MCW Class of 2012

[achybrachy]

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I have a friend who I'm thinking about living with who wants to live in Brewer's Hill. I'd like to be close enough that getting there isn't a huge pain, and I'd like to be someplace that's relatively safe. Thoughts?

Close enough...to the med school? Anywhere reasonably close to the med school will be very safe. It's pretty far out from any of the bad neighborhoods.

 

[45408]

I have a friend who I'm thinking about living with who wants to live in Brewer's Hill. I'd like to be close enough that getting there isn't a huge pain, and I'd like to be someplace that's relatively safe. Thoughts?

if you're west of 50th street, it's probably a decent neighborhood, and if you're west of 70th, you're probably golden. 😉 On the other side, if you're east of 2-3rd street (Riverwest), you're probably okay, definitely okay once you're east of the river (east side).

 

[ecca58]

Ok, so I'm going to give up on the apartment questions since it's probably the best to just get my butt up there and actually search by walking/driving.

Now, here's another question. I've noticed that there is no IKEA in WI. 🙁 Are there any cheap but nice furniture stores near MCW? Maybe OOS students could enlighten me on what to do. Should I:

(A) Buy furnitures in local stores of WI
(B) Buy furnitures in Georgia, rent a Uhaul, and drive to WI
(C) Buy furnitures online and have them shipped to WI

Or, maybe there are better choices that I haven't even imagined. Any feedback is welcomed! 😉

Sorry for the question bombardment. I've never lived out of state before so I'm having a hard time organizing my prepatory steps for WI.

 

[Xandie]

I'm going to scoop April on this and say Craigslist!

But also... shipping furniture is ridiculously expensive, don't do that.

There is an IKEA in Schaumberg, which is a not bad hour or so (I drive fast) drive.

If you do need something to move stuff (i.e. a trailer), U-haul has a bad rep. I've been pricing trucks for moving in May, and Penske seems to be the best option, at least for what I need.

 

[Ashers]

I bought furniture here and had it delivered because my mom and I didn't want to carry it up 2 flights of stairs. I think the furniture is also my med school graduation present.

 

[Agent Splat]

I bought furniture here and had it delivered because my mom and I didn't want to carry it up 2 flights of stairs. I think the furniture is also my med school graduation present.

good...i don't need to get you anything, then?

 

[Xandie]

But the real question is, what are you going to get ME for graduation? And Don too, because you know, he's my partner in crime... and also in transfusion medicine next month. Ha!

 

[Agent Splat]

But the real question is, what are you going to get ME for graduation? And Don too, because you know, he's my partner in crime... and also in transfusion medicine next month. Ha!

here's to hoping you both like squash.

 

[Ashers]

good...i don't need to get you anything, then?

No, that's not true. You still need to get me something for Ashleigh Wednesday too. 😛 I actually used to make leis for all my good friends for graduation, because usually I made the leis that take hours to make and can sell for $50 at home. Here, I don't think they'd be appreciated as much as in HI.

I say for graduation we make Xandie and Don go out to dinner with the 09ers.

 

[Xandie]

Wait, I could get lei-d? Sign me up.

Don likes to get food poisoning when we're trying to go out for dinner.

 

[45408]

I bought furniture here and had it delivered because my mom and I didn't want to carry it up 2 flights of stairs. I think the furniture is also my med school graduation present.

side note to anyone planning on doing this - a delivery charge for something like my couch would have been $60, and that was just across town. I did order a desk from OfficeMax that was shipped quite cheaply though, so look out. It was also on sale on their website, and their website often has $30 off purchases over $150, so it was like $120 total. Craigslist has lots of great furniture. I got a washer and dryer for $150 total, and they work great. I also bought my TV+stand for $300 off Craigslist (which incidentally turned out to be an MCW student in the class of 09).

Like Xandie said, IKEA is only about an hour away, and I got all this stuff there when we moved into our new apartment - the rug, the lamps, the kitchen cart, assorted wall art, all of our dishes, the clothes rack, the hamper, the garbage cans, etc., for $200.

Colders on Highway 100, just south of I-94, has some pretty good furniture, and at fairly reasonable prices (got a dining table + 4 chairs for $200) American or Steinhafels are also pretty good.

 

[Ashers]

Wait, I could get lei-d? Sign me up.

Don likes to get food poisoning when we're trying to go out for dinner.

I guess you could. Maybe I could make a couple leis during my free time on peds. If I find a place that sells decent satin, I'll consider it.

I know. Don and you totally need to meet with us again to impart your wisdoms.

BTW... it totally sucks having to do a presentation for surgery when I've had 1 day to find a topic, and the same day I have to write the stupid presentation, and not using powerpoint, since I've never done a powerpoint presentation in my life, I also have to know everything about cardiac ischemia to meet with Dr. Almassi tomorrow morning. UGH!

 

[Xandie]

This really belongs in the 09er thread, but whatever. UpToDate is KEY for both Dr. Almassi and Dr. Haasler's discussions. I looked like a rock star in all of those things, due almost entirely to UpToDate. And also, being cute (or something... I feel asleep during discussion one day and Dr Haasler said it was okay, he understood... very strange, but I'll take it).

 

[Ashers]

This really belongs in the 09er thread, but whatever. UpToDate is KEY for both Dr. Almassi and Dr. Haasler's discussions. I looked like a rock star in all of those things, due almost entirely to UpToDate. And also, being cute (or something... I feel asleep during discussion one day and Dr Haasler said it was okay, he understood... very strange, but I'll take it).

Meh, we're the cancer that takes over all allo-MCW threads.

Maybe I'll have time to look at uptodate after rounds tomorrow. I haven't used it since OB/gyn and Cruikshank lunches.

 

[samenewme]

On the furniture issue, stores like Target have been imitating IKEA for a while now, so unless the low-VOC glue is important to you, you don't have to go to Illinois for easy-to-assemble, inexpensive furniture.

 

[ecca58]

Schaumberg, you say? Sweet. I must have google-mapped the wrong IKEA...which was 5.5 hours away. An hour drive should be nothing. Oh, and I'm definitely hitting up Target and Office Max/Office Depot.

Thanks for the advice, y'all! 😀

 

[donnyfire]

This really belongs in the 09er thread, but whatever. UpToDate is KEY for both Dr. Almassi and Dr. Haasler's discussions. I looked like a rock star in all of those things, due almost entirely to UpToDate. And also, being cute (or something... I feel asleep during discussion one day and Dr Haasler said it was okay, he understood... very strange, but I'll take it).

So true.

 

[hereIcome]

I interviewed at MCW on Friday and completely fell in love! I feel like I can barely wait the week and a half to check my mail. I definitely didn't expect to love it that much, but I really, really did! I'll definitely be back to post in this thread if I get that wonderful envelope!

 

[Agent Splat]

I interviewed at MCW on Friday and completely fell in love! I feel like I can barely wait the week and a half to check my mail. I definitely didn't expect to love it that much, but I really, really did! I'll definitely be back to post in this thread if I get that wonderful envelope!

Best wishes to you!

 

[akpete]

I interviewed at MCW on Friday and completely fell in love! I feel like I can barely wait the week and a half to check my mail. I definitely didn't expect to love it that much, but I really, really did! I'll definitely be back to post in this thread if I get that wonderful envelope!

Good luck! Glad you had such a good time here.

 

[ecca58]

I interviewed at MCW on Friday and completely fell in love! I feel like I can barely wait the week and a half to check my mail. I definitely didn't expect to love it that much, but I really, really did! I'll definitely be back to post in this thread if I get that wonderful envelope!

Good luck~!

P.S. - Holy shyt, your stats are awesome! Impressive interview list, too. 👍

 

[hereIcome]

Thanks everyone! And thanks for the compliment about my stats. I've had some really great interviews, but I've decided I don't really care about rankings or the like. I really just want certain things from a school and it seems like MCW has them all. PLUS, it's right by my family and my fiance's family as well. We are both really excited about the idea of moving close to home again. But, I am waiting to see a few more schools, so I guess it's not set in stone (if I even get in) that I would matriculate at MCW. But it's looking really good right now!

 

[relf]

hey current MCWers

is MCW *purely* pass/fail?

also, does MCW run a second look weekend?

thanks!

 

[Xandie]

No and no.

We're not even a little pass-fail, we're honors-high pass-pass-low pass-fail.

And while there's no official second look weekend, you'd be welcome to come check things out at any time!

 

[NBCDTT]

Is mcw honors, high pass, pass...etc for internal AND external transcripts? I have heard of schools using pass fail for external transcripts but record grades for internal use

 

[Xandie]

Internal and external, yep.

 

[donnyfire]

edit: Nevermind.

 

[Agent Splat]

edit: Nevermind.

Ha! I guess the foot's on the other hand now, isn't it, donny?

 

[bullishMD]

i think when i was at my interview they said that mcw doesnt do a ranking system? is this true? thanks!

 

[Xandie]

Sort of. You'll never know your rank, but the school certainly knows where you stand. They use it for AOA and also for your Dean's letter. But you won't ever know, other than which quartile you fall in based on what they say in your Dean's letter.

 

[bullishMD]

For the people that lived downtown, is there a certain place downtown that is safer than others?

 

[45408]

For the people that lived downtown, is there a certain place downtown that is safer than others?

It's mostly about the same. I think it'd be more fun to live on the East Side than downtown, personally. There's a pretty good chance I'll be moving back there this summer.

here are the lake-side neighborhoods. They're all pretty safe, although Riverwest a bit less so in some parts. Once you get west of the freeway, with a few exceptions, there are some pretty sketchy neighborhoods, and then once you get west of around 60th, you're fine. All of Wauwatosa is fine.

 

[Agent Splat]

-3 life points for using too wide of a stroke on your outlines of the neighborhoods.

 

[bullishMD]

thanks prowler! also one more thing how long does it take to establish wisconsin residency?

 

[Xandie]

For what purpose? In-state tuition is one year of NOT being in school in WI. For everything else (voting, etc), you can do it as soon as you have a lease or something for your ID.

 

[45408]

thanks prowler! also one more thing how long does it take to establish wisconsin residency?

If you've never lived in Wisconsin before, I don't think you'd be allowed to claim residency at any point of med school FOR TUITION PURPOSES. Like Xandie said, for anything else, once you move in somewhere, anybody else will consider you a resident.

 

[pratik7]

Ok, so I'm going to give up on the apartment questions since it's probably the best to just get my butt up there and actually search by walking/driving.

Now, here's another question. I've noticed that there is no IKEA in WI. 🙁 Are there any cheap but nice furniture stores near MCW? Maybe OOS students could enlighten me on what to do. Should I:

(A) Buy furnitures in local stores of WI
(B) Buy furnitures in Georgia, rent a Uhaul, and drive to WI
(C) Buy furnitures online and have them shipped to WI

Or, maybe there are better choices that I haven't even imagined. Any feedback is welcomed! 😉

Sorry for the question bombardment. I've never lived out of state before so I'm having a hard time organizing my prepatory steps for WI.

Wait wait ...you are from GA..........Immmmmmmmmmmmmm from GA !!!!!!!!!

 

[Ashers]

Wait wait ...you are from GA..........Immmmmmmmmmmmmm from GA !!!!!!!!!

You obviously don't come onto SDN enough Pratik. I was wondering if you were ever going to see that. It's great you also have so much advice re: moving from GA. 😉

I'm watching the weather channel right now, and it's snowing in Atlanta.

 

[samenewme]

Wait wait ...you are from GA..........Immmmmmmmmmmmmm from GA !!!!!!!!!

I moved here from GA, too. I did it 12 years ago, though, in the middle of a snowstorm. Wiped out into a guardrail in Kentucky. It was a lovely drive.

 

[Agent Splat]

I gotta warn any incoming Georgia people....you tend to become pretty weird after you've been here awhile. Must be something about Georgia.

 

[Ashers]

I gotta warn any incoming Georgia people....you tend to become pretty weird after you've been here awhile. Must be something about Georgia.

Probably something about GA. I met some of my distant family there once, in between 5th and 6th grade. This one kid a few years older than I had a mullet and was riding an ATV. I was just jealous that my dad wouldn't let me ride the ATV. My family's all red necks there near the TN border near Chatanooga.

 

[pratik7]

dont hate me cause im beautiful

 

[ecca58]

Yay for fellow Georgians!!! 😀 pratik, I "might" have heard about you when I went up for my interview. Yeah, if you could give me any tips re: moving from GA to WI, lemme know~! This is my first OOS experience.

Yeah, I must admit, some of us down in GA are big-time rednecks. I am hoping I'm one of those that can't be spotted out within a crowd....unless I happen to order "sweet tea." 👍

 

[Gimlet]

....unless I happen to order "sweet tea." 👍

That's okay...No restaurant up here will know WTF sweet tea is anyway.

 

[Ashers]

Yay for fellow Georgians!!! 😀 pratik, I "might" have heard about you when I went up for my interview. Yeah, if you could give me any tips re: moving from GA to WI, lemme know~! This is my first OOS experience.

Yeah, I must admit, some of us down in GA are big-time rednecks. I am hoping I'm one of those that can't be spotted out within a crowd....unless I happen to order "sweet tea." 👍

My dad drinks sweet tea and sun tea, but he's the "southern" one. I'm a strict tea drinker, but it's hot tea with some milk (the English way). My dad's mom's from northern GA his dad's from TX, and he was from AZ where he said people called him "Southern Boy" or something like that. He said he even grew up saying "pe'-can" instead of "peh-cahn." And I say "y'all" because of him.

 

[Agent Splat]

you can get sweet tea at McDonalds now. I saw it on a sign.

 

[samenewme]

Yay for fellow Georgians!!! 😀 pratik, I "might" have heard about you when I went up for my interview. Yeah, if you could give me any tips re: moving from GA to WI, lemme know~! This is my first OOS experience.

Yeah, I must admit, some of us down in GA are big-time rednecks. I am hoping I'm one of those that can't be spotted out within a crowd....unless I happen to order "sweet tea." 👍

I strongly advise getting covered parking for your first few winters here, and renting a place that shovels for you, and that has heat included in the rent. These simple steps ease the transition into Wisconsin winters just enormously.

 

[Xandie]

Sidenote: It was cold today. Boo hiss. Negative 18 wind chill and I went outside in my workout clothes and a sweatshirt. Bad plan.

 

[samenewme]

Sidenote: It was cold today. Boo hiss. Negative 18 wind chill and I went outside in my workout clothes and a sweatshirt. Bad plan.

Uber bad. I only went outside because I had to go to a funeral. Otherwise I would have been inside in my sweats on sweats layers with hot tea ALL DAY LONG.

 

[Xandie]

My fingers were doing that "it hurts much worse than it should just based on the cold" thing while I was driving home from the gym. I was driving with one hand in my pocket and one on the steering wheel and alternating them. Had I been dressed appropriately, it would have been no big deal.