to understand what a tremendously difficult journey "medical school" is, and by calling it "DO school" instead, it makes it seem as though it is less so, in some sense--as though I'm not justified in worrying about how difficult and time-consuming it will be because it's "just DO school."

I hope that came across the way I intended it too.

I also get references to "that program" that I'm about to start, or even worse, "that little program" I'm about to start. :rolleyes:
No matter how much I try to educate people like that about what osteopathic medicine actually is, it doesn't seem to make a difference in their perceptions.
Believe it or not, my Mom was in this category, regardless of how hard I tried to tell her that, yes, I was, in fact, going to medical school, until she saw one of those full-page ads by the AOA in of all places, OPRAH magazine! Hey--if it's good enough for Oprah, then it must be true, right??! My Mom now actually CARRIES that ad around with her to show to people who ask about what I'm doing! There's also a copy stuck to her fridge. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

Well, whatever it takes, I guess!

~~Danielle~~

Oh Great!!! Just when I finally have something interesting to say about my day, we are changing the topic. Grrrrrrr! :mad: :mad: :mad: Ahhhhhhhhh! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I?m just kidding guys and gals, I have nothing interesting to add??.I just watched more TV and did a bit of writing. Oops! Can?t mention that anymore, since we changed the topic :p

Really cool assessment of our situation, Mary. I get many of the same questions and comments. I?m especially getting tired of the ?Osteopathy, huh! What part of the body is that?? routine. But, I suppose that this is something we will have to deal with for the rest of our careers, since most people have never heard of Osteopathic medicine. I think I will just start referring people to SDN?.if they are so interested in knowing about Osteopathy, they can read about it!

By the way, has anyone heard from his/her big brother/sister? They sent the info in the infamous ?packet,? for those of you might not have noticed. I am thinking about writing to my big brother in a day or two, and getting some advice on this, that and everything in between.

Good day everyone!

I too have noticed that when you say Kansas City, MO, most people give a polite "Oh, I see", when they really mean, "Why Kansas City", although some openly say that. Maybe its just me, but I see nothing wrong with KC at all. I admit, I've spent less than 100 hours of my entire life in the city, but I consistently liked what I saw. After all, I attended undergrad in South Bend, IN, and I currently live in Georgia, which makes South Bend look like Paris. I also notice that most of the disparaging remarks I get come from people who've never been to KC, much less the Midwest. So, I won't let them get me down!

I know what you all mean about standing up for our profession. Usually, at least once a day at the hospital, one of my patients that I am treating will first ask if I am a doctor, because I wear a long white lab coat. Then I say that I am just getting ready to start med school this fall. Then their automatic response is, Oh you're going to KU right? Then I respond by saying "No, I am going to the University of Health Sciences College of Ostepathic Medicine". Then usually a variety of rebuttle responses occur after that:
--Oh, so you are going to be a chiropractor?
--So how close is that to a real doctor?
--How many extra hours do you have to take to become an MD?
But once in a while I receive, "Oh, I have been to an osteopath. They are great physicians!!!"

The latter of the responses is my favorite, mainly because this requires the least amount of explanation.
I have a feeling that no matter what we will be constantly defending our knowledge and skills throughout medical school, residency, and during our practice years.
That is one of the main reasons that I think we should construct a DO conference, somewhere in the midwest, so that people can learn about osteopathic medicine.

I think I will email me big bro today as well. I got the paper in "the packet"

hey has anyone gone through the extensive textbook list and figured up how many books and how much it will be?
Just by finding the cheapest textbook of each in that massive packet we received, I am up to 30 textbooks and around 660 bucks!! And I don't even have all of them on the list!!!! That is insane!!

Also, has anyone else bought an OMT table already? I found a hell of a deal on ebay about three or four months ago so I went ahead and bought one.

Man I get more and more excited each day for school!!!

Chris <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

Solie & friends,
Everything you mentioned came across just fine. We are definitely on the same page!

Qafas, I got an email from my big sister. I sent her an email back with questions and haven't gotten a response yet (&gt; 1 week). I'm finding our conversations here in SDN to be more helpful thus far!

When I was in KC (for the 9 waking hours that I was there---and that's the ONLY time I've been there) I found it to be a very pleasant city. I was able to spot some of the common amenities that I enjoy. I like baseball, and I don't anticipate having a hard time getting tix to Royals games if I feel the need to go, or especially if they are playing the Indians. I know that I will be happy there. Maybe not for the rest of my life (Arizona! New Mexico! Montana!) but for the purpose it serves, it's just fine.

BTW made a three-bean salad today too and curled my hair in curlers. Now I'm a beauty queen. Hah. Every minute I "blow off", I think to myself how someday QUITE SOON about how this type of behavior will not be acceptable!

Arrevederci!
M. :D

TEXTBOOK funny!

I have an edition of the Moore anatomy text from waaaaaay back in college! The 3rd edition! Has Anatomy changed in 10 years?? What to do...

Signed,
Don't Think I'm Buying a New Anatomy Text :p

MaryC,
Well, you never know. We humans may have evolved (or devolved) as a species in the last ten years...

It seems like most of the MSI & II students have said not to buy the text books yet. I know I hardly cracked a book throughout my undergrad as I learn primarily from lecture & notes. So, I'll probably take their advice & only get a handful of books.

My favorite comment about DO school is that "it is much easier than MD school." WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY? And you would know this how?

So I explain that many DO students take both the DO & MD board exams to prove to people like you that DO students receive the same level of instruction.

Chris, I get the KU comment too...then have to explain that UHS is an osteopathic school & name several respected physicians in town who went to UHS. uugghhh!

OK...enough complaining!

Have a great week everyone!

To add to the list of silly things people say when they ask if I've gotten into med school yet:
(P.S.-- I'm currently in MD-saturated Boston)

"Ohhhhh, you're a doctor but not exactly an MD, right?" (nope, not exactly at all)

"Kansas City? There's no ocean in Kansas City!"
(no kidding, I didn't notice?!)

"So, since you do all this manipulation stuff, you have to be a general practitioner, huh?" (this was actually a slightly intelligent question, regarding the others!)

And my very favorite &lt;insert EXTREME sarcasm here&gt;

"So what am I going to tell people since you're not going to Johns (Hopkins)??" (basically insinuating that since I wasn't going MD, it wasn't going to be worth it to mention I was in med school) -- THANKS DAD (not!)

Anyways, I'm glad we got off that interesting day topic as mine could never rival surgery & the like! See you guys in about 2 months!!

~Hillary

Oh, I thought of another one that came from my step-mother who always disapproves of everything I do. And I'm 30!!! uugghhh!!!

"Osteopaths aren't even allowed to practice in real hospitals. Why would you do this?" :mad:

OK, so I tried to give her the spiel, but it wasn't working. But when a MD friend of hers praised UHS as one of the best med schools in the nation, she changed her tune. I suppose that is good, but it is still extremely frustrating that she wouldn't listen to me. (But that is getting onto a whole other topic, isn't it?! :( )

Don't you just love step-monsters? I mean mothers. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Dear Friends,

In addition to the insults I get socially, I get it from family as well. My father is STILL trying to pursuade me to become a dentist. Even though I've been on the doctor track for three years now, he's still like, "you know, you should be a dentist. They don't have all the insurance hassle that doctors have. I would think about that if I were you". He also refers to my move to KC as "the exodus". I'll tell ya....family sometimes..... :rolleyes:

:) M.

Hey guys--
I have enjoyed reading all your comments about how DOs are worthless docs and such!! Very funny!

Also just wanted to say that I got to scrub in on a nephrectomy today, but we won't go into that conversation again.....I don't want to piss people off and have them get the wrong idea about me!

Later

Chris

Chris,
You should tell us about the nephrectomy. I think its cool that you get to experience so much.

I would tell you all about my day, but in truth, I really don't want to re-live it again.

I saw this lady in the ICU who was in such bad shape...I beg anyone to never let me get to that point, and if I do, LET ME GO!!!!!!!!

M.

Mary--
I know what you mean about seeing people the shape that they are in and thinking deep down that I will never want to be like that! Some patients I have dealt with on the vent and such, I just wish we could help them along, especially the ones that you know want to die. It may sound mean and heartless, but it's the truth.

With the nephrectomy, I got to scrub in again. To me, I would have thought that you would put the patient on their side and go in posteriorly, but they cut below the ribs on the front side and dig their way back to find the kidney. It was pretty cool. I got to hold a few retractors and clamps, plus hand the surgeons some tools (only the ones that I knew the names of!)The man had an enlarged kidney, plus it appeared to have calcification in the renal artery.
One of the docs was quizzing me periodically about the kidney; lucky for me they were fairly easy questions and that I knew the answers to.

Like what vessel enters the kidney, which vessels leaves the kidney, how do the kidneys filter, where does the sodium concentration occur....stuff like that. So most of it was fairly simple.
To top it off, the air conditioning isn't working in the OR, and it got up to 80 degrees today. I was drenched with sweat by the time I left the OR.

I had actually only went back their to intubate, but the surgery girls asked if I wanted to scrub. We are so dead on the floor in respiratory (only having two incentive spirometry treatments)

By the way, for those of you that work in a hospital, it is just me or do people tend to die in a run of three? We completed one cycle of three last week and we have only one more to go in our present cycle. One guy died on Saturday night, one guy died today around 1500; now we are trying to predict who the next one will be. It doesn't help that the average patient age in our hospital is around 80!!!!

Anyway, that is all for now!

Chris

Chris,
I think it's nice that the surgeons quiz you...it's like they care. I wouldn't have known the answers to some of those questions....I would have improvised or just mustered up an "I don't know."

I'm sure lots of people die here everyday, but I don't get to keep count...on the contrare, I think we have hundreds of people who are supposed to be dead that are still alive!!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Thanks for sharing. It's a free country. :)

M.

OK, guys. Remember that "things happen in 3s" comment? Well, my family is on number 2.

My dad just had a heart attack. Apparently it was fairly minor and occurred in the lower back part of the heart. He told me that is the "best" place to have a heart attack if you are going to have one. He has blockage, but doesn't know the extent yet. He is scheduled for a cath on Wednesday.

Anyone really knowledgable on cardiac "stuff?" Can you give me details?

To update you on my grandpa who had bilateral pulmonary embolism...he is doing wonderfully. He's already been dancing a couple of times with his girlfriend since returning home from the hospital.

So, my life might be like a soap opera, but so far it has had happy endings!

Thanks for letting me share!

- Tammy

Tammy--
I PM'd you.......Let me know what you need to know!

Chris

Tammy--I can completely sympathize with you on your "step-monster" situation...I've got one too, so maybe we can play My-step-monster's-worse-than-your-step-monster one day. :) :rolleyes:

I STILL haven't gotten my package from school. :( Maybe because it's coming to Canada? Stuff doesn't usually take that long, though. Anyway, I haven't seen the booklist yet, but is anyone considering just getting review books instead? I've heard First Aid and the BRS or High Yield series are good. I'm concerned about spending too much money on books that I won't even have time to open. Any thoughts?

~~Danielle~~

Hey everyone,
Since everybody has been talking about how their typical day goes I thought I would share what I have been doing, although it seems boring to me compared to some of you guys. I am currently working at UAB in the division of cardiovascular disease as a research assistant. I am working on the human tissue specific plasminogen activator(t-PA) gene. It is a clot-busting protein that is often given to MI and stroke victims, but also occurs naturally in the body(in concert with the other clot-busters: urokinase and streptokinase). Our lab studies how components of red wine can upregulate this gene, thus increasing the body's clot-busting capabilites(fibrinolysis) and therefore lowering the incidence of heart disease. We have shown that moderate red wine consumption does in fact increase fibrinolysis significantly. This explains the so-called "French Paradox." (Note of caution: Extreme red wine consumption actually DECREASES fibrinolysis and leads to increased risk of CAD, so go easy on the wine. :) ) I am now trying to identify response elements in portions of the t-PA promoter to determine how this increase in fibrinolysis occurs at a molecular level. Anyway, I'm sure I have bored all of my future classmates to death, but I thought I would share. I am so jealous of you guys with clinical jobs. I really miss clinical work. I worked as a phlebotomist for 2 years. Research is okay, but I much prefer to be in the hospital working with patients.

Bama--
I think that your research sounds very interesting as well as severely educational. When we get to the blood block, you will be helping us out on the hematology section I am sure. That is really cool!

Now we will all have to go out a few times a week and become wine coneseurs!! Gotta keep the heart in good shape you know. To hell with jogging, drink up!

Chris

.....can relate to the misunderstandings about DO's and UHS that some have been sharing

When first accepted to UHS, my mom said she didn't feel comfortable telling our family friends that I was going to medical school because she said she felt she wasn't being totally honest with them.......after a little education and encouragement from the rest of my family, she now is spreading the DO message in our community to her friends.

Bama....... you picked an awesome department to do research in....getting to rub shoulders with internationally renowned cardiologists at UAB....I took the Cardiovascular Epidemiology course in UAB School of Public Health under Dr Canto and Dr Howard and it was an awesome course..

Chris......thanks for sharing your recent clinical experiences...I think it helps all of us get pumped up for school!

As for me, less than 2 weeks left in my short-lived retail pharmacy career!!

carpe

Bama,
Your research is what makes my world go round. I work with central catheters all the time, and when they don't work well, we have to presume a fibrin sheath or clot. I've used urokinase, streptokinase, and TPA. And I drink lots of red wine. I think that coagulation is very interesting.

However I'm looking forward to learning about lotsa other stuff, too!

M.

Sounds like the clinical experiences will be great. I just observe in the ER and love watching everything. I think you learn a great deal by just watching. The Dr. I work with is really great, he also quizzes me to make sure I am listening.

I guess since we are changing the subject I have a little to add. I just got engaged, so the wedding should be next summer. Yikes, I have to deal with being an MS1 and planning a wedding. Good thing I have a supportive family.

On summer plans - is anyone planning anything before school? At CMSU one of the professors is taking a group of 4 students to Jamaica to work in a medical clinic. We leave at the end of june - Aug. 2nd, so I will be back just in time for school.

Well i have to get to my boring, paying job - JCPenney's. I'm counting down the days.

Karen.

Karen,

That sounds like a great summer! I'm sure you will be very busy, but try to enjoy yourself a little while in Jamaica.

- Tammy

Karen--
Sounds really neat that you get to go to Jamiaca-mon!! That would be very interesting to do!!

Have a great time!

Chris

Karen,
Congrats on your engagement!!!! Have fun in Jamaica! Are you coming from the KC area or farther away? Is your honey coming with you?

I can't believe it's June 4. Summer's here, but you wouldn't know it by the weather here in Cleveland. I don't think I can take another gray gloomy day!

Have a good day everybody!
M.

so once again i haven't posted in quite some time. i've enjoyed reading what everyone has been up to!

mary- tell your dad dentists have to deal with the same insurance crap doctors do. my mom is a dentist and i work at her office part time. i deal with ins problems all the time!

tammy-i'm sorry to hear about your dad. he and your grandpa are in my prayers.

and chris-loved hearing the story about the baby. part of the reason i haven't got on SDN in awhile has to do with a certain baby girl. my best friend just had a girl on the 31st! the baby was taken immediately to nicu for respiratory problems. it seems she wasn't getting enough o2. thus she took way too many breaths per minute. watching her try to breath was like watching someone finish a 100m dash. i didn't get to talk with the nurse or doctor so i don't really know what was wrong. all i know is that she is going home tomorrow with mom! if i find out more from the already stressed mom i'll let you know.

and can i just say that after reading what my future classmates do each day i feel SUPER behind! since my days consist mostly of driving the beer cart at good ole deer run and then golfing after work and grabbing a beer before heading up to the cabin to watch the kings lose (very upsetting), i'm feeling like i am in for a big surprise at school!

though i can't help anyone with respiratory therapy, cardiology research, or blood banking, i might be helpful if we ever study exercise/sports medicine. i'm still doing this at the children's hospital 3 times a week and love it. :)

alright this is a novel!

Gretchen-
Don't feel like that you are BEHIND; when we all get to school, we will all be equal at square one. I too have a sports medicine background, since I was an athletic trainer for four years during undergrad. I have a feeling that if any section is easier, the musculoskeletal will be it; since we have knowledge in that area.

Can't believe it is June already!!
Also, very cool that we are up to 14 pages!!

Chris

Gretchen,

You think you're behind? I've done marketing & public relations all my adult life! I think I'll be able to communicate well with patients, but I won't have a clue what to say unless they need a newspaper ad placed or something! ha! ha! Thanks for your thoughts for my family. We should find out more today as my dad is having a cath. Keep your fingers crossed!

D-day is quickly approaching & I find myself getting more and more nervous by the day. Excited, of course, but nervous. I am so glad we have gotten to "know" each other here on the board though. It makes me more confident that I am going to like UHS. It was my first choice, but the career change is so drastic & the cost so high, that it does make me nervous. I feel better that I won't feel like the new kid in school when we get to UHS because I have been talking to all of you. Of course I have no clue what you look like, but what the heck! I'll just walk up to people and go, "Qafas? Mary? Gretchen?" Finally someone is bound to say, "Yes?" :D

Take care!
Tammy

Hey gang--
I am going to KC tonight and will be apartment hunting tomorrow. I have an appointment with Jennifer Lorenz from Apartment Search, so she is going to have me check out some complexes! I am so so excited.

Tammy I am with you. I feel like we have connected as a class, at least some of us.....knowing more about each other will ease the tranisition. Yes the cost is high, but we will be making enough to scrape by when we are done! :)

Anyway, I will report in, in a few days, when I get back and let you know what I have found!!

I wish school started next week!!!!

Later

Chris

Well, don't know if anyone really cares, but what the heck! Just got the news on my dad. He has 50% blockage in two arteries, which the cardiologist deemed average. So, no surgery and he can resume normal activities on Friday.

Whoo-hoo!

Thanks for listening! :D

Congratulations Karen on your engagement! How long have you and your fiance been dating? Where will he be at all year? I bet he and your family will help out a lot. Maybe you can get a few things done before school starts. If nothing else, it will at least give you something to do to get away from the stresses of school. I bet you're walking on cloud nine!

Karen- CONGRATS!

Tammy- Great news! Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery!

Everyone-- barely 2 months to go WOOHOO!!
<img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

~Hillary

Congratulations on your engagement, Karen!! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

And Tammy--I'm so happy for you about the good news on your Dad! I'd be terrified if my Dad had to go through something like that.

And, I FINALLY got my package today!! :)

~~Danielle~~

Congratulations are in order, Karen! Hope you have a wonderful time in Jamaica :)

Tammy, glad to hear that your father?s condition isn?t more serious. I hope it remains that way. By the way, your strategy of finding faces to go with the names should make for a few laughs??.I think I?ll just try and figure out who you are, and then watch as you go around making acquaintances, with my camcorder ready!!!!! :D

Chris, good luck with the apt hunting??..hope you find what you?re looking for. I just couldn?t tough it out and settled for CT. And, rest assured, I will miss no opportunity to rub in the fifteen extra minutes of sleep that I?ll be able to grab over you poor souls who should end up living away from campus!!!!!! :p :D :p And you can rub in the fact that you can walk around your place without banging into walls all the time, of course. :(

Danielle, congratulations are in order for you as well??.hope the ?package? lives up to the hype! :)
Good day everyone!!

Hi guys!
Tammy I was thinking about you/your dad; I'm really glad everything's going to be OK and that he can get back to life. My parents are older and every now and then I brace myself for the worst. Hopefully there won't be any crises while I'm away in Med School!!

Good luck with apt. hunting, Chris, I hope it's not too stressful. I hate apt. hunting and moving altogether, so I think that's why I just went with CT. I also hope you aren't too far away from school! :)

Gretchen I was just thinking the other day..."I wonder what people think I look like?" (BTW everyone---I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!! :D )It's so funny because all our lives we've gotten to know people mostly AFTER we meet them (unless you frequent the personals! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> ) But with us we are doing all that beforehand! I think it's so cool. Sometimes I feel like I'm on one of those reality TV shows. But you can be assured that I'm not "The Mole", and we should make a pact that no one gets "voted off the island"!!! :)

Qafas, you just keep that camcorder put away.... :rolleyes: I went to Tar-jhay this past weekend and bought a VERY nice new camera; a Canon Rebel. I plan on doing a photojournal of my medschool experiences and my new friends, big moments, etc. So you'll have to get used to having the shutter bug around.

Well I better quit slacking off and get back to work!!! :rolleyes:

Stay well, everyone!
M.

BTW---
Danielle, glad you FINALLY got the packet!

Tammy/Gretchen, the remark about wondering what I look like was really to Tammy I guess, but in her post to you she mentioned it...I got confused....sorry...stupid me! But you know what I mean anyway. Don't you? :confused: :)

Duh,
M.

OK, all you people who think you're cute with your cameras & camcorders...you must agree not to take my picture until I get a few pounds off. I've really porked up since moving to Parsons. There is NOTHING to do here. Even the restaurants close at 8:00. (No joking.) SO...that means you have to eat early, which means you get hungry later & snack before bedtime! :)

I'm working on it though...so make a pact. NO PICTURES UNTIL THE WEIGHT IS GONE! I'll let you know when I'm back to normal! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> (That may be never because I hate to have my picture taken!)

Tammy,
Funny you mention that. Not looking forward to having my picture taken ("school pictures!?!?!") as I am right now. I would be happy taking 10 off.

I promise I won't take any pictures of you till you feel ready. That goes the same for me. But I'd rather have still pictures taken rather than VIDEO!! (Qafas! :p ) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Ciao,
M.

You know what would be hilarious? If someone filmed the White Coat Ceremony--you know, behind-the-scenes type thing--then we got together to watch it again during graduation week in 2006!

I can just imagine how different we'll all be by then, and not just on the outside, either. :) We'll laugh at how eager with anticipation we all were, starting as MSIs, and how we had no idea what we were in for! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> And how excited we were to be putting on our White Coats for the first time! I'm sure at some point, we'll be just as eager to be able to take them off! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> :D

~~Danielle~~

A behind the scenes look would be an awesome idea. We could use it as the start of a time capsule sort of thing. I'd love to have record of the entire process. I'm really hoping to keep my journal updated, but I've been less than perfect at that during the less four years.

I bet the current students would laugh at our naivety about the process. But I'm also sure they remember just what it was like to anticipate this thing. It's scary and exciting, yet confusing and motivational. I know my emotions go back and forth a lot.

I have been checking out the forum nearly every day since I was accepted in February. I haven't posted that many times though. I feel like I'm really getting to know you all, but I haven't written that much of myself. If I may, I'll just take a minute to share a bit of a story.

I've recently been very overwhelmed with life. My grandma has been living with us for over a year now. More than two years ago she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had been doing remarkably well and we loved having her here at our home. In April we found out that her cancer had spread to her brain. Since then she quickly went down hill and home care began. My family is incredible. My two younger sisters and mom and dad have pulled together to do something so wonderful for my grandma. With the help of Hospice, we cared for her up until her death this morning around 4am. It's been a tough couple of months and I know the next couple of months will be tough too. I do feel so much comfort at where she is now. Anyway, I hate to ramble on and on. But that's a big part of me right now.

I hope to be more a part of the discussions now, however. Before I just didn't have it in me. But I'm ready to start concentrating on my future again, I think. My grandma was sure proud of me and now it's time to show her more.

I've had a lot more I've wanted to comment on, but this is certainly long enough. It should have counted as 5 more posts for our growing thread.

Thanks for listening everyone!!
Anna

AnnaMags,
My condolences to you and your family. I know that it has been a very trying time. It is great that you and your family were able to take care of your grandmother throughout her illness. I am sure that you were a great comfort to her. I think that speaks volumes for what type of physician you will be. Of course we all will have to learn the science behind medicine but I feel that compassion and tenderness are attributes crucial to becoming a good doctor and can only be learned through our experiences. It seems to me that you have already grasped these ideals. My condolences once again and I look forward to meeting you in August.

See my post under CT.
M. :)

Anna:
Just want to let you know that we are here for you. I know sometimes that it helps to just talk about it. My condolences to your family & can't wait to see you again in Aug.
Karen.

AnnaMags,
I'm so sorry to hear about your Grandmother. It's wonderful to hear about how much love you obviously have within your family, though, and how you came together to support and care for her. I hope you find comfort in the fact that she must have been deeply moved by the love and compassion of her family around her. I'm sure you will continue to make her smile with pride. :)

~~Danielle~~

Anna,

My condolences as well. May your grandmother watch over you as you navigate your way through UHS.

But there is some joy in the air today. My sister and brother-in-law welcomed their first daughter into the world today. They already have to 2 year old boy, and his world is about to change beyond belief! I can't wait to go home and see the new baby!

Anna,

I am very sorry about your grandmother. I know it is hard to watch someone you love suffer with an illness, but I'm glad you had time to say good bye and you loved her. I'm also glad that you felt comfortable enough to share this with us on the board. I do think we are becoming a family already...albeit (don't you love that word) an extended family at this point. But we will be coming together soon and I hope this feeling of closeness gets even tighter. I think UHS has selected an excellent class based on what I've read on this board. They've chosen a lot of people who are compassionate and have real-world experience that can be shared with patients.

Anna, take care and get lots of hugs from your family.

- Tammy

TAM,
Congratulations on your new niece! What is her name? Have you seen her yet? Do you have any kids of your own? (Nosey, nosey, nosey!!!)

One other question...where did you get your quote?

Anna,

God bless you as you and your family go through this difficult time.

Kevin

Tammy,

To answer your questions, her name is Elizabeth Catherine (I think they're calling her Betsy). I have not seen her yet. I won't see her until I move from GA in about a week. No, I don't have any kids. I don't think I could handle kids right now. I've got some important lying about doing nothing to accomplish that kids would interfere with. And the quote is purely the product of my own mind.

Hi Anna,
Keep hanging in there. I hope that you and your family really pull closer together through this. They sure do sound like an awesome group of people. Hope to meet you soon...

A big thank you goes out to everyone leaving me messages. This is a big part of me and I really did want to share it with you all. It's been great to come to the computer and read your thoughts.

Actually, I left the forum up on the computer yesterday and my parents saw your replies. When I got home, my mom said "why didn't you tell us about all those messages?" My parents got tears in their eyes and really thought you must all be very intelligent and deep thinkers. They really think you'll be great friends and a great group of people. The admissions committee does a good job!

Anyway, thanks to everyone again. I really hope we can get together before classes start.

Have a great weekend!
Anna

Hey everyone--
Man it feels like forever since I have posted. I left for KC on Wednesday night after I got off of work and haven't been able to get on the net anytime since last night (at around 11pm); been travelling since Wednesday so I am wiped. I got on to SDN last night, and only posted once, on another thread. I am at work right now, the hospital is really S and Q (I can't say the actual words because everytime anyone says those, all hell breaks loose. I will hint to the words: S = opposite of fast and Q= opposite of loud! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> )

Anyway.......I have been in SDN withdrawl. I feel that if I can't check it everyday to see how you all are doing, I just feel lost. Maybe I need to go to SDN Anonymous! :)

Tammy--Sorry I didn't say so sooner, I am glad your dad is ok and everything is going to be alright. It is scary when your parents and other people of grave importance in your life gets ill.

Anna--I share your grief as well. It is very hard to lose someone you love. I experienced similar to that about 7 years ago when I lost my great-grandfather. I didn't care for him like you or anything, it was just that we were extremely close and we did a lot together as I grew up. When he left, I was devestated; sobbed the entire wake as well as through the funeral. I was mad, sad, relieved.....a wealth of emotions flooded my mind and body.....but in time, everything returned to normal and I am glad that he is where he is now!

As for my current life, I do have some good news. I found an apt!!! Hooray!!!!
I will be residing in the Pinnacle Apartment complex. I do have one question for all you CT people though: is Century Towers and University Towers the same thing?? If so, I will be your neighbor. I saw a building right next to the Pinnacle and the sign said University Towers; so I got excited, knowing that I will be close to my classmates. But if I am wrong, then dammit! The complex is on 8th Street right next to the Southwestern Bell building; maybe will have to tap into the building and give everyone free phone service!!!!! Anyway, my luxurious suite (yeah whatever) does have a pool on the top floor with a skylight, as well as a big courtyard out back, with a basketball court; so at least I can shoot hoops at home. The price is $375/mo with all bills paid except for outlet electric, which isn't too bad. Also have to pay for parking, about 35/mo. Just thought I would share my new dwelling with you all.

Also, when I got home last night I read the mail from the last four days. I found a letter from the Kansas Board of Regeants and found that I was accepted for the Kansas Osteopathic Scholarship. They will pay $15,000 my first year nad maybe more the following years. The only stipulation is that I have to practice primary care in Kansas for every year that they pay! Since I am considering Emergency Med right now, that is considered primary care; I was very excited last night!!! So I know that my loans will be at least $60,000+ less than they would otherwise!!!!!

I will close this novel now, just wanted to touch base with everyone, since I am back in the saddle now. I am planning on moving down the first week of August or somewhere around there; so if anyone is there when I am, give me a shout!!!!
Also, I really need to hook up with someone who knows how to navigate in KC. While looking for apts, I think we spent 2.5 hours driving around and only about 30 min looking at apts (I looked at four complexes!!!)

Have a great day!!

Chris

Just to add one more thing, I think it would be a great idea to have someone video us backstage at the White Coat Ceremony, and then watch it as fourth years. That would be great!

Get your video cameras ready!

Chris

Sorry Chris but University Towers and Century Towers aren't the same thing. CT is across the street from UHS. I think there are probably UHSers living in University Towers, though, so you'll probably be close to someone anyway. I'm glad you found an apartment you're happy with, though! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> I know how stressful apartment hunting can be. That's the main reason I signed up with CT--because it was so easy, and I didn't have to make another trip down there. Come to think of it, I actually make a lot of decisions in life just in order to avoid more work for myself! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

~~Danielle~~

Hey Chris, Congrats on getting that scholarship and finding an apartment. Sounds GREAT, but correct me if I'm wrong - I thought that ER wasn't considered primary care. FP, OB/GYN, PEDS, IM I frequently hear are primary care. Please correct me if I am wrong guys. :confused:
Oh, and one more thing...do you guys know how they grade at UHS? Letter grades, P/F, etc... Thanks guys!

Dear Chris,
Congrats on the scholarship!!! That is SO awesome! Dedication sure does pay off. I'm sure you're relieved about finding an apartment, too. It sounds nice.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!
M.

Thanks guys for the congrats!
Yeller--in Kansas emergency med is considered primary care, but for some reason, it isn't in most other states.

Yes I am really relieved/excited for finding an apt and getting the scholarship!

I really hope we get our award letter from UHS soon, so I know how much dinero I will have for the year!!!!! Hopefully enough so I don't have to get a job!

Chris

UHS grades A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, F

Pass/Fail for OPP practicals, and the end of the year activities.

Yeller--to answer your question about grading, I am pretty sure that they go on a pretty normal scale (ie 90%=A, 80%=B, etc); I am not 100% sure but I am pretty sure. I know also that there are a few elective classes that are pass/fail but for the most part a standard grading system is used!

Chris

With the curve A- can get down to 82%. Anything below 60% is a fail.

UHS2005,

If a curve is used, does that mean that a certain number of people are destined to fail each course? Or do they always "curve up?"

I had an instructor once who totally & completely believed in the bell curve. There should be as many Fs as As. (Glad I wasn't in the first category!)

Chris,
Congrats! I'm sure you are thrilled about the scholarship & apt. I didn't apply for the KS scholarship because I was pretty sure I wasn't coming back to KS, but now a lot has changed in my life. I should have applied for it. ho-hum. Maybe next year! I'll just have to try to find a hospital that will pay off my student loans on the back end, I suppose.

In every section there are at least 2 to 3 people that fail the section. I dont think we had a section that everyone passed.

UHS2005,

Are you out immediately if you fail a section? Are you tired of all the pre-MSI questions? :rolleyes:

Thanks for your help!

- Tammy

did everyone have a great weekend? i just got back from the lake! if you southerners have not experienced the lakes of minnesota and canada and the north woods you need to! i saw a bear on my way home this morning! honest! think i'll try and head up again next weekend.

i've been catching up on all the posts...
anna- i'm so sorry to hear of your loss. i'm thinking of you and your family.
chris-i'll be your neighbor in university tower. how did you get the pinnacle to go so low on rent? they told me $500 for a one bedroom!
to everyone else- i get more and more excited each day...but i have to admit a bit nervous too. can we stop talking about grades and failing!

Gretchen--
I would seriously try to contact the Pinnacle if you haven't committed to University Towers already. I viewed the biggest studio and it was 375/month with all bills except for plug in electric (which runs around 20). Plus they have a smaller studios for around $350.

The phone number is (816) 221-1877 and the guy's name is Jeff. I would really get in touch with him if you want a place. They are very nice and at least $100 cheaper than the Univerisity towers. Plus they have an indoor pool, sauna, basketball court and tennis court and indoor track plus a weight room. I didn't view all the extras but I bet they are nice. Plus we are only a mile from school; definite easy bike ride.

Let me know if I can help you more. Also the Pinnacle has a 300 dollar off first months rent. And you can reserve a place till August.

Chris

Hi all,

I spent the weekend in KC looking for apartments and am most likely going to be living in Bennington Ridge apartments. I haven't made any sort of commitment to them yet but am pretty sure I'll be living there. Are there any other first years living there too??? They said they cater to about 30% of the UHS students. So, if there are second years that are already living there, then could you tell me how you like it there???

Thanks,
ShrubbyDoc:)

Dear Gretchen,
I admit I'm nervous too. We can stress (& de-stress :) together). I try to give it minimal thought. I'm trying to prepare myself mentally and stay confident.

Chris! I love your new quote. I LOVE Airplane! It is such a classic. I haven't changed my quote or picture...the quote must stay, because, especially as the big move gets closer I want to not get too wrapped up in all the craziness :( it brings to my life, if you know what I mean. So, every day's a new day!

Ciao
M.

I finally found a quote that I liked. Can you figure out where I got it? (Probably...)

Hi Tammy!

.....you got me! It's not Gross Anatomy is it?
M.

Yeah Tammy, you got me too. I do not think it is Gross Anatomy. That is an excellent movie by the way!! I have watched it so many times.....I think my wife gets sick of seeing it!

I also have a question for you all. Is anyone interested in participating as a notepool officer? I have expressed interest to Scott Orth; he said it is a lot of work but if we all work as a team it will run much smoother!!

Let me know if anyone figures out that quote!

Chris

Hi Chris/everybody,
I would like more informataion on the Note Pool. How exactly does it work? I know absolutely nothing about it, other than it being mentioned on the menu of items they are budgeting us for. It sounds like an encouraging concept, but I just don't know exactly what it is. :confused:

Have a great day!
M.

Mary--
The best person to talk to about the notepool is Scott Orth. I think he is in charge of the service. I would just email him and ask him the questions. His addy is sorth@uhs.edu

From what I understand, one person is assigned per day to tape the lectures and then scribe the notes. Notepool will set up a schedule and students take turns doing this. Then I think you have to email out the notes on the weekend or something like that. My advice would be to just email him.

Chris

Sorry, change of subject!
I signed a lease in Kansas! I went out last weekend to find a place and looked all over Johnson County, KS. I know most of you are looking in North KC, MO, but don't rule out Kansas. I met a second year in my quest and he highly recommended Roeland Park, Mission, and Fairway. I like Johnson County for the schools for my lil ones. I am renting in Mission, KS. Most of the 3 Br/1 ba houses are between $850-$995. A lot of them have garages and yards, too.
I really liked the area, and it's within 10 miles of UHS.
If there's anyone out there still without housing, I'd recommend getting together with Apartment search or going to Kansascity.com and searching the rentals. Everyone out there said that these rentals are going fast!
Okay, back to school stuff... I can't wait, by the way!

The quote is from The Jerk. I think that is a hilarious movie. I was actually looking for the quote when he was saying, "All I need in the whole wide world is this ..." "and this" "and this", but I couldn't find it.

Oh well!

UHSers,

I e-mailed Scott too-- I have participated in a similar (wholly organized by the students, no preceptor or 'officers') notepool here in my master's program. It is great if you miss that occasional lecture or need notes to supplement your own dozing off (four hours of lecture= naptime for me!)!! I hope all else is well with everyone!

Peace,
Hillary :cool:

Hey guys--
I just wanted to share with you my near fatal event. Last week I received a phone call from a student in student services, asking if I had any questions about school, and also asking about a missing transcript of mine; I wasn't home, they talked to my machine. So I phoned them back the next day, inquiring about the transcript. It was the one from California College, my respiratory class I am currently finishing up. I told them that I am not finished with it yet and that I will send them the transcript when I was done

They said no problem. Well I called down to admissions the following day and spoke with someone else on the matter. What she told me about made me have a cardiac arrest: She said that my class must be completed by August 19, or I would not be able to enroll in class!!!!!! You can't even imagine the sinking feeling I had in my stomach and heart. The main reason for the turmoil is that on my AACOMAS app I put that I would have the class finished up in Oct 2001. But I just dinked around and put it off; not thinking about having to have it completed for school. So I have been frantically rushing around this week, trying to get everything done. I just had one test to finish, write two papers, write a case study, take my final and then complete my final clinical evaluation. But this entire paper process can take up to 2-3 months. So after calculating the time I had left, I thought I was done for.

But lucky for me, I called down there again today and spoke with Teresa in admissions about the situation. After explaining it to her, I asked the dreaded question: Do I have to have this done by August, even though I received an extension on my course for December 2002? She said of course not! I just had to write her a letter explaining the change and mail it to her.

I have never been so relieved in my life! I thought my career was over!!!!!!!

Boy I am glad I was wrong.
Just thought I would share my "brush with death" with you all!! :) :)

Have a great day!

Chris

Chris,
I can sympathize with you. After I completed my undergrad, I enrolled in the masters program at my college. After one semester, I moved away and began working. Well, on the aacomas, I listed my master level courses, but accidentally indicated that I had recieved my masters in biology instead of that I had taken grad. courses in biology. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> BIG DIFFERENCE. Away, I recieved a letter from UHS stating that they needed a transcript indicating my master's degree. :confused: I almost had an MI when I saw that b/c I knew that that transcript did not exist. I just knew that when I called, the admissions office would think that I had intentionally falsified my application and would give my seat to someone else. Well, I called Theresa, and explained the situation to her and she said that it would be no problem. <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> She corrected it and said don't worry about it, much to my relief. :D

UHS 2005,

I PM'ed you about Bennington.

- ShrubbyDoc

One of the reasons I chose UHS was because every single time I've had to deal with anyone at the school, they've been outstandingly understanding and so friendly about everything.
:D
A lot of the other schools I've dealt with have been rude, curt, and very unflexible when dealing with me as a potential student, which I found a total turn off.
I'm not sure if I've ever dealt with Teresa, specifically, at UHS, but she just seems to be yet another great asset to the school's administration. UHS has made everything so easy for me when dealing with all the problems of trying to get a student visa, and I'm so grateful to them for that. A lot of other places thought it would be too much of a hassle and wouldn't even consider me. The UHS staff have made my life in the past little while run a whole lot smoother than they even needed to, which I really appreciate. The less stress in my life the better, I always say! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
They do such a great job there, and I just wanted to give them a cyper pat on the back now that it's been brought up.
<img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

~~Danielle~~

Hey Chris-thanks for the info. i think i'll stick with university tower because i want a 1 bdrm and i know it was a better deal there for that. i just need that extra space! but you'll have to sneek me into your bldg for the basketball courts! and glad to hear everything worked out with your transcript and class. like solie said i think uhs is superior in their student relations. i had no idea how to fill out any of the forms for financial aid and was able to contact the offices and got all my answers and then some.

well it's been a long evening of golfing! time for me to settle down a little. is anyone else finding that as school approaches relaxation is getting tougher? it seems like there is so much to do..even the little things add up!

have a great night everyone!

I'm about to disconnect my computer. When I next post, I'll be back home in beautiful Pennsylvania, eagerly awaiting my next move to beautiful Missouri. And, from now on, Georgia will just be a memory!

Hey--
Thanks for all the Note Pool input. I understand now. I think it sounds great. I talked with a current student last night. Very very helpful. I'm anxious to see the financial aid report.

I have nothing further at this time!

:) M.

:mad:
Whatever!!!!
(Don't ask....)
M.

And for post #400...

I woke up early this morning to study for my first biochemistry test. With everything that has been going on, I haven't hardly had the chance to study. Wish me luck!

Hope everyone is getting to do things they enjoy this summer. I can't believe how fast it will be over! Talk to you all later...after the stressful studying is over. Haha, I hate to even call it stress. I'm sure this is absolutely nothing in comparison.

Hey guys--
Just thought I would post real quick since I haven't for a few days. Anyone received financial aid packet yet? Or know when we will get them? Just wondering.

June has flown by so far and I hope it continues to do so. Just wanna get going with school!!!!

Later

Chris

I called the financial aid office about a week ago, and they told me that we wouldn't be getting our financial aid letters until the middle/late June. They're still trying to finish up all the financial aid stuff for the 4th years.

I hope everyone's summer's going well. It's been going really fast! I was thinking yesterday, yesterday was exactly the 2-month countdown until orientation day. Can you believe we're now less than 2 months away from orientation and starting med school? It's so amazing to think about!

I have a question for everyone, especially any current students.

How much do you use a computer while in medical school? In what ways is it used?

I'm looking into buying a laptop and was just curious. Any laptop users have advice?

Thanks in advance for the info.

Anna

Good morning!!

Just thought I would throw a post on here since I was surfing the net!

Come to think of it.....my mind is drawing a blank. Oh well.......

I am going to try to do an online journal to track my medical school life.....I am just finishing up a creating web pages class on the internet.....so hopefully I can make a decent page!

That's all for now!!

Chris

Bump!

Hello everybody!

I have a warm glow about me today and here's why:

Some time ago I posted about the Lung Transplant lady. Anyway, they sent her home about 2 weeks ago. She's doing great, still not that strong (she's thin as a rail) and doesen't even need O2 to breathe. (She's only 42 by the way). So today she came our department to say "hi" and "thanks"--she brought the whole deparment like 15 bottles of the little Pepsi's. The story behind that is, when she was in the ICU we were in her room right after the docs told her she wasn't allowed to have pop (soda/coke....YOU know :p ) yet...she REALLY wanted one. So that day we told her that we wouldn't drink any pop until she was allowed to. (And jokingly said we'd drink beer instead). So that's what all the pop was for.....But get this--she gives ME a card today saying that she wished me the best in life and in school...that she knows I'll do great. And enclosed $10 in McDonald's gift certificates with a "PS--I didn't want you to go hungry". HOW CUTE IS THAT??? :) :) :) I always prodded her when she was in the ICU because she NEVER would eat. I'd help her with her lunch and stuff while I was doing the plasma exchange. So the gift certificates had dual meaning, I think. I joked with everyone today that I'd put them in a "Break glass in case of emergency" box for when I'm desperate.

Things like this make me so happy that I have the opportunity to become a doc someday.

Have a great weekend everyone!
M.

Mary--
That story was great!! I love hearing about things like that. You obviously made a true difference in this woman's life and outcome of her difficulties. High five and a pat on the back for you. You definitely earned your Mickie D's coupons!! :)

I have to work all weekend, so I will probably be glued to the net, since our patient load is down consideralby. I have no complaints. I love surfing the net and getting paid for it! But I am on call from tomorrow until Monday morning so that part does suck!

Anyway, can't think of much else to discuss at the present! Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Chris

Hey guys! It sounds like everyone is busy. I had a free day today so I tried to get a few things done. One of those things was to go to UHS to purchase some books from three current students. I met two of them in the lobby of the educational pavilion when they got out of class. I bought several and then took my mom on a brief tour. I even bought a UHS t-shirt! It got me excited again about going to school. Being in class still makes it a little hard to stay excited and looking forward to August sometimes. (I'm taking biochemistry right now)

Anyway, that's my input for the day. Have a great weekend, kids!

Anna

Hi
Thanks Chris...I just love it when that stuff happens. It's usually pretty few and far between, but it just goes to show what goes around comes around! I can't believe I only have like 2 1/2 weeks of work left! Then the move! Then -gulp- school!!!!

Anna--how've ya been? You're taking a class in biochem? Is this a last minute requirement? I hope you find a way to enjoy some of the summer, regardless! That's so cool that you got to go over to UHS. I'm way too far away to do that! I would probably do what you did if I lived closer, but I'm surrendering to waiting till I get down there to make purchases.

Last night I gave myself a pedicure and studied the anatomy of the foot while my feet were soaking. I am SO in for it when I get to school!!!

Well it's gray and cloudy and cold here again. :mad: Tomorrow I'll see my dad for father's day. I'm anxious because he's been trying to persuade me to not take anything to KC, and just buy stuff when I get there. But that's not what I'm doing. I'm taking the stuff I have. Period. He's gonna be offended, I know. He's just trying to be helpful. <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" />

Peace!
M.

I'm doing pretty well, thanks for asking. During the time of emotional stress I also had a lot of stress for my biochemistry. (Yes, it's for the requirement.) This weekend is much more laid back for me. Thank goodness.

I get to go to a wedding of two good friends from high school. They've been together for four years, they're perfect for each other and I can't wait to see them finally get to start a life together.

I was looking in a few of the books I bought and don't worry, I am definitely in for it. I told my mom it would be like dropping a person into an ice cold pond. I will be in shock at first. I know the first year is going to require so much studyuing for me.

As far as the books go, I've been talking to several students. There is definitely no need to buy all the books. Some are must haves, however. The students will help us with that during the first week. One thing I love about UHS is that everyone is so genuine and helpful. That's evident in our group here on SDN.

Ok, better go. Hey, joke with your dad that if he'll buy all your stuff new than he has a deal. haha

Anna

<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
Anna that's the thing, he said he'll give me money to buy the new stuff. But the thing is (I think), John and I just got a brand new mattress set last year. He still has his old one, which is perfectly good, as well. I can't sell the mattresses for what they're worth. So I figure I'll take them. But, if I'm going to rent a truck to move those, I might as well take some other stuff. I think John might be upset if I just take the new mattresses to my dad's and have them get all dusty...I think this is becoming way more complicated than it needs to be! I know this all sounds confusing, and it is. Bear with me!

Thanks for writing back, and have a good, relaxing weekend!
M. :)

Anna--
That is cool that you got some books already. I have a list that I am going to get from students; just have to wait for a few weeks till I get the money, then I might make a trip to KC to meet up with the students and get them. What books did you get? I already have a few of them on the list, from previous purchases, so at least I already have some. I know I want to get Robbins for path, Netters for Anatomy, and probably histology and derm since I haven't had those classes before.

Man it is hard to believe that there are only 58 days until orientation. I am getting more excited by the day.

Hey Anna, was the T-shirt you bought very expensive? I remember checking out the bookstore at orientation but I can't remember how much clothing costs. I know I want to buy a few T-shirts and a few sweatshirts! Gotta show my school spirit you know!

Well better go and actually work; talk to you all later today I assume!

Chris

Man it is really slow today at the hospital. Only have like two treatments to do. I am alone and on call this weekend.......so it will be a long hall. Plus it is so dark and dreary out today, probably will rain again!

Just thought I would post to kill 30 seconds of my day!

Later

Chris

Hey everyone!

I'm at my house, bored out of my mind, but horribly awake. uugghhh! Is anyone else on the board this late at night? Ever feel like talking, but have no one to talk to? That's how I feel tonight.

ho-hum!

I hope everyone has a nice Father's Day. I'll be doing some last-minute shopping tomorrow as we are having a cook-out at my parents' house tomorrow night. (Well, later today I guess...)

Talk to you later!
Tammy

Hey all--
Want to wish all the Dad's Happy Father's Day! I have to work so I can't spend it with my family but we will do something tomorrow; my kids have made me some stuff I think!

Anyway, just thought I would say hey. Tammy, I know what you mean about being on the board, late at night, bored out of your gord. I do it occasionally too. Just think, our nights of boredom will soon be filled with blood flow to the organs, stained slides of pathological disease, the smell of preservation fluid in anatomy, and so many other things to fill our boredom void!!

It is almost here!!

Chris

bump

Hey gang--
Just thought I would post. I haven't been able to access SDN for a few days.....I have been going into withdrawl. :)

I also wanted to tell you all something....I was going through all my CD-ROMS I have, and I discovered I have Netter's Atlas of Anatomy!!! So if anyone is interested I would be gladly to burn it off you any of you. I also have a clinical oriented anatomy, Body Works 6.0 and the Dissectable Human; the virtual cadaver.

Let me know if anyone wants a copy!'

Have a good night!

Chris

Chris,
I sent you a private message.

- Tammy

p.s. Hope everyone is doing well on this fine Tuesday evening!

Hello all,
I am now officially out of the army and back home in Pennsylvania, awaiting the begining of school. I don't know the last time I've been this happy! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> :) <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> :)

Chris,
Burn! Burn! Burn baby burn!!! I would love copies of your CD-rom's! Thanks!!!

I myself just bought a burner. Didn't buy a zip drive...I'm going to wait till I get there to see if I'll need it. Based on what others have said, it seems like I won't need to make that investment. I'll hopefully find a friend who has a zip drive. :)

I'm anxiously awaiting the FA letter. CT called my answering machine the other day wondering if I received it yet. I laughed and said to the machine, "yeah, you're not the only one!!!"

Eleven more working days! YAH!!!! I wish today was my last day. I just think of the $$. TAM, I'm happy for you. I hope the next several weeks are fun and relaxing.

Well, have a great day, everyone!
M. :cool:

Hi All,

Just in case people were wondering...I had to call the FAO yesterday and was told that we would be getting our award letters in July sometime. So, we still have to wait a bit. Chris, I would love to have some copies of the CD's you have too.

Flea girl

Flea Girl--
Thanks for the info on the FA. I guess we have another month or so to ponder on the amount we will get.
For the sake as not to violate any copy laws, I will "order" anyone that would like a "version" of CD-ROMS. I will go over the list of what I have again on Friday, and then post it on here, of what I have. Then whoever wants them, email me and let me know what you want. If you want them before school, I can use one of my "discs" and then mail it to you; but if you want to wait till after school starts, that is fine too!

Getting closer; I only have about a month of work left. Only one more weekend to take call!! Yeah!

See ya!

Chris

I just checked out "The Lounge" on SDN. It's funny...almost a dating service! They are taking polls on who is the sexiest one on SDN, how many are single/attached and male/female. It was funny.

I don't know if any of you has even thought about this, since it is a few years away, but has anyone contemplated the idea of doing the OMT fellowship?
I was just looking at school stuff and I really want to do this. I was just curious if anyone else has thought about it.

Chris

Never say never, but I don't think I would want to take the extra year...I'm anxious (and will be very poor) to get to work.

Welcome to Page 18, my friends!

Bump! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

I agree with Tammy--I think the extra year of OMM would be a great way to fine tune your skills, especially if you don't plan on specializing in OMM during residency, but the whole extra year it takes is too much for me. I want to get started practicing medicine ASAP, and I think if I did it I would just feel a year "behind" and trying to catch up. Plus, I'm not yet sure exactly how much I'm going to use OMM when I'm done--I guess I'll figure that out in the next couple of years, though.

By the way, Chris--thanks so much for your offer of being our "supplier" <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> ....I'd love to take you up on it once I get into town.

I can't wait to meet everyone in our class--I hope they're all just as friendly and supportive as everyone here on SDN! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

....and only 6 weeks til My Big Move!
Is anyone else out there dreading the thought of leaving their "Significant Other" back home? I might be the one crying through Orientation, so you'll definitely be able to pick me out. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

Solie!
I'm right there with ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(
M.

Good Evening, Future Classmates,
It's almost 11:30 pm and I am up, waiting for my coworker to call me back. I wasn't originally scheduled to back her up on call tonight but the phone rang at 11 anyway. I don't think that I've ever told you guys that I'm the "fall guy" (gal) for my department. Anything weird comes up, call Mary. Really, for our hospital this case that's come up is not something we can't handle, but my coworker is a bit panicked because she's relatively new (1 year) and has never done a red cell exchange on an emergency basis. The case: a woman with sickle cell anemia, lupus and some other autoimmune disease (can't remember) gets a blood transfusion yesterday to lower her Hgb S levels in preparation for orthopedic surgery. One of the units has an incompatibility with a red cell antibody. She got a fever, seemed otherwise OK for several hours, then boom--she coded.

They resuscitated (sp?)her, and now she's in bad shape. Big time hemolysis, she's in the ICU right now as I write. They want to do an RBC exchange (routine procedure for us) but they are all up in arms. So I wait for the next page. Should I bother going to sleep??? They have to get used to the idea that I'm not going to be around VERY SOON!! It's kind of an interesting position to be in....I'm going to go from being a reliable team member to overwhelmed student!! It's nice to know you're appreciated, so I think I'll enjoy it because it's all going to end soon!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Sorry for rambling, just thought I'd share my current reality with you. :) Like I said, it's all about to change and I'm going to be in the same boat as everyone else!

Nighty nite!
:) :) M.

Hi guys,
I need a little bit of advice. My wife and I are traveling up to KC on Monday to find a place to live for the next few years. Could all of you that have already found a place to live please give me some advice on where to start looking/where not to waste my time looking. I am contacting apartment search tomorrow and will attempt to set up an appointment with a rep. to help me out, but I want to get a little head start. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

My advice would be to go through apartment search. They are great there.
If you are looking for a cheaper, but nice apartment, check out the Pinnacle. I will be staying there......the only bills you have to pay is rent and plug in electric. It is about a mile from the school.

That is my suggestion!

Chris

Mary--
Wow, that is pretty cool. I know what you mean about being on call. It can suck to an extent, but if you look at it as getting more experience, it makes it better.

Man June is almost over!!! Then July.....then August!!!!

Chris

Hello everyone! i've finally found time to catch up on all of your lives! it's raining like crazy here in minnesota-flooding everywhere...so i have the day off from driving the beer cart!

chris-i'd love to take you up on the offer for the cds. thanks for being so generous!

solie-we need to chat! i'm leaving my boyfriend at home at least for the first semester. i think i definitely need that time to adjust to school life once again. but i'll be there with you missing my love! <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

have a great day everyone!! :)

Natureboy,

Where to live depends on your money situation, do you have kids or pets. We found a townhouse in Parksville, MO that has 2 bedrooms, 11/2 bath, garage, swimming pool, ac, accepts pets, etc., for about $670.00 month. It is in a decent neighborhood and fairly close to the school. It just depends on what you want and what you can afford. If you have anymore questions let me know. Hope that this helps.

Flea girl

hey guys--
Ok here is the small list of Discs I have:

Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy--Netter
Interactive Clinical Anatomy--McMinn
The Dissectable Human
Body Works 6.0
Interactive Skeleton--Abrahms, Marks, Amadio

Sometime, if you want before school, send me an email and let me know which ones you would be interested in. They are all pretty good......especially Netter's one. you can make up a quiz and print it out.....very detailed!!

Have a great weekend everyone........

Chris
drchris33@hotmail.com

NatureBoy,
I'm living in Parkville also at the River Oaks Apartments. I put down my deposit today. It has a fitness room, sand volleyball, swimming pool & pretty good neighborhood. Great school system if you have kids.It's about 15 minutes from the school...don't know what traffic will be like.

FleaGirl,
Are you moving to River Oaks? I HOPE SO!!! I don't want to be all by myself! :)

Hope everyone is doing well.

- Tammy

Hi Tammy,

We just signed a lease today for a townhouse on NW Chapel Woods Lane. I honestly have no idea where it is, other than it is in Parksville and close to UHS. My husband had gone down to KC 11/2weeks ago and found the place. I could not take anymore time off from the fleas to go. But who knows maybe we are close enough to carpool or something? Have a great Friday night!
Flea girl

Hey guys--
I am a bachelor this weekend...my family went back to my wife's home town for a week and a half.....I am joining them this Thursday after I get off of work. I rented like four movies and just had a movie night tonight!

I watched Black Hawk Down, Joyride, Training Day and the Musketeer. I would definitely rent Training Day and Joyride if you haven't seen them yet. They both rocked!!!!

Anyhow, I just thought I would see if anyone posts this late at night besides Tammy! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Have a nice weekend!

Chris

Hola,
The patient I posted about the other night died. She was only 30! Very very sad. I had to do a plasma exchange the next morning on her to try to remove all of her hemolyzed plasma. I was very fascinated with watching the ICU nurses and docs work. I have great respect for them. Day in, day out they have to work on people who have little chance of living. I don't know if critical care will ever be my cup of tea (who's to say?), but it's very interesting and intense...

Other than that, I'm kinda bummed that the FA letters are going to take longer. I was thinking of going ahead with applying for private loans just in case I need them (if I don't get enough staffords). Any thoughts on this?

I'm definitely interested in the note pool. It sounds good. Also, I was talking to a med student from here in Ohio and he said to definitely get the "FirstAid" board exam study books. I thanked him for the kind advice.

I was just going through my desk getting it cleaned up. I found some materials from my Med Tech school days...Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunology, and other misc. stuff. I'm a packrat...I keep everything. So I can help with learning Hematology & pathology...

Well, the day is burning on, I have stuff to do before I go to the concert tonight! I know this is hilarious and unusual, but I'm going to the "Hollyweird 2002" concert...with Poison <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> . I think It'll be fun :rolleyes: I used to like that music back in the 80's!! :o <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> :o <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> OK...enough about me!!

Have a great weekend!
M.

ps--Chris, enjoy your "bachelorhood"
M.

Solie and Gretchen,
This may seem a bit cold-hearted, but the way I've dealt with leaving a significant other behind (which has happened each time I've moved in the last couple of years :( ) is to find a new one! :D I tried long distance relationships a few times before I came to the inevitable conclusion that they don't work :mad: . As a matter of fact, in the closing months that I lived in Georgia, I found my affections sliding towards another young lady <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" /> , but I kept a distance because I did not want to endure another bittersweet goodbye :( . Sorry that I can't offer any consoling words but that's been my experience and its what I've observed in others. :( But, there's always exceptions <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> . And now for not good reason, here's the guy playing the violin- <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" />

About long-distance relationships...

I think if you're committed enough to a relationship, it can work out even if it's long-distance. Actually, my boyfriend and I were long-distance during the first year of our relationship, until I moved out here almost 2 years ago. It was hard, but doable...and I think being in med school will actually make it easier than our first try at long-distance because I'll be so busy with school.
As with any relationship, though, in order to work out, I think you've got to place it at the very top of your priority list, which means I'll be flying back here probably once every 4 weeks or so, even though it'll mean I won't get any studying done during those days. It's definitely worth it to me, and it's a decision we made together when I accepted a spot so far from home. He'll also be my first priority when it comes to chosing possible residency locations--he plans on moving down with me then, so I'll chose cities where he's likely to find a good job, even if it means I'll have to forego applying to positions I would love. Relationships, in my experience, are all about compromise, and when you find someone who's right for you, working hard at maintaining the relationship is the way to keep it strong, no matter how far apart you are.
So, anyway, all that was just to offer another point of view--that long-distance relationships CAN work out...they just require a little more effort (but it's well worth it in the end!).
<img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

~~Danielle~~

I second what Solie said about long distance relationships (LDRs). I've been in one for 4 years now. I went to school in Denver while my girlfriend went to school in KS, a total distance of about 500 miles apart. This next year, I'll be in KC at UHS and she'll be down in Houston for optometry school. Thus, like solie, I'll probably be flying down there at least once a semester. (She'll more than likely fly up to KC at least once a semester too.) One thing I found out about LDRs is that you learn how to be open with one another. Let's just say the communication lines are always open. Even though we can't be there for each other physically, we know that the other person is there emotionally.

Hello Class of 2006,
I've noticed that you have a pretty good forum going on here. Just wanted to congratulate all of you. Your summer is going to go quickly, enjoy it while you can. :)

I am a third year (just finished second year) student at UHS-COM. I have a few board review books that I want to sell before I leave on rotations in August. If you are interested, please contact me at cbrewer@uhs.edu.

Thanks.
:cool:

where is UHS located?

UHS is in Kansas City, MO

Solie/Gretchen/JK/TAM/all

I'm glad we're talking about LDR's. It's going to take a lot of energy for me...you're right, it does have to be top priority. For me I think I can say it's already started even though I haven't left yet. I've had LDR's before, which have not worked out. Of course I'm scared that this one won't, either. I'm trying to be as optomistic as possible. Relationships are a ton of work... :rolleyes:

I wish you guys the best with your LDR's!!

I'm not going to share my weekend with you....let's just say I'M EXHAUSTED!!!!!

Best,
M. :)

LDRs...hhmmm..I'm bitter about them right now. However, I think if BOTH people are committed they can work out. If it's only ONE, well...someone's about to get hurt! (We won't say who... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> )

I got the lease signed on my apartment Friday...so it's official. I'm moving to KC! ha! ha! I took my son around and showed him his school, my school, the apartment. He doesn't want to leave his friends, but we had such a good time in KC that I think he is open to the idea of it at least.

We also went to the outlet malls in Olathe. They have cosmic miniature golf there. It was so cool. You play golf in the dark, indoors, with glowing balls and a glowing course. Perhaps when the class needs to blow off steam we can go there. Tyler (my son) and I had a great time.

I also went furniture shopping...my stuff is very old and I found a living room set I really liked...I need you guys to talk me down. It was $1500. White leather sofa, love seat and chair. OMG. It was gorgeous! But who needs to spend $1500 right now? Not me! (At least that is what I keep telling myself!)

Well, enough rambling. Have a wonderful week, everyone! Only about 6 more weeks of work now. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Tammy,

Resist the temptation! You must safeguard your financial reservers for your upcoming paupercy! Although, I'm sure we could all afford a nice pleather couch.

Tammy,
$1500.00!!!!!????!!?!?!?!?!?!
<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> You can come sit on my couch for $1500. Actually you can come live in CT with your son for 3 months! I'll live @ your place and sit on the floor!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

I'm sorry, I'm j/k. :) It's nice to get new furniture.

I'm at work, not supposed to be online, they just sent a memo out a few weeks ago that you could get fired. What EVER!!! I'm outta here next Wednesday! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

BTW Tammy, is your S.O. not interested in an LDR or is it you? For me, it's my SO.

Lots of abbr.'s t'day!

Have a great day!
M.

Wow! Kinda makes me glad that I don't have a S.O. I don't know how you guys do it, especially those that have families to take care of <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" />

Oops, it looks like my cold-hearted comments about SOs and LDRs (geez, this sounds too much I'm back in the military again!) have set off a few firey responses. At least we're not slinging mud like you see in the Lounge or the For Everyone forums. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
I know this topic has been discussed before, and some have answered, but I'm interested to know when everyone plans to move to KC. I'm arriving on the 31st of July, although I'm not sure what I'm going to do for 12 days.
:confused:
And now for something completely different, a smiley face guy trashing his computer <img border="0" alt="[Pissy]" title="" src="graemlins/pissy.gif" /> .

Hey gang--
Kind of a busy day. About time for me to get off work, we had an emergency surgery......put in a temporary pacemaker. It was pretty cool....especially with the Fluoro X-ray; you could see the heart beating on the screen. Anyway, it is 930pm and I was supposed to get off at 7pm....starving and tired!!!

A bit about LDRs......Mine is going to be tough. I am going to miss my kids like crazy. They have been gone for four days now, and I miss them so much. The part that is really going to suck is that the youngest is going to change so damn much and I am not going to be around to see it!!!! But I think that if my wife and I make it through this year (which I kind of have my doubts), I think we will have it licked!!!!!

I have my final schedule for the month. I only have like 7 nights of call in July. I am done working the 30th of July and then am going to move down August 3rd/4th. I will then go back home for a week; and then....
Kansas City; Kansas City here we come! They've got crazy little women there.....ok, you get the point!!

Well I am going to eat a few scrumpious frozen burritos and go to bed, praying I don't get called back in tonight!!

Later.....

Chris

TAM,
Don't worry, the chaos you've started here is nothing compared to what exists in my household as of right now! :rolleyes:

Chris,
How far of a drive is it to your wife and kids? Just curious...Will you be going there on the weekends alot? (I thought I remember you saying that). If that's the case, then hopefully things will work out.
Sounds like you had quite the grueling day...I can relate, trust me. I had the worst weekend on call that I've probably had in years. It's partially my own fault for trying to be a party animal while on call. Had I been sitting at home laying low, it wouldn't have been so bad. I was up for 24 hours straight. I keep thinking of it as a preview for what's to come someday.

Have a great day everybody!
M. :)

Mary, I PM'd you.

OK, OK, OK, I won't buy the furniture! But when you guys come over to visit and the woodframe that sticks up from the beat-down cushion in the couch hurts your a@@, don't complain to me! :p

I think my last day at work will be August 7. I just can't really afford to leave much sooner than absolutely necessary. I officially get my apartment on July 31 so I can get a free month of rent. (Must move in during July.)

Has anyone started making real plans for a get-together? I just can't wait to meet everyone. If you guys want me to do it, let me know. I'm only 2 1/2 - 3 hours from KC, so I could make some arrangements.

Hey, does anyone know how many Royals tickets we can each have? I'm trying to figure out who in my family will be going.

Is anyone bringing their own DO to the White Coat Ceremony?

OK, enough questions...talk to you later!

- Tammy

Chris,
From everything you've said, your marriage sounds pretty strong. I'm sure you and your wife will do just fine. We'll all be around to keep you in line!!! (No crazy little ladies for you, my friend! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> Maybe a couple of cervezas, but no senioritas!)

Tammy--
Thanks for the compliment. And for offering to keep me in line. I might need it; who knows.....

I have invited a DO to the ceremony for the "knighting" if you will; I am pretty sure he is coming but not 100%. As far as the tickets, I have no idea about how many we get.

To top off my crappy day at work yesterday, I got to the hospital apartment at 930 pm and ate supper. I had just fallen into a deep slumber at 1030 when the phone rang..."Chris we have a code blue coming in....they are here!" Damn.....so I jumped out of bed....heart pounding...flew to the hospital for find a 53 year old woman, intubated, covered in vomit. She was being bag ventilated. So I jumped to work.....tried to secure the ET tube with tape but couldnt. So I suctioned out a while, getting mostly blood. Then I took over bagging and an EMT used a ET security device and the tube was taken care of.
Then they want a ventilator; so I ran and grabbed the portable one and hooked her up (it was the first time I had ever used it); so I was nervous. Then they decided to take her to CT to check her head out (she was hit by a semi-truck in her car). So I ran to set up the big ventilator to be ready for her after her scan.
Well disaster struck......the vent kept failing its self checks, so I was freaking out. AFter about 15 mintues (which felt like two hours), I found a little crack in a plastic connector. So I quickly replaced it, and it was functioning properly.
So thinking all was good, I ran back to CT and the nurse said "Chris, is the ventilator ready?" And I said, yeah let's go. Then she said "Well you can take it down.....we lost her!!" I was stunned. This woman was puffed up like a hot air balloon; thinking ruptured diaphragm plus her head CT showed a massive bleed. She would have died anyway, but our efforts were valiant ones.

So after I finally left the hospital at around 1230 am this morning and I am on again today plus on call tonight....hopefully it will be more uneventful. To top it off, it ruined my perfect record of never being called back in!!!

I just thought I would share my crappy night/morning. Thanks for listening.......you can take the gun away from your temple now, I am done rambling!!

Chris

Hello All--

I just had a nice 10 minutes while eating my lunch to catch up on the forum. Work, my biochemistry class, and my weekend plans have been keeping me very busy!

I enjoyed all the talk about LDR's. I have a boyfriend that lives an hour away in Missouri. I know that isn't far, but it's definitely hard for us to be apart. We've been together for over two and a half years. The past summers we sometimes went four or five weeks without seeing each other. That stinks. This summer we've seen each other every weekend. It makes maintaining the relationship so much easier. I hope to marry him someday and hopefully that won't be too far away. I know we'll make it through this time though because we are completely committed to make it work. I think that is key. Don't have doubts. Chris--you especially, you've already made it through so many trials from what I can see. Think how much stronger you from each one. Don't think that there is an out. Believe instead, that you will work through anything.

I believe a lot of people in our class will be married or in relationships. This is because of the wide array of students they choose. We'll have a lot of support hopefully.

I would love to help with a get together if I can. I don't live in CT though. But I am already in the KC area. My schedule is pretty busy until August, but let me know what I can do.

Is anyone else nervous or scared about August rolling around? I feel like that feeling is sometimes stronger than the excitement. Yikes.

Anna,
I agree with you about the nervousness. I was excited in February. I'm just plain nervous now.

I was looking at the financial aid budget today. I think if my son & I just don't eat and I walk the 15 miles to school, then I should be able to manage without a part-time job! ha! ha!

Boy, no beer for me for four years! :rolleyes:

I wish someone could give me a to-do list at work. I have no self-motivation left. (Short-Timers Syndrome...I'm sure we'll learn about it in psychology! ha! ha!) It's hard entertaining yourself for 8 hours each day when you can't seem to find a project that will keep your attention.

Chris, sorry about your night. That sounds really rough. It will be hard to lose patients...very hard. I guess we'll just all have to remember we are not God. (Especially you future surgeons!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> )

Well, enough rambling. I'm going to go be bored at my desk for a while.

See ya'!
Tammy

Hello everyone,
I was browsing the pages and noriced the ump-teen hundred posts on this thread so thought Id pine in and offer my experience to you. Im a 4th year at UHS and will graduate in less than a year. So..I thought Id offer myself to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have about school etc. I remember how nerve racking it can be and thought Id extend and aid that I could. Post questions and Ill do the best I can to help.

Hi UHS class 2006! Welcome to the third year of the new curriculum. I have just finished my second year and the first set of boards. The new curriculum should be shaping up better from the first year that they threw at us (class of 2004). Even with the new curriculum I felt I was taught most everything needed to pass the boards. As with any educational institution it has it weakness and strengths.

If any one needs advice on where to live, please ask. I lived in Bennington Ridge Apts the first year and didn't like it (too far from shopping and going out to eat). I currently live in Camden Passage and the apts here are far superior and easier to get to even though it is a bit farther than Bennington. Camden Apts also has several nearby (walking distance) to the supermarket.

Our class used this web site forum and put together a pre-school get together BBQ potluck and the turn out was very successful.

I have some books for sale that will most likely be required for your first two years if anyone is interested.

Tammy,
I PM'd you!
M.

Hi I'm Back!
I was a little sneaky and looked at the thread from another school which happens to be the other school I got accepted to and someone was wondering if that particular school had a sense of family about it like "SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS" seemed to have. I'm soo happy with my choice!! :) :) :)

I'm going over to the CT thread...
M.

Hey guys--
Just checking the board to see if anything new and exciting is going on.
Mary, that is great you are getting ready to move. I am sure you are excited. I think I am moving up August 3-4. That is the plan as of right now. Let me know if I can do anything to help with the BBQ! I am game!!

Have a great rest of the week!

Chris

Hi everyone,
I think I'll be moving down around August 5th or so--I'm not too sure yet...it'll depend when I can get the cheapest flight! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> I think I'm going to get hooked up with that Air Miles plan once I move--does anyone else use that? I figure I'll really be racking up the miles over the next few years, and if it works out into a free flight at some point, all the better! :D

Does anyone know how we can find out how the MS-II class did on Step I? I think that'll be a good predictor of how the Genesis curriculum is working out. It sounds like a great program from what I've heard.

I've got a quick question for those of you who live in KC--how HUMID does it get there during the summer?? I can't stand the humidity, and where I'm at right now it's like living in Sauna City during the summer...I'm hoping KC will be even a little bit better??

~~Danielle~~

Danielle,

I think you are not going to like KC weather. July & August are bit@#$es. It is extremely humid here. And extremely cold in the winter...but maybe not as cold as Vancouver. I don't know! :confused:

Today, it was 90 and not too bad, but it will get over 100 soon with lots of humidity...and get ready for the wind!

There, now aren't you ready to move to Kansas/Missouri? ha! ha! I probably drained all the excitement from you with one simple post. You can thank me later! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Hey, has anyone received a notice from PNC bank or others regarding student loans? I got one of those "privacy notices about your loan" letters in the mail today from PNC. Since I don't have a loan with PNC, I thought my ex had gotten credit in my name. I blew a gasket...but then found out it was regarding a student loan. phew! I'd hate to go to prison for murder just six weeks before school started! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Have a good night and a terrific Thursday tomorrow.

- Tammy

p.s. Danielle, I hope I didn't rain on your parade too much!

Wow SDN's finally back up...'bout time!

Ok, I gave birth to kittens this morning when I opened an email from FA to discover that the lender I listed actually DOES NOT issue medical loans. <img border="0" alt="[Pissy]" title="" src="graemlins/pissy.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> So I have to pick a different lender; I called in sick to work today to do this b/c I work during these places' normal business hours.

I have info on Total Higher Education (THE)loans, and Access group, etc. So now I'm going to learn something about the difference b/t 91-day Treasury bills and LIBOR and why a lender goes with one over the other. Do you think this crap could go toward my DO/MBA?????? I'm being picky. Interest rates are really good right now, but I want to pick the best I can get.

SO. Obviously I won't be getting my award letter next week!!!!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> :mad: :rolleyes:

Sorry I'm not more fun today!
M.

hey all
although ive been reading this thread for awhile now i havent joined in b/c i was on the waitlist. but i just found out that i got in so i guess i can now officially participate! im coming up from colorado and i cant wait. you guys all seem great, im definately down for the bbq..ill bring the veggie dogs and boca burgers. chris..if the offer is still good, id love to take advantage of your cds. have any of you heard from your assigned big brother/sister? well i just had ulnar nerve surgery, and ive only got one hand to type with so ill cut this short. just wanted to say hello and im looking forward to meeting you all!

oh, and if anyone has advice on a dog friendly place to live, my golden retriever would appreciate it!

That's OK Tammy--I probably would've figured it out for myself at some point anyway! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> Thank God for air con, that's all I can say! Plus, living right across the street from UHS will be good too--right now I have to take the bus home from work, and 1 hour in a cramped, smelly, sticky bus makes me want to quit work whenever I think about it!
As for Vancouver--the winters there are MILD! This past winter it only snowed for one day, and it was all gone by the next morning. That's one of the reasons I love it there--the weather is never extreme, regardless of the season, it's always just right! :)

CJT--Congratulations on getting off the waiting list!! I'm glad to see there's going to be another vegetarian in the class--I was beginning to feel like KC just isn't the place for non meat eaters! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> My Dad is so excited about me getting into UHS--not because his daughter's going to be a doctor, but because it's in KC, and he can come to visit me JUST for the famous BBQ! :rolleyes: <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

~~Danielle~~

CJT,
Dammit, someone is going to live in River Oaks with me...ha! ha! I've been pitching this place for 2 months!

Seriously, there are only a few places I found that take big dogs and River Oaks is one of them. I also know they have a lot of one-bedrooms they are trying to get rid of...so that might mean good specials.

You should probably get in touch with Jennifer at Apartment Search or look at <a href="http://www.forrent.com." target="_blank">www.forrent.com.</a> Both are good resources for finding a place to live...good luck. And congratulations on getting in! Can't wait to meet you. If you need Jennifer's e-mail address, send me a note as I have it at work and can give it to you.

Mary,
I hope your employer doesn't read this board and find out you weren't really sick! ha! ha! But, what the heck...what's he going to do - fire you? :D

Take care everyone! Talk to you soon!
Tammy

Hi All,

Just had a question; is everyone or anyone going to be wearing suits on the first day orientation(sp?)? The letter said professional dress recommended, just wanted to know what everyone else was planning to wear. Well, I have finished my time with the fleas and now I have 3 weeks to kill before I make the big move. Hope that everyone has a good 4th of July.

Flea girl

hey everybody,
well, i have been catching up on the past week since my wife and i have been in KC looking for a place to live. well, our search was successful, and we will be living at Barclay Club. it is really nice, and i would suggest that anyone that hasn't found a place to live to check it out(it is on barry rd.). UHS 3rd year, you're right, Camden is a really nice place. my wife and i had a hard time deciding b/t barclay and camden...but anyway. well the bad thing about being off of work for a week, is that i have to go back ( I work in a level one trauma center ER). i've been tempted to post some of our most interesting cases that i see on a daily basis, but they usually have a bad outcome, so ya'll probably don't want to hear about them. then again ya'll probably do since we will all be in medical school, and this is what we want to do with the rest of out lives. anyway, no doubt that we will be busy. later.

Fleagirl,
To answer your question, I'm going to wear beat-up jeans, sandals, a dirty white baseball cap and a faded NASCAR t-shirt. Wait, come to think of it, that looks terrible. I guess I will wear a suit after all. I figure you can't loose with a suit. Even if I am the only one, at least i'll look good.

tammy- where is river oaks? im thinking about the "woods of walnut creek". its on parvin rd. has anyone checked out this place? id love to hear some pros and cons. i might not be able to actually see it before i sign the lease!

CJT,
It is about 15 miles from the campus. Take 35 to 29 to some exit...which is in Parkville, MO. If Parvin Road is closer, you may want to live there...ho-hum. By myself again! ha! ha! If your e-mail address is on your account, then I'll forward the apartment data Jennifer sent me. Here is the web info for River Oaks...

<a href="http://www.forrent.com/search/detail.asp?site=1004215" target="_blank">http://www.forrent.com/search/detail.asp?site=1004215</a>

FleaGirl,
I'm sure I'll wear a suit...I like the idea of beat-up jeans and a ratty t-shirt, but I'd hate to upset the faculty on the very first day! Perhaps I'll wear that on the second day! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

See ya'!
Tammy

what's up y'all--
I just got back from a four day vacation at my in-laws. Had a huge family reunion. I could not wait to get home!!!!!! Checked my email and had like 120 some messages, plus had to catch up on here too.
Tammy, are you going as the Joker on the first day, or maybe Catwoman?? :)

I will be wearing my suit as well. Suppose I should look good on the first day as well.

I really hope we get our award letter sometime soon. I am getting really ancy about how much we will get!

I am not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow. I have enjoyed being off for four days....but then again, I am off everyday!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Well I suppose I should do some laundry and such.....have a great week...I am sure you will hear from me soon

Chris

Hi all,
I'll wear my suit too. I really don't own a wardrobe...I wear scrubs, khakis and tshirts.

I'll be living in KC in 20 days. 20 days. Did I mention that I'll be moving to KC in less than 20 days? I'm VERY anxious!!!!

It's so hot and muggy here...I'll be well prepared for KC I hope.

Sounds like you had a nice time, Chris!

So here's a good question (that has nothing to do with school of course): What's everyone's standard "uniform"? What do you wear all the time? For me, it's white t-shirts and khakis. It's my staple item....I wonder if anyone else has a "staple" wardrobe? :)

Two more days of work. I told people at work that my last few days should be like my first few days were. Basically useless, helping wherever I can! ("Would you like more juice, sir?") :D

Stay cool!
M.

Mary--
I wish you well in your final days at work. That is interesting about your "wardrobe". Mine varies on the season of the year.....
Whenever I can, I am in a sweatshirt and jeans. Usually fall through the winter. Otherwise, I am wearing khaki pants and some sort of shirt whether it be a nicer T-shirt or a polo shirt.

I think it would be a good idea some night to have an "orientation" to KC party....especially finding out where the hell Wal-Mart and other vital stores we will need. I admit I don't know KC at all. If I had to leave my house right now and drive to the school or my future apartment complex, I would have no clue where to go. So I think it would be a superb idea to find a "tour guide" for us non-natives so that we can explore the city a bit for vital places and not end up in the wrong neighborhood.

Chris

Chris and other out-of-towners,
I would be happy to serve as a tour guide. For Walmart and groceries it is a matter of preference. You can go out north over the bridge, or head south on I-35 to the KS side. I prefer the KS side, so you may also want to ask someone more familiar with Missouri. Let me know what works for you. I will be in New Mexico July 25-Aug 3, but should be free that week before school in the evenings(I am planning on working 9-5 that week). Good luck with the move! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />
Amber

Hi All!

Chris...you're funny! I have a funny story that no one but you would understand. I was wearing those pants (the ones from the interview) and my brother looked at them and said, "Tammy, are you wearing Grandma's pants?" Cracked me up! For all of those of you who are going, HUH?, I bought a purple suit that I wore to the interview. When I walked in, it looked like a lawyer's convention and I felt like the Joker from Batman. As far as the Grandma-thing, she liked to wear colored-pants, usually polyester...so anyway, I guess that may answer your question about my wardrobe. I'm a horrible dresser I guess. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> You can just leave me at home so I don't embarrass you when you all go on your journey to Wal Mart.

Amber,
Where are you going in New Mexico? My son & I are also traveling there...from July 24 - 29. We are going to Roswell to visit friends. I'm sure we'll do all the touristy things while we are there.

Have a great Tuesday!!!

Hey guys--
Amber that would be great of you to escort us around town! I am sure I don't have a preference, just whatever is cheap. Doesn't matter to me. Have a great trip to NM when you go. I was there once, when I was an athletic trainer for the Fort Hays State football team and we went to Las Vegas, NM....it definitely doesn't fall into the category of Liva Las Vegas!!!

So I guess we will have to start calling Tammy Grandma.....one because she is older than most of us and two because her and her grandma dress alike!!! :D :D

No, I am just kidding. I am sure my dressing isn't much better, so I can't talk.

Have a great day!

Chris

Sorry I haven't posted in a while everyone, but I've been attempting to finish up my program here in Boston <img border="0" alt="[Pissy]" title="" src="graemlins/pissy.gif" /> so I can get the heck out of here & come chill with all you fine people in KC!! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

Hey Amber, thanks for your offer-- some of us will DEFINITELY be taking you up on your tour guiding skills! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Suitwearers-- I just hope mine unwrinkles in time for Monday (I'm literally going to be stuffing everything I own into my car), so I hope I won't have to go with the backup plan of jean cutoff shorts & my SDN Medschool Booyeah t-shirt!!

Chris, are your 'versions' of CDs still available?? I bet the Netter's would be great for review as I start Gross Anatomy next week! :cool:

Everyone, have a wonderful 4th of July & see y'all in about a month!!!!!

Peace,
Hillary

Hey everyone, welcome back to SDN. Anyway, I don't know if anyone has heard back about their financial aid, but I talked to the FAO and she said that the financial aid award for first year students are going out. Unfortunately, you receive your awards in the order that they were received, so I won't get mine til the end of july. I can't believe that school is just around the corner. I am getting pumped!

I know...can't believe it either that school is about to start!! I hope SDN will remain up and running for awhile. Been kind of a pain in the arse lately! Anyway, see you all in a few weeks!

Chris

Hi Everyone!
I'm also UHS-COM class of '06!!!! My name is DeJarra and I'm from Texas. I'm so excited, I just learned about SDN and I got here as soon as I could. You all seem very nice(from reading your messages, ofcourse) and I can't wait to meet my new classmates!

God Bless,
~DeJarra

One month left, guys!! Can you believe it? I'm sure this next month will be especially busy for all of those who are moving to Kansas City. It' s neat to think of you all coming down and joining up in August. I'm also very excited to meet all of you.

I've talked to a couple of different students on the phone over the last few days. I've been working on purchasing some books and one called from the admissions office. It has helped me a lot to talk to them. I've had a hard time getting as excited about school starting up. Talking to the students has reminded me what it will all be like, why I'm doing it, etc. Now, I wish I could just get this biochemistry class over with already!

It is hard to believe. One month from today, we will be orienting at the school and meeting each other.

Is anyone else doing the Summer Learning Enhancement Class? I inquired about it and they had a few openings left. I just wanted a jump start on the material. Just wondering who else I would be meeting that week.

Well I am leaving work soon, so I will talk at you all later!!

Chris

hey DeJarra
just wanted to welcome you to the class!! i cant wait to start putting some faces to the names.

i have 2 questions for you all.. is anyone else going to be family-less at the royals game, and how many of you requested that a doc you know put your white coat on you? sorry if these questions have already been addressed...this thread is just getting so long! cant wait to meet you all.
-carissa

Hello everyone,
I hope that everyone's preparation for the start of school is going well. I'll be glad when it begins. Moving and getting settled is so stressful. I was wondering if anybody had received a list of all the people in our class. Several of my friends at other medical schools have received a list of their classmates with contact info. I know that we will meet everyone at orientation, but I thought it would be nice to see who our classmates were (at least on paper). Anyway, just a thought. Have a great weekend.

Hey Everyone! I'm just chillin here in East Texas working on my 3-month-long packing frenzy!! I think that I should have a yard sale before moving. I'll be living in Century Towers. I hope it can hold all my stuff.

BamaAlum: No, I haven't received any type of class list but I just thought I'd let you know that my hometown is Montgomery and I also lived in Talladega. I'm proud to be a Alabamian/Texan!

Carrisa: Thanks for the warm welcome. I should be family-less at the Royals game,too. Yes, my mentor who is also a graduate of UHS will be white coating me.

Chris: I will be attending the summer program in August. It should be extremely helpful.I think they will be giving practice tests at the end of the week which should help familiarize us with the testing format. Will you be attending in Aug also?

AnnaMags: Alot of my friends(2nd and 3rd years) at UHS totally scratched off most of the books saying that we wouldn't need them. What did your sources say?

Ok take care and I'll keep in touch.
~DeJarra

Hey guys......
Haven't posted forever. I really don't like the new format of this website.
Anyway....yeah I am doing the the August SLEP. So I will be seeing you then.

Hope you guys are all doing well. I will try to post more often now, since it is up and running again!

Three weeks from yesterday is when I move!!! So excited. Only 9 more shifts at work....so about 110 hours left to work!

Later y'all

Chris

DeJarra,
That is cool. My hometown is also Montgomery! Where did you go to high school and undergrad? I have lived in Birmingham for the last year while I did research at UAB. Small world, huh? I look forward to meeting you in about a month.

Hey all UHSers:

Just checking in on what is happening.......apparently not very much. I have so noticed that the posts are down since the big switch. I can remember posting a few times a day and that a lot of others were doing the same; but now they are few and far between!

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week, even though it is only Monday! I am getting a loan for a different car tomorrow so I am pretty pumped about that. Then only 8 more working shifts at the hospital and I am done! Moving August 3rd into the Pinnacle so if any of you will also be residing in the Pinnacle, look me up!!!

Peace out..........I'm outtie 5000

Chris

Where is everyone? I miss reading the forum! I'm sure everyone has just gotten busy. The time is winding down so quickly.

I am nearly done with my biochemistry class. That's a tough one for the summer. I have a test next Tuesday, then the comprehensive final on Thursday. Of course, we'll get a lecture on Tuesday and Wednesday to add to the final. I'm certainly learning a lot. Actually, I've been meaning to mention that there is a guy in my class who will be starting at UHS with us, as well. His name is Igor. We've chatted a few times and I told him about SDN.

I'm really excited for this weekend. I get to go to the lake with my boyfriend and spend a wonderful two days together. I just can't wait. I want the week to be over yesterday.

For those of you who have wondered about buying books. I have heard from all students that you do not need to buy all of them. I have talked to about six students and they have all given their suggestions. The current students are extremely helpful!! I have bought several books from these students at very reduced rates. Most of them were highly recommended. I also just thought that if I could get them that cheap I would go ahead. If I use it once it will be worth it. If any of you want me to pass on the advice they've given, I certainly can do it. My advice, if you're out of town: just wait. I know students will continue to want to sell their books if they've taken Step I.

I guess that's all for now. I just want to share how excited I am about school for the mere fact that the current students seem so happy and have such great stories. I've heard about the nicknames that each class gets as the year goes on and all sorts of things.

I better get going for now though.

Class of 2006,
As a helpful upperclassman at UHS I would urge you to buy your books and other things you need from the Class of 2004, 2005 it will save you a ton of money. It benefits you and the class above you, plus I'm sure you can get some helpful hints for your next two years from people who have already started in the Genesis program. Don't forget the Slice of Life Machine - - if you can still find one of those babies you'll be glad you did. Call the school or check the bulletin boards on campus for the information!!!

Has anyone purchased a laptop computer, and if so, what computer did you buy? I am trying to decide what I am going to get and I need some outside help.

I just purchased a Toshiba Satellite 2405-S201 from Bestbuy. You can get a really good deal on it right now. I think mine will be delivered by UPS tomorrow!! I'm so excited!

I don't know a ton about computers. My dad helped me a lot in looking for the right one. I do know that Toshiba makes most of the parts that are put into laptops these days. I was a little picky because I wanted a floppy drive in mine. That sometimes narrows it down. I had also looked at Dell online. I found that the most important deciding factor as to where to buy it was--the service agreements/warranties. They are different at each place. You want to read the fine print. I liked Best Buy because they will replace your battery every time it dies out. They say they only last approx. 1 year and cost about $200.

Anyway, that was a lot of stuff you probably already know, but my fingers just kept typing.

I did talk to a current student the other day that said they will be utilizing the internet more with our class. They use blackboard with the new curriculum and she said a laptop is a great idea.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Hey guys--
I just finished with my Respiratory therapy final for my correspondence course! What a relief!!

The test was kind of tough....had a lot of info......250 questions.....took about two hours. So now I am just trying to stay awake the rest of the day. We have an OB in, so I will probably get in on the delivery before I go home!

Hope people start posting again.....kind of miss hearing from everyone.

Mary, hope the move went well. Let us know how things went!

Well better go!!

Later

Chris

What's up y'all--

I am at work on this wonderful Sunday morning. Actually it isn't that great, I just wanted to sound like a schmuck!

Anyway, I have been posting like mad on the Pre-DO forum. Haven't had much time to post lately, so I thought I would overkill on it today. Then I figured I should at least say something on our class page, since not very many people have lately.

My family is going out of town this week, and I have to work like 50 hours, so this is my last full week of work. I then work Monday and Tuesday next week (29th and 30th) and then I am officially unemployed except by the med school, who will be working my brain to the max!

Hope all is well and we'll see you in a few weeks!!!!!

Peace out!

Chris

Yeah I bought a computer. Back in January when Dell had a good deal going on. The school will give you loan money for it if you send them a copy of your computer specs and a receipt from purchase.

I am an internet junkie so I did get a new computer. I just think it will come in handy to have one at home, especially if you are involved in notepool, when you have to type up the notes.

Just my 2 cents worth!

Chris

I will be graduating from UHS in 9 months and have never had the need to have my own computer at home. I do have one, but cant remember ever using it for classwork or school related stuff. The school has PLENTY of computers. Save your money, do not buy a computer and use the computers of which a part of your tuition dollar is used to purchase. No need to spend more than the exorbitant amount the school already charges.

I have spoke with a couple of students who have been using the new curriculum and they believe that the new curriculum is heading toward greater use of the computers. There is a "program" called Blackboard. It organizes a class, basically. These students said the classes have been utilizing this more lately and probably will do so for our class. It keeps track of grades, assignments, messages from the faculty, quizzes.

I know the students also say that they use the internet a lot for looking up pathology and anatomy things to get good pictures, etc. They say that the teachers give a lot of sites that are good sources of information.

In my opinion, which is only based up a little research, a computer at home seems like a wise plan. I have always been spoiled with my own computer though. I know you won't have to type endless papers or anything. I'm sure you could get by without one.

Hi all!

I haven't posted in awhile because I was on the Alternate List and since they said they weren't pulling from it this year and my interview went horribly, I assumed I wasn't getting in this year. I convinced myself I didn't really want to go (but I couldn't come check out the forum because it was too depressing!)

Anyway, guess what? I was No. 1 on the Alternate List and they called me on Friday! Dang! I wish I could have known that a lot sooner, I would have planned my year so much differently! Now I'm going to be strapped for finances, what with all the private loans/credit cards racked up getting through undergrad as a single mom.....sigh. And I so wanted to lose 40 pounds, paint my house, re-tile the bathroom and pay off those darn credit cards at least!

Well, I've just decided to close my eyes and plow ahead and let the chips fall where they may. What else can I do? I've nearly killed myself getting to this point and I'm sure I could never live with myself if I pass it up! I am so excited!!!!:clap: :clap: :clap:

But, I need to find a roommate. If anyone is still looking for a place, I live about 2miles from UHS in a very cute/clean/quiet neighborhood. (Good bicycling/running/walking distance - I plan to get a bicycle to get some exercise and reduce wear & tear on my car.) I have an 18-yr-old son that sleeps on the couch when he's not at a friend's house, and I'm fixing him up a "chill-out" room in the basement - I've never been able to get him to sleep in a real bedroom. I have two rooms available in the back part of the house with a private entrance. One room has built-in desks/bookshelves and could easily be a nice little sitting room/study. The bad news: only one bathroom! So would need someone who's not a bathroom hog! (Neither my son nor I are.) My son smokes :mad: :mad: but I'm restricting him to smoking in his special space in the basement, or outside. (This is a good excuse for me: I have asthma and really don't need to have him smoking around me!)

I would prefer a woman, and am asking $350/month all utilities. Have washer/dryer in basement, some storage room there. Extra for Roadrunner - that is, split the cost of it with me if we decide to get it - not a bad idea if 2 people are needing to be online and actually reasonable that way. I'm cutting out the cable though, too distracting and I've got to get costs down; I'm sure most of us are in the same boat there! I don't know how I'm going to survive without Sex in the City and Six Feet Under, but I'm sure I will! ;)

Well, I'm still in shock, but I just had to check in. Amazing how one's life can change with just one phonecall!

Cheers,
mompremed
email: canderson16@kc.rr.com

Class of UHS2006 - Finally!

(Guess I'll have to change my signon name! Yippee!)

Hi All,
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I just got back from Montgomery, AL visiting my grandma. BamaAlum, I went to highschool in Talladega, AL /Texas and I did undergrad here in Texas, also. Where did you attend school?Yeah it is a small world
I can't wait to get to Kansas City, everytime I read y'alls posts I get excited all over again. Congratulations on your exceptance mompremed, I'm sure my excitement pales in comparison to yours! I'm thinking about holding up a sign with my username on it the first day of orientation or should I just write it on my forehead with a big black marker...I'm open to suggestions :laugh: Anyways just wanted to post to say hi!

Bye my fellow classmates!

DeJarra
UHS Class of 2006

CONGRATS Mompremed!!!:) :) Welcome to the class!:D

Originally posted by DeKaSi
Hi All,
Congratulations on your exceptance mompremed, I'm sure my excitement pales in comparison to yours! I'm thinking about holding up a sign with my username on it the first day of orientation or should I just write it on my forehead with a big black marker...I'm open to suggestions :laugh: Anyways just wanted to post to say hi!

Thanks! Yes, I think signs with usernames would be in order! Or how about we have a pre-orientation get-together for those of us on the forum? We did something similar to that last year that was very successful, not to mention fun. (I sort-of got involved in talking up the area close to the school and met several people that started last year as a result.) Of course it ended up with friends popping in too, but it was a much smaller group so there was a familiar face or too on the first day of orientation.

Just a thought!

mompremed

UHS 2006, Class of

How do you change that darn signon name? Do I have to completely re-register? :eek:

Originally posted by ShrubbyDoc
CONGRATS Mompremed!!!:) :) Welcome to the class!:D


Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Glad (read: relieved!) to be here!

mompremed

I'm trying yet again to post...I haven't been able to since the big switch. If it accepts the post, I'll write more...

Whoo-hoo! I'm back!!! DrMaryC and I have not been able to post since the switch, so I would guess there are others in the same boat. That is probably why the activity is down so much.

I had to go in and change my password, so if anyone else is having the same problem, you might have to do the same.

I figured out that I only have six working days left, including today, before the big move. That makes me incredibly nervous!

PreMedMom, if I hadn't already signed a lease, I would have loved to live with you. Saving so much on rent would have been a godsend. I am so happy for you!!!! I also have a son, he's 12, and I am a single mom myself. I think it makes getting to this point even more special because I know the turmoil we've had to go through to work, raise a family on our own and get through all the prereqs. Congrats!!!!!

Everyone else...I cannot wait to meet all of you! I am so excited.

Talk to you soon!
Tammy

Glad to see your are able to post now Tammy! That is great...

Got an email from DrMaryC and she made it to KC and is getting all settled. I move in a week and a half. I am ready......

Well just making small talk enough to make this a worthwhile post. Can't really think of anything interesting....
Was in on two deliveries last week and a code this morning

Other than that, just trying to get by.....only four more shifts to work. i got my car today......got a 1995 Dodge Intrepid. Haven't driven it much yet.......but it seems pretty sweet.

Well I guess I BS'd long enough

Chris

Originally posted by Tammy
PreMedMom, if I hadn't already signed a lease, I would have loved to live with you. Saving so much on rent would have been a godsend. I am so happy for you!!!! I also have a son, he's 12, and I am a single mom myself. I think it makes getting to this point even more special because I know the turmoil we've had to go through to work, raise a family on our own and get through all the prereqs. Congrats!!!!!

Thanks, Tammy. Yes, it's hard for most people to comprehend just how hard this road is as a single mom unless they've been on that road. Glad to know someone else is out there. Darn, though! Another reason why coming in so late is a bummer - everyone probably already has a place to live. Also, I'm losing $20K of PRIMO money because the deadline to apply was 7-1.

Would you mind emailing me with what they allow you for living expenses with one dependant? I'm worried about that, and also that because it's so late, I may not have any money for food or housing for who knows how long. They won't let us starve and/or lose my house, will they? :eek: I'm trying to refinance my house to hopefully get enough $$$ to cover the private student loans (which don't go into deferment when you go back to school) but I doubt I'll get any extra money out of that to keep us afloat until the financial aid comes in.

I'm trying to stay focused with the physical work I have to do to get ready to keep from panicking, but it's not easy!

Cheers,
mompremed

UHS Class of 2006

(Wow! That just is so amazing to see in print, even more than yesterday!)

mompremed--
Hang in there. You have come this far, I am sure they will help you out anyway they can. They have to accomodate you since they pulled you off the waiting list; so they have to be understanding about that.

Just so you know, if you don't already.....I think we have a great class. So far, all the people on here, with exception to Tammy, are so nice and great!!! Everyone is so friendly and awesome to interact with. I know it is going to be a lot of studying and such, but I know we are going to have a lot of fun too!!

It is amazing to write UHS Class of 2006 isn't it? I was on Cloud 9 for so long when I got my acceptance letter!!!!!!!

Anyway, if there is anything I can do, let me know.....be glad to help.

Oh, by the way, that crack about Tammy is so far from the truth. She is so awesome and fun. I just love giving her a bad time, and I know when she reads this, she will be bashing me too, so I am ready!!!! Bring it on Tammy!!!!!

Chris

Originally posted by drchris33
Just so you know, if you don't already.....I think we have a great class. So far, all the people on here, with exception to Tammy, are so nice and great!!! Everyone is so friendly and awesome to interact with. I know it is going to be a lot of studying and such, but I know we are going to have a lot of fun too!!

I never met a UHS student I didn't like! I think we need to plan a get-together sometime before orientation. Or maybe you already have, but I don't want to read the previous 30-some pages!! O.K., just call me lazy! :laugh:

I can't wait to meet everyone!

mompremed

hey mompremed
just wanted to join everyone in welcoming you to the class!! i still remember that feeling right after i got that phone call. in fact..i think i still feel it!

for those of you who have received your financial aid awards...did you get the amount you applied for? like mompremed, i had to apply fairly late (i.e. a couple of weeks ago) and im worried im going to be scrambling for private loans!

well, only one more week before i make the big move. im getting more excited every day!! see you all soon!

-carissa

Hey guys,

I'm using my laptop online for the first time. I really need to get used to this keyboard. I'm making a lot of mistakes.

I just got home from my last biochemistry lecture. We made it through 24 chapters, the entire book, in less than 8 weeks! Boy, am I worn out! Anyway, when I got home, I found my financial aid information in the mailbox. It's a whole lot simpler than I thought it would be--just two different sheets of paper to send in.

I guess my budget was set at $38,850. I had a family contribution of $1,000. They have awarded me with $36,000. Subsidized loan = $8,500
Unsubsidized = $27,500
I won't be needing any private loans, so fortunately I am done with the financial aid work, for the most part.

I don't know if I'll ever get a grasp on how much money this costs. I know I'll eventually be able to pay it back, but it's just sooo much! I figure I'll ignore my debt until later, there's nothing I can do about it now.

Those of you who got your stuff in late, definitely don't worry about it. They will definitely help you through the process. The financial aid office told me that they would help in getting your private loan monies.

I sincerely want to congratulate the newcomers to our class. I'm sure your excitement won't die out before you get to class.

Well, I'm supposed to be spending these three hours before I go to work studying for the biochemistry comprehensive final. I laugh at how I complain about this, knowing how much more difficult next year will be.

Keep up the posting, guys!!

I am glad someone has finally gotten their financial aid award letter. That is one thing that I am really stressing about. I am ready to get it in so that I will know how much money I will have so I can quit worrying. Sunday was my last day to work in the ER, and my wife and I are currently packing for the big move to KC. It finally hit me as we were packing everything up that this is really happening. I am so excited, my life long dream of becoming a doctor is about to become a reality. I am ready to meet everyone on the website. It will be nice to put a name with a face. See you all in KC.

Originally posted by AnnaMags
I guess my budget was set at $38,850. I had a family contribution of $1,000. They have awarded me with $36,000. Subsidized loan = $8,500
Unsubsidized = $27,500
I won't be needing any private loans, so fortunately I am done with the financial aid work, for the most part.

Anna, are you saying they expect you/us to live on about $7K per year? That would just barely pay some people's rent! It would just barely cover my house payment and utilities, with nothing left for food, etc. And isn't our health ins. supposed to come out of this?

Someone please tell me this isn't right!

mompremed
(soon to be MedStudentMom)

UHS Class of 2006

To clarify my post...

I am going to be living at home (with my parents in Olathe, KS) for the first year. I am fortunate enough to not have to pay rent this year. This really helps financially! I am pretty much only paying for a lot of gas, wear and tear on my car, and other expenses.

I also have a question...

Does anyone plan on paying their interest during the school year? I assume that it would really be beneficial.

Does anyone plan on working at all during the first year?

I guess that's about it for now. Three more hours and I'll be taking a biochemistry final!

Anna,

You are indeed fortunate. I got worried and called the FAO this morning and they were very helpful. They allot $1360/month for those of us with no other means of support. Also, you can apply for more if you have a dependent (which I do) and need it. Plus they allow extra for health ins., books, etc. Of course I will try and make it on as little as possible, but it's a relief to know I can get more if I need it. I think I can squeeze by on the $1360/month with a roommate - even with a car payment and credit card debt, so I guess I'll quit worrying and just concentrate on getting my house cleaned & organized, re-financed (to knock out my private student loans), etc.

Med school here I come!!! :clap: :clap:

mompremed
(Soon to be MedStudentMom)

UHS, Class of 2006

[i]hey mompremed
just wanted to join everyone in welcoming you to the class!! i still remember that feeling right after i got that phone call. in fact..i think i still feel it! -carissa

Thank you Carissa. So-o-o-o glad to be here!

It occurred to me that maybe I could throw out an invite to come over to my house for a BBQ before orientation. I have a great picnic-like place in back of my house under a spreading eucalyptus tree. (I think it's eucalyptus.) Anyway it has the feel of being in the woods at night with the Tiki torches and lights strung up.

Let me know if anyone's interested. It would be great to see familiar faces on the first day of orientation, IMHO.

Cheers,

I would love to get together some time during the week before orientation! I know some of those who haven't posted lately because they've been moving already would love it too. Let's work on this!

P.S. I just finished my Biochem class! If I suddenly stop posting it's because my grade dropped horribly from the final and I can't enter the class of 2006! Let's pray for that not to have happened.

This website has become Ft. Knox!!!!!!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO FINALLY POST A MESSAGE!

The previous message was just a test---and it worked! SDN has finally un-banned me!!!:clap: :clap: :clap:

I have been a silent witness for weeks now, ever since they "upgraded" the format!! I mean, like, who has time to sit at their computer and figure out how to log in? (Don't answer that if you don't want to!)

Whew. First. Congrats to all my new classmates! Haven't gotten to chat with you....:rolleyes: I'm very excited to meet you!

Next. As my good friends Tammy and Dr Chris have so kindly passed on, I'm living in KC now! Booooooo-yah! They have been the vital link for me in the past few weeks. If it weren't for them, I'd have noone to talk to.

I am currently residing in Century Towers! (I'll have to revive that thread now that I've cracked the code). I REALLY like CT. I like living across the street from school. Very convenent. That 7-11 on the corner is not for sissies!:laugh: My apartment is very small but efficient. I have met a few other members of our class. Everyone is very nice. I'm so glad I moved in early; on August 1 there will be 30 people moving in on one day. The problem is that there is only one garage bay. I'm gonna be parked back there with my lemonade stand!!!

I got my FA letter as well. Everything's a go. Now I just have to do this book buying/slice of life buying extravaganza. I'm already trying to live on a budget, but today I blew it when I went to Country Club plaza (I HAD to get out of the apt!). Oh well.

Well, I'm glad I can post again! Good luck with moving everybody!

Cheers,
M.

Congratulations to all of you! As a third-year at UHS, I just thought I'd give you a few hints. First, I wouldn't buy a laptop unless you like using it at home. I bought a laptop just before starting in 2000, and brought it to school twice. It is way too big a hassle, and there are quite a few computers on campus - I rarely had to wait long for one. Furthermore, they took out all the sites where you could plug a laptop into the network on campus. Now I'm not saying that you don't need a computer - I think you do. I am just saying that paying the extra money for a laptop is counterproductive in my opinion. Use the extra money for a CD burner - it will get alot more use.

Second, don't worry if you get in on the waiting list. The people in my class who got in on the waiting list did great - better, in fact, than many people who got in immediately.

Third, this may not be your style (and it certainly wasn't mine before med school), but I found that if I studied the new material each night, that I didn't have to cram much and I retained much better. In fact, my grades in med school were a big improvement on my undergraduate grades. Just stay on top of things - getting behind in med school can be a real b****!

Finally, all you moms out there, you can do it. Admittedly, my kids are probably much older than yours, but I commuted from an hour away, I never had to miss any of their activities, and I still did fine.

Good luck to all of you. Med school is what you make of it, and you can learn as much as you want.

Maire

Hey guys--
I only have three more days of work, then move to KC, next saturday. I am totally pumped!!

Mary, I am glad you are enjoying KC. Looking forward to meeting up with you. Is the BBQ still a go at CT?? Just curious!

Marie, thanks for the words of wisdom. I am sure we all appreciate it.

Is anyone besides me living at the Pinnacle?? Or a University Towers, which is right next door??

I got my FA letter a few days ago. I was given a generous amount to live on this year and I am thankful; I can finally clear up my debt, except for my undergrad loans.

I still haven't 100% believed that I am finally beginning medical school. I know the first day of class will totally blow me away!
I am just relieved/happy/excited/nervous about starting. All the emotions are flying around

Well better get back to work......I only have about 46 hours of work left (10 hours today, then 12 hours on Monday and 12 on Tuesday!!)

Later

Chris

So, all along, all I had to do was type my user name instead of my previous log-on name? +pissed+ I assume that our other friends on this thread had the same problem, and that's probably why the activity has died as of late. I wonder how some of the extremists who usually post in the "For Everyone Forum" can stand not being able to log on?

I start the long drive to KC on Sunday morning. With my two day stop over in Chicago, I'll arrive at Century Towers on Tuesday, so for anyone who's already there, you can have the welcome party ready for me at around 6 in the evening. My beer of choice in Guiness, or Yuengling if you can find it in MO.

But in all seriousness, anyone who's already at Century Towers, is there a grocery store in the immediate area? I did not see one when I was there in February. And, how's the work-out room? There wasn't much there when I saw it. One last question- have you been over to the school yet for any reason? I might like to walk over and say "hi" when I get there, but I really wouldn't know where to go and to whom I should talk.

And about the name-tag idea... um, I shall have to decline. You'll know me well enough (hint: my username is my initials!). It probably won't be too hard. I assume that "Drchris" has "Chris" somewhere in his name, I'd be suprised if "AnnaMags" is not named "Anna" or "Anne", and for "Solie", I'll listen for a Canadian accent.

:cool:

Until we meet, enjoy yourself wherever you may be, and don't have to much fun in MO until I arrive!

T.--

I drive 10 minutes up I 29 to the "Price Chopper" grocery store. It seems like the best bet for now.

The gym at CT is OK for me, b/c I like to cardio. I don't know if it will get busy though once everyone moves in.

Went over to the school last week, but no breaking news to report there for now. They are very friendly.

Good luck moving!! I only have Michelob Light, the ultiimate party beer in my fridge, so that will have to suffice for you!

M.

It sounds like a lot of fun to be moving in to a new place. I think it has it's pros and cons though. I don't have to spend the time or money moving, getting to know a new place, etc. It's so neat that you're all going to get to meet each other before orientation though. I'm a little jealous.

Mary, I'm sure you don't want to give your phone number out on here, but here's my email address... annamags@swbell.net. Email it to me, maybe we could talk once or something. I've talked with several second and third year students, but I'd love to get the chance to talk with some of you.

Girls, what all do you consider to be professional dress. I figure the first day I'll wear a suit, much like at the interview, but what other kinds of clothes are professional? I need to do some more shopping for that kind of stuff. I even need new jeans. I've been wearing the same ones for four years and they're falling apart now. I know that's what I'll actually end up wearing to class most of the year.

Anyway, enough for now. I love checking the message board now.

Hi Everyone,
I'm so excited. I move into Century Towers Aug 1! Are there actually 30 people moving in on that day?? That's just great, I guess I need to bring money to buy some of your lemonade DrMaryC :laugh: .
On the subject of professional dress a suit is an excellent choice. As for girls everyday "professional" a blouse with a skirt or slacks is cool. With an exception of probably the first week or so, the school dress code in short is nothing too tight, too short or frayed. I'm sure most upperclassman would agree that they don't dress up for class. Anna I pray that you did well in Biochemistry...Betteryet, I KNOW you did well in Biochem! Can't wait to see you all in Mo

Later,
DeJarra

I just found out there's a BBQ in CT on August 16th, but I also want to invite SDNers to a pre-orientation BBQ at my place, either the 10th or 11th of August (Sat or Sun) afternoon. Potluck, BYOB, etc. Email me at:

canderson16@kc.rr.com

if you're interested. I've been wanting to do this for a few days, but I've been trying to re-register as MedStudentMom to no avail. I give up. I guess I have to be mompremed for the rest of my life! :rolleyes: How ridiculous! Oh well, I guess in a few weeks we'll be too busy to post at all, especially in my case since I'll probably have to work a 12-hr shift each week to make ends meet.

Since there's already a BBQ planned at CT on the 16th, maybe a better option would be to go to River Market on Saturday evening the 10th. They usually have live music at the BBQ there on Fri-Sat night. (Can't remember the name of the BBQ, but it's right across from the River Brewery.) Or there's Tanner's downtown and/or tons of places on the Plaza or in Westport.

Cheers,

Well, I'm off to go on my vacation to Tennessee with my family! I can't wait to spend a week of relaxation. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm definitely interested in getting together with everyone.

Mary--It was nice to talk to you. I hope everyone is as down to earth as you.

Have a great week everyone! What fun it will be to come back and catch up on the posts. Enjoy your moving days.

What's up y'all--
Tomorrow is my last day of work......tonight is my last night on call. I can not believe it. I think it will hit me tomorrow when I don't have to come back to the hospital again, and then realize.....oh, I am actually starting medical school!!! Unbelievable!!!

Anyway, hope all is well. I will chat with all yous soon!!

Chris

Chris,
Congrats on being done with work. Now you can join the ranks of the rest of us---the unemployed:eek:

Well gang I went to the Matthew Bookstore today to look around...I heard lots of voices saying "DON'T BUY BOOKS!!!" I still haven't decided whether to listen to them. There are definitely a few that I would like to buy. I'm not planning on buying the whole list in time for Aug. 19. Relatively speaking, there weren't really that many people in the "Items for Sale" packet who were selling books. Hmmmm....anyone reading this thread selling a nice copy of "Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine"? For a bargain price?

Well, I must say I am BORED OUT OF MY MIND right now. I know....it is all going to change very very soon. I should just enjoy the free time. I've been off work for just over 3 weeks now and I think I'm getting antsy. I have no doubt that in the future I will be begging for a week like this. So I shouldn't complain. Thing is, it's hard to not spend any money. I'm being a good girl so far though.

Out for now,
M.;)

Hi guys and gals,
Word on the street is that UHS just made a mandatory dress code for all first year students. Guys have to wear slacks and a shirt with a collar, females can also wear slacks or skirt, but the bottom line is professional dress with a lab coat unless you are wearing scrubs which is the only clothing you can wear without a lab coat. This mandatory dress code is only for 1st years and those after us and will not apply to upperclassman. So what do you guys think??
On top of the new dress code, there is now a more controlled mandatory attendence in which we will be given assigned seats in class in order to check roll. The professors now will KNOW those who are not attending class.
I found out this information from a guy in our class who is attending the summer program that started today. If someone has heard anything different please enlighten me...because I'm definitly not feelin the attendence thing.

DeJarra

Ahh the dress code issue...

This is the first I've heard of it. I'm for it. But then again I have a wardrobe of such items carried over from my job. If I didn't have such a wardrobe I would be PO'd. Some may not agree with me, but dressing nice evokes a positive image on oneself and those impressionable people (i.e., in the future----patients). Even if you are dog tired and absolutely HATE being at a lecture or a clinic or whatever, your dress will carry you through. People cast judgement on you if you are in tattered clothes AND you look tired. My personal outlook is---I'm about to enter the "people" business in a big way. I might as well try to look nice. My own personal opinion, for the public forum.

Attendance. I didn't take acceptance at another school b/c they track their students' comings and going with a big-brother type ID card system. It was too much for me. I was responsible enough to show up for work every day for the last 6 years, I will be responsible enough to show up at school WHERE I'M PAYING BIG BUCKS to be there. I think assigned seating and roll call is a hair shy of the big brother thing, but I can hack it. Having to be "controlled" in such a way does take you down a notch, but the powers in the ivory tower must have had some issues that needed to be handled with such a "solution". So be it. I'll be there everyday. I'm paying for it out of my own pocket.

My opinions. Only opinions. I can certainly appreciate any arguments on the flipside. You're in control of your own destiny.
Just watch....:laugh: with my luck there will probably be some family crisis or something and I'll have to miss school and I'll go down in flames b/c of attendance.

Make today a good one everybody!!
M.

Originally posted by DrMaryC
Well, I must say I am BORED OUT OF MY MIND right now. I know....it is all going to change very very soon. I should just enjoy the free time. I've been off work for just over 3 weeks now and I think I'm getting antsy. I have no doubt that in the future I will be begging for a week like this. So I shouldn't complain. Thing is, it's hard to not spend any money. I'm being a good girl so far though.

Mary, if you're REALLY bored, you're welcome to come help me re-tile my bathtub, re-do my kitchen floor, clean out a closet or two, rearrange my bedroom, get my yardwork caught up; well, you get the idea! ;)

Just kidding of course, but seriously, give me a call if you want to come hang out and watch me work. (I do take breaks on a regular basis!)

Cheers,
Catherine

Dear UHS Class of 2006,

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, but I was having difficulty signing on for a while & then I got caught up in NASTY work for Gross Anantomy & my thesis.... which is still in progress, AHHH!

Anyways, this is the first I've heard of dress code or attendance policies, and while I see some point behind it, I agree that we are all adults here. I have enjoyed riding my bike across Boston (sure beats the T or the bus!!) in jeans & a t-shirt (& maybe not smelling like roses when I get there, but all I'm doing is going to Gross lab anyways!!). I am one of those people who: a) will be living on a shoesting (again) b) does NOT have an extravangant wardrobe to say the least! c) may not make it for the 8 AM lecture every single day!

So, to say the least, these ideas are not on my list of fun-- but they are rumors thus far & hopefully they will stay that way-- if anyone has reputable leads on the validity of these rumors, please let the rest of us know!

Anyways, I leave to join y'all in just over a week & I cannot CANNOT wait!!! Woohoo! See you then!

Peace,
Hillary

PS-- If anyone is willing/able to help me move furniture the evening of Aug. 12th (Monday) in exchange for dinner/beer/etc., please let me know. Thanks!

Hillary, I hope you're right! Maybe I'm getting all "het up" about nothing! I'm just so on edge and waiting for the other shoe to drop, I'm just automatically expecting the worst, I guess! :eek:

I can help you move August 12th.

Cheers,

Catherine

testing...

I want to invite all the SDNers and their families, SO's, etc. to a Pre-orientation BBQ at my place on August 10th at 4pm - ? Probably eat around 6ish, depending on how long it takes to grill the meat - or Veggie Burgers for the vegetarians in the group. I am about 2 miles from the school off Gladstone Blvd. Email me for directions if you want to come. Potluck, BYOB, BYOM(meat, etc.), BYOP(place settings). I have the Charcoal grill, charcoal, picnic table and 14 lawn chairs. And condiments! It usually starts to get pretty nice that time of day out under the big old shade tree. As it gets cooler and darker, the tiki torches and lights give a great atmosphere to relax in!

Hope to see you all then!

Cheers,
Catherine

canderson16@kc.rr.com

I have been reading this forum for over 2 years and have never posted but couldn't resist sending out my congratulations to the UHS class of 2004 for a 96% first time pass rate on the Comlex after serving as Guinea pigs for a new curriculum.:clap:

Well, DrMaryC emailed me a funny joke - it was really funny; thank you Mary! - and I refigured my finances again, so I'm feeling better. Even without a roommate and not refinancing my house to pay off my private student loans and car, I should be able to scrape by if I work Saturdays and get food stamps when I'm eligible. If one of those 2 equations work out (roommate OR refinancing) I should be able to get by without having to work. If both work out I should be o.k. without working or having to get food stamps. I still need to "save" my car as much as possible, so wearing scrubs & bicycling seem like a viable plan at this point.

I can't tell you how ironic it is that I'm worried about saving my car! I've remodeled my kitchen - paint, wallpaper, replaced the countertop, sink & faucet, tiled the backsplash, extended the cabinets and installed a dishwasher, replumbed the garbage disposal and of course the sink and faucet/dishwasher all by myself! I'm not afraid to tackle a plumbing/remodeling job, but the car thing completely mystifies and terrifies me! What is so ironic is that when I was married to my ex for 20+ years, he would never let us go anywhere if the car wasn't in nearly new condition and since we were so poor, we never went anywhere because our car/s were in anything BUT nearly new condition! (We had 3 little ones, I had no skills and he worked little-to-none.) And now here I am, afraid to do anything but baby my car and basically PARK it as much as possible! I think I need to check out Communiversity and see if there's a car class for women who are stupid when it comes to cars! ;)

Thank you for letting me ramble and I hope you will all bear with me. I have gone from convincing myself that it is really stupid to go to medical school at my age (52) and that it would never really happen, to daring to believe that I really am going to be a doctor, in 10 short days! Every once in awhile I allow myself to tap into the exhilaration of it all, but if I let myself feel it too deeply, No. 1, I'm on the verge of tears (of joy!) and No. 2, I panic because I'm afraid it won't "go down" afterall.

Unfortunately, you all are probably sensing the panic, but if you get to know me....believe me, the joy is the driving force. My passion for medicine and my compassion for humanity have brought me through incredible obstacles thus far, I'm sure it will carry me through this.

Cheers

mompremed--

I think you need to just sit back, try to relax, and whatever happens will happen. I know where you are coming from about money, family and such. I have so many things going on in my life with my own family, credit card and student loan debt, car problems, crappy house we live in, and so on. But what I have learned to do is take one day at a time, and don't sweat the small stuff. If you worry about finances and such every waking minute, you will be miserable, and your health will go to pot.

I think that once school starts, you will need to learn to leave all the outside problems at the door, have fun, and concentrate on school. We are all in the same boat in one way or another.

I hope you don't think I am coming across as rude or trying to tell you how to run your life or that I know everything. I am just pointing out the minor details that might help you succeed better in school.

Well I am off for now........moving day is in two days!!!!!! Cannot wait!!!!!!!!

Later y'all!

Chris

Chris/Catherine,
Chris I couldn't have said it any better myself.

My only advice is to make each new day the best day...be the best person you possibly can, toward yourself and others. Make that the ultimate priority. The rest will all fall into place.

:D


And remember,

Originally posted by drchris33
mompremed--

I think you need to just sit back, try to relax, and whatever happens will happen. I know where you are coming from about money, family and such.

I know you're right, Chris. I think part of my problem is I have too much time to stew and worry at work. They decided not to let me do what I was trained to do these last 2 weeks (test and certify software), and they have me answering phones instead. Yesterday I got 6 calls - that's maybe 1 hours worth of work in a 9-hr day! I am SO BORED!!! It makes the days just dra-a-a-ag by. :rolleyes: WAY too much time to think!

I always do better when I've got a lot to do, so I'm sure I'll be fine once school starts.

I know that everything will work out the way it's supposed to, and I do appreciate you all letting me vent. It's just that I've had to do a 180-degree turn in such a short time, my head is just spinning!

Catherine

Dear Catherine & everyone else sweating nice clothing we don't have,

I'll be there with you in the scrub option a few days a week (at least) and I will also be 'saving' my car, although it is a bit easier for me as I will only have to walk across the street! I will ride my bike everywhere else though-- I've done it for almost a year here in Boston, so it can be done!

See y'all in just over a week!!!!:p :clap:

Peace,
Hillary

OK...if this works...I'll write more...

I was told that if we had complaints about the dress code we could email complaints to ddazell@uhs.edu. This was told to me by the person in the student services office. Just incase anybody wanted to know.

Hello fellow classmates:

Well tomorrow is the big day!! I cannot believe it has gotten here so fast! I have so much packing to do still.......oh well it will get done.

I just felt it was my SDN duty to protest and gripe about the new policies to so here we go..........

I think it is a bunch of crap. Everyone of us has busted their respective heinies for the past three years or whatever it took to get you here. So all of us are hard workers, dedicated to our studies, and we all should have ideas of professional dress and behavior. We will be shelling out $30,000 for tuition alone, so I believe we have a right to attend class if we want to. I personally am the type that goes to all lectures and likes to hear the information presented by a lecturer, but that is just me. I learn the best that way so that is what I am going to do.

I seriously do not know why the school is suddenly changing policies on us. I mean, I understand that we shouldn't show up for class in tattered jeans and no shirt, like Spicole would on Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but come on! Sure we are professionals, sure we will be always viewed as an upper part of the society because of our profession, but I do not think that becoming a military medical school will be the answer. I thought that our school was one of the best ones around, and now, I think that some of our classmates may change their minds, simply because of the new bulls*^& rules!!

Anyhow, I am done preaching for now. Please leave your offertory money in my mailbox at my apartment complex!! :)

I am taking the Summer Learning Enhancement Program starting on Monday and I know Mary C is too, so maybe we can get more info and talk to the people of the school to let them know that alot of our class is upset and would like an explanation.

I will try my best for you all...............

Peace out!!

Chris

I have found some prices on scrubs on AllHeart.com. If anyone is interested, email me and let me know and maybe we can save some money if we go in together as there is a big price break on shipping, the more you buy. The priority shipping gets it here within about 4 business days, it looks like.

Click below for the link:

Scrubs (http://www.allheart.com/ah0set.html)

Catherine

Hey all!
I just finished moving all my stuff into my new place. Just a word of advice for those of you who havent moved yet...do NOT make Uhaul reservations online!! I did and my Uhaul was 2 days late.

good luck to all those who still have to move in! i cant wait to meet everyone! see you soon!

Dear Future Disgruntled Classmates,

I'm sad that school hasn't even started and there is so much dissention. And it's about dress code and attendance.

My advice: if you don't want your complaints to fall on deaf ears, be prepared to offer a solution to the problem along with your presentation of the problem.

Have a great weekend!
M.

Scrubs will be cheap at the bookstore. They are getting a bunchin for the first years. Something like 15 bucks or so for a top and pants. You should only need 2 or 3 pair a week.

As far as the dress code and the attendance policy goes...welcome to UHS. There is a lot of this kind of changing going on lately and Im sure youll see more changes to come. This is a very image conscience school and its run by lawyers who see us as a bottom line. Why do you think they enroll 240 students at 30k a pop. Get used to it, do your 2 years here and move on. There are going to be issues at every school. UHS is no different from anyone else.

Dear fellow UHS 2006ers,

I agree with the disagreement forum-- I think it's interesting to slip this little bitty about dress and attendance in right before we get there, and the defense is certainly going to be along the lines of "Well, we couldn't have told you back when you paid us your NON REFUNDABLE $1000 (acceptance & matriculation fees) because we didn't know...."

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight:rolleyes:

But anyways, I agree with handling this in a diplomatic and professional way-- i.e. ask constructively why these changes were implemented-- was attendance really falling off? were people wearing MEDSCHOOL BOOYEAH t-shirts & cutoff jeans to class? is the recent 96% pass rate on the Step I not good enough?? I think if we approach the problem(s) without screaming fervor about how we have no $$, etc etc etc... (I'm in the scrubs boat too) we'll get a lot farther.

I like the idea of the peaceful protest & maybe we can accomplish it by wearing NOTHING BUT SCRUBS everyday. Then maybe they'll get so sick of us in our wrinkly scrubs, they will rethink this code idea. . . . muhahahah. :p

Anyways, we definitely need a spearheaded effort (maybe a petition) asking for an explanation-- I think if we go in together, a change or at least an open discussion will ensue.

See y'all in a week!

Peace,
Hillary

Welcome to KC first years (doesn't that sound great)!
Speaking for the second years, we don't like the attendence policy any more than you do. I would highly recommend coming with suggestions on the 12th. Also, present a united front- strength in numbers. Dean Willsie told me that she has only heard one negative comment about the policy. If you want to e-mail her before you arrive, she is at swillsie@uhs.edu Let her know what you think.
Best of luck this next year, and I'll see y'all on campus.
Jen Scott, MSII:D

Wow! It feels so great being able to post again! I can feel the withdrawl symptoms slowly fading away...;)

I can't believe school is starting in 10 days! I'm so excited, but also sooooooo stressed out because I still haven't gotten my student visa, so I can't even start to think about moving down to KC yet. You wouldn't believe the trouble I've had trying to secure a loan. Not being an American citizen, I'm using a different type of loan than everyone else, and it's causing me serious headaches.

I first appplied for it about two months ago, thinking I would have no problems getting approved because my co-signer has a great credit rating (according to his accountant!)--he owns his own business, home, car, etc. So I'm thinking no problems, right? I wish! Two weeks ago I find out that my application has been REJECTED because of my co-signer--apparently he was a month late on a CABLE bill something like three years ago...so obviously he's a HUGE credit risk, and simply cannot be my co-signer. :rolleyes:

So then I start to freak out, thinking about how soon Orientation is approaching and how now I've got no way to get across the border without a visa (I'm living in Toronto). :eek: So I really REALLY quickly submit another application with a different co-signer last Wednesday (which involved a lot of cross-country Fed Exing to get my co-signer's signatures)...and I just found out two days ago that it was approved! Good news? Well, partially...I'm still in the "waiting for school certification" phase of the process, whatever that means. I contacted the financial aid office at UHS, and they said they would fax off their "certification" yesterday, so I'm hoping they did it.

The way I figure it, if those documents don't find their way into my hands by this Wednesday, I'm in a LOT of trouble because it takes two days to get the student visa (I need to have the loan documents to apply for it)--so I've got to apply for the visa on Thursday, pick it up on Friday, then fly down to KC on Saturday! Whew! I really hope it all works out, but I'm starting to have some serious doubts. My only hope is that the loan people can somehow put a "rush" on the processing stage once they receive the school certification, and then send the documents to me Express Post or something. If not....I don't even want to think about it....re-writing the MCAT, re-applying, re-interviewing, re-waiting (is that even a word??)....I would be so devastated!

So everyone send me some good karmic quick-mail thoughts in the next few days, and I hope I'll be meeting you all in about a week!

Thanks for listening (reading?)--I have this feeling that my future med school classmates will understand my stress way better than my family does ("Why don't you just go next year." :rolleyes: )

~~Danielle~~

Dear Danielle,

So glad you can post again!!!! You must be so frustrated with the student visa/ financial aid fiasco. Try to take it one day at a time to get done what you need done. Focus only on that (yeah right, like you can focus on anything else) and getting yourself down here. The rest will fall into place.

You're living at CT, right? Do not hesitate to call me if you need any help once you get down here. Is anyone coming with you?

I wish the best for you!
M.

I just wanna know, what ever possessed the old people who had my house before to think you could use aluminum "tile" around the bathtub?! There is absolutely no WAY to seal it. All the plaster and lathe behind it is soaking wet or very damp and will have to be removed and sheetrocked! I don't know if that is something I will be able to do - yikes! Yet if I hadn't started this, the whole wall would probably have rotted out by Christmas! :eek:

Even worse, instead of only being able to take baths for a week or so (no showers which I expected) I won't even be able to take baths! Somehow I've got to eliminate every hint of moisture in there for at LEAST a week, I think.

Is anyone in CT willing to let me come take a shower every 3rd day or so? I think I can do "spit baths" for a couple days or so, and wash my hair in the kitchen sink, but I know by the third day I'm going to need a real shower or bath! I could go to my son's, but he lives about 30 minutes away!

Cheers,
Catherine

Catherine,
I was reading your post and I'd like to let you know that I'll help ya out...you can borrow my shower anytime. Just call and we'll coordinate.

Your bathroom sounds like quite a project! Good for you for taking it on, though. You'll be so happy when it's done! Nothing like a brand new bathroom. Sheetrock is not easy to work with though, is it? I'm hoping you have someone who can help you with that step.

Talk to ya soon!
2 days till SLEP starts!
M.:eek:

:laugh:

I was just reading the past few pages about the dress code revolt and I have a fleeting thought----

WHAT COLOR SCRUBS?!?!?!

If you would like, I could list all the different colors and patterns available nowadays.....:p :p You could build a wardrobe out of scrubs! The class won't look very "uniform" if some people wear green, some blue, some navy blue, some purple, some fuschia, some olive, some gray, etc.....flowery patterns, puppy dogs, kittens, bandaid prints, stethoscope prints, drawstring pants, cargo pants, pants with buttons and zippers, ......oh the list goes on. They even have blue-jean scrubs now. Problem solved!!!! :laugh:

Cheers!
M.

Originally posted by DrMaryC
Catherine,
I was reading your post and I'd like to let you know that I'll help ya out...you can borrow my shower anytime. Just call and we'll coordinate.

Thank you Mary, I appreciate that!

Your bathroom sounds like quite a project! Good for you for taking it on, though. You'll be so happy when it's done! Nothing like a brand new bathroom. Sheetrock is not easy to work with though, is it? I'm hoping you have someone who can help you with that step. [/B]

I have a call in to my oldest son. (The one that's married.) He can do just about anything! I'm not really re-doing the whole bathroom - yet! The rest of it is also covered in that crappy blue aluminum tile and I know I don't have time to do that before classes start. But I could tell the tile around the tub wouldn't hold up until Christmas and it seems I was right! I'm still hoping I don't have to re-sheetrock the whole thing, that maybe if I get it good and dry I can smooth drywall compound over it after soaking with a mildew/mold inhibitor and drying again. I'm going to put a space heater turned up full blast in there over the w/e and see what it looks like on Monday, depending on what my son has to say.

In the meantime, I might as well start laying my new kitchen floor! (Gotta keep busy, busy, busy! Idle hands make the mind play funny tricks, you know!)

Cheers,
Catherine

I think I will start breaking my posts up into little tiny pieces so I can get back to my senior member status. Maybe I can set a record on how quickly it takes to get to senior member status the second time! (Tee-hee) I think the mold and mildew I've been breathing is making me loopy! Oh, I forgot, it's a short trip, anyway! :D :D

Catherine

Hey everyone!

Danielle, just wanted to say stay positive!! its going to work out as long as you dont give up on the possibility that it will. there are few things that ive found more true than, "where there is a will, there is a way!"

Just so all of you SDN posters know the administration @ UHS monitors these pages to get a feel for the concerns of the class

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to ask you if anone here can tell me when the white coating ceremony is going to be for your class? I would really like to know. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Doc_thks_JC

Originally posted by Doc_Thks_JC
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to ask you if anone here can tell me when the white coating ceremony is going to be for your class? I would really like to know. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Doc_thks_JC

It's on August 15th.

Thanks to everyone for your encouraging words--I'm not giving up, that's for sure! I've come so far, and I'm so close to living my dream of being in med school that it's all just GOT to work out one way or another. :)

And Medicine Mom--first of all Congratulations and Welcome to the class! I know it's a little late, but still very much meant! I can't wait to meet you--hearing about how you're tackling all those home renovations yourself has made you my new hero! And here I was all impressed with myself when I once rewired a socket (with more supervision than I'd care to admit!) ;)
And don't worry--I'm sure your "meeting" on Monday is probably just a way to welcome you to the school. Maybe you won a lottery!??! Maybe they're giving you a full ride scholarship! You never know...! Let us know what happens.

~~Danielle~~

I just got back from my very relaxing, fun, and adventuresome trip to Tennessee. Boy, did you guys give me a lot of reading material. I think I've been reading for forty-five minutes! I can't believe all the new news. And I was just worried about dealing with getting my transcript to UHS.

So, this is really true....a dress code and attendance policy. That is a big change from the UHS I remember. I can understand a lot of their reasons, but I can also understand all of our reasons to dislike it. Plus, I just bought two new pairs of jeans. I certainly won't need those now. Scrubs are just too downdressed for me sometimes, but if it's the alternative to slacks, etc. I guess I'll take it. I know that there will be some serious discussion over this when we get to school.

I also want to caution everyone in how we handle the situation. I have talked to a third year about how each class is given a name by the faculty and school as a whole. Her class seems to have been dubbed "the complainers" and the most recent class was something like "the dummies." I don't want us to get a really negative name. The complainers were dealing with an entirely new curriculum. They wanted to constantly check the validity of everything they were being asked to do. The dummy one had a long story to go along with it and unfortunately was because of a small number of students. I just don't want us to be seen in a negative light.

I know we all value the role professional dress plays, but it is hard to want to look professional when you're going to be sitting in a chair or working with a cadaver all day. Maybe they need to give us a list of things we can't wear...such as shorts, little tiny tanktops, jeans with holes, etc. I don't know, I just can't quite believe it.

I have got to get off this computer though.

I'll check back often.

Hi Class 2006,
I am a fellow student (Class of 2005) and I found the previous post very offensive. To let a third year tell you that we are "the dummies" is a joke. That is so untrue. Just to inform you, we had a higher entering class GPA and Average MCAT score than they did. They called us dummies because a select few of our class decided to put more time into studying lecture material which counts 70% of your grade than studying Anatomy and Path which only counts about 15% total of your grade (by the way we still learned our path and anatomy as well as they did). If we are dummies for doing that, then maybe they need to reevaluate their definition of dummies. Also, for them to call us dummies, you should have seen how smart they were as OPP TA's (It was a joke!!!). I am sorry for getting so upset, but it really is upsetting when a class is labeled something just because we were a different class!! Give me a break! We learned our material the same way they did!! I know a few third years, who I really appreciate and think are great students and people (Mark Mcnemar being one of them, Rock on Mark!!!). But for the most part, the third years were always trying to find a fault in our class (constantly talking behind our backs, etc....). I hope our class has more self respect and responsibility to try and help your class, and not degrade it. I hope your class the best in school and your profession and know that you guys are equals with us. We are no better nor worse than you. Let's try to help each other and not bash each other. This labeling is childish and pathetic!

Good Luck at your White Coating Ceremony and On Your First Section

Hmmm, I sure am sorry for my previous post. I guess I didn't know it would be taken that way. I do apologize. However, my intention with posting that bit of information was to warn the students in my class to watch how we respond to the recent rumors, etc.

I only heard that story from another student. She described several situations to me. The student even felt bad to say it but just wanted to tell me more about the school and curriculum. She said many were disappointed in some of the students' decision to skip out on some practicals or something. I did not mean to be offensive to anyone, as I said.

One reason I loved UHS from the start was how hard the students seem to help those that come after them. I know the class of 2005 will not be any different.

I hope everyone has a great start to the week. I'll still be working, so wish me luck.

Hi Anna/Everybody,

Anna glad to see ya made it back from vacation! It sounds like you had a fab time!

Dr Chris is here in KC now. He gave me a holler and let me know they made it. It's cool to be matching voices with posts now; soon we'll be going all the way from the virtual world to the physical one and meeting in person!!

Did I mention that Dan at the UHS bookstore was really cool to me when I went to buy books? He was patient (I showed up at the end of the day) with me and gave me tips on what the profs like as far as books go. He was very helpful.

Other than that, SLEP is this week. A fellow resident who lives here at CT mentioned that he really enjoyed the SLEP last week.

Next week is Orientation!! I wonder what our community project will be?

I'm an aunt again---my brother and his wife adopted a little baby girl from Guatemala! They arrived home with her a few days ago. She's very cute and will be a year old Aug. 13. I'm bummed that I can't see her for a while. I have 4 nephews and now 2 neices.

I'm so excited for the year to start. I'm sure the rest of you are too!!

Good luck with moving for those who still have to move!
Ciao!
M.:clap:

Hi All!!
Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I was in a moving frenzy. I MADE IT!! I'm actually here in CT and class (for the summer program) starts tomorrow. I'm so excited. Well tomorrow is going to be a looong day, lecture from 8-5...who's bringing coffee? I'll be without a computer for a while so I hope to see you all soon.

bye,
DeJarra

Just wanted to say hi to everyone... I can't believe that the start of school is almost here. I'm moving into CT this Thursday. I look forward to meeting all of you! :)

Hello Everyone!
I am enjoying my last few days of R&R back here in 'Bama. I will be coming back to K.C. on Saturday. I actually moved into CT a couple of weeks ago, but I flew back home so I could go to the beach for a week. Pretty good plan, huh? Anyway, can anyone who lives in CT tell me if they started cooling the halls and the foyers by the elevators? It was like a sauna in the halls when I was moving in. I'm from Alabama, so I'm not a heat wuss or anything(DeJarra knows what I'm talking about :) )I just thought they would pipe in a little A/C in the halls. Well, enough griping. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you guys next week.

O.k., I met with Mr. Heirich this afternoon. He is the expert on credit, and he looked at my report and felt I should be alright, that I am overextended, but the way I've handled my credit is perfect so I should be able to get a private loan. I have been so utterly panicked about whether I could get the private loan, that I have been freaking out about every little thing! I am so sorry for that, and please, please forgive me if I have offended anyone.

If anyone else is worried, go see this man, he is absolutely WONDERFUL - so kind and caring - he really set my mind at ease more than I can express! It will be tight, but manageable according to him. I can handle that! It's "impossible" that I can't handle. I have so many people all across the city and around the country that are praying for me and lifting me up, because they believe in me, that if I could not manage this because of finances, I would not only be devasted for myself, but also for all these that have stood and are standing behind me. One young lady from my company came to buy some things I'm selling (I'm selling everything I don't absolutely have to have to get extra money) and after talking for awhile, as she was leaving she expressed the desire that she wished she could afford to put me through med school! Isn't that just so sweet?! With support like that, from people I hardly know, let alone from people who know me well, how can I fail?! I can't, and I won't. I simply refuse to.

Anyway, I have deleted my offensive posts and I'm keeping to the positive side from here on out. As one very wise lady told me regarding issues that can cause me to be sidetracked: Is this going to keep me from being the best physician I can be? If it won't, it doesn't matter! (paraphrased, of course, I was a little stressed at the time! ;) )

Please email me if you're planning to come to my pre-orientation BBQ on August 10, I'd just like to get some idea on how many chairs I'll need to scrape up!

Cheers,
Catherine

hey jasjaz
just wanted to welcome you aboard! i knew that you went to europe for awhile, but i never heard if you received "the call." good luck moving into CT. it sounds like theres going to be quite a few people there already. im sure you can rally a few to help you!

as for the dresscode issue..ive been asking a few people who attend schools with our type of policy and all of them said that the professional dress code really helps to give them a professional attitude while at school. it sounds like it will reflect well not only on our school, but also on us as future physicians. as for those of us who didnt plan on budgeting for new clothes..maybe we can work out some type of sharing rotation so that our old clothes seem new to those we're sharing with!!:laugh:

im counting down the days till orientation!! i dont think ive ever been more excited about school starting! i know im crazy, but im actually looking forward to being stressed and studying again! im going to have to print this out and laugh at myself when i actually get to that state again! cant wait to start meeting everyone! less than a week now! see you all soon
-carissa

Hey CJT, it's nice to hear from you. I actually got "the call" shortly after I arrived in Spain. I too am getting very excited to start school. Are you living in CT?

- Jennifer :)

Dear UHSers,

WHEW! I am getting so excited about the fact that we are ACTUALLY starting next week!!! I just finished Gross and am putting the finishing touches on my thesis [+pissed+] as we speak! WOOHOO!!!!!!!! (can you tell I'm psyched or what!?!):clap:

This weekend, I was talking with a former classmate (who is at NSUCOM now) about heading out to KC next week & she mentioned that they have a dress code at Nova & that it's not too bad. I know I have been sarcastic about wearing wrinkly scrubs and the like, but (like she said) it will all pale once we delve into the work that is ahead of us! We will WISH the worst thing we are concerned with is what to wear once the exams are upon us, I am sure!! Let's keep our sights on becoming the best darn docs we can be (you got it Medicine Mom)(can you tell I'm in the Army?? hahah)!!!

Anyways, to all of you there in KCMO already, scope out the cool spots & for all traveling within the next week, HAPPY & SAFE TRAILS!!! :cool:

Peace,
Hillary

As everyone knows, I am sitting here at work with maybe an hour's worth of work to do in a 9-hour day.....sigh. But a coworker sent me this email today, and I thought it was so appropriate to the task we have ahead, so I hope no one minds my posting this long article. I am going to print it off and keep it in my backpack, and try to work on the suggestions each week.

Here goes.....:)

***********Tuesday's Tip with Dr. Zimmerman************
#112
August 6, 2002

Tip:
Excuses are like noses. We all got one, and they all
smell.

Dr. Alan Zimmerman's Comment:
A while ago, at one of my seminars, an audience member asked why some people succeed while others fail. Then she gave several examples of unlikely people succeeding and likely people failing.

She, herself, was one of the unlikely people who had succeeded in life. She was one of nine children born into a poverty stricken family that was verbally, physically, and sexually abusive. She said that she was now the vice president of a corporation, made a substantial income, and was happily married. By contrast, all her siblings had gone through numerous jobs, marriages, and courtrooms, and none of them were even close to being successful at anything.

The class and I exchanged several ideas as to why some succeed and others fail. We talked about why some people perform to the best of their ability while others settle for average or awful. But if I had to limit my answer to just one thing, I would say that the number one difference is DETERMINIATION.

I see it over and over again. Some people will tell me that they never had a chance to succeed. They are the wrong color, sex, or age, or they had the wrongparenting, schooling, or managing. Other people, with the same color, sex, or age, or with similar parenting, schooling, and managing, are doing quite well.

The difference is in their determination. FAILURES USE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AS AN EXCUSE TO GIVE UP-WHILE SUCCESSES USE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AS A REASON TO GET GOING. And determination is the resolve to meet every obstacle with the assurance that it can and will be overcome.

Walt Disney showed us that. As a young boy Walt was a reamer. He loved to dwell in the world of fantasy, entertainment, and cartoon. And so he dreamed. But his success as a cartoonist didn't come instantly.It took determination.

He approached the editor of the Kansas City newspaper to show him his drawings. The editor curtly replied, "These won't do. If I were you, I'd give up this work. From these sketches, it's obvious your talent lies elsewhere."

But Walt was determined. His desire to be a cartoonist was strong. He believed he could do it in spite of the editor's negative appraisal. So Walt went to other newspapers, receiving rejection after rejection. Still he persevered. He kept knocking on doors until he finally got a job drawing publicity material for
churches.

Then he began searching for a studio. All he could find was an old mice-infested garage, but it was in that studio-garage that Walt continued to draw and write. And it was in that garage and from that determined beginning that Walt-and one of the mice (Mickey Mouse) -- eventually became world-famous.

What about you? Do you have more excuses than determination? Do you tell yourself that you'll be happier when you get a bigger raise or a better house? Do you think your marriage will improve when your spouse learns how to communicate? Do you think you'll have less stress when the economy improves? Do you wait for things to change before you do? Then you're in trouble.

Or are you filled with determination? Are you continuously fired up? Are you achieving all that you are capable of achieving? Determination can be learned, and determination can be nurtured. In fact that's just one of the things you'll learn at my Peak Performance Boot Camp. Click here http://www.drzimmerman.com/bootcamp.htm for more information on how you can sign up for my one and only two-day intensive Peak Performance Boot Camp in 2002. Determination is the product of three elements: a GOAL, a COMMITMENT, and a FOCUS. Determination starts with a goal. You have to have something to strive for. Then you've got to be committed. You've got to believe in your goal. The stronger your belief, the stronger your determination will become. And finally, you must stay focused on your goal. Yielding to distractions will destroy your determination.

If you want to develop your determination, set a good, solid, important GOAL for yourself. That's what Holda Crooks did back in the 1980's. She wanted to stand on top of the tallest mountain in North America. She wanted to see the beauty of the world from that perspective.

Age slowed her down a bit, but her goal was so personally important that it set her determination in motion. When she was featured on a television news program, achieving her goal at age 90, she was asked about her age. The news anchor asked, "When do you think you are going to grow old?" Holda answered, "I haven't really considered that very much." Her goals and her determination made her age irrelevant.

With your goal in place, add COMMITMENT to the mix. It's quite clear that a person who believes in his goal and is committed to achieving it has more energy and more success. In fact, once the commitment is made, almost-magical powers come to your aid.

The Scottish mountaineer, William Hutchison Murray, wrote about that in his book, "The Scottish Himalayan Expedition." He wrote: "Until one is committed there is hesitancy...The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred."

Do you have a goal that is setting your determination in motion? Are you committed to your goal so your determination is lowing? If so, then all you have to do is add FOCUS. You just have to keep your eye on the goal. One of three boys learned that. As they were playing in the deep snow, a neighbor asked them if they wanted to have a race. He said he would give a prize to
the winner.

It sounded good to the boys, so they gathered around the man to learn more. He told them the winner would not be the one who ran the fastest but the one who ran the straightest line. He said he would go to the other end of the field, give a signal, and have them race to him.

The boys took off. The first one looked at his feet as he ran to make sure they were pointing straight ahead. The second boy wondered how straight the boys on either side of him were running and tried to line himself up with them. The third boy just kept his eyes fixed on the man at the end of the field. He kept
his eyes fixed on the goal. And, of course, he won the race. His line was by far the straightest.

The two losers lost their focus. They got distracted from the goal. In fact, they made the two most common mistakes people make when trying to achieve their goals.

The first boy became self-conscious. He spent too much time worrying about the possible mistakes he was making. The second boy spent too much time wondering how his competitors were doing. Don't make those mistakes. You not only lose the race, but you'll also lose your determination for other races in life.

You can have DETERMINIATION. You can be as successful as you want-as long as you avoid the excuses-and apply the three keys I've outlined today.

Action:
Rank order the three keys to determination: goal, commitment, and focus. Give a number "1" to the key at which you're best and a "3" to the one at which you're weakest.

Now decide on three things you can do this week to strengthen your number "3" item. Write them down, and spend at least ten minutes each day this week implementing your chosen strategies.

Have a fantastic week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman

================================================== ===

hi jennifer
unfortunately im not living in CT. i wish i could have, it would have been so convienant! but i couldnt leave my dog behind so im living about 4 miles from school. i didnt get a chance to even see my place before i moved in, but scott orth (one of our student ambassadors at our interview) suggested it and thankfully its working out really well. good luck with moving in! im sure it will be nice for you to get settled in.

well, i hope to see some of you at catherines BBQ, if not, i cant wait to meet you all on monday!!
carissa

Are a lot of you planning on going to the barbecue at Catherine's on Saturday? I'm just trying to work out my schedule this weekend so I don't yet know if I'll make it. If a lot of you plan on attending I wanted to work extra hard to make it fit in.

Also--did you invite any of the students living in CT that don't talk on SDN?? Just curious. How many of you are living there now? I'll be excited to come check it out once school starts and I get to know some of you.

Well, today is my last day of work! I have to work 1:30-10 and although my job is very busy, (hopefully it will be nothing like last night) I have a feeling the shift will seem to go on forever.

See ya

I finally got my computer on-line today after living in CT for over a week.

Some random responses: BamaAlum- the air conditioning in the rest of the building is on, but the elevator columns are still hot as...well, Alabama.

Catherine- So sorry I can't make your barbeque.

Jennifer- I think I've met you (you have a roomate, correct?)

About this dress code issue: can anyone who has spoken to an official of the school confirm this as a fact? Out of all of those posts that mention this issue, it seems like nobody has a solid source. I guess I could just walk across the street and ask, but that would require me too much effort, and I'm feeling uncommonly lazy.

By the way, any SDNer's (theres an acronym from hell!), or anyone else, feel free to drop by and introduce yourself at apt. #534. I've only met people sporadically so far and I would be pleased to meet you.

-Tom

Hey guys--
I haven't been able to post for a while, due to the fact I don't have internet in my apartment yet. Plus with the SLEP, I have been so tired that I haven't even thought about it.

To address the dress code issue: yes it is official; we do have one this year. And like you all have heard, it is either scrubs or business attire. To my understanding, the business for the guys is no more than khakis and polo shirts; for the ladies, I would suppose nice dresses or slacks/blouses. I don't think it will be bad at all, dress code wise!

To address the SLEP: I think it is great. I am so sorry for those of you not being able to participate. We have received a good indication of how school is going to be. To be honest, I have been so tired and apprehensive this week. I have actually re-evaluated my decision to become a doctor. The amount of material is intense and I get home at night and ask myself if I can handle this. Everyone says that this is normal, so I am going to take their word for it. I think I can do it, it will just take a tremendous amount of work.

I am planning on attending the barbecue at Catherines. So if you are going, see you there.

As for buying books, some of the second years have advised to wait until you are absolutely sure you need them. One of them said to throw away the list of books all together. A few of them you will need is either Netters or Grants for anatomy, Stedmans dictionary, and Moore/Dalley that is a Clinically Anatomy textbook. Most of the profs give more than adequate notes; so volume and details shouldn't be a problem. So far, all of the profs are excellent lecturerers; alot of the material they have presented I have remembered from undergrad, other than histology which I didn't take!

So that will be my post for the week, more than likely. If you have questions/concerns, feel free to email me. I will try to get to you asap.

See you next week!!!!

Chris

Heys guys--
I am replying to my previous post. I think yesterday I was just overwhelmed with all the information, leaving my family, and so on. I studied last night with some people, and although I don't know everything, I feel I have a decent grasp on the material.

I just didn't want to scare anyone about school, since my enthusiasm was so high before. I am so glad to be here. Just be ready to work your butt off. Don't sweat the minute details of lectures either.......there is just too much info to do that. You really need to switch your brains out of undergrad mode about memorizing all the facts......there is no way! You all will see what I mean when school starts!!!!

Looking forward to meeting you all Monday!!!!

Chris

Wow, Chris! I know it wasn't the intention of your post, but you're making me nervous already! ;) What kinds of things are you learning in SLEP anyway? Are you already starting in on the material we will be covering in the first few weeks? It sounds intense already.

On a lighter note--I'm moving down to KC tomorrow morning! My loan has been approved, the documentation has been received, and I'm on my way! I only hope I'll have immigration officials who've already had their morning coffee when I come through with my papers. I don't know why, but I've just got this fear that for some reason they won't let me through, and this whole thing will fall through.

The people who work in the financial aid office at UHS have really been awesome with me, though. I've been pestering them all week about things, and they always respond promptly and are so helpful! What a nice change from the financial aid office at my undergrad! :laugh:

So tomorrow I'll be moving into Century Towers--not sure what apartment # yet, but hopefully I'll get to meet some of you who are already there.

I don't know if I'll be able to make it to Catherine's BBQ tomorrow--but I'll definitely be there in spirit!

~~Danielle~~

Well, I think I'll have the kitchen floor done in time for the BBQ tonight, but of course I'll be struggling to get the bathroom tile done by next w/e before classes start!

I'm making a big batch of potato salad and baked beans (with a smaller pan w/o bacon for our vegetarian friends!) and I've checked and I think I'll have plenty of paper plates, napkins, plastic silverware, etc. So anyone who is coming, just bring a hot dog, or whatever you want. And actually, I have some hamburger patties (sirloin!) and buffalo wings from Sam's Club that need to be used up, so if you're a meat-eater, you just need to bring whatever you like to drink! I also have a big bottle of Gates BBQ sauce if anyone's interested! Plus the rest of condiments and hamburger/hotdog buns. Maybe bring a bag of chips to share if you like, if the above fare sounds palatable to you! ;)

Hope to see you all here! You're certainly welcome to bring anybody you like, we'll worry about chairs if we come to it. Email me for directions if you haven't already, I will leave outlook open (I have Roadrunner) and check whenever I walk by.

Cheers,
Catherine

If anyone is coming from school, please email me before coming. They have part of the roads blocked off and I need to give you different directions.

Cheers,
Catherine

You friends with the famous Dr. Mom?

hey everyone
just wondering if there is anything specific we need to bring to orientation that i havent heard about. i couldnt really think of anything, but i didnt want to be unprepared on the first day either.
hope you are all doing well. i know you CTers are getting your exercise on those stairs!! i cant wait to get this whole thing started. i feel like im on the top of a roller coaster that is about to take its first huge drop. take a deep breath, because here we go!! see you all tomorrow!

Hey everyone--
Hope you are all ready and pumped to get started tomorrow. It will be a long day, but should be a fun one. Actually the whole week will be long, but we will remain busy, so we won't have any time to be "bored".

Hopefully, the move went well for all. I have been here for a week now, and I think I am getting adjusted to the big city life. I still have a ways to go however. I do like it, but I don't like having to drive 20 minutes to get anywhere.

Well, I have met some of you already, and it has been great. But to those whom I haven't met, I will do so tomorrow morning, bright and early.

See you then!!

Chris

Sup y'all--
Well we all made it through our first day of medical school, so to speak. Although, we haven't begun our classes yet, we all sat through the other stuff. I did meet a lot of new people today, ones I haven't either talked to on here or simply that I have never met before.

I want to welcome everyone to the class; I think we are going to have a fun year. It will definitely be challenging, but if we use each other for knowledge and support, we will make it!!!

See you guys tomorrow!!!!

Chris

Hello--
Well it appears that I am the only one posting lately. I guess everyone is still getting adjusted or are too busy to post. Totally understandable.

I just got back from the Surplus Exchange. It is pretty cool. I got six 3-ring binders for class for $3.00. All notebooks are 0.50. They also have bookshelves as well as chairs. I would definitely check it out.

Well I am going to head down to the osteoblast here shortly. See you all there!!

Chris

for those of you just starting medschool...
a few tips.

Take care of yourself, eat well and take a multivitamin daily.
Work out in the gym at UHS; it keeps the lymphatics pumping!(little bit of OPP for you)
You will be overwhelmed, but relax, so is everyone else.
Set realistic and short goals, and before you know it, you will be in your second, third, or fourth years.
Don't bitch...all of us before you have had to deal with the same thing, and people have it much worse. Adapt and survive.

Have a good time, see the Nelson Atkins, the Kemper, the Plaza, eat at Minsky's, at Mama's, at Da'Bronx, go to velvet Dog, the Lava Room, The Empire Room, but DON"T get mixed into the bad stuff...don't binge drink.

Keep your ego's under control, as any resident would gain great pleasure in controlling it for you...but rarely does that happen.

Study at KU library.

Hey guys--
Well we all made it through the White Coat Ceremony last night. I thought the ceremony itself was so great last night. Very formal and nice. I found myself a little choked up at times.......thinking, man this is it.......we are now at the beginning of our medical careers. It was a lot of fathom and think about.

I don't know about you, but I totally botched the oath. At one point, I think everyone was mumbling and saying "Watermelon" and "Peas and Carrots" alot. I think next year they should have an off-stage tele-prompter.

Anyhow, I am going home this weekend to spend time with my wife and kids. I have missed them a lot.

The banquet was excellent last night as well. The food was great, the bands were super, and it appeared most of us had a blast. Definitely one of the finest things about the university.....making us feel wanted and going out of there way to make things fun.

Well I suppose I should get back home and pack, so I can hit the road.

Is anyone else going to study this weekend? I have a feeling that I will be studying to attempt to prepare for our "hell week"!

OK, peace out and have a great weekend!!!!!!

Chris

I hope you had fun at the White Coating. Remember to catch the name of your coater and thank them. You will be able to choose a final coater at graduations must be md, do or phd

On the way in it seemed hard at first--now that I'm on the way out it was easy.

Diane
UHS-COM Class 2003

yeah chris i had a great time at the white coat ceremony and party. i kept looking around and thinking "all of this is for me?".
i agree that they should have an audio and/or video monitor facing the class next year so that they can at least hear the oath so they can repeat it. i could hardly understand the oath being read. because of the fact the we were behind the speakers, everything sounded muffled and hard to understand. anyway, as for me, this weekend is for a little r and r b/c it will be the last chance that we get in a while. see everyone in class on monday.

What's up all--
Well tomorrow is the big day. We have made it past all the other things last week; but now it is time to get down to business. The first day of class!!!!!!!!!!!

I still can't believe it is happening already. Seems like yesterday, I was enrolling in the pre-recs to get into this school but look at us now!!!!

I am sure things will be a bit crazy and busy and overwhelming at the start, but we all need to then take a step back and remind ourselves that we are in medical school now, not undergrad. No more binging and purging of information; no more doing what we need to get by. It is time to begin our lifelong learning processes......

I hope everyone is doing well, had a great weekend, and will be geared up for tomorrow!!!!!!

See you then!

Chris

Well we all have made it through our first two days of medical school. How does everyone think it is going? I personally think it is going ok; really the only thing I think has been tough so far is the embryo, since I haven't had it before. Other than that, it is decent.

All of the instructors so far have been pretty good. I am sure we will run into a few this year we don' t like but it is expected.

I am sure you are all studying intensely, so I should do that too. I have been checking email, desparately awaiting the one from financial aid, stating my check is in!!!!!!!! I need it so bad!

Well I will probably see a lot of you tonight at the club fair at 530, so ciao for now!

chris

Hi Chris, everyone, crickets,
It's kinda lonely these days on SDN!

Ahhh, two days down! All I have to say is, there is NOT enough time in the day to study!! I have to stay ahead. I can't lose. Everything I learned in SLEP I'm applying. It's one day at a time.

The club fair was nice. They should have had it last week during orientation.

Other than that, I can't believe I'm a med student and it has finally hit me that I don't work at my old job anymore. I like everyone I've met so far in my class. I think we have some more gelling to do, though.

Well, Off to finish my tasks for the day!
Yours,
M.