MCW Class of 2012

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I have a question for anyone who currently lives or has lived in Wilshire Manor...How well do cell phones work on the Cingular/ATT network? Verizon Wireless network?
 
I don't live at Wilshire but frequently visit a friend there and never have problems with the verizon wireless.
 
Not sure if this has been asked already, but what would be the best bank to switch over to? Right now I'm part of Bank of America, but I just found out that the BoA's stop right at the Illinois barrier. Kind of far to drive to do some banking...
 
Not sure if this has been asked already, but what would be the best bank to switch over to? Right now I'm part of Bank of America, but I just found out that the BoA's stop right at the Illinois barrier. Kind of far to drive to do some banking...

There'll be a bunch of banks at the orientation on some day.

I got US Bank. There's a US Bank branch in Froedtert East (handy when I didn't want to stop at the grocery store to deposit checks). I went with US Bank because it seemed to have the widest distribution, and I got free checks. I don't use it too much anymore because now I've got a bank where I can do deposit at home and free checks for life. However, this is with a military company. I think the ATM at MCW is an M&I, but I got in the habit of using debit cards and getting cash at the grocery store during college.
 
I'm an idiot and I can't read calenders.

I'm looking at the M1 calender (draft I suppose) but how am I supposed to know what things I HAVE to go to versus things that are optional or are for "groups" or whatever.

http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/User/ddenzin/M1_Fall_2008_Draft.pdf

Someone wiser help me?

The reason I ask this is because I plan on going into Chicago after class Fridays but I want to know when I can leave.

Thanks!
 
I'm an idiot and I can't read calenders.

I'm looking at the M1 calender (draft I suppose) but how am I supposed to know what things I HAVE to go to versus things that are optional or are for "groups" or whatever.

http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/User/ddenzin/M1_Fall_2008_Draft.pdf

Someone wiser help me?

The reason I ask this is because I plan on going into Chicago after class Fridays but I want to know when I can leave.

Thanks!

It looks like during the fall your Friday afternoons are spent in anatomy lecture and lab. Lectures are almost invariably optional, and the anatomy ones are definitely skippable. The anatomy lab, on the other hand, is pseudo-required. While there won't be any attendance taken, it's considered pretty poor form to skip out on lab sessions too frequently, as this forces the rest of your group to cover the required dissections for you (since the practical exams are based entirely on the dissections done by the groups in the class). You can always miss a session here and there, but doing it consistently could earn you a reputation as someone who's not a team player, which during M1 and M2 year is akin to the kiss of death. (Please understand I'm not indicating this applies to you, just making a general statement on the worst case scenario).

The good news is that my understanding of traffic into Chicago on a Friday afternoon indicates that leaving at 5 as compared to earlier in the afternoon probably won't make a huge difference on when you end up getting to your destination because traffic is such a b!tch.
 
Not sure if this has been asked already, but what would be the best bank to switch over to? Right now I'm part of Bank of America, but I just found out that the BoA's stop right at the Illinois barrier. Kind of far to drive to do some banking...

Is there a WellsFargo located near school? Thanks!
 
I'm an idiot and I can't read calenders.

I'm looking at the M1 calender (draft I suppose) but how am I supposed to know what things I HAVE to go to versus things that are optional or are for "groups" or whatever.

http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/User/ddenzin/M1_Fall_2008_Draft.pdf

Someone wiser help me?

The reason I ask this is because I plan on going into Chicago after class Fridays but I want to know when I can leave.

Thanks!
The only stuff that is truly required are usually the small groups, and they do take attendance. For M1, that would be Medical Information Management small groups, Problem-Based Learning small groups, and Medical Interviewing. They'll know if you're not there. Almost everything else is at your discretion, but like Funk said, it's not fair to frequently dodge anatomy.
 
Any golfers amongst the future MCW-ers or current MCW-ers?

If so, any suggestions as to where good driving ranges are and good courses?

Also, for me, good = not mind blowing expensive.
 
Any golfers amongst the future MCW-ers or current MCW-ers?

If so, any suggestions as to where good driving ranges are and good courses?

Also, for me, good = not mind blowing expensive.

There's a driving range in Brookfield on Bluemound behind the Cost Plus. I haven't been to any courses, but at the driving range, there's a booklet with all the golf courses in the Milwaukee area. I think it was $6 for a large bucket of balls at that driving range (I'm bad at names of places).
 
just wondering what my options are for buying a bed...i'm looking at sears right now...anything else??
 
just wondering what my options are for buying a bed...i'm looking at sears right now...anything else??
Colders had the best deals, by far, when I was mattress shopping two years ago. I'm not happy with my Serta though. I think they had a number of other brands though.
 
I got an amazing Beauty Rest mattress at Steinhafels. I got bed furniture at Ashley furniture. I love my bed.

So did I. It is awesome. I can't remember if the tag goes at the head or foot of the bed...mine is a non-flip, non-rotate.



Isn't there a Bank of America on North ave?
 
So did I. It is awesome. I can't remember if the tag goes at the head or foot of the bed...mine is a non-flip, non-rotate.



Isn't there a Bank of America on North ave?

Mine's non-flip/rotate too. I got a latex extra padding I think, and my parents bought a mattress for my other room that had tempur-pedic like material for the extra padding... I think that one's more comfortable.

I did a search for BoA based on the zip code here, and I only saw ones in Chicago on the website.
 
Hey guys and gals!

I'm in Milwaukee right now trying to get an apartment. Now, is it normal to give the leasing office a copy of your financial aid packet as part of the application? This leasing office told me that I needed to submit a proof of income...and since I won't be working, I'll be living off loans. I didn't have to do this when I rented my apartment in Atlanta, so I'm a bit confused.

I really like this apartment, but I'm just worried that I won't receive my financial aid packet anytime soon...and it kind of feels awkward leaving Milwaukee w/o actually signing a lease/paying a security deposit...and having to fly back up to do that all over again.

On a brighter note, are there any touristy places you guys recommend me to visit during my visit here?

Thanks!
 
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On a brighter note, are there any touristy places you guys recommend me to visit during my visit here?
The art museum or Discovery World right next to it (I think they have an aquarium there now), the regular public museum, Miller Brewery tour...
 
Hey guys and gals!

I'm in Milwaukee right now trying to get an apartment. Now, is it normal to give the leasing office a copy of your financial aid packet as part of the application? This leasing office told me that I needed to submit a proof of income...and since I won't be working, I'll be living off loans. I didn't have to do this when I rented my apartment in Atlanta, so I'm a bit confused.

I really like this apartment, but I'm just worried that I won't receive my financial aid packet anytime soon...and it kind of feels awkward leaving Milwaukee w/o actually signing a lease/paying a security deposit...and having to fly back up to do that all over again.

On a brighter note, are there any touristy places you guys recommend me to visit during my visit here?

Thanks!

Howdy.

When I applied to Normandy Village back in twenty-o-five, they asked for that, but also offered me the option of having a co-signer on my lease, so my dad was willing to do that for me. I wasn't comfortable with them having copies of my financial aid stuff.
 
I really like this apartment, but I'm just worried that I won't receive my financial aid packet anytime soon...and it kind of feels awkward leaving Milwaukee w/o actually signing a lease/paying a security deposit...and having to fly back up to do that all over again.

I totally know the feeling. My roommate and I went up for a day and we completely forgot our checkbooks. We got super lucky and found a really great place though. I think I have the mentality that everything will end up working itself out.
 
Howdy.

When I applied to Normandy Village back in twenty-o-five, they asked for that, but also offered me the option of having a co-signer on my lease, so my dad was willing to do that for me. I wasn't comfortable with them having copies of my financial aid stuff.

Well, the Financial Aid Office emailed me saying that they probably can't get my financial aid packet until the end of this month...So, I'll go back tomorrow and see if I can have my mom co-sign my lease. 😀

I totally know the feeling. My roommate and I went up for a day and we completely forgot our checkbooks. We got super lucky and found a really great place though. I think I have the mentality that everything will end up working itself out.

Eww, forgot your checkbook? That totally sucks! Well, my trouble wasn't as bad...For me, as soon as I got to Milwaukee, I found out that my one and only credit card got disabled. 🙁 It turned out that my dad's bank didn't pay off my last month's credit card payment. Well, I shall be like you. "Think positively!" 😛 Everything will be alright soon.
 
Hi future classmates! I was hoping for some geeky computer advice...I am planning to buy a Macbook and wanted some feedback if I should go for the upgrade for RAM, from 2GB to 4GB ($200) and/or for hard drive space, from 160 GB to 250 GB ($100). I plan on using this computer for every thing. However, I do have a perfectly fine old desktop that I wasn't planning to bring... or should I?

Also, does MCW have the histology slides on the computer? Or do you use the microscope for viewing?

Thank you so much for your help!!! I've been a "silent watcher" of this forum and it already has helped me a lot- so thank you!
 
I can't comment too much on Macs, since I haven't bought one in a VERY LONG time, but my belief has always been that there is NO SUCH THING as too much RAM.

The histology slides are on computer, using Virtual Microscope that, last I checked, did not work on the Mac. But there are sufficient computers in the computer lab and the library that your life will not be over if you can't get the slides on your Mac. This is not a particularly Mac-friendly campus as far as I can see, but the Mac owners seem to love their Macs anyway, so it's probably fine.
 
yeah, I have 3GB of RAM on my desktop, and I can't really do ANYTHING that makes it exceed using 2 of those 3. Don't bother getting four, because I can almost guarantee that I'm using more resource-intensive processes (Call of Duty 4, DVD burning, Photoshop, etc).

And uh, you'll only need 250GB of HDD space if you download lots of movies.
 
I do love my MacBook, but occasionally the compatibility with the Microsoft World is slightly unfortunate. I love the capabilities of Mac's version of powerpoint (Keynote)...sharp graphics/backgrounds, etc...but some of the awesome animations I would like to use to cover up my lack of intelligence by making it look pretty doesn't switch over to powerpoint if I have to export it.

Also, the browsers I use, firefox and safari, don't give you full "control" over the MCW email server like Internet Explorer does. Which makes me sad.

But I love the little camera on top, my cats like the taste of the power cord and the corner of the screen (despite my discouragement), and the operation of the computer just feels more streamlined than the PC when I want to do stuff now that I'm not overly concerned with fiddling with computers anymore. The really heartbreaking thing though is the the new Mac OS is completely incompatible with some of my old mac games I would love to play again (SimCity, SimFarm, SimAnt, Warcraft II, etc.).

In terms of gross incompatibility with school, I think the major problem you'll face is that yes, perhaps you can't view the online histology slides from home on it (which never worked very well anyway...way too slow. I just went to the computer lab where I could focus better anyway).
 
Thanks for the reply! FYI- if anyone is planning to buy a computer, Apple is having a deal where you get a free 8G Ipod and $100 off a printer if you buy a computer. So depending on what printer you get, it could be free!
 
I just read this post in the pre-allo forum. It talks about some important things that applicants should consider when choosing school. I'm wondering if any MS3/MS4 can comment on this point. THanks in advance! 🙂

"4) How are medical students protected from scut?

If they cannot give you a real answer to this question expect to learn alot about running bloods to the lab and wheeling patients to the CT scanner and very little about managing an MI.

Some schools do a good job of setting up systems to prevent this, however I have also met interns who told me that they failed the surgery shelf because their school was rampant with scut and they didn't learn anything. I think my school did a very good job at scut control, however I have wheeled my share of patients to CT at 2 am."
 
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I just read this post in the pre-allo forum. It talks about some important things that applicants should consider when choosing school. I'm wondering if any MS3/MS4 can comment on this point. THanks in advance! 🙂

"4) How are medical students protected from scut?

If they cannot give you a real answer to this question expect to learn alot about running bloods to the lab and wheeling patients to the CT scanner and very little about managing an MI.

Some schools do a good job of setting up systems to prevent this, however I have also met interns who told me that they failed the surgery shelf because their school was rampant with scut and they didn't learn anything. I think my school did a very good job at scut control, however I have wheeled my share of patients to CT at 2 am."

I think most of my residents have been extremely good about not scutting me out...in the rare instance that they have, it's been with an apology and a promise that they'll do some teaching afterward. I've never been asked to run samples down to the lab. Scut is all relative, as well. Personally, I don't equate being assigned a task that I will have to know how to do as an intern with scut. You have to learn it sometime. As far as wheeling a patient to CT at 2AM (not that it's ever happened to me), doing that is actually very beneficial to your education as you can review the scan right away with the radiologist, so I don't see why anybody would complain about that.
 
Questions for the upper classmen.

Is 1.1 miles to the south of MCW at hawthorne and glenview ave a good area? Is it walkable? WIll I freeze and die in the winter? Is there a bus route there?

Thank you.
 
I think most of my residents have been extremely good about not scutting me out...in the rare instance that they have, it's been with an apology and a promise that they'll do some teaching afterward. I've never been asked to run samples down to the lab. Scut is all relative, as well. Personally, I don't equate being assigned a task that I will have to know how to do as an intern with scut. You have to learn it sometime. As far as wheeling a patient to CT at 2AM (not that it's ever happened to me), doing that is actually very beneficial to your education as you can review the scan right away with the radiologist, so I don't see why anybody would complain about that.

I was scutted out on peds, but after I started crying at teaching rounds, my teaching attending asked what was going on, said it was wrong, and he went to administration for me; I also spoke with my senior resident, and she watched out for me. Didn't totally stop the scut, but people knew what was going on, and it stopped the major stuff.

As for wheeling someone to CT... I can't control hospital beds very well, so I wouldn't want to do that.

Questions for the upper classmen.

Is 1.1 miles to the south of MCW at hawthorne and glenview ave a good area? Is it walkable? WIll I freeze and die in the winter? Is there a bus route there?

Thank you.

I think it's a find area.

Walkable in the summer

Yes, but I've seen people walk it in the winter. They are crazy.

Yes. 31.
 
I don't really feel I've ever been given scut to do. Even sucky things are really part of patient care.

The one thing I do hate (which happened mostly on medicine) is when your resident tells you to look up labs and they actually already have the labs, and have nothing else for you to do, but you have to be there.
 
I don't really feel I've ever been given scut to do. Even sucky things are really part of patient care.

The one thing I do hate (which happened mostly on medicine) is when your resident tells you to look up labs and they actually already have the labs, and have nothing else for you to do, but you have to be there.

That was totally surgery -- both months.

I think standing at the computer putting in orders from your resident's pager for patients whom you've never seen, and whom your resident has not evaluated = scut and poor clinical practice. It's also running around the hospital putting your residents notes away in the charts because your resident doesn't want to (after you put yours away long before rounds), and then that resident just starts putting the notes on your stuff anticipating you to do it. If there was an alpaca shearing party at Racine, I think I was not invited to it because of my peds intern.
 
If there was an alpaca shearing party at Racine, I think I was not invited to it because of my peds intern.

I never heard anything about an alpaca shearing party, so either we both got snubbed or the whole alpaca story was just a cover for her black-market faux cashmere operation.
 
I already posted this question in the pre-allo forum, but does anyone know the name of those folders that people bring with them on interview days? I have one, but someone gave it to me, so I have no idea what they are called.
 
I never heard anything about an alpaca shearing party, so either we both got snubbed or the whole alpaca story was just a cover for her black-market faux cashmere operation.

She told us in October (after we visited the alpaca farm) that we'd all be invited to the alpaca shearing party in June. One of my friends who was there 2 years before us said a lot of food was involved.
 
I already posted this question in the pre-allo forum, but does anyone know the name of those folders that people bring with them on interview days? I have one, but someone gave it to me, so I have no idea what they are called.

A "folder"?

Something like this?

I googled "leather folder" since I'm assuming that's what people brought. I usually had the folder I was given. However I use a folder with a zipper on it now.
 
She told us in October (after we visited the alpaca farm) that we'd all be invited to the alpaca shearing party in June. One of my friends who was there 2 years before us said a lot of food was involved.

yeah, she told us about the alpaca party, too. Guess we weren't cool enough to get the invite.
 
Hi everyone,

I am actually going to be an M2 next year, but I really need some advice from older students.

I just found out I am pregnant. Baby daddy is a classmate/ex-boyfriend. At first, he was super supportive and said that he would do his share of the work to take care of our child. Now, he is saying he wants nothing to do with baby, and is strongly urging adoption.

While I haven't ruled out adoption completely, it is not my first choice- I would really rather keep my baby. I am also strongly opposed to abortion for myself.

So my question is-- in your opinions, do you think I can manage being a single mother/2nd year medical student? The baby is due in February. I hear from my friends that there isn't as much of a requirement to be at school as in first year, so how much time would you say I will actually need to be at school physically? Are there certain classes that are required?

Thanks so much. You will probably recognize me as the pregnant M2 this fall.
 
Hi everyone,

I am actually going to be an M2 next year, but I really need some advice from older students.

I just found out I am pregnant. Baby daddy is a classmate/ex-boyfriend. At first, he was super supportive and said that he would do his share of the work to take care of our child. Now, he is saying he wants nothing to do with baby, and is strongly urging adoption.

While I haven't ruled out adoption completely, it is not my first choice- I would really rather keep my baby. I am also strongly opposed to abortion for myself.

So my question is-- in your opinions, do you think I can manage being a single mother/2nd year medical student? The baby is due in February. I hear from my friends that there isn't as much of a requirement to be at school as in first year, so how much time would you say I will actually need to be at school physically? Are there certain classes that are required?

Thanks so much. You will probably recognize me as the pregnant M2 this fall.
Oh, wow, first off, I can't imagine being in your shoes! Best of luck to you with all of this! Is your family nearby at all? Supportive? And Mr. Baby Daddy is in your class, so he'll be around?

I would strongly recommend going and talking to the school administration as soon as possible. Since you're already a student, they definitely want you to succeed, so the earlier they know about your situation, the more willing/able they will be to accommodate you.


There's plenty of things you can skip and still do well. I didn't go to hardly any non-required classes during my second year, and that was never a factor in my exam performance, IMO. If I didn't do well, it's just because I didn't study the handouts as much as was necessary - not because it was something they said in class that I missed out on (besides, you can listen to the lectures anyways if you want).
 
Hi everyone,

I am actually going to be an M2 next year, but I really need some advice from older students.

I just found out I am pregnant. Baby daddy is a classmate/ex-boyfriend. At first, he was super supportive and said that he would do his share of the work to take care of our child. Now, he is saying he wants nothing to do with baby, and is strongly urging adoption.

While I haven't ruled out adoption completely, it is not my first choice- I would really rather keep my baby. I am also strongly opposed to abortion for myself.

So my question is-- in your opinions, do you think I can manage being a single mother/2nd year medical student? The baby is due in February. I hear from my friends that there isn't as much of a requirement to be at school as in first year, so how much time would you say I will actually need to be at school physically? Are there certain classes that are required?

Thanks so much. You will probably recognize me as the pregnant M2 this fall.

Wow, greatest first post ever....

Not sure if you should really be looking to us about managing a baby and a med school courseload, as nobody here has had to deal with that yet. 2nd semester of M2 year has a bunch of required-attendance stuff for CER, and the workload with pharm and path is pretty hefty. While many students have performed well while skipping classes, they also didn't have newborn baby to provide round the clock care for.

If you want my honest opinion, I'm not gonna blow sunshine up your ass about this: I think it would be nearly impossible to be a single mother of a newborn baby during 2nd year without a substantial amount of support in the form of childcare from your family (this would have to be nearly full-time). It wouldn't even really help to have the father be involved, since he will have the same requirements and workload as you.

I'm assuming you've considered the fact that the baby will only be 5 months old when you start third year, so I would guess that you're weighing taking a year off starting in July 2009 vs. taking M2 (or 2nd semester M2) year off. If you haven't already, you need to start a dialogue about this with the deans to see what your options are. Most med schools are pretty cool about granting leaves of absence...I dunno how the administration here will react to your situation, though - recent interactions with them have left a bad taste in my mouth, so I should probably just hold my tongue.

Also, if you haven't already, I would consider talking to a lawyer about where you stand in terms of getting financial support from the father of the baby. Precedent would say he doesn't get a free pass out of this just because he wants you to put it up for adoption.

Good luck with all this, and I hope I didn't come off as too harsh or anything, but you definitely have some big decisions to make.

If you do wind up thinking more about adoption, I would be happy to pass along my mom's information to you. She's an adoption attorney and would be more than willing to answer any questions you might have about the process, and I would guess that she would represent you at a very reasonable rate since she would be sympathetic to your situation as a med student (and actually, in most cases the legal fees of the birth mother are paid by the adopting family anyway).
 
Wow, greatest first post ever....

Not sure if you should really be looking to us about managing a baby and a med school courseload, as nobody here has had to deal with that yet. 2nd semester of M2 year has a bunch of required-attendance stuff for CER, and the workload with pharm and path is pretty hefty. While Prowler may have performed well while skipping classes, he also didn't have newborn baby to provide round the clock care for.

If you want my honest opinion, I'm not gonna blow sunshine up your ass about this: I think it would be nearly impossible to be a single mother of a newborn baby during 2nd year without a substantial amount of support in the form of childcare from your family (this would have to be nearly full-time). It wouldn't even really help to have the father be involved, since he will have the same requirements and workload as you.

I'm assuming you've considered the fact that the baby will only be 5 months old when you start third year, so I would guess that you're weighing taking a year off starting in July 2009 vs. taking M2 (or 2nd semester M2) year off. If you haven't already, you need to start a dialogue about this with the deans to see what your options are. Most med schools are pretty cool about granting leaves of absence...I dunno how the administration here will react to your situation, though - recent interactions with them have left a bad taste in my mouth, so I should probably just hold my tongue.

Also, if you haven't already, I would consider talking to a lawyer about where you stand in terms of getting financial support from the father of the baby. Precedent would say he doesn't get a free pass out of this just because he wants you to put it up for adoption.

Good luck with all this, and I hope I didn't come off as too harsh or anything, but you definitely have some big decisions to make.

If you do wind up thinking more about adoption, I would be happy to pass along my mom's information to you. She's an adoption attorney and would be more than willing to answer any questions you might have about the process, and I would guess that she would represent you at a very reasonable rate since she would be sympathetic to your situation as a med student (although most legal fees of the birth mother are paid by the adopting family anyway).

I wish you the best in whatever you do, Bunny7757.

I agree with Gimlet. The admin is generally sympathetic to pregnant students. There was someone who was in the c/o 2009 and gave birth in Jan 07. She started the semester, then decided to take a leave of absence. Since it was preapproved, she only had to redo the first part of M2 semester. She might've finished the >1 semester courses though, like CER, psych, path. I don't totally remember.

There were those that got placed higher up for their choices of M3 tracks based on them just having a baby or being due.
 
I wish you the best in whatever you do, Bunny7757.

I agree with Gimlet. The admin is generally sympathetic to pregnant students. There was someone who was in the c/o 2009 and gave birth in Jan 07. She started the semester, then decided to take a leave of absence. Since it was preapproved, she only had to redo the first part of M2 semester. She might've finished the >1 semester courses though, like CER, psych, path. I don't totally remember.

There were those that got placed higher up for their choices of M3 tracks based on them just having a baby or being due.

She did complete Path, and only had do pharm and Health policy.


BTW, being the 1st post by this person, I'm suspicious. But if this post is true, well, good luck.
 
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