KCOM Class of 2006

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•••quote:•••Originally posted by andrea:
•Thanks Sweaty Paul for the info! You know, I have a theory about tattoos... I think you should get one from each place where you've lived, kind of like a memento to remember it always. So in a couple of years I may just have to stop by the local shop and get a.... hmmmm.... maybe a stethescope on my rear? I'll have to think this one through. :D •••••Bad theory! This will be my 25th move in my life (I think) and my whole body would be covered!

Although, a stethescope on the rear sounds like a great memento.....though, being a KCOM grad....shouldn't it be the face of A.T.Still? LOLOL

Wifty
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Remember,

Tattoos are FOREVER!! What looks good now will blur and sag as you get older!! For me it is the terror of the sag. If had gotten the eagle tattoo I considered in college it would look like a pigeon with broken wings now HA HA!!

Sweaty

AYLC if you need any more info let me know, that goes for any of you incoming peeps.

Sweaty
 
Speaking of new license plates.... does everyone registar you vehicle in MO to get new license plates and new driver's license? I wonder if it's necessary.... :confused:
 
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•••quote:•••Originally posted by AYLC:
•Speaking of new license plates.... does everyone registar you vehicle in MO to get new license plates and new driver's license? I wonder if it's necessary.... :confused: •••••Good question! I would like to know as well.
Plus, would we still be considered residents of WA even if we get drivers licenses there assuming we never vote in MO or buy a house?

Its all very tricky and annoying! :)

Wifty
 
Before you all get license plates ask the second-year students here what they did. A lot of my classmates kept their vehicles licensed in the states from which they originated, though several just changed them to MO plates (just b/4 we are all leaving for rotations).

Before you do anything, ask some second year, they'll be able to help you a lot.

Sweaty

Also, I think the second years will be gone on break/clinical preceptorship when you first arrive. If you have any questions you should ask any of your fellows (anatomy or OTM). Aaron Martin is one of your anatomy fellows (my classmate and friend) and he will be more than happy to help any of you with questions you might have in the beginning; he'll be a great resource for you all in the first couple weeks.

Sweaty
 
hi all, i just got in last week so i guess i can start posting here! i am gonna call tomorrow for more info but what is the housing/apt situation in kirksville (any nice apartments out there)? when is everyone gonna be there? i guess i'll try to get there in early august. i'm gonna make a trip prior to that just to set things up. does kcom have a whitecoat ceremony? sorry so many questions. i'm sure as i recieve more info from the school i'll have more knowledge. thx all
 
Hi, OUsooner:
You should get a huge package from the admission office. It will tell you almost everyting you need to know about k'ville. The white coat ceremony is on the 8/17 afternoon(if my memory is correct). I also got the invitation card from the dean's office for that, so you should get it too. :clap:
As far as housing, you better get there soon to check things out. Most of the apartments on the off-campus housing list are rented. I know there are at least 5 woodwind condo (staring from 435-495)available at this point. I will be there this weekend to get an apartment. Let me know if you need some info while I am there. :)
 
AYLC,
yeah if you can update me on the apartment situation. i'll probably head down next weekend to sort things out. keep in touch. whats your email? i guess i can try to private message you. my email is [email protected] talk to u later. thx
 
There are TONS of apts for rent in Kirksville! Not all the landlords/agencies list their rentals with KCOM. The list in the Kirksville paper is about 3 columns long. DON'T worry about finding an apartment!!! Also, landlords just LOVE KCOM people because it's pretty much a guaranteed 2-year lease.
 
Hey All,
I guess its finally time for me to post too! I got the call yesterday and gave up my positions at WVSOM and COMP. Looks like Kirksville is home for the next couple of years... That is a good thing, right? <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
 
Welcome to the family, Dr. Click... :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Glad to know you made up your mind to attend KCOM. Have you get on the class2006 discuss forum yet? Enjoy your summer.... :)
 
Welcome Dr. Clink!!! I found out that I'm heading up to K'ville this Sunday to check things out and hopefully find an apt. I will be there Sunday night and Monday night. If anyone wants to meet up just post or pm me. I can't wait to get things underway. Lots of nerves right now, hopefully they'll go away after the first exam and not flare up!
 
hello 2006,

I'm planning on moving out of my student apartments housing- the place is a furnished 2 bedroom with bathroom for $385 (includes water+heat).

Also, the house I'm moving to has 2 more bedrooms free, and is one of the nicest houses in kirksville. it is farther from school though (5 min drive), so its harder to catch a casual snooze between classes.

If you might be interested in either email me at
[email protected] or drop me a private message and I can set things up.

cheers,
-bones
KCOM '05
 
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Don't want to scare you all, but with my club (Physicians for social responsibility) we were discussing your class schedule for the first few days in relation to some stuff we are planning. A warning for you all. You get 6 hours of histology on your first day of classes. You will then have a quiz on the next day over this material. Luck for you, we had it similair, but as a large number of us failed the quiz they decided to make yours extra credit (if my info is correct-the schedule is still tentative).

First, we felt sorry for you as no one would be around to tell you this isn't a normal day, so share this with your classmates, you normally won't have six hours of one class on a day. Also, you will likely get the notes you will be covering in class ahead of time, I would recommend you spend time looking over it so you can do well on the quiz.

Have fun for the rest of the summer.
 
dkwyler94: Are you serious about the histology class on the 1st day? Can't believe it....:eek:
 
?? i guess you are serious as i dont see a "just kidding" anywhere. seems to me they are trying to drive home a point w/ the 6 hrs. is there a tentative schedule we can see for our classes? can anybody give me an idea of what i'm getting into as far as time in class? thanks
 
I could be wrong. As I said, this was a tentative schedule. Our first two days we had 4 hours each day of histology with a quiz the second day that about half the class failed. As I have it, the plan for you was to have 4 hours one day, and 2 hours the next, but there is something else on Friday so they bumped the two hours onto Thursday for a total of six hours.

As I said, this is tentative. Our class president has input into your schedule. We hated those long lectures, and in talking to the professors, they hated lecturing for that long. It might change. I just made that post so you can share with your classmates when you go home on that first day and there are no second years around (we will be on break), you can tell each other it gets better. And so you can study before your first day of class. Something I would have done.

You won't get your schedule until one of the orientation days.
David

P.S. Oh, as far as the norm. We had an average of about 25 hours/week our first quarter. I assume you will have the same. Of all the quarters so far, it was the hardest and easiest. It was hard because it was a big adjustment. It was easy because if I did it now, it would be much easier than these later quarters.

What they didn't tell you, but most of you probably know. Medical school is not fun. It is miserable. At least the first two years. It isn't any worse than I expected. I always thought it would be bad. But I am still just as convinced now as I ever was that this is what I want to do and it is absolutely worth it.
 
Hi, David:
I am interesting to know what is the attrition rate at KCOM? Did everyone in you class do alright last year? Thanks.
 
Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut with that post. We were all really happy in my class until we found out we had a quiz the 2nd day of class over 4 hours of info. With other scheduled stuff, my first day was over at about 5p and then I studied until about 11p. Overall, I think my experience is average compared to other KCOM med students, and probably average compared to medical students as a whole.

Now you asked about how many people failed. They had a program for us when we came called scared straight into A's. Basically they scared us all so we would work harder-at least that was the idea. My understanding before coming to medical school was once you were in, you were in. Nearly no one left, and it was usually by choice. This isn't exactly true.

They don't post the numbers, but in my class I can think of 3 people who left for personal (non-academic) reasons. 2 others who started out in my class and are not here for academic reasons, 2 who were originally members of 2004 who became members of 2005 because they failed a class, and are now no longer at KCOM, and then people who are now members of class of 2006 are between 5-10 (they usually don't talk about it, so you only know through the grape-vine). So about 12-14 probably is the best answer of the total.

I don't know how this is compared to other DO schools, but as I think it is in part because it is easier to get into DO schools as a whole, but the standards are about the same, they have a higher attrition rate.

My recommendation to everyone, and as was my attitude when I started, pretend like you will be one of those people who fail out if you don't give it your 100%. After that you can balance it with your personal life, fitness, etc., but use your first quarter to figure out just how hard you have to work and don't get yourself into a deficit you can't get out of when you find out it is harder than undergrad.

The majority does just fine.
 
Thanks David. I think you have made some very good points. The education earned at osteopathic schools is every bit as good as one earned in allopathic schools (in general). However there are some people who could not have made it to allopathic schools so they "ended up" at an osteopathic institution. If you take out the three or so who left for personal reasons then you have about 10 left out of a class of 150 who couldn't hack it. This is not an alarming rate. Personally I'm coming into school thinking I'm fighting not to be in that 10. I think this survivor mentality would suit most well. I am coming into school with an above average MCAT but below average science work at my undergrad. My science GPA was just above a 3.0 and I was a business major so I understand that it will take more for me to excel early on than others. I am prepared to make these sacrifices. This type of attitude is typical in competetive situations. When I ran track here at the Univ. of Oklahoma and throughout high school its not that winning felt that great but my absolute fear/hate of losing is what drove me to being better. Sorry about my rambling but there is a little therapy for me in this post. Later all.
 
I should add. Of those 10 or so, those include the "fifth years" who will most likely still graduate. Of those who are totally gone, it is probably about 5/150 of each class.
 
Dear Class of 2006,
I have posted this info before, but I want to say it again since you guys will be here soon. School is tough!! However, did you expect any less? My message is this: You need to listen to KCOM students that are ahead of you, BUT you also need to weed out those people who are filled with negativity and will only make you worry. I am hoping you won't have that problem with members of my class.....but catch any of us on a bad day, and we can't give you the most objective opinion about a topic. After you are here a while, narrow your 'pickins' down to 2-3 second years who you know you can trust to give you honest, fair, and objective information about whatever you are asking. My experience when I first started was that I was really wanting info or advice and I got a bunch of "oh, that sucks" or "oh, THAT class is SO HARD", etc. Seriously, there were people who never let anything even remotely positive come out of their mouths. These aren't the kinds of things you need to hear when you move to a new town and change your entire life. Those who have followed the 2005 posts know that we complain about certain classes, but the majority of us did okay and made it through. Some classes are a little harder to handle than others for various reasons (professors, material, bull-crap assignments, etc). And, we will be honest about those things....but I would like to think that along with that honesty, my class will offer you words of encouragement and advice on how to make it just a little easier. You can do it!!! You got this far.

Don't let anyone in the class of 2005 scare you! As I said, I don't think that is going to happen......but stay away from negative people! You WILL get your behind kicked here...but after that happens enough times, you just take it all in stride and focus on what you need to focus on to pass and just make it through.

For me, this experience has been a love/hate relationship. I wonder everyday what propelled me into this decision, but in the next thought, I am thanking GOD I am here.

Enjoy orientation week. The honeymoon period doesn't last long!

IMPORTANT ADVICE: DO NOT PLAN ON WEARING SKIMPY CLOTHES TO CLASS. THIS INCLUDES SHORTS, TANK TOPS, AND EVEN THIN MATERIALS. THE CLASSROOM IS FREEZING MOST DAYS AND YOU WON'T MAKE IT THRU CLASS WITHOUT DESPERATELY WISHING FOR A BLANKET. BRING A SWEATSHIRT OR SOMETHING EVERY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best of luck with your journeys to Kirksville and don't hesitate to stop any of us and ask us questions. We are very excited to meet you.
 
Originally posted by dkwyler94

I don't know how this is compared to other DO schools, but as I think it is in part because it is easier to get into DO schools as a whole, but the standards are about the same, they have a higher attrition rate.

Click to expand...

dk, want to try substantiating that claim? The M.D. school to which I was accepted before choosing KCOM quoted me their attrition rate as being 12-15% (out of a class of about 150), even though, as you seem to imply, those students are so much smarter and were more selectively screened than D.O. students.

The attrition rate has absolutely nothing to do with the purported "easier" standards at D.O. schools, although that seems to be the attitude of some who weren't accepted at an M.D. school for some reason. This happens at every school, D.O. or M.D. In fact, the students that we lost due to academic reasons were, for the most part, NOT non-trads and were NOT academically inferior. On the contrary, some were extremely intelligent individuals with excellent applications who could have attended anywhere--they just didn't fit into this curriculum. Not succeeding in medicine does NOT mean you are less of a person, nor does it mean you are not intelligent and should have been screened out; it just means the field of medicine is not for you.
 
In consideration of LL and John DO, I just wanted to make sure what I said or was trying to say was clear.

My original post was simply to say that your first day is going to be a long hard day, and isn't typical of most days. Perhaps not something I needed to say, but I was discussing it with some friends and we all felt sorry that there was no one going to be around to tell you that, so I thought I would let you know. I also wish I had known a few days ahead about how much material would be on the first quiz so I could have gone over it before the first day.

The other things I said were in response to people's questions. I don't think correct information is ever harmful. I think when you go into something, it is best to do so with your eyes wide open. I did so coming to medical school. When I asked one of my friends how it was, he responded, "Would you ask a lady in labor how it is to have children?" When I talked to doctors, they started talking to each other about how much one would have to pay them to go back to medical school. My friend and the doctors all agreed as do I at this point, it is 100% worth it. I wouldn't take a second to decide to do it again, but while my friends are in paying jobs, having fun, I study 60-80 hours a week.

One of the people who left our school for personal reasons I knew quite well. This person indicate they thought they would enjoy medical school. They weren't gung-ho about being a doctor, but thought medical school would be a fun experience and chance to learn more about the body.

Lastly, as far as the attrition rate, that was in reply to someone's question. I believe it to be factual. I still stand by the opinion that everyone should begin working as though they will be one of the people who fail out if they don't start out giving it 100%. I simply hope this advice might help someone.

Of course there may be varying opinions as you saw from the posts. These are all just my opinions. Don't get me wrong from what I said. I did get accepted elsewhere, and chose KCOM. I would do so again. If I didn't think this was a means to an end, I wouldn't be here, but I am convinced it is worth the hard work that it takes.


With this post, I'm withdrawing from this discussion and going to get back to the books. Best of luck to you all.
 
dkwyler and johnDO,

I sent you both private messages.
 
Thank you for your candid opinion in your private message, LL.

As mentioned in private and now proclaimed in public, dk, I apologize if I misread your post to involve more collateral implications than you intended. However, at your request, I have researched the data from AAMC and AACOM to solidify the argument of attrition at allopathic versus osteopathic schools (remind me of this when I fail the exam tomorrow--haha):

AAMC (M.D. schools):
Class of 1997--2.53%
Class of 1998--1.95%
Class of 1999--1.51%
Class of 2000--3.01% (what happened THAT year??)
Class of 2001--2.40%

AACOM (D.O. schools): (data not available for other years)
Class of 1999--2.6%
Class of 2000--2.4%

These numbers are based on total enrollment in both schools and includes all losses; specifically, academic losses, withdrawn under academic duress, personal leave of absence, transfer to another school, change in career, and personal reasons. Using the method of subtracting the graduating class from the same cohort matriculating class eliminates the bias instilled by eliminating certain populations from the data, like voluntarily withdrawing students.

At first approximation, the attrition rate seems to be fairly equivalent, but AACOM delineates a difference in numbers of students who leave for M.D. or other doctorate programs (effectively, albeit artificially, raising the D.O. attrition rate, while lowering the M.D. attrition rate) and leaves of absence (presumably higher in D.O. schools, due to the higher proportion of non-traditional students, which is also a primary cause for the seemingly lower entrance standards). When these losses are counted, the attrition rate of Osteopathic schools is cut nearly in half.

Hopefully, this information will prove useful while trying to separate the anecdotal information from actual data. Obviously, however, this is national cumulative data, so there will be validity to individual stories of schools with exceptionally high or exceptionally low attrition rates. The purpose of this comparison is to dispel the myth that D.O. schools possess a higher attrition rate than M.D. schools, due to lower entrance standards or otherwise. The fact is, medical school in any form is extremely difficult and requires a high level of dedication that MUST be realized early, as wisely indicated earlier by dkwyler.

Thank you for broaching this important subject!:clap:
 
JohnDO,

I just have to ask: WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING UP AT 4:44 AM??????????????????????
 
JohnDO,

Never mind that last one...the clock is wrong on here. I just posted that at 6:30 am and it says 12 something pm....

I thought you were up all night stressing about nutrition....I'd have to send you another private message if that were the case and REALLY come down on you! :laugh:
 
I haven't posted on here in a while, but I have noticed some soon to be second years preparing you for the anal probing you are about to receive.

I would also like to give you a different perspective from a more "type-B" personality. Don't sweat anything too much. Come prepared to work, and prepare to fail once in a while in spite of hard work. Don't worry to much about Histology on the first day. Everyone passes histology, especially when your first quiz is XC.

Enjoy the first weeks of school, take time to get to know people. Feel out the town, get used to your surroundings. You are going to get a lot of attention on the first weeks of school.....enjoy it.

Like LL said, you will hear negativity from some of our class. Realize this when you hear it: Many of us will try to be scary and intimidating in order to display the rites of passage that we have endured. Would it be cooler to say that running a marathon "wasn't all that bad" or to say that it was the most difficult thing you had done your whole life. Obviously, the second perspective conveys to others a more elite status on yourself. Just realize that it makes us feel better sometimes to convey how hard school is because it makes us look more awesome that we made it through a year of it.

This is simply how a 2nd year explained it to me when I was first starting, and the advice helped.

Don't sweat anything too much in the beginning. Work hard, don't get far behind, but don't kill yourself. If it werere easy, everyone would be doctors, but if it were impossible, no one would.
 
I am wondering if some people from class 2005 will give some advice on textbooks. Since you will be away for your preceptionship when we start our class, it will be helpful to know ahead which book(s) and euqipment do you think are necessary to have (during the bookstore open house or from other sources). If you have time, please post your response in the fourm of class 2006. Thanks a lot.
:D
 
ALYC,
The second years gave us a 'survival guide' last fall. It outlines the books 'required' and they tell you their opionion of them.

If you can let me know when you get into town, I will give you my copy of the survival guide. I thought it was pretty accurate in regards to which books are worth buying.

Just let me know when you are here! Also, I will be helping out with orientation, so it will be easy to get it to you.
 
Thanks double elle. :) Do you think we will get the similar survival guide from your class during the orientation?
 
double elle:
Oh...I forget to mention that I send you a PM.
 
The SGA was working on an updated version for your class, so I assume that it will be made available to you. Be sure and hold on to it, because, even if it doesn't seem to be applicable immediately, you WILL reference it (or wish you had) at some point during the first year. It is the collective advice of several years worth of your colleagues!
 
Dear 2006ers,

I am a 2005er and I will be in need of child-care probably beginning in January after Christmas break. I was wondering if any spouses will be staying home with their own children and would like to make a little extra money. My baby is due in November, but with Thanksgiving break and Christmas break....and the relatives coming in town to help, I won't need anyone until January.

If you think your spouse would be interested, please private message me. I will give you the details of what I am looking for at that time.
 
WOW,

It has been awhile since I have posted and so much has changed on the format.

I agree with Bustin-booty, you must go with the flow. The point of "Scared Straight Into A's" that we did for the Class of 05 was to make sure that they didn't get the same erroneous advice we got from the 2nd years when I was a first year which was...relax, have fun, this is an easy quarter. That wasn't the case and some people got far behind very rapidly. We wanted to be sure that the first year class didn't follow in our very poorly directed footsteps.

That said, I am sure that a survival guide will be available to everyone, I think that it should be ready for your Orientation, however, I don't have all of the particulars on it, other than SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association) is diligently working on it. By the way I would encourage you all to become members of SOMA as we are the only organization that has student representation within the AOA, having voting seats both on the AOA Board of Trustees and within the House of Delegates.

Anyway, back to what you need to know. The only books you have to buy before the 2nd years return are a "clean" dissector (one that you don't tote into the anatomy lab, therefore it doesn't get greasy and therefore it is "clean"), and the second book is your Netter's Atlas. With only these two books you will do fine until you can make some sense of the survival guide and you meet a couple of 2nd years to help answer some of your other questions. You will have a number of classmates who will buy all the texts (they are likely military) and if you think you have to have the book, ask to check theirs out. Also, all required texts are on reserve in the Library and you can read and get a feel for those books you are interested in purchasing before you buy.

OH! I would also buy "First Aid for the USMLE." It is a survey text meant for board review, however, if you take time in your first year to read it while covering the basic sciences and add impt notes to it while studying; for example the Krebs cycle, you will have their info and yours helping you in your second year when you are studying for the boards. No, first aid isn't nec. to pass your first year, but it is great for board study.

Also, play some intramurals. They are fun and they help rid yourself of that evil tension.

Like LL has said, med school is tough. We have a lot of contact hours at KCOM. We have a lot of exams, but, the work is doable, hell, I passed. Take each day as it comes. I am hopefully going to be starting rotations starting in September. I can hardly believe that 2 years have passed, it literally seems like only yesterday that I started this adventure. There have been some very long and seemingly unending days, and yet, 2 years have passed. I have many friends that I will miss dearly and in two years you will too.

Good luck to you all Class of 2006. If you have any questions, I'll check these pages more frequently.

Congratulations, Good Luck, Study Hard, Sleep well, and don't forget to brush your teeth.

Sweaty Paul MS-II
Class of 2004:)
 
Question for you 2006ers... can you access your school email yet?
 
Yes, I can get on stillnet and my email has been activated this summer.
 
So you guys are receiving emails via the kcom system?
Getting bombarded with 'for sale' s??
 
Elle-

That's exactly what I was wondering...

Anyhow... there's some good stuff being sold by current students, so if you're in need of something and don't want to buy it before you move just keep your eye on the emails...
 
I have not see any email about "for sale"s on my KCOM account so far..... strange
 
Previous classes are blocked from emailing Class of 2006 until you arrive here, unfortunately!
 
No e-mails yet! I was wandering if anyone knows, do spouse's have to attend Aug 17th activities, the one's set up for them. It will be smoking hot in a suit....can't wait!!!See ya soon!:clap:
 
No, spouses aren't required to attend anything. Those events are just another KCOM way of welcoming families/SO's/Spouses to Kirksville and showing everying that KCOM is very dedicated to family. My husband didn't attend anything but the white-coat ceremony.

I can't believe you guys are starting right around the corner! It seriously seems like just yesterday that I was on here asking all the same questions! However, at the same time...it seems as if I've been in school for years now!

I always thought one of the most interesting things about starting/going to KCOM was time when the second years weren't there. It's amazing how things change when you add 150 extra people to the mix! I mean, when I began last year, we didn't even notice they weren't here...and then a week later...WHAM, there were all these people everywhere! Suddenly, parking spaces were harder to come by, restroom lines were longer, and things were a lot louder with all of us out in the halls. Not to mention, since you don't know everyone in your own class yet..you never knew if someone you passed in the halls was a 1st or 2nd year!

I always kept my composite in my jeep with me so I could look up people I had talked to that day and put names with faces. Actually, I think it's still in my car! (my little cousin saw my picture in there and thought I was famous!!!!!!)

Anyway, I am procrastinating! (Pathology final tomorrow).

One thing to note..the first morning of orientation was very CASUAL! Wear shorts or something. Don't dress up until the white coat ceremony. I'm not sure how it will be this year, but last year there were a lot of activities and 'get to know everyone' stuff. Things were really informal and, by mid-morning, I was wishing I hadn't worn khaki's.

After that first day, I think you spend a lot of time in the classroom with introductions to professors, financial aid, etc. It gets COLD in there. I've posted this before....but if you've learned nothing else from a second year...learn that fact for certain. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket to cover your arms or legs (if you wear shorts).

Okay, I've got to get back to pathology. Our class is very excited to meet you all. And have safe journeys to Kville!
 
Thanks for the info., I just received notice I got the IHS scholarship, YEAH! No tuition worries:clap: ! Someone else can have the 10K under represented scholarship, can't wait till white coat! Cookout at the point this Friday, see ya!:laugh:
 
First of all--CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KCOM CLASS OF 2006!!
There is no doubt that you worked very hard to get to Kirksville (both academically and travel-related) and you will not be disappointed. It is a tremendous experience. It's not easy--but if med school were easy, all those b-schoolers and MBAs would have DOs and MDs at the end of their name..........

Just so you know--there will be 2nd years around this week and you will meet some of them Saturday morning. You should also receive the SOMA Survival Guide, if not Saturday, you should get it at some point during orientation.

PLEASE REMEMBER--All 2nd years' advice (Survival Guide included) is merely some osteopathic med students' opinion whom you know very little about. What they are telling you is by no means the end-all-be-all of how it is. It is an opinion not necessarily based in pure fact.

And I'd like to second Bustin-Booty's remarks about relaxin'.....you won't learn everything--it's impossible. When you're tired sleep and when you're hungry eat and when you just can't take it anymore, the DUKUM ain't far away.....

If you are in Kirksville already and would like to meet/talk whatever with a second year--particularly if you worried about getting involved w/ extracurriculars, feel free to email me.

See you in the hall and on the IM Field,
Dave Tannehill
SGA VP

(Go Wash. U. Bears!!)
 
CONGRATULATIONS ALL!!

You are about to start an adventure that you will never forget. There will be days where you question your sanity and other days when you are more convinced than ever that you made the right choice. Always remember that you got what you wanted...into medical school.

I know that you won't have a lot of second years around for advice, however, if you all post here on this site or want to email me directly, I'll try to be a source of info to use in addition to the SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association) Survival Guide. Like Dave said above the advice you get from anyone whether it is via the survival guide or via chatting with a second year directly is just that, advice. All anyone can do is tell you what helped them to be successful (passing) in medical school. Eventually you'll find a couple of people who you identify with thier style and you might use them as a more complete source of advice for you. The best thing I can tell you is don't be afraid to ask your classmates, second-years, or fellows for help. All of them will be willing to help. As a class it is in your best interest to learn to get along and to help one another for it is both the longest and fastest 2 yrs. of your life, and at some point you will most likely need help.

The second best thing I can tell you is that you are all smart. You made it into med school, only 30% who apply get in, and you did it. That said, it is tough. You all found ways of studying that was successful for you in undergrad. Try it at KCOM, if it doesn't work change it. For example a missive from my life. I used to always underline books or notes with black pen and rewrite my notes. Early on I found this wasn't working (doing poorly on my first Histo Quiz and Anatomy Quiz) so I changed. I bought the rainbow collection of highlighters and started highlighting in multiple colors and I quit rewriting notes because I didn't have time to rewrite them all. Instead, I went for trying to read testable information multiple times except anatomy where I tried to condense each pack of notes to one sheet of paper (front and and back) in addition to reading it multiple times. These are things that worked for me. Other friends of mine found study groups useful, and still others utilized note cards, others (including myself) used old-test files. These can be really helpful for some courses and less helpful for others, however, they are a great resource. Again, don't be afriad to change methods of studying, don't be afraid to ask for help, and help each other.

If you have questions about anything concerning courses let me know and I'll try to answer questions.

Congratulations and Good Luck.

Sweaty Paul

Paul Teget MS-III

[email protected]
 
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