Congrats!

[topwise]

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Congrats to all the new diplomates of the board of the PM&R board! (including my now AWOL study partner, if you are out there)

I am over the moon happy that I never have to go back to Minnesota again...

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Congrats to all the new diplomates of the board of the PM&R board! (including my now AWOL study partner, if you are out there)

I am over the moon happy that I never have to go back to Minnesota again...

Ne dis jamais jamais...

 

[Ludicolo]

Congrats topwise!

Never had any doubts...

 

[topwise]

Ne dis jamais jamais...

Never! Never!

It really does add insult to injury to have to schlep all the way out to Minnesota. Thank god for that shuttle from the Rochester to the Minneapolis airport. Personally, I think there should be exams on each coast too. But actually, I don't really care anymore.

 

[Finally M3]

But it's such an exciting drive from Minneapolis to Rochester...

Gratz!

 

[axm397]

Was it also prom weekend? During our oral exam weekend, it was also Rochester MN prom. To see all the fluorescent poofy dresses floating around town just made my weekend even brighter

 

[Bombesin]

To see all the fluorescent poofy dresses floating around town just made my weekend even brighter

Quite literally, I see! 😀
​

 

[SCIronMike]

No return trip for me as well, thank goodness. But damn, we actually found a pretty good restaurant there. Pescara. Delicious.

 

[topwise]

No return trip for me as well, thank goodness. But damn, we actually found a pretty good restaurant there. Pescara. Delicious.

I only had one meal there and it was alone in a bar, and I was too nervous to eat anything.

 

[SCIronMike]

I only had one meal there and it was alone in a bar, and I was too nervous to eat anything.

My nervousness went out the door when I arrived in Rochester and discovered that they sent my luggage to Rochester, NY. Yes, I know, we're not supposed to check anything. I had one small carry-on with my suit, books, admission ticket, clothes, toiletries. I got on the plane in John Wayne, and they said, "Sorry sir, all the overhead compartments are full so we'll have to check the luggage". The flight attendant, unfortunately, wrote down ROC instead of RST.

Sigh..... I just have to keep telling myself that stuff like this makes for good stories for the family some day in the future.

 

[topwise]

My nervousness went out the door when I arrived in Rochester and discovered that they sent my luggage to Rochester, NY. Yes, I know, we're not supposed to check anything. I had one small carry-on with my suit, books, admission ticket, clothes, toiletries. I got on the plane in John Wayne, and they said, "Sorry sir, all the overhead compartments are full so we'll have to check the luggage". The flight attendant, unfortunately, wrote down ROC instead of RST.

Sigh..... I just have to keep telling myself that stuff like this makes for good stories for the family some day in the future.

Wow. Just... wow. So what did you do??

Lately I've become the master of traveling light--just my large purse. For this trip, I wore my suit pants and jacket on the plane, and I just crumpled up a nice shirt into my purse, figuring I'd iron it in the hotel. No books, just took a few study sheets I made and my ipod.

 

[SCIronMike]

Wow. Just... wow. So what did you do??

Lately I've become the master of traveling light--just my large purse. For this trip, I wore my suit pants and jacket on the plane, and I just crumpled up a nice shirt into my purse, figuring I'd iron it in the hotel. No books, just took a few study sheets I made and my ipod.

Plane landed 7:50 PM. By 8:20 PM,I had filed my missing luggage report. They told me that there was no way that I would get my luggage before 5 PM the next day since there were no more flights coming into Rochester than day. Since my test was 1 PM the next day, I got a cab to take me to Macy's and wait for me with the meter running. Ran in there 15 min before closing and flagged down the men's department dude. Had him help me quickly buy a new suit, underwear, belt, shoes, socks, shirt, tie, etc.

Then the cab brought me to Best Buy right at their closing time so that I could buy an electric razor and phone charger. Then off to Super Target (those Super Targets are AWESOME!) and bought two sandwiches and toiletries.

Then he dropped me off at the Kahler Grand. The cab ride was $65. By then it was late so I ate my sandwich, had the front desk print me out a new test admission ticket, and ironed my new shirt. Tried to sleep, but I was too ramped up. I finally started dozing off about 3 AM when my cell phone rang, and apparently they had been able to stop my luggage in Detroit, send it to Minneapolis, and had it brought to Rochester. So at 3:30 AM, I dragged my ass to the lobby and got my luggage. Then had to come upstairs and unpack my suit and shirt and iron them.

It was just a MESSED up weekend. I was already running on fumes before getting to Rochester because my daughter was born 5/6/10, and had kept me up for about 2 weeks straight. Thought I'd sleep the night before the exam; instead I went into the test on about 3 hours rest.

Just really glad it turned out ok. I met two other people who had the same thing happen to their luggage. One of the two was not lucky enough to get her luggage before her exam, and was wearing a business suit with the tags will on it. By the way, on the way out, the Delta flight from RST to MSP wouldn't start on the runway. They had to get a big bus to take us to Minneapolis, and in the process I missed my connector and was stuck an additional 6 hours. Guess it is true, Delta stands for Doesn't-Even-Leave-The-Airport.

 

[topwise]

Wow, again. So did you return or get reimbursed for the new clothes or were you stuck with the bill?

I guess with all my whining, my trip actually went really as smoothly as possible. One tip I'd give to people taking the test would be to try to get a direct flight to Minneapolis and take van shuttle from there. The shuttle was great.... very reliable, not too crowded, and they let me switch my ride when my incoming flight arrived early.

 

[PMR 4 MSK]

Plane landed 7:50 PM. By 8:20 PM,I had filed my missing luggage report. They told me that there was no way that I would get my luggage before 5 PM the next day since there were no more flights coming into Rochester than day. Since my test was 1 PM the next day, I got a cab to take me to Macy's and wait for me with the meter running. Ran in there 15 min before closing and flagged down the men's department dude. Had him help me quickly buy a new suit, underwear, belt, shoes, socks, shirt, tie, etc.

Then the cab brought me to Best Buy right at their closing time so that I could buy an electric razor and phone charger. Then off to Super Target (those Super Targets are AWESOME!) and bought two sandwiches and toiletries.

Then he dropped me off at the Kahler Grand. The cab ride was $65. By then it was late so I ate my sandwich, had the front desk print me out a new test admission ticket, and ironed my new shirt. Tried to sleep, but I was too ramped up. I finally started dozing off about 3 AM when my cell phone rang, and apparently they had been able to stop my luggage in Detroit, send it to Minneapolis, and had it brought to Rochester. So at 3:30 AM, I dragged my ass to the lobby and got my luggage. Then had to come upstairs and unpack my suit and shirt and iron them.

It was just a MESSED up weekend. I was already running on fumes before getting to Rochester because my daughter was born 5/6/10, and had kept me up for about 2 weeks straight. Thought I'd sleep the night before the exam; instead I went into the test on about 3 hours rest.

Just really glad it turned out ok. I met two other people who had the same thing happen to their luggage. One of the two was not lucky enough to get her luggage before her exam, and was wearing a business suit with the tags will on it. By the way, on the way out, the Delta flight from RST to MSP wouldn't start on the runway. They had to get a big bus to take us to Minneapolis, and in the process I missed my connector and was stuck an additional 6 hours. Guess it is true, Delta stands for Doesn't-Even-Leave-The-Airport.

I had an interview for an attending position. 3 leg flight, luggage left at the second stop. They told me it should arrive on the next flight in. Several flights later, nothing. I finally convinced them to call that airport. They found it, but no one had planned on putting it on any flight, apparently they did not know what to do with it (duh!). I got it at 9:30 pm along with a $150 voucher.

 

[drusso]

Rochester "International" Airport is the roach motel of US aviation...much better to fly to MSP and take the drive.

 

[Karaoke]

From my personal experience this year, I can give the following advice:

1. Don't fly to Rochester, just use Minneapolis
2. Don't rent a car, there's nowhere to go

Fortunately, I will never have the occasion to put this knowledge to
work for me in the future. No offense to native Rochesterites.

 

[SCIronMike]

Wow, again. So did you return or get reimbursed for the new clothes or were you stuck with the bill?

I guess with all my whining, my trip actually went really as smoothly as possible. One tip I'd give to people taking the test would be to try to get a direct flight to Minneapolis and take van shuttle from there. The shuttle was great.... very reliable, not too crowded, and they let me switch my ride when my incoming flight arrived early.

No reimbursement. I never wore the suit so I took it back along with the belt. Kept the shoes, socks, undershirts, underwear, shirt, tie.

I agree with your advice. Fly direct to Minneapolis. Then take a shuttle or rent a car and drive to Rochester. If anyone insists on checking your bag...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTtLwzDoyY

 

[DOctorJay]

as a "Rochesterite" they're talking about this for the shuttle from MSP

http://www.gorochesterdirect.com/

I've used them multiple times and they are very good, have multiple drop off points, and if you're earlier than expected on your flight can usually bump to an earlier shuttle.

If you stay downtown you definitely do not need a car.