We know each other
We've been known to gather for Pho and Mediterranean food at random intervals.
You can apply to both.
MSTP students are 100% with the other students in the UP. Meaning that there are 8 MSTP in my class, who are part of everything that we do for the first two years. They have additional responsibilities, but they are right with us. After those 2 years, they go into another dimension to do their Ph.D. stuffs
then they emerge again when that is complete, to go on to finish 3rd and 4th year with the UP students who entered several years after them.
Heh, my bad.
You had your doubts, did you?
We don't actually go to Case, and Case only exists on SDN, so it's a non-issue.
I'm not sure what you mean when you ask if CCLCM's existence would impact your experience as an MSTP. Can you be more specific? What kinds of negative or positive impacts are you wondering about?musik2468 said:
I just want to clarify that the programs are only separated for the first two years. After Step 1 (generally taken at the end of second year), students from both programs do rotations and research together, and the MSTP students rotate with the rest of us as well. The only differences during rotations are that CCLCM students continue to be graded P/F, and taking the shelf exams is optional for us. UP/MSTP students are required to take the shelfs, and they have an H/HP/P/F type of grading system. But students from all three programs rotate at all of the Case-affiliated hospitals, work on the same teams on the wards, attend clinical lectures together, etc.
everyone! If you're going to apply here, yay! If you're thinking about it, DO IT. If you're just reading this thread to LOL at the crazy Case kids, refer to vc7777's avatar (i.e. "get off my lawn") and then reconsider your position because Case students are definitely some of the most normal, fun people I've met anywhere.
I'm in the UP, but I wanted to let you know about the Hospice of the Western Reserve. Part of the clinical exposure during our first months as medical students is in the form of "RAMP" - there are 4 half day sessions where we spend time (usually) 2 students with 1 physician in OB/GYN, Primary Care, House Calls, and Hospice. I had huge respect for physicians in hospice, but thought it was something I couldn't handle doing myself. After the hospice RAMP, I realized just how deeply rewarding it could be. Their mission, and the way they carry it out, was beautiful. I was genuinely moved. I talked with the physician who spoke with us, who's one of the head physicians, and he was very open to having students shadow him.
Welcome! I am jealous of the RAMP program auriga mentioned. It is supposed to be great.
I have created a FAQ on the first page. Not to replace our awesome question answering, but because a lot of students start on page one of these threads, I wanted to give them something to see at a glance. I'll link to threads and also post stuffs in there, periodically.
Pls do ask questions anytime, though
Sorry if this was asked, but:
If I want to apply to CCLCM and Case for MD, is that same as two different applications, or is it just two different secondaries (one for CCLCM and one for Case MD)? I just want to know the answer mainly because of cost.
Sorry if this was asked, but:
If I want to apply to CCLCM and Case for MD, is that same as two different applications, or is it just two different secondaries (one for CCLCM and one for Case MD)? I just want to know the answer mainly because of cost.
One secondary, but an extra essay or two extra for CCLCM.
I think there may be some confusion with this statement. Let me clarify:
I think there may be some confusion with this statement. Let me clarify:
You must select Case on your primary (that is, there is no separate checkbox on the primary for CCLCM).
However, when you receive your secondary for CWRU, you can elect to apply to CCLCM only, Case only, or both programs.
As far as I understand, there is no requirement that you must apply to the UP if you are interested in the CP.
Hope that helps.
I think there may be some confusion with this statement. Let me clarify:
You must select Case on your primary (that is, there is no separate checkbox on the primary for CCLCM).
However, when you receive your secondary for CWRU, you can elect to apply to CCLCM only, Case only, or both programs.
As far as I understand, there is no requirement that you must apply to the UP if you are interested in the CP.
Hope that helps.
I agree with Myuu, but I suspect this to be true mainly near the beginning of the interview season. But the message should be clear: don't freak out if people who applied AFTER you are getting interview spots for UP before you. It doesn't mean you are not being considered.The CP office doesn't start reviewing applications until later, so CP-only and UP-CP applicants will interview later than people who just apply UP. In terms of actual interview days, your CP interview will be the day before your UP interview. Can't have you spending loads of cash to come here twice, after all.
Many start out planning to do an MS, but few actually finish.
Depends on when you mean. Once you've decided to matriculate to CCLCM, the school will ask you what areas of basic research you are interested in. You will give a few choices, and they will assign you a researcher for your first summer, which is the basic science summer. For the second (clinical research) summer, students typically choose their own mentor. Likewise for the research year.
Just want to confirm that this is correct. You must select Case on your AMCAS, and then you specify which program or programs (UP, CCLCM, and/or MSTP) that you want to apply to. However, it is NOT necessary to apply to the UP if you want to only apply to CCLCM, nor vice versa. In fact, many of the more research-oriented applicants will select MSTP and CCLCM but not UP.
For admissions purposes, the two programs function quasi independently, almost as if they were two separate med schools. There are two separate admissions offices and two separate adcomms. It is possible to be invited to interview by one program and not the other, and it is also possible to be accepted to one program and rejected by the other.
Just wanted to emphasize this. If you apply to both programs, it may delay your hearing back from the UP just because CCLCM starts later and tends to get bogged down over time. In addition, your interview day will be later in the year if you need two interview days back-to-back. However, if you don't mind making two trips to Cleveland, or you live in the area, you can schedule your two interview days separately, which will probably allow you to interview earlier. I also want to say for the record that interviewing later at CCLCM will NOT reduce your chances of getting accepted. CCLCM specifically reserves 1/3 of the seats in the class to be given out at the end of February, after interview season is over.
Your MCAT score is low enough that either Case program is probably a reach school for you. But if you think either or both of them would be a good fit, you should still apply. About 10% of Case's incoming class are nontrads over age 30, and both programs value diversity highly.
Just want to emphasize this again.
Ha, good luck. Myuu is the queen ninja here!
There are three CCLCM interviews, all one-on-one. Two are with faculty and one with a student. Typically, one faculty interviewer will focus more on your research, while the other will focus more on the medicine side.
As I mentioned, I am a first year (for a couple more weeks) at CCLCM. Let me give you my week schedule as a sample of a first year CCLCM student:
Sunday Night
finish SAQs (multilpe choice questions for our own benefit) on last week's material. Research and Answer two CAPPs (essays that are anonymously reviewed by expert faculty on cumulative knowledge). Do reading for Monday morning lecture
Monday
8-10 Seminar - "Immunologic Mechanisms of Allergic Disorders"
We are in our "HIM Block" Hematology Immunology and Microbiology block. CCLCM uses a "two pass" method, systems based curriculum. That is, we do mainly "normal" (physiology) the first year, and re-visit the second year for disease (aka pathology). The "systems" based means we group learning around common systems. For example, Cardiology and Pulmonology (heart and lung) are combined in the first block.
Anyway, we broke up for this seminar on Monday into "small groups" (I know, 32 isn't big to begin with, but 8 is comparatively small). Each small group was lead by someone in Immunology. My group was lead by the director of our transplant immunology department.
10-12 Problem Based Learning
We break into 4 groups of 8. We were presented with a case in a narrative format without any prior knowledge of his condition. We developed questions about what we wanted to know (like "what is thrombocytopenia?") and hypothesis about the case (cheat for everyone: cancer is almost always on the differential
12-1 Lunch
Was provided lunch by the Geriatrics staff while listening to two presentations about obesity in the elderly and delirium.
1-5 Geriatrics preceptorship
Accompanied geriatrics fellow to nursing home. Was assigned a patient, did a full history, talked about her current problem list, did a mini mental exam, and performed a focused physical (cardiac, lungs, GI). Wrote up note into patient's chart (for real), and then went and found the fellow and gave her an oral presentation of my exam.
7-10 studied for Tuesday seminar
10-11 vegged out
Tuesday
8-10 We usually have Foundations in Clinical Medicine. However, being the last two weeks of the year, FCM was not scheduled. FCM is our medical humanities course. I actually like it a lot. I have no humanities in my background, but it is great to tackle some of these bigger ideas and concerns of becoming a physician. We had a playwright working with us this year and our reflective writing pieces were incorporated by him into a play he put on for the public a couple of months ago. How cool is that?
10-12 Seminar - "How the Immune System Works in Transplantation"
Large group (32) discussion of the current state of transplant science. CCLCM is an interesting place, because we did one of the first near-total face transplants. Some of my upper classmates were involved in the operation, I hear.
1-5 Longitudinal Preceptorship - CCF Solon Family Health Center
As first years, we spend every other week in clinic seeing patients. We observe our "preceptor", see patients alone, and see patients together. We develop skills that I think are pretty advanced for our stage of learning. My preceptor was delayed at a meeting off site, so I saw the first patient on my own before he was even there. Wow! Never thought I would be able to do that a year ago! This isn't mamby-pamby "shadowing" here. I took the chief complaint, full history, focuses review of systems (ROS), and did a brief physical exam. I actually heard my first extra heart sound and so I investigated further and did a complete cardiac exam. When my preceptor was back, I presented the patient, noted the heart sound, and was given mad props for finding it.
This was my last longitudinal preceptorship before break, and so my preceptor and I got to talking about what LC means. He said it isn't important to be ahead of everyone else at this stage. But rather, he said it will come in handy to have this all be familiar before we hit the wards. Why? Because then we can focus our energies on the art of medicine, the pathology, the issues. I said it was like children learning to read and then reading to learn. That point of inversion denotes the beginning of an explosive phase of learning. I'm not very good at the physical exams, or the oral presentations. But I have a confidence I didn't have before. And I am trying to get this all down before the end of second year. I hope to hit the ground running when 3rd/4th year rolls around. Pretty cool right?
5-7 Dinner
Met a classmate at a nice little open air cafe across from Great Lakes Brewery and the Westside Market. Had musssels and a delightful sandwich with a good beer. Indians were playing so lots of people were out.
Wednesday
8-10 Seminar - Pharmacology - Adverse Drug Reactions
"Large group" seminar given by a PharmD. Interactive seminar going over common symptoms and side effects of many of the antibiotics used in the hospital.
10-12 PBL - Part II
Four 15 min presentations on various topics are given by my classmates. Sometimes these are power point, sometimes "chalk-talks". Other times, they are more interactive, mutli-media, etc. We then turn our attention to the case again. This time, more information is revealed to us. It might be a new disease, a complication of treatment, or new symptoms. Wednesday is sort of like "sweeps week" on TV - there is usually a surprise or some other development that catches our attention. The four people who did not present on Wed are assigned topics to present on Friday.
12-5 Studying
5-7 Dinner
Took a friend to a nice taqueria called Mi Pueblo. There Mole is not the greatest, but it is not from a jar (I can tell). So I give them kudos for making it. Otherwise a pleasant dinner.
Thursday
Usually, Thursday is a free day from CCLCM. There are no seminars, no PBL. Many students take Masters classes on these days. I took CMED401 which was Intro to Clinical Research and I am planning on getting a masters in Clinical Research through the Clinic Research Scholars Program (CRSP - or "crisp"). CRSP is done for the semester, so I actually had nothing scheduled this morning.
2:45 - 5
Sub-Acute Preceptorship
Tonight I go to a "step-down" facility and have to do the following:
History taking and a physical examination on patient 60 minutes
Prepare for presenting to the preceptor 15 minutes
Present the history and physical findings to your preceptor 15 minutes
Preceptor feedback 15 minutes
I'll tell you how it goes.
Until then, I am typing on SDN, working on my presentation for PBL, and reading up on seminar material for Friday
8-10 Seminar - "Virology II" focusing on HIV and other retroviruses
Based on the room assignment, it looks like it will be a "large group" discussion tomorrow.
11-12 PBL - I will present my information to the group, along with three other members. Then we will wrap up the case, discuss whether or not we hit all of the learning objectives the course directors wanted us to cover (we are not told ahead of time what they are).
1-2:30 Advanced Research in Medicine
ARM is an intimate venue to listen firsthand thought leaders talk about the current direction of their research. The research is usually tied to the block we are in. For example, Dr. Fairchild will be presenting some of his current work on allograph rejection tomorrow, and it ties in nicely with what we have been learning this past week. Two weeks ago Dr. Tuohy came and talked about about his breast cancer vaccine research here at CCF.
.....
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.
