MCW Class of 2010, Part 3

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I went through there at 1ish and there were only a few drunkards from MCW.

Side note: When does Scrubs return with new episodes?
 
Side note: When does Scrubs return with new episodes?

From what I've read, the plan right now is to start season 6 around Dec./Jan. when alot of the new fall debuts get cancelled. That's pretty much how they did things last year with the Olympics delaying the debut until midseason.

Scrubs>>>medical school.
 
I agree. It's one of the few shows I started watching from the beginning. Though I missed a few seasons by living out of the country, being scared to death of phys, working evenings. =( My family just needs to provide me with the DVDs. 😀

Let me know what seasons you need. Me and my trusty desktop "Sally" may be able to help out.
 
From what I've read, the plan right now is to start season 6 around Dec./Jan. when alot of the new fall debuts get cancelled. That's pretty much how they did things last year with the Olympics delaying the debut until midseason.

Scrubs>>>medical school.


Zach Braff aka JD is quitting after this year.





Tangent: How long until exam scores are made available?
 
Tangent: How long until exam scores are made available?

You won't get any score reports in your locked mailbox until a week at the earliest....some departments take almost two. Until then, you just have to rely on the key posted in the hallway checked against your answer sheet .
 
So we have this fancy ass yet incredibly slow ANGEL system but we have to go to our mailboxes to get our scores?





What are the average USMLE scores for MCW students? Or where can I find that info.
 
Don't know the average for step 1, but they did say at M2 orientation that 11 MCW people failed the first time around. Which sounds like a crapload, but when you consider that around 200 people took it, that's a 95% pass-rate. So not bad at all. I think that's about the national average pass rate, but I don't really know for sure.
 
It doesn't have MCW scores, but this is a very informative link about USMLE scores and the match, put out by the aamc, rather than all of the hearsay and rumor you might otherwise hear around school.

http://www.aamc.org/matchoutcomes


For other info on that little joy of a test, check out the Step 1 forum here on SDN, it's invaluable for advice.
 
So, MCW's high score last year was 206 and the national average is around 215?
 
First part, not true. I know many people who scored at least one standard deviation above the mean at MCW.

I think the average score at MCW is around the national mean, which is around 217, with a standard deviation of 23.

That, plus the fact that MCW has a pass rate in the high 90%'s, I'd say we do pretty well. (I think the national average pass rate is 94%...it's probably in First Aid.)
 
For other info on that little joy of a test, check out the Step 1 forum here on SDN, it's invaluable for advice.

Any chance I can pick your brain on this, seeing as you're one of those elusive M3s I hear so much about? Are there any subjects you felt that our classes did not prepare you enough for the boards? I've heard that we go pretty skimpy on nutrition and we might have to supplement on that a little to get up to speed...any other subjects like that?

Granted, I should probably just be focusing on actually passing my immuno test on Monday, but this info might be useful if I can squeak by this year...
 
It doesn't have MCW scores, but this is a very informative link about USMLE scores and the match, put out by the aamc, rather than all of the hearsay and rumor you might otherwise hear around school.

http://www.aamc.org/matchoutcomes


For other info on that little joy of a test, check out the Step 1 forum here on SDN, it's invaluable for advice.
wow, that PDF was actually fairly reassuring - it looks like most people match into what they want to, but most people apply to programs based on how well they do on the USMLE. I don't know what I want to specialize in, but I don't want my Step 1 to close doors.....here's hoping my step 1 correlates with my MCAT. 😳

and it also looks like I should do research next summer 😱
 
and it also looks like I should do research next summer 😱

The research program at MCW is straight money, and not a bad way to spend your summer. Just be very careful about picking your preceptor...you want one that isn't too laid-back because nothing will get done, but you also don't want one that is a research nazi and wants you to put in 60 hours a week. You want one that's just right-- think of it like Goldilocks with pipettes.

I enjoyed my research job so much that I've decided to try applying to the honors in research program to try to get some more experience and a chance at a publication out of it. Never thought that was going to happen heading into the summer. That being said, you couldn't pay me enough to consider academic medicine. Nuh-uh!
 
What are the average USMLE scores for MCW students? Or where can I find that info.

Over the last 3 years:
Pass rate for step 1 is 96% above mean of 94
Pass rate for step 2 is 92% below mean of 94( if i remeber correctly)
Pass rate for step 3 is 99%

Mean step 1 score has been arond 218-219 ...usually a couple of points above the mean.

Remember, your step 1 score has less to do with your school and more to do with studying/hard work
 
The research program at MCW is straight money, and not a bad way to spend your summer. Just be very careful about picking your preceptor...you want one that isn't too laid-back because nothing will get done, but you also don't want one that is a research nazi and wants you to put in 60 hours a week. You want one that's just right-- think of it like Goldilocks with pipettes.

I enjoyed my research job so much that I've decided to try applying to the honors in research program to try to get some more experience and a chance at a publication out of it. Never thought that was going to happen heading into the summer. That being said, you couldn't pay me enough to consider academic medicine. Nuh-uh!

Exactly. I just submitted my proposal for honors. I also liked my preceptor. He said we could go early when we had nothing to do, so there were some weeks I worked 8 hours, but there were also some weeks I worked between 60-70. I had a lot of fun though, even though I never got to go home. =(
 
Exactly. I just submitted my proposal for honors. I also liked my preceptor. He said we could go early when we had nothing to do, so there were some weeks I worked 8 hours, but there were also some weeks I worked between 60-70. I had a lot of fun though, even though I never got to go home. =(

Or you could be like me and make 9.50 an hour doing almost nothing unless someone calls 911. I miss those days now.
 
ps....M1s...seriously, stop worrying aboot boards right now. you'll have an aneurysm.
 
Yeah, if I'm not worried about boards yet, you guys definitely shouldn't be.

I agree, I'm sure the M1s have other things on their plates at the moment. Speaking of, have you guys had the Block 2 Krippendorf lecture yet? 😉
 
I agree, I'm sure the M1s have other things on their plates at the moment. Speaking of, have you guys had the Block 2 Krippendorf lecture yet? 😉

oh geez. Block 2 was the one block I hated in anatomy. I like bigger structures. Didn't she lecture on a whole lot of that block? I do love Krippy though!

Edit: Ok, so I didn't hate it. But I really didn't like the CN pathways
 
oh geez. Block 2 was the one block I hated in anatomy. I like bigger structures. Didn't she lecture on a whole lot of that block? I do love Krippy though!

I just remember that lecture she gave within the first week of Block 2 where she hit every detail of every cranial nerve and their associated foramen via her trademark excruciatingly detailed and intimidatingly large tables. After that lecture, I was sure that this whole medical education thing and I were just not going to work out.

Little did I know that they basically covered everything we needed to know in Block 2 during those first few lectures and would spend the next three weeks just reviewing everything over and over again.

Edit: Krippy is the bomb-diggity. I wish she would put together one of her tables for all of these immuno facts I'm trying to cram right now.
 
I just remember that lecture she gave within the first week of Block 2 where she hit every detail of every cranial nerve and their associated foramen via her trademark excruciatingly detailed and intimidatingly large tables. After that lecture, I was sure that this whole medical education thing and I were just not going to work out.

Little did I know that they basically covered everything we needed to know in Block 2 during those first few lectures and would spend the next three weeks just reviewing everything over and over again.

Edit: Krippy is the bomb-diggity. I wish she would put together one of her tables for all of these immuno facts I'm trying to cram right now.

I didn't even like her lectures until CTB. I think I disliked block 2 so much I had a mental block against her except in anatomy. I know that I have no desire to be an ENT.
 
I didn't even like her lectures until CTB. I think I disliked block 2 so much I had a mental block against her except in anatomy. I know that I have no desire to be an ENT.

the weird thing is I did better in block 2 first semester than I did for most of the semester....even in biochem.
 
That would've been block 3 for me, with the finals a close 2nd. Block 2 and 3 phys were great too. =)

block 3 biochem kicked my butt, despite the whole "all downhill after block 2 biochem" the M2s told me last year. lying bastards.
 
block 3 biochem kicked my butt, despite the whole "all downhill after block 2 biochem" the M2s told me last year. lying bastards.

I heard people complaining about it after the exam, so I just remained quiet. I didn't want to be martyred because I thought it was too easy. (I didn't get 100%, but it was the only biochem test I honored.)

Edit... I made lots of my own mnemonics up for that stuff, in addition to to stories for somethings, so those helped a lot.
 
and it also looks like I should do research next summer 😱

If you know you're gonna do research, start looking for a preceptor early. Like early October. You don't wanna end up like me...

I started emailing in late October. Didn't have an interview lined up til Nov. Then it was cancelled, then Thanksgiving. Finally met, didn't have a spot for me. Emailed another mass of doctors. Only one answered. Couldn't get an interview til 2nd week in Jan. (mind you the intent to apply form is due Jan 15). Go to interview, find out when I get there that the doc had 3 people already lined up. Not sure why he interviewed me. Humor? Sent out a desparate email. No response. Deadline goes by. Get a response from someone in Feb. Too late for money, but I was willing anyway cuz I wanna do ortho. Emailed back and forth about projects and setting up a meeting time. Then I think he forgot about me. Haven't heard a word since May. No research for me.

2 years ago, like 15 people did research. last year, ~65. This past summer, 100 people. It's starting to get a bit competitive.

On the plus side, I had the most relaxing summer since I was 14. 🙂 Only do research cuz ya really want to, not because you feel like you have too. There are other cool things you can do with your summer too. It's just that research takes early planning.

Now stop thinking about this stuff and go party. You finished block 1! Yeah!!
 
Exactly. I just submitted my proposal for honors. I also liked my preceptor. He said we could go early when we had nothing to do, so there were some weeks I worked 8 hours, but there were also some weeks I worked between 60-70. I had a lot of fun though, even though I never got to go home. =(
how much did you get paid? I'm used to making big money in the summer. 🙁
 
how much did you get paid? I'm used to making big money in the summer. 🙁

You get paid a stipend once a month. I did the 10 week version of the program (you can pick timespans between 8-12 weeks) and I think I came out with just a little over $4,000. So I guess that probably comes out to somewhere around $10/hr. Not too bad for getting paid to read journal articles half the time...
 
Back to bed, you! 😉 I'm already at school since I left my bike here, and my wife has to work at 7am.

I like doing manual labor during the summer - cleanses your brain of all that larning you did all year. $4000 isn't bad, but I can pull down a grand in a week of intense landscaping.

Anyways, who decided that research was going to be the hurdle du jour? Most people going into these fields won't be doing research again, so why have them do it now? Cheap labor?
 
Yeah, if I'm not worried about boards yet, you guys definitely shouldn't be.
I've always been a "plan ahead" kind of guy, and when I figure out what I'm gonna do, I do it. That's why I'm married and in med school at 22. I'm not worried about the boards, but I'd hate to find out that I can't go into a specialty I really liked just because my scores/research won't cut it.
 
Let me know what seasons you need. Me and my trusty desktop "Sally" may be able to help out.

I actually don't own any seasons of Scrubs. The only TV shows I've ever bought are Arrested Development, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and the best of Trigger Happy TV (the latter being from England so it's region 2... I'm still trying to figure out a way to watch it).
 
ps....M1s...seriously, stop worrying aboot boards right now. you'll have an aneurysm.

I'm not worried about aneurysms...I have great type III.




Nothing motivates you back to school like manual labor in 103 degrees.
 
Back to bed, you! 😉 I'm already at school since I left my bike here, and my wife has to work at 7am.

I like doing manual labor during the summer - cleanses your brain of all that larning you did all year. $4000 isn't bad, but I can pull down a grand in a week of intense landscaping.

Anyways, who decided that research was going to be the hurdle du jour? Most people going into these fields won't be doing research again, so why have them do it now? Cheap labor?


Hey if you've got a landscaping job you can go back too, I'd do it. There were a few guys in our class that worked construction all summer. I'm jealous of them. I had actually applied to a "plant watering" job, only to be told I wasn't qualified. When the hell did you need experience to drive around the county and water plants?! I really wanted that job too... Oh well.
 
Hey if you've got a landscaping job you can go back too, I'd do it. There were a few guys in our class that worked construction all summer. I'm jealous of them. I had actually applied to a "plant watering" job, only to be told I wasn't qualified. When the hell did you need experience to drive around the county and water plants?! I really wanted that job too... Oh well.
for who? Lieds, KEI, David J Frank? My dad has a small client base, but it consists mostly of people who are fabulously wealthy and spend a lot of money on their landscape. We had one customer spend enough on his landscape in a single year to pay for my entire MCW education.

but like I said....I don't want to be at a disadvantage when I apply for a residency. 😳



btw, Splat, I had to trade tour guides because I was supposed to be in your group, but I'm staying strong.
 
ps....M1s...seriously, stop worrying aboot boards right now. you'll have an aneurysm.

seriously.

I actually didn't "sort of" start studying for it until the spring, even though I always told myself I would get an early jump on things. Many people have big step one plans M2 year, but the truth is, your plate is pretty full as it is (especially in the fall).

M1's, don't worry at all. At most, get a First Aid, and maybe page through it after/during a block to see what the main points are. But I don't even think you need to do that.

M2's, I'd have all sorts of info, but I won't bore you all with that here. If you want, PM me... anyone is welcome.

Edit: The research program is totally money, especially if you're thinking competitive, but also as a good way to spend the summer (cause you get paid too). I'm doing honors also, and I was lucky enough to get a great mentor out of the deal, as well as a couple of papers to boot. But the M2's are right, get on the ball now if you want to find the right fit for you.

That being said, remember, not everyone needs to do research. Maybe some time away from medicine is better for you, or an externship. Do what you want, because this will seriously be your last true summer off.

Funk, I PM'd you.
 
seriously.

I actually didn't "sort of" start studying for it until the spring, even though I always told myself I would get an early jump on things. Many people have big step one plans M2 year, but the truth is, your plate is pretty full as it is (especially in the fall).

M1's, don't worry at all. At most, get a First Aid, and maybe page through it after/during a block to see what the main points are. But I don't even think you need to do that.

M2's, I'd have all sorts of info, but I won't bore you all with that here. If you want, PM me... anyone is welcome.

Edit: The research program is totally money, especially if you're thinking competitive, but also as a good way to spend the summer (cause you get paid too). I'm doing honors also, and I was lucky enough to get a great mentor out of the deal, as well as a couple of papers to boot. But the M2's are right, get on the ball now if you want to find the right fit for you.

That being said, remember, not everyone needs to do research. Maybe some time away from medicine is better for you, or an externship. Do what you want, because this will seriously be your last true summer off.

Funk, I PM'd you.

Yeah, Don, you are such a chatty Cathy! Gosh... know when to shut it. 😛
 
I'm not worried about the boards. I was just trying to measure how well mcw does and how well I can expect to do. Plus, I didn't even know what order of magnitude the average score was. Perhaps they don't even use numbers, just letters.

BTW, does anyone have the email of the cardiology interest group person? Or can I find 'em on ANGEL?
 
I'm not worried about the boards. I was just trying to measure how well mcw does and how well I can expect to do. Plus, I didn't even know what order of magnitude the average score was. Perhaps they don't even use numbers, just letters.

BTW, does anyone have the email of the cardiology interest group person? Or can I find 'em on ANGEL?

Im not aware of a cardiology interest group. But if anesthesia "tickles your receptors" ....you know who to call

</shameless AIG plug>
 
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