Hey everyone, just wanted to get started with our class thread and I can't wait to meet some of my future classmates! :D

pasting this from another thread... any current TCOM students care to lend some info? (or applicants that are wiser than me?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by s2452
Thanks to everyone on here for all the information you have provided.

I have put a few questions in order to compare the schools that I am looking at right now. I am sure a lot of them have been answered before, but I just want to put it all together. Thanks in advance to your input.

How often are tests? Are there multiple tests in a designated test week OR is it all one big test every 3 weeks OR is there a test every week?

Are there ever quizzes?

How are students graded in the first and second years?

And in first year and second year, how often did you go to class? Is going to class mandatory? How many people actually go to class?

And do first and second year students get a syllabus with all the material? And if you use a syllabus, does that forgo the need to buy/ use text books?

is there a SCRIBE service? and if so, is it reliable?

Are powerpoints posted online?

How did you study for USMLE/COMLEX Step 1? Any books that you might suggest?

How often are tests?
it varies; usually 1 test every week or two; sometimes 4-5 tests in one week; testing / assessments in general are continuous; there are no finals or midterms

Are there ever quizzes? all the time

How are students graded in the first and second years? Letter grades mainly; a few courses are pass/fail, but your core blocks are letter grades

And in first year and second year, how often did you go to class?
Is going to class mandatory? How many people actually go to class?
some classes are mandatory, others aren't. however, attendance is heavily encouraged if you know what I mean. Some people can get away with it, however, when the seats get too empty the administration will take privileges away from the students.

And do first and second year students get a syllabus with all the material? And if you use a syllabus, does that forgo the need to buy/ use text books?
Only 1 or 2 classes have a syllabus that contains all the material you need. Otherwise, you will using powerpoint presentations, lecture audio, and textbooks to get the information you need.

is there a SCRIBE service? and if so, is it reliable? No scribe service

Are powerpoints posted online? yes, not always in a timely manner though.

How did you study for USMLE/COMLEX Step 1? Any books that you might suggest? varies for each individual; I wouldn't worry about that right now :)

Thanks for you comments Miss Walrus! :)

Future classmate! Yay!

Future classmate! Yay!

Hooray! I am super stoked on Texas right now.

YAY! I can't wait for TCOM next year. Congrats to all of you who were accepted! :D When and how are you all finding housing?? Any ROME scholars out there?? HOORAY for TCOM!

Just wanted to wish my future classmates a happy holiday season!

My GPA is 3.76 Biology Major. Yet to take MCAT. Would be applying in fall 2009. Need advice from those who got in. Thanks

I was accepted on 12/19 and will very likely be attending the school. I look forward to meeting all of you! :)

Hook 'em! :horns:

How often are tests? Are there multiple tests in a designated test week OR is it all one big test every 3 weeks OR is there a test every week?

About one every week or two, is correct. You may have two or three (Clinical Medicine, Subject exam, and OMM)

Are there ever quizzes?
Yes there are quizzes and they tend to be very helpful.

How are students graded in the first and second years?
Grading is the same. However, it appears that courses are weighted a bit more 1st year as they are worth more credits.

And in first year and second year, how often did you go to class? Is going to class mandatory? How many people actually go to class?
Most people attend class. Some classes are madatory. CILs, gross lab, Clinical Medicine, OMM, Community Resources, Grand rounds, etc are mandatory.

And do first and second year students get a syllabus with all the material? And if you use a syllabus, does that forgo the need to buy/ use text books?

No we do not have the "all inclusive" memorization syllabus like other schools. We are expected to read the materials assigned (Robbins, Cecils, and core subject texts). Some students however do just memorize previous year's outlines and powerpoints used by professors. I think it was easier to just get by via memorization in 1st year but 2nd year requires more in depth knowledge from the assigned reading. I honestly don't understand why some classmates don't read the texts, isn't that our responsibility?

is there a SCRIBE service? and if so, is it reliable?
We record lectures in MP3 format. Also, depending on your class, you can start a scribe or share notes on our class forum.

Are powerpoints posted online?
Yes, but as the above poster stated, it can be a while. You can access previous years powerpoints with a little digging.

How did you study for USMLE/COMLEX Step 1? Any books that you might suggest?[/QUOTE]

I'm using First Aid, Doctors In Training, and Kaplan. I've used Q-bank and USMLE Rx (by First Aid). I wouldn't worry about buying books until 2nd year (otherwise they will be out of date). You might buy a First Aid book just for reference.

Keep your eyes peeled....we sell our used books for awesome discounts.

:luck:Best of luck!!:luck:

Can anyone (incoming or current student) share more info about the places where clinical rotations are done? I don't remember much about that from my interview day, and I'm having a heck of a time trying to find that info. on the TCOM website.

Thanks.

when the seats get too empty the administration will take privileges away from the students.

This actually made me laugh. Just out of curiosity, what privileges do they take away?

This actually made me laugh. Just out of curiosity, what privileges do they take away?

"Due to today's lack of hustle, there will be no lunch."

Cancel recess? Disable internet checkers on everyone's laptop so they can't screw around during class?

This actually made me laugh. Just out of curiosity, what privileges do they take away?

In the 2008-2009 TCOM thread, fergutsi mentioned that they stop the audio recordings of the lectures if attendance drops too much. Go to class people! That way I can stay at home :)

Can anyone (incoming or current student) share more info about the places where clinical rotations are done? I don't remember much about that from my interview day, and I'm having a heck of a time trying to find that info. on the TCOM website.



Here's a list that Snowkhat posted in the TCOM c/o 2011 thread over two years ago. Definitely would appreciate any info about the places or updates on the list.

Bay Area Med.Cent: Corpus Christi
Baylor All Saints: Ft.Worth
Brownwood Regional: Brownwood
Christus Spohn: Corpus
Cook Childrens: Fort Worth
Droscoll Childrens: Corpus
Harris Methodist: Ft Worth
JPS: Fort Worth
Mesquite Community: Mesquite
Methodist Charlton: Dallas
Methodist Dallas: Dallas
Plaza: Ft Worth
Terrell State Hospital: Terrell
Texas Tech: Odessa
UT Tyler: Tyler
William Beaumont Army: EL Paso

Here's a list that Snowkhat posted in the TCOM c/o 2011 thread over two years ago. Definitely would appreciate any info about the places or updates on the list.

Bay Area Med.Cent: Corpus Christi
Baylor All Saints: Ft.Worth
Brownwood Regional: Brownwood
Christus Spohn: Corpus
Cook Childrens: Fort Worth
Droscoll Childrens: Corpus
Harris Methodist: Ft Worth
JPS: Fort Worth
Mesquite Community: Mesquite
Methodist Charlton: Dallas
Methodist Dallas: Dallas
Plaza: Ft Worth
Terrell State Hospital: Terrell
Texas Tech: Odessa
UT Tyler: Tyler
William Beaumont Army: EL Paso

You have to be military for this one, and on that token, I believe that Brooke Army Hospital and Wilford Hall (Air Force) in San Antonio would be available.

I also remember them saying something about the hospital in Harlingen and Baptist in Laredo. Could be mistaken, but it's possible.

You have to be military for this one, and on that token, I believe that Brooke Army Hospital and Wilford Hall (Air Force) in San Antonio would be available.

I also remember them saying something about the hospital in Harlingen and Baptist in Laredo. Could be mistaken, but it's possible.


This is the most current list we got from the director of 3rd and 4th years for clerkships. this applies to the class of 2011.

AFFILIATED SITES for CORE CLERKSHIPS


Bay Area Medical Center Corpus Christi*

Conroe Regional Medical Center Conroe*

Driscoll Children’s Hospital Corpus Christi

Dallas Methodist Medical Center Dallas

Harris Methodist – Fort Worth Fort Worth

John Peter Smith Hospital Fort Worth

Methodist Charlton Medical Center Dallas

Plaza Medical Center Fort Worth

San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Baytown*

UT Health Science Center at Tyler Tyler

11/21/08

* Satellite initiatives

I just copied and pasted and now the font is all jacked up and i dont know how to change since im new here.

Id also like to mention something else kinda misleading about grades. To me Letter grades means A, B+ etc. this is not the grading system used here.
You will get a numerical grade for every course (95, 84) etc. If the class is pass/fail, like the bs courses, then obviously you get a p or pr. i forget which is the old designation and which is the new one.

Yeah, the priviliges you get taken away as mentioned above are the lecture recordings are stopped without warning if attendance drops too much. usually the class president will be warned that this may happen and theyll try to relay it to everyone else so that it doesnt happen. Usually most people go to class more than probably 80%. sometimes, if its an 8 am course, and the professor scheduled is below average or the material easy, youll see a greater percentage of missing students. i think the worst i saw was one morning at 8 am we mustve had like 45 students (out of 170 at the time) for a community resources cours (read as , bs waste of my time course). there was one occasion when only about half the class was there on time at 8 am for a clinical lecture from the assistant dean and he was so pissed he reemed us out (even though WE were there) and he stormed of. which was a real shame cause hes a great guy and a great teacher. eventually during the next 15-20 minutes more and more people slowly trickled in and we convinced him to come back. he may have overreacted a bit, but then again it also sucks lecturing to an empty classroom.
Go to class, it usually helps and its never really hurt. Unless youre a second year and its a clin med lecture from Dr. T. in which case youll want to crawl in to a hole and die every monday he is scheduled to lecture to you. but that is a secret surprise/reward for all students who make it to second year (which is only about 90% of you).

Welcome to med school, its too late to turn back now suckas. j/k
its awesome and hard and annoying and rewarding and if you get through it youll be better for it.

Someone asked about comlex prep, in your tuition is included a month long Kaplan Live review course for the comlex. This is not mandatory if you want to study on your own, or you can only attend lectures of the days/topics you want review/help in. as with all kaplan courses you get a copy of their books which are very informative/borderline oppresively inclusive. most people will tell you get first aid for the USMLE step 1. great resource. id add a few others too.
BRS is an excellent series with easy to follow outlines that correlate to your robbins textbook.
baby robbins/robbins Q book, though not board review are must have books too.
I also have first aid cases and Qbook for USMLE step 1. i bought them in the first year and used them throughout. obviously youll see when you start a lot of info doesnt apply to you yet, but some does and they have great ways to remember things as well as itll give you a heads up that something is important and you should probably know it cold before you leave that class.
ok im off to class. congrats to 2013. be prepared to play a girls vs girls football game against 2012 come thanksgiving. its tradition and our girls lost to 2012 this year, so we need you to avenge us (2011).

This is the most current list we got from the director of 3rd and 4th years for clerkships. this applies to the class of 2011.


Appreciate the info. :thumbup:

Wow thanks for all the info. Got some more questions for you. How much time do they give you to prepare for the USMLE, and did you feel it was enough? Also, are the clerkships pretty flexible when the time comes for residency interviews?

Wow thanks for all the info. Got some more questions for you. How much time do they give you to prepare for the USMLE, and did you feel it was enough? Also, are the clerkships pretty flexible when the time comes for residency interviews?


Our final final is May 8th. You schedule your usmle/comlex exams whenever you want but has to be done by june 24th this year. im taking them june 12th and 15th. 5-6 weeks seems to be the norm, and youre expected to begin reviewing before this time. on may 11th, the live kaplan review begins (included in tuition) and held at the school. it is optional to attend, and you can attend some, all or none of it if you want to study on your own. the course runs may 11th-29th. and is usually and all day thing.
Ive already started studying now. We're doing endocrine 2 now, and while studying for the class, im doing all the kaplan Qbank step 1 questions on endocrine, and reading all the board review books on the subject.

Go to the doctorsintraining.com website. this guy puts together a really good 20 week study program, his program participants average a 230 on step 1 (if you dont know thats pretty darn good). a lot of my classmates are taking it ($600). im not paying for it, but i am using his weekly plan of action. if you follow it, youll have read first aid about 3-4 times, 7 other board books 1 time each. have done all the Qbank questions, and have done his review course too. plus he sends weekly emails with his own questions. it sounds like a good program.

I cant answer questions about rotations as im just finishing second year. the site list i posted is what they gave us before we submitted our clerkship rotation selection form.

Can't risk letting this fall off the front page, especially with the match happening Friday... :thumbup:

I'm looking forward to the flood of future classmates :)

I'm looking forward to the flood of future classmates :)

I'm one of them :)

Hi guys!!!! I know it's super late but I am a member of the TCOM Class of 2013 and I couldn't be more excited!!! I can't wait to get to know you guys! :D

We really need to get this thread a little more lively! Anyone know when the "spring fling" thing I've heard so much about is going to be? Also, did everyone see the info posted for our class on http://www.hsc.unt.edu/sites/orientation/index.cfm?pageName=DO%20Orientation this website?
Orientation starts July 20 and white coat ceremony is July 26. Start getting excited!

We really need to get this thread a little more lively! Anyone know when the "spring fling" thing I've heard so much about is going to be? Also, did everyone see the info posted for our class on http://www.hsc.unt.edu/sites/orientation/index.cfm?pageName=DO%20Orientation this website?
Orientation starts July 20 and white coat ceremony is July 26. Start getting excited!

Congrats to everyone that matched!
Thanks for the link pinky! I can't wait for orientation! There is going to be a class chat coming up sometime this semester too.

Does anyone know about the UNT health insurance? I was looking on the uhcsr.com website but their plans have odd dates of coverage.

Can anyone share with us some information about the biochemistry review course that occurs every year before orientation? Is that going to be in June or at the beginning of July?

THANKS!!

Hello fellow TCOMers. I look forward to meeting all of you. Thanks for all the info. Congrats to all of us.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=66373715195

Found this today- TCOM 2013 group! Everyone join! :)

Man this thread is dead... where is everybody?

Was anyone else ridiculously excited to get that email today??? I pretty much knew all that stuff anyways from searching around their site but it's the first I've heard from them in internet form and it made me really happy!!! :D

Was anyone else ridiculously excited to get that email today??? I pretty much knew all that stuff anyways from searching around their site but it's the first I've heard from them in internet form and it made me really happy!!! :D

Totally :) I liked this part: "You will receive a laptop computer during orientation. Please do not purchase one! (mandatory)"

Any idea what the specs are on that laptop? Can we not just use our own & sell the one they give us?

Totally :) I liked this part: "You will receive a laptop computer during orientation. Please do not purchase one! (mandatory)"

Any idea what the specs are on that laptop? Can we not just use our own & sell the one they give us?

I dunno. I think it's some sort of tablet w/ software on it that we need. I guess maybe if you could get the software and put it on your comp you might be able to bypass the mandatory computer?...unless we HAVE to have the tablet option. I don't really know though, mine's literally falling apart and I need a new one anyways so I'm definitely using what they give us.

I dunno. I think it's some sort of tablet w/ software on it that we need. I guess maybe if you could get the software and put it on your comp you might be able to bypass the mandatory computer?...unless we HAVE to have the tablet option. I don't really know though, mine's literally falling apart and I need a new one anyways so I'm definitely using what they give us.

I was reading (somewhere) that IT will have a mirror of each students laptop with all of the programs that they want you to have. So, if it goes haywire, they can restore it for you. As for specs, I don't know. I would love to see what the 2012 kids got.

Thank you google.

Here is the pc that 2012 students were issued.
www.hsc.unt.edu/organizations/tcom2012/Documents/TabletInfo_web08.doc

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/latit_xt?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

Dell Latitude XT Tablet w/ touch screen. Seems like it will get the job done. I like HP better myself, but I'm not captain computer savvy, so I'm sure whatever they get will work just fine.

Does anyone know if we will need a PDA next year? I think I read somewhere about required software for a PDA but i cant for the life of me remember.

Any help would be appreciated

Does anyone know if we will need a PDA next year? I think I read somewhere about required software for a PDA but i cant for the life of me remember.

Any help would be appreciated

Yes, you will. A PDA is required, and they will provide you with a key for the required software.

I kinda hope that there is some iphone compatibility for the PDA requirement. I'm thinking about getting it this weekend but have been reserved due to this "PDA requirement"

I kinda hope that there is some iphone compatibility for the PDA requirement. I'm thinking about getting it this weekend but have been reserved due to this "PDA requirement"

As long as it can run Epocrates, I think you're good to go. I would call the school and check out the Epocrates site. I got a BB Storm and Epocrates won't be out until later this spring for storm, but it should be in time for school. I think with an Iphone, you would be good. As long as it supports the software they want, then it will be fine.

Hey guys, I'm a medical sciences masters student (i.e. post-bac) at UNTHSC. Concerning the PDA, I believe there is a specific required PDA for use during rotations. If you're thinking of getting an iPhone, I suggest you contact someone at the school about the specific requirements.

Congrats, everyone! TCOM's a great place.

Hello, future classmates;)

Does anyone know if we will need a PDA next year? I think I read somewhere about required software for a PDA but i cant for the life of me remember.

Any help would be appreciated

I have researched the PDA stuff and there is information about which products were supported last year. Here is a flyer about what TCOM used last year:
http://www.hsc.unt.edu/newstudents/documents/pdaflyer08.pdf

Additionally, I was doing research into what PDAs support epocrates and the epocrates website says that it does not have software for anything other than what is on last years list. I am not that knowledgeable on PDAs but I am hesistant to buy anything that is not on TCOMs list because I don't want to purchase a second compatible PDA. I would be grateful to find out is on TCOMs list for Fall 2009.

Thanks.
April

Thanks nerdqueen for the PDA info. Been trying to find some info to that nature. Apparently we just need something epocrates essential compatible. THerefore i am very happy with my purchase of the iphone this weekend since epocrates essential is now on the iphone thanks to Apple releasing the SDK for it. :D....I cannot take my hands off of it lol i think i'mma fail my test tuesday because of it heh

Thanks nerdqueen for the PDA info. Been trying to find some info to that nature. Apparently we just need something epocrates essential compatible. THerefore i am very happy with my purchase of the iphone this weekend since epocrates essential is now on the iphone thanks to Apple releasing the SDK for it. :D....I cannot take my hands off of it lol i think i'mma fail my test tuesday because of it heh


ooo yay glad to hear about the iphone! I am getting one in a couple months when my verizon contract ends!

I'm looking for a female roommate for next year to get an apartment with. If anyone is interested, PM me!

pinky, i dunno if you're on facebook but theres a tcom 2013 group and there's a girl on there looking for a roommate.

pinky, i dunno if you're on facebook but theres a tcom 2013 group and there's a girl on there looking for a roommate.

No I'm not on facebook anymore...I got too addicted and started facebook stalking all my friends instead of studying! lol so I haven't been back on since...but i'll try and reactivate my account to get in touch with her. Thanks!!
btw mgirl- it would still be cool to live next to each other. I've just come to the realization that I don't think I can live by myself lol...I'm a baby I know. But if you happen to need somewhere to live for the whole year instead of just a semester keep me in mind!

Hello possible future classmates! I was accepted to TCOM and have since also been accepted to AZCOM. If any of you know about both schools, I would appreciate some outside/objective insight into why TCOM is better. I'm trying to do yet another pro and con list and any help is greatly appreciated! Congrats to all that have made it in so far!

Would it help out an applicant who is only applying to TCOM, but knows that they most likely don't have a chance applying EDP, to go ahead and apply EDP to help out their application in the general applicant pool?

Would it help out an applicant who is only applying to TCOM, but knows that they most likely don't have a chance applying EDP, to go ahead and apply EDP to help out their application in the general applicant pool?

I'm not sure honestly. The only thing I know about EDP at other schools I've applied to is that if you have amazing stats, LORs, research and experiences should you apply EDP because those are the most competitive people. There are less EDP spots available as well. However, I'm not sure how TCOM deals with the applicants that apply EDP and don't get in EDP. It may give you an upperhand in the regular pool of applicants...anyone else know more about that? You can always call the admissions office if you don't get any other answers. Good luck!

How are students graded in the first and second years? Letter grades mainly; a few courses are pass/fail, but your core blocks are letter grades


That's actually not true. At UNTHSC-TCOM, your grades are all numerical, 0-100, with a 70 as the minimum passing score. Your numeric grade is used to calculate class rank. There is one pass/fail course, and that is your board review course.

Its never too early to start looking at USMLE/COMLEX materials. It is too early to start worrying about it at this point. I suggest First Aid for USMLE Step 1; and for your first year follow along for each course. Generally, it won't help you score better on the course exams, but it will help you identify the topics that will be important going forward. It is always easier to remind yourself of something you already know than to learn it at the 11th hour for the first time.

Best wishes!

Hi, everyone, and congratulations on being accepted to medical school! I am selling my condo on 4920 Byers Avenue, with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2 covered parking spaces. I adored living here! It's in a very nice neighborhood, with nearby home prices in the millions. Less than 2 miles from school (I never missed a class due to inclement weather, and never was unable to meet my study group - it certainly helped my GPA), it's also within WALKING distance from shopping, several restaurants, a grocery store, a bar, Walgreens, Starbucks, and 2 lovely public parks, one with a tennis court and children's playground, and the other with a baseball diamond and playground. If you have a bike you may not even need a car, however the covered parking has saved my car from hailstorms several times. I have gone on away rotations for a month or two at a time and nobody has bothered my place. It would be great for two roommates or a married couple or small family. There is a small mostly paved backyard, but no actual yard work. I haven't decided what my asking price will be, but I will make sure that it is reasonable for a medical student. Please contact my real estate agent, Kendall Rojas at krojas@virginiacook.com or 817.665.1222.

Here's a list that Snowkhat posted in the TCOM c/o 2011 thread over two years ago. Definitely would appreciate any info about the places or updates on the list.

Bay Area Med.Cent: Corpus Christi
Baylor All Saints: Ft.Worth
Brownwood Regional: Brownwood
Christus Spohn: Corpus
Cook Childrens: Fort Worth
Driscoll Childrens: Corpus
Harris Methodist: Ft Worth
JPS: Fort Worth
Mesquite Community: Mesquite
Methodist Charlton: Dallas
Methodist Dallas: Dallas
Plaza: Ft Worth
Terrell State Hospital: Terrell
Texas Tech: Odessa
UT Tyler: Tyler
William Beaumont Army: EL Paso

Yep, although most of my rotations were done at JPS. If you have kids or pets or have some reason why you can't travel, you get priority in choosing "home" rotations - so I got out of going to Odessa. (Yay!) Plaza has fantastic food but they never got our passwords working until 2 weeks into the rotation... Hopefully I made enough of a deal about it that they will fix that for you. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me...remember that Dr. Dubin checks these threads so don't post anything stupid or whiny in public.

Does anyone know about the UNT health insurance? I was looking on the uhcsr.com website but their plans have odd dates of coverage.

Can anyone share with us some information about the biochemistry review course that occurs every year before orientation? Is that going to be in June or at the beginning of July?

THANKS!!

I used SOMA insurance with the highest deductible. It was inexpensive but also didn't pay for much. Fortunately you can go to the student health clinic for most things.
The biochemistry review is worth going to...I guess unless you are a biochem major and don't need to review anything. I needed it.

"Due to today's lack of hustle, there will be no lunch."

Cancel recess? Disable internet checkers on everyone's laptop so they can't screw around during class?

Well if you just got into medical school and are already trying to figure out ways to skip classes, maybe you have made a bad decision! Your participation helps the other students and makes the faculty feel like showing up to teach you.

Yep, although most of my rotations were done at JPS. If you have kids or pets or have some reason why you can't travel, you get priority in choosing "home" rotations - so I got out of going to Odessa. (Yay!) Plaza has fantastic food but they never got our passwords working until 2 weeks into the rotation... Hopefully I made enough of a deal about it that they will fix that for you. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me...remember that Dr. Dubin checks these threads so don't post anything stupid or whiny in public.


Just out of curiousity...if you own a home in Fort Worth is that considered a reason to be given priority in the "home" rotations?? I have pets too, but am buying a condo and just wondering how many years I can count on living in it versus renting it out. Also, are you likely to change clinical rotation sites after each block? For example, after your 4 weeks in one area do people often switch to a different site for their next 4 week rotation?

how many rotations away from the DFW area does an avg student usually have to do??

Well if you just got into medical school and are already trying to figure out ways to skip classes, maybe you have made a bad decision! Your participation helps the other students and makes the faculty feel like showing up to teach you.

Other than the fact that it might affect the faculty's feelings, I think skipping classes is perfectly OK, assuming you actually put that time to good use. Since the courses are recorded, it may be better for some people to get a few extra hours of sleep and listen to the audio once it's posted (at 1.5x or 2x the speed). If the syllabus handed out is comprehensive, it could be better to get an extra run through the material instead of going to lectures. It's important to figure out how you learn best in medical school to maximize your efficiency. The earlier you do this the better, as you'll end up with more free time to relax & maintain your sanity.

Other than the fact that it might affect the faculty's feelings, I think skipping classes is perfectly OK, assuming you actually put that time to good use. Since the courses are recorded, it may be better for some people to get a few extra hours of sleep and listen to the audio once it's posted (at 1.5x or 2x the speed). If the syllabus handed out is comprehensive, it could be better to get an extra run through the material instead of going to lectures. It's important to figure out how you learn best in medical school to maximize your efficiency. The earlier you do this the better, as you'll end up with more free time to relax & maintain your sanity.

So let me giet this straight, you advising skipping classes is OK. What rank are you in TCOM? Do you go to TCOM? What year are you? I'm graduating in May, and I went to my classes. I did well, but going to classes is the smart move. I know this to be true for my classmates who are also graduating and have a hight class standing. Just curious about yours, based upon your advice.
TCOM2009

Just out of curiousity...if you own a home in Fort Worth is that considered a reason to be given priority in the "home" rotations?? I have pets too, but am buying a condo and just wondering how many years I can count on living in it versus renting it out. Also, are you likely to change clinical rotation sites after each block? For example, after your 4 weeks in one area do people often switch to a different site for their next 4 week rotation?

Owning a home is considered, but not as much as, in order - being a single parent, having pets that nobody else can take care of, and then probably just being a parent and/or owning a home. (Being married does not count, since your spouse can take care of his/herself for a month but your pets can't). The students who rent apartments and don't have kids or pets will be doing their rotations in places like scenic Odessa.
The good thing about buying a condo is that the places near the campus are *increasing* in property value (not like the rest of the country) as people who work downtown want to live close by, and the cultural district is a really hot area. The bad thing about buying a condo is that there aren't many near the campus, so you really have to look for them.

Other than the fact that it might affect the faculty's feelings, I think skipping classes is perfectly OK, assuming you actually put that time to good use. Since the courses are recorded, it may be better for some people to get a few extra hours of sleep and listen to the audio once it's posted (at 1.5x or 2x the speed). If the syllabus handed out is comprehensive, it could be better to get an extra run through the material instead of going to lectures. It's important to figure out how you learn best in medical school to maximize your efficiency. The earlier you do this the better, as you'll end up with more free time to relax & maintain your sanity.

While it would be nicer to be able to sleep in and listen to the audio in double-time in your pajamas, you will find that the school does not endorse this behavior, and the audio can be cut off without notice. Yeah, personally I think it's OK, and I actually preferred it if the people who weren't interested in being there didn't show up (there's a grading curve, you know), but for some reason the people who are teaching the classes complain if people don't show up...and sometimes they leave without teaching the class!

Oh, and yes, you change rotation sites every month or two. But if you have extenuating circumstances, they are good about making sure you are close to home at all of them.

removed
(sbeaty15@gmail.com)

So let me giet this straight, you advising skipping classes is OK. What rank are you in TCOM? Do you go to TCOM? What year are you? I'm graduating in May, and I went to my classes. I did well, but going to classes is the smart move. I know this to be true for my classmates who are also graduating and have a hight class standing. Just curious about yours, based upon your advice.
TCOM2009

Whoa trigger, calm it down a bit. I don't like to miss class myself. I find that I pick up more of what the instructor thinks is important if I go to class. But that is what works for ME. Just like it works for YOU. Can't you admit that it is hypothetically possible that there are people in the world who don't get anything from sitting in a little chair and listening to someone talk? Maybe they get more from reading, or listening to a lecture while they jog or who knows, but I don't think that you can categorically say that anyone who doesn't like to go to class is automatically a bad student.

And, as for class participation, I've been in plenty of lectures where I wished that several people would just shut up. Some people like to talk just to hear themselves (students and professors alike).

I'm not advocating skipping class, and I can understand why it would aggravate the faculty, I just think that deciding exactly how we each want to attach our lips to the knowledge firehose is an individual decision. I mean we're all freaking adults by now, right?

For anyone curious about the new building going up on TCOM's campus, you can watch construction at this link they emailed to us today:
mms://media.hsc.unt.edu/pcc_video

I used SOMA insurance with the highest deductible. It was inexpensive but also didn't pay for much. Fortunately you can go to the student health clinic for most things.
The biochemistry review is worth going to...I guess unless you are a biochem major and don't need to review anything. I needed it.

So, when you say that you used the student health clinic, what do they cover? I mean, can you go to the student health without having them bill your insurance for primary care stuff? Physicals/UTI/stitches, etc?

Trying to figure out what insurance to get.

Our financial aid stuff is posted on the portal website. I was surprised to see that I actually got some grant money. Not a lot, but anything is better than nothing.

As for the health insurance--I used the same united healthcare plan at UT Austin. You pay for the year, and it's cheap if you use the student health clinic. They will bill the insurance for certain things that aren't covered under the univ fee, but since it's the student health insurance that the school sponsors, you usually have to pay nothing. You do have the option to see outside providers, but then you have the deductible.

From the unt website I gather they have a pretty good primary care clinic .... I am pretty sure I will opt for the UHC insurance again.

Our financial aid stuff is posted on the portal website. I was surprised to see that I actually got some grant money. Not a lot, but anything is better than nothing.

Really, where on the site? And congrats on the grant money :)

.

Really, where on the site? And congrats on the grant money :)

I don't see what pinky sees either. She must have been the first of us to get her FAFSA filled out. Good to hear that they're letting people know though!

Sign into the portal, go to admissions then application status. Up at the top (and the bottom) there should be a drop down menu that says account inquiry. Change that to Student Center. Once you get to the Student Center, click on "View Financial Aid" under "Finances and Financial Aid". Once that pulls up, click on the 2010 link and it should show you what you are offered.

Anyone else see this? I'm wondering how much grant money everyone else is getting just out of curiosity? I dunno if I should be excited because it's good or not...lol

Sign into the portal, go to admissions then application status. Up at the top (and the bottom) there should be a drop down menu that says account inquiry. Change that to Student Center. Once you get to the Student Center, click on "View Financial Aid" under "Finances and Financial Aid". Once that pulls up, click on the 2010 link and it should show you what you are offered.

Anyone else see this? I'm wondering how much grant money everyone else is getting just out of curiosity? I dunno if I should be excited because it's good or not...lol

Pinky,
Does it show that you still need to submit an official transcript? Mine has said that for a while (making me "incomplete") even though I have had it sent twice.
Also did you submit FAFSA early in January?
Thanks.

Mine did say that for a long time- even after I had sent the trascript several weeks earlier. I finally called to make sure and they took it off and now it says complete.

I submitted my FAFSA in January, but I think everyones info should be out. Last time I called they told me financial aid award information would be available to view in mid-April.

On the facebook group Misty said that the financial aid office was going to start giving aid by going through the FAFSA's beginning with those submitted in January. You must have been one of the first!! I hope so cause all of my numbers say 0....so I'm hoping they just haven't done mine yet lol.

Yeah I don't have anything listed either, but I submitted my FAFSA late February. So makes sense.

Oh okay, sorry guys. That would make sense. I was thinking it had shown up for everyone.

Anybody going to preview day this Saturday?

As for the health insurance--I used the same united healthcare plan at UT Austin. You pay for the year, and it's cheap if you use the student health clinic. They will bill the insurance for certain things that aren't covered under the univ fee, but since it's the student health insurance that the school sponsors, you usually have to pay nothing. You do have the option to see outside providers, but then you have the deductible.

From the unt website I gather they have a pretty good primary care clinic .... I am pretty sure I will opt for the UHC insurance again.

Yeah, the UNT plan looks pretty good, except I have a wife. So it's like $1K for me and 5k for her.

Anybody going to preview day this Saturday?

Yup, the fiance and I will be there.

Yeah, the UNT plan looks pretty good, except I have a wife. So it's like $1K for me and 5k for her.

Ouch....yeah, I miss the old days when I was still under my parent's insurance. Haven't been for 5 years, and the student health clinic really took care of me and the insurance really was only really used for my prescriptions. So hopefully it will be the same here.

Yup, the fiance and I will be there.

:( I won't be able to make it, feel free to post anything interesting/need to know that hasn't been in the emails....would love to hear how it went :) and have fun!!!!

Hey everyone,
If anyone missed out on preview day, here is the low down.
*There are 2 pre-matriculation courses, an online one and a live one.
The online one starts 6/8 and goes through 7/2. It is supposed to be a study skills online course with online quizzes and i think online chats as well. Offered by the Center for Academic Performance. Cost $50.
The live course starts 7/6 (2 weeks before orientation) and goes until 7/17. In the morning is biochemistry ($75) and in the afternoons is anatomy (i think $150 according to Amir Barzin's post earlier...maybe $75??) The registration deadline for biochem is June 24. These are supposed to be a great review and similar to our lectures when we start.
*Orientation is 7/20-24 and White Coat is 7/25.
*Financial Aid office is behind because they're missing a counselor so expect to hear something within a couple weeks if you filed your FAFSA. They will email you when they complete your aid.
Anything I forgot?

Take care everyone and enjoy your SUMMER!

Hey everyone,
If anyone missed out on preview day, here is the low down.
*There are 2 pre-matriculation courses, an online one and a live one.
The online one starts 6/8 and goes through 7/2. It is supposed to be a study skills online course with online quizzes and i think online chats as well. Offered by the Center for Academic Performance. Cost $50.
The live course starts 7/6 (2 weeks before orientation) and goes until 7/17. In the morning is biochemistry ($75) and in the afternoons is anatomy (i think $150 according to Amir Barzin's post earlier...maybe $75??) The registration deadline for biochem is June 24. These are supposed to be a great review and similar to our lectures when we start.
*Orientation is 7/20-24 and White Coat is 7/25.
*Financial Aid office is behind because they're missing a counselor so expect to hear something within a couple weeks if you filed your FAFSA. They will email you when they complete your aid.
Anything I forgot?

Take care everyone and enjoy your SUMMER!

Thank you so so so much! I really wanted the info on the pre-matriculation courses, so this is awesome!

Okay, so I may be wrong, but I think the pre-matriculation course info is a little off.

I think you are right about the online one.

The live one (again, I THINK) is biochemistry in the morning and "Survivor TCOM" in the afternoon- which includes study tips and techniques and teaches methods to make managing such a large amount of very dense material a little easier.

Then, I think there is a completely separate one that is called the Summer Anatomy Workshop and here is the low down on it as posted on Facebook by Amir, the first year DO class president:

Hey Guys!!! I hope you enjoyed Preview Day. As I mentioned to some of you, here is the link to the Summer Anatomy Workshop:

http://cme.hsc.unt.edu/eventinfo_2250.html (http://cme.hsc.unt.edu/eventinfo_2250.html)

This workshop is offered from July 6-10 and July 13-17 from 1-5 p.m. This is a great way to get ready for medical school. I highly recommend this course because it is a great way to prepare you for medical school. The lectures will be the exact same lectures that you will have during the school year, and there is no better experience than taking a mock practical. We had about 60 students in our class do this course, and they all found it to be beneficial. We would like to see more than 100 of your students sign up. This is an excellent tool to prepare for medical school, and I highly recommend taking the course.

Once again, congratulations and welcome to the TCOM family!

Amir Barzin
abarzin@hsc.unt.edu


Like I said, I could be just confused but that's how I took it, and I wanted to make sure that this was correct. Maybe we could email Amir if there is still confusion, because I very well may be wrong. If so, that would mean two of the courses overlap?

If so, that would mean two of the courses overlap?
Maybe I'll call sometime this week. I am interested in all 3 courses, but probably will need the biochem and anatomy more than anything. I would like to do the study skill preparation class too, but not if it eats up my whole summer! :scared: Hope everyone had fun!!

Also wanted a general opinion-do y'all think there will be an availability issue on housing? I am currently in AZ and haven't had a chance to pop back to TX do some apartment hunting, and I don't know if trying to get one early June will leave me with overpriced, not so hott places......

The live one (again, I THINK) is biochemistry in the morning and "Survivor TCOM" in the afternoon- which includes study tips and techniques and teaches methods to make managing such a large amount of very dense material a little easier.

Then, I think there is a completely separate one that is called the Summer Anatomy Workshop and here is the low down on it as posted on Facebook by Amir, the first year DO class president:


hey pinky, that sounds right too...

when i talked to someone in the center for academic performance they said that the survivor tcom is the whole "live" course though so i got confused.

but i think amir said that the anatomy thing is separate from the others. and it's $150 on his site but the "survivor tcom" was $75, right?

Maybe I'll call sometime this week. I am interested in all 3 courses, but probably will need the biochem and anatomy more than anything. I would like to do the study skill preparation class too, but not if it eats up my whole summer! :scared: Hope everyone had fun!!

Also wanted a general opinion-do y'all think there will be an availability issue on housing? I am currently in AZ and haven't had a chance to pop back to TX do some apartment hunting, and I don't know if trying to get one early June will leave me with overpriced, not so hott places......

hey raaska,
i don't think you would have that much trouble with housing imo because there will be a class graduating with the new class coming in (for tcom & tcu). i think apartments might offer better deals in june to try and get you to sign with them as it might be more competitive then. you may want to check the facebook apartments postings (TCOM 2013 & UNTHSC Student Life DO 2013) b/c they have done a lot of the apartments research already & posted it.

Also wanted a general opinion-do y'all think there will be an availability issue on housing? I am currently in AZ and haven't had a chance to pop back to TX do some apartment hunting, and I don't know if trying to get one early June will leave me with overpriced, not so hott places......

I think you'll be fine. It seemed like all of the ones I looked at wouldn't even know what would be available for a July 1 (this is what I had originally asked for) move-in until May or June. I actually went ahead and got one already for some personal reasons but I feel like you'll be fine. There's SO many places up there that I'm sure you'll find something affordable and nice!! And everywhere I went seemed like they have stuff opening up
every month.

As it gets a little closer to when you think you will be looking if you shoot me a PM I can give you a run-down of all the places I looked at (and I looked at a LOT). :)

hey raaska,
i don't think you would have that much trouble with housing imo because there will be a class graduating with the new class coming in (for tcom & tcu). i think apartments might offer better deals in june to try and get you to sign with them as it might be more competitive then. you may want to check the facebook apartments postings (TCOM 2013 & UNTHSC Student Life DO 2013) b/c they have done a lot of the apartments research already & posted it.

I think you'll be fine. It seemed like all of the ones I looked at wouldn't even know what would be available for a July 1 (this is what I had originally asked for) move-in until May or June. I actually went ahead and got one already for some personal reasons but I feel like you'll be fine. There's SO many places up there that I'm sure you'll find something affordable and nice!! And everywhere I went seemed like they have stuff opening up
every month.

As it gets a little closer to when you think you will be looking if you shoot me a PM I can give you a run-down of all the places I looked at (and I looked at a LOT). :)

ahhhhhh-such relief!! Thank you so much for y'all's opinions. I spent the last 4-5 years in Austin, and if you didn't get an apartment at least by February for the next August, you might as well claim some pavement along with hobos. So I didn't know about Ft. Worth....

I have checked out the fb page and it helped me a lot. And mgirl-I'll probably take you up on the offer at the end of May :)

Not to be sooo annoying, with my endless questions, but how much is a middle of the road, reasonable price for a one bedroom, one bath that most TCOM students can afford? When I asked fin aid and student life, they said it could range from garage apartments for $400 to luxury apartments for $1200. Which .... didn't help me. If it's not too personal, can y'all give me a range on what y'all are looking at?

I was trying to find something between 600 and 800. My boyfriend is moving in w/ me in December when he graduates so I was looking for a bigger one bedroom. There's plenty of nice places fairly close to the school that are in the 6-700s. If you go a little farther out the places get a little cheaper too. I got a place like 3 miles from the school in NICE complex and I got the biggest one bedroom for 750 a month. They have a program for students where if you make less than a certain amount of money (which we pretty much all do) you get a really low rate. So it kinda depends on what you're looking for- I looked at one place that was like 500 a month but they were a little older. You can definitely find something for every price range though.

I was trying to find something between 600 and 800. My boyfriend is moving in w/ me in December when he graduates so I was looking for a bigger one bedroom. There's plenty of nice places fairly close to the school that are in the 6-700s. If you go a little farther out the places get a little cheaper too. I got a place like 3 miles from the school in NICE complex and I got the biggest one bedroom for 750 a month. They have a program for students where if you make less than a certain amount of money (which we pretty much all do) you get a really low rate. So it kinda depends on what you're looking for- I looked at one place that was like 500 a month but they were a little older. You can definitely find something for every price range though.
awesome, thank you!!! I was aiming to look for 600-750 , so it's sounding good!!!

http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/TCOMSummerWorkshops/

Courtesy of Misty, through e-mail! Anybody thinking of doing any one of them, or some of them?

I may do the anatomy one.

Nice....I think I am just going to throw my whole July away and do the biochem and TCOM survivor or anatomy. Can't decide which one yet.... I need all the help I can get.

I'll probably do the biochem one. Still deciding about the survivor one or the online one. There's just too many choices!!! Or I may just be a bum and take the whole summer off before we have no lives...

i really want to do the survivor TCOM and the anatomy one but they're scheduled at the same time... :( i think i'll end up doing the online and the anatomy ones though...

i really want to do the survivor TCOM and the anatomy one but they're scheduled at the same time... :( i think i'll end up doing the online and the anatomy ones though...


I thought there was only a TCOM survivor and biochem review. Is there a anatomy too??

I thought there was only a TCOM survivor and biochem review. Is there a anatomy too??
Here you go :) :

http://cme.hsc.unt.edu/eventinfo_2250.html (http://cme.hsc.unt.edu/eventinfo_2250.html)

Thanks go to pinky6 for the link

Thanks for the link raaska55 and pinky6. I didn't even know that. Because the biochem review is in the morning and the anatomy is in the afternoon I'll probably skip the SURVIVOR TCOM. If any one is going to SURVIVOR TCOM I would be more than happy to share any tips or notes from the anatomy course for info on the SURVIVOR TCOM.

See you guys in July.

Thanks for the link raaska55 and pinky6. I didn't even know that. Because the biochem review is in the morning and the anatomy is in the afternoon I'll probably skip the SURVIVOR TCOM. If any one is going to SURVIVOR TCOM I would be more than happy to share any tips or notes from the anatomy course for info on the SURVIVOR TCOM.

See you guys in July.

hey, i think i am going to do the survivor TCOM one now since Dr. Dubin put a post on facebook about learning the basics first. i will be glad to share all the notes with anyone though too.

have a lovely summer everyone!

Thanks veraisme for the offer. I found out a few days ago that I have Graves’ Disease, a autoimmune condition that causes hyperthyroidism. So I’ll be undergoing radiation therapy to reduce my thyroid function. Because of all the tests and what not and the fact that I’ll be slightly radioactive :eek::d there is a good chance I may not make it to any of the summer workshops. I still look forward to seeing you guys come July 20th.

Thanks for keeping the rest of us up to date.

Oh yeah, if I don't stand near anyone it has less to do with psychology and more to do with radioactivity.:d But seriously most of the radiation will be gone by then. :)

hey, i think i am going to do the survivor TCOM one now since Dr. Dubin put a post on facebook about learning the basics first. i will be glad to share all the notes with anyone though too.

have a lovely summer everyone!
I don't know what to do! :confused::confused::confused: I can't decide between the Anatomy and the Survivor course. I am leaning towards the Survivor, because I don't want July to be soooo overwhelming but I read the post on the fb group about a med school student who was really recommending the anatomy since it's so similar to our actual course.....bleh, I need to stop whining and figure it out :(
Thanks veraisme for the offer. I found out a few days ago that I have Graves’ Disease, a autoimmune condition that causes hyperthyroidism. So I’ll be undergoing radiation therapy to reduce my thyroid function. Because of all the tests and what not and the fact that I’ll be slightly radioactive :eek::d there is a good chance I may not make it to any of the summer workshops. I still look forward to seeing you guys come July 20th.

Thanks for keeping the rest of us up to date.

Oh yeah, if I don't stand near anyone it has less to do with psychology and more to do with radioactivity.:d But seriously most of the radiation will be gone by then. :)
Hey! Sorry to hear about all this....but seriously good luck! Get better. We'll help you out when you join us in the fall :)

I don't know if this helps or not, but I talked to Amir in person at the Preview Day about the anatomy course. He said it's awesome, and he personally knows that everyone that took it last year rocked the course. Maybe it has something to do with already knowing what to expect for the first exam because during the anatomy one you actually do a little dissecting and take a real practical that the students took last year. So I guess it kinda gets you prepared for that dreaded first anatomy practical. Anyway, that may not make your decision any easier but I think the anatomy one would be great.

I don't know what to do! :confused::confused::confused: I can't decide between the Anatomy and the Survivor course. I am leaning towards the Survivor, because I don't want July to be soooo overwhelming but I read the post on the fb group about a med school student who was really recommending the anatomy since it's so similar to our actual course.....bleh, I need to stop whining and figure it out :(


LOL, i TOTALLY AGREE! i was soo confused too, so i asked a 1st year student and she says the Anatomy course is 100% worth the money and time. i took a chordate anatomy course in undergrad but i the highest chordate we studied was a cat so i'm sure there are lots of surprises in store for me. i am doing the anatomy one instead now. BUT i was leaning towards the survivor one before for the same reason, i don't want to be overwhelmed before i even begin! anyway, if you decide on the survivor, then my notes are still on offer! :)

enjoy our last few months of summer!

I don't know if this helps or not, but I talked to Amir in person at the Preview Day about the anatomy course. He said it's awesome, and he personally knows that everyone that took it last year rocked the course. Maybe it has something to do with already knowing what to expect for the first exam because during the anatomy one you actually do a little dissecting and take a real practical that the students took last year. So I guess it kinda gets you prepared for that dreaded first anatomy practical. Anyway, that may not make your decision any easier but I think the anatomy one would be great.

LOL, i TOTALLY AGREE! i was soo confused too, so i asked a 1st year student and she says the Anatomy course is 100% worth the money and time. i took a chordate anatomy course in undergrad but i the highest chordate we studied was a cat so i'm sure there are lots of surprises in store for me. i am doing the anatomy one instead now. BUT i was leaning towards the survivor one before for the same reason, i don't want to be overwhelmed before i even begin! anyway, if you decide on the survivor, then my notes are still on offer! :)

enjoy our last few months of summer!
bleh.....I think I'll do biochem and anatomy :( LOL, so that means school really starts July 6th for us, huh? :laugh:

THANKS Y'ALL for all the input....I needed other's perspectives. :) See ya later!

Our financial aid stuff is posted on the portal website. I was surprised to see that I actually got some grant money. Not a lot, but anything is better than nothing.

This post is from forever ago, but I got my fin aid stuff today. :) A little grant + federal loans to cover my full COA. Yay!

Does everyone accept everything they give you?

I am taking all the money I can get!

You can always reduce the amount later. Or use it next year.

Hey all my future TCOMies..so excited to be going to Texas soon .In about two months I will officially be on my way to become a doctor. :xf: Can hardly believe it. Also, will be getting away from this aweful weather.I live in Cleveland..Ohio. Yeah I know..:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: On a more pleasant note, currently scoping places to rent. Have couple lined up. If anyone has any offers, I am looking for a townhouse or a condo. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, nicer. Since my whole family is moving, will need all this space. Thanks all my future peeps..:p

I am taking all the money I can get!

You can always reduce the amount later. Or use it next year.
:thumbup: yeah, I am taking all of the debt :laugh:
Hey all my future TCOMies..so excited to be going to Texas soon .In about two months I will officially be on my way to become a doctor. :xf: Can hardly believe it. Also, will be getting away from this aweful weather.I live in Cleveland..Ohio. Yeah I know..:eek::eek::eek:On a more pleasant note, currently scoping places to rent. Have couple lined up. If anyone has any offers, I am looking for a townhouse or a condo. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, nicer. Since my whole family is moving, will need all this space. Thanks all my future peeps..:p
:hello: and :welcome:

Hope you find a great place for the family :)

[QUOTE=raaska55;8199978]:thumbup: yeah, I am taking all of the debt :laugh:

:thumbdown Yeah I realize that too, but due to my medical condition I want to have some extra money in case I need it for any medical cost that arise. :(

Hopefully I can reduced the amount I need once I get health insurance and figure how much they'll cover, until then I need to make sure I have enough money for any test, pills, or treatments I may still need. :confused:

Not all of us are starting school with full bank accounts or rich families. Some of us need a buffer for any emergencies that may arise whether they are because of family or in my case health. :o

On a lighter note, if my endocrinologist says it is OK, I may be able to attend the summer workshops! I look forward to meeting all of you! :)

On the topic of medical cost....

What medical insurance is everyone getting?

I ask because I am too old to be covered under my parents insurance. I know there is a school-sponsored Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan is provided through United HealthCare Student Resources. Has anyone heard anything about that? There is also the SOMA health insurance but I heard it doesn't cover much. :o

Also don't forget to send in your physical exam, health history, and vaccine list!

A coworker of mine whose brother is going to TCOM almost forgot about that.

Sorry about that last reply, raaska55 if I sounded tense in replying to you, I didn’t mean to be. :o

Sometimes it hard to take a joke when life is giving you a headache:mad:, I can’t wait to start school. :D

Anyone else ready to move on to the next stage of their life. :p

hey all,
looks like i will be withdrawing from tcom. i am so sad to leave because i love the school and the city; however, i was accepted to UNM School of Medicine and will be attending school there. good luck to those on the waitlist and to those starting school. countdown has begun!:luck::luck::luck:
:D

hey all,
looks like i will be withdrawing from tcom. i am so sad to leave because i love the school and the city; however, i was accepted to UNM School of Medicine and will be attending school there. good luck to those on the waitlist and to those starting school. countdown has begun!:luck::luck::luck:
:D

Congrats and good luck. I heard that Albuquerque is very nice city design wise.

Would anyone be interested in sharing notes from the anatomy course? I signed up for it before I noticed the conflict with the other course. It’s all paid for and I will transfer the title over to the first person with a big heart and nice handwriting.

Béla
832-428-6596

On the topic of medical cost....

What medical insurance is everyone getting?

I ask because I am too old to be covered under my parents insurance. I know there is a school-sponsored Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan is provided through United HealthCare Student Resources. Has anyone heard anything about that? There is also the SOMA health insurance but I heard it doesn't cover much. :o
I am going with the United HealthCare option :thumbup:
Also don't forget to send in your physical exam, health history, and vaccine list!

A coworker of mine whose brother is going to TCOM almost forgot about that.

Sorry about that last reply, raaska55 if I sounded tense in replying to you, I didn’t mean to be. :o

Sometimes it hard to take a joke when life is giving you a headache:mad:, I can’t wait to start school. :D
No it's ok, but I admit I was confused :laugh: I was thinking ...."does he think I am rich or something??" LOL, because I am sooo not. I was fortunate enough to earn a scholarship for my undergrad, so loans are scary for me :scared: 42k is still on the really low side for med school though :)

Anyone else ready to move on to the next stage of their life. :p
Me!!!

Hope things get better for you meds....we'll be around for support when you need it :)

hey all,
looks like i will be withdrawing from tcom. i am so sad to leave because i love the school and the city; however, i was accepted to UNM School of Medicine and will be attending school there. good luck to those on the waitlist and to those starting school. countdown has begun!:luck::luck::luck:
:D
Congrats !!! :hardy:

Would anyone be interested in sharing notes from the anatomy course? I signed up for it before I noticed the conflict with the other course. It’s all paid for and I will transfer the title over to the first person with a big heart and nice handwriting.

Béla
832-428-6596

hey there Béla,
I can do that for you! Let me know what you need.
Vera

I am going with the United HealthCare option :thumbup:

No it's ok, but I admit I was confused :laugh: I was thinking ...."does he think I am rich or something??" LOL, because I am sooo not. I was fortunate enough to earn a scholarship for my undergrad, so loans are scary for me :scared: 42k is still on the really low side for med school though :)

Hope things get better for you meds....we'll be around for support when you need it :)

Sorry, about the confusion raaska55. You are right about the cost. I guess I was too excited about the fact that I got in that I didn’t even really consider the price tag. Unfortunately I don’t much control over cost for now but hopefully I can reduce my borrowing next year.

Thanks you very much for your words of help it means a lot. :)

Thanks guys. I'm still a little depressed about leaving. However, I am thinking it is the best choice for me. If anyone needs an apt, I may be able to help you out bc I need to pull out of a place I put a deposit on. It's an AMAZING condo less than a mile from school. PM me if you are interested.

hey guys,
congrats to you all - it makes me a bit jealous to see you guys preparing for the start of med school!
i am applying to TCOM this year and really hope to be in your shoes one year from now.
My stats are 3.5 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA; 3.8 GPA for a public health certification program that I have done through UT-HSC (all grad level classes); MCAT 31Q (13 PS, 11 Bio, 7 Verbal), I have two years of research experience at a medical school, unique ECs, and strong LORs.
I'm a reapplicant this year - I applied to all TX schools and a few out of state schools, but did not apply to any DO programs. I fully regret that, but am hoping that this time around, I'll be granted some interviews and at least one acceptance! :) My MCAT score was a 26 last year, so I am not surprised that I didn't receive any MD interviews.
Anyway, based on my stats and your experiences, can you let me know what you think my chances are at TCOM?
Also, I have submitted my TMDSAS application already and will be submitting the secondary any day now. I don't want to be complacent with this process - is there anything you recommend that I do between now and interview season that can increase the chances of me getting any interview at TCOM? Is there someone at the admissions office that you suggest I talk to?

Any suggestions are welcome!

I am so extremely excited to be here!!!!! I finally got accepted to TCOM after three years of "NO"s. I just graduated from UNTHSC with a Master's in Medical Sciences, so I know the campus and many of the faculty. I can tell ya, it's gonna be a tough but wonderful four years! :D

At graduation last month, we all got recognized by the audience, of course. But when the DO students rose for recognition.....the whole place went on FIRE! I still get goose-bumps remembering it today! Those physicians were so respected and honored by the school, and by friends and family....it is a sobering thing, my fellow classmates! May we all work hard and be successful!!!! :luck:

See y'all next month! And for those people just moving to Texas.....welcome to the GREATEST state in the Union!!!!!;)

Love,
Mandy

Congrats Mandy, you deserve the acceptance w/persistence & determination like that, esp after making it through a program as rigorous as the Medical Masters :) Can't wait to meet you guys!

Hey thanks! ;-)

ACCEPTED FROM THE WAITLIST!!!! uhhh when do classes start? i guess i should find a place to live too...soon...any one know of people trying to sell a nice little house?

Hello 2013ers,

My name is Chad Everett, class of 2010. I just finished my third year rotations today and thought I’d take a moment to say welcome and to tell you all about something I’ve been working on for the past couple of weeks.

Recently, I have gotten the chance to meet some of the good folks from 2012 and have lunch with them at the hospital I was working at during their Grand Rounds on several occasions. Without fail, we always engaged some informal question and answer sessions and I realized that I really enjoyed the experience. I then thought to myself that I would have killed for an upper level to have told me some of the things I had passed on. It would have made my life exponentially easier.

After all, med school can be a little overwhelming at first, what with information flying at you, joining clubs, meeting 50 new people a day and hoping you can remember 4 or 5 names, etc. With that thought in mind, I approached the Clinical Medicine department chairman Dr. Dayberry with the idea of organizing a volunteer organization from my class that would sit in on your weekly Clin Med classes. Attaching ourselves to that class serves the purpose of allowing us to be there to help out and teach physical exam and patient interviewing skills. And it would maximize your face time with us since attendance is mandatory.

It would also provide the opportunity to gather feedback from your class to pass up the chain as I’m sure you’d rather gripe to your peers, rather than your professors. This function alone could serve to halt potential problems before they ever develop.

Oh, and of course, we would be there to answer your questions as well. Since we would only be informally attached to the school that would mean that pretty much any question would be fair game. Classes, board exams, rotations, you name it. Of course, this would be with the tacit understanding that the caveat “This is how it was for us” will always apply.

I apologize for the length of this message. Essentially it boils down to, “I’m starting this little endeavor. There are more than a few of my classmates willing to help out. We would be volunteers there to help you, not grade you. The whole idea is to make things better for you than we had it.” I honestly had more to say in a more articulate manner but I’m too tired from my surgery shelf exam this morning to continue.

I will try to respond to comments on this thread as frequently as I can, but honestly the best way to get in touch with me is my school email which is:

jeverett@hsc.unt.edu

I check my mailbox religiously, so if you have questions, fire away. You all have my solemn promise that I will never intentionally mislead you. You will always get the most honest and informed answers that I can provide.


Finally, my first bit of advice: Enjoy your break before Matriculation. Live it up while you can because you’ll be pretty busy for the foreseeable future. That being said, I’d like to congratulate you all. I look forward to meeting you all soon.

-Chad

ACCEPTED FROM THE WAITLIST!!!! uhhh when do classes start? i guess i should find a place to live too...soon...any one know of people trying to sell a nice little house?

You can find listings for houses and apartments at

http://students.hsc.unt.edu/housing/

This information is from another thread:

Now that you’ve been accepted jump in to the “Unthsc-tcom class of 2013!” (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=585861) thread!!

Finally don’t forget to join the TCOM 2013 group on face book!

Also here is TCOMS Class of 2013 website => http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/Orientation/

Class of 2013 - Orientation web site - http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/Orientation/index.cfm

Again congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in July.

Medstudent 2010 ( I should change that to Medstudent 2009 )
TCOM 2013

Orientation is manatory!!! it starts July 20, 2009 So you need to be in fort worth and set up by then.

Any other questions let me know. congrats :D

You can find listings for houses and apartments at

http://students.hsc.unt.edu/housing/

This information is from another thread:

Now that you’ve been accepted jump in to the “Unthsc-tcom class of 2013!” (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=585861) thread!!

Finally don’t forget to join the TCOM 2013 group on face book!

Also here is TCOMS Class of 2013 website => http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/Orientation/

Class of 2013 - Orientation web site - http://www.hsc.unt.edu/Sites/Orientation/index.cfm

Again congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in July.

Medstudent 2010 ( I should change that to Medstudent 2009 )
TCOM 2013

Orientation is manatory!!! it starts July 20, 2009 So you need to be in fort worth and set up by then.

Any other questions let me know. congrats :D

Got it. turned in my acceptance form yesterday...guess its official I will be attending this fall! Has anyone heard bad reviews regarding Tarrant county? My mom seems to think there is alot of crime, but Ft. Worth seems like heaven compared to San Antonio...

bleh.....I think I'll do biochem and anatomy :( LOL, so that means school really starts July 6th for us, huh? :laugh:

THANKS Y'ALL for all the input....I needed other's perspectives. :) See ya later!

July 6th? wow, and first years just got out last friday. what a crappy break for y'all. im so glad to be a third year now. HAHAHAHA.

YAY! I can't wait for TCOM next year. Congrats to all of you who were accepted! :D When and how are you all finding housing?? Any ROME scholars out there?? HOORAY for TCOM!
I hope to be a Rome scholar. Take the Mcat in six week and I am stressing out. If you ever want to lay down some knowledge I would be grateful. Any pointers about the process or your trip to get in.