ECU/BRODY SOM class of 2008

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Thanks MLG, we hope to join you here. But for now, I'm an impostor to this thread! I'll leave now before anyone sees me...
 
I'll give this one a quick bump in case there are any others...


Good luck to you guys. You'll definitely enjoy yourselves. Smile and wave at me on the wards! 🙂


ECU 2006
 
nothing to see here, just a little BUMP to bring this one back from page 11..............

Hello!!Hello!!Hello!!


M
 
Tell B.J. and Peden to let me in when ya see em!
They probably won't remember my name. Just mention the computer science guy. Every school I interviewed at the past 4 years has never seen a computer science major apply to med school before hehe.

Pir8DeacDoc: You have a great school there 🙂 And I will wave next time I am walkin through PCMH 😛

-Richie
 
No action in this thread for awhile, but I belong here. I will start in August and cannot wait. I was accepted on 4-8, but just started checking out SDN for advice.

Any other future pirate docs out there?

No love from Wake
A little love from UNC
Perfect match at ECU
 
Congrats shocker!!!
I too am a future pirate doc. Seems to be few of us around here. I am already living in "G-Vegas", have been for almost a year, let me know if you have any ?'s about the town. I may or may not be able to help. See you in august.

M
 
Pardon my ignorance but what does ECU stand for? 🙂
 
MLG said:
Congrats shocker!!!
I too am a future pirate doc. Seems to be few of us around here. I am already living in "G-Vegas", have been for almost a year, let me know if you have any ?'s about the town. I may or may not be able to help. See you in august.

M
Click to expand...

The class size is small so that would explain the lack of ECU acceptees being on SDN.

Congrats on getting in.
 
Fermata said:
The class size is small so that would explain the lack of ECU acceptees being on SDN.
Click to expand...
True. Historically probably less than 4 SDNers per year. Only two C/O 2007 come to mind.
nascentdoc said:
Pardon my ignorance but what does ECU stand for? 🙂
Click to expand...
East Carolina University (Brody School of Medicine). If my memory serves me, top 5 for rural medicine and top 20 for primary care.(Shameless Plug).
 
I have hopes for ECU/Brody too, my top choice! Hopefully I 'll be class of 2009!
 
Booooo!

(That's for Sweet Tea. 😛)
 
Still hanging in there 🙂 However I heard the medical school is in some financial trouble, so expect to see some tuition increases. Still, it's gotta be better than the 36k I'll have to shell out at the out of state school if I don't get off that waitlist hehe 😛

-Richie :idea:
 
Yes, I've heard about those tuition increases at ECU/Brody and UNC-CH, both north carolina public medical schools. I'm trying to get my medical education in before the prices get like all the other schools! Gosh I hope I get in the class of 2005!

By the way, richie, where are you from and stuff, what school etc.
 
I'm with you at ECU. Anyone going to ECU looking for a roommate? let me know 🙂. Also...does everyone know that during orientation we're doing a ropes course? Sounds like fun but a little odd 🙂
 
Congrats to all who are coming to Brody/ECU this fall. I am a new resident who also has just moved to town. If anyone is looking for a place to live, I have some extra bedrooms I'm renting out, about 10 minutes from the hospital, nice neighborhood, big yard, etc etc. PM me if you're interested.
 
Congrats to the new first years. Relax and enjoy the rest of summer before the torture starts. Orientation is alot of fun and you get a chance to meet all of your classmates. Anyway see u guys soon.

ECU med 07
 
mctarhee1,
to find room-mates you might also look at the local newspaper The Daily Reflector at www.reflector.com or the OneStop webpage on the dropdown menu of the main ecu webpage. However, the listings for roommates on the OneStop page will be mostly undergrads. See you in a month & 3d.

M
 
Whats up MLG. I will be there in a month or so. Where are you coming from? Just want to know a little about my future class.
 
Congrats to all the future Pirates! Brody is a great school, and I hope you enjoy your first year as much as I did. There were actually 3 SDNers last year who are now at ECU (one of them doesn't post anymore). Don't worry about the ropes course...it's fun, but very HOT. Wear grubby clothes and don't expect to look (or smell) your best at the end of it.

Welcome to Brody!
 
Sweet Tea, maybe I could ask a few questions about 1st year stuff??
 
I read on a previous post that first year was overwhelming, did you?
Are we tested throughout each course, 4 tests+final, or only 1 final?
How many students per cadaver?
Is attendance a must?

There are a few shots. Thanks!
 
shocker said:
I read on a previous post that first year was overwhelming, did you?
Are we tested throughout each course, 4 tests+final, or only 1 final?
How many students per cadaver?
Is attendance a must?

There are a few shots. Thanks!
Click to expand...

First year is overwhelming, but it's overwhelming at every school to every student (except for the amazingly brilliant). The material itself is not that hard; it's the volume of material that makes it difficult. In the first month of biochem, we covered all the material of my semester-long biochem class in undergrad. Once you figure out how to manage your time and the material, it gets better. Just don't be like me and wait until the end of first year to figure out how to do that. 😉

Most classes have 4 tests and a shelf exam, but rumor has it that they're doing away with the shelf exams starting with the class of 2008. Like the overwhelming majority of my class, I never studied for the shelf exams. Some classes (doctoring, behavioral science) only have 2 exams, but have other things that do facor in to your grade.

4 students per cadaver and anatomy lasts a full semester. There are at least 7 instructors floating around the lab to help out, and many of the tougher areas (pelvis, foot) have prosections or models. Your lab group will be assigned alphabetically. Some groups work really well together, some groups just don't. Most people get along fine and everyone roams around so it's pretty easy to get along.

For most classes, attendance is optional. In my opinion, it's definetly in your best interest to go to class, but I'm the kind of person who gets a lot out of lecture. Doctoring is the only class that has absolutely mandatory attendance, but some other classes will occasionally give extra credit for attendance if no one is there.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.
 
Great stuff Sweet Tea!

I will fire again Captain.

Are profs sincerely easy to approach, and available?
Was it a competitive atmosphere?
Is there an AOA chapter?

Boy I sound like a gunner, but I am just genuinely anxious and excited.
 
shocker said:
Great stuff Sweet Tea!

I will fire again Captain.

Are profs sincerely easy to approach, and available?
Was it a competitive atmosphere?
Is there an AOA chapter?

Boy I sound like a gunner, but I am just genuinely anxious and excited.
Click to expand...

The profs could not be better. They make an effort to know your name and face even if you never go to see them for help. I had a really rough second semester with a lot of family issues, and they all went out of their way to make sure I was okay and they helped me develop good study skills and test taking skills. There are a couple bad ones, but that's to be expected. Overall the teaching staff is amazing.

This is the least competitive school ever. You're graded on a 10-point scale and the only time you're ever graded against your classmates on a curve is on the shelf exam. Anytime anyone is displaying gunner-ish behavior, they get shot down or completely ignored. It's a beautiful thing.

Yes, there is AOA.
 
Thanks for the help with the roommate stuff! I am going to the website now. I'm so excited about being at ECU too. I know it is going to be a great place to learn and meet new people who actually know how to smile and enjoy life. I'm not worried so much about being happy at school, but leaving my boyfriend is going to be hard. Anyway, i hope everyone else is excited 🙂
 
Shocker.....i see you drove a dump truck.... 👍 maybe that CDL will come in handy. A little about me.. I am a non-trad, 30 yr old male, grew up near Asheville, started my journey to med school after getting out of the Marine Corps in 1998. I been living in Greenville for almost a year working on my MPH. I will be back in town aound Aug 1. If you have any ??? about greenville, or anything else let me know, maybe i can help.

Thanks Sweet Tea for the information...
 
Sweetea,
Hows your summer coming along. Are you in Greenville. Anyway hope all is well. Enjoying our last free summer. Talk to you soon.
 
I was wondering what time classes usually start and end (a general idea)...is it from around 8ish until 4ish? Also, what classes did you enjoy the most, and about how many hours are spent per day (or week, pardon my ignorance) in anatomy lab?
 
Mctarheel,
Classes generally run from 830-4. All the materials are online and many professors just repeat what the material you already have so I would skip alot of classes to study. But everybody is different. I think 9hrs of lab every week. But you end up in there alot more late nights. Anatomy takes up so much time bc embryo, radiology, and gross are all a part of the course. And on top of that you have to manage the work of biochem, histology and a little ethics to take up more time. Get ready for the storm!

ECU 07
 
How is ethics? I mean, is it pretty stress-free if you've already had an ethics class? Is it mainly lecture? Also, how much patient contact do you get during the first year? One more question...lol...is the preceptorship when you go to shadow a doctor in the community? If so, do you get to pick where you go?

Thanks for the info! It helps to know what to expect!
 
Could you guys take a few minutes to address textbooks? The ones which were a waste of time/money compared to the really useful ones. Thanks for all the great info you guys are providing....

M
 
Hey,

Did any one of the BRODY/ECU people here apply EDP? Or does someone here that goes to brody know anyone that did get in with EDP? Are there a certain number of slots every year for brody early decision? sorry bout all the questions! i just applied with brody edp! thanks.
 
Ethics is pretty stress free. Its taught in a seminar format. Every week there are assigned readings and you discuss the topics in small groups once a wk. The readings are boring and most are just common sense. Exams are essay, short answer, and true/false. I enjoyed the class at the beginning of the yr but by mid semester I began to dislike it bc as the work piles up in your other classes the last thing you want to do is read ethic papers.

Patient contact - Alot of patient contact. I came to med school not even knowing how to take blood pressure. We worked with standardized patients which are basically actors that teach us how to do the physical exam. We work with them at least once a month. We also have evening clinics in which we work with a doc. Usually we shadow the physician in 1st semster but 2nd when you feel more comfortable we could interview the patient, get a history and report it to the doc. By the end of 1st year we could do a complete physical exam except for pelvis and breast. Now I feel very comfortable interviewing patients. As far as preceptorship goes, we can work with any FP in NC. Preceptorship was a good experience. I was able to do several histories.

Books - As far as books go, you cant go wrong with any of the board review books bc they will be helpful to study for boards. Textbooks I would wait. For anatomy - the syllabus and an atlas is all you need. Biochem - the textbook is a waste, heavy and too much useless info. BRS Biochem is good. Histo -the handouts are all that is needed.


Hope that helps
 
Dont know anyone that got in EDP. I know that if you not accepted ED that you are just thrown in the regular pool.
 
Thanks so much for all the info! I feel much more at ease knowing what to expect. I think I'll be the same with ethics, I will probably like it at first and then it will become one of those classes that i dont see as important as the others and wont feel like doin it lol. Thanks again for the info about the patient contact. I've had a lot of patient contact already, but I definitely dont know how to do a physical exam or anything. I'm excited to learn though!
 
I'm going to ditto pretty much everything phdmed07 said (hey! i'm in greenville all summer-- are you back in the states now?).

I *hated* ethics. I actually really enjoy ethics and philosophy classes, however, this is not the typical ethics class. It's easy in that if you can regurgitate info and write essays in the format they tell you to, you're golden. If you're like me and are used to taking real ethics classes, you're kinda screwed. Just resist all urge to think for yourself and spit back out what they tell you and you'll be fine. It's really more of a medical law class than it is an ethics class. /end rant.

Textbooks: For anatomy, buy the syllabus (which will become your bible), and get Netter's anatomy. They tell you to buy Grant's but it's a waste. You can get a free Netter's for joining one of the student groups (I think it's AMSA) during orientation. I would recommend either getting your lab groups together to buy an extra atlas, or getting a hand-me-down atlas from your big buddy to use in lab. Your atlas will get all nasty in lab and you don't want to cart a stinky book around. Our biochem book was worthless, but I hear they're getting a new one this year. For the most part, the notes are excellent, and if you supplement them with either the BRS or Lippencott's biochem then you'll be fine. The histo notes are great...the professor writes the High Yield review series so his notes are basically the next edition of High Yield. There is a book and CD-ROM that are useful for learning the slides...my advice would be to either get a copy from your big buddy, or split the cost with someone in your class and one of you take the book and the other take the CD. The histo prof will have at least one slide review day before the exam...GO TO THIS. He will pretty much tell you exactly which slides you need to know. However, you should know your notes before the review session b/c he will call on you.

Anatomy was by far my favorite class of first year. It is a monster class that will take up a huge amount of your study time, but it at least gives you a chance to get up and move around and get out of the lecture hall (those seats are way too comfortable and it's so easy to nap!).

There is a huge amount of patient contact your first year. In addition to the evening clinics and standardized patients, the M1s and M2s run 2 free clinics in the community. You can start seeing patients your first week of class, and you can work in the clinics every week if you want. It's a volunteer thing and no one will force you to do it, but it's a great way to get patient contact (and to remember why you're doing this in the first place). We also get a 3-day preceptorship in the spring of your first year pretty much anywhere you want to go in NC. I had the best experience at my preceptorship and want to go back there next year. It was really fantastic. I came into med school with a lot of patient care background (4 years as an EMT, 2 years doing physical exams and histories for my research project), and the preceptorship was a great way for me to enhance my skills and put into practice the new things I learned.

One more thing-- even though research isn't stressed at ECU, there are still opportunities to do it if you want to. You can participate in the summer research program after your first year...I'm doing it now, and it looks like I'm going to be second author on 1 or 2 papers. It's the best research experience I've ever had. You don't have to do it, but it's not a bad way to cover your rent for the summer.
 
Thanks for all the info! Any more pearls of wisdom/advice, ramblings?...anything is welcome 🙂 I'm getting pretty excited, but also pretty nervous and i'm dreading starting the study routine again.
 
My best advice would be to figure out what study methods work best for you and then use them, and also to not freak out. The faculty and student body at Brody is really amazing and supportive; they want to see you do well, and will go way out of their way in order to help you.

Also, don't worry too much about biostat second semester. If the same guy teaches it, you'll love it. He makes a really boring subject the best it can be, and I wish he was teaching the M2s.

Also, don't live in Treybrooke.

Feel free to ask any more questions!
 
Whats up guys!!!!!Welcome to Brody....I hope u guys are all ready for school. Orientation will be a blast then the illusion of fun is over. Whats up SweetTea. Im back in the states now back at treybrooke!! Just doing the pool thing everyday before school. Not sure if Im ready yet to study though!

ECU Med 07
 
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