Hi I am currently in the post bacc program and would be willing to answer any questions y'all might have about the post bacc program..to the best of my knowledge. Just send me a PM and I will get back to you. As someone wrote earlier being from a disadvantaged background is a strong considering factor. You don't have to be rejected as I do know at least one of my classmates was on the waiting list.
2009-2010 University of Kansas Application Thread
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I think you may be right. I was under the impression there was already a waitlist, but someone in the Case discussion told me there wasn't yet.
If I actually do get in, I'd have to face a difficult decision, because I really do love KU too! I would like having the option, though . But either way I am floating that I will be in medical school in just 4 months!!! AHHH It sounds so soon! XD
What are you guys doing with this remaining time? Now that MCAT prep insanity, AMCAS EC's and PS, secondaries, and interviews are FINALLY over?
I asked my med student interviewer what is the best way to prep for starting med school. He said "finish the projects you've got going so that you can start fresh."
Sooo aside from working, I made a list. I completely reworked my website, started uploading some scanned artwork, selling old video games and stuff on ebay, donating old clothes, FINALLY tossing old class notes that were useful for the MCAT but will never need again (OChem begone!), trying to reteach myself to exercise regularly, learning new efficient dinner recipes, and snuggling on the couch with hubby watching Star Trek TNG and several anime we've been wanting to see ^_^
What about you guys?
If I actually do get in, I'd have to face a difficult decision, because I really do love KU too! I would like having the option, though . But either way I am floating that I will be in medical school in just 4 months!!! AHHH It sounds so soon! XD
What are you guys doing with this remaining time? Now that MCAT prep insanity, AMCAS EC's and PS, secondaries, and interviews are FINALLY over?
I asked my med student interviewer what is the best way to prep for starting med school. He said "finish the projects you've got going so that you can start fresh."
Sooo aside from working, I made a list. I completely reworked my website, started uploading some scanned artwork, selling old video games and stuff on ebay, donating old clothes, FINALLY tossing old class notes that were useful for the MCAT but will never need again (OChem begone!), trying to reteach myself to exercise regularly, learning new efficient dinner recipes, and snuggling on the couch with hubby watching Star Trek TNG and several anime we've been wanting to see ^_^
What about you guys?
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I want to mention to a conference coming up - the 2010 INMED [Institute for International Medicine] Exploring Medical Missions Conference is on May 21-22.
I'm not trying to advertise, I just really loved it 😀
I went to both INMED conferences last year and they were AMAZING.
The focus is serving underserved (and UNserved) populations around the globe and tackling disease control, malnutrition, education, and meeting the needs of populations with little resources. It is not a religious missions thing, though there were many individuals who were taking "serving your fellow man" to heart. It's a gathering of brilliant healthcare professionals sharing their experiences and solutions with each other.
It was awesome and inspiring meeting so many people dedicated to improving healthcare domestically and globally.
For example, there was a man demonstrating water purifiers that ran on just salt and solar power - ionizing and isolating the cholorine to treat the water. A woman gave a talk about how she teaches midwifery to indigenous villages in the mountains of Nepal and has reduced infant mortality rates by like 40%. Several seminars were on how to effectively use limited amounts of medication and equipment to provide maximum amount of care.
There are also opportunities offered to do a year of residency or even clinicals in different places around the world.
And it's an outstanding opportunity for networking with other physicians and med students/residents. There are residency programs from several hospitals who were there recruiting and offering information.
Students get a big discount too - I think it's like $45 for both days, including coffee/donuts and lunch. And like I said, this isn't an ad, it was just really awesome, and it'd be neat to run into some future classmates!
I'm not trying to advertise, I just really loved it 😀
I went to both INMED conferences last year and they were AMAZING.
The focus is serving underserved (and UNserved) populations around the globe and tackling disease control, malnutrition, education, and meeting the needs of populations with little resources. It is not a religious missions thing, though there were many individuals who were taking "serving your fellow man" to heart. It's a gathering of brilliant healthcare professionals sharing their experiences and solutions with each other.
It was awesome and inspiring meeting so many people dedicated to improving healthcare domestically and globally.
For example, there was a man demonstrating water purifiers that ran on just salt and solar power - ionizing and isolating the cholorine to treat the water. A woman gave a talk about how she teaches midwifery to indigenous villages in the mountains of Nepal and has reduced infant mortality rates by like 40%. Several seminars were on how to effectively use limited amounts of medication and equipment to provide maximum amount of care.
There are also opportunities offered to do a year of residency or even clinicals in different places around the world.
And it's an outstanding opportunity for networking with other physicians and med students/residents. There are residency programs from several hospitals who were there recruiting and offering information.
Students get a big discount too - I think it's like $45 for both days, including coffee/donuts and lunch. And like I said, this isn't an ad, it was just really awesome, and it'd be neat to run into some future classmates!
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Did you get a place near the school? We haven't even started looking at housing options yet...I want to live as close as I can, in a decent 2 or 3 BR apartment or duplex/townhome for a reasonable price, but still avoid the sketchy areas. I'm sure pretty much everyone feels the same, so I have no idea how hard to find it will be!
I applied KU EDP (rolled over into RD) , UT Southwestern and Stanford.
I was accepted to all three. After some careful thought, I will be a Jayhawk!
So I'm excited!
Where else did you apply?
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I dont want to be the debbie downer or start a political debate but is anyone else a little pissed that all this healthcare stuff in washington had to go down right when are about to head to medical school? Of all the years..
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I have been thinking the same thing. I've worked in the medical field long enough to know this is what I want to do, but I was thinking yesterday "I wonder how many people are debating their career choice right now". And yes, it sucks.
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I'm looking into the neighborhoods a little farther from KUMC but still within driving distance. A friend of mine said that if you're just looking to rent Roeland Park and Mission are nicer areas with a quick commute to KUMC. He said buying there might be a little much. My wife and I plan to come up in the next couple of months to narrow our choices. I'll post if I find anything outstanding.
yeah i'll be starting in july and i'm not too thrilled about that one. most of the patients i work with (medicare) aren't happy about it. i guess we will see how it pans out. i've been trying hard to keep up with it, but it seems that changes happen to the bill every day. KU sent out an email a few hours ago outlining the reform that i'm looking into.
in other news i will be living near the medical center (i already do, but my roommate is getting married so i have to peace outta this place). there is pretty good housing around here, and many students live on my block. I love being able to walk and not having to mess with parking. it is true that roeland park and mission are nicer, however i heard that they're going to knock down the hotel and some shops on rainbow and redo it to make it more appealing.
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Sweet, definitely do! I don't know that area well at all.
Yeah, I totally agree. I' ve been working in the ER at a hospital for a while and that cemented what I wanted to do. I'm a patient financial advocate now, and I see some pretty messed up things from both the patient perspective and the hospital perspective. Changes desperately need to be made - so so many people are completely SOL for health care and end up in the ER, either because their controllable condition ends up out of control without care, or they can't get a regular doctor to see them for something minor. Or they just dont realize how much an ER visit costs.
But I just cannot understand what the govt is choosing to focus on. Medicare cuts? Payment cuts? What about Insurance company profit margin regulations, or higher mandated reimbursement rates from insurance companies to the hospitals? I haaaaate insurance companies.
/end rant
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Sorry, this was a super depressing week with the patients I've been seeing...two cried on my desk in the last few days.
Anyhow, how far away from the school do you live? Are you seriously able to walk there in a reasonable amt of time? I'd like to start looking next month, my lease ends soonish, but I'm not sure where to start.
KU has probably some decent resources on how to find housing I imagine?
Anyhow, how far away from the school do you live? Are you seriously able to walk there in a reasonable amt of time? I'd like to start looking next month, my lease ends soonish, but I'm not sure where to start.
KU has probably some decent resources on how to find housing I imagine?
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I completely understand. I volunteer at a free clinic and work in an ENT office. There are so many elderly that just don't know what to do. They have been promised their entire life that if they work hard and contribute they will have medicare to take care of them. Now that they are on fixed incomes with increasing health problems their benefits will be cut due to the 500 BILLION dollars in medicare cuts. I don't think people realized that hey, if you support this, you're screwing your grandparents. They can't go back and re-plan.
Now that I'm done with my rant... Having worked in the ER, is that the type of medicine you want to get in to? I was an Army medic and am pretty set on emergency medicine. I love not knowing what you're going to see that shift. Working in the ENT office is a comfortable gig until school, but has solidified my belief that an office job just isn't for me. And I'm non-traditional (older), so while trauma surgery is appealing I don't know about the years of training post med school.
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I know i'm not the OP, but there are multiple places right around campus that allow you to have about a 5 minute walk. There are 2 apartment complexes really close to campus (ie Walking distance) and that's Vista and Rainbow ridge. Honestly, there isn't too great of information on the KU website about apartments and housing, although there is some. I think your best bet is to talk with current students (feel free to PM me or anyone else) and they'll be more than happy to give their thoughts. Also, you'll start getting a ton of emails to your KUMC address early this summer about people with houses to rent or looking for roommates
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That's exactly how I feel about the ER - something different every time you walk into a room. Like a puzzle to solve- I love that variety. The downside about the ER is that you (hopefully) never see a patient again and never know the results of your hard work. I found that frustrating, even as a tech, to not know how a patient you helped turned out. That is what makes me lean toward primary care - variety, but with some followup.
I'm older too, and am a little reluctant to attack something with an insanely long residency/fellowship myself. But TBH I am someone who thrives on variety anyways, rather than to hone in and master just one thing every day, like vascular surgery or something. That has awesomeness in its own way, but not sure it's for me.
Then again, clinicals may completely rock my world. That's the part of med school that excites me the most - trying different areas!!! 😀
Ok Doc 2 Dr...I've been curious, what's the Doc stand for? I know RT2MD comes from Resp Therapy, do u come from another field too?
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That's actually where i'm moving to from my current house in mission. A lot of the people in my class live there and the apartments are pretty nice. The lady i've talked with in the office is really nice and helpful too. It's pretty close to campus, but not so much that you feel you're always at school
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There is a case before the supreme court in Kansas, addressing the same issue. Hopefully Kansas will have the same findings!
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That's pretty much my philosophy about school. I look at it as a two year program, because I can't wait to get to clinicals. I've worked crazy long hours before and working with patients is what I thrive on.
As for the Doc, I was a medic in the Army. I served in an Infantry unit and at times was the only medical provider in the area. Once you have earned their trust, the grunts call the medic "Doc". I would never presume to have been a physician before, but being "Doc" to a group of soldiers who trusted me with their lives was the most rewarding experience.
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That's really cool! Where were you stationed?
There are quite a few of us non-trads lurking around. We should start a club 🙂 At least now I don't have to feel like I have to lie and say I'm 24! (Celebrating #30 next month)
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I agree! I'm looking at the big three-oh next month as well!
23 next month!
I think it's great that everyone is not 22-23 y.o.
Engineer2MD, 30 is still pretty young for starting Med school!
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Absolutely - a club!! haha I just celebrated the big three-oh in December myself. There'll be at least 3 of us the same age! ^_^ And you're completely right, UTKD, 30 is definitely still young to start med school! You earn points for seeing that 😀
My mentor graduated from KU Med (I think it was in '01) and he matriculated at age 41. He's one of the best docs I've ever met - you can tell he truly loves what he does. He left a 20 yr career as a chemist, and he really enjoyed med school.
i'll be 24, but a guy i work with in our class just turned 30 last week.
i just got an email from the 4th year i interviewed with saying congrats for getting in, and that he matched into a good residency. anyone else get one?
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I get one more year of being in my 20's. I know my wife is hoping there is some kind of married student group that holds fun activities for the families to get together. Spouses, I believe, would benefit from meeting other spouses in the same boat. Being that I just enjoyed the birth of my first five weeks ago, I know I am relieved to know that I won't be the only parent in our class.
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It would seem that here on the SDN thread, I am the minority at 22! (Just turned this month.)
It is nice to know our class will have people of a wide variety of ages and experiences!
It is nice to know our class will have people of a wide variety of ages and experiences!
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22 as well.. Does anyone know when we still receive word back about financial aid?
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Add one more to the club. I'll turn 31 right after we start class.
I was stationed at Fort Riley, when I wasn't seeing the world. That's where my Kansas ties come in, I met my wife while I was there. We definitely need to get the old married folk together when we get there so the spouses can meet people going through the same thing.
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I agree that we should get an "old fogies" group together.
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That'd be great to have!
Now, just to clarify, was that the birth of your first child, 5 weeks ago? Or was it the birth of your first five, weeks ago?
Seriously, though, my M3 cousin's wife just gave birth to twins! That's child #3 and 4 all at once. Wowsauce. All my respect in the world to Med student parents! Lots of ppl give up on their career dreams when baby comes into their lives, but even though it requires extra work and sacrifice, it's great they decided not to settle for less in their life 😀
My husband and I always planned to adopt anyways, so now the plan is after residency. Worked out well!
Side note, laryngo, are you going for ent?
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yay UTKD, Moose and pkp all get points for appreciating their elders 😀
I contacted the fin aid office this week b/c I was concerned I'd missed something, since other students here had gotten stuff back from other schools. I submitted the FAFSA and the Scholarship app within the deadlines. They replied
"At this point we do not require any additional documentation from you.
If we do, however, we will let you know. We hope to award sometime in
April. Once you are notified of what you are eligible for, you can see
if you need any additional funds to help you meet your cost of
attendance. To get an idea of supplemental educational loan options,
you can visit our website at:
http://www.kumc.edu/studentcenter/AddLoanProg.htm
Let us know if you have any further questions about any of those
programs once you review the site."
Hope that helps ^_^
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I emailed them as well and heard the same thing. April it is i guess.
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My initial love of medicine stemmed from my love of singing and the voice, so yeah, ent seems the obvious fit. But who knows. I taught in the K-12 classroom for five years and may find my rhythm in peds.
Adoption is something we want to do as well. Some friends of mine finally were blessed with a baby from China- it only took them seven years!! Hope you're planning for a specialty with a shorter residency. If I do decide ent, that's five years residency. I'll be 38/39 y/o before I'm done!
As far as the financial aid office. Anyone inquired about this income appeal form? I downloaded it and they want a letter from my "past employer" that states I don't work there anymore. If one is waiting until July to leave FT employment, is that the soonest the income appeal form can be filled out? I know the only thing that will change is the type of money we can get (subsidized vs. unsub.), but still ...
I'm glad you mentioned this as I am in the same boat. I would get them a letter with your employment end date as soon as possible. How the letter is handled in relation to your EFC is pretty much up the fin aid officer at KU dealing with your file. They have the authority to adjust your aid if they see fit. That's what I was told during my interview day.
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We should DEFINITELY have a married-club where spouses can meet. My husband is already excited about Spring Visit / Second Look since I told him sometimes they let spouses come to that. He took off work already (I asked Jason and he said it would be April 30). I was like "Hold on, we don't even have the info yet!" So yah, I think it would really be great to make friends that way!
KU endowment loan sounds better than unsub loans. it's 5% interest. max amount is $20K for medical students over four years. need a cosigner which may or may not be a pain, but when you are accruing interest for 5-10 years, 1.8% makes a difference.
http://www.kuendowment.org/students/loans/#overview
http://www.kuendowment.org/students/loans/#overview
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Laryngo, we have thought the same thing. Both of our families have been touched by adoption, so if we decide to have children, we want to do that as well. 🙂
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I just realized:
Doc2Dr
RT2MD
Engineer2MD
and you are all ~30 also...so I need a 2 in my name to denote what I've changed from. Hmm...
RandomCrapThatPaidTheBills2FinallyFoundMyCalling is most appropriate I think.😀 Doesn't fit tho 😛
Doc2Dr
RT2MD
Engineer2MD
and you are all ~30 also...so I need a 2 in my name to denote what I've changed from. Hmm...
RandomCrapThatPaidTheBills2FinallyFoundMyCalling is most appropriate I think.😀 Doesn't fit tho 😛
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Uhhhh second look? There is one? I knew other schools did, but I didn't get a notice so I thought maybe KU didn't. Did anyone get an invite? How does it work? *exciting!*
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Not that I know of yet. I know a few who are still waiting on other schools' decisions.
OMG 5 of us at exactly 30 when we start!!! Statistically impressive at this point!Hey all! I just turned the BIG 30 this month and have been celebrating most of the month!! Glad to know there are others sharing the BIG NUMBER with me!
D
deleted317914
That's exactly what I want to know! If anyone does, please post... as #9 on the wait list, it would really make my day 🙂
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I <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 KU.
<3.
That said, if Case Western Reserve University sends me a letter saying they want me, I'll personally hand over my beloved acceptance (hopefully to one of you!!) and float on a cloud up to Ohio. 😀
I hoped and prayed to get into KUmed - I've always wanted to go here! But I just can't help it, Case was my FIRST (interview) and stole my heart.
Btw, #9, you will certainly get in. That's an awesome #.
<3.
That said, if Case Western Reserve University sends me a letter saying they want me, I'll personally hand over my beloved acceptance (hopefully to one of you!!) and float on a cloud up to Ohio. 😀
I hoped and prayed to get into KUmed - I've always wanted to go here! But I just can't help it, Case was my FIRST (interview) and stole my heart.
Btw, #9, you will certainly get in. That's an awesome #.
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Well, it looks like if there isn't a 'club' for married med students at KU, we have the makings of one just from us SDNers. My wife is excited to meet other spouses that can share the experience.
I, also, heard from Financial Aid that April is the month. The office is on the third floor of the Student Services building right across the street from the fitness center (if any of you are around the campus at all). They seem nice, but they can't really do anything for you until they have the numbers of what you're awarded in hand. So, I'm sure there will be a rush of appointments made in early May.
Other than that, I've been doing what most the rest of us 'non-trads' are doing... Working... Working around the house... Playing with dogs... Watching movies... Reading for the fun of it... Etc.
And, of course, planning a week getaway during June as the 'last hoorah' before we all dive headfirst into the unkown.
I, also, heard from Financial Aid that April is the month. The office is on the third floor of the Student Services building right across the street from the fitness center (if any of you are around the campus at all). They seem nice, but they can't really do anything for you until they have the numbers of what you're awarded in hand. So, I'm sure there will be a rush of appointments made in early May.
Other than that, I've been doing what most the rest of us 'non-trads' are doing... Working... Working around the house... Playing with dogs... Watching movies... Reading for the fun of it... Etc.
And, of course, planning a week getaway during June as the 'last hoorah' before we all dive headfirst into the unkown.
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I spoke with financial aid and got the same message. It just feels like I haven't gotten that much done. I'm paraniod that I'll miss something and they'll tell me I can't come!
I'm trying to get time off to come to second look. Haven't heard anything official yet but the consensus seems to be April 30. Anybody in the KC area have a suggestion where to get the married couples together? We'll be apartment hunting as well that weekend but would love to meet everyone.
Hey - for those of you who are re-applicants could you see if you can find your waitlist letters from last year?
My gf's waitlist letter only said how many alternates were taken from 2007, 2008, and 2009.
She would like to review what the # of alternates were taken from years prior.
Could any of you help me with this information??
Thanks,
UTKD
My gf's waitlist letter only said how many alternates were taken from 2007, 2008, and 2009.
She would like to review what the # of alternates were taken from years prior.
Could any of you help me with this information??
Thanks,
UTKD
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Jason told me via e-mail that it was going to be April 30. He said that they would e-mail out more information in a few weeks. He said it would go to the e-mail account registered with AMCAS, so be sure to check that occasionally. I had to ask too, to make sure I could have off that day.
Sure we can get together that weekend! What do you want to do? In the KUMED part of town, both the Plaza and the Power & Light district are nearby. (I was thinking restaurant/bar type of thing, but any other ideas?)
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