This is what I PMed...I think I posted it further back in the thread...I found this stuff useful, hopefully others do too.
Answers to my Q's from a Loyola MSII or III I forget
1. How many hours of lecture/day?
As a first year, not usually more than 2.* As a second year, the average is
between 2 and 3, with some days of 4.* The point, though, is that the curriculum
definitely balances out lecture with small groups.* This is not the "old school"
9-5 lecture days or anything like that.
2.What is the 3rd year like and how is it structured?:
Third year has few lectures, as it is the year you start doing your rotations.
There are 6 required rotations (12 weeks of Internal Medicine, 12 weeks of
Surgery, 6 weeks of Pediatrics, 6 weeks of OB/GYN, 6 weeks of Psychiatry, and 6
weeks of Family Medicine).* There are 16 different "tracks" that we can do these
rotations in, meaning not all of us are doing the same thing at the same time.
-How are the rotations structured? What is your role on
the wards? Do you have a clear role? Do you get your "hands dirty" a lot, or is
it a lot of shadowing?
For this question, I guess it depends on what rotation you're on.* The role
often depends on your resident, but for the most part you are very involved in
the patients' care.* This means checking on them every day, working with the
staff to create a treatment plan, learning invasive procedures, etc.* Third and
Fourth year are the years you learn what you like/dislike so you can make an
educated career choice.
3.How are medical students protected from scut on the wards?
I'm not quite sure how you define scut work.* If you mean changing linens, doing
bed-pan type stuff, I'm pretty sure that is someone else's job.* However, taking
vitals and being intimately involved in your patient's care should be a
responsibility of every third year, as it is the best way to learn how to take
care of a large number of conditions.
4.How much focus is put on prim. care in the clinical yrs.
Well, like I said, you have 12 weeks of Internal Medicine (this is Cardiology,
Renal, Pulmonary, etc), 6 weeks of Peds, and 6 weeks of Family.* There are
plenty of opportunities to experience the primary care environment, however, you
will also be dealing with very seriously ill people in all of the rotations
(especially Internal Medicine).
5.Loyola's avg board scores?
Quite honestly I don't know the exact number, but I do know for a fact that our
scores are consistently above the national average and our passing rate is one
of the highest in the country.
-do most people go to lecture?
Yes.* That is one of the first things I noticed that was different when compared
to other schools.* I would guess the attendance is 90-95% for every class.
Obviously there are times when you have something else going on you need to do,
but I think that the majority of the students feel it is extremely valuable to
go to class.
-Specifically, how does (or doesn't) a Loyola education prepare you and your
classmates for STEP I?
Starting this week we have review sessions run by our professors from different
courses to highlight the main things that show up on the boards every year.* We
also have a full-time Education Specialist who works with any student to design
a study schedule for them.* Also, the professors are all instructed to write our
test questions in formats that are similar to the boards, so we get used to
answering those types of questions.* The only areas that are slightly lacking
are in Embryology and Biostatistics.* These topics are covered in class, but are
not separate courses, so most students by a Board Review book for them and seem
to do just fine that way.
-and how much time off do you have to study for it?
We finish at the beginning of May, and we technically have three School-assigned
weeks to study.* Most people take an extra week from there and take the test in
early June, before we have to start third year in July.
-Do EXAMS come in blocks or are they spread out like, one a week?
Exams come in blocks, so they're at most every three weeks.* Personally, I
haven't had a test in 6 weeks.* You won't take a test, say, in Path one week and
a Pharm test the next.* They integrate the questions into one test so as to
minimize the stress (hopefully).
I agree!!!
