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Hey guys, if you got any questions about the school or anything feel free to ask away. Us first years just finished
Hey guys, if you got any questions about the school or anything feel free to ask away. Us first years just finished
Recently there was a review of NYCOM in the "Pros and Cons of Your DO School" thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=8144959&postcount=460
I'm hoping this isn't a review that is accurate nor one that many current students agree on. I personally got a pit in my stomach after reading that, honestly. I still have faith in NYCOM, and I don't expect every person to be happy there obviously, but I hope that there are nicer things to say about it than what's in that review.
Also, does anyone have the booklist for summer reading?
Recently there was a review of NYCOM in the "Pros and Cons of Your DO School" thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=8144959&postcount=460
I'm hoping this isn't a review that is accurate nor one that many current students agree on. I personally got a pit in my stomach after reading that, honestly. I still have faith in NYCOM, and I don't expect every person to be happy there obviously, but I hope that there are nicer things to say about it than what's in that review.
I saw that review, I will do a full comment on it later when I feel like actually typing alot (I'm on vacation here ) What I can comment on though is that the curriculum isn't constantly being changed. We have had a systems based format for 3 years now and they haven't changed it much since implementing the new format (4 years since they first implemented the new format). As for our profs, for the most part I haven't found any of them to be standoffish. I have always been able to get in touch with them when i wanted to and many of our basic science professors are really good. I love our anatomy dept and most of our OMM dept. As for the rest, many of that pertains to the 3rd and 4th year of which i haven seen yet.
One thing you need to realize about NYCOM is that they admit a lot of immature whiners who probably don't belong in med school to begin with. Some of these kids think they are still in college. They will complain about everything from water fountains not working, to the hours the gym is open, to not being allowed to have a school sponsored soccer game betw 1st and 2nd years. They think they are at a luxury resort. If you go to NYCOM motivated to learn medicine, you will do well. I personally loved it there. It was expensive, it was stressful around test times, there were some negatives to the school, but overall I'm glad I attended. Rotations were great. Of course some hospitals are more organized than others. You just need to make it clear to the residents and attendings that you want to learn because as I said, a lot of your classmates will be immature and will be looking for ways to leave early and not do any work. This ruins it for the people who really do want to learn. I found the clinical ed staff to be VERY helpful. They will sit down with you and help you plan or change your schedule IF YOU ARE POLITE. Again, kids walk in there and start cursing and yelling because they got their second choice hospital instead of their first. In fact they bent over backwards and called hospitals for me to try to accomodate me. Financial aid is as helpful as a financial aid dept can be. They are very nice and will tell you what forms to fill out.
Do not listen to the review. If you are truly worried about this stuff, it probably means you are one of the more mature ones and you will do just fine.
anybody receive their financial aid award letters yet?
Does anyone know where we are supposed to send the waiver forms for health insurance?
Do the insurance forms have a specific deadline? I had called earlier and they told me that the forms can be handed in at orientation.
Thanks! Anyone have any suggestions on how many scrubs we should buy?
From reading some of the past NYCOM thread I am becoming really nervous for school to start. Second year students-how much did you study every night? Which block of classes is the most difficult/time consuming? Are the tests impossible? Did you ever have some breathing time (I know its med school but short periods) or is it constant stress? Just asking so I know a little more about what to expect before - start. Thanks!
I did not find fundamentals all that hard. Most of my friends also did not find it that difficult. You will have time to see your friends and boyfriend during those first 6 weeks. It's not like you will be isolated studying 24/7. As I said before, about 4 days prior to a major exam (not a quiz) most people buckle down and do hardcore studying for the exams. You can fly by the quizes by studying a couple hours the weekend before one of those 3 quizes they give. The problem with fundamentals is that you are in class basically from 8 or 9am until 4 or 5 pm. It's a draining day because you are in class basically all day long. The material is not hard at all. Most of it is review of biochem, Mirco and intro courses in Phara, Path, ect. If you took biochem, mirco or genetics in undergrad, you will have an easier time.
I think whats most challening about fundementlas is finding your groove. You are going to have to find a way to balance eveything. It's challening because you dont know how much time you should spend in lab reviwing, how much time you should spend at home on a given lecture. However, once you find a groove and can accept that getting an 80 on a exam is pretty good, you will find yourself less stressed out. You will have more time to spend with loved ones and be able to do things not school related. It gets easier once you figure out how to make time for everything (which trust me, you will figure out pretty fast).
At the same time I don't understand why every doctor I've met responds with "say good-bye to your life" or something to that effect when I say I'm going to med school. Was it more difficult to manage time in med school in the past?...
Don't read any medical textbooks That's for sure! No need to read that Bate's book on physical diagnosis (thats what they rec you read before school starts).
I would say if you want to read anything about medicine, Then I would rec reading
1. House of God by Samuel Shem
2. Complications by Atul Gawande
3. Better by Atul Gawande
4. Intern by Sandeep Jauhar
5. Stiff by Mary Roach
As I have said before, in terms of books you should get before school starts get:
1. Grant's dissector by Tank.
2. An anatomy atlas (I loved Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body by Johannes W Rohen, Chihiro Yokochi. Some people though, choose to get a free copy of Netters atlas when they signed up for SOMA (an $60 or $80 registration fee).
3. First Aid for USMLE STEP I.
4. Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Seventh Edition by Vinay Kumar, Nelso Fausto, and Abul Abbas.
Some good books and advice, except, I would substitute Robbins path for Guyton or Boron or Costanzo. IMO, you need to learn physiology before pathology.
did anyone else's financial aid letter get held up because you chose discover as a lender? I called the financial office and they said its going to be a few more weeks. something doesn't seem right, its already july!
same here, I chose discover as my lender and I know I was approved but I haven't received any kind of award letter either. Getting a bit antsy waiting... hopefully we will hear within the next few weeks.
Does anyone know approximately how much refund we get if we request up to the cost of attendance for the loan?
In the review above it's mentioned that there is no more online streaming of lectures...is this true?
Anybody have any insight as to how it will work for the class of 2013? Because in the review it said that they pulled live streaming altogether.