COMPS SUMMER ANATOMY PROGRAMS

[vdubpower]

HELLO ALL
I WANTED TO RECIVE SOME MORE INFO ON THE 2 SUMMER PROGRAMS COMP PUTS ON, PREFERABLY ON THE 3 WEEK ONE. HOW DO I SIGN UP? WHAT DOES THE COURSE COVER? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN THE 7 WEEK PROGRAM? THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN EITHER PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. IS IT A WASTE OR AN ADVANTAGE
THANKS
PEACE

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[peiyueng]

Hi there,
It seems as though no one has answer your question about the "3-week" anatomy program. I will step in and see if I can help. (I am a MSIII, often only have time to read, no time for reply)
The "3-week" program you mentioned, I believe it is the Summer Anatomy Prep program. It is for incoming students with no experience in anatomy at all, and would like some help before the regular classes begin. I've taken this Summer-Prep class in 1998, and it helped me trementously later in my Anatomy class. THe program only accept about 20-30 students, and it is on a first-come first-serve basis. You should be able to find the application for the summer prep program in your admission package. If not, just call the anatomy dept of WesternU, and ask for an application. I remember it costed me $200 for the program. Not sure if the price is still the same.
The program consists of morning classes by the regular anatomy staffs, then afternoon sessions (small group, with a ratio of 1 MSII to 5-6 MSI)with selected MSII students who did well in Gross Anatomy.
This is different from the ISAC program (the 7-week program). The ISAC program is for students with anatomy experience, who want to get a head start on Anatomy. These students will later become your TA in your regular anatomy lab, and they don't take the anatomy class with you (they have it done with in the summer) until 2nd semester of your 1st year, where you take the Head and Neck with them together.
Hope this helps. I highly recommend the summer prep program if you have nothing to do 3 weeks before med school. It will get you warm up for studying, be familiar with the school environment, make new friends, know the professors, and learn anatomy with no pressure (it's not graded, and show no record in your transcript). WesternU/COMP is a great school, I enjoyed my first two years there. Let me know if you have any further question.

Pei
WesternU/COMP MSIII

 

[peiyueng]

The course covers all the bones in human body(you don't learn this in regular class, they expect you to learn them on your own), major muscles, nerves, arteries/veins, and major organs. You will get a bone box, have mock practical, and review sessions by MSII. The best part is you learn all mnemonics and tips from your MSII before your regular Anatomy class begin. You also get to learn Cranial nerve I thru XII, a head start on your Neuro.

Pei

 

[TNT]

Hi Pei,

I will be attending COMP is the fall and I was just curious about what your views are on the clinical rotations. During the interview, we were given a presentation of the clinicals and the different pods that are set up. It sounded great to me. Lately, I have heard from sources that most of your clinicals are done at arrowhead RMC. Can you elaborate on your experiences or views of the quality of clinical rotations. thanks.

 

[Eric714]

I'm a first year at COMP and just completed Gross. If you have a little more time (it might be a little late now being February), an alternative would be taking a class at a junior college in anatomy. You save money that way, you could take pass/no pass, and you don't have to move out any sooner.

I did that and found it to be helpful, if anything it will familiarize you with basic terms and give you a good overview. Usually at JCs, the anatomy is taught as system-based which helps give you a big picture. COMP teaches regionally based and it's a lot different, but having a basic overview helped me. I ended up getting a B which is good enough for me.

Hope this helps...... -Eric

 

[peiyueng]

Hi TNT,
Sorry, I have not rotated thru Arrowhead. My third year rotation consists of a 5-month block at Downey Community Hospital, one at Long Beach, one at Rancho Los Amingo Hospital, one at Travis AFB (I am a 4-year AF HPSP student), and the rest at private doctor's office (3 rotations).
I have a lot of freedom about where I want to rotate. I don't know if this will hold true for the future class, because they are doing something new with the block system. However, since most of the changes are from students' suggestion, I believe it is for the better.
The rotations I have so far are pretty good. It is way more fun than sitting in the classroom. You want to go to a place where people are willing to teach, and let you do procedure. Most of the places where I rotate thru are pretty good at teaching and letting me do procedures like paracentesis, thoracentesis, IVs... Considering that I am just a third year med student, this is pretty good.
You will have to ask other students about Arrowhead. I heard it is a pretty good place. Some students did their 5-month block there, they would have a good idea of what Arrowhead is like. Good luck. Welcome to WesternU/COMP.

Pei
MSIII

[This message has been edited by peiyueng (edited 02-18-2001).]

 

[peiyueng]

To TNT,
Sorry about adding in another message. I just read somewhere in the forum that not all 3rd years have the opportunity to scrub in surgery. Well, that wasn't the case for me. At Downey, you scrubbed in every surgery that you sign up, and almost 90% of time, you are the surgeon's first assist. I was once scrubbed in a abdominal case (first assist again), where the surgeon told me that in other hospital, you will have to be a 2nd or 3rd year surgery resident to be 1st assist. It was a gastric resection, secondary to gastric cancer.
From what I hear from my fellow students, you will get a good rotation experice with the affiliated hospitals of WesternU/COMP.

Pei