Official UTHSCSA Class of 2008 Thread

[kevinf911]

Carlos,

don't worry too much about buying all that stuff right off the bat...they'll tell you pretty much what you need to get. the big-ticket ($$$) items i had this year are your opthalmoscope/otoscope and the stethoscope, both of which you'll need for CIC that starts right after the white-coat ceremony. There's usually some med. equipment company reps that show up on campus looking to sell that kind of stuff, so a lot of students just buy it then and there. I found a better deal on-line for my stethoscope than what they were offering, but i'm sure it varies from year to year. No, you don't HAVE TO have a Littman by any means. I do, but it's pretty much just personal preference. I'd had experience with the cheaper ones in my "pre-med school life" and found that i could really hear better with a higher quality stethoscope. But, take that for what it's worth as there are many different opinions out there on that subject. As far as dissection kits go, i think that there's gonna be plenty of equipment for y'all from our class since we just finished anatomy and we all kindly donated all our stuff. I think they're planning on offering it to the incoming class at GREATLY reduced prices so, you might not have to worry about getting it at the bookstore. Save that money for all the books and RedBull you'll undoubtedly be buying!

Anyways, congrats to everyone who's in. You're in for the ride-of-your-life, and i'm sure you wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world!

Anybody who has questions, just let me know and i'll try to help you out.

Kevin
MS1 UTHSCSA

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[tycho55]

Here's another Class of 2006 webpage:

http://www.geocities.com/ms2006sa/

Not quite as pretty as the other. I wonder how many of these there are...

 

[roja]

I would highly recommend investing in a good quality stethascope. However, don't buy them from the bookstore. Go online. Allheart.com is good.

I never used my otoscope/opthalmascope and sold it during my fourth year. If you are going to buy one, I would go to a sight like ebay or something like that. And the portable vs the large one is definately better if you are going to buy one.

You won't actually buy text books except for pathology and a good anatomy text. You will probably buy study guides. And the best advice I can give is don't go out and buy a bunch because someone else got it. Listen to thier recommendations, go to the bookstore and sit and spend some time reading through the book. If you don't like the format, you wont use the book and thus waste a lot of money. Keep your study guides to maximum 2-3 in general. Maybe one for a class that you have particular trouble with. The one key book that pretty much every one uses is the First Aide book. (First Aide for the USMLE). YOu will find that you actually can use this to help in your classes. I also found the underground clinical vignettes really helpful and wish I had found them before second year (the exams are all clinical based so studying in vignette form was exceptionally helpful).

 

[Pepe]

One website that I've used for textbooks is half.com. You can usually find books for at least 33% if not more off. So far every time I've used them I've been really pleased.

 

[medic8m]

Im moving in June from Houston. My girlfriend is moving later next year so I just need a one bedroom for about 6 months. If I go in May should I have any trouble finding an apartment near campus? That is, do they fill up?

Thanks!

 

[jberg4]

While we're talking about housing....

Does anyone have any opinions on Wurzbach Tower?

 

[trauma_junky]

the 281 and 1604 area is real nice and one of the area's of SA where the violent crime doesn't occur that often. I lived in the medical center for a year and though it was plesant, there was a couple of shootings down the street from my apartment (Babcock & medical area)

 

[roja]

The tower is nice, but pricey for san antonio. However, one of my close friends lived there for 4 years and loved it.

 

[tycho55]

Does anyone have any information or experience with the Pre-Matriculation Program the month before classes start? I got a letter in the mail today and was wondering what you guys thought...

Thanks!

 

[G0S2]

What was the letter about? More detail on the Pre-matric??

 

[tuesday]

that sounds interesting. i knew that houston had a program, but i didn't know about uthsca. i wonder if everyone gets an invitation or if its just for people who have been out of school for awhile. i'd like some more info 'cuz it would be nice to have some type of warm up since i've been out of school for three years.

 

[tycho55]

It's being offered through the Medical Hispanic Center of Excellence, and is May 25 - June 25, if that helps any...

 

[G0S2]

Has anyone received financial aid info? Was it supposed to be sent out soon?

 

[keekee]

Yeah, as long as you get your FAFSA in decently early you should be all set...

 

[LAZYGUY]

http://studentservices.uthscsa.edu/academicinfo/AcadCalMed.doc


So according to the following link, orientation is on the 28th of June and first day of classes is July 5th. Whoa, it came so fast!

 

[pillion]

Lazyguy,
I take it your a musician? Just classical, or also improv? Any other uthscsa musicians out there?

 

[tycho55]

I don't know how long this has been available, but tuition and fees for 2004 - 2005 is now available:

http://studentservices.uthscsa.edu/Admissions/Tuition&Fees04-05.htm

Good to see that base tuition for MS1s hasn't increased.

 

[keekee]

Hey, all!

JGL9802 and I will be going apartment hunting this Saturday (and again possibly on Monday), if any of you are interested in coming along. We'll be leaving from Austin that morning and coming back that evening...If anyone wants to join us just send him or I a PM!

 

[medic8m]

Originally posted by pillion
Lazyguy,
I take it your a musician? Just classical, or also improv? Any other uthscsa musicians out there?

Im a drummer x10 years - Most styles except NO country

 

[G0S2]

I had to sell my 7-piece Premier drum kit with DW hardware. Not good for apartment living.

 

[LAZYGUY]

Originally posted by pillion
Lazyguy,
I take it your a musician? Just classical, or also improv? Any other uthscsa musicians out there?

Yeah, I've played violin and piano for the past 10 years. But I'm really not that great on piano, violin is my strength. I've played with the regional symphony for like 6 years but had to give it up a few years ago cause they practice so much and I was falling behind with school work. Depending on what style of music, I can usually catch on. What do you play pillion?

 

[pillion]

A bassist, primarily. But school, work, marriage, etc tends to have its way with a musician's first love. I still try to pick it up from time to time. Perhaps a few of us will jam sometime.

 

[G0S2]

I put in for a one year defferal request this morning. Want to finish up the PhD. Wish I could be there with all of ya, however, best in the end.

 

[LAZYGUY]

Thats cool pillion, a bass, a violin and drums Sometimes I wish I would have majored in music rather than bio (especially with the courses I am taking now, geez you think they would take it easy on you in the end but no, no freakin way!!! Whoops, tangent....) but hey, what's done is done. Hey G02, hate to see you go but it sounds like a really good idea to finish up, you'll be much less stressed out and focused...good luck, man.

 

[roja]

It the talent show is still a running tradition, you guys should make sure you do something!

 

[G0S2]

Originally posted by LAZYGUY
Hey G02, hate to see you go but it sounds like a really good idea to finish up, you'll be much less stressed out and focused...good luck, man.

Thanks. Yeah, it will be difficult this summer thinking of all of you in school and me slaving away in the lab. Hopefully I will be able to catch up with you once I do begin. Be the big sib for Chris Welch.

 

[LAZYGUY]

Originally posted by G0S2
Be the big sib for Chris Welch.

Cool, but do I still have to call you Dr. Welch?

 

[LAZYGUY]

Originally posted by roja
It the talent show is still a running tradition, you guys should make sure you do something!

Sounds like a good idea roja, we'll call the group LAZYGUY & COMPANY. just kidding people, just kidding. Please don't send me any nasty PM's

 

[G0S2]

Originally posted by LAZYGUY
Cool, but do I still have to call you Dr. Welch?

Dr. Peon is preferred.

 

[lilstina]

G0S2... i'm sorry to hear you won't be starting with us in july, especially since you're the one who started this thread! but i wish you the best of luck in your last year of PhD... you'll be a Dr before the rest of us

good luck and see you in a year!

 

[G0S2]

Originally posted by lilstina
G0S2... i'm sorry to hear you won't be starting with us in july, especially since you're the one who started this thread! but i wish you the best of luck in your last year of PhD... you'll be a Dr before the rest of us

good luck and see you in a year!

Thank you very much lilstina!!

We will see how the deferral request goes. UTHSCSA told me that there are currently other deferral requests in the process and that my advisor needed to send a letter soon. My father is in SA and a I visit fairly often. He is a doc there in anesthesiology http://www.anesthesia.uthscsa.edu/faculty/welch.html. I usually visit the campus when I am there so I may be sitting in a class or two this year. Out of the schools I visited, UTHSCSA was the most impressive. I have met many students there who rave about it. Have fun!!

 

[tycho55]

Has anyone received their big ol' packet of information yet? I'm getting kinda anxious just waiting for it...

 

[lilstina]

grr... me too! i'm getting tired of reading over the very few pieces of paper they gave us in the interview folder on the day of the interview and even my admission letter...

i thought someone mentioned earlier that it was supposed to come first week of march but no sign yet... UTHSCSA send my packet already!

 

[hillofbeans]

A packet would be nice!

I keep getting nightmares about the clause in our acceptance letter, "conditional upon completing all the requirements of the TMDSAS."

To add to my heightened paranoia, every week I continue to fixate on the "LAST UPDATED" field at the TMDSAS website. It's changed numerous times over the past month (now it's 3/8). I have this fear that the final update will be a letter in the mail reading,

Mr. Hillofbeans,

We regret to inform you that one of your biology/chemistry courses was taken in the wrong university/department/state/life/etc. TMDSAS Policy 2.1.2.3 clearly states that applicants not completing the required pre-requisite coursese are not eligible for acceptance to a school participating in the TMDSAS. Therefore, we are forced to revoke your conditional acceptance from UTHSCSA.

We hope this unfortunate incident does not discourage you from reapplying next year.

Sincerely,

TMDSAS

 

[jberg4]

Don't freak! If that did actually happen, I talked to the dean's office awhile ago about what to do (I had the same fears!). You can petition to include courses that you've already taken which you think would fit the requirement. If there is no luck there....and it's just a course or two you could probably make it up in an early summer session.

My 1st summer session overlaps with orientation week and the office said that if I needed to take a course missing orientation was not a problem. I few kids had to do it last year so I think their used to it. Plus they spent all that time and energy to admit us...I think they are willing to do what they can to see that we actually make it there in June.

So don't fret yet! Also, the letter about our courses should be coming in the next couple of weeks.

-jberg

 

[hillofbeans]

Originally posted by jberg4
Don't freak!

-jberg

Gracias, jberg4. That's about the extent of my Spanish, but I feel better.

 

[tycho55]

Wait, hillofbeans. Your "last updated" field keeps on changing? That's odd. Mine still reads 1-13-2004, which is the last time I submitted my school match list. How weird...

 

[hillofbeans]

Originally posted by tycho55
Wait, hillofbeans. Your "last updated" field keeps on changing? That's odd. Mine still reads 1-13-2004, which is the last time I submitted my school match list. How weird...

Sorry, I meant "last action" date. Looks like the "updated" field is something else.

 

[sfgboy]

just got my packet from uthscsa...

by the way, i wanted to see if i knew anyone in the class so i called admissions to get a list of the people that matched for 2004. they were really nice, and even decided to go ahead and just post the match list online.

here's the URL:
http://som.uthscsa.edu/PDF/Fall2004EnrollList.pdf

 

[lilstina]

oh wow, i can't wait to check for my packet in my mailbox tomorrow...

yay they posted the list!!! i thought i would have to wait til i went apt hunting in SA and check the list in admissions to see where everyone was from...

and there are 2 other people from my ugrad... i can't help being excited even if i don't know them

thanks for posting the link!!!

 

[tycho55]

Did anyone count? I see only abou 180 people listed...Was expecting more around 200.

 

[keekee]

Thanks for the link! I am so surprised at how many different schools are represented. I'm the only one from my school, but that's cool.

Also, JGL9802 and I went apt hunting this weekend and saw a whole bunch of places around campus (Promontory Pointe, Mission Ranch, The Vintage, etc.). I'm looking at some other places today too, so if anyone wants to know about a particular place and prices/specials they're running right now you can PM one of us.

In general, I thought they were okay, but all a little pricey. The biggest thing I think we saw problem-wise at a lot of the nicer places were maintenance issues (water pipe bursts and broken facilities/gym equipment), parking shortages, and noisy neighbors. And I really was surprised at how many places didn't have Time Warner Cable (and thus Roadrunner) available! Kinda weird...

 

[lilstina]

Originally posted by tycho55
Did anyone count? I see only abou 180 people listed...Was expecting more around 200.

tycho i counted... if i'm right, i believe there are actually 217 people on the list. maybe you are missing pages?

 

[medic8m]

How many of you are planning on having roommates vs. solo?

Is there some kind of bulletin board for roommates at the school?

 

[tycho55]

Hey lilstina! Sorry, you're right. It's 217 -- I missed a page.

keekee, what you said about RoadRunner is really frightening. I absolutely need cable modem access. I might die without it!

Time to go dig out my long-lost immunization forms. I thought it kinda odd that a health professional must fill out the form. Don't see why I can't. Oh well.

 

[lilstina]

Originally posted by medic8m
How many of you are planning on having roommates vs. solo?

Is there some kind of bulletin board for roommates at the school?

i think i will live alone to start out with at least because i've had my share of not so great roommates... and i like being responsible for my own mess! though it would be nice to cut costs and have someone around... living alone can get lonely even though it does have a lot of good points.

as for a roommate list, i got a packet in the mail from UTHSCSA and among other things to fill out there is a "Roommate Card" that you can fill out and mail to the school... the Office of Student Life maintains a list for people looking for roommates. it specifically says "The list is available in the Office of Student Life for reference by interested students in the city making housing arrangements." check your mail if you haven't gotten it already, and i'm sure one of us can always give you the number if you still need it.

tycho, i agree... i definitely need high speed internet! i'm going to look at whispering creek along with some other places when i go visit SA... one of my friends went to UTSA for ugrad and she lived there and totally loved it.

and ugh... that immunization stuff is always a pain.

 

[pillion]

My wife and I bought a house about 7 miles from the school near Prue and Bandera. I'll probably be further out than most of you, but I'll be close compared to my wife... she'll be comuting downtown every day, and we're talking at least 25 minutes with no traffic!

JGL, a suppose a little drive can help one unwind from a day at work, or... a little drive can be precious minutes away from your biochem and anatomy books. Take your pick.

I also got a packet... enough with the trasncripts already!

 

[pillion]

... transcripts. I don't mind sending transcripts. It's the trasncripts I hate.

 

[tycho55]

Yeah, those trasncripts are bad. And the immnuization forms can be killer...

 

[keekee]

Lilstina--Whispering Creek Villas WERE nice, I can definitely say that, but I would call before you go because they didn't have any apartments to show us this past weekend, which was too bad. But it shows just how popular they are.

I think I too am gonna end up flying solo this year as far as roomates go and pay a little more, and then once we all get to know each other, find one or two people to room with and rent a 3/2 house or something to save money in the years after.