OFFICIAL Rochester Class of 2010 Thread

[wuironl]

Figured it was time.

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[medicinemonkey]

Figured it was time.

Yes! I have been waiting to hear from my future classmates.

 

[wuironl]

Yes! I have been waiting to hear from my future classmates.

sorry, disappeared from sdn for a bit. Congrats, are you attending the second look weekend?

 

[tiamoth]

Hi! congratz on your acceptances. Rochester is a *great* school to be at, i'm sure you'll soon discover that. I have a 1-BR apartment that will be available for sublet from end-of-April/early-May until July 31. The lease can be extended for the year if you wish. I love this place, but I have a new lease starting in April so i don't want to be stuck paying double rent. If you or someone you know can come early to rochester and wants time to settle in before school starts, let me know. Here are the details:

- located in Elmwood Manor (mapquest Lilac Dr. Rochester, NY 14620) - a few of the med students are currently living in this complex.
- 5 minute drive, east of the hospital
- $610/month - heat, hot water, garbage disposal included (you pay for electricity and internet separately)
- Sunny, spacious, hardwood floors, quiet street, off-street parking, private entry. Excellent service.
- Dishwasher in kitchen; washer/dryer located in basement

pm me if interested. thanks!

=========
Apartment taken!

 

[amand0r]

I will be at the second look weekend!

 

[orionMD]

Yeah, I'll be at 2nd look as well. I really like Rochester and hope that they'll give me a good financial aid package. Question though (this is a bit nerdy), what are you guys thinking of wearing for the weekend? I don't want to be too formal or too casual ... plus we have the bar social Friday evening! Let me know

 

[wuironl]

I'm going to dress how I normally due, casual prep... jeans and a nice button down shirt+ sweater and or a polo depedning on weather. I just want to feel comfortable and hope the weekend isn't very formal. I am curious about the night out though.

 

[foodlover]

Hey guys - I'm on the waitlist, unfortunately. Since we waitlisters can't attend second look, could one of you post a report when you get back from it? That would be great! (when is it, btw?)

 

[wuironl]

Sure. Second look weekend is April 7th.

 

[amand0r]

do you guys think jeans would be too causal for the Friday night bar-hopping?

Also, does anyone know anything about Rochester the city? I'm pretty excited that there seems to be plenty of park land around for hiking and biking, and access to "nature" like that can definetly sway my decision...

Anyway, hopefully after second look we can get some more people on this thread!

-Amand0r

 

[webcamcow]

Hey Guys!

Really excited about the acceptance to Rochester, but won't be able to go to the 2nd look weekend. For those that go, would anyone be willing to post a recap/thoughts on what it's like?

Thank you !!

P.S. Anyone looking at Case's University program as well?

 

[ask1288]

Hey all, Congrats on your acceptance to the U of R. As you'll soon discover, its a great place to study medicine and spend the next 4 (or more) years...

Anyway, i have a studio appartment at Goler House which i want to sublet this summer (i'll be away doing research in Tanzania-this is part of the U of R summer research program). If any of you are interested, email me aunali_khaku [at] urmc.rochester.edu

once again, congrats on making it and hope to see y'all soon
Aunali

 

[DavidLetterman]

Hey Guys!

Really excited about the acceptance to Rochester, but won't be able to go to the 2nd look weekend. For those that go, would anyone be willing to post a recap/thoughts on what it's like?

Thank you !!

P.S. Anyone looking at Case's University program as well?

Hi,

I was at the 2nd look weekend. It pretty much cemented what most of us already know.

The academics and the teaching at Rochester is top notch. The sample lectures were very well done. The PBL was interesting. The hospital is beautiful.

The city itself is pretty dead. My host drove me through it, and it looks like a concrete dumpster.

Some of the surrounding suburbs are very nice though, and close to the school.

Pitsford, I think that's its name, is beautiful... Park avenue, a street in Rochester that some med students live on is also really nice.

I hope this info is helpful.

 

[amberez]

Hi,

Some of the surrounding suburbs are very nice though, and close to the school.

That is very helpful - thank you!! How were the suburb/s right next to Strong? Like the ones just south of it?

 

[foodlover]

Thanks! Did anyone else attend 2nd look and have any comments for us waitlisters?

How were the fellow students? Did most people attending seem like they were set on Rochester?

Also, could anyone comment on the number of non-trads/older students at Rochester?

 

[tinkerbelle]

Also, could anyone comment on the number of non-trads/older students at Rochester?

I think we have a good mix of people straight out of college and people who have taken some time off before attending med school. It's maybe 60-40? Although most of the non-trads have only taken 1-3 years off, there are a few students in their 30's (I think the oldest is 35).

 

[willow18]

Thanks! Did anyone else attend 2nd look and have any comments for us waitlisters?

Yeah, same here. Any tips for waitlisters? Any success stories from current students, what did you do that you think might have helped?

 

[LuisitoMD]

anyone get the financial aid packet??? I didn't get to go to second look weekend... how was it????

 

[tinkerbelle]

Yeah, same here. Any tips for waitlisters?

If you haven't already done this, apply for the housing lottery (even if you're waitlisted). I wish I had... because when I got off the waitlist in May it wan't fun looking for a place to live. Plus, the student housing is super cheap and convenient. A good chunk of the class is either currently living in student housing or applying to move in over the summer.

 

[foodlover]

If you haven't already done this, apply for the housing lottery (even if you're waitlisted). I wish I had... because when I got off the waitlist in May it wan't fun looking for a place to live. Plus, the student housing is super cheap and convenient. A good chunk of the class is either currently living in student housing or applying to move in over the summer.

Tinkerbelle -

I'm on the waitlist, so if it came to it, I'll be looking for an apartment over the summer. Thanks to a sig. other and pets, I won't be doing student housing. What could you tell me about the areas to live? From what I gather, most live in either the white coat ghetto or the Park Ave. area.

I really like the idea of living in the Park Ave. area, since I could "get away" from the school environment, and also be near some cool/fun places. Do many students live over there? How is the parking situation at school for people who live farther away?

 

[tinkerbelle]

Tinkerbelle -

I'm on the waitlist, so if it came to it, I'll be looking for an apartment over the summer. Thanks to a sig. other and pets, I won't be doing student housing. What could you tell me about the areas to live? From what I gather, most live in either the white coat ghetto or the Park Ave. area.

I really like the idea of living in the Park Ave. area, since I could "get away" from the school environment, and also be near some cool/fun places. Do many students live over there? How is the parking situation at school for people who live farther away?

Park Ave is pretty nice, but I don't know if many people actually live there. You can find decent places to live that are closer to school. More people live in the white coat ghetto, rustic village, or one of the apartment buildings close to school. A lot of people drove to school this year and got sick of it (i.e. now want to move within walking distance of school).

There is a huge parking lot for med students. It'll take you maybe 7 minutes to walk to class from there. You can find parking in the mornings, but if you skip class and come late, you might have to park in a different lot.

What kind of pets do you have? It's easier to find a place that allows cats than to find a place that allows dogs.

 

[bauies]

Tinkerbelle -

I'm on the waitlist, so if it came to it, I'll be looking for an apartment over the summer. Thanks to a sig. other and pets, I won't be doing student housing. What could you tell me about the areas to live? From what I gather, most live in either the white coat ghetto or the Park Ave. area.

I really like the idea of living in the Park Ave. area, since I could "get away" from the school environment, and also be near some cool/fun places. Do many students live over there? How is the parking situation at school for people who live farther away?

Hey there. 2nd year here at Rochester. Congrats to all of you on your acceptance, or waitlist status for Rochester. Hope the 2nd look weekend was a lot of fun for everyone who came.

As far as living in Park Ave area, it's great, but it does have its drawbacks. Housing is variable in terms of what you get. Some places are very nice, others are not so much. I'd definitely encourage people to come to Rochester ahead of time to take a look at some places. Of course, that's not always feasible.

The drive is annoying at times, but like you said, it's nice to get away from the hospital. I'll be moving closer to the hospital for 3rd year, mainly because the house is nice, not because of the location. But it is nice when your walk to school is faster than walking from the parking lot.

 

[bauies]

Quick update: We have our fourth roommate now. Thanks to all who were interested.

One more thing. For those looking for a place to live, one bedroom of a 4 bedroom house will be available. The place is beautiful, in great shape, and the landlord is a good guy who is interested in making sure the house keeps in good working order. Over the summer many renovations will be done to the place, including adding a back deck and re-doing the 3rd floor. We have off-street parking, with a garage for 2 cars (just think, no brushing snow off your car), and space in the driveway for several more.

Rent is approximately 425/person, but we may split it differently if rooms are not equal in size. And then toss on utilities. Estimated total spending is $500/month. But you won't pay for parking at the hospital, as it's literally a 2-minute walk to get inside. Maybe 6 minutes tops to Case Method. Think of how nice that will be when it's 10 degrees outside. Shorter walk than the parking lot! And you can sleep in way later than all of your classmates. This place is closer than Goler or UPK, and way cooler.

And now to meet your fabulous future new housemates...

Colin (me) - going into 3rd year. Originally from Sacramento. Went to school at Rice, down in Houston. Enjoys candlelit dinners and fireside chats.

Adam - Going into 3rd year. Originally from the Rochester area. Went to school at Cornell. Drives a sweet car.

Taylor - Taking a year our in research for orthopedics. Originally from Montana. Went to school at U of R. The smart one of the group.

Here's my pitch for why you should live with us - we've been through 1st year before, and we can tell you what to worry about, and what not to worry about. We have accumulated 6 combined years of medical school between us. That's like living with 1.5 real doctors. Or someone beginning their third year of residency. We're all fun, and relaxed. And you'll be getting lots of space to roam about, as Adam and I will be at the hospital a lot for rotations. And to top it all off, you get access to all of our books, first crack.

I lived with 3rd and 4th years my first year, and thought it was one of the best decisions of my med school career. Helped me so much, plus it was nice to meet people outside of my own class.

We're looking for a man or woman who wants to live with us. Try to be fairly clean, at least in common living areas. No pets allowed. And no smokers.

If you're interested, let me know. Send a private message or something. We can send you pictures of the house if you want to see.

 

[LKat]

For those of you who live in Rochester now....
I am seriously considering buying a condo on East Avenue (address is Brighton, its like 4-5 miles from school) I am coming this weekend from Cleveland to look at it, but its always hard to know what a neighborhood is really like just by stopping by for a few minutes. Do any of you know the area?
any advice would be great Colin (and anyone else who has survived 1st year)--I would love to hear what to really expect the first year of med school at U of R...
LKat

 

[amberez]

I'm from overseas and was hoping to get some advice!

I definitely like the idea of being able to walk to school so I've decided to look for a 1BR apartment in the white coat ghetto area. However, I'm from overseas so will pretty much have to find a place online or over the phone; I'd be a bit nervous leaving apartment hunting to when I get there. Any advice on the best way to go about this? I've been checking out craigslist, and was thinking of maybe getting in touch with some real estate agents in the area and have them on the lookout for me. Any thoughts on this, or even recommendations on which agents to contact?

Thanks so much in advance!

P.S. Oh and if there are any current students out there who has a 1BR up for lease in August, please let me know!!

 

[bauies]

I'm from overseas and was hoping to get some advice!

I definitely like the idea of being able to walk to school so I've decided to look for a 1BR apartment in the white coat ghetto area. However, I'm from overseas so will pretty much have to find a place online or over the phone; I'd be a bit nervous leaving apartment hunting to when I get there. Any advice on the best way to go about this? I've been checking out craigslist, and was thinking of maybe getting in touch with some real estate agents in the area and have them on the lookout for me. Any thoughts on this, or even recommendations on which agents to contact?

Thanks so much in advance!

P.S. Oh and if there are any current students out there who has a 1BR up for lease in August, please let me know!!

Craigslist is a good option, although my friends who were looking for a place found that some of the pictures don't always do justice to the place. They can make a good place look bad, or the reverse, of course, that's just common sense.

Another good resource is rentrochester.com... it's free to apartment hunters, and you can sign up to get e-mail updates on apartments that meet your criteria.

Where are you coming from overseas?

 

[bauies]

For those of you who live in Rochester now....
I am seriously considering buying a condo on East Avenue (address is Brighton, its like 4-5 miles from school) I am coming this weekend from Cleveland to look at it, but its always hard to know what a neighborhood is really like just by stopping by for a few minutes. Do any of you know the area?
any advice would be great Colin (and anyone else who has survived 1st year)--I would love to hear what to really expect the first year of med school at U of R...
LKat

LKat,

First year is great. You learn so much information, and, it's all pretty incredible. Here's a quick breakdown on my take on first year classes

pre-matriculation - I didn't do this, so can't say much. but it sounded cool. and of course you have the added benefit of knowing about 10 or so other classmates at the first barbeque before orientation, removing that awkward walk where you first meet the people you'll be with for the next 4 years of schooling.
Mastering Medical Information - your first class in med school. Don't sweat it. There will be exams, but you can have fun when you're taking the class. Explore the city. Meet your classmates. Have cookouts (the weather during MMI is usually gorgeous). If you have any background in stats, this will be pretty easy. If not, i'm sure you can get help if you need it.
Human Structure and Function - this is the class that most people identify with med school. Anatomy. Physiology. Histology. Embryology. This will be your first real test in med school. It's a lot of info and work. But it's interesting, and you need to know it.
Molecules to Cells - the biochem and genetics course. It's definitely advantageous if you are familiar with these subjects. But if not, they still do a decent job of preparing you. And Chin-to Fong is an awesome, totally dedicated teacher.
Host Defense - the first time you really get regular pathology, learning about infectious disease, and immunology. I wasn't wild about this course, but some of the requirements have changed since I took it, so it might not be so bad any more.

Afternoons are first spent with ICM. You will get very good at interviewing, and feel comfortable with basic exam. It's helpful, and generally low stress.

ACE is an interesting course. It's long (1.5 years), and it covers a really wide range of material. This makes it somewhat nebulous. But getting into offices is always fun. Even during weeks when you may not want to go to preceptor, once you're there, it's great. And the stuff you learn in ACE is generally way more helpful than basic science in the long term. Like how to be a good clinician, develop raport, etc.

First year is a lot of fun. I think that you will get a lot out of it. Of course, that depends on the effort you put in. Another important general point is that who you are as a student is probably unlikely to change dramatically. If you have always been a crunch-time studier, it will probably continue, although the period of time might be a bit longer, to allow for more info. If you tend to space things out, you'll probably do that. And it generally works for everyone individually to do their own thing.

And remember to make time for what's important to you. That may be family time, exercise (always a good healthy option), cooking, cleaning, movies, exploring all of A St., or whatever. Just be sure you keep a healthy balance. All physiology and no play makes Jack a dull med student.

If anyone has any more specific questions, i'd be happy to answer. But now this is getting long.

 

[ask1288]

amberez, you ight want to consider university housing as an option if u dont have a car...Goler, UPK etc are good options...
Aunali
MS1

 

[DavidLetterman]

Thanks! Did anyone else attend 2nd look and have any comments for us waitlisters?

How were the fellow students? Did most people attending seem like they were set on Rochester?

People seemed smart and accomplished with many on the waitlist or still considering elite schools like Cornell, Harvard, and Duke.

Also, could anyone comment on the number of non-trads/older sudents at Rochester?

I'm an older nontraditional applicant, and I met quite a bit of other 24 yo s as well.

 

[Mixtli]

Is anyone alive?

 

[ntc1983]

I know, where are our classmates? I'm not stalking you, Mixtli, I promise.

 

[Mixtli]

I'll take a stalking to keep this thread alive. I think the Rochester only takes in about 85 regular MDs and around 5-6 MD/PHDs. The rest come in as BS/MD (combined program) or post-bach (not through AMCAS).

 

[orionMD]

I'm here

 

[etudiante04]

I'm here! I'm here! Just got off the waiting list! I entered the on-campus housing lottery. Does anyone know when we are notified of housing? Because I want to start looking for off-campus housing if the lottery doesn't work out.

 

[orionMD]

I think it depends on your waitlist ranking (as determined by the lottery) and occupancy dates ... in other words, who knows. I might call the housing office to get a better idea of where I am on the list and when I can expect an offer. I really hope I get one soon, not looking forward to apartment hunting otherwise.

 

[etudiante04]

what type of laptop shold I get? Or does it matter?

 

[etudiante04]

LKat,

First year is great. You learn so much information, and, it's all pretty incredible. Here's a quick breakdown on my take on first year classes

pre-matriculation - I didn't do this, so can't say much. but it sounded cool. and of course you have the added benefit of knowing about 10 or so other classmates at the first barbeque before orientation, removing that awkward walk where you first meet the people you'll be with for the next 4 years of schooling.

What is pre-matriculation, and how is this separate from orientation (Aug 14)?

 

[etudiante04]

bump

 

[ntc1983]

Pre-matriculation is the week before orientation, and it's like a refresher course for people who fit 2 or 3 of the following criteria: 1) GPA lower than 3.4 2) MCAT lower than 27 (I think?) 3) Been out of school for over 2 years 4) Something else (sorry, don't remember!).

I just found out yesterday that there is a wealth of forms and info on our Rochester status page. They have all this pre-mat info, plus you can order your white coat size and all this other stuff. https://admissions.urmc.rochester.edu/studentLogin.cfm

 

[etudiante04]

Pre-matriculation is the week before orientation, and it's like a refresher course for people who fit 2 or 3 of the following criteria: 1) GPA lower than 3.4 2) MCAT lower than 27 (I think?) 3) Been out of school for over 2 years 4) Something else (sorry, don't remember!).

I just found out yesterday that there is a wealth of forms and info on our Rochester status page. They have all this pre-mat info, plus you can order your white coat size and all this other stuff. https://admissions.urmc.rochester.edu/studentLogin.cfm

Thanks!!

 

[Larsitron]

Hey everyone, so I decided to come out of SDN retirement to check in with the incoming first years. My name is Lars and I'm a first year who is willing to answer any questions y'all might have.

 

[Larsitron]

what type of laptop shold I get? Or does it matter?

Here's a question I can answer! I'm a big Apple proponent and any of their current macbook line would easily last four years for general computing, but if you're shooting for a PC laptop, my biggest recommendation is a Lenovo Thinkpad.

Basically you're going to want something that has a wireless network card and meets the University's minimum requirements. If you have any questions beyond that, just let me know.

 

[WayChanger]

Oy...I wish I had known about the housing lottery before it closed. I just got off the waitlist on the 15th, and look set to be attending Rochester.

Since the lottery's basically done, however, it looks like I'll have to find a place on my own. I don't mind living off campus, it's just more of a hassle. Should I come to Rochester a week early to look for housing? Or would I be better off trying to do everything online?

 

[darkops]

I have a question for any current M1s or M2s, are the lectures done with powerpoint? If so, do students have access to the .ppt files (as well as, say, .pdfs of anything else used in class) before the lecture? I'm interested in the possibility of taking notes on a computer, but having all the lecture materials already on the machine. Thanks

 

[bauies]

Oy...I wish I had known about the housing lottery before it closed. I just got off the waitlist on the 15th, and look set to be attending Rochester.

Since the lottery's basically done, however, it looks like I'll have to find a place on my own. I don't mind living off campus, it's just more of a hassle. Should I come to Rochester a week early to look for housing? Or would I be better off trying to do everything online?

Living outside of University Housing isn't so bad. The way I did my housing search was I ran down the lists that Gracie had of fellow first years looking for roommates, or upperclassmen looking to fill out a lease. I was able to do everything over the internet.

But, that worked for me because I wanted roommates. If you want a single, I'd recommend coming to Rochester to look at a place. There are plenty of good apartment complexes that would represent what you get on their website, but there are so many places that are advertised on Rent Rochester or other web sites that it's just better to see it in person. Maybe make appointments with the landlords to check out the places. If you have any questions about locations, feel free to ask.

 

[bauies]

I have a question for any current M1s or M2s, are the lectures done with powerpoint? If so, do students have access to the .ppt files (as well as, say, .pdfs of anything else used in class) before the lecture? I'm interested in the possibility of taking notes on a computer, but having all the lecture materials already on the machine. Thanks

Lecture varies depending on the lecturer. There are many profs who will indeed use powerpoint. Others use different modalities. Dr. Hansen, for instance, is notorious for his multi-colored chalk drawings of embryology. And there are still a few people who do use transparencies or kodachromes (slides from an old school projector, probably prepared by George Eastman himself, from the looks of them).

The ones who use powerpoint do try to get the slides out to students. Of course, they don't always come before the lecture. Sometimes the lecturer makes final changes right before the lecture, so the latest update will be sent out after classes. So you will almost always have access to the pdf or ppt file, but timing may not be optimal for what you want.

A word for those who read this and may be thinking that they now suddenly need a laptop: most people don't bring computers to class. Those that do, I'm sure they find them useful. But if you didn't think that you needed one before you read this post, you probably won't need one. But for those that do want a laptop, Lars' suggestion of a macbook isn't too bad. It's relatively cheap, with decent software preloaded. I'm a Windows fanatic myself, so I like the Dells, but of course, I also like desktops, not laptops. So what do I know?

 

[Mixtli]

Hmm... I just got my financial award statement and I got 0 grant aid and ~15% subsized loans. According to the MSAR they said the average scholarship/grant aid was 18K. The estimated cost of attendance for Rochester this year is ~54K. Since Rochester is the only school I got anything from the financial aid office, I'm wondering for those who got packages before, is 54K considered a lot for a decent out-of-state school? Wondering because 54x4 years + undergrad debt (20K) = .

 

[ashabee4]

Living outside of University Housing isn't so bad. The way I did my housing search was I ran down the lists that Gracie had of fellow first years looking for roommates, or upperclassmen looking to fill out a lease. I was able to do everything over the internet.

So there IS a list of first years looking for roommates? I'm not sure if I met Gracie at my interview but have heard a lot of people mention her. Who is she exactly? I'd definitely like to get on that list though.

 

[WayChanger]

So there IS a list of first years looking for roommates? I'm not sure if I met Gracie at my interview but have heard a lot of people mention her. Who is she exactly? I'd definitely like to get on that list though.

Have you logged into the Orientation website yet? The list of people looking for roommates and stuff is there.

 

[WayChanger]

Hmm... I just got my financial award statement and I got 0 grant aid and ~15% subsized loans. According to the MSAR they said the average scholarship/grant aid was 18K. The estimated cost of attendance for Rochester this year is ~54K. Since Rochester is the only school I got anything from the financial aid office, I'm wondering for those who got packages before, is 54K considered a lot for a decent out-of-state school? Wondering because 54x4 years + undergrad debt (20K) = .

I too got zippo in terms of grant aid (all subsidized and unsubsidized loans). My parents offered to pay a piece for me, but I still think I'll be about 160K in debt after grad...