**Official** NJMS class of 2007

[HouseHead]

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Hey all you planning to go to NJMS this fall! Why don't we have some introductions? Like, where you're from, when you interviewed, why you're choosing NJMS...

I'm in NYC, interviewed in early February. I really like the student-run clinic at NJMS, and my future in-laws live near Newark. The support for non-trads (which I am) seemed great.

Where are y'all planning on living while you're in school there? If near the school, are you planning on owning a car? Any other people from out of NJ going to be relocating before orientation? Who's going to the accepted student luncheon in May? My fiance was invited to the parent day at the end of April; he'll be there 🙂

I am so so so excited! 😀

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

Good to see someone finally started this thread. I was going to but then again I don't see too many people mentioning NJMS and didnt think I would get responses.

Anyways, I'm from FL and I interviewed in early January. I spent the summer of '02 at NJMS and fell in love with the school. I always planned on applying there being that I used to live nearby in NJ 13 yrs ago and I still have family in the area, but once I spent the summer there it became one of my top choices. In the end, of all the schools I interviewed at, it was definitely my top choice. The only school that came close was Einstein.

I think about the only thing that turned me off about NJMS is the living arrangements. I don't like commuting to school and the area around the school isn't the best to live. Oh well I can deal with it. Their curriculum has been known to be lecture intensive but that is changing too. In the fall of 2004 they will unveil a new curriculum that deemphasizes lectures and focuses a lot more on small group learning (PBL) and independent study. It will further integrate basic science and clinical studies. Although I will be starting in 2003, I will be doing a combined MPH and so I will decelerate my first year into two. So I will get a little taste of the new curriculum when it does come.

NJMS also gives you great exposure to hands on medicine from your first year. The city of Newark is the largest in NJ and has a wide variety of cultures, socioeconomic classes, etc. so you will see everything.

Another big reason I will be attending NJMS is because my girlfriend likes it and will be doing their Graduate program during her application year to get some course work under her belt. 😍 If you're reading this, I love you baby...

Ok well I hope more of you respond to this thread. I'm looking forward to meeting you.

Edgar

 

[FZISHN]

As a soon-to-be grad from NJMS, I can answer many of your questions.

Many people live in Montclair, Bloomfield, etc. Some students live in the Society Hill apts next to the hospital. I prefer to live away from Newark due to the crime there, and the lack of safe/good grocery stores, video rental places, parks, etc. My friends at Society Hill only get one parking space for the entire apt, and even the cars that park in Society Hill get broken into (no matter how old or undesireable).

Owning a car is a must. Even if you live in Society Hill or nearby the school, you do not want to walk home at 12 am or to school with the incredible density of traffic. You also need the car for preceptorships in Psych and Family Med that you do during the first two years. The locations of these rotations spreads throughout NJ. When you are in your 3rd and 4th year, you need the car for rotations at Hackensack, Morristown, and the VA hospital. Internal Medicine is 3 months and only one month can be done at UH.

Hope this helps. PM me if you have more q's or post on this site.

 

[HouseHead]

FZISHN, is there a resource on the web for all this stuff? I mean, I'm still not all that sure about much of the curriculum, and I can't seem to find it laid out on their website.

I'm not familiar with the psych and family preceptorships in the first two years. How do those work? I was hoping to avoid buying a car until absolutely necessary, what with price of NJ insurance and all (I'd borrow the in-laws car for shopping on weekends).

How do people swing buying cars as med students? I don't have parents to help me with that sort of thing 🙄

 

[HouseHead]

Has anyone taken advantage of the student host program? I'm considering doing that, since there's no other way to get a second look before the accepted student luncheon in May.

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

Wow, it looks like we're going to have a small class this year (2) lol. I'm so surprised to not see more acceptances and so many acceptances turned down so far in another thread (8) at NJMS. Do you guys know something I don't? If I were to put money on it I would say Newark turned people off. It's alright though, it was the nation's car theft capital a couple of years back but not now. 😀 Don't be scuuuurrrrrreeeed.......

 

[FZISHN]

Househead-

The website pretty much sstinks. They are revamping the curriculum (or so I read on sdn) to decrease lecture time.

People live frugally and lease cars with their loans. You need a reliable car to get around.

The preceptorships are about 8 weeks per year, one afternoon a week. You go after class offsite (could be 2 miles away, could be 40 miles away based onteh lottery) to the preceptor and shadow fam med, psych, etc.

The dental students go to the same school every day for 4 years (no outside rotations) and they all have cars.

 

[HouseHead]

When do the preceptorships start? Is there a specific day or something? It would kinda suck if they had them right before exams, what with the long classroom hours.

I'm hoping to be able to put off the car buying process for as long as possible- I'm totally broke and living on loans will probably be a step up for me 🙁

 

[JMD]

We'll miss ya in B-lo Househead!!!😎

 

[HouseHead]

Thanks JMD. It was a hard decision; I still dig B-Lo's curriculum.
I enjoyed meeting you at the second look day. But, I'll be taking full advantage of NJMS' proximity to House mecca, in case you are ever in town 😀

www.clubshelter.com

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

Has anyone else decided on NJMS? If so who will be at the luncheon and there during the summer?

 

[bigtony99]

I'm in the NJMS class of 2007. Currently I am finishing a grad program in Phila. I liked Jersey for the same reason you all did, great clinical experience and exposure prior to the 3rd and 4th year. My friend just graduated from there a week or so ago and he said the clinical experience there 3rd and 4th year is incredible. The first two years were rough, LOTS of work, but it was all worth it by the 3rd and 4th year. He is really glad he went there.

I liked how cool they were. Everyone I met was really chill and laid back. There didn't seem to be a lot of competition and cutthroat types there. I kept in touch with my inerviewer and with my the students who gave me the tour.

So anyway, I'll see you guys in a few days at the housing day, May 30.

 

[HouseHead]

Howdy all. I've been taking a break from the net, but had to check in on my soon-to-be classmates...

I'll be at the student luncheon next week. I'm so excited! A bunch of family members are already planning on coming to the white coat ceremony, which I was NOT expecting (I'll be taking my parents to the club while they're in town so that they will know why I REALLY moved to NYC 😉).

So, how will we know each other? Maybe if there are nametags, we can write something on them? Hmm...

 

[aleezay]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone chose NJMS over RWJ. If so, can you let me know your decision process, i.e. the merits of NJMS over RWJ

 

[HouseHead]

Well, I was netless for most of last week, so I didn't get a chance to check up on how y'all might be ID'd at the luncheon. I had a lot of fun though- met some really chill folks, including someone I had interviewed with at Upstate in December. The day definitely got me excited about August- so close!

I got a chance to look at one of the 1st year's Society Hill apartments. Quite nice, although a bit expensive for Newark.

aleezay: Although I wasn't accepted to RWJ, I definitely preferred NJMS. Location was a big factor (close to NYC and to future in-laws), as were the clinical opportunities, which are far superior to any I've seen elsewhere. I also really liked the students on my interview day as well as (obviously! 🙂) at the luncheon. I wasn't really thrilled by any part of my RWJ interview day, and it just didn't click for me.

 

[lilnix]

hey everybody, i'm on the waitlist at njms, but i've been told i'm high on the list by dr. heinrich so i'm hanging in there. i would really like to go there so if there's any info you guys could share about stuff you learned at the lucheon (maybe housing info or something) i'd really appreciate it!

 

[HouseHead]

They talked about area housing, had some lists of apartments, and a number of people looking for roommates were there. Also talked about housing budget, etc. Go to the website (the student one, don't remember the addy offhand) to see more housing info.

There was some financial aid info, but not much; that's all pretty much covered on the website (the official school one, not the student one) as well.

Let us know if you get in!

 

[lilnix]

thanks for the info HouseHead, i'll let you guys know if i hear anything...🙂

 

[MyNameIsDavid]

Hi,

I'm starting NJMS in August as part of the class of 2007. Just wanted to say hi. 🙂

 

[aleezay]

Originally posted by HouseHead


aleezay: Although I wasn't accepted to RWJ, I definitely preferred NJMS. Location was a big factor (close to NYC and to future in-laws), as were the clinical opportunities, which are far superior to any I've seen elsewhere. I also really liked the students on my interview day as well as (obviously! 🙂) at the luncheon. I wasn't really thrilled by any part of my RWJ interview day, and it just didn't click for me.

Hey HH, thanks for your response. I'm applying for this upcoming cycle, and as a NJ resident both schools are very attractive to me. However I'm from the southern part of the state, so more of my exposure to the medical schools in my area have been from Philadelphia... so I don't know much about RWJ and NJMS except from word of mouth. I keep hearing about the awesome clinical opportunities as well, but the location seems a bit sketchy... but this could just be a silly memory I had from when I interviewed way back in high school for the 7 yr med program up in Newark. But it appears that alot has changed since then? (like 5 years ago)

 

[HouseHead]

Originally posted by aleezay
I keep hearing about the awesome clinical opportunities as well, but the location seems a bit sketchy... but this could just be a silly memory I had from when I interviewed way back in high school for the 7 yr med program up in Newark. But it appears that alot has changed since then? (like 5 years ago)

It has changed a bit, but not that much- it's still a sketchy area. I guess I just don't think about it all that much, because I've lived near that area and in other sketchy areas in the past and am not phased by it.

Obviously, apply to both. You'll get a better idea about where you click when you interview.

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

I was at the luncheon this past friday and everytime I visit the school it just reaffirms my love for it. The clinical skills labs I saw for the first time are awesome. Now I just gotta figure out where I'm gonna live...Society Hill looks like the obvious choice so we'll see.

 

[HouseHead]

Originally posted by MyEyesMesmerize
I was at the luncheon this past friday and everytime I visit the school it just reaffirms my love for it. The clinical skills labs I saw for the first time are awesome. Now I just gotta figure out where I'm gonna live...Society Hill looks like the obvious choice so we'll see.

You were there? I wish we had set something up for SDNers to recognize each other...

I liked the place I saw at Society Hill. They're kinda expensive though, considering they're in Newark. Obviously banking on their proximity to University Hospital.

I hadn't even known they had a clinical skills lab before the luncheon! Another clinical feather in their cap. It seemed bigger and even better than the one at Mt. Sinai.

Did you sign up to be contacted about volunteering over the summer?

Oh, and how was that pasta? I convinced my table that the "sauce" was actually soup after I saw how thin it was when someone ladled it on- who puts red soup right next to plain pasta???

 

[sproule]

For those who need housing...

If anyone is looking for a room, we have two in a home in Princeton. It is an hour to NJMed by train, but consider it two hours of study time per day. The train is a 5 minute walk. Includes utils+cable. It is in town, so you can walk to everything.

Bill NJMed class '07

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

Yup, I was there. Still looking for a place to live nearby. I'm also taking part in the F.I.R.S.T program this summer so it's a great intro into what I'll encounter in the fall semester. See you in August.

 

[sproule]

I would be interested in your F.I.R.S.T experience as you go through it. It sounded very interesting.

 

[lilnix]

when does the F.I.R.S.T program start?

 

[MyEyesMesmerize]

It started this week.

 

[shreebee]

Hey Guys,

I just got off the waitlist so NJMS here I come...I'm really excited! Has anyone figured out where they are living yet?

Shreebee

 

[HouseHead]

Originally posted by shreebee
I just got off the waitlist so NJMS here I come...I'm really excited! Has anyone figured out where they are living yet?

Congrats!
I'll be staying with soon-to-be-in-laws part-time until I figure something out. Looking to buy in Society Hill if at all possible, but that's obviously not a given.

 

[HouseHead]

Speaking of buying, does anyone have any recommendations for a good real estate agent? I need one.

 

[keren53]

hi everyone,
i will be attending njms in the fall also, am very excited. just a bit nervous about finding a place to live? did anyone get that email about the roomate matching service?
i missed the luncheon at the end of may because i was away so didnt' get any housing info 🙁
anyway, im' glad to see everyone is as excited as i am!

 

[sproule]

I picked up my ID and parking permit at NJMed yesterday. The person at the ID office strongly advises you pick up your ID before orientation.
(I believe her exact words were 'tell them to get their butts in here...' 🙂

No line, no waiting. Go to the tan buildings, building 5. You need to enter building one and ask the guard. You can get your parking permit at the same office.

Pretty cool to have a badge has your name and "Medical Student Class of 2007"

 

[shreebee]

Hey Sproule,

Did you get info about the ID and parking permit after you sent your deposit in? I just sent mine in today so maybe I will get that info soon. Has anyone looking for a 1br apt had any luck? I want to live alone just for this year cuz I've had some bad roommate experiences when I didn't know the people ahead of time. Can't wait to meet all of you!

Shreebee

 

[sproule]

It was mentioned at one of the luncheons that you'd be able to get IDs early. I was at the school for a meeting and thought I would try and get it.

 

[HouseHead]

I've been getting surprisingly little info from NJMS. Is there another deposit to be sent in, other than the initial $100? I paid for my dental insurance, but that's been pretty much it since submitted my financial aid and health forms.

Am I missing something???

 

[keren53]

Househead,
I've been getting little from them as well. I submitted my deposit long ago, and also signed up for dental insurance. They sent out emails abotu the health insurance, but haven't actually sent the papers and info through regular mail. I know for regular insurance, you are automatically signed up, if you don't want it then you have to waive it. Also, if you have dependents you have to fill out an extra form. Other than that, have not gotten anything else from them!

 

[HouseHead]

keren53: Good to hear. Guess I'll stop worrying now 🙂

Sproule: Thanks for the reminder! I've gotta swing by there anyway.

So, how are all y'all's white coat parties shaping up? Looks like I'll be having way more people on Team HouseHead 2007 than I anticipated, which is not entirely to my liking... 😱

 

[thesocialbeast]

just wanted to say what's up to my new classmates....can't wait to school to start!...I hope found everyone has found housing at this point...I looked forever and finally landed a spot in Maplewood...where is everyone else living?

 

[sproule]

Anyone signed up to do the SHARE health fair this weekend?

 

[HouseHead]

Not me. I was interested in doing the summer clinics, but never heard back on that- or on anything I signed up for during the student luncheon. Weird.

Anyway, we MUST decide on a way to all meet come orientation day(s). Any ideas?

 

[MysticHealer]

I'm still on the waitlist for NJ med and wanted to know if anyone knew of anyone that was planning to drop.
Mystichealer
PS waiting for my two state schools to call

 

[lilnix]

hey guys, i was finally taken off of the waiting list so i'll be joing you all soon at njms!! i've been out of the country for a while so now i'm rushing to get everything done. it's a good thing that i didn't sign that lease in philly where i was about to move to... see you guys soon😎

 

[HouseHead]

Congratulations! Another SDNer to join the fun 😀
I am so looking forward to meeting y'all. Only 2.5 weeks- you must be in a rush, lilnix!

Feel free to PM me. And, of course, if you like house music, I'll hook you up in the City 😉

 

[thesocialbeast]

congrats lilnix...hey househead hook me up with the house too...I can't get enough of the stuff!!...that's one of the many reasons I'm coming to njms..there's not much "house" activites in my home state

 

[lilnix]

hey househead and socialbeast!! i'm really excited and looking forward to meeting everyone. i'm currently looking for a place to live. i like all types of music so you can count me in on all the fun....

 

[HouseHead]

Orientation starts in TWO DAYS! Everyone get their schedule from Dr. Heinrich?

I'm going to set up a yahoo group for us NJMS SDNers (friends of HouseHead 😉 - jk). I'll PM everyone from this thread with the info to join; if any other NJMSers haven't shown themselves, feel free to PM me.

MS1, here we come- WOOHOO!! 😱 😀