Baylor College of Medicine -- Class of 2012

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
NaTay said:
Is there a specific interest rate for institutional loans and is the $22,000 budgeted for living expenses enough form most people? If not, what do most people do?...I'm new to the idea of taking out loans:confused:
Click to expand...

Assuming you live within your means, I think so. Don't count on feeding a family of four comfortably on it. :p
Members don't see this ad.
 
My class lectures were all streamed, and I can't imagine they'd stop those - they are awesome! Should I take this to mean you've decided on Baylor, drowsy12, or still debating?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
drowsy12 said:
i cant remember, can someone remind me if the lectures are all available on video streaming? Thanks.
Click to expand...

All actual lectures are streamed. Stuff involving patients during lecture time is not (and those days you really do have to come).
 
And trust me, guys, those "patient-centered lectures" are totally worth coming to class for. They're usually the ones that will tie everything together, and seeing the patients talk about their problems and how they've been helped by medicine reminds you of why you came to med school in the first place. Plus, you see your lecturers as artful practitioners of bedside manner...

I am definitely someone who was 60/40 at best with coming to class. I always wanted to come to every lecture, but there were days I'd wake up at 7:30 and remember that I could watch the lecture online in a few hours and flop back to sleep. Whether that's wise or not is debatable - if you're sleepy, will you really gain that much from going to lecture? But will you learn as much from not attending a live lecture and watching a 5" video.

Welcome to Baylor - you made the MOST right decision you could, and you are going to have an awesome 4 years. And hopefully I'll see y'all in the CCU or Cards Consult during your 4th years. Feel free to send me a message now or even after school starts if you've got any questions (or comments).
 
"Is there a specific interest rate for institutional loans and is the $22,000 budgeted for living expenses enough form most people? If not, what do most people do?...I'm new to the idea of taking out loans"


Yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out too. 22,000 seems like a lot for a single person, but i think that number is an estimated average, because some people have kids they need to support so they need more. my rent is around 625 a month and with utilities, internet, cable, 800 a month for living is an estimate. i dont think for me personally, there would be a way that with addinh in food, entertainment, and minimal gas, i would spend 22,000 next year. but im thinking i may take most of the loans i was offered and then just take less from now on if i have a lot of money left over. also, from what i hear there is no way books comes out to 4200.
 
drowsy12 said:
Yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out too. 22,000 seems like a lot for a single person, but i think that number is an estimated average, because some people have kids they need to support so they need more. my rent is around 625 a month and with utilities, internet, cable, 800 a month for living is an estimate. i dont think for me personally, there would be a way that with addinh in food, entertainment, and minimal gas, i would spend 22,000 next year. but im thinking i may take most of the loans i was offered and then just take less from now on if i have a lot of money left over. also, from what i hear there is no way books comes out to 4200.
Click to expand...

you need to add health and auto insurance too if you're not covered by a parent.

the cost of the recommended health policy is somewhere between $200 and $300 per month. i can't remember the exact amount and i don't have the link to the 2012 page right now. they do mention that group coverage is required, which would mean that you couldn't go cheap on a high deductible "no frills" policy.

could current students say how strict the school is about buying the Baylor Aetna policy?
 
drowsy12 said:
"Is there a specific interest rate for institutional loans and is the $22,000 budgeted for living expenses enough form most people? If not, what do most people do?...I'm new to the idea of taking out loans"


Yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out too. 22,000 seems like a lot for a single person, but i think that number is an estimated average, because some people have kids they need to support so they need more. my rent is around 625 a month and with utilities, internet, cable, 800 a month for living is an estimate. i dont think for me personally, there would be a way that with addinh in food, entertainment, and minimal gas, i would spend 22,000 next year. but im thinking i may take most of the loans i was offered and then just take less from now on if i have a lot of money left over. also, from what i hear there is no way books comes out to 4200.
Click to expand...

There are a couple of assumptions Baylor makes:

1) You are 100% financially independent. This means your parents pay for NOTHING. This leads to the stuff below.
2) You need insurance of all types: car, health, maybe renter's as well. Usually parents will pay for what they can until they can't anymore (health until 25). $2k a year for health is a LOT most kids coming out of college won't have to pay until their 25.
3) You have a car, which means you need to buy gas. Enough said about that.
4) Your current computer is ****. So they give you a $3000 loan to buy a new one. PLEASE, do NOT buy a computer worth $3000. That would be a financial death trap for you in the end!
5) Medical students don't know how to buy used books, so they budget us for new ones.

Of course, you can get even MORE savings if you're living with a roommate. The stuff that you would share (telephone, cable, electricity, a/c, etc..) can save you a lot compared to flying solo.

However, again, Baylor assumes that you'll probably be living on your own 100% financially independent from anyone else. Let's face it, not everyone is in the same position as Joe Shmoe who's parents are paying for EVERYTHING. :laugh:
 
I'm in with a $12k/year scholarship! Woohoo!

Now it's just a matter of deciding for sure and looking for a condo. I come from a poor family and don't have money for a down payment. Does anyone know if you can purchase without a down payment, or how to get help with that?
 
DoctorDreamer said:
I'm in with a $12k/year scholarship! Woohoo!

Now it's just a matter of deciding for sure and looking for a condo. I come from a poor family and don't have money for a down payment. Does anyone know if you can purchase without a down payment, or how to get help with that?
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your scholarship! I'm in the same situation...oos looking for a condo with very little savings for a down payment. Someone please help:scared:
 
Does anyone know what the first day we need to be there is?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Wow! Congratulations to both of you. Does anyone know if Baylor gives out both merit and need-based scholarships?
 
congrats on yalls scholarships. Does anyone know if they are still handing out scholarships even if you have already received your financial aid statement? How long do they keep giving them out for?
 
So, I'm a little confused about loans. On the TG loans website, all I can apply for are my offered subsidized and unsubsidized stafford loans. I also received an institutional loan and a federal perkins loan. how do i go about getting those if not through the TG lender site? Is this done through BCM itself? IF anyone could help me out that would be great, thanks.
 
Oh and I have another question for the current students. I'm new to this electrical company choice thing, which ones are good and cheap in Houston? or does it not really matter? I am thinking of just going with reliant and keeping it simple.
 
bluesTank said:
Oh and I have another question for the current students. I'm new to this electrical company choice thing, which ones are good and cheap in Houston? or does it not really matter? I am thinking of just going with reliant and keeping it simple.
Click to expand...

Big guy advertising at it's finest. Sheep! Bahhhhhh!

Visit www.powertochoose.com to learn your options.
 
bluesTank said:
I looked at that already, what the heck is the difference between all of them? It is a very broad spectrum of prices and I am skeptical to go with the cheapest one.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. i feel like the "little guy" is much more likely to leave me in the lurch should an outage occur.
 
bluesTank said:
I looked at that already, what the heck is the difference between all of them? It is a very broad spectrum of prices and I am skeptical to go with the cheapest one.
Click to expand...

Basically there are 4 categories I'm sure you looked at:

1) Actual price per kilowatt: Self-explanatory
2) Rate type: Fixed or variable. If it's variable, then you could pay more during more demand and less during less demand. This matters more if you're gonna crank the A/C on all the time, you'll probably want fixed, otherwise it really doesn't matter, I think.
3) Renewable energy content: Also self-explanatory
4) Contract term + termination fee: How long your contract is for, and how much you pay to back out of it.

To be honest, only 1 & 4 truly matter. I wouldn't go pick a company that requires a 3-year contract if you might have to move out of your place (unless you can transfer it, but I don't know that. And renewable energy content is just to make yourself feel good that you're not killing the planet.

See, so simple! :p
 
TheRealMD said:
Basically there are 4 categories I'm sure you looked at:

1) Actual price per kilowatt: Self-explanatory
2) Rate type: Fixed or variable. If it's variable, then you could pay more during more demand and less during less demand. This matters more if you're gonna crank the A/C on all the time, you'll probably want fixed, otherwise it really doesn't matter, I think.
3) Renewable energy content: Also self-explanatory
4) Contract term + termination fee: How long your contract is for, and how much you pay to back out of it.

To be honest, only 1 & 4 truly matter. I wouldn't go pick a company that requires a 3-year contract if you might have to move out of your place (unless you can transfer it, but I don't know that. And renewable energy content is just to make yourself feel good that you're not killing the planet.

See, so simple! :p
Click to expand...

all that makes sense. i just want to make sure i pick a reliable provider. it's hard to know the reputation of a company just from that website.
 
I've switched 3 or so times over the past 5 years to stay with the cheapest company. It's often to a random company I've never heard of. Remember, they will be your provider, but they do not maintain the lines. All line maintenance is done by Reliant. All the power going to you and your neighbors is generated in the same place, travels on the same lines and is delivered to your house/condo/apartment the same way. Any power outage will affect everyone equally. The choice in providers is basically who you choose to pay for this energy. Don't go with the more expensive one. There's no added convenience to Reliant. Just added cost.
 
I was looking at the list of required books posted for Fall I. The cost for all of them adds up to about $500. I was wondering 2 things:

1) Do we really need ALL those books?
2) I have alot of my brother's old books since he just graduated. But they are all one or 2 editions old. Will they still work?

I would like to save as much money as I can. Thanks.
 
ushah said:
I was looking at the list of required books posted for Fall I. The cost for all of them adds up to about $500. I was wondering 2 things:

1) Do we really need ALL those books?
2) I have alot of my brother's old books since he just graduated. But they are all one or 2 editions old. Will they still work?

I would like to save as much money as I can. Thanks.
Click to expand...

1) Definitely not. Too much to read in such a short time.
2) I assume the basic info is the same (biochem isn't going to change radically in 4 years), but page numbers will probably be off if they gave them.

Regardless, take them anyway, but I'd wait and see before buying ANY more books.
 
ushah said:
I was looking at the list of required books posted for Fall I. The cost for all of them adds up to about $500. I was wondering 2 things:

1) Do we really need ALL those books?
2) I have alot of my brother's old books since he just graduated. But they are all one or 2 editions old. Will they still work?

I would like to save as much money as I can. Thanks.
Click to expand...

where is the book list? on the 2012 page somewhere?

i guess i missed it.
 
Jolie South said:
where is the book list? on the 2012 page somewhere?

i guess i missed it.
Click to expand...


Yeah, they just put it up in the right sidebar recently... for some reason I've been stalking the page almost daily, even though they weren't going to have any more communication updates until orientation. :)
 
Im an OOSer looking at condos with a realtor. I know that parking at Baylor is expensive so what are options for students who don't live in the medical center? Someone mentioned park-and-ride areas at second look and I was wondering the monthly cost? I saw nice condos in the galleria area but wasn't sure if many students lived there, also my realtor is convincing me that the medical center is pretty much the only option b/c of Houston traffic. Advice please:oops:
 
I park and ride now, for about $60 per month (which includes the bus rides as well as free parking in garages after 6PM and all weekend).

There's also the Fannin South lot at the South end of the metrorail line which should cost ~$2/day, but then you've also gotta pay for the train each way (50 cents?)

Living near the galleria would be pretty painful traffic-wise at times. Especially trying to drive home at 5PM or something...but there are tons of nice condos and you'd be living in a cool area.
 
im a little confused about parking in the med center. these are the questions that i have:

1) does BCM subsidize a metro pass (which would include free light rail and bus service?)
2) obviously, it's pretty easy to get to school if you live off the light rail, but if not, what are the best ways to get to the med center?
3) can u park at the va center on OST/almeda for free and take the shuttle from there?
4) is the fannin south light rail parking lot in a safe area?
5) this is kinda a general question, but for apartment complexes with med center shuttles, is it pretty easy to also catch a shuttle back from the med center to the apartment?
6) do any current med students recommend living at camden vanderbilt? apparently they dont have a shuttle that runs to the med center, but there's a bus stop within walking distance of the complex.

thanks!
 
Does anyone know what the deal is with health insurance at Baylor? My fiancee is going into the graduate school program at BCM and she gets full health coverage for free. What do we get?
 
entranced said:
im a little confused about parking in the med center. these are the questions that i have:

1) does BCM subsidize a metro pass (which would include free light rail and bus service?)

BCM does not subsidize a metro pass anymore. You can get a Q card, which will give you discounted rail rides and bus rides. For the rail, it's 50 cents 1-way...normally this would cost $1. The Q card is a proximity card that you're *supposed* to flash in front of a reader at the rail stations...50 cents is then deducted from your account. I'm not condoning not paying for your rail rides....but there have been multiple occasions in which I have *forgotten* to do this...and I've never had a problem with it.

2) obviously, it's pretty easy to get to school if you live off the light rail, but if not, what are the best ways to get to the med center?

I live at UT-housing so I drive to the park and ride south of 610 on Fannin. Parking is $2.50 per day and this does not include the cost of your rail ticket. However, this is a pretty convenient solution. Alternatively, if I'm going to the hospital before 6:30am I can usually park in front of Lanesborough on Phoenix Rd. By 6:45, all of the street parking is usually taken up, so this probably won't be an option until you start your rotations. I know that some people have Smithlands parking permits. It's $60/month and includes your rail ticket. I would say this is your best option for your first year and a half, if you live off the rail or a bus line. During your rotations, you may or may not be in the med center for the entire month, so it's probably not as good of a deal.

3) can u park at the va center on OST/almeda for free and take the shuttle from there?

Technically yes...but the shuttle comes every half hour to 45 minutes...so you'd be doing a lot of waiting. When I was at the VA earlier this year, they were getting stricter about making sure people who are parking in their lot are actually going to the VA...so park at your own risk.

4) is the fannin south light rail parking lot in a safe area?

I've never felt unsafe during normal commuting hours (5:30am-8pm). I usually park at the med center if I know I'm going to be getting out late.

5) this is kinda a general question, but for apartment complexes with med center shuttles, is it pretty easy to also catch a shuttle back from the med center to the apartment?

I have no experience with this.

6) do any current med students recommend living at camden vanderbilt? apparently they dont have a shuttle that runs to the med center, but there's a bus stop within walking distance of the complex.

thanks!
Click to expand...

.
 
bluesTank said:
Does anyone know what the deal is with health insurance at Baylor? My fiancee is going into the graduate school program at BCM and she gets full health coverage for free. What do we get?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, as a med student, you do not get free health care coverage. That being said, the insurance you do pay for is excellent. I had to have shoulder surgery after my first year and it was fully covered.
 
I live across the street from Camden Vanderbilt. As I mentioned above, I also shell out the $60/mo for parking at one of the remote lots...although there is a bus stop a 5min. walk from the apartments, you then might have to catch the train anyway (depends on where in the med center you're going and how much you enjoy walking in houston). So I figure, if I'm gonna have to pay for at least 1 metro ride anyway, I might as well pay $2 per day and do the park-and-ride thing.

But it's a very nice apt. complex and I work out there with friends and hang out by the pool all the time.
 
bluesTank said:
Does anyone know what the deal is with health insurance at Baylor? My fiancee is going into the graduate school program at BCM and she gets full health coverage for free. What do we get?
Click to expand...

What do you think? A LOAN! :rolleyes:

You've been playing too much GTA IV if you think stuff is free for everyone. :D
 
ut_stephen said:
Unfortunately, as a med student, you do not get free health care coverage. That being said, the insurance you do pay for is excellent. I had to have shoulder surgery after my first year and it was fully covered.
Click to expand...

How do we go about getting this coverage? And how do we know what we are required to have? I can get very low rates as my fiancee's spouse with her coverage, but I don't know what exactly I need to have. Where can I find all this information, it seems like they just want us to guess? I have felt very lost at times and the student website is not very helpful.
 
bluesTank said:
How do we go about getting this coverage? And how do we know what we are required to have? I can get very low rates as my fiancee's spouse with her coverage, but I don't know what exactly I need to have. Where can I find all this information, it seems like they just want us to guess? I have felt very lost at times and the student website is not very helpful.
Click to expand...

Try calling the main number (713-798-4951) and ask for the benefits office. In benefits, they'll be able to tell you all the requirements your fiancee/spouse's coverage must meet. They have fairly strict requirements. They will also tell you how to exempt from the required insurance. If you do not exempt, you are automatically enrolled and billed for the semester. There will be insurance reps around at orientation at some point to help you choose your plan options. You must prove that you have coverage by the beginning of school. Will you be married to your finacee by then? If not, you might have trouble enrolling in her plan if you aren't actually a spouse.
 
ms. a said:
Try calling the main number (713-798-4951) and ask for the benefits office. In benefits, they'll be able to tell you all the requirements your fiancee/spouse's coverage must meet. They have fairly strict requirements. They will also tell you how to exempt from the required insurance. If you do not exempt, you are automatically enrolled and billed for the semester. There will be insurance reps around at orientation at some point to help you choose your plan options. You must prove that you have coverage by the beginning of school. Will you be married to your finacee by then? If not, you might have trouble enrolling in her plan if you aren't actually a spouse.
Click to expand...

does anyone know if you can sign up for the insurance early? my current coverage will lapse in july and i don't want to have a gap.
 
which one of the remote lots are baylor students assigned to? the parking info page said most people are in the south main extension lot - is it possible to get a contract for the smithlands lot instead? they're both the same cost, and both have free offpeak/weekend parking on campus, right?
 
Purreleven--yes, yes and yes. I think the Smithlands Lot sometimes has a wait list, though. Just contact the Metro/TMC parking authority people and ask them about signing up with a plan starting in July or so.
 
generic said:
Purreleven--yes, yes and yes. I think the Smithlands Lot sometimes has a wait list, though. Just contact the Metro/TMC parking authority people and ask them about signing up with a plan starting in July or so.
Click to expand...

thanks!!! i think i'd rather ride the rail in, instead of the shuttle - unless somebody can give me reasons to do otherwise. can i go ahead and ask them about parking now even though we're not officially enrolled (as in, do I need to go thru Baylor for a parking contract, or can I just say I'm an incoming student, etc etc.)? thanks so much for the info!
 
I'd say for the basic science year and a half, the rail is probably a better option. For the clinics, that may not be as true (because you have to go to different hospitals, some of which may be on a bus route).

That's a good question, whether you need to already be enrolled or not. Of course, I was already a student when I signed up, but I don't think they really checked or anything. Give it a shot, I guess.
 
Does anyone know how I can get financed for a condo since I will be a medical student with no income besides financial aid?...that has been the largest obstacle according to the loan officers I've talked to.
 
hey everyone,

for people from the area or current med students, what are your thoughts on the plaza at museum district complex versus the maroneal?
 
FYI, once you get your BCM email account usernames and passwords, you can access the student forum located on the intranet. People will post anything from advice to items for sale, especially books. You will be able to get great deals on used textbooks and review books. So store this URL in your memory somewhere -- https://intranet.bcm.tmc.edu/forum/students/
 
riverie said:
FYI, once you get your BCM email account usernames and passwords, you can access the student forum located on the intranet. People will post anything from advice to items for sale, especially books. You will be able to get great deals on used textbooks and review books. So store this URL in your memory somewhere -- https://intranet.bcm.tmc.edu/forum/students/
Click to expand...

Orientation seems like a long time away!
 
Do you guys think its a good idea to buy all the books on the book list? i was looking on amazon and alot of them are readily available at cheap prices. i heard some people say that its better to wait until orientation but then you have to wait a while to actually get the books and they may not come in until well into classes starting. are all the books needed, if not which ones are?
 
drowsy12 said:
Do you guys think its a good idea to buy all the books on the book list? i was looking on amazon and alot of them are readily available at cheap prices. i heard some people say that its better to wait until orientation but then you have to wait a while to actually get the books and they may not come in until well into classes starting. are all the books needed, if not which ones are?
Click to expand...

So when I was a first year, the books that pretty much everyone had were the histology book and Netter's (anatomy). If you want to buy anything before orientation, I think you can safely buy the histology book and the Gray's anatomy and know that you will be using both of these pretty regularly. Histology is especially important because there is quite a bit of intense reading you will be expected to have finished before each lecture.

I personally never used the genetics book and hardly touched the embryology book, so you can probably hold off on those until you see how good the lectures notes are. You can also wait to buy Bates...I don't think you do any "real" PPS stuff for the first couple of weeks. I bought it a week before the exam and promptly returned it for a full refund after the exam.
 
Anyone know what the deal is with the wait list? Is Baylor still going to their wait list or have they filled all spots?? Any kind of info would be great. Thanks!
 
drowsy12 said:
i cant remember, can someone remind me if the lectures are all available on video streaming? Thanks.
Click to expand...


all lectures are streamed online except for reviews, labs (including histology lab but the slides are digitialized), case conferences, and when they bring patients in. also, our immunology course wasn't streamed this year (the profs wanted to encourage more people to come to class).

watching videos is a double-edged sword. i'm usually a class go-er but it's nice to have the option if i'm sick or out of town, or was just not feeling particularly attentive that day ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
*~*Official Meharry Medical College School of Medicine Class of 2021*~*
Replies
14
Views
5K
Kojo DDS
K
R
Official Albany Medical College Class of 2019!
Replies
0
Views
2K
rkhat918
R
YoungestBrother
Howard University College of Medicine Class of 2018
Replies
1
Views
4K
deleted352182
D
MedScat
Temple University (LKSOM) MD Class of 2022!
Replies
25
Views
9K
formerfinancefuturedoctor
F
D
New York Medical College student/alum
Replies
0
Views
2K
Doctorwhoafficionado
D
Top