AZCOM 2006

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Yeah, I try to watch both of those shows too. Scrubs is hilarious. Dr. Cox is so awesome. I think that Houston Medical is on the same channel as scrubs.
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I watched Houston Medical last night too..it was pretty good. I felt bad for the resident whose ex-boyfrieds couldn't hang with a her because she had a brain tumor, it was sad to be reminded that anyone can get real sick at any time. I have also been watching Childrens Hospital on PBS I like that one a lot too.
 
Are there any "old fogies" or "geezers" out there in the AZCOM Class of 2006? I don't classify anyone under 30 in this category. Just curious to see how many non traditional people will be coming to AZCOM. Speak up now, non traditionals!
 
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Well I don't become an old fogey until Sept 1, then I will be 30...I will be the one with the ensure bar in my hand on the first day of class. Actually I really do eat those yummie little cookies and cream ensure bars!

So are other old fogeys (fogies) coming straight from school, or have you had time off. My last science class was in 1997, I would love to network or study with others nontrads.
 
Sugar,

that's funny about watching H.M. and Children's Medical both becasue sat in from of the tube the other night and my only exercise was clicking back and forth between the two channels. That severe amount of laziness being stated, I am not by your definition an old fogie, but do feel like it at times. Muonwhiz, I am 27. How old is the rest of our class? I only ask because if there are enough of you maybe we should have an Ensure rep. available at orientation to discuss the changing needs of the "aging body" and the benefits of being regular. :D

Well, I am off to Chicago. Have a great weekend and look for me on the TV at the cubs game and maybe Jerry Springer.

Later
 
Well, I finally received my award letter...it was just about what I had been expecting, although I didn't get as much as one of the previous posters by like $500. Is anyone else doing work study...I have to say I feel kind of silly working for $8 to $10 an hour after making $20 dollars an hour for the last 2 1/2 years..it sure would have been smart to have saved some of it! I know it will be worth it.
The way I understood the letter is that if we are accepting the whole enchilada, we don't have to send anything back. Is that how you all understood it?
I've got 19 more working days until I get to quit and become a student again!!
 
Yeah, that is the way that I understood the award letter as well. I am also doing the federal work study deal, I feel your sentiments w/ the whole decreasing pay scale. I have been working for a company doing paramedical exams for life/health insurance policies for the last 4 years. It brings in decent money in addition to the extreme flexibility of the job. My company has an office in Pheonix, hopefully I will be able to continue that job part time on to fulfill my FWS requirements. Anyways, my last day at that job is tomorrow. I've got some well desereved vacation coming up, as well as some finishing touches for my wedding on Aug 10. Yup, that is right, I am getting married 3 weeks before medical school starts. I am getting so excited, everything is moving so fast. And pretty soon, I will be able to meet all of you lovely people. Good luck with FA.

Later days,

Ryan
 
wow ryan-- congrats on the whole wedding thing!! the one thing no one ever told me about being married is that it is really, really fun!!! my wife and i didn't have a tv for about a year so we played about 500 games of yatzee:D as for being a geezer-- i'm 25 but the whole triplets things is killing me-- i'll have 3 kids!!! thats gotta tack on some serious years--not to mention driving a mini-van:)
 
Congrats Ryan!
 
Originally posted by Sugar72
So are other old fogeys (fogies) coming straight from school, or have you had time off. My last science class was in 1997, I would love to network or study with others nontrads. [/B]
Click to expand...

I think that some of the non trads are coming straight from school but most have had some time off and have had previous careers. Age stats for 2005 were 22 to 49, so it would be interesting to find out what the range is for this class. It would probably be a good idea to look for the older faces in the crowd when classes start and then introduce yourself and ask if any are interested in a study group. I'll bet that you will get some takers. Who is the oldest on this list? So far we have Sugar in the lead at age 30. Can anyone top that? Hey, non trads, what did you do before becoming crazy enough to go to medical school? There are some interesting stories out there 2006, so let's hear a few!
 
OUCH! I guess it is nice to come in first at something...being the oldest isn't exactly what I had in mind!
Congratulations Dr. Ryan...
My current company has a location in Phoenix too, so I will probably try to grab a part time job there after the first quarter.
I have the good fortune of having a super fun job...it just isn't really emotionally satisfying.
I wish I had enough vacation time saved up to quit work now...oh well.
 
Does anyone know if we're required to purchase a computer? If so, are we given extra $ through the FA office for it?
 
JRich - in my fin aid award letter, the funded categories are tuition, fees, health insurance, room and board, transportation, and personal....there is no specific allocation for computers. I am going to buy a new one with my fin.aid though

btw if you are still interested in renting some space in my rental truck, let me know! I think we are going to leave on 8/14.
 
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I discovered a website while searching through the SDN links page today that I didn't know existed -- www.azcomstudents.org
It has quite a bit of information about student life, etc.
 
That's a pretty helpful link! I am even more excited to get started!
Are you guys planning on joining any of the clubs that sent info in the last packet? Is there going to be a student org. fair during orientation, you think?
 
oh and P.S.
I received an online letter from Sallie Mae telling me that they disbursed my signature loan already...how is that for fast! It gets disbursed in quarters right? It was kind of a weird amount that doesn't make a lot of sense. Did anyone else get anything weird from sallie mae?
 
I think I plan on joining the emergency medicine club when I get to campus -- I don't have much desire to become an ER doc or anything, but I've worked as an EMT during summers over the course of the past four years, and I do have a pretty good interest in it.
 
THEY ARE HERE!!!!!!! July 23rd at 8:24, 8:26, and 8:28 our triplets were born!!! they are so stinking cute!!!! Baby A was 2lb 13oz, B was 2lb 15oz, and C was 3lb 5 oz. All are doing well (mom included) and progressing. Babies B and C were intubated for about 7hrs and are now breathing well with just a little help. Talk about a wonderfully, horrifying, beautiful experience! I havn't slept in four nights!! even though i know they are well taken care of i still worry my guts out about them and go see them every three hours-- that's diaper duty and feeding time. They'll be in the NICU for just over a month-- guestimate, and then they'll be home!!!! I understand more now than ever that i must defer this year and, although jealous of you all starting med school in many ways, wouldn't change this for anything in this world! But i am looking into neonatology now-- what an amazing specialty!
 
Jhug-
Congratulations. Man that is awesome. I couldn't imagine three at once. Enjoy the next year with them.:clap:
 
Holly crapola triplets and medical school. Make sure you to remind your wife that she is beautiful and a wonderful mom on a regular basis because believe it or not med school is going to be tougher on her than you. Buy small gifts of appreciation regularly.

Congrats to you Jhug!

Congrats to all of you for making it to AZCOM. It is a good school and very organized compared to many other schools. Your first two years I feel can not be topped by any institution.

So on behalf of those of us who recently graduated congrats. It is now your turn to carry the torch.
 
Hello fellow Classmates!!!! My name is Tyrone and I will be attending AZCOM with you all this fall. I am very excited, DREAM COME TRUE!! I am still waiting to hear from CCOM, but as for now AZCOM is my new home. Just wanted to make myself known. By the way, how long did it take you to get your azwebmail accounts. Congrats Jhug triplets, simply amazing!!! You and your wife have truely been blessed.

Well see you in a few weeks!
 
Hey Tyrone,
Welcome to AZCOM. Did they pull you off of the waitlist? I got my email account a few weeks after my final deposit was in. They'll send you something soon. By the way, why are you still looking at CCOM? I have one word for you ....winter. I definitely couldn't handle to winters in Chicago. Just kidding. Good luck.
 
Jhug,

Congrats to you and your wife. That is pretty fantastic. I remember when the news came out (which by the way did not seem too long ago); but the question is what are they? My guess is A:girll, B:girl, C:boy. However, I want to also win a prize if the outcome is 2 girls and a boy even if the order of delivery was not as I had guessed. Lastly, oh proud father, what are their names?

Tyrone, welcome. Where are you from?

later
 
I'll be starting in Sept. What's the weather like? Cold winters? Any advice for big town-dwellers like me?:p
 
Fellow AZCOM'ers I am from Indiana, but have lived in Tucson Arizona for the past four years and believe me the weather here is great!!! A bit too hot in the summer, but my first year here it was shorts everyday!!!! And I do mean every day. Phoenix will be great, much more to do there than in Tucson. Phoenix is a large city with lots of golf courses. I was accepted off the waitlist, actually I think I was on the preferred list because I was accepted relatively quickly, but who knows. The next four years is going to be tough, but i think it will be fun. I am a paramedic firefighter and as of right now I am looking into becoming an Emergency Physician or a Surgeon (Trauma or Cardio-thoracic). What does everyone else want to do? Where all of you guys from? See you all in a few weeks!!!!
 
sport-- actually they the exact opposite-- A: Boy, Charles Preston, B: Boy, Jones Matthew, C: Girl, Isabelle Anne. They all weighed about 3 lbs, are now breathing on their own and just amazingly cute little things. My wife made it to 331/2 weeks (which is great with three) so news didn't break too long ago--the original due date was beginning of September!! They couldn't have arrived faster as far as i go-- i was so baby hungry!!!!
 
Here is a website that you might want to bookmark for future reference. It is the site for AZCOM Class of 2005. Check it out-- 2006 might want to do their own web page in a similar way as a means of providing good and fast study info, etc. The site is:

http://216.161.161.161/2005/index.htm
 
i just read that phoenix is the car theft capital of the US. What kinds of anti-theft devices do you have on your cars? I don't even have a car alarm! How bad is it really and what is car insurance like for full coverage? anyone know? I guess I will find out for myself in like a week and a half!
 
jhug!!!!

Congratulations times three!!! That is awesome. Actually, it only seems like such a short time ago you were posting about their future arrival (I was still in sunny AZ then) but I am sure your wife is glad that's over and done with. My former classmate gives some good advice. Now let me take this opportunity to congratulate you all on getting into a fine school. Best of luck future colleagues


ted, DO
Emergency Medicine-PGY1
somewhere in the city

PS winters are fabulous in PHX. I'm going to miss it something fierce
 
Are you guys still interested in getting together one night during orientation..say Fri nite the 30th.
 
jhug,

very cool names, I especialy like the name Isabelle for the girl. I guess it was around Jan that the news broke, time has just flown by. You'll have to tell your wife that this pregnancy was quite easy on me. Here is a question, If triplets are going to be identical do they all have to be identical or can two be and the other be a maternal twin? Is it possible for the mother to prduce three eggs simultaneously?

As far as the car theft thing goes, Sugar, you should get one of those "club" anti-theft devises and just plan to not leave anything worth stealing in your car, such as: cd's, stereo, young children, etc...

I am still up for getting together on friday. I think I am going to try and take that last few days before school and get away somewhere, Flagstaff, Tucson, Havasu, or the White Mountains. But Friday noght seems very doable.

later
 
Ted-- can we anticipate still hearing from you???? Although you will be busier than ever i sincerely hope so!!! I have a few ?'s about EM when you do have a minute, i will most likely PM them to you. Sport, the two boys could have been identical, i do know some that had three identicals, the egg actually split three times.
Another family has two identical girls and a boy so the egg split twice and a different egg somehow slipped in there. In our case there were three different eggs so they all are really different! They are so stinking cute!!! they look like little old men-- all but isabelle, she looks the most baby-ish-- probably bc she was the most developed and weighed in the heaviest- 3lbs6oz.

I have heard that havasu is absolutely amazing, how far is that from pheonix??
 
Hey everyone, it has been a long time since I posted, but I just wanted to say hi and that I look forward to meeting you all at the end of the month. Jhug, my wife wanted me to tell you and your wife congrats. That is awesome and I am glad all are doing well. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you before we move. I know how much just one is to handle. I do have a quick question for everyone. What is everyone doing for health insurance. I have been looking around and trying to find some what of a good deal. If anyone has some good ideas please let me know. I look forward to seeing you all. We are moving next week so it is becoming all to real for us. Take care and have fun before school starts.

Kiley Mortensen
 
Hey Kiley, to answer your question about health insurance, my fiance and I are looking into a plan for after we get married this saturday (holy crap it is coming up so fast) with blue cross/blue sheild of arizona. Their PPO plan with a $1000 deductible, 18-29 y/o is 76 dollars/month for males and 115 dollars/month for females. It seems like a pretty good deal, at least a lot better than the aetna plan offered through the school. Hope this helped. See you guys in a couple of weeks.

Later days,

Ryan
 
Thanks Ryan, I was going to look into Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Do you have a contact number I might call if you are working with someone or an email address. Thanks.

Kiley
 
Hey Kiley, no problem. The person that I have been talking to is Diane De Hanks. Her number is (877) 864-4899 ext. 684. Hope this helps.

Later days,

Ryan
 
I don't know how Blue Cross/Blue Sheild in AZ is, but in Louisiana they are notorious for offering very low payments initially but soon after start to raise their rates(ie 87 to 110 after first year). Just wanted to let you guys know so you can check into it.
 
HELLO ALL OF YOU NEW MSIs!!!:clap:
I am class of 2005 and my husband and I are running the Azcom2005 website (www.2005az.com but we just took it over, and so it's not up to snuff just yet).

I am so excited for all of you. I remember just being so thankful and happy to be at AZCOM last year. I think you will be very happy there. The faculty and administrators are fantastic.

If you have any questions, I am free to answer them as I am currently a "hausfrau" for another month.

Here's some info you might want to know:
medical spanish last year was pretty disappointing. My friends who took it didn't learn anythinng. It was run by 2 students (seriously) and all the people in the class had to do was come up with a skit in Spanish. Hopefully admin will change this.

Phoenix does has a high rate of car thefts, but I'm a native and we've never gotten a car stolen. Go figure.

There is a very high rate of mail theft here (the majority of the mailtheft in the country occurs in the Phx metro area) owing to the LOVELY meth problem here. I do know many people who have gotten their mail stolen. I would say never ever mail out anything of importance from an apartment type mailbox, as these are the ones being broken into the most. There's a post office right next to the school, so that may save you some grief.

As I said before, I'm a native, and I know something of the area. So ask away if you have any questions!

You guys are going to have a great great year.

If anyone knows a Kathleen S. from Ajo (I don't want to post her last name for security), have her post here. She is my "little sis" and her email and phone number the registrar has are old are not being used anymore or something...
 
Oh hausfrau....what was the consensus among your class for health insurance. Did most of your classmates use the Aetna through the school...or SOMA...or private? I have HI through my now previous job and I have a pre-existing condition..what to do!

I just got to Glendale today (about 6 hours ago) and my new apartment has so many boxes that I have to sit on the kitchen floow with my laptop! Augh!
 
Hey Sugar,
How was the trip? is there any areas of road construction I should know to look for? Thanks
 
The number one thing I learned from this trip was that Texas is really really really big.
There is a little construction in two spots in Western Texas, but there wasn't any real delay.
We did encounter a huge sandstorm somewhere in west Tx. There were tumbleweeds and visibility was about 10 feet. It was insane. You could see the dust storm coming from miles away...it looked like a a giant rainstorm, but a little bluer than rain (that is strange huh?). So make sure you pack the back of your truck to withstand beating sand!

We stopped pretty frequently to let our dog run around, in total we spent about 26 hours on the road and boy were we ready to get here!

All in all it was a pretty drive...keep your eyes open for "Hollering Woman Creek" and the city of Welfare both in Texas...I laughed when I saw those signs!

The air quality in El Paso was nasty...they were having an Ozone alert when we drove through...I don't think I even know what an ozone alert is...is it pollution-based or from a great big hole in the atmosphere?


Drive safe!
michelle
 
Originally posted by Sugar72 [/i]
"Oh hausfrau....what was the consensus among your class for health insurance. Did most of your classmates use the Aetna through the school...or SOMA...or private? I have HI through my now previous job and I have a pre-existing condition..what to do!

I just got to Glendale today (about 6 hours ago) and my new apartment has so many boxes that I have to sit on the kitchen floow with my laptop! Augh!"

Ok. The stupid flipping insurance is such a fiasco. They keep increasing the cost and scaling back the benefits of it each year, but the school is in the works (or so I've heard from Dr. Kossinski) of building a student health center to drop the insurance rates. SOMA has done the same thing. I have looked into Cigna insurance privately, and the plan seems good if you are a relatively healthy person and are not female. Females pay a lot.

I would say the class was probably mostly on Aetna if they didn't have a spouse or parent they could get insurance through. A few people I know had SOMA insurance and they were much happier with it than Aetna.

SOMA is a good plan in that it pays for a lot of procedures (naturopathy and acupuncture included), but I think you have to pay out of pocket for your visits and then get reimbursed from the ccompany. You get reimbursed fairly quickly, though, like within a few weeks.

With Aetna, the doctor's ofice will take your insurance card and copay, and eventually (like within a few months) you get a bill from the doctor's office if Aetna doesn't pay it (like if you're not up to your deductible). I had Aetna last year and unusually, my husband and I both got strep twice. He still didn't get up to his deductible ($250 last year), but I totally exceeded mine because I had to see an ENT and went to Urgent Care. Nonetheless, we still probably paid about $700 out of pocket for medical costs last year, and I just think if you pay that much money a year in insurance, you shouldn't be paying that much out of pocket. I am very annoyed with insurance.

I think this year, I am going to go with SOMA, my husband will get his work insurance, and my son will get Cigna.

So there you go.

Here is something GREAT, though. The OMM clinic on campus will not bill students for treatment, they just take whatever they can get through the insurance company, even if it isn't anything. So what you can do is use that to get your deductible down. I think a treatment is usually around $120. Pretty cool, eh?
 
Thank you so much for the skinny. It sounds like I will get my insurance through SOMA!

Michelle

PS

Could you recommend a really good chinese restaurant in the Glendale area....we want chinese and there are like 3 chinese rest. on every block!
 
Sorry - I so rarely eat Chinese that I don't know of any really. There is one by the school that is in a strip mall (what a surprise!) I believe it's in the same area as the Albertson's on 59th ave and the 101.

Good Japanese fast food is Tokyo Express at 2nd ave and Bell.

Good Thai is in Phoenix at 13th avenue and Camelback. (forgot the name! Ack!)

sorry!
Kristin
 
Thanks Kristin,

We tried a chinese restaurant on Peoria and 30thAve...it was pretty good. I am looking forward to trying the Thai restaurant...I also have my eyes open for an Indian food rest. for after my hubby leaves...he doesn't like indian food.

Ok..how about dry cleaners, banks and the cheapest grocery store!

Now that I am here, I can't believe how long I have to wait for school to start!

My husband and I are thinking about going tubing this week at Salt River. We found a book on things to do in the area and it says going tubing when it is hot is good because the water is really cold.

Michelle
 
My friend, Megan, likes the dry cleaners across the street from the school in the plaza with Home Depot. I am opposed to any clothing I can't wash myself (lazy and cheap) so I wouldn't know. But she likes it, and she uses it a lot.

Fast food Indian may be harder to find. You may need to venture more into Phoenix.

There are a glut of grocery stores around the school - Fry's and Albertson's on 59th ave, and Safeway at 67th ave. I find Fry's to be the cheapest, myself, but it depends what you buy. Fry's (same as Kroger in other parts of the country) and Safeway (same as Von's in California) require those frequent shopper cards for good deals. Albertson's doesn't.

Tubing is a lot of fun. Slather on the sunscreen and bring lots of water because it gets hot in the sunn. But that is true, about going when it's hot out. We used to go in high school at the end of the school year in May, and it would be way too cold.
:)
kristin
 
Thanks again,

In my pre-AZCOM life I have been a professional for 3 years replete with dry clean only suits. I am going to clean them now and put them in my closet so they will be ready to go in case I need them! Which hopefully will be very infrequently!

michelle
 
I think that you are safe to put those suits away. It's too hot for them! And I think most preceptors are satisfied with the business casual look.
 
It is so hot here...I am sure those of you that are here already know that. I was watching the news tonite and they used a little map with doppler technology to do a week's forecast and the entire week (hour by hour) looked exactly the same....no clouds at all. I am curious why they need a doppler storm tracking radar here!

I stopped by MWU today to sign up for direct deposit for my F.A. refund and to pick up an AZCOM tshirt for my dad! If anyone else is interested in getting your first disbursement directly deposited to your account, they need the paper work this week. For first year DO students, it is scheduled for 12am transfer on 9/5 (The night of 9/4 and morning of 9/5). Hard copy checks will be available on 9/6.

I know I was glad to know when my FA re-enforcements were arriving! Thought I would share.

michelle
 
Wow, almost time for another new class to start....time flies.

Chinese food--drive to Scottsdale, go to P.F. Chang's. It's only like a twenty minute drive from school, and it's not outrageously expensive.

Indian food--there's supposedly a good place on 59th Ave. and Bell (although, it's in the Wal Mart shopping center, so I wonder how good it really can be). Anyway, it comes highly recommended from one of my preceptors. I don't remember the name, but I feel pretty certain that it's the only Indian restaurant in that parking lot.

Doppler radar--wait till you see your first monsoon storm. Supposed to be returning later this week or next week. Fun I tell ya. Real fun.

Have fun. Enjoy the first year of school, but don't forget to get out some and keep (or get, as the case may be) a level personality.
 
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