Fireside (Labside?) Chat #2 - Ask Questions Here!

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NickNaylor

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Hey guys,

We really enjoyed doing that chat this weekend, and it seems like many people found it interesting and informative. As a result, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'd like to do another video (or two, or more) and try and answer more of your questions.

In the event you didn't watch the first one, you can do so here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ9F10djlZA

Topics we touched on included:

1) What's an average day like (weekdays and weekends), how much free time do you have, how often do you do fun stuff, etc.?

2) What specialties are you interested in? What have you done to get there?

3) Advice for incoming students. What about those with children/SOs?

4) Is it possible to do significant research during school? How do you balance study time vs. other commitments?

5) How is life different between undergrad and med school, what are differences in studying, is it possible to cram, how does the stress compare to the average undergrad experience and even the most difficult times in undergrad?

6) What are your tips for surviving/adjusting in the first couple of months?

7) What are the characteristics of the most successful students in your class? How, if at all, do those characteristics differ from those of the most successful undergraduate students?

8) Did you have clinical exposure during M1? Was it helpful?

9) If you're not sure of what specialty you want to go to (or have some inklings but realize that many people change their minds) how should an accepted student differentiate which medical school will have the most paths to an open future?

10) Which undergraduate courses were the most helpful in preparing you for med school? Are there any courses that were similar to what you learn in med school?
Click to expand...

Are there topics we didn't touch on that you'd like us to discuss? Did we miss something in one of these questions that you were hoping to have answered (I know we went off-track/missed some aspects of a few questions, so please let us know if there are specifics that were asked but we didn't actually address)? Post any questions here and we'll try and address as many of them as possible. I'm not sure if it'll be possible since I haven't run this by the other guys, but my hope is that we might be able to pump out another video before Christmas.

Things to "look forward" to in the next video:

-Actually in front of a fireplace (at least for the Pritzker folks)

-Me in a tacky Christmas sweater

-More real talk about being in medical school and hopefully demystifing more of what med school life is like for those of you wanting to go to med school or who will be starting next year

Looking forward to it!
 
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I am excite.

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?
 
Not really a question for the video, but will the same guys appear in the second video? You guys were awesome.
 
Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

(I am 27 with one child(2.5y/o) and one on the way, still in undergrad but curious about how life is like with a family and attending med school)

Thanks!
 
Dportorreal said:
Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

(I am 27 with one child(2.5y/o) and one on the way, still in undergrad but curious about how life is like with a family and attending med school)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Good question - none of us are in that position, but we can perhaps talk to someone that would know. I live with my SO and discussed that to some degree in the first video, but we don't have any children (unless a puppy and two cats count).
 
1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

(Quote and add to the list!)
 
Doctor Strange said:
1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

(Quote and add to the list!)
Click to expand...

.
 
I haven't watched the previous video yet🙂o) so I am not sure if this was already covered but I didn't see it in the above topics list.

What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

Questions:

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

(Quote and add to the list!)
Click to expand...
 
How is the food up there. Is there like a meal plan?
 
I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Wether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure ect.

May be a stupid question. Just thought I'd throw it out.
 
La Presse said:
How is the food up there. Is there like a meal plan?
Click to expand...

This is school-dependent, but at nearly all medical schools you're "on your own" so to speak. At schools like WashU and JHU and I'm sure others, many med students live in graduate student dorms. I don't know if they have a meal plan or not, but my guess is probably so since dorms usually don't have resources to actually be able to cook to any meaningful degree. At Pritzker, that kind of infrastructure isn't present - only a few students live in university-owned apartments, and meal plans aren't included there. I'm sure we could buy a meal plan if we wanted to, but most people are "over" the whole undergrad lifestyle and would much rather stay in their own place, cook their own meals, etc.. I imagine this is especially true for the non-trad students who have been in the "real world" for a few years.
 
Questions:1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?
2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?
3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?
4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?
5. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

(Quote and add to the list!)
Click to expand...

This is good, i missed the last one
 
Tots said:
I haven't watched the previous video yet🙂o) so I am not sure if this was already covered but I didn't see it in the above topics list.

What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?
Click to expand...

We addressed this to some extent, but we can perhaps do a more thorough discussion of it.
 
Questions:

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?
 
Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?
 
Questions:

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?
 
Questions:

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile
 
Freesia88 said:
Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?
Click to expand...

Seconded! For both a female med student, and this question.
 
I would be interested hearing about your move to a new city.
Was there help from the school finding a place to live? How early did you move there? I know this is school specific, but how much control do you have over these things or is governed by the schools?
 
Questions:

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

11. I realize pre-clinical grades don't matter too much, but how do residency programs rank students from different schools if one school, for example, uses a P/F grading system and another school uses the A/B/C/D system?
 
iforget2 said:
9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?
Click to expand...

Not my question I know, but in regards to Top 20, ranking system fails. Harvard isn't the best because it's No.1. The schools in Top 20 are equally prestigious.
 
1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

11. I realize pre-clinical grades don't matter too much, but how do residency programs rank students from different schools if one school, for example, uses a P/F grading system and another school uses the A/B/C/D system?

12. Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

13. Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?[/
 
Agent B said:
Not my question I know, but in regards to Top 20, ranking system fails. Harvard isn't the best because it's No.1. The schools in Top 20 are equally prestigious.
Click to expand...

Well I didn't mean to imply that one top school was better than another. I was mostly asking based on perceived prestige by PDs.
 
Freesia88 said:
1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

11. I realize pre-clinical grades don't matter too much, but how do residency programs rank students from different schools if one school, for example, uses a P/F grading system and another school uses the A/B/C/D system?

12. Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

13. Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

14. How big of a role has technology played in your medical education? Has it helped you out to a large extent, thus far?
[/
Click to expand...

Thanks 😀
 
Praefectus said:
Ding ding ding. Winner!
Click to expand...

Yes!! I'm excited for this. 😎

Freesia88 said:
1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

11. I realize pre-clinical grades don't matter too much, but how do residency programs rank students from different schools if one school, for example, uses a P/F grading system and another school uses the A/B/C/D system?

12. Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

13. Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

14. Since most of you are M2's how are you planning on tackling boards coming up?

15. How does MS4 work, exactly? Do you get time off from rotations to interview for residency?
Click to expand...
 
Doctor Strange said:
It'd be great if we could get a regular thing like this with different people from different schools. I know I'd be up for it in a year or two.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd be interested to hear if students at less-prestigious schools share the same "go to a school that makes you happy, don't worry about rank" attitude as those at top schools.
 
What would you consider are the major factors that helped you guys receive an acceptance, rather than just GPA and MCAT?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile app please excuse punctuation and spelling
 
Oh, another thing. Is it hard to make friends in med school? Weird thing I'm nervous about. :scared:
 
**this list is up to date i think**

1. If you're willing to share, have you experienced any financial difficulties during medical school with regards to buying supplies, paying rent, living life, etc.?

2. Do any of you have a family (children and wife)? If so, what is it like for you to juggle med school and a family? If not, do you know of anyone that in a similar situation who would be able to give you insight on this?

3. Why did you all choose to go to Pritzker? Did you have a hard time choosing schools?

4. What factors do you think applicants should consider when choosing medical schools? What is important/not important?

5. How is the food up there? Is there like a meal plan?

6. I like to ask students where I interviewed at what they do not like about the school, and if possible, what recommendation would they make for improvement. Whether it be to the curriculum, labs, clinic exposure, etc.

7. When should you start trying to find an apartment and what are important factors for finding a place to live?

8. What are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

9. I know Pritzker is about as prestigious as it gets, but do you ever wonder/worry that you would've been better off going to a more prestigious school like a Harvard or Hopkins?

10. Piggybacking on question 1, if you aren't getting financial help from anyone or anything but loans, how did you manage the summer months that loans don't cover?

11. I realize pre-clinical grades don't matter too much, but how do residency programs rank students from different schools if one school, for example, uses a P/F grading system and another school uses the A/B/C/D system?

12. Is it possible to get a girl med student in there maybe? Should be interesting getting a female perspective.

13. Also, what are the things that you worried about as a pre-med, that looking back now, you realize that it really was not worth worrying about?

14. Since most of you are M2's how are you planning on tackling boards coming up?

15. How does MS4 work, exactly? Do you get time off from rotations to interview for residency?

15. How big of a role has technology played in your medical education? Has it helped you out to a large extent, thus far?

16. Are you personally invested in the local community of your medical school?
 
Last edited:
The questions so far look great.

If you can get an MD/PhD I'd be interested in hearing about there work/life balance and how stressful it is for them to complete their PhD so they can finally finish their MD.

Thanks and I'm definitely looking forward to it, the last one was great.
 
Did you guys apply to both MD and DO schools? I assume you all had great grades since you go to U of C but if you had mediocre grades (3.6 29MCAT) would you have considered DO?

What are your views on taking a gap year after undergrad to save money to pay for tuition or to build up your resume?
 
pmarank said:
Did you guys apply to both MD and DO schools? I assume you all had great grades since you go to U of C but if you had mediocre grades (3.6 29MCAT) would you have considered DO?

What are your views on taking a gap year after undergrad to save money to pay for tuition or to build up your resume?
Click to expand...

I think this is more for questions about medical school. Not questions about what you should do to get into medical school.
 
Lots of great questions. Looking forward to it!
 
Assuming the mass of the sun is 1.98E30 Kg and n is an integer between 1 and k-1, to what extent will having facial hair help me in the admissions process? (srs)
 
MangoPlant said:
Assuming the mass of the sun is 1.98E30 Kg and n is an integer between 1 and k-1, to what extent will having facial hair help me in the admissions process? (srs)
Click to expand...

Male or female?
 
MangoPlant said:
Assuming the mass of the sun is 1.98E30 Kg and n is an integer between 1 and k-1, to what extent will having facial hair help me in the admissions process? (srs)
Click to expand...

MedPR said:
Male or female?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure it can only hurt unless you are male and over 30. This has been discussed before somewhere...
 
Aww, I was hoping it could only help because of the years seemingly added by well-groomed stubble.
 
Bacchus said:
I might try to help out with this potentially (I talked to Nick). If anyone has DO questions it'd convince me moreso to do it 😉.
Click to expand...

This may be a dumb question, but:

In the first video, there was talk about how med students are somewhat "empowered," in that they have very easy access to shadowing doctors of every specialty, doing research, finding mentors via their school's many academic resources, etc. Do you, as a DO student, find that you have many, if not all, of these same opportunities?
 
NickNaylor said:
Are there topics we didn't touch on that you'd like us to discuss?
Click to expand...

5201987.jpg
 
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