2009-2010 Washington University in St. Louis Application Thread

[Hirudo]

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I'm totally bummed that my PI is gonna be out of town during the Second Look. I wanted to see the lab and talk to him in person and stuff. Oh well.

That's a great idea! I'd love to do that myself.

Math research, eh? I've always wondered about where the grant money goes for that. Just stipends and computers? Pencils? I think it would be funny if mathematicians had their own labs complete with a cold room and biosafety cabinets and stuff that just never got used. And they all just sat together in one of the offices and typed on their computers. Just goes to show how much I know about math research.

 

[ksmi117]

That's a great idea! I'd love to do that myself.

Math research, eh? I've always wondered about where the grant money goes for that. Just stipends and computers? Pencils? I think it would be funny if mathematicians had their own labs complete with a cold room and biosafety cabinets and stuff that just never got used. And they all just sat together in one of the offices and typed on their computers. Just goes to show how much I know about math research.

Math software is not cheap, so that's where most goes. And then if you do applied math research, which is what I do, you have to do some of the experimenting stuff to, so money goes to whatever basic scientist's lab you convince to work with you.

 

[Hirudo]

Math software is not cheap, so that's where most goes. And then if you do applied math research, which is what I do, you have to do some of the experimenting stuff to, so money goes to whatever basic scientist's lab you convince to work with you.

That makes sense. One of my favorite professors did research in theoretical math in the Netherlands and I couldn't stop asking him dumb questions about the logistics of his research (do you guys publish in a journal called Math?) He just sat in his little office, wrote on a chalkboard, and drank coffee with his annoying non-math major American students. Everyone loved him.

 

[ksmi117]

That makes sense. One of my favorite professors did research in theoretical math in the Netherlands and I couldn't stop asking him dumb questions about the logistics of his research (do you guys publish in a journal called Math?) He just sat in his little office, wrote on a chalkboard, and drank coffee with his annoying non-math major American students. Everyone loved him.

Haha, that sounds like some of the professors here. Not my cup of tea though. I did have to do a huge theoretical math project for a class once so that I'd get honors credit for it. It was miserable. The people I work with always publish in the fields that the math is applied to. I have a pending publication in a physics journal.

 

[Hirudo]

Haha, that sounds like some of the professors here. Not my cup of tea though. I did have to do a huge theoretical math project for a class once so that I'd get honors credit for it. It was miserable. The people I work with always publish in the fields that the math is applied to. I have a pending publication in a physics journal.

Have you done anything with bioinformatics? Or is that too computer science-y? Sorry if I'm being too nosy, it's just a novel thing for me to meet someone interested in math!

 

[ksmi117]

Have you done anything with bioinformatics? Or is that too computer science-y? Sorry if I'm being too nosy, it's just a novel thing for me to meet someone interested in math!

Too computer science-y for me right now. Most of my research is still manipulating equations and applying them to general physical things. A bit of computer stuff, but just making graphs and stuff. Nothing to complicated in the computer department.

 

[TheBigBang]

Have you seen the research faculty list? It's like being a kid in a candy shop.

I just got a full ride scholarship! That means my decision is 99% made, I'm so excited!!!!
Anyway, where can I find this research faculty list? And how much funding do they give for summer research?
Thanks!

 

[ksmi117]

I just got a full ride scholarship! That means my decision is 99% made, I'm so excited!!!!
Anyway, where can I find this research faculty list? And how much funding do they give for summer research?
Thanks!

Congrats!! When did you hear??

http://research.medicine.wustl.edu/

If you want to do the program, email Dean Chung ([email protected]) and she'll tell you everything you need to know! 🙂

 

[injunjoe]

hey does anyone know how often the adcom meets/when they meet to decide on letting ppl off the waitlist?

 

[TheBigBang]

Congrats!! When did you hear??

http://research.medicine.wustl.edu/

If you want to do the program, email Dean Chung ([email protected]) and she'll tell you everything you need to know! 🙂

Thanks! I heard last week 🙂

 

[bookfreak89]

Dude, what's your problem?

😕

 

[Sentinel]

Have you done anything with bioinformatics? Or is that too computer science-y? Sorry if I'm being too nosy, it's just a novel thing for me to meet someone interested in math!

Electrical & Computer engineering major from Cornell. Focus was on Quantum Electronics (translation: lots of quantum physics - although I hope to never see the Hamiltonian ever again). Work in IT - so still deal with a bit of math 😛

Love my math/engineering/physics background. Used to spend a lot of time w/ Matlab (hate mathematica) - plotting numerical solutions to various functions and such.

Although, these days I leave the hardcore math research to my brother now

 

[JasonE]

Electrical & Computer engineering major from Cornell. Focus was on Quantum Electronics (translation: lots of quantum physics - although I hope to never see the Hamiltonian ever again). Work in IT - so still deal with a bit of math 😛

Love my math/engineering/physics background. Used to spend a lot of time w/ Matlab (hate mathematica) - plotting numerical solutions to various functions and such.

Although, these days I leave the hardcore math research to my brother now

thats sounds really cool. quantum physics is awesome! i think that type of background makes you really smart and a great problem solver

 

[Sentinel]

thats sounds really cool. quantum physics is awesome! i think that type of background makes you really smart and a great problem solver

Problem solver? For sure.

Smart? Not exactly... but we won't tell the med schools that

Here's an example of what happened to me in college:

Friend 1 (to me): ".. ok don't do anything stupid"
Friend 2: "HAHAHA ok now that's asking too much of him"

Best part? I did do something stupid. 5 seconds later.

 

[jerew]

Electrical & Computer engineering major from Cornell. Focus was on Quantum Electronics (translation: lots of quantum physics - although I hope to never see the Hamiltonian ever again). Work in IT - so still deal with a bit of math 😛

Love my math/engineering/physics background. Used to spend a lot of time w/ Matlab (hate mathematica) - plotting numerical solutions to various functions and such.

Although, these days I leave the hardcore math research to my brother now

Wow Sentinel, I think you are me! I am off to my quantum lecture (Phys 6574) at CORNELL also! Although I am a fan of Mathematica...

 

[ksmi117]

Wow Sentinel, I think you are me! I am off to my quantum lecture (Phys 6574) at CORNELL also! Although I am a fan of Mathematica...

Mathematica >>> MatLab

 

[jla314]

Mathematica >>> MatLab

+ a lot

 

[lmrdx]

So now that everyone has most of their admissions offers, who is for sure coming here? I was accepted into top ten schools, but washu has been the only one out of those that has really made an effort to recruit me. They send us stuff monthly, email us and call us. It seems to me it would be the place where i would find the most mentorship and advice if needed. Also out of the top schools it seems the least snobbish (although a little conservative for my taste).
Anyway I'm going to revisit yale penn and washu but im pretty set on going to washu because of the personal touch they have had with me throughout the interview season.

 

[xcrunner01]

So now that everyone has most of their admissions offers, who is for sure coming here? I was accepted into top ten schools, but washu has been the only one out of those that has really made an effort to recruit me. They send us stuff monthly, email us and call us. It seems to me it would be the place where i would find the most mentorship and advice if needed. Also out of the top schools it seems the least snobbish (although a little conservative for my taste).
Anyway I'm going to revisit yale penn and washu but im pretty set on going to washu because of the personal touch they have had with me throughout the interview season.

I'm for sure going to Wash U! I absolutely loved it!!! Everyone is so incredibly nice, and the students seem very happy. 🙂

 

[ElegantWeapon]

So now that everyone has most of their admissions offers, who is for sure coming here? I was accepted into top ten schools, but washu has been the only one out of those that has really made an effort to recruit me. They send us stuff monthly, email us and call us. It seems to me it would be the place where i would find the most mentorship and advice if needed. Also out of the top schools it seems the least snobbish (although a little conservative for my taste).
Anyway I'm going to revisit yale penn and washu but im pretty set on going to washu because of the personal touch they have had with me throughout the interview season.

can I ask what area of the country you are from? I love washu but i'm from the northeast so I'm having hard time thinking of reasons why columbia would not be a better fit :/

 

[Sentinel]

Wow Sentinel, I think you are me! I am off to my quantum lecture (Phys 6574) at CORNELL also! Although I am a fan of Mathematica...

Yea I did my quantum courses (and my other physics heavy courses) through the ECE department - so phillps hall and duffield hall for me 😛

And I think I'm really the only one left who likes matlab over mathematica. My brother finished his PhD @ berkeley in ECE as well (artificial intelligence / neural networks) and he interned w/ Wolfram (who WROTE mathematica) - so clearly we know where his allegiance lies 😛

MATLAB TILL THE END! (Watch me sell out and use mathematica on my first research project. Ugh)

And is it weird that the only reason I'm still subscribed to the Wash U thread is to read about you cool people and the research you want to do? 😕 (since I got WL here and am definitely going to UPenn)

 

[lmrdx]

can I ask what area of the country you are from? I love washu but i'm from the northeast so I'm having hard time thinking of reasons why columbia would not be a better fit :/

I'm from new england and go to an ivy in the east coast. I got into Columbia too but I dont know if nyc makes sense for me right now financially (unless you have a lot of $ your quaity of life wont be as good as in other places ie st louis). I liked columbia a lot, the best in nyc in my opinion, but I just liked the environment of the other ones better. I also dont think washu would give me a disadvantage at all when applying to residency if I want to go back to the east coast. It would be nice to change scenery for 4 years.

 

[ElegantWeapon]

I'm from new england and go to an ivy in the east coast. I got into Columbia too but I dont know if nyc makes sense for me right now financially (unless you have a lot of $ your quaity of life wont be as good as in other places ie st louis). I liked columbia a lot, the best in nyc in my opinion, but I just liked the environment of the other ones better. I also dont think washu would give me a disadvantage at all when applying to residency if I want to go back to the east coast. It would be nice to change scenery for 4 years.

Well from experience, St. Louis is awesome (Undergrad at WashU)-very low key but still has SOOOO much to do. I was just curious to see if your locale made a difference in your decision. I'm very torn with mine at the moment to be honest with you :/

 

[Nerday Shortay]

I'm from new england and go to an ivy in the east coast. I got into Columbia too but I dont know if nyc makes sense for me right now financially (unless you have a lot of $ your quaity of life wont be as good as in other places ie st louis). I liked columbia a lot, the best in nyc in my opinion, but I just liked the environment of the other ones better. I also dont think washu would give me a disadvantage at all when applying to residency if I want to go back to the east coast. It would be nice to change scenery for 4 years.

In that situation, I'd definitely say Wash U. I'm an east coaster too, and while it's a little bit scary to venture past our little New England borders, it'll be worthwhile. Wash U. is highly respected on the east coast, and you will get whatever residency you want out of there (certainly on an equal level with Columbia). Why not try something different, and just go back east for residency? That's what I hope to do, anyway. Just my two cents 🙂

 

[ksmi117]

In that situation, I'd definitely say Wash U. I'm an east coaster too, and while it's a little bit scary to venture past our little New England borders, it'll be worthwhile. Wash U. is highly respected on the east coast, and you will get whatever residency you want out of there (certainly on an equal level with Columbia). Why not try something different, and just go back east for residency? That's what I hope to do, anyway. Just my two cents 🙂

You learning towards any school?

 

[ElegantWeapon]

In that situation, I'd definitely say Wash U. I'm an east coaster too, and while it's a little bit scary to venture past our little New England borders, it'll be worthwhile. Wash U. is highly respected on the east coast, and you will get whatever residency you want out of there (certainly on an equal level with Columbia). Why not try something different, and just go back east for residency? That's what I hope to do, anyway. Just my two cents 🙂

this is what I was planning for college then going back for medical school but its harder than I thought to rip away from the midwest 😛.

 

[Sentinel]

You learning towards any school?

Yea where are you two leaning towards? I was hoping to bump into you guys during the interview trails but I didn't. But I guess neither of you are going to come to UPenn so :cry: I don't get to meet either of you!

 

[ksmi117]

Yea where are you two leaning towards? I was hoping to bump into you guys during the interview trails but I didn't. But I guess neither of you are going to come to UPenn so :cry: I don't get to meet either of you!

Aww. 🙁 right now I'm leaning toward washu but we'll see what happens.

 

[Sentinel]

Aww. 🙁 right now I'm leaning toward washu but we'll see what happens.

crossin my fingers that you get that olin fellowship - u deserve it 😀 good luck!

 

[frigate]

Does anyone have any idea whether they are done giving out scholarships?

 

[ksmi117]

Does anyone have any idea whether they are done giving out scholarships?

I hope not

 

[Nerday Shortay]

You learning towards any school?

I still haven't decided. I'm interviewing for the Olin on Monday, so I'll see how that goes (I'm also using that time as my own personal 2nd look, since I can't make the real 2nd look). I'd say Wash U. and Mayo are the top for me right now, with finances determining a lot of the rest. You're leaning towards Wash U, right?

 

[ksmi117]

I still haven't decided. I'm interviewing for the Olin on Monday, so I'll see how that goes (I'm also using that time as my own personal 2nd look, since I can't make the real 2nd look). I'd say Wash U. and Mayo are the top for me right now, with finances determining a lot of the rest. You're leaning towards Wash U, right?

Yeah but finances play a part as well. Good luck at the interview. I'm sure you'll do great.

 

[WashMe]

Yeah but finances play a part as well. Good luck at the interview. I'm sure you'll do great.

Finances shminances! WashU med students become rock stars and don't have to worry about finances. I'll post the match list next week, but I don't have time right now to go through and anonymize it (FINALS! )

 

[Hoody]

Finances shminances! WashU med students become rock stars and don't have to worry about finances. I'll post the match list next week, but I don't have time right now to go through and anonymize it (FINALS! )

Its already posted in a pre allo thread. definitely packed full of rock stars! 😎

 

[WashMe]

Its already posted in a pre allo thread. definitely packed full of rock stars! 😎

🙂 12 Radiology, 9 Ortho, 7 Optho, 6 Derm, 6 Anesthesia, and some Plastics and Neurosurg. Most people who did stuff like Psych or Medicine went to places like Beth Israel, UMich, Stanford, UCLA, etc.

If the match list doesn't reel you in, nothing will.

I'll see 2nd-lookers at the bars on 4/9, be there!

 

[SteinUmStein]

Finances shminances! WashU med students become rock stars and don't have to worry about finances. I'll post the match list next week, but I don't have time right now to go through and anonymize it (FINALS! )

I'm not disputing that WashU is an awesome school, because it is, but WashU med students are capable of being rock stars at many different schools. The majority of you guys would wildly succeed just about anywhere. Awesome in, awesome out. 👍

And by the way, finances do matter. Nobody knows what's going to happen to physician salaries after health care reform passes (and it will pass).

 

[SwineSue]

I'm not disputing that WashU is an awesome school, because it is, but WashU med students are capable of being rock stars at many different schools. The majority of you guys would wildly succeed just about anywhere. Awesome in, awesome out. 👍

And by the way, finances do matter. Nobody knows what's going to happen to physician salaries after health care reform passes (and it will pass).

Physicians don't make salaries, they are paid per procedure, which is one of the problems the health bill attempts to address through experiments with pilot programs

 

[SteinUmStein]

Physicians don't make salaries, they are paid per procedure, which is one of the problems the health bill attempts to address through experiments with pilot programs

Many physicians make salaries. See Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc.

http://www.annals.org/content/137/9/738.full.pdf

http://www.jobs-salary.com/cleveland-clinic-foundation-physician-salary.htm

 

[WashMe]

We're all fearful to see the effects of reform, but no amount of worrying can cause enough metaphorical steric hindrance to prevent the impending Sn2 reaction. Regarding finances, unless your parents are really raking in some serious leaves, WashU aid is pretty good.

 

[ksmi117]

We're all fearful to see the effects of reform, but no amount of worrying can cause enough metaphorical steric hindrance to prevent the impending Sn2 reaction. Regarding finances, unless your parents are really raking in some serious leaves, WashU aid is pretty good.

You're so weird. 😛

And hope you're right about the fin aid, but what my parents have might be considered "serious leaves". I just want to know soon.

 

[WashMe]

You're so weird. 😛

And hope you're right about the fin aid, but what my parents have might be considered "serious leaves". I just want to know soon.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get big bucks!

 

[SwineSue]

We're all fearful to see the effects of reform, but no amount of worrying can cause enough metaphorical steric hindrance to prevent the impending Sn2 reaction. Regarding finances, unless your parents are really raking in some serious leaves, WashU aid is pretty good.

We're not "all fearful"... some of us think 32 million people gaining regular access to health care (and modernizing our dysfunctional system) is more important than our future incomes dropping from the 98th percentile (or so) in the United States to the 95th (or so)

 

[WashMe]

We're not "all fearful"... some of us think 32 million people gaining regular access to health care (and modernizing our dysfunctional system) is more important than our future incomes dropping from the 98th percentile (or so) in the United States to the 95th (or so)

I hope you are not awarded a scholarship so you can see how you feel when you're paying for medical school. Let me guess... you're from an upper-middle class to upper-class family and you've never wanted for much? You probably haven't thought about the cost hard-working people will pay for this plan because you have never worried about money.

 

[SteinUmStein]

I hope you are not awarded a scholarship so you can see how you feel when you're paying for medical school. Let me guess... you're from an upper-middle class to upper-class family and you've never wanted for much? You probably haven't thought about the cost hard-working people will pay for this plan because you have never worried about money.

I'm from a low-to-middle class family (my EFC was under $5,000 last year) and I support the health care reform in its current (albeit very flawed) form, if only because the alternative is much, much worse. And yes, I have wanted for money, and yes, I have worried about money. Frequently.

 

[ElegantWeapon]

I hope you are not awarded a scholarship so you can see how you feel when you're paying for medical school. Let me guess... you're from an upper-middle class to upper-class family and you've never wanted for much? You probably haven't thought about the cost hard-working people will pay for this plan because you have never worried about money.

lol wouldn't people from an upper middle class and upper class family be against the health care reform?

 

[WashMe]

lol wouldn't people from an upper middle class and upper class family be against the health care reform?

No, because they can afford to be bleeding heart liberals without really feeling the affect of increased taxes. As extreme examples, a lot of movie stars and public figures are also hyped about such issues as healthcare reform, because it paints them as good people and they are rich enough to not care about the money.

 

[ElegantWeapon]

No, because they can afford to be bleeding heart liberals without really feeling the affect of increased taxes. As extreme examples, a lot of movie stars and public figures are also hyped about such issues as healthcare reform, because it paints them as good people and they are rich enough to not care about the money.

lol to be "rich enough not to care about the money" would be like if you were making 5 million + per year. I know plenty of docs in my area that are pissed as hell about the financial situation of healthcare right now that would fit the term "upper middle class," including people in my fam...thats why I was confused lol

 

[WashMe]

lol to be "rich enough not to care about the money" would be like if you were making 5 million + per year. I know plenty of docs in my area that are pissed as hell about the financial situation of healthcare right now that would fit the term "upper middle class," including people in my fam...thats why I was confused lol

Yeah it's a different situation for docs though, because they're really going to get the triple-whammy:

1) Lower salary
2) Higher taxes
3) Both 1 and 2 above fuel a system that will require docs to work more/harder.

So basically it's "see more people for less money" and "your tax money will pay for your patient"

hmm... Doctor's paying to treat their patients. Sounds like a great plan 👎

 

[ElegantWeapon]

Yeah it's a different situation for docs though, because they're really going to get the triple-whammy:

1) Lower salary
2) Higher taxes
3) Both 1 and 2 above fuel a system that will require docs to work more/harder.

So basically it's "see more people for less money" and "your tax money will pay for your patient"

hmm... Doctor's paying to treat their patients. Sounds like a great plan 👎

In my conversations with current docs regarding this situation (who are in community medicine), your number three should actually be extended with "fuel a system that will require docs to either work more/harder OR cause many unethical docs (which there are no shortage of) to perform necessary and harmful procedures that are higher in reimbursements (ie spinal fusions in neurosurg, nuclear echo on a 35 yr old woman when its not necessary in cardio)"

I find it really disturbing that this stuff happens :/...The other day I was watching the news (this was on ABC news one night about 2 weeks ago) about some neurosurgeons from the Chiari institute? that were taking home 7 million a year because they were doing so much unnecessary stuff...pretty crazy things you hear out there these days