mvenus, i read in one of your posts on study methods that a classmate of yours had just then (it was March, I believe) figured out how to study. Since I went through a similar belated revelation during my undergrad, I was hoping to avoid that when I came to UVA. What's your personal advice on studying, i.e., what steps do you take to review material after class or prepare for an exam? And any input from steeler, justinbailey, etc. would also be awesome!
2010-2011 University of Virginia Application Thread
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The learning objectives are key; if the material isn't listed in a learning objective, it cannot be tested (and if it is, you can challenge it and get the question dropped). I generally go through the learning objectives 3-4 times before an exam.
You'll be put into sibling groups once you start... this is a good thing to discuss with your second year big sib(s), and the others in your college (as we'll be having many social events with the colleges). I'm sure I'll be around during orientation week helping out the social chairs and MAA and whatnot, so if you can figure out who I am, you're more than welcome to shoot me an e-mail if you're still lost. I'm pretty sure most people in our class will be pretty willing to help you out.
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I have pretty poor study habits, but if I studied ideally, I'd shoot for something similar. Work through the LOs using the assigned resources, review them and fill in gaps with the use of corresponding lectures/related discussions/resources found by your classmates, and then go through a single time before assessments.
Maybe one day I'll actually follow this plan, haha...
Maybe one day I'll actually follow this plan, haha...
i have a question for those of you who are at UVA on financial aid. Do you know if the package that you get before entering stays mostly the same, or does it go down with subsequent years? i'm asking b/c for undergrad, i got a great package, but by the second year, all of my need-based grant money was taken away 🙁 thanks for the help!!
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It depends a lot on circumstances. I haven't gotten my aid package yet, so I'm not sure how it stacks up to last years, but I worked 5 months less last year than the year before (and thus made less money), and won't work at all this year. My mom, however, made more money last year than the year before, and will make more still this year. I have no idea how all that will affect my aid calculations.
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I stay roughly one day ahead. As mvenus wrote, our system is set up so that we know what can be tested from our assigned resources, so you don't need an instructor to point out the important points. This allows you to study the material more or less independently.
I get the list of learning objectives, pull up the resource and then spend my time compiling answers to the learning objectives, adding a few sentences to the class-wide notes online and cross-referencing them with my own notes. I cross off each class that's taking place the next day as I wrap up their objectives and then do any practice problems that may be associate with the class. After I've finished with that day I review any of the classes that I felt like I struggled with or were particularly dense. The next day, I will listen to the professor go back over the points that I studied if their class is a lecture or, if the class is a discussion or engagement activity, I'm prepared to participate and get some extra practice. I try to stick to that routine. When a formative or a summative is coming up, then I go through my learning objectives in roughly chronological order, highlighting, underlining and writing our lists or names that I simply need to learn by rote memorization. I think that it's a straightforward and effective system. Recently I've been following along in FA and RR Path as we cover the relevant topics. They have a lot of mnemonics and cut-and-dry explanations.
If I don't want to go to a lecture because I've already studied the material, but I do want to hear what the professor had to say because it might help the material stick or it might help to hear the information related to some clinical contexts like they'll ask on boards, then I'll podcast the lecture and then listen to it at 2X in VLC player. If a class is complex, then I'm also able to pause the professor to consider a concept.
You'll probably get into a groove within the first 3 weeks. There will be a lot of second-year input and accumulated wisdom for you guys that we never had, so you're really fortunate in that regard.
Clarification: a formative is like a quiz and a summative is like a test of a four week block of material.
I get the list of learning objectives, pull up the resource and then spend my time compiling answers to the learning objectives, adding a few sentences to the class-wide notes online and cross-referencing them with my own notes. I cross off each class that's taking place the next day as I wrap up their objectives and then do any practice problems that may be associate with the class. After I've finished with that day I review any of the classes that I felt like I struggled with or were particularly dense. The next day, I will listen to the professor go back over the points that I studied if their class is a lecture or, if the class is a discussion or engagement activity, I'm prepared to participate and get some extra practice. I try to stick to that routine. When a formative or a summative is coming up, then I go through my learning objectives in roughly chronological order, highlighting, underlining and writing our lists or names that I simply need to learn by rote memorization. I think that it's a straightforward and effective system. Recently I've been following along in FA and RR Path as we cover the relevant topics. They have a lot of mnemonics and cut-and-dry explanations.
If I don't want to go to a lecture because I've already studied the material, but I do want to hear what the professor had to say because it might help the material stick or it might help to hear the information related to some clinical contexts like they'll ask on boards, then I'll podcast the lecture and then listen to it at 2X in VLC player. If a class is complex, then I'm also able to pause the professor to consider a concept.
You'll probably get into a groove within the first 3 weeks. There will be a lot of second-year input and accumulated wisdom for you guys that we never had, so you're really fortunate in that regard.
Clarification: a formative is like a quiz and a summative is like a test of a four week block of material.
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MSF,
My need-based grant for next year (M2) and subsidized loans will be exactly the same as they were this year. My unsubbed loans were increased to cover the $6,600 COA increase. Absent a significant change in your financial situation, I feel confident you won't see a drop from your first-year grant. Given that tuition will probably be at least 30% higher in four years, hopefully you'll see at least a small increase.
My need-based grant for next year (M2) and subsidized loans will be exactly the same as they were this year. My unsubbed loans were increased to cover the $6,600 COA increase. Absent a significant change in your financial situation, I feel confident you won't see a drop from your first-year grant. Given that tuition will probably be at least 30% higher in four years, hopefully you'll see at least a small increase.
I'm having trouble getting the website for uvaoffgrounds to show up. It keeps giving me "Invalid University: 0". Is anyone else having problems with this or just my server? On that note is anyone within walking distance still looking for a roommate (male) for next year?
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I just tried and could log in fine. But remember that the password/ID we were given are specific to SOM offgrounds, not just the main UVA offgrounds. Try this School of Medicine branch to the website:
http://web.offcampuspartners.com/106
That worked fine. Thanks so much !
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to current students:
do you know of people who had nonscience majors (ie music/business/history) and are really struggling? it may just be nerves, but with the talk about how quickly you go through material and how much you're expected to know even after the first day, i'm really starting to get worried about my nonscience background
do you know of people who had nonscience majors (ie music/business/history) and are really struggling? it may just be nerves, but with the talk about how quickly you go through material and how much you're expected to know even after the first day, i'm really starting to get worried about my nonscience background
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I shouldn't talk because I did major in bio, but one of my dissection partners was an anthropology major, and I think another was a political science major. The former hasn't seemed to have much difficulty at this time of year as far as staying on top of things, and the latter manages to pass after lots of studying. They both have time to participate in student government, so they're obviously not studying 24/7 to keep up.
Trust me, even the science people will struggle. Second day of actual class (not Cells to Society) was a real wakeup call for everyone, not just the non-science people. Even those, like me, who did science in undergrad will have to study a lot to remember everything we have to know. If you know the basics, or at least recognize them when they're introduced, you'll do fine.
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I was an anthropology major, and you adjust after a while. A friend who was an art major comments sometimes that it's hard, but has been passing fine.
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I just got my financial aid package (I was delayed in turning it in), and I got the same need-based aid despite the changes in my financial situation. So no worries there 🙂
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I also received the same financial aid. There don't seem to be any bait and switch schemes 🙂
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You don't use it very much (read: virtually never), but there is instructions on how to obtain it online:
https://whois.virginia.edu/uid/
I remember it being a pain in the butt to do last year. If you can't figure it out, shoot an e-mail to the admissions office and they should be able to help you.
EDIT: I lied. You do use it. But once you get your student ID, it's printed on the back for your convenient use.
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Hey man, the form says you can leave the ID number field blank and just submit it (that's what I did). They were able to match it up to my account when they received it. The link that mvenus posted gave me an error when I originally tried to input my data (not sure if that's the case with all incoming students or not).
You can go to this website after submitting your forms to make sure that student health received them. The site will list all of your immunization data after they input it in:
http://www.healthyhoos.virginia.edu/
Thank you so much to the 2nd years for taking the time to reply to all this stuff -- so helpful.
Got a question regarding exams (summative assessments, I guess they're called). How exactly do they work? I've heard/read that we're usually given 3 days (Fri-Sun) to do them; can most people usually get them done on Fri, or should we expect to need Sat and Sun to study, too? If I know I'd been planning on going out of town a given weekend, for example, or know I'll have friends coming to town (work/life balance...), is it really, truly reasonable to plan to knock out a test on Friday pm, or is that unrealistic?
Also, do most people just wear scrubs to class? Does it matter? When can we use the OR machine that someone mentioned to pick some up?
Thanks!
Got a question regarding exams (summative assessments, I guess they're called). How exactly do they work? I've heard/read that we're usually given 3 days (Fri-Sun) to do them; can most people usually get them done on Fri, or should we expect to need Sat and Sun to study, too? If I know I'd been planning on going out of town a given weekend, for example, or know I'll have friends coming to town (work/life balance...), is it really, truly reasonable to plan to knock out a test on Friday pm, or is that unrealistic?
Also, do most people just wear scrubs to class? Does it matter? When can we use the OR machine that someone mentioned to pick some up?
Thanks!
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It depends a lot on how you study the rest of the time and how dense the material is and how familiar you are with it. I generally take my exams on Saturday. A couple of the guys in our class routinely take them on Friday as soon as they open (generally noon). Others will routinely take them on Sunday. Is it reasonable to plan to take it on Friday? Sure. You just have to be on top of your studying during the week. I'm generally not.
No. Don't wear scrubs to class. Just don't do it. Unless you have a job as a CNA or something that you're going to right after class, which most of you won't. Most people wear casual attire... jeans and a tshirt... unless it's a patient presentation day (in which case, we have to wear white coat--business casual--attire).
You get access to the scrub machines once you start clerkships.
You'll have to wear scrubs for anatomy starting in January (and you're not allowed to wear the scrubs outside of the anatomy lab), and you'll have to purchase those yourself, though I'm sure there will be a scrubs sale for you to buy them at if you choose.
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did you guys have to study much the first weekend of MCM? i've been invited to a wedding for aug 20 but i don't want to go if it will put me behind after only the first week
For this request, you need your student system ID (whatever that is). I found my number towards the end of my financial aid application. I was able to copy and paste that number, along with the other requested information, and it gave me the university ID number. Note: Use the email address you used with AMCAS, not your new virginia email address.
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MCM for us and MCM for you guys is going to be rather different. I think that system is undergoing the most change for next year (other the Microbes, but that goes along with MCM for various reasons). So, I don't think we can give you a definitive answer either way. Also, you guys have two extra random days of orientation that we didn't have, so I'm not sure what they're doing with the schedule.
But the weekend of Aug 20th might be your first formative, since your first summative is the first weekend in September. So you'll have to be somewhat on top of things if you want to do well on the formative, which you can take from anywhere.
If it were me, I'd go to the wedding, and just make an extra special effort to stay on top of your studying that week.
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Awesome!! Just saw the posts, I got the call on june 2nd!
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Have any of the current students found the recommended 15 inch screen size necessary or superior to a say a 13 inch? I'm mostly concerned with studying and taking exams in the library where I'll be away from an external. Are the two extra inches of display worth the weight and size increase?
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I have a 15" and love it. But the library has invested in a number of second screens that you can use while studying there (though taking exams, you should only need one screen)
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I would personally have liked a 15" screen because it makes it easier to have two or three windows open at the same time. That said, I use a 13" MacBook Pro and have no external screen and everything works well. I have to make PDF's a little bit smaller than I would prefer if I also have a powerpoint presentation or online textbook open, but it usually isn't an issue. Since we don't have large handout-filled binders or physical textbooks (with a few exceptions) the extra weight wouldn't be much of an issue.
As far as the online exams are concerned, you would be able to take those with literally any screen size.
Like mvenus pointed out, the library has a number of external screens and also a few 'dual screen' computers if you wanted to use those for studying or exams.
As far as the online exams are concerned, you would be able to take those with literally any screen size.
Like mvenus pointed out, the library has a number of external screens and also a few 'dual screen' computers if you wanted to use those for studying or exams.
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Yep, and I also can't seem to enter any information/no text box. It looks like the page is not activated or something.
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Whenever they do get it working, make sure you save a copy of whatever you put. It goes to your CPD mentor, but you have to put it in your portfolio, which they didn't bother to mention to us until the end of the first semester.
What is your portfolio?
A few questions about commuting to school:
- From what I understand, we cannot park on campus, correct?
- How do most students get to school? Bus?
- When do we get our student IDs? First day? If so--don't we need the ID to get on any of the buses? Do students every have problems on that first day?
They seem like stupid questions, but I am not at all familiar with Charlottesville yet.
- From what I understand, we cannot park on campus, correct?
- How do most students get to school? Bus?
- When do we get our student IDs? First day? If so--don't we need the ID to get on any of the buses? Do students every have problems on that first day?
They seem like stupid questions, but I am not at all familiar with Charlottesville yet.
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It's a project they're working on with CPD to demonstrate that you're a competent physician. You'll get the book during the first week of classes.
I guess you can, but parking passes are kinda expensive. Most students either walk or take the bus, depending on where they live. I don't know where you would get parking passes, so you're on your own there.
You have to get your student ID before you start orientation, because you need them to set up your computer. You should get information as to where you need to go to get them. If you're in Charlottesville already, hit up a second year (or I can give you the names of a couple first years already in town) and they can show you where to go to get your ID. When you go to the ID office, just let them know that you're an incoming first year medical student and they'll set you up.
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I'll be in the area tomorrow. Do you think it is too early to get the ID?
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Hey folks, noticed that in the threads I haven't seen any 4th years posting, though I definitely did not flesh through all 800+ posts...
Anyway, in case it wasn't obvious, I'm a 4th year here so if any of you guys have any questions, feel free to PM me. Keep in mind that I did not go through the next gen curriculum and that I'm only kind of familiar with the new med school building.
Anyway, in case it wasn't obvious, I'm a 4th year here so if any of you guys have any questions, feel free to PM me. Keep in mind that I did not go through the next gen curriculum and that I'm only kind of familiar with the new med school building.
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2015ers.... if you haven't already, I suggest you set up your UVA e-mail account and start checking it. Some of the upperclassmen have been sending e-mails out recently for free and cheap furniture that some of you might be able to use if you're moving to the area.
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Thanks for the tip. But I just checked and didn't get any of these emails. Maybe the incoming people's email addresses weren't included yet?
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Same. I've not received any of those emails and my account's been set up for a while.
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Hmm... I guess they haven't added your e-mails to the smd15 listserv yet. Hopefully they do that soon...
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Quick question for those who've completed first year; how's the whole paperless/online curriculum?
I know that there were issues with handouts vs online material earlier in the year. I assume that all the material is online now? Is there any need to bring binders/a printer for the material or does it just depend on your learning style (like if you want to print the material)?
I know that there were issues with handouts vs online material earlier in the year. I assume that all the material is online now? Is there any need to bring binders/a printer for the material or does it just depend on your learning style (like if you want to print the material)?
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It's going to depend on your learning style. I was one who wanted everything printed at the beginning of the year, but I hardly print anything now... I print out my learning objectives before exams so that I can review them away from the computer, but that's about it.
There are a few things that you will likely have to print (histology labs, since there isn't really room for laptops in the lab), but by and large, you don't have to print anything.
There are a few things that you will likely have to print (histology labs, since there isn't really room for laptops in the lab), but by and large, you don't have to print anything.
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Hey guys,
After we get our ID's next week, does anyone know if we can start using the school gyms? Technically school hasn't started for us so I don't know if we're eligible (and we haven't paid anything yet), but I'm wondering if we can still use it since it's a little different from a student ID?
Thanks.
After we get our ID's next week, does anyone know if we can start using the school gyms? Technically school hasn't started for us so I don't know if we're eligible (and we haven't paid anything yet), but I'm wondering if we can still use it since it's a little different from a student ID?
Thanks.
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I recommend joining the AMA when they offer it through UVA. I did not sign up for it because I'm naturally suspicious that I'm being ripped off, but I ended up purchasing the useful Netter's flashcards that they offer you when anatomy started, but at twice the price. JAMA also seems interesting.
I can't quite remember when our gym memberships kicked in. I moved to Charlottesville a few weeks before school started and I think that I eventually got them to just let me walk in by showing the front-desk my ID and explaining that I was an incoming medical student. They may have been especially accommodating last year though, so I can't guarantee that they'll do it again. By the time that school started, we they were able to swipe my ID and let me work out.
As far as the electronic materials are concerned, I was one of the students most annoyed with the lack of paper resources at first, but I've actually come to prefer the electronic method, although I still write my notes. Other students have lost interest in paper resources as far as I can tell and there is no longer any demand for them. The library has also begun to replace their old monitors with dual-screen monitors that make it easy to have a number of things open at the same time.
I can't get over how strange it feels to consider that a new first year class will be showing up in the next few weeks.
I can't quite remember when our gym memberships kicked in. I moved to Charlottesville a few weeks before school started and I think that I eventually got them to just let me walk in by showing the front-desk my ID and explaining that I was an incoming medical student. They may have been especially accommodating last year though, so I can't guarantee that they'll do it again. By the time that school started, we they were able to swipe my ID and let me work out.
As far as the electronic materials are concerned, I was one of the students most annoyed with the lack of paper resources at first, but I've actually come to prefer the electronic method, although I still write my notes. Other students have lost interest in paper resources as far as I can tell and there is no longer any demand for them. The library has also begun to replace their old monitors with dual-screen monitors that make it easy to have a number of things open at the same time.
I can't get over how strange it feels to consider that a new first year class will be showing up in the next few weeks.
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Just for the general record, there will be a panel for you guys during the first couple weeks with some of the second years on how we managed the electronic resources. So if you aren't sure what to do, just wait for that panel or talk to your big sibs once they contact you.
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I have a computer question...We're supposed to bring our laptops to orientation so they can be set up. Will it be a problem if my laptop runs Ubuntu? (It also runs Windows, but I hate using it). I was planning on keeping my Linux laptop for class and buying an iMac for home.
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Those are the only IDs you'll get, so they'll work fine.
You only need to bring in your laptop so they can configure wireless access. I got a new laptop and had to reconfigure access a few days ago, and it just consisted of downloading a program. If you're able to run the install package, you should be okay.
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