Just a few more questions.
I told people that Einstein has a true pass/fail grading system, but no one believes me. They said that no one school has a true pass/fail, and that they just tell that to prospective students. I know that this topic has been brought up a couple of times, but can a medical student or someone talk a little more on this. If it is true pass/fail, how do they consider for academic achievements for the AOA?
Also, I am interested in ECHO. I was wondering if anyone know if anyone that is interested can volunteer as many times as they want. What do first and second year usually do in ECHO? The reason I asked is that at another school, first and second year only get a certain amount of days in the clinic.
Does Einstein use iTunesU to capture audio and video with picture? Some schools have just the powerpoint slide with audio but students cannot see what the professors are pointing at. What about the technology? Some schools have virtual microscope or other online resources for students to enhance their skills, and I was wondering how Einstein is.
For the medical spanish class, how often do these classes meet and do they require a large time commitment?
Does Einstein have any longitudinal clinical experience?
Einstein does indeed have a true pass/fail system, it's not just something that is told to prospective students. However, this is only for the first two (pre-clinical) years. AOA is calculated based on graded third and fourth year performance. I have never heard of a medical school being pass/fail for third and fourth years. Whenever a school says it is pass/fail, it is almost always referring to the pre-clinical years.
ECHO has a schedule - I think you wind up volunteering 4-5 times a semester. I'll let another student comment on what first and second year students do there - it's quite hands on if you want it to be.
Einstein currently is audio-only, however, that isn't because the technology here isn't up to par - it was done to encourage lecture attendance. However, the admin is rethinking this (and is very open to student input) and I think it is probable that video or audio with slides will be coming next year (unknown whether it's via iTunesU). Einstein has an extensive virtual microscope collection for histology (in addition to learning on real light microscopes). Einstein has moved to a paperless curriculum, meaning all classes have electronic course materials, along with a print allowance.
Not sure about the medical Spanish class.
Einstein is a big proponent of early and often clinical experiences. A central part of first year is a course that runs from September - March, where every Monday each student goes to a clinical site and practices interviewing, oral presentations, and the chest and abdomen physical exam. The site and physician preceptor are kept the same throughout the course, allowing students to develop a professional relationship with a medical colleague and develop clinical skills in the first few months of school. I'm not sure about second year (I'm an MS1).
Edit: Also, as for the previous question about the relaxed atmosphere - you have to remember, everyone here is extremely smart and motivated. Just because the atmosphere lacks the competitive tension present at some schools doesn't mean students aren't working hard. Rather, it allows everyone to help each other, resulting in a stronger class overall. And yes, Einstein's board scores are indeed above average.