CSPM students general thread

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I like that chat feature. I hope they would use that as part of their "open door" policy.
 
I like that chat feature. I hope they would use that as part of their "open door" policy.

The chat was a good idea. I work in undergrad admissions and we started doing it this year - turned out to be a large success. I think the program we use is better set up though, one can private IM people which is nice (if you don't want to discuss fin aid, etc in public). We break it down into 2 separate "rooms", one with about 10 current students (ie ask us anything session) and another with just administrators - fin aid, admissions, dean, etc. It's nice with the student room cause they give you the real deal of how things work and operate. It always seems that the answers are different based on who tells you - an admin versus a current student.

Anywho, what is the "open door" policy you speak of?
 
The chat was a good idea. I work in undergrad admissions and we started doing it this year - turned out to be a large success. I think the program we use is better set up though, one can private IM people which is nice (if you don't want to discuss fin aid, etc in public). We break it down into 2 separate "rooms", one with about 10 current students (ie ask us anything session) and another with just administrators - fin aid, admissions, dean, etc. It's nice with the student room cause they give you the real deal of how things work and operate. It always seems that the answers are different based on who tells you - an admin versus a current student.

Anywho, what is the "open door" policy you speak of?

the "policy" in which any students can come to any faculty office in-person at any time without appointments (ie. i can come to dr. burns office at any time of the working hours to ask him for any advice or questions regarding a specific curriculum without having to ask him to an 'appointment')
 
the "policy" in which any students can come to any faculty office in-person at any time without appointments (ie. i can come to dr. burns office at any time of the working hours to ask him for any advice or questions regarding a specific curriculum without having to ask him to an 'appointment')

Don't most places have something like this (ie office hours)??? Even OCPM (with a # of part-time faculty) have office hours where students can come in and ask what they want.
 
anklebreaker you are referring to open door in the sense that it is open all day though, like the office hours are not just, for example, tues thurs from 3-5pm.
 
What a great investment...

Anyways, Jen? back to the first question I posed...haha

hi.. I'm so sorry.. Last week I had 4 exams and kinda went into a hole.. well mainly i was in the anatomy lab all day and night. Lyrrhus did an excellent job convering for me.. thanks friend. I only have 1 more exam left so I'll be more responsive starting soon.

-J
 
anklebreaker you are referring to open door in the sense that it is open all day though, like the office hours are not just, for example, tues thurs from 3-5pm.

The professors have an open door policy.. If you're walking down the hall and they're not busy they're more than happy to talk to you. They also have set office hours where they are there just for you questions. Professors will not always be in their office for whatever reasons (meetings, teaching classes, etc.) so office hours are there so you have a set time that you can meet them. They are also responsive to any appointments you may want to make with them. One thing to keep in mind, is be sure to go through appropriate channels (i.e. if you want to challenge a test question, you will go through your educational chair and fill out a form) otherwise professor will get inundated with the same question over and over again, which wastes time. You will be assigned a basic science and clinical faculty mentor, but you can basically go to any professor you want in terms of helping you out.

-J
 
My laptop computer is VERY old, and I'd like to purchase one before I start CSPM this Fall. Any recommendations on model and its compatability with the school network? My undergrad institution recommended certain features, etc. How about CSPM? Would you please speack from your experience at CSPM? Thanks!
 
My laptop computer is VERY old, and I'd like to purchase one before I start CSPM this Fall. Any recommendations on model and its compatability with the school network? My undergrad institution recommended certain features, etc. How about CSPM? Would you please speack from your experience at CSPM? Thanks!


Either PCs or Macs will be fine. There is wireless accessible throughout campus. It will be a little slow at times during the day due to heavy usage by students, but not unbearable. It's nice to have a laptop so you don't have to print out notes/slides (availible online in PowerPoint or Adobe PDF), though not necessary (I don't have a laptop and just do paper notes). More likely than not, if you have a laptop in class you'll just be goofing around on it.

That said, there are a couple of students in our class that have a laptop with a stylus, allowing them to easily handwrite in notes on top of the slides. It seems to be really useful when you need to draw in additional diagrams that aren't easily typed. In the end, it all depends on how you like to take notes.

Additionally, there are computers in the library, and you can check out laptops at the library for use in the study rooms (in the library, you can't bring them out).
 
Either PCs or Macs will be fine. There is wireless accessible throughout campus. It will be a little slow at times during the day due to heavy usage by students, but not unbearable. It's nice to have a laptop so you don't have to print out notes/slides (availible online in PowerPoint or Adobe PDF), though not necessary (I don't have a laptop and just do paper notes). More likely than not, if you have a laptop in class you'll just be goofing around on it.

That said, there are a couple of students in our class that have a laptop with a stylus, allowing them to easily handwrite in notes on top of the slides. It seems to be really useful when you need to draw in additional diagrams that aren't easily typed. In the end, it all depends on how you like to take notes.

Additionally, there are computers in the library, and you can check out laptops at the library for use in the study rooms (in the library, you can't bring them out).

How is the library at SMU? I thought it was quite small when we toured...not what I was expecting for a health professions school. Are there enough study rooms and such? I believe it is under renovation but not positive when it will be finished. Any info is appreciated, thanks!
 
How is the library at SMU? I thought it was quite small when we toured...not what I was expecting for a health professions school. Are there enough study rooms and such? I believe it is under renovation but not positive when it will be finished. Any info is appreciated, thanks!

The library is really small. I came from UCSD, which is a big school, so it was definitely a change. There are study rooms, sometimes theyre full during peak finals/midterms, but if its later during the day if the study rooms are full you can usually find some class rooms that aren't occupied.

FYI.. I'm ALWAYS in the library studying. Its the only way I can get good grades. So during the school year if you need to find me after classes, there's a good bet I'll be there. Feel free to come up to me and ask me any questions you may have.

-Jen
 
QUICK QUESTION, did any incoming students receive their PRE-ORIENTATION PACKET yet?
 
i got that in the email yesterday, right after i asked. THanks guys!
 
Anyone going to the Western Pod Conference @ Anaheim in June?
 
i'd like to go to the conference...are you going?
 
Can anyone comment on the Adam's Point area for living? I was originally looking at Piedmont and Alameda for possible places, but they seem farther away. Adam's Point seems about as close as possible to the campus as you can get and still be in a relatively good area.(Although I don't have much to go on being on the east coast, just some online research and word of mouth)
 
Man, I had to look Adam's Point up and I've lived in the Bay Area most of my life. Anyway, as far as I can tell from the general area, it's... okay. I've pretty much only driven along Grand Avenue in that area and it's nice in the daytime. I've dropped a friend off there at night by the lake and it seemed okay as well, though not great. Again, you're looking at a middle-low income class area as far as I can tell. Piedmont is half to a step up and Alameda (depending on the location) is probably a full step up. I know someone who's moving from the east side of the lake (though in a notably worse neighborhood) to Alameda.
 
Thanks for the reply, I think a few of my year's classmates are looking around that area.
 
Man, I had to look Adam's Point up and I've lived in the Bay Area most of my life. Anyway, as far as I can tell from the general area, it's... okay. I've pretty much only driven along Grand Avenue in that area and it's nice in the daytime. I've dropped a friend off there at night by the lake and it seemed okay as well, though not great. Again, you're looking at a middle-low income class area as far as I can tell. Piedmont is half to a step up and Alameda (depending on the location) is probably a full step up. I know someone who's moving from the east side of the lake (though in a notably worse neighborhood) to Alameda.

to add to this, Piedmont is a lot closer than Alameda and getting to school there'll be no congestion.

-J
 
to let you newcomers know, one of 2nd year students is getting together lists of places where most of the students in our class live so you guys can get an idea.
 
Is it safe to assume that most live within 15 min walking distance?

There's a good amount of stuff within 15 min away but it depends on where you're coming from... some places 15 min away are fine and pretty much you don't have to worry about your safety others.. are not so fine.

-Jen
 
jen how will i know what you look like to be able to come bother you in the library??? 🙂
 
How much does the parking permit cost and which parking lot will we be parking at?
 
I believe the exact price I pay for parking is $125 a semester, which honestly isn't too bad considering parking in the Bay Area can be a bit difficult and expensive at times and compared to big undergrad/grad schools a lot of us have come from, it's relatively cheap.

See Jen's post from 5/6/09.

Parking lot is at the Peralta Garage, 1 block away from school.
 
Did you all get the email today? The class schedule apparently jumped from 20 credits(5 courses) to 35(10 courses)? Or am I reading it wrong (IT SAYS "FALL -DPM" on the top of that pdf attachement)? Anyway, is this for real or what!?!?!
 
Did you all get the email today? The class schedule apparently jumped from 20 credits(5 courses) to 35(10 courses)? Or am I reading it wrong (IT SAYS "FALL -DPM" on the top of that pdf attachement)? Anyway, is this for real or what!?!?!

I think the PDF included 2nd and 3rd year's courses too. We just have to register for the 5 classes.
 
I have a quick question regarding sections. I noticed that for us FIRST YEAR STUDENTS (in fall), we have two sections on Friday: Histology and Physiology I. I believe they categorized that in two groups (first group in AM, and second group in PM)

Jen (or others), how mandatory are these sections? I may have to skip one Friday in order to visit my family and love ones.
 
I have a quick question regarding sections. I noticed that for us FIRST YEAR STUDENTS (in fall), we have two sections on Friday: Histology and Physiology I. I believe they categorized that in two groups (first group in AM, and second group in PM)

Jen (or others), how mandatory are these sections? I may have to skip one Friday in order to visit my family and love ones.


Dr. Gilson will divide the class up into the two sections randomly using a pack of cards. You will then go to either sections I or sections II for your lab/discussion groups (not both). If you wish to be in a certain section and didn't get the card you wanted, you can try and trade with somebody before the first Friday.
 
Thanks! BUT how mandatory are they? If I skip one discussion meeting out of the whole semester...will I be affected in any way?
 
As long as you are above a certain percentage in the class (your grade, not class ranking), discussion sections are not mandatory. However, from personal experience, I will say that they are highly helpful. (My classmates may say otherwise, I just find that it functions as an additional review from earlier in the week, and that Dr. Gilson goes into much greater detail about the important points. It's not that she doesn't want to in regular class, there just is an enormous amount of material in her classes.)
 
jen how will i know what you look like to be able to come bother you in the library??? 🙂

I'm short, asian, i listen to music all the time and i have cat fur all over me.
 
jen how will i know what you look like to be able to come bother you in the library??? 🙂

also you'll meet me and lyrrhus among many others during orientation.
 
my god im counting down the days im SO excited!

Yeay I'm so happy for you! That's the right attitude to take. Stay determined and keep your eye on the prize and you should do great.

-J
 
Yeay I'm so happy for you! That's the right attitude to take. Stay determined and keep your eye on the prize and you should do great.

-J

You said the library was tiny at CSPM. Didn't they do a big project to upgrade it???
 
You said the library was tiny at CSPM. Didn't they do a big project to upgrade it???

well unless it's changed over the summer i personally don't think it's very large. However it seems they do have an extensive medical based books available when taking account their online resources.

-J
 
Thanks a bunch for the added motivation jen, I appreciate it and can't wait to meet everyone it will be a good semester already I can tell. and our facebook group for class of 2013 is already up to 35 people! yikes! albeit that one is a second/third year but no bother. so stoked

any advice on good coffee-shop-esque places to study nearby or within bike riding distance?

There's a ton on Piedmont which is close to school. Definitely biking/ walking distance.

-J
 
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