Evms

[tobeatrev]

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Current med masters students: how bikeable is the area surrounding EVMS? Would you ride at night? Is it flat?

Also, is there any swimmable open water closer to EVMS than Ocean View? Are the rivers swimmable? Like around Hague Park?

Thanks.

i'm not in the program but bc its DrMidlife asking questions and you've been such a help (with all of the advice you post) in my decision-making process throughout the last year or so, i feel inclined to chime in and help.
i'm a navy officer here in the area and have been here for over 4 years now and though i'm not in school i travel all over the area in norfolk and hampton roads as part of my job so let's see if i can help.
bikeability: i would say it depends on how far you live from the school. i know a lot of people that bike in the area and as long as you live in norfolk i would say go for it because the area (as a whole) is very flat. the only downside to riding a bike is if you want to go to the beach or outside of norfolk...not to say it can't be done but the area is not as bike friendly as other cities i've lived in. but it is flat, flat, flat...and mount trashmore is great for any outdoor enthusiasts (google this for more info).
swimming in rivers: i wouldn't, and i wouldn't recommend anyone do this...i've been on ships for my time in the navy and lets just say i wouldn't swim in the water here. not terrible but i would say if you want to swim i would do it in a pool or the beach not where the navy's playground has been for the last 100+ years.

if there's anything else anyone wants to know as far as liveability around norfolk/hampton roads feel free to ask...remember i'm not a med student (though hopefully this will change sooner than later) but i can provide insight on this area.

 

[nysnow]

has anyone taken the MCAT in april (of the same year they are applying to the evms smp) and gotten accepted?

just wondering. thanks 🙂

 

[Daedalus]

has anyone taken the MCAT in april (of the same year they are applying to the evms smp) and gotten accepted?

just wondering. thanks 🙂

No, the April MCAT would be too late, as the deadline for a "complete" application is April 1st. And it is more or less like rolling admissions, and applying late puts you at a disadvantage. I applied late for the SMP, and didn't get in until a little more than a month before the program started - not recommended 😀

 

[Daedalus]

Current med masters students: how bikeable is the area surrounding EVMS? Would you ride at night? Is it flat?

Also, is there any swimmable open water closer to EVMS than Ocean View? Are the rivers swimmable? Like around Hague Park?

Thanks.

+1 to what tobeatrev said.
Its a very flat area, and I know several students who ride recreationally (when its warmer haha). The area surrounding EVMS (Ghent) is pretty nice and doesn't have much crime. But there are some rougher areas of Norfolk that I certainly wouldn't ride around at night.

As for swimming... yeah I'm with tobeatrev - it doesn't seem like a good idea to swim in the waters around here, and I've never seen anyone actually doing it, so take that for what you will. But a lot of the apartment buildings around the school have swimming pools (some of them indoors and heated year round), and VA Beach is very close.

 

[nysnow]

Yeah, I'm in pickle. I guess taking the April MCAT would put me at a disadvantage for most SMPs...I emailed a bunch of programs but I am having trouble getting an email back. I guess I will try calling this week.

Btw, how late did you apply?

 

[Daedalus]

Yeah, I'm in pickle. I guess taking the April MCAT would put me at a disadvantage for most SMPs...I emailed a bunch of programs but I am having trouble getting an email back. I guess I will try calling this week.

Btw, how late did you apply?

IIRC, early March

 

[ImmunoRocks]

Current med masters students: how bikeable is the area surrounding EVMS? Would you ride at night? Is it flat?

Also, is there any swimmable open water closer to EVMS than Ocean View? Are the rivers swimmable? Like around Hague Park?

Thanks.

Also with the biking, we do have bike racks in the back of the school, but keep in mind that it does rain a bit here and can be potentially windy. But if you're a seasoned biker, that might not be a problem for you! I'm not and the thought of wiping out does not seem fun...

Oh and if you're at school late at night, EVMS security has a night escort service - both walking and driving. They are more than happy to give you a ride home if you don't feel safe walking back at night by yourself.

 

[0Complications]

has anyone taken the MCAT in april (of the same year they are applying to the evms smp) and gotten accepted?

just wondering. thanks 🙂

This is a direct quote from the EVMS website FAQ, the first question:

"
Frequently Asked Questions

If I plan to take the MCAT in April and the application deadline is April 1, will I still be considered for the program in the Fall Semester?

When your MCAT scores are received, the application will be evaluated and you will compete for slots from our waitlist."


Here is a link:


http://www.evms.edu/hlthprof/ms-bio-medical/faq.html

 

[Daedalus]

^ sweet - pwned by the website itself haha

My apologies for my incorrect earlier post - obviously the April MCAT puts you at a disadvantage, but at least you're still considered and would hopefully get put on the waitlist.

 

[Eilat87]

Hello everyone, does anyone know when they start reviewing applications? I've been told that I'm complete today but that they don't start reviewing applications until the deadline which is April 1st. Is this true? So what's the point of being early? Is there no advantage whatsoever?

 

[Daedalus]

Hello everyone, does anyone know when they start reviewing applications? I've been told that I'm complete today but that they don't start reviewing applications until the deadline which is April 1st. Is this true? So what's the point of being early? Is there no advantage whatsoever?

No, definitely not true - they've been reviewing applications for a while now. Some of the current med masters got in around early December last year. You should hopefully have a decision in a few weeks.

 

[TheNightMan]

Hello everyone, does anyone know when they start reviewing applications? I've been told that I'm complete today but that they don't start reviewing applications until the deadline which is April 1st. Is this true? So what's the point of being early? Is there no advantage whatsoever?

EVMS has been accepting people since early January. The advantage of applying early is that you're being considered for an actual spot in the program. In March/April, you'll be competing for a waitlist spot.

 

[microscopegal]

Hello Everyone! I was just accepted to the medical masters program for this next year and I was curious what type of extracurricular activities EVMS offers for medical masters and med students...I know there probably won't be much time for anything, but I was curious. Also, what do students do during the summer following graduation from the program?

 

[Eilat87]

Hello Everyone! I was just accepted to the medical masters program for this next year and I was curious what type of extracurricular activities EVMS offers for medical masters and med students...I know there probably won't be much time for anything, but I was curious. Also, what do students do during the summer following graduation from the program?

I'm curious. When was your application complete by? And can you share your stats?

 

[ImmunoRocks]

Hello Everyone! I was just accepted to the medical masters program for this next year and I was curious what type of extracurricular activities EVMS offers for medical masters and med students...I know there probably won't be much time for anything, but I was curious. Also, what do students do during the summer following graduation from the program?

Congratulations on your acceptance!

As for extracurricular activities, it really depends on what you're interested in. We have people who like to go running and run marathons, play tennis, rock climbing; shadow in the hospital or volunteer with a number of organizations in the area (glaucoma screening, coats for kids, free clinic, tutoring students); take cooking classes; go to various events (bands/shows, opera, symphony, ice hockey games, chrysler art museum); enjoy a sunny afternoon at the beach.. If you have something particular in mind, PM me and I might be able to better point you out in a particular direction.

For the summer, students can do research here with the children's hospital or with EVMS and present a research poster in the fall, shadow doctors and get more clinical experience, travel, go on a medical mission in a different part of the world, work and make some money to pay tuition, or work and travel at the WHO. The school puts on a presentation in the beginning of the spring semester (also late winter semester) to help give you some directions and ideas.

I forgot to mention: we do have an IM sports league here with ODU for soccer, basketball, and a number of other sports. If team sports is not your thing, there are plenty of activities at the YMCA for you to join too - swimming, cycling, yoga, dance, and your usual cardiovascular/weight-training

 

[Daedalus]

^ +1 to ImmunoRocks

And I'll just add that the med masters are involved in all of the same school-related clubs and activities as the med students. We have all joined at least one specialty interest group (Surgery club, IM club, etc.) and go to their events. We participate in events like Haunted Hallway, Medwars, VA Beach Health Clinic, etc. Again, we really are pretty much integrated into the M1 class, so there is a lot for you to do.

 

[TheNightMan]

Hey congrats micro, are you for sure doing the masters this fall? Maybe I'll see you in August.

Sorry to hear the news gujudoc. I'm guessing the admissions committee is being very stingy with acceptances, since it's still extremely early in the application cycle. Maybe they'll send out a handful of acceptances around April to fill out the class of 20...

Daedalus and Immunorocks, did you or your classmates do anything or get involved with EVMS the summer before the SMP year started? If I end up going there, I'm thinking I should go maybe 2-3 months early, get situated, and get involved in some research or community involvement that I could continue during the year? Any thoughts?

Also, I was thinking about retaking the MCAT before the SMP year starts to make myself more competitive for acceptance into EVMS med school(my MCAT is around the med school average). Is it worth the time and effort? Or do I just need to do well in the classes? To be competitive for a spot in the med school, do you need to be honoring/high passing the classes, or passing while maybe honoring/high passing one or two?

thanks

 

[Daedalus]

Hey congrats micro, are you for sure doing the masters this fall? Maybe I'll see you in August.

Sorry to hear the news gujudoc. I'm guessing the admissions committee is being very stingy with acceptances, since it's still extremely early in the application cycle. Maybe they'll send out a handful of acceptances around April to fill out the class of 20...

Daedalus and Immunorocks, did you or your classmates do anything or get involved with EVMS the summer before the SMP year started? If I end up going there, I'm thinking I should go maybe 2-3 months early, get situated, and get involved in some research or community involvement that I could continue during the year? Any thoughts?

Also, I was thinking about retaking the MCAT before the SMP year starts to make myself more competitive for acceptance into EVMS med school(my MCAT is around the med school average). Is it worth the time and effort? Or do I just need to do well in the classes? To be competitive for a spot in the med school, do you need to be honoring/high passing the classes, or passing while maybe honoring/high passing one or two?

thanks

No, I don't think any of us came early to get involved in anything, and I wouldn't really recommend it. Reason being that you won't have time to do research or any other large time commitments during the school year. Your only goal during the year is to do well in classes, so you should focus on that. The other things I was talking about (specialty clubs, haunted hallway, clinics, etc.) don't take much time and are a good way to get involved in the EVMS community while you're doing the SMP.

Same thing with the MCAT - its not worth it. With EVMS, the most important thing for acceptance into the med school is your performance during the Med Masters year. By accepting you into the Med Masters program, they're basically saying that they can live with your GPA and MCAT as long as you prove that you can handle the med school curriculum.

Taking the MCAT and doing a little (or even a lot) better pales in comparison to taking the first year med school courses and doing well.

 

[Daedalus]

So I got waitlisted for the program. At least that's better then I was expecting. I thought I'd be flat out rejected for some reason. 🙂

Daedalus and Immunorocks,

What are the chances of getting off a waitlist position for the program???

Well, I got off of the waitlist, so its possible 😀

The biggest piece of advice I can give you here is to be persistant - call and let them know you're still interested in the program, send e-mails letting them know what you've been doing since you sent in your application (if you have new activities or anything), send in more letters of recommendation, etc. Obviously, all this helps moreso after May 15th, when med school waitlists start moving and people drop off the med masters waitlist.

 

[microscopegal]

I'm curious. When was your application complete by? And can you share your stats?

Hi there! My app was complete the first week of December (12/09/08) and I was accepted the following week. My stats...I have a pretty low GPA (slightly under 3.0) but I have been working as a research associate for the past 3 years at the UC Davis School of Medicine in a Neurology Lab. I have volunteered for about a year at a local hospital, and am a Big Sister in Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. I also have a few publications. But, not to worry. I've read most of the blogs on here, and there are people being accepted up until July...I think you just have to be patient and cross your fingers. Good Luck!

 

[microscopegal]

Hey congrats micro, are you for sure doing the masters this fall? Maybe I'll see you in August.

Sorry to hear the news gujudoc. I'm guessing the admissions committee is being very stingy with acceptances, since it's still extremely early in the application cycle. Maybe they'll send out a handful of acceptances around April to fill out the class of 20...

Daedalus and Immunorocks, did you or your classmates do anything or get involved with EVMS the summer before the SMP year started? If I end up going there, I'm thinking I should go maybe 2-3 months early, get situated, and get involved in some research or community involvement that I could continue during the year? Any thoughts?

Also, I was thinking about retaking the MCAT before the SMP year starts to make myself more competitive for acceptance into EVMS med school(my MCAT is around the med school average). Is it worth the time and effort? Or do I just need to do well in the classes? To be competitive for a spot in the med school, do you need to be honoring/high passing the classes, or passing while maybe honoring/high passing one or two?

thanks

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I will be going. I am still waiting to hear from Tufts MBS, but I think Virginia is sounding better everyday. I'm married and the low cost of living in virginia is attractive. I am from California (Sacramento). Are you for sure going? where are you from?

 

[microscopegal]

what about your MCAT score?? Just curious cuz you gave the rest of your stas but left that out.

DrMidlife told me that in the old EVMS thread it looked like almost all the people who were waitlisted in the program that wanted to go there got in eventually.

Sorry...I knew I forgot something. I got a 30R (11BS, 9PS, 10V)

 

[ImmunoRocks]

Daedalus and Immunorocks, did you or your classmates do anything or get involved with EVMS the summer before the SMP year started? If I end up going there, I'm thinking I should go maybe 2-3 months early, get situated, and get involved in some research or community involvement that I could continue during the year? Any thoughts?

Also, I was thinking about retaking the MCAT before the SMP year starts to make myself more competitive for acceptance into EVMS med school(my MCAT is around the med school average). Is it worth the time and effort? Or do I just need to do well in the classes? To be competitive for a spot in the med school, do you need to be honoring/high passing the classes, or passing while maybe honoring/high passing one or two?

There was one person in our program and in the M1 class who did summer research through CHKD, but I believe you have to apply soon to get involved with that. Both these people were already living in this area to start with. I have to dig around for the link for the program, but I'll let you know when I find it. Where are you coming from? You might want to take the time to relax some before school starts because it'll be pretty rough from about a month in to the end. As for what I did in the summer, I worked pretty much to about a week before orientation started and that turned out fine for me since I wasn't ready to leave just yet.

As for the MCAT, I'll go with what Daedalus has said already. If you want to go to EVMS, then I wouldn't worry so much about it. If you can TRULY prepare and consistently get higher scores on your practice MCAT's (and you have to be completely honest with yourself here), it might be another story. But taking the MCAT is additional stress that you don't really want to deal with PLUS you should be focused on doing your med school applications in the summer BEFORE you enter EVMS. Turn in your primary app and secondaries or at least prepare your secondary responses to schools. You do NOT want to deal with secondaries while you're in the middle of classes - trust me, it's hard to find motivation sometimes to fill out those "short answers."

And the last bit about what you need to be competitive... honestly your spot in the M1 class is yours to lose. I wouldn't try to get by on the "minimum" needed (or rationalize your actions to such), though in the past people have gotten in without honors/high pass in all their classes. Why chance it? The general applicant pool is getting more competitive year by year. You're here to show that you can cut it with and maybe do better than the rest of the med school class. If you're just getting by, it makes the admissions committee think a little bit longer about your app and whether you deserve a spot in the med school class.

That being said if you honors/high pass your classes, you won't have to retake them the following year (minus Embryology - that class you have to retake because it's included in Anatomy). With that free time, you could do extremely well in anatomy, ITP, your other classes or even find time for research pursuits, board study, whatever. All these other activities that you can do in your free time will make you a more desirable applicant once residency apps start rolling around. Just something extra to keep in mind.

 

[ImmunoRocks]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I will be going. I am still waiting to hear from Tufts MBS, but I think Virginia is sounding better everyday. I'm married and the low cost of living in virginia is attractive. I am from California (Sacramento).

Welcome as well from another fellow Californian! 😀 (Daedalus is also from CA.)

The out-of-state breakdown for the Med Masters program was actually slightly higher than normal this year. Off the top of my head, we had 4 from CA, 2-4 from NY, 1 NJ, 1 TX all mixed together with some NoVA and Hampton Roads area Virginians. I'm probably forgetting some at the moment, but it gives you a good representation of our class.

 

[Daedalus]

Welcome as well from another fellow Californian! 😀 (Daedalus is also from CA.)

The out-of-state breakdown for the Med Masters program was actually slightly higher than normal this year. Off the top of my head, we had 4 from CA, 2-4 from NY, 1 NJ, 1 TX all mixed together with some NoVA and Hampton Roads area Virginians. I'm probably forgetting some at the moment, but it gives you a good representation of our class.

Yeah!! I told ya we Californians were gonna take over this program, Immuno 😛

 

[DrMidlife]

Yeah!! I told ya we Californians were gonna take over this program, Immuno 😛

I'm from CA too. San Luis Obispo County is in the house.

Did I forget to mention I got in?

 

[ImmunoRocks]

I'm from CA too. San Luis Obispo County is in the house.

Did I forget to mention I got in?

Congrats DrMidlife! 🙂 I think we might have another person from SLO here too...

 

[TheNightMan]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I will be going. I am still waiting to hear from Tufts MBS, but I think Virginia is sounding better everyday. I'm married and the low cost of living in virginia is attractive. I am from California (Sacramento). Are you for sure going? where are you from?

I'm still waiting to hear back from a med school post-interview. Hopefully I get in. If I don't, there's a 99% chance I'll be at EVMS in the fall. I feel lucky i got the early acceptance because I was planning on applying to other SMPs - so it saved me some $$$. EVMS seems like a solid SMP, it has a great med school, and tuition/cost of living is much cheaper than other SMPs.

thanks again for the responses daedalus and immunorocks. I'm leaning towards just focusing on doing well in the classes and not retaking the MCAT. I'll be very happy to get into EVMS med school, but I know it's not a sure thing so I was thinking that a higher MCAT would give me a better chance of getting an acceptance. And even though I'll be striving to get honors/high pass, I want to go in with reasonable expectations that these classes will be extremeley difficult and that getting honors/high pass in these classes will be difficult as well.

 

[ImmunoRocks]

And even though I'll be striving to get honors/high pass, I want to go in with reasonable expectations that these classes will be extremely difficult and that getting honors/high pass in these classes will be difficult as well.

It is difficult but if you have the right attitude toward the studying and work ethic to do what's necessary it's possible. I came in wanting to honors/high pass my classes, and so far I've done even better than I planned. To do well, you're also going to have to be willing to adjust - if you didn't do well on an exam or class, figure out what you did wrong and do things differently. Just studying harder (the wrong way) won't help you a bit.

For me, I know I dread memorizing every little detail (my Achilles' heel in college) and I'm much better at the bigger picture/intuitive approach of studying a subject. When I'm studying now, instead of just glazing over a whole bunch of stuff I probably have to memorize, I'll write it down on a flashcard or do an outline/tree-diagram to really force myself to pay attention or try to look at that information in another way that fits better with my idea of the larger concept. So I do that and I also know I have to review that detail a couple more times again before the test before it sinks in enough.

Everyone has a different way to study. Know what works best for you. Some people form study groups too with their classmates to go over the material. Others study on the second floor and pop into other people's cubicles to ask questions... or to take a quick break from studying! How's the second floor tonight, Daedalus? 😀

 

[Daedalus]

Everyone has a different way to study. Know what works best for you. Some people form study groups too with their classmates to go over the material. Others study on the second floor and pop into other people's cubicles to ask questions... or to take a quick break from studying! How's the second floor tonight, Daedalus? 😀

haha a little more crowded than usual, actually

 

[andreweezer]

Where does it give details about submitting a picture? I'm almost done with the application but don't recall reading anything about a photo.

 

[andreweezer]

ohh, perhaps it's time to get a hair cut :]

 

[Eilat87]

anyone receive any news?

 

[Eilat87]

Based on your completion date I'd give it the rest of this week to early next week. They got back to me within a couple of weeks and put on waitlist. Check both for fedex packages and your normal mail. Normal mail will be a waitlist most likely but if it is in fedex packages of any sort then its an acceptance.

Do you think it's still early in the cycle?

 

[ImmunoRocks]

There was one person in our program and in the M1 class who did summer research through CHKD, but I believe you have to apply soon to get involved with that. Both these people were already living in this area to start with. I have to dig around for the link for the program, but I'll let you know when I find it.

http://pediatrics.evms.edu/Research/Research.htm
2009 Summer Scholars Research Program

Hmm deadline was February 13th. Sorry about that! If you're still interested, you might want to shoot Linda (look in the Fact Sheet pdf) an email to see if there are any projects left...

 

[TheNightMan]

http://pediatrics.evms.edu/Research/Research.htm
2009 Summer Scholars Research Program

Hmm deadline was February 13th. Sorry about that! If you're still interested, you might want to shoot Linda (look in the Fact Sheet pdf) an email to see if there are any projects left...

Thanks for posting. I tried searching for it a while back but didn't find anything. Maybe I'll give Linda a call but the bold red letters stating the deadline is the 13th is making me a little wary of calling.

 

[Eilat87]

Yah I think it is fairly early. But I think there is still a chance of getting waitlisted cuz they don't want to prematurely accept 20 people without seeing who else will apply and see who they really want.

So as you've predicted, I just got waitlisted. What does this mean exactly? Does this mean they actually have 20 people for the spot already? That's what it seemed to imply in the letter.

 

[blindkutha]

As of last week or so, they had given out 11 acceptances. There are a lot of out of staters (mainly CA) applying and the problem is that EVMS cannot accept too many of them because only 35% of the M1 class can be out of state, thus many of you are getting on the waitlist. If they accept a ton of out of staters in the Med Master class, it becomes more difficult to "guarantee" them spots in the following years M1 class since there are only about 40 out of state spots.

 

[Daedalus]

As of last week or so, they had given out 11 acceptances. There are a lot of out of staters (mainly CA) applying and the problem is that EVMS cannot accept too many of them because only 35% of the M1 class can be out of state, thus many of you are getting on the waitlist. If they accept a ton of out of staters in the Med Master class, it becomes more difficult to "guarantee" them spots in the following years M1 class since there are only about 40 out of state spots.

Yep. They're likely being more careful about it this year because the VA legislature just recognized us as a "quasi-public" school, but interestingly enough, 12 out of the 23 current med masters are from out of state. Hopefully they have room for all of us out-of-staters in next years class 😳

 

[jbru3423]

I have a quick question on the admissions policy for the Med. Master's Program. If anybody can answer it that would be terrific...

I am currently completing my final pre-medical pre-requisite course (O.Chem II), and I was wondering if I would still be allowed to apply for the fall of 2009. In the required information section of the admissions website for the program it states that one year of each required science must be completed, however, I was wondering if because my final pre-requisite will be done by the end of the semester if I would still be allowed to apply.

My numbers for both GPA and MCAT exceed those listed as well, so maybe that would push my application over the edge if allowed to apply.

My only worry stems from a few of the previous posts. If I am not a VA resident, as seems to be the case for many of you, am I at a tremendous disadvantage at this point in the admissions process?

Thanks...

 

[Daedalus]

I have a quick question on the admissions policy for the Med. Master's Program. If anybody can answer it that would be terrific...

I am currently completing my final pre-medical pre-requisite course (O.Chem II), and I was wondering if I would still be allowed to apply for the fall of 2009. In the required information section of the admissions website for the program it states that one year of each required science must be completed, however, I was wondering if because my final pre-requisite will be done by the end of the semester if I would still be allowed to apply.

My numbers for both GPA and MCAT exceed those listed as well, so maybe that would push my application over the edge if allowed to apply.

My only worry stems from a few of the previous posts. If I am not a VA resident, as seems to be the case for many of you, am I at a tremendous disadvantage at this point in the admissions process?

Thanks...

You can definitely apply now for admission for Fall 09. The pre-reqs only have to be complete by the time you matriculate into the program, not necessarily by the time you apply.

And no you're not at a major disadvantage if you apply now, even for out of state. As blindkutha said, only 11 spots have been filled so far. Also, I applied quite late (early March), and still got in (off the waitlist).

 

[pmainali88]

Hi guys! This website has been so helpful and especially this thread, since the Medical Masters is my first choice. I'm currently a junior and I've finished my pre-reqs and I don't think I'll be able to take my MCAT in time to apply this June but I will definitely take it by the end of summer so I'll be able to apply to this program. I am in State and my main question is Whether or not people can finish their medical school in 3 years if they high pass/honor all their classes as a medical master if we get into EVMS? I've heard rumors of some people that have apparently done it but I just wanted to see if this was plausible at all? Thank you guys for putting the time and effort to answer everyone's questions.

 

[Daedalus]

I am in State and my main question is Whether or not people can finish their medical school in 3 years if they high pass/honor all their classes as a medical master if we get into EVMS? I've heard rumors of some people that have apparently done it but I just wanted to see if this was plausible at all? Thank you guys for putting the time and effort to answer everyone's questions.

No this isn't possible, because we don't take all of the first year medical school courses. Specifically, we don't take Anatomy and ITP/OBAD first semester, and we don't take Neuro or Human Development second semester. Nor do we have the LGM with a local doctor. But if you pass out of all your classes, that's all you'll have to take first year. Not too shabby 👍

 

[Daedalus]

This brings up another point actually. Do you pay the whole regular MS 1 tuition or just for what you have to take if you are not retaking all of MS 1 once in the program. I'm just curious cuz I think Gtown says you don't have to retake all the classes but have to pay for the whole year's worth of pay once you get in regardless.

Former med masters pay the full M1 tuition, no matter how many classes you take. Not really surprising - med school isn't like other graduate level programs where you pay based on how many units you take.

 

[Daedalus]

Ok that's what I figured.

Not to keep asking questions, but one last question. What do people do with that extra time they'd normally be taking these classes in if they get in as an M1 and are not repeating these courses? Do they use that time just as extra study time or do they get involved with other things like research or something?? Just curious. Thanks a bunches for your help.

haha don't worry about it - ask away!

As for what people do with the light M1 year, there seems to be a huge range based on the person. The people that pass out of Histology usually become histo TAs (definitely a good idea - you get paid, and it forces you to keep up on your knowledge - not to mention that Histo is a fun class and Dr. Scoville is awesome). Some people do get heavily involved in research and do that throughout the year. Others use the free time to study and become very good at anatomy and neuro.

And some people just use the free time to relax. I think one of the former med masters on this thread said that you can basically disappear for weeks on end if you don't have any exams. 😀 One of last year's med masters is now the AAMC rep for the current M1 class, which works out well for him since he can go to the conferences and work on other projects like the medical lobby days and whatnot without having to worry as much about classes.

So basically, you can tailor the year to what you want to accomplish. Increase your resume for residency apps, study and rock the classes you do have, or just relax - its a good year 🙂

 

[TheNightMan]

Hi Med Masters students, I have a couple more questions for you.

What's the average school day schedule like? In other words, what time do classes usually start and end?

Also, do most students go to class? Are the classes audio-recorded/video taped and available for download/stream online? thanks

 

[ImmunoRocks]

Hi Med Masters students, I have a couple more questions for you.

What's the average school day schedule like? In other words, what time do classes usually start and end?

Also, do most students go to class? Are the classes audio-recorded/video taped and available for download/stream online? thanks

Depends on the semester. We're a lot busier (fuller days) in the fall than in the spring. For the most part, classes start at 9 or 10am with a break in the middle for lunch noon. Then after lunch, you may have a couple hours of classes/lab depending on the day. But we often have afternoons free to study in the library if you want. Med students have fuller 9-5pm days in general.

The classes are only audio-recorded so far and it's done by the voluntary efforts of our peers. Usually, they'll look for people to sign up in the beginning of the year to help out. The audios are usually .mp3 that you can download off the website and listen on your computer. No move to video-taped or note-taking services yet.

As for class attendance, that depends on the bunch of students you have. I'd say there are more students >70% when the classes first start, but it slowly trickles down as the semester progress. Once you've been to a couple of lectures, you'll know if going to every class helps you or not. Some people find spending that time studying (or sleeping) to be a more effective use of their time.

 

[Daedalus]

Since there are so few of you, are you able to sit in the actual classrooms as the medical students? I'm assuming yes because there is no live videofeed but just wanted to double check with you.

I'm asking cuz USF IMS has videofeed but because of the lack of seats available to acompany the 15 IMSers, 40 DPTers and 125 medical students they have two classrooms with the 55 people that include IMS and DPT students in one which gets videofeed and the medical students in the other room. But people sit in both depending on who wants to freely leave when they want and those who don't come to class since they get videostreamlining.

How does it work in this aspect at EVMS? Also, at a lot of Fl. medical schools people say not to buy too many textbooks outside of anatomy atlases and what not. Most of their testing is from their notes. Is this true at EVMS as well?

Oh yeah - same lectures at the same time as the M1s (in the same room). The main lecture hall where all the first year classes are taught is huge (300+ seats), so 120 med students and 23 med masters don't really fill it up. (and like Immunorocks said, some classes are sparsely attended, esp. later in the semester, so lectures can be quite empty at times)

And yes, the only textbooks you actually need is the Histo Atlas and textbook (and probably the embryo text since that material is so dense and difficult to understand sometimes). Otherwise, everything you need to know for the test is on the syllabus. Sometimes, it might be helpful to read a relevant passage from a textbook if you don't understand a concept, but all of the textbooks are on reserve in the library, so most people will just check those out if they need to read something. Also, the BRS (board review series) books can be helpful for a very brief overview of all of the material, so a lot of people use these.

 

[Lakama]

Oh man. so many questions so little time. I just got accepted into EVMS program and Ohios Masters program and I only have 10 days to decide before my spots given up! I'm trying to list pros and cons so I hope you can answer some questions.

It looks like there is a lot more attention drawn to EVMS and I'm trying to find ways EVMS is better than Ohio. The only difference I see is that at EVMS you take more actual medical courses.. At Ohio you only take 3 medical courses as opposed to however many you take at EVMS (How many do you take exactly?) At least I'll be more prepared for M1 than at Ohio.

It also sounds like the Masters program are geared more towards those who are actually deciding to go to EVMS medical school. I might consider applying to other medical schools, do you guys know of anyone in your year who applied to other schools?

Other than that I don't really have any other comparisons. EVMS sounds like a really chill community and the outside activities that you guys mentioned (Intramurals, I'm a really avid basketball player) sounds really awesome. It sounds like there are a lot of Californians in this program! As an Orange County person myself, I guess my final question to you guys is, How was the transition to the East Coast?!?! As a born and raised So Cal person, I'm allergic to the cold.. How did you guys cope with East Coast Living? Is EVMS chill?

 

[ImmunoRocks]

The only difference I see is that at EVMS you take more actual medical courses.. At Ohio you only take 3 medical courses as opposed to however many you take at EVMS (How many do you take exactly?) At least I'll be more prepared for M1 than at Ohio.

It also sounds like the Masters program are geared more towards those who are actually deciding to go to EVMS medical school. I might consider applying to other medical schools, do you guys know of anyone in your year who applied to other schools?

As an Orange County person myself, I guess my final question to you guys is, How was the transition to the East Coast?!?! As a born and raised So Cal person, I'm allergic to the cold.. How did you guys cope with East Coast Living? Is EVMS chill?

At EVMS, we take 5 medical school classes (Histology, Embryology, Medical Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Physiology, and Biochemistry). Outside of that we have 3 other graduate school classes and a library thesis to work on. For the embryology/histology courses, if there is relevance or usefulness, Med Masters can also step into the anatomy labs to look at the cadavers to better understand the material.

Most students (>80%) in the program definitely apply to other schools. Even those who are set on EVMS are strongly suggested to apply to other Virginia schools and osteopathic schools. While most people who do the program and do well in the program are accepted, it is not a 100% guarantee. We did have people interview at other medical schools and osteopathic schools this season. Ultimately at the end of the day, if you want to go to medical school and be a doctor, you at least have that opportunity here. Yes it is nice to have options, but an MD is still an MD regardless of where you go. As many students have already said before though, EVMS is a really good school to go to and the students are very well clinically trained at the end of it. Your med school experience is really what you make of it.

And your last question.. The transition from West Coast to the East Coast actually wasn't that bad. The winters here in Norfolk are mild by comparison to the rest of the East Coast. Granted that it does get cold here sometimes from Dec-March (intermittent weeks of low 30's), if you layer, wear a hat, have a warm jacket, you'll be fine. Plus you get used to it - mid 40's actually feels warm to me now. It has snowed a couple times (2-3X) this year, but it never settles. You just watch it fall from the sky! 🙂 Other than that the humidity in the fall (on days when it rains) takes a little getting used to, but you'll probably be inside most of the time in the beginning of the semester. I think being near the coast helps buffer/attenuate some of the extreme weather. I like some variety in my weather, but I'm from Northern California. Maybe Daedalus can chime in about his perspective (being a Southern Californian) when he has time to pry himself away from biochem!! That being said it is much colder in the Midwest than here at EVMS - winters come complete with snow piles and long periods of cold weather. My roommate who's from this area likes to say about Norfolk that, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes and it'll change."

Hope that helps! Feel free to keep those questions coming. 😉