2015-2016 Western Michigan University Homer Stryker Application Thread

[star.buck]

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[bananafish94]

Are we really experience silence from the school, or does anyone know if they are making calls and no one is posting it here?

Seems abnormal to go this long after April 30 and hear nothing?

Nothing

 

[Phiona]

Are we really experience silence from the school, or does anyone know if they are making calls and no one is posting it here?

Seems abnormal to go this long after April 30 and hear nothing?

Haven't heard anything. Trying to stay patient!!

 

[tellme_areyoufree]

Are we really experience silence from the school, or does anyone know if they are making calls and no one is posting it here?

Seems abnormal to go this long after April 30 and hear nothing?

I'd say it sort of depends. After all, seats open as other people drop them. Last year was relatively stable, people didn't seem to drop their seats (based on having watched the accepted student facebook group) en masse. You'd have one here, one there. If somebody gets into another school they like more, I can't blame them for taking that offer (in fact, good for them!) - if this year is anything like last year, some number of those will happen over the next 3 months. But not a lot... I don't say that to discourage you, keep hope alive. I like the people on this thread, so personally I'm cheerleading for lots of you to get in. At the end of the day though, gotta have open seats before we can make offers.

 

[Holmwood]

There was a wave of acceptances on april 30 last year, so I thought it was weird that the same thing's not happening this year.

Waitlist movement seems to be picking up slowly at other schools this year relative to last year, so it may be a while until enough people at WMed will be "poached"to the point where excess acceptances are depleted and room opens up.

Edit:
Speculation:

Schools that have "rapid" waitlist movement tend to have a ranking of sorts and can easily fill students as seats open up. I don't think WMed does that.

If WMed uses an unranked waitlist, they might have to wait until May 2nd to see which "types" of people they need to replace to maintain diversity/stats, take the rest of the week to figure out who to pull and how much merit scholarship to give, and start sending out offers the week after.

That would mean that waitlist movement might happen next week at the earliest. And if you're not part of the lucky ones, you're going to have to wait until around end of may for the next round. . .

 

[DocBrown90]

There was a wave of acceptances on april 30 last year, so I thought it was weird that the same thing's not happening this year.

Waitlist movement seems to be picking up slowly at other schools this year relative to last year, so it may be a while until enough people at WMed will be "poached"to the point where excess acceptances are depleted and room opens up.

Edit:
Speculation:

Schools that have "rapid" waitlist movement tend to have a ranking of sorts and can easily fill students as seats open up. I don't think WMed does that.

If WMed uses an unranked waitlist, they might have to wait until May 2nd to see which "types" of people they need to replace to maintain diversity/stats, take the rest of the week to figure out who to pull and how much merit scholarship to give, and start sending out offers the week after.

That would mean that waitlist movement might happen next week at the earliest. And if you're not part of the lucky ones, you're going to have to wait until around end of may for the next round. . .

Eh, I'm not opposed to speculating, but I think that over-analyzing will just lead to let-down later on. Not to diminish anyone's hopes, but I think it's best for each of us to do our own best in showing our interest and, after that, let the system work out itself while we move on with our lives and think of alternatives.

 

[tellme_areyoufree]

There was a wave of acceptances on april 30 last year, so I thought it was weird that the same thing's not happening this year.

Waitlist movement seems to be picking up slowly at other schools this year relative to last year, so it may be a while until enough people at WMed will be "poached"to the point where excess acceptances are depleted and room opens up.

Edit:
Speculation:

Schools that have "rapid" waitlist movement tend to have a ranking of sorts and can easily fill students as seats open up. I don't think WMed does that.

If WMed uses an unranked waitlist, they might have to wait until May 2nd to see which "types" of people they need to replace to maintain diversity/stats, take the rest of the week to figure out who to pull and how much merit scholarship to give, and start sending out offers the week after.

That would mean that waitlist movement might happen next week at the earliest. And if you're not part of the lucky ones, you're going to have to wait until around end of may for the next round. . .

I wouldn't say there was a "wave" of acceptances last year. I count 2 on Apr 30 last year. I think you may be overthinking this. My advice is to stop reading into whether there are 0 posts or 2 posts, and just wait as patiently as you can.

 

[star.buck]

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[Holmwood]

I wouldn't say there was a "wave" of acceptances last year. I count 2 on Apr 30 last year. I think you may be overthinking this. My advice is to stop reading into whether there are 0 posts or 2 posts, and just wait as patiently as you can.

My mom also told me to stop overthinking.

Think more about grandkids she said. At least that's something I can wait patiently for

 

[star.buck]

Yet, in all fairness we are med/premed students. Isn't it part of our nature to over think things?

 

[Holmwood]

Yet, in all fairness we are med/premed students. Isn't it part of our nature to over think things?

Lol I guess you're about that. Leave it to us premeds to think of the most neurotic things.

 

[Holmwood]

Ah, doesn't look like this was our week. Hope one of us gets in next week!

 

[star.buck]

Ah, doesn't look like this was our week. Hope one of us gets in next week!

Indeed. Have a good weekend Holmwood! (And everyone else)

 

[DocBrown90]

Got off the waitlist today, interviewed in November. So relieved. Big decisions coming up, but very likely to attend in the fall.

 

[Phiona]

Got off the waitlist today, interviewed in November. So relieved. Big decisions coming up, but very likely to attend in the fall.

Congrats! Hopefully the rest of us will be hearing good news soon too!

 

[Holmwood]

Got off the waitlist today, interviewed in November. So relieved. Big decisions coming up, but very likely to attend in the fall.

Woaaah finally. Congrats mate!

Congrats! Hopefully the rest of us will be hearing good news soon too!

Yeah, getting good vibes from this. Since they overaccept students, waitlist movement at this point in the cycle must mean that they've depleted the excess.
Guess we check back next week?

I guess this is random, but I found this video of one of the students playing piano at the campus. Cool guy
http://videos.mlive.com/mlive/2014/09/wmu_medical_student_jeff_johns.html

 

[DocBrown90]

Congrats! Hopefully the rest of us will be hearing good news soon too!

Woaaah finally. Congrats mate!


Yeah, getting good vibes from this. Since they overaccept students, waitlist movement at this point in the cycle must mean that they've depleted the excess.
Guess we check back next week?

I guess this is random, but I found this video of one of the students playing piano at the campus. Cool guy
http://videos.mlive.com/mlive/2014/09/wmu_medical_student_jeff_johns.html

Thanks to both of you! Crossing my fingers hoping good news comes your way.

 

[DocBrown90]

Quick question. Is there a facebook group for accepted people?

 

[hansarganshi]

Got off the waitlist today, interviewed in November. So relieved. Big decisions coming up, but very likely to attend in the fall.

Congratulations!!!

 

[tellme_areyoufree]

Quick question. Is there a facebook group for accepted people?

There is, and the director of admissions and student life sends out the link once you've been accepted and confirmed your acceptance ;-)

You might send her an email if you are officially in but haven't gotten that.

 

[WildPants]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little advice. I'm currently on the waitlist, and I'm wondering if I should send an update that I've started working part time (only 8 hours a week) as a medical assistant for an internist. Do you think this is significant enough to send in as an update? I sent 2 updates before my interview and one after my interview already. Maybe this would be one too many?

 

[Holmwood]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little advice. I'm currently on the waitlist, and I'm wondering if I should send an update that I've started working part time (only 8 hours a week) as a medical assistant for an internist. Do you think this is significant enough to send in as an update? I sent 2 updates before my interview and one after my interview already. Maybe this would be one too many?

My opinion? Started working is not sufficient, no. Maybe after you've put a bunch of hours into it, you may consider updating if medical volunteer work is a weak point in your application.

I personally only sent one update and have been holding off on sending another one until I can combine it with enough volunteer hours racked up for a new gig.

 

[ChackieJan]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little advice. I'm currently on the waitlist, and I'm wondering if I should send an update that I've started working part time (only 8 hours a week) as a medical assistant for an internist. Do you think this is significant enough to send in as an update? I sent 2 updates before my interview and one after my interview already. Maybe this would be one too many?

Hey I'm going to go the other way on this one. I say send in the update. It will let them know that you are staying involved and motivated and have plans for the summer. You may not be able to speak much about what you've gained from the experience yet but there are several good characteristics you would be highlighting by informing them. If nothing else, I don't think it could hurt.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using SDN mobile

 

[BertMacklin]

Yeah, I went back and counted and there were only 5 when I glanced at it just now, in the month following April 30, 2105. Not many in reality... I am betting we are all hoping because of the people posting this year about their withdrawing their acceptances. That means some seats are opening.

Still my dream school. Still dreaming. Still hoping.

Not many? That's why I'm here today! And actually 5/60 is quite a bit.

 

[star.buck]

Not many? That's why I'm here today! And actually 5/60 is quite a bit.

True...

I'm honestly moving forward. Quite thankful for my acceptance at CMU, going to mentally move my hopes and dreams to the school that picked me. I will miss calling Kalamazoo my home though, this is an amazing community, and WMed is an amazing school.

Still hoping everyone who has dreams set here finds them to come true. Best wishes and best of luck to all!

 

[Holmwood]

True...

I'm honestly moving forward. Quite thankful for my acceptance at CMU, going to mentally move my hopes and dreams to the school that picked me. I will miss calling Kalamazoo my home though, this is an amazing community, and WMed is an amazing school.

Still hoping everyone who has dreams set here finds them to come true. Best wishes and best of luck to all!

Congrats on the acceptance at CMU!

Yeah, maybe it is healthier to mentally distance yourself from all the waiting. I've got to start distancing myself from this thread and focusing on my future contingency plans.

Best of luck to you as well. : )

 

[WildPants]

Not many? That's why I'm here today! And actually 5/60 is quite a bit.

Plus, it seems unlikely that ALL of the people accepted off the waitlist posted about it on SDN, right?

 

[ChackieJan]

Plus, it seems unlikely that ALL of the people accepted off the waitlist posted about it on SDN, right?

Don't be ridiculous

Sent from my Nexus 6 using SDN mobile

 

[derp123]

Hi guys!

I'm sure someone has posted this, but do any current students have a "week in the life" blurb they could give (or point me to?) I'm not clear on how much time is spent in the classroom, TBL etc.

Thanks!

 

[tellme_areyoufree]

Hi guys!

I'm sure someone has posted this, but do any current students have a "week in the life" blurb they could give (or point me to?) I'm not clear on how much time is spent in the classroom, TBL etc.

Thanks!

Sure. As a 3rd year student, I will try to remember back to 1st/2nd year.

In 1st/2nd year, an average week for me might go something like this:
Monday - Lectures 8-10/11am (attendance is not mandatory). 10/11am-1pm - study, lunch, socialize, etc (once in a while there's a lecture 11-noon). Afternoon Anatomy lab 1-5pm (attendance mandatory). 5pm-6pm, drive home, dinner. 6pm-9pm study (complete independent learnings, which are like an extra lecture you do at home). 9p-11p relax at home with my husband. 11p-7a sleep. Get up and do it again.
Tuesday - everything is the same except the afternoon activity, which for me was always ICE ("Introductory Clinical Experience") - afternoon in the clinic, or in an ambulance, etc.
Wed - everything the same except afternoon, which for me was alternately explorations or POMAC ("Profession of Medicine - Active Citizenship"). Explorations is a self-guided learning thing, POMAC is a community project/research thing.
Thurs - everything is the same except afternoon, which for me was POMCS ("Clinical Skills") - simulations, standardized patients (actors you see, who evaluate your interview and examination skills), learning new examination techniques. etc.
Friday - TBL 8a-11a. These start with an irat, think of it like a quiz to assess how ready you are to participate in the TBL. After that's done, you go into the exercise, usually talking through a patient and each step of their care. In the second year, we had medical spanish in friday afternoons, but in the first year there wasn't anything in friday afternoons.
Saturday/sunday - mix study and relax.

I know some people who would study much later and much harder than I did.

An exam week is a little different. At the end of each block, the exam week will be pretty normal monday-wed with class all the way through like normal. On thursday they had review sessions in the morning (I always hated that - I felt like a review should occur earlier than the day before the exam, so I never went to them), and then you'd have your required thing in the afternoon (for me, POMCS). Then on friday you'd take the summative (final) exam for the block at 8am-11am~ish. In some blocks there would also be an anatomy practical (every other block), in the afternoon.

Most blocks had 1 TBL per week, but some had 2 per week. In those cases they were generally Wed / Fri.

In 3rd year, obviously we're in rotations. We have 6 required rotations in 3rd year, 8 weeks each. They consist of a pre-week, a post-week, and the 6 weeks in between.

The pre-week is a lot of review, overview of things you'll commonly see in the rotation, a jump-start to stuff to know while you're in clinic. A chance to get to know some preceptors. Some intro to the field ("here's what family med does" or "here are subspecialities of pediatrics" that kind of thing).

Then you have your 6 weeks. Students are assigned to various places. You may have some mix of outpatient/inpatient. I know in peds I spend 3 weeks in an outpatient clinic, and then 3 weeks inpatient in the hospitals. That includes some overnight shifts. Depending on the rotation you may have overnight call, you may switch from a 7a-5p shift to a 2p-midnight shift in the middle of the week. I have one week on peds where I have 2 days morning shift, 2 days late night, and then on monday I'm back to morning. Fun fun. But some rotations are also pretty mild, in family med I think all of us are doing basically 8-5 outpatient clinic (we go in at 7 to read through patients and usually leave arounf 5-5:30, go home and read).
I'm on family med right now and that's pretty much my day. 7-5:30ish, go home for dinner, read from 6:30-ish until 9/9:30ish, go home for a few hours, try to be asleep by 11:30, and up at 6am. I can ask some people on OB/Surg how their days are right now and edit this later***edit*** a friend in surg reports back that his day is generally 5a-6p. Anyway, regardless of the hours you'll have 6 weeks actually "doing" medicine during each clerkship.

Then you'll have your post-week, and I haven't actually gone through one yet. However, I've seen the schedule - and it's a lot of review lectures and some decompression stuff. Then on the friday of the post-week, we do an evaluated patient encounter (with one of those actor patients) which we have to pass, then the shelf exam (a national exam for the rotation we're on), and then we're done - and hopefully get a week of vacation (depends on which rotation).

I haven't seen 4th year yet so I can't comment on what that's like.

 

[WMed UpToDate]

Hi guys!

I'm sure someone has posted this, but do any current students have a "week in the life" blurb they could give (or point me to?) I'm not clear on how much time is spent in the classroom, TBL etc.

Thanks!

Starting 2016, however, there are significant changes to the weekly schedule from what we have so far in the 1st 2 years. Here's a sample of the schedule. Lecture will occur during mon, tues, and thurs mornings for class of 2016. TBLs will be on Friday mornings.

 

[derp123]

Sure. As a 3rd year student, I will try to remember back to 1st/2nd year.

In 1st/2nd year, an average week for me might go something like this:
Monday - Lectures 8-10/11am (attendance is not mandatory). 10/11am-1pm - study, lunch, socialize, etc (once in a while there's a lecture 11-noon). Afternoon Anatomy lab 1-5pm (attendance mandatory). 5pm-6pm, drive home, dinner. 6pm-9pm study (complete independent learnings, which are like an extra lecture you do at home). 9p-11p relax at home with my husband. 11p-7a sleep. Get up and do it again.
Tuesday - everything is the same except the afternoon activity, which for me was always ICE ("Introductory Clinical Experience") - afternoon in the clinic, or in an ambulance, etc.
Wed - everything the same except afternoon, which for me was alternately explorations or POMAC ("Profession of Medicine - Active Citizenship"). Explorations is a self-guided learning thing, POMAC is a community project/research thing.
Thurs - everything is the same except afternoon, which for me was POMCS ("Clinical Skills") - simulations, standardized patients (actors you see, who evaluate your interview and examination skills), learning new examination techniques. etc.
Friday - TBL 8a-11a. These start with an irat, think of it like a quiz to assess how ready you are to participate in the TBL. After that's done, you go into the exercise, usually talking through a patient and each step of their care. In the second year, we had medical spanish in friday afternoons, but in the first year there wasn't anything in friday afternoons.
Saturday/sunday - mix study and relax.

I know some people who would study much later and much harder than I did.

An exam week is a little different. At the end of each block, the exam week will be pretty normal monday-wed with class all the way through like normal. On thursday they had review sessions in the morning (I always hated that - I felt like a review should occur earlier than the day before the exam, so I never went to them), and then you'd have your required thing in the afternoon (for me, POMCS). Then on friday you'd take the summative (final) exam for the block at 8am-11am~ish. In some blocks there would also be an anatomy practical (every other block), in the afternoon.

Most blocks had 1 TBL per week, but some had 2 per week. In those cases they were generally Wed / Fri.

In 3rd year, obviously we're in rotations. We have 6 required rotations in 3rd year, 8 weeks each. They consist of a pre-week, a post-week, and the 6 weeks in between.

The pre-week is a lot of review, overview of things you'll commonly see in the rotation, a jump-start to stuff to know while you're in clinic. A chance to get to know some preceptors. Some intro to the field ("here's what family med does" or "here are subspecialities of pediatrics" that kind of thing).

Then you have your 6 weeks. Students are assigned to various places. You may have some mix of outpatient/inpatient. I know in peds I spend 3 weeks in an outpatient clinic, and then 3 weeks inpatient in the hospitals. That includes some overnight shifts. Depending on the rotation you may have overnight call, you may switch from a 7a-5p shift to a 2p-midnight shift in the middle of the week. I have one week on peds where I have 2 days morning shift, 2 days late night, and then on monday I'm back to morning. Fun fun. But some rotations are also pretty mild, in family med I think all of us are doing basically 8-5 outpatient clinic (we go in at 7 to read through patients and usually leave arounf 5-5:30, go home and read).
I'm on family med right now and that's pretty much my day. 7-5:30ish, go home for dinner, read from 6:30-ish until 9/9:30ish, go home for a few hours, try to be asleep by 11:30, and up at 6am. I can ask some people on OB/Surg how their days are right now and edit this later***edit*** a friend in surg reports back that his day is generally 5a-6p. Anyway, regardless of the hours you'll have 6 weeks actually "doing" medicine during each clerkship.

Then you'll have your post-week, and I haven't actually gone through one yet. However, I've seen the schedule - and it's a lot of review lectures and some decompression stuff. Then on the friday of the post-week, we do an evaluated patient encounter (with one of those actor patients) which we have to pass, then the shelf exam (a national exam for the rotation we're on), and then we're done - and hopefully get a week of vacation (depends on which rotation).

I haven't seen 4th year yet so I can't comment on what that's like.

Starting 2016, however, there are significant changes to the weekly schedule from what we have so far in the 1st 2 years. Here's a sample of the schedule. Lecture will occur during mon, tues, and thurs mornings for class of 2016. TBLs will be on Friday mornings.

View attachment 203879

Thanks so much! One more question - are there requirements regarding the type of laptop/device we need to have? I think some kind of Mac requirement was mentioned during the interview day?

 

[WMed UpToDate]

Thanks so much! One more question - are there requirements regarding the type of laptop/device we need to have? I think some kind of Mac requirement was mentioned during the interview day?

You need a Macbook. Doesn't really need to be the 15'' one or the newest model. MacAirs, old mac laptops...etc work

 

[WMED2020]

You need a Macbook. Doesn't really need to be the 15'' one or the newest model. MacAirs, old mac laptops...etc work

I would double check that before buying. The WMed student handbook I've been referencing (published October 2015, available online) states "MacBook Pro laptops are required". Other specifications are listed as well.

 

[WMed UpToDate]

I would double check that before buying. The WMed student handbook I've been referencing (published October 2015, available online) states "MacBook Pro laptops are required". Other specifications are listed as well.

yeah, double check. I'm only basing it off of what people currently use. There are a couple people with macbook airs and older mac laptops that's not macbookPro. They've had no trouble thus far. The only thing you'd really need from Macs are iBook. Otherwise, all other programs are compatible, even with windows.

 

[Holmwood]

yeah, double check. I'm only basing it off of what people currently use. There are a couple people with macbook airs and older mac laptops that's not macbookPro. They've had no trouble thus far. The only thing you'd really need from Macs are iBook. Otherwise, all other programs are compatible, even with windows.

I thought exams would also be taken on macbooks.

Because I can read ibooks on my windows. . . which would not necessitate buying a mac anything if ibooks access was the only functionality you need.

 

[WMed UpToDate]

I thought exams would also be taken on macbooks.

Because I can read ibooks on my windows. . . which would not necessitate buying a mac anything if ibooks access was the only functionality you need.

Exams are taken through the Examsoft software, which is available in Windows too. Idk if there are any other reasons why we need Macs, but the only one I've seen so far is the iBooks. Any other programs, you have windows version too. But maybe you do need a Mac of some sort just cause it's policy and they will ban you from the school otherwise D:

 

[Holmwood]

Exams are taken through the Examsoft software, which is available in Windows too. Idk if there are any other reasons why we need Macs, but the only one I've seen so far is the iBooks. Any other programs, you have windows version too. But maybe you do need a Mac of some sort just cause it's policy and they will ban you from the school otherwise D:

Oh! That's very cool to hear. Though to be honest, windows laptops tend to have pretty shoddy battery life. Mine only lasts 4 hours.
So if you needed a computer that isn't going to run out of battery during a test, a mac book might be best no?

 

[WMed UpToDate]

Oh! That's very cool to hear. Though to be honest, windows laptops tend to have pretty shoddy battery life. Mine only lasts 4 hours.
So if you needed a computer that isn't going to run out of battery during a test, a mac book might be best no?

Every seat has an outlet available for you. In fact, the school wants your laptop plugged in when you're taking exams

 

[Holmwood]

Every seat has an outlet available for you. In fact, the school wants your laptop plugged in when you're taking exams

This school thinks of everything...


Edit:
Oh, "interactive lectures". Not sure what those would entail, but do they require an app that's available only with mac-etc? Or is it just Q&A. It was mentioned in the TBL section of the website.

 

[WMed UpToDate]

This school thinks of everything...


Edit:
Oh, "interactive lectures". Not sure what those would entail, but do they require an app that's available only with mac-etc? Or is it just Q&A. It was mentioned in the TBL section of the website.

you get clickers and for TBL it's discussion based

 

[mpls2020]

While I loved this school, I was accepted into my first choice today, and will be withdrawing tonight. I wish you all luck!

 

[Holmwood]

While I loved this school, I was accepted into my first choice today, and will be withdrawing tonight. I wish you all luck!

We of the waitlist thank you with hearts and hugs and wish you the best.

 

[Hello7]

Accepted off the waitlist late last week. I plan on attending. Good luck to all.

 

[WildPants]

Hey guys, I just got accepted off the waitlist this morning! So excited!! For all of you still on the waitlist, don't give up. As someone who sat through a waitlist with no success last cycle as well, I know how it feels. I'm rooting for you!

 

[Dr. Cephalopoda]

Accepted off the waitlist a couple of weeks ago. Kalamazoo, here I come!

 

[MCPH]

Just made the exceedingly tough decision to officially withdraw my admission to this wonderful school--I write to extend the best of luck to whoever takes my place!

 

[WildPants]

yeah, double check. I'm only basing it off of what people currently use. There are a couple people with macbook airs and older mac laptops that's not macbookPro. They've had no trouble thus far. The only thing you'd really need from Macs are iBook. Otherwise, all other programs are compatible, even with windows.

Do you know anybody that is using a windows PC? I recently bought a new laptop, and I would like to avoid having to buy a Macbook if I don't necessarily need it.

 

[hansarganshi]

Accepted off the waitlist late last week. I plan on attending. Good luck to all.

Hey guys, I just got accepted off the waitlist this morning! So excited!! For all of you still on the waitlist, don't give up. As someone who sat through a waitlist with no success last cycle as well, I know how it feels. I'm rooting for you!

Accepted off the waitlist a couple of weeks ago. Kalamazoo, here I come!

Must've felt incredible to get that call! Congrats to all of you!!

 

[WMed UpToDate]

Do you know anybody that is using a windows PC? I recently bought a new laptop, and I would like to avoid having to buy a Macbook if I don't necessarily need it.

Nope, no one's using a PC