AZCOM students any questions for a current medical student

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Hey Niki,

Is there really an EM residency in Kingman now? Do you know how many residents are involved? Hopefully all is going great for you out there!


ted, D.O.
Emergency Medicine, PGY-1
somewhere in the city:cool: :cool: :cool:
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This is really going to sound naive, but where is this Kingman place? Is it a hospital/city near Phoenix?
 
Naive, not at all. The only way I had heard of Kingman before leaving NY to go to AZ was through this song about Route 66. Historic Route 66 runs through there. It is a small rural town (about 2.5-3 hours outside of Phoenix) in NW Arizona. The Hualupai mountains are there and they are beautiful. The hospital we are talking about is Kingman Regional Medical Center. As Niki mentioned, "ain't much to do up there", but if you do your rotations there, you'll be too busy to notice.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


ted, D.O.
Emergency Medicine, PGY-1
somewhere in the city:cool: :cool: :cool:
 
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This was the first year Kingman accepted 2 ER residents. They are currently accepting two a year I believe. Demr there is only one postition and they have a resident currently in the progrma and they new resident is a previous grad from AZCOM who did family and nw is starting derm. The rae is quite dull but excellent hiking and Vegas is only a little over an hour away!!!!!!!!!!!:D
 
And, there is Lake Mojave and the Colorado River just minutes away.
 
On an unrelated note...

Does anyone here know anything about the Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons? I am really interested in meeting with people who will be future military docs. I am just now transitioning from active duty to the reserves to attend AZCOM, and I am a little apprehensive about giving up military camaraderie.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Cyndi:)
 
hi everyone,
all the rotations people have mentioned here are great. another i'd recommend is the i.m. rotation at st. vincent's hospital in portland, oregon. i just finished my rotation there. i loved it. the residents,interns love to teach and gave me a lot of responsibility--i had my own pt. load, wrote orders, admit/discharge notes, progress notes, etc., on my pts. there were lectures at noon every day that were actually really good, and a.m. report was also informative. i worked 6 days/wk, sometims as much as 15 hr/day, but i learned tons. it was a great experience, esp. if you're thinking of doing i.m. if you choose to rotate directly thru st. v's housing is free (if you live in the call room--i had to take this option b/c i ended up flying to portladn at the last minute), or you can go thru eastmoreland adn use their apt. for $150/month. (this is what i would've done had i not flown.) meals are free, and the food was actually really good! and you can't beat living in portland--on off days i went to the coast, mtns, (rented a car), and took the max to go downtown.
i wouldn't recommend eastmoreland for i.m. i rotated thru eastmoreland earlier this year (out-pt. peds) and saw the hospital. the residents were realy nicea nd love to teach but on i.m. the pt. census is very low (like 2 or 3 pts. sometimes, unless something has changed or i was there a t a slow time.) i hear the family rotatoins are good there though.
this year i've rotated in kingman, sierra vista, tucson, and willcox, as well as colorado springs. have scheduled a bunch of rotations next year in chicago, and am waiting to hear from the cdc (the sars situation is slowing their response time to setting up rotations), st. joe's hospital in denver, u of washington. i also plan to rotate abroad.
hope this gives you more ideas. if you have any questions let me know. :)
 
Boilergirl76,

Can you tell me more about your potential rotations in Denver and Chicago? These are two cities I would LOVE to rotate in. Was it hard finding places/docs?

Thanks,
Matt
 
boilergirl76

I am taking that you did your St. Vincent's rotation during your 3rd year?? Have you heard of any other rotations being as good an experience as your IM experience at St. Vincent's??
 
I am so super excited!! i just found out that i have been selected to interview for the scholarship. What can i expect??? What are common questions?? what can i go over to better prepare myself for the interview? I really want this scholarship so i want to be extra prepared. Does anyone know how many they interview vs accept? Thank you, thank you for the help!! Good luck to all those still waiting to hear!

If anyone knows anybody who is on the scholarship that i could talk to as well i'd be very grateful!
 
Are you talking about the NHSC scholarship? I interviewed for it 4.5 years ago. It was really laid back and informal. You have to be on time, the interview is timed and there is a sealed packet of questions that they open and then ask you. You answer and they take notes. They tell you that you may not hear from them until September.

The irony of my situation was that I was supposed to go to COMP (Pomona) and there was a big mixup with my financial aid (I didn't get the aid packet until after I gave up my seat there and decided to go to AZCOM). Well, guess what? I got the scholarship then had to forfeit it because AZCOM hadn't graduated it's first class yet.:rolleyes: :p :(

jhug, aren't you thinking about surgery, does that count as a primary care?


ted, D.O.
Emergency Medicine, PGY-1
somewhere in the city:cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Ted--
Surgery isn't included---but what a memory!! The very first specialty i wanted to go into was peds (this was when i was about 11) Having triplets has really opened my eyes to that idea again--seeing how we've run our own nicu for the last 9 months!!:)
I am still open minded, but more and more i remember why i really loved peds! I am actually really suprised b/c for the last 4 ys i have worked at a primary care clinic and that has really opened my eyes to FP as well. We'll see....if i get the scholarship that narrows it down a bit. If i still don't get it-- who knows!! So, what kind of questions did they ask you??
 
Originally posted by boilergirl76
and am waiting to hear from the cdc (the sars situation is slowing their response time to setting up rotations), :)
Click to expand...

Who is boiler girl?

Oh my god I can do a rotation at the CDC? How??? I must do this. Must must must. It is the only one I would leave my husband and kid for.

I totally want to do ID and that would be invaluable. Should I talk to Linda now? I may have to do that tomorrow.

You have just made my week!!!

kristin
MS II
AZCOM
 
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Are we able to do our Cardiology rotation at the Arizona Heart Institute? Or are these mainly reserved for U of A students?

Also, is the cardiology rotation just general cardiology, or do we experience invasive/noninvasive, interventional, electrophysiology, etc.?

Thanks :oops:)
 
For all you current AZCOMers, when does school end for the spring (begining of summer)?? Early, mid, late May??? I am just needing to know because I will be getting married and we were thinking about late May. Thanks!

Also, is the cardiology rotation just general cardiology, or do we experience invasive/noninvasive, interventional, electrophysiology, etc.?
Click to expand...
Good Question, I would like to know as well!
 
1st and 2nd year end mid-may. third and 4th year don't really end they just morph into each other.

kristin
 
Let's see if my memory still works:D . I recall them asking about any work or experience I had with underserved populations, where would I like to work (l stated urban would be preferable since I had experience there and at the time had absolutely no rural, hey I'm a Long Islander what did I know from rural?), why did I want to work in an underserved area, etc., etc., etc. I was reminded that there might not be that many urban slots available and how did I feel about that, and I said truthfully, I'd cross that bridge when I got there but I had no qualms helping any underserved population rural or urban.

So, it might be jhug the pediatrician, that 'll be fun for the little ones I'm sure (not being able to skip school because their temps aren't higher than 100.4 and can you hear yourself saying, "those tonsils don't look infected to me young man!"). Good luck with the interview. I think, based on all the work you've done, you should be able to get that scholarship without too much trouble.

I remember them telling me how many people applied, how many were interviewed and the percentage accepted, but believe it or not, I fogged out on those stats, sorry.

ted, D.O.
Emergency Medicine, PGY-1
somewhere in the city:cool: :cool: :cool:

P.S. quite a few of my classmates did rotations at the Arizona Heart Institute.
 
Was it this thread that someone asked if someone at AZCOM matched for MD Derm? (It was either this one or the AZCOM class of 2007, I forget).

Anyway... one of the current 4th years matched Derm at Cleveland Clinic.
Pretty damn awesome, if you aske me.
:)
kristin
 
:clap:
one of the current 4th years matched Derm at Cleveland Clinic.
Click to expand...
:clap:

Right on! Sincere congrats to that person!
 
irish79--
my rotation in denver isn't officially set up yet. i applied for either i.m., e.r., or i.c.u. at st. joe's and haven't heard from the med student coordinator yet. i plan to call her this week and touch base, adn i'll keep you posted on what i find out. i'm keeping my fingers crossed! i would love to work in denver. as for chicago, i've set up rotations at northwestern, cook county, and resurrection, and loyola. am waiting to hear from rush. i had no trouble getting into those hospitals as a soon to be ms-4, though at certain times of the year some rotations are hard for visiting students to get (eg. i.m. b/c all of those med schools require it for their ms-3's.)

bla-3x--
yeah, i just did my im. rotation at st. v's in portland as an ms-3. it was great, and i'd highly recommend it. as far as other rotations that iv'e heard are as good as my experience, i'd say that st. vincent's in toledo is good (they have m.d./d.o. residency programs), botsford has been highly recommended, and i've heard good things about st. barnabas in new york. i'm sure there are others, but those are just the ones i can think of right off.

kristing--
there are definitely rotations aavailable at the cdc. i didn't talk to linda about my rotation, and i don't even know if she's aware of the cdc stuff. i found it on the azcom students website (www.azcomstudents.org). it's been a long time, but i think i found it under student rotations or something. i wouldn't recommend you rotate w/ them as a third year though. they want at least a 6-8 wk commitment from you, and this would take valuable time from your third year that you need to spend developing dx skills and building a basic foundation of knowledge (i hated it when people told me this a year ago, but now i'm older and wiser and think there are some things you need to have nailed down b/f you start 4th year. :D ) plus, it'll give you more peace of mind to know you've fulfilled your 3rd year core requirements and will have fewer required rotations hanging over to your 4th year.
the other problem is, i don't even know for sure if i have a rotation right now, since everyone i'd potentially work w/ is tied up w/ the sars thing and don't feel like they can give students a good experience. (i was informed of this last week.) so i've started looking for other rotatoins to fill the potential cdc months so i wo'nt be stuck w/o a rotation. i'll keep you posted on what happens--like you, i'm leaning toward i.d., and REALLY REALLY would like to rotate at the cdc (and i've send the student coordinator plenty of emails making her aware of this so she knows how serious i am. :) )

okay, enough rambling for tonight. have a great evening!! :) :)
 
When are the "breaks" during th first year?
 
For MS 1's, breaks are as follows: 2 weeks for Thanksgiving (it's after your very first set of finals), 1 week at Christmas time (winter break) and 1 week after finals in second quarter ("spring break") usually in February. You get (unless they decide to change this) 3 months off for the summer after your last set of finals in May (second week).

ted, D.O.:cool: :cool: :cool:
 
It's actually 2 weeks off at Christmas.

kristin
 
I understand there is a big summer break. Do you have a sense of what students do during this three month hiatus? I imagine I will have to work, but I wonder what other options are out there. Are there good contacts for hospital work? I would rather do something that may help me in my 2,3,&4th years than say, construction for the summer.

Thanks,
Troy
 
A majority of my class took the summer off and just relaxed. I did take a two week elective in anesthesiology since this is what I was interested in. I would highly recommend taking an elective rotation in a field you are considering! You can pick anything ER, plastic srg anything and the school will help you arrange it! People chose to work, do elective, work on masters programs, research, travel and just veg out! I would recommend taking easy just because it is the last three month break you probably wil have till your retire!
 
DRNickiTay

So we could do an elective in a specialty after our first year?? I would be concerned about my knowledge level. But I assume the programs/preceptors know that it is just the summer post first year.
 
Most of our class (2005) took the summer off - a lot of us got married, some travelled, and others did research. I did a one week rotation with my first year preceptor and it was a great experience! They understand that you have only completed one year of school. You stand to learn a lot and hopefully form a relationship with a doc that will benefit you later.
 
Chuck,

The preceptors are aware you have just finished your first year. I felt he continued to challenge me at my level and asked a lot about physiology (which I had completed and lectured on pharmacology (which was a class I had second year). It was nice because you got to get an idea about a particular field. I really recommend it!
 
niki, is that always done with your preceptor or do you have a little liberty to move around. It makes sense to already try and get your name out as far as landing a residency goes! how have you been anyway??
 
JHUG,

It is so good to hear from you! I did my elective with a doctor I had not followed. I just went to Linda in Clinical education and asked if I could do a rotation with a doctor in anesthesiology! She said Dr. Monte is great and I spent the elective with him! She is a HUGE welath of knowledge and she is in charge of all third year electives! You can set up an elective in anything pretty much!
 
I'm new to the forum, but have been reading your posts for at least a year now. My wife and I just returned from a trip down to AZCOM and I have a couple of questions about housing and living expenses.

1. Almost every student I talked to is receiving some kind of government assistance- Access (medicaid), food stamps, etc. Is this worth looking into and is it neccessary for one to survive?

2. Does anyone know about the apartment complex Meadow Glenn? They accept housing assistance (section 8), but they do look a little scary. The apartments are located at 4201 W UNION HILLS DR which is only about 3 miles east of campus.

3. I was hoping to only have to take out the $38,500 in stafford loans, but now it looks like I'll need a signature loan. How do I go about applying for one? I've already completed the financial aid packet and fafsa.

Any answers to the above questions would be greatly appreciated!!
 
Azcomer

I too am interested in Meadow Glenn. I will be checking the place out on June 4th along with Eagle Crest and anything else that I can find that is Cheap . I drove by it once before and your right, it didn't look like the mose jolly of places, but I figure I will give it the benifit of the doubt and go check it out.

Welcome to the forum!!
 
:mad: No, no, no, no, no!!!! I am a student at AZCOM so have had the joy of seeing my various classmates take advantage of the system in this manner... as a future physician, AZCOMER, you should be dedicated to the well-being of people.. that is our job and moral responsibility... taking aid when you don't need it, and others genuinely do, is immoral. Yes, we all take out a ton of loans and looking at the numbers actually hurts your eyes... but also, in a few short years, we will all be making perfectly good money that will allow us to pay every penny back.
 
I know it's always nice to hear a variety of opinions, so let me throw mine in... for those who will be joining us this fall, Congratulations!! :horns: It is such an exciting time.

Re: Location... Yes.. kind of ghetto around.. the weird thing about the Phoenix area is that you can't predict where the crime will happen.. I'm from Chicago and there you kind of know based on the neighborhood what the risks are.. All you can do is be smart about your person and your belongings. I think families might do well on campus - lots of other kids and moms and stuff. Just beware the occasional wild party -- they get a little rowdy -- anyone from class of 2005 remember that one after the first neuro exam??? :hardy: Woo!!! But I digress... I live in Scottsdale which is supposedly nicer, but have still had vandalism and car theft, etc.

Re: Rotations... I think the hassles are due to the school being so new.. the clinical ed department is not exactly helpful or encouraging... the idea that you can't go here or there because U of A has a hold on the spots is a crock... despite warnings to do otherwise, all you have to do is contact the doc or program directly, make friends, and go from there. Remember: When there's a will, there's a way. If you want something badly enough, you can make it happen.

Can I say to everyone that I am so impressed with all the forethought and research demonstrated on these forums! When I got into AZCOM the last thing I was considering was rotation availability or board scores... I was just thrilled to get accepted!

:D
 
Thanks for your responses about assistance and housing.

Cookypuss3... Its comforting to hear that students can get by without government assistance. I agree that if a student does not need aid, they shouldn't seek it and take advantage of the system.
 
AZCOMER - glad to see you weren't wildly offended by what I had to say - but it really blows my mind that people move here, suck off the state of Arizona, then move back to their home state to practice, never giving anything back to AZ.

So, of COURSE you can get by without resorting to welfare... it's all about making wise decisions... like don't buy a new car or have a couple kids in med school if you can't afford it... don't buy the textbooks, use the ones at the library... etc. etc... simple as that... we all may be strapped and broke for these few years but let's face it, we are all so lucky because down the road we will end up with a better income than 99% of people on this earth... and we will all be able to pay back our loans easily.
 
Does anyone have recommendations for a good realestate agent in the glendale area?
 
cookypuss3- do you have any recommendations on apartments in Scottsdale? My brother and I are thinking of living there because it'll be halfway for both of us. We are also pondering the idea of a loft so if you know of any complexes with that style around the area, that would be really helpful. Thanks-
 
ProDOstud,

I was working with Mary Anna Ford at Windermere before I decided to have a new house built. She was very prompt and courteous and generally very helpful. Her email is [email protected]. Good Luck

Kevin
 
Thanks Kevin! I'll try dropping her a line.
James
 
DOstud,

Your welcome and good luck. If there was more time I would recommend you contacting Beazer homes and look into having them build you one. The price is right for a brand new house. Anyway, good luck and if I can help you in anyway let me know.

Kevin
 
DNTay,
I am looking for advice on elective clerkships during the summer after my MS1. Would you recommend any particular subspecialty? I have good contacts in Ortho, Cardio, Plastics and ER, but should I be looking more at internal med or rural med to build a good foundation?

-Troy
 
Troy,

I would do the elective in a field that you are considering going into. Something to keep in mind for down the road is your third year consists of the following 4 week rotation:

Peds
Family med (12 weeks)
Surgery
Psychiatry
IM
Cardiology
OB/GYN
Choice of Peds/OBGYN
Elective your choice

I did anesthesiology because I knew many of the programs I wanted to do rotations at in fourth year required 8 weeks OB/GYN, 8 weeks PEDS and I would have to do my anesthesiology first rotation at an hospital I wanted to get into.

What fields are you thinking about???
 
DNTay,
First, thanks for the reply. Second, I don't know what I want to go into. If I had to choose today I would do ER, but that is only because I have been working in a level 2 trauma center for the past 4 years and have a good sense about what those docs do. Others of interest are Ortho and Radiology. I know, get in line, right? Anyway, thanks for your help.

ciao,
-Troy
 
I also wonder what your opinion is about the school's insurance plan vs. the SOMA plan? Which did you elect to purchase, and do you like it?

Thanks,
Troy
 
Is anyone going to be living out in Scottsdale? Is that too inconvenient (ie. traffic/distance)? Any advice is appreciated..... thanks.
 
Originally posted by prosDOstud
Is anyone going to be living out in Scottsdale? Is that too inconvenient (ie. traffic/distance)? Any advice is appreciated..... thanks.
Click to expand...

Someone from AZ may be able to tell you better than myself, but it seems that if you have good access to the 101, you'll be going against rush hour traffic coming to school in the mornings. My cousin lives in Chandler, and thought Scottsdale would be about a 10-15 minute commute. But, in the words of Reading Rainbow, you shouldn't take my word for it.
 
I'm thinking of living in the Scottsdale area because it is about halfway for my brother and I. We are looking for easy access to the 101 to start off. Let me know what you've found and I can keep you posted as well.- Kristi
 
Scottsdale is certainly a very nice area, but there are a few disadvantages to living there. The actual distance on the 101 is fairly short. But there does seem to be major slowing as one approaches the I-17 interchange during rush hour. And I don't know what kind of income you'll have, but Scottsdale addresses come with a relatively high price tag. If I had the money, I would choose to live in Scottsdale as well. Right now I am in the process of buying a small home off the 101 at 35th Ave.

Cyndi

PS I'm living in Glendale now, so if anyone needs info pls ask.
 
I don't suppose a current student or two would feel like giving an informal tour to a prospie, would they?

I'll be in town next week, for work. I'm done there on Wednesday, and I have all day Thursday and Friday to explore. AZCOM is on my (very preliminary) list; the plan is to complete my science prereqs next year and apply for 2005 or -06.

So it's early enough there's no pressure, which means I can develop a really positive opinion of a few key schools, and make a great choice. I just got off the phone with the Admissions office, who -- I swear to god -- told me that they "don't do tours," and I would be welcome to stop by and "pick up a map."

I'm self-directed enough to have a fine time wandering about aimlessly, but it would be more fun to have a host. Lunch is on me! Reply here, or send me a PM.
 
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