2010-2011 Florida State University Application Thread

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What does a hold post-interview mean exactly? Is this like their version of the waitlist?

For current students, do many people eventually get accepted off this "hold" status? Ugh, I am not happy at all about this...but of all my interviews, I guess this is the only one where I was semi-grilled on my reasons for wanting to become a doctor. Maybe I stumbled from the 1000 questions I was asked about this simple thing. 🙁

Sorry to hear about your hold status Doc 🙁. You've got to expect to be grilled on about why you want to be a doctor though. I've been questioned about that at almost every interview I've been too.

Even if your not 100% sure about your reasons, you must try to find something atleast semi-sincere that sounds good. I wrote out responses to that question along with a few other commonly asked questions and just memorized them.

Good luck mate. I hope you meet with success. If not at FSU, then somewhere else! 👍
 
Sorry to hear about your hold status Doc 🙁. You've got to expect to be grilled on about why you want to be a doctor though. I've been questioned about that at almost every interview I've been too.

Even if your not 100% sure about your reasons, you must try to find something atleast semi-sincere that sounds good. I wrote out responses to that question along with a few other commonly asked questions and just memorized them.

Good luck mate. I hope you meet with success. If not at FSU, then somewhere else! 👍

Hey Butler. I hear ya. But I do have a very concrete reason for wanting to be a physician. One that everyone I have spoke to thinks is amazing. She was just trying to grill me with about 10 diff questions regarding this. Like trying to understand my childhood psyche and stuff. Weird. Oh well. I'm on hold. I guess I'm still in the game.

From now on I will expect something similar although my 5 other interviews were nothing similar. I just have to nail it better I guess. Thanks for the advice though!
 
Yeah I know what you mean. I don't mind answering about why I want to be a physician but I hate when people put me on the spot to grill me beyond the initial answer. someone in my lab did that and it made me nervous because I wasn't expecting it.

Also I know someone else who was grilled to the point of crying at their interview at FSU but it was a long time ago. Like 4 years ago. The person is almost done with med school there now. So it does happen every now and then. It happens at other schools every now and then too.

Yeah, I figure it was an anomaly. Oh well, $#!t happens I guess. I haven't had this happen anywhere elsewhere and I think I am a pretty good interviewer so who knows. I guess I'm still in the running...I will just send an update sometime in the Spring. I have more schools to hear back from post-interview and more interviews lined up in the Spring. C'est la vie 🙄
 
Hullo...

I saw that biochem is a requirement for this school. Questions:

A- Do they accept an applicant who has not yet completed biochem requirement?
B- Does the school offer biochem for the summer to allow those unable to enroll in the course locally to take it prior to matriculation?

B1 - if they do not...do they withdraw the offer?

Thanks! I figured I'd ask here first then check with admissions...

A: Yes, but you have to be currently taking it or have it scheduled for your spring semester. Acceptance is generally contigent on a passing grade.

B: No, you start anatomy in the summer and it occupies most of your time with how they organize that and doctoring.

B1: I've never heard of that happening, but it wouldn't surprise me. If you read the fine print for most schools it states somewhere to pass your coursework or they will withdraw the acceptance. To GET an interview you have to at least say you're going to take biochem in the spring before matriculation.

I was very thankful I had a rigorous biochem class that spring semester of M1. It made the class that much easier and I could just focus on Physiology (which I enjoy much more)
 
As far as interview stuff, you can't let a bad interview shake your confidence. It happens to nearly everyone. I had some AWFUL interviews. I went on a ton of them, but I remember a few in particular. At one school, it was a fourth year student, 2 doctors and a phd. They grilled me and one of the questions was the popular variant of "Why do you want to be a doctor?" but since it was a DO school I got, "Why do you want to be a DO?". I basically answered (nervously) with, "Because the letters after my name don't matter to me and I want to be a doctor..."

They also put me in a rolly/swivel type chair where I nervously swiveled back and forth the entire interview. As I walked out I literally said to myself, "S***, that must have been really f***** annoying."

Outright rejection.

Another school, I bumbled the answer to a few questions tremendously despite my mind screaming at me to shut up the entire time.

Another rejection.

You just gotta chug along. Being stubborn and determined gets you further than about anything else in medical school.

Oh, and sorry for the silence from me for a while. I got caught up with school and then have been in another state. My exams went relatively well though for anyone that cares. 😛
 
Can anybody give some suggestion about hotel for the interview purpose? Thanks. Happy New Year.
 
does anyone know what type of interview fsu med uses? open, blind, partial blind, etc...
 
does anyone know what type of interview fsu med uses? open, blind, partial blind, etc...

I am not an expert at the interview...but I have interviewed at FSU twice now haha. The interview is open (or at least both of the times I was there they were open). I will have to say that some interviewers read applications more thoroughly than others. The second time around, a good chunk of the questions stemmed from things written in my application or questions about activities I had participated in etc. Having said that, the interview felt very much like a conversation (which is a good thing). Your interviewer might ask you a question about something you have done that stood out to him or her and then that will just lead into a natural conversation. I know everyone says this, but they are really just trying to get to know you as a person and that comes through in the interview. It was pretty laid-back. So I don't think it's a bad idea to just read through your application to refresh your memory on what you focused on when you were answering the essay questions. Oh and if nothing has changed you will have two interviewers...about an hour for each one. Good luck! 🙂
 
It is open file interview, but how the interview itself is conducted is really dependent on who you get as an interviewer. They all have their unique styles. My first one never really reviewed my file, so we just chatted. My second interviewer seemed to know everything about me beforehand and just went through the list.

Just go in and try to have fun. That is all you can do. The more you stress over it, the worse it becomes.
 
It is open file interview, but how the interview itself is conducted is really dependent on who you get as an interviewer. They all have their unique styles. My first one never really reviewed my file, so we just chatted. My second interviewer seemed to know everything about me beforehand and just went through the list.

Just go in and try to have fun. That is all you can do. The more you stress over it, the worse it becomes.

That is pretty much how my interview day went. One interviewer had some things circled on my application and pretty much just went through each activity and wanted to know more about it. The other interviewer seemed like he read every detail of every essay and activity and was much more conversational. They just wanted to understand my life story and get to know me better and both interviews were an hour each. Overall, I thought the interviews were very relaxing and conversational. It was actually pretty fun and interesting to talk to with them about healthcare issues and FSU.
 
I'm interviewing at FSU in a few weeks; I'm missing one math credit...I would have to take a second semester math course but I'm out of school already (graduated May 2010) and would need to take the course at my local University (a major, respected school). Nevertheless, I might not be able to take it during the Spring due to registration restrictions...does anyone know when FSU COM starts (IF I get accepted, of course)? Would it be impossible to take the course over the summer, prior to matriculating?
 
I'm interviewing at FSU in a few weeks; I'm missing one math credit...I would have to take a second semester math course but I'm out of school already (graduated May 2010) and would need to take the course at my local University (a major, respected school). Nevertheless, I might not be able to take it during the Spring due to registration restrictions...does anyone know when FSU COM starts (IF I get accepted, of course)? Would it be impossible to take the course over the summer, prior to matriculating?

Orientation is May 31st with classes beginning a week later. I don't think you'd be able to take it over the summer.
 
Drl1987,

Read your acceptance and what it says. If you must, pull your transcripts out and call someone up to see if there is something you can do to get that extra credit.

The best option is to just take the class. You may be able to take some online class for it. I don't know how you are missing 1 credit for math classes. If your school does weird credit hour assignments and you took your one semester of calc and then one semester of stat or calc 2, you can probably lobby for a waiver of some sort

I'm sorry, but this does seem like a lack of foresight on your end, especially if you were out in 2010. It is also somewhat concerning (if you were set on matriculating at FSU) that you are unaware we are one of the select few schools that starts in the summer. I think I've heard of people who have done online classes or some alternative during that summer semester or signed up for an early summer session course and got special permissions (but had to drive back and forth for a few weeks). That is less than ideal.
 
Best idea is to call fsu and see what they'd require in your situation.

If you would need to take another class it would be very difficult to take over the summer as we begin early June.

If I remember correctly fsu doesn't really require more math credits than other schools, so is this going to be a problem everywhere else too?
 
Anyone know if the admissions office has started looking at secondaries submitted in october yet? I know someone said a few posts back they were still on august secondaries. Still waiting to hear back from them..
 
Anyone know if the admissions office has started looking at secondaries submitted in october yet? I know someone said a few posts back they were still on august secondaries. Still waiting to hear back from them..

I was complete October 5th and still no word either
 
Anyone know if the admissions office has started looking at secondaries submitted in october yet? I know someone said a few posts back they were still on august secondaries. Still waiting to hear back from them..

I was complete mid-October and got the interview invite around November 5th, interviewed December 3rd. So I think they must have looked at secondaries from after September.
 
I was complete mid-October and got the interview invite around November 5th, interviewed December 3rd. So I think they must have looked at secondaries from after September.

Complete on 9/1, just go the interview invite today! MossPoh, I saw a few posts back that you were offering your couch... can I call dibs? 🙂 Is there a student hosting program? Good luck to everyone & hang in there!
 
I just called the admissions office and the lady told me that they are still reviewing applications submitted in August and they are not to October yet. She also said that you can get an invitation to interview as late as mid-April.

Hmm that's so weird considering that some of you have heard back and you submitted later than in August but I'm guessing they really liked your applications! 😛 Congrats!!!
 
Also I know someone else who was grilled to the point of crying at their interview at FSU but it was a long time ago. Like 4 years ago. The person is almost done with med school there now. So it does happen every now and then. It happens at other schools every now and then too.

I know that person too!! 😀

Hang in there everyone, I interviewed really late (Late April) and I got in without being waitlisted. so everyone who hasnt got an interview yet, you still have a chance! Just nail the interview and you are set (no pressure right??)
 
I just called the admissions office and the lady told me that they are still reviewing applications submitted in August and they are not to October yet. She also said that you can get an invitation to interview as late as mid-April.

Hmm that's so weird considering that some of you have heard back and you submitted later than in August but I'm guessing they really liked your applications! 😛 Congrats!!!

I was complete in late July and JUST got an interview invite this week!
 
HEY CURRENT MS2s, got a question:

Is there a break during the summer between first and second year? I recently looked at a doc on the FSU med website about summer clinical practicum. I was just wondering what that was.
 
Can anybody give some suggestion about hotel for the interview purpose? Thanks. Happy New Year.

Are you tight on money or can you spend a few extra bucks?

If you're looking for a nice place, the Doubletree is right across from FSU, on Monroe St. It has some of nice amenities and dining, plus a Starbucks in the lobby. It's right at a hundred bucks a night. The nice thing is that it is right next to campus. Maybe a 10 minute drive to the parking garage.

If you're looking for something cheaper, there are a bunch of hotels right off of I-10 on the Monroe exit. Red Roof, La Quinta, Super 8, Howard Johnson and Wingate (but Wingate is about a hundred bucks too). The rest are about half the price but not as nice and it's probably a 30 min drive depending on traffic and the time of day. Oh yeah, get there early to find a parking spot!
 
Thanks. Finally I lived in Unviversity inn and suite, $50. 5min drive to college of medicine when driving through Academic Dr.

Are you tight on money or can you spend a few extra bucks?

If you're looking for a nice place, the Doubletree is right across from FSU, on Monroe St. It has some of nice amenities and dining, plus a Starbucks in the lobby. It's right at a hundred bucks a night. The nice thing is that it is right next to campus. Maybe a 10 minute drive to the parking garage.

If you're looking for something cheaper, there are a bunch of hotels right off of I-10 on the Monroe exit. Red Roof, La Quinta, Super 8, Howard Johnson and Wingate (but Wingate is about a hundred bucks too). The rest are about half the price but not as nice and it's probably a 30 min drive depending on traffic and the time of day. Oh yeah, get there early to find a parking spot!
 
HEY CURRENT MS2s, got a question:

Is there a break during the summer between first and second year? I recently looked at a doc on the FSU med website about summer clinical practicum. I was just wondering what that was.

Yea, there is a break. I did research during that time. Tons of people went on big european trips and what not.

Summer clinical practicum (SCP) is a month long rotation with a primary care doc in family med, internal medicine or pediatrics (usually). I was hesitant about it and thought it'd suck, but it turned out being a lot of fun. The days went really fast and I learned a ton. You are generally assigned to one of the regional campuses for it. If you are, they pay for housing during that time wherever you are located. If you have to drive a significant distance, they were reimbursing us. (That may change since it is through a certain organization, AHEC) I had to drive from Wakulla or Tallahassee to Marianna every day, but I almost made money on it.

The biggest problem with it is that you have to do the stupid CDCS thing, which is kind of cumbersome. It may change by the time you have to worry about it since a redesign is in the process. During SCP I was with an internist. I did some procedures, did more H&Ps than I can count, chest compressions in the ED, rounded on patients while he worked on paperwork, and just met some really nice people.
 
Hey Butler. I hear ya. But I do have a very concrete reason for wanting to be a physician. One that everyone I have spoke to thinks is amazing. She was just trying to grill me with about 10 diff questions regarding this. Like trying to understand my childhood psyche and stuff. Weird. Oh well. I'm on hold. I guess I'm still in the game.

From now on I will expect something similar although my 5 other interviews were nothing similar. I just have to nail it better I guess. Thanks for the advice though!

Hey, I haven't posted on here in quite some time; but after going thru some posts, I had to highlight this one because it happened to me, too (but with a male interviewer). I was, also, put on hold after this experience.
Here's to hoping the list moves quickly:xf:
 
Hey, I haven't posted on here in quite some time; but after going thru some posts, I had to highlight this one because it happened to me, too (but with a male interviewer). I was, also, put on hold after this experience.
Here's to hoping the list moves quickly:xf:


is the hold list the same as a wait list? and if that's the case, is it unlikely to move a lot until after may 15th? any help would be appreciated!
 
Hold and waitlist are one in the same at FSU. However, because FSU has an early start people who choose to go to FSU have to pick FSU by April 15th. if before school starts at FSU they get off another waitlist they can drop FSU as long as they've not attended orientation. But waitlist movement for FSU starts April 15th due to its early start rather then after may 15th.

👍 Correct.
 
Yup, they'd be in complete panic mode if they used the regular deadline. While the April 15 or whatever is the required date, there is still a week or two delay before they really start firing up the hold list stuff. Keep in mind that the "hold list" also isn't like the traditional view of waitlists. They don't just put you in a pile and forget about you. They are constantly going back through, especially if you rocked fall semester or did something phenomenal. They like to hear that kind of stuff.
 
I've been accepted at FSU COM and will most likely being starting classes this summer. Of all the schools I've interviewed at FSU really won me over with the their personality and clinical opportunities. The only thing that concerns me is the idea of multiple satellite campuses for the clinical years. So I pose a question to the medical students. What do you know/think about these campuses? Are they as equal as the administration leads us interviewees to believe? I see that there are more elective opportunities available at some campuses. Is it possible to move between campuses a bit should a student desire an elective that is not available at his/her site?

Also, are there areas in Tallahassee that medical students frequent often for housing? Are there any apartments/residential areas that are nice/ cater to medical students?

Thank you for any and all information regarding these topics. Feel free to PM me if you would rather. Anything you say to me in confidence of a PM will remain confidential. I just want to figure out if FSU is really where I want to go over other schools I've been accepted at.
 
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I've been accepted at FSU COM and will most likely being starting classes this summer. Of all the schools I've interviewed at FSU really won me over with the their personality and clinical opportunities. The only thing that concerns me is the idea of multiple satellite campuses for the clinical years. So I pose a question to the medical students. What you you know/think about these campuses? Are they as equal as the administration leads us interviewees to believe? I see that there are more elective opportunities available at some campuses. Is it possible to move between campuses a bit should a student desire an elective that is not available at his/her site?

Also, are there areas in Tallahhassee that medical students frequent often for housing? Are there any apartments/residential areas that are nice/ cater to medical students?

Thank you for any and all information regarding these topics. Feel free to PM me if you would rather. Anything you say to me in confidence of a PM will remain confidential. I just want to figure out if FSU is really where I want to go over other schools I've been accepted at.
Congrats on your acceptance. I have an upcoming interview there myself. Any interview advice?

I wish I could answer your questions but that seems more like questions current FSU students would be able to answer the best
 
I've been accepted at FSU COM and will most likely being starting classes this summer. Of all the schools I've interviewed at FSU really won me over with the their personality and clinical opportunities. The only thing that concerns me is the idea of multiple satellite campuses for the clinical years. So I pose a question to the medical students. What do you know/think about these campuses? Are they as equal as the administration leads us interviewees to believe? I see that there are more elective opportunities available at some campuses. Is it possible to move between campuses a bit should a student desire an elective that is not available at his/her site?

Also, are there areas in Tallahassee that medical students frequent often for housing? Are there any apartments/residential areas that are nice/ cater to medical students?

Thank you for any and all information regarding these topics. Feel free to PM me if you would rather. Anything you say to me in confidence of a PM will remain confidential. I just want to figure out if FSU is really where I want to go over other schools I've been accepted at.

And relating to this post, I've heard people on this site claim that FSU may be a less prestigious school and that students would have a more difficult time matching with the more competitive residencies because they are so primary care focused. Some people say that the FSU faculty talk about primary care a lot and that they would be annoyed if you wanted to do anything else. Personally, I'm interested in something like radiology, surgery, EM, or anesthesiology. Would I have a harder time pursuing these goals than any other Florida school? I would love to hear an FSU student's perspective. Thanks!
 
And relating to this post, I've heard people on this site claim that FSU may be a less prestigious school and that students would have a more difficult time matching with the more competitive residencies because they are so primary care focused. Some people say that the FSU faculty talk about primary care a lot and that they would be annoyed if you wanted to do anything else. Personally, I'm interested in something like radiology, surgery, EM, or anesthesiology. Would I have a harder time pursuing these goals than any other Florida school? I would love to hear an FSU student's perspective. Thanks!

I am not a student there yet, but I can provide my perspective on this.

Here is the match list from 2010:

http://med.fsu.edu/userfiles/file/Individual match list (2010).pdf

As you can see, there are lots of students that match into primary care residencies (as to be expected with FSU's mission). However, there are also a lot of people that matched into competitive residencies like Radiology (both diagnostic/oncology), ENT, Dermatology and Vascular Surgery. Furthermore, the people that did go the primary care route matched into some great programs like Mayo and Johns Hopkins. I feel like early FSU grads may have had issues initially getting competitive residencies, but their students have proven themselves out in the field and any initial prejudice against FSU because of their mission/training is long gone.
 
I am not a student there yet, but I can provide my perspective on this.

Here is the match list from 2010:

http://med.fsu.edu/userfiles/file/Individual match list (2010).pdf

As you can see, there are lots of students that match into primary care residencies (as to be expected with FSU's mission). However, there are also a lot of people that matched into competitive residencies like Radiology (both diagnostic/oncology), ENT, Dermatology and Vascular Surgery. Furthermore, the people that did go the primary care route matched into some great programs like Mayo and Johns Hopkins. I feel like early FSU grads may have had issues initially getting competitive residencies, but their students have proven themselves out in the field and any initial prejudice against FSU because of their mission/training is long gone.

Thanks for the response, this is what I figured. I guess especially with new schools it may be difficult for the first few classes to match competitively as the school builds is reputation, but I've also heard that the school you go to really doesn't matter when it comes down to matching. I was just worried because the rotations for FSU students aren't in big teaching hospitals - it looks like they are mostly in community hospitals, which is why I was wondering if residency programs actually care about that or not.
 
Thanks for the response, this is what I figured. I guess especially with new schools it may be difficult for the first few classes to match competitively as the school builds is reputation, but I've also heard that the school you go to really doesn't matter when it comes down to matching. I was just worried because the rotations for FSU students aren't in big teaching hospitals - it looks like they are mostly in community hospitals, which is why I was wondering if residency programs actually care about that or not.

I doubt it makes much of a difference based on their competitive match results. I honestly see that as a positive. Instead of there being an attending, a resident and an intern in front of you watching/trying to help during a procedure, there's an attending and yourself. So while the attending is doing the tricky medical stuff its you holding the protractor or doing the chest compressions (it really puts you in the thick of the medicine rather than just an observer). But that's just my two cents based on what I've heard from friends that went to FSU. The downside is that you can't get "in" with Residency directors that may make your life easier come match time. I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages though.
 
I've been accepted at FSU COM and will most likely being starting classes this summer. Of all the schools I've interviewed at FSU really won me over with the their personality and clinical opportunities. The only thing that concerns me is the idea of multiple satellite campuses for the clinical years. So I pose a question to the medical students. What do you know/think about these campuses? Are they as equal as the administration leads us interviewees to believe? I see that there are more elective opportunities available at some campuses. Is it possible to move between campuses a bit should a student desire an elective that is not available at his/her site?

Also, are there areas in Tallahassee that medical students frequent often for housing? Are there any apartments/residential areas that are nice/ cater to medical students?

Thank you for any and all information regarding these topics. Feel free to PM me if you would rather. Anything you say to me in confidence of a PM will remain confidential. I just want to figure out if FSU is really where I want to go over other schools I've been accepted at.

Yes the regional campuses are all equal in order for the LCME to accredit the school. Told to me by my MD advisor. They set it up so that you will "hopefully" get the same experience regardless of what campus you are it. SO I dont think you can move from one campuses to another for the reason that you mention above

We tend to live near campus but there are plenty people that lived 10-25 mins away. Look up Colony Club (where I lived), Legacy Suite (alot of people live there, it is nicer) and the apartments near this area and you will find alot of medical students. We all walk to school as we are very close.

Check out FSU c/o 2015 facebook site for more info as alot of M2s will try to get rid of their apts
 
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And relating to this post, I've heard people on this site claim that FSU may be a less prestigious school and that students would have a more difficult time matching with the more competitive residencies because they are so primary care focused. Some people say that the FSU faculty talk about primary care a lot and that they would be annoyed if you wanted to do anything else. Personally, I'm interested in something like radiology, surgery, EM, or anesthesiology. Would I have a harder time pursuing these goals than any other Florida school? I would love to hear an FSU student's perspective. Thanks!

Nope, you are free to go into any specialty you want!! We have interest groups that will help you get shadowing experiences in most of the mention field above. Plus plenty of research opps over the summer for you to build up your residency app.

You will be exposed to alot of primary care doctors but by no means you have to follow them. I think if the school gets 10-20 people that eventually do Primary Care they accomplish their mission.

Matching to Residency matters in 2 things; your USMLE step 1 score, and your 3rd year grades. So to me being a primary care focused school does not matter in your selection into residency. In the end it is UP TO YOU!!
 
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The biggest problem with it is that you have to do the stupid CDCS thing, which is kind of cumbersome. It may change by the time you have to worry about it since a redesign is in the process. During SCP I was with an internist. I did some procedures, did more H&Ps than I can count, chest compressions in the ED, rounded on patients while he worked on paperwork, and just met some really nice people.

CDCS will be a time waster for me as it is for you and all the others that went through here... and those that will come through here! no matter how hard they try to change it. :laugh:

It is a FSUCOM tradition!!
 
CDCS will be a time waster for me as it is for you and all the others that went through here... and those that will come through here! no matter how hard they try to change it. :laugh:

It is a FSUCOM tradition!!

You have no idea how much of a waste it is yet. It will be better in the future. I was supposed to be on the committee for it. They wrote it in code that was already old 10 years ago. They have to redesign it because of all the ipod touches and smart phones. It will always be a time waste, but the days of spending 45 minutes entering stuff in and then getting emails about how your dates were wrong on one won't happen.
 
I'm a little confused. Maybe one of you med students can kindly clarify this for me: How is it that FSU can offer interviews into April (I was told this by the admissions office via phone) and then start classes a month later in May? It just seems too short of a time period to offer an interview, interview you, make a decision, and then get all the necessary paperwork in for acceptance, financial aid, living situation, etc.

Thanks in advance!
 
My interview date is getting close. My interview suit is fresh from the dry cleaners. My car just got serviced for the long drive. I'm ready to go lol.
 
My interview date is getting close. My interview suit is fresh from the dry cleaners. My car just got serviced for the long drive. I'm ready to go lol.

Best of luck. The interview day is great and everyone from the faculty, staff, and student tour guides were very friendly. The campus/facilities are excellent.
 
Best of luck. The interview day is great and everyone from the faculty, staff, and student tour guides were very friendly. The campus/facilities are excellent.

Thanks. Hopefully everything goes well and I know FSU has relatively quick turnarounds on the decisions. So I will not have wonder too long if I got in.
 
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