Rallying My Fellow URMs: PART 2

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Originally posted by Heal&Teach
2 accepts from my state schools (Friday and yesterday). It made for a great end to a very hectic week. 🙂 Cancelled Meharry interview b/c I couldn't afford another trip. Overall, life is good.

BTW, rmp, how did your interview go?

Best,
H&T
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What's up everyone!

I too canceled my Meharry interview, partly for the same reason, finances. I've bought my fair share of plane tickets, in addition to leasing rental cars. I'm tapped out! In my heart I knew that even if I were accepted at Meharry I probably wouldn't go there, over my other schools. Therefore, there was no point in wasting my money and their time.

Heal&Teach, congrats on your acceptances!

Pathdr2b, good luck in the 2005 cycle!

Cheers!
rmp
 
Originally posted by rmp
Pathdr2b, good luck in the 2005 cycle!
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Thanks a bunch!!! First hurdle, MCAT (again 🙁 ). Oh well, gotta go eat and hit the books now!!!

And Congrats!!!:clap: :clap:
 
Originally posted by Heal&Teach
Not quite sure yet. I got into Buffalo and Stony Brook, but I'm waiting for a few others before I made a final decision. I'm waitlisted at Wake and RWJ (NJ), and I only recently interviewed at Pitt, so I don't have a decision from them. The top three right now are Pitt, Wake, and SB (moreso Pitt and Wake since I would be able to best satiate my thirst to do some public health research during my medical career). I need to sit down and make a serious assessment list, b/c this is going to be a hard decision (if I indeed have any additional decisions to make).

Thanks for asking. 😀
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Congrats Heal!👍
 
Originally posted by Heal&Teach
2 accepts from my state schools (Friday and yesterday). It made for a great end to a very hectic week. 🙂 Cancelled Meharry interview b/c I couldn't afford another trip. Overall, life is good.

BTW, rmp, how did your interview go?

Best,
H&T
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:clap: Congratulations!
 
Thanks for the congrats everyone!!!! I'm really excited to start (although I've been having a nervous breakdown thinking about the expenses I'm going to incur!!!!), and I've been trying to enjoy this one day at a time.

path, best of luck to you in this application cycle! you'll rock out on the MCAT and be where you wanna be! 😀

Best,
H&T
 
Originally posted by Jamaican MD
:clap: Congratulations!
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hey lady its been a while, how is everything going???🙂

@path, u'll be leaving the MCAT blazing in your tracks, goodluck!!!!!:clap:
 
Originally posted by lotanna
@path, u'll be leaving the MCAT blazing in your tracks, goodluck!!!!!:clap:
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Originally posted by Heal&Teach
path, best of luck to you in this application cycle! you'll rock out on the MCAT and be where you wanna be! 😀
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Awwww, thanks you guys, I think I'm gonna cry now!!!! Thanks so much for the love!🙂
 
Bump Baby, Bump!!!
 
lotanna said:
So lady how did the MCAT go?? 😛
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I thought the verbal section was a breeze although I did have to blaze through the last question because time was running out. The physicial sciences was thankfully concentrated in General Chemistry, so unless my old brain had a major recall problem, I think I did OK in that section too. The biological section was where I had to think REAL hard becasue there we're so many molecular biology/biochemistry/genetics questions. I've asked myself many times since how anyone could get a decent score in that section without an MS in either Chemistry or Biology or some other related field. Maybe you guys are learning this stuff as undergraduates.

In the end I think the largest contributing factor to my impressions of the test was the fact that I have an MS in Chemsitry. I also think this helped my confidence level and lets face it you have to think you can get a good score to actually get one. Having the MS and all that's required to complet one, helped me in the verbal section along with having a BA in a Humanities. I also went through the 6 AMCAS exams plus 4 others I found. Otherwise, my a$$ would have been crying like some of the other test takers. Hopefully, all this will translate into a good score. Well see.......

Hats off to you guys that seem to do well without all the "specialized training" I needed. You must ALL be Geniuses!
 
pathdr2b said:
I thought the verbal section was a breeze although I did have to blaze through the last question because time was running out. The physicial sciences was thankfully concentrated in General Chemistry, so unless my old brain had a major recall problem, I think I did OK in that section too. The biological section was where I had to think REAL hard becasue there we're so many molecular biology/biochemistry/genetics questions. I've asked myself many times since how anyone could get a decent score in that section without an MS in either Chemistry or Biology or some other related field. Maybe you guys are learning this stuff as undergraduates.

In the end I think the largest contributing factor to my impressions of the test was the fact that I have an MS in Chemsitry. I also think this helped my confidence level and lets face it you have to think you can get a good score to actually get one. Having the MS and all that's required to complet one, helped me in the verbal section along with having a BA in a Humanities. I also went through the 6 AMCAS exams plus 4 others I found. Otherwise, my a$$ would have been crying like some of the other test takers. Hopefully, all this will translate into a good score. Well see.......

Hats off to you guys that seem to do well without all the "specialized training" I needed. You must ALL be Geniuses!
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Ah MD/PhD bring it on right!! Thats great, definitely your Chemistry masters was an asset. You sound confident and like you said thats the 1st step towards success!! Come June we'll be drinking a toast in your honor, and when you get in, and SDNers ask those famous words "URM?", you can answer them appropriately :laugh:
Geniuses? yeah right, i know I'm still expecting that phone call from mich state saying well "Lotanna there is a problem" 😱
 
Heal&Teach said:
A friend passed this on to me... very interesting; some things to consider as we move on into the next phase of our lives. http://www.nmanet.org/pr_042104.htm

EDIT: I moved the post - didn't want to take away from path's answer to lotanna. 🙂
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Interesting survey! Then again the question is what is satisfaction to you as a physician. We cant save everyone and we cant forcefully change all the laws, but we can work with what we have at the present moment. Unfortunately from the survey, it can be deduced that the minority physicians arent working with much. Health disparities remain a big issue, and thats a tough problem to tackle 🙁
 
Congratulations to all those who have gotten in. Good luck to those of us still waiting.

I've been MIA for a while (traveling for interviews), but does anyone have any news to share? (recent interviews, waitlist info, acceptances)
 
lotanna said:
Ah MD/PhD bring it on right!! Thats great, definitely your Chemistry masters was an asset. You sound confident and like you said thats the 1st step towards success!!:
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Yeah,it was MUCH different taking the test this time than it was the last time (Pre-Master's of course). Confidence about my performance on the test? A little, but it's somewhat of a paradox. Adcoms will be EXPECTING that my scores imporved from the last time, so that adds a little more pressure.
lotanna said:
Come June we'll be drinking a toast in your honor, and when you get in, and SDNers ask those famous words "URM?", you can answer them appropriately :laugh:!!:
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Here's the thing. I have absolutely NO intention of posting ANY specifics come application time on SDN. My experiences on SDN have taught me that if I do well and post to that effect I'm bragging, arrogant, immature, and and my personal favorite, a liar. However, you guys that have ALWAYS been positive and supportive can reach me by email, so I'll be very happy to let you know how things are going! Besides the ONLY person that doesn't know me well that needs my specific info, is the adcom member at Haaaarvard that says, yes we have to have Pathdr2b! :laugh:
lotanna said:
Geniuses? yeah right, i know I'm still expecting that phone call from mich state saying well "Lotanna there is a problem" 😱
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Girl you know you need to stop tirppin' :laugh:
 
pathdr2b said:
In this same addition is an article about a medical mission to Nigeria and in it is a brotha' I knew from grad school (we were in the same lab), Patrick Hines, MD/PhD! What a small world!
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thats the one on the med mission trip to Ghana.
My friend Aima is on there(we even just went on the one to Nigeria), the group of them started that one in 2001. Ironic enough I was at the SNMA conference in 2001 when it was announced. She's startin her IM residency at Hopkins.
check out 6 degrees of separation theory

Me-->Aima-->Patrick--->you 😛 It's a small world!!
 
lotanna said:
thats the one on the med mission trip to Ghana.
My friend Aima is on there(we even just went on the one to Nigeria), the group of them started that one in 2001. Ironic enough I was at the SNMA conference in 2001 when it was announced. She's startin her IM residency at Hopkins.
check out 6 degrees of separation theory

Me-->Aima-->Patrick--->you 😛 It's a small world!!
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Small world indeed. So when are we all going to meet up? :laugh:
 
pathdr2b said:
Small world indeed. So when are we all going to meet up? :laugh:
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I should be in the Dc area at some point this summer, and I'll definitely be at SNMA2005, so better have ur poster ready and answers ready for my questions! :laugh:
 
lotanna said:
I should be in the Dc area at some point this summer, and I'll definitely be at SNMA2005, so better have ur poster ready and answers ready for my questions! :laugh:
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Well when you get here we have to get toghter for coffee at the very least. Send me a PM! Don't let me have to hunt you down! :laugh:

As to the poster, you guys motivated me yesterday to get going a little more with it. I still have to have it approved by my PI but since there is very little research in sickle cell relative to other areas/diseases, I shouldn't have too many problems.......at least I hope not! And I should correct this, the project really isn't about sickle cell per se, it's more so about a type of cancer common in sickle cell patients. Either way, hopefully one day it will be of benefit to african americans and other with the genes but afraid to let anyone know for reasons I won't get into here 😉
 
lotanna said:
I should be in the Dc area at some point this summer, and I'll definitely be at SNMA2005, so better have ur poster ready and answers ready for my questions! :laugh:
Click to expand...

Well when you get here we have to get together for coffee at the very least. Send me a PM! Don't let me have to hunt you down! :laugh:

As to the poster, you guys motivated me yesterday to get going a little more with it. I still have to have it approved by my PI but since there is very little research in sickle cell relative to other areas/diseases, I shouldn't have too many problems.......at least I hope not! And I should correct this, the project really isn't about sickle cell per se, it's more so about a type of cancer common in sickle cell patients. Either way, hopefully one day it will be of benefit to african americans and other with the genes but afraid to let anyone know for reasons I won't get into here 😉

On another note, Lotanna do you HAVE the credentials to go into academic research if you choose 😀
 
pathdr2b said:
Well when you get here we have to get together for coffee at the very least. Send me a PM! Don't let me have to hunt you down! :laugh:

As to the poster, you guys motivated me yesterday to get going a little more with it. I still have to have it approved by my PI but since there is very little research in sickle cell relative to other areas/diseases, I shouldn't have too many problems.......at least I hope not! And I should correct this, the project really isn't about sickle cell per se, it's more so about a type of cancer common in sickle cell patients. Either way, hopefully one day it will be of benefit to african americans and other with the genes but afraid to let anyone know for reasons I won't get into here 😉

On another note, Lotanna do you HAVE the credentials to go into academic research if you choose 😀
Click to expand...

Interesting research, Howard has big research going on with sickle cell,my aunt is a prof working there in the center that they have going.

your signature gets me going, I was just talkin to my boy who is starting urology residency, and he said that he knew he wanted to do surgery, and nothing else but thats why he picked urology, cause of the high prevalence of prostate cancer among black men.

I dont know about academic research, only research was the one for my masters thesis on nutrition intake and pregnancy outcomes. Maybe i'll do something in med schl like after 1st yr, or maybe something great will come up and i might take a yr off to do it? 👍

Check out stuff on Natl Medical Fellowships
http://www.bms.com/sr/philanthropy/data/fellow2003.pdf
 
lotanna said:
your signature gets me going, I was just talkin to my boy who is starting urology residency, and he said that he knew he wanted to do surgery, and nothing else but thats why he picked urology, cause of the high prevalence of prostate cancer among black men.
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My Dad died from prostate cancer a few years ago, so unfortunately I'm very familiar with the disease. But you know it's funny how things work out in life, I've NEVER had a personal interest in Urology (although my current research is concentrated in urological oncology) but my mentor with the MD/PhD works in that area as an Oncologist. About 1.5 years ago, I joined her on a project examining the links between genetics and certain types of renal cancer just before my Dad died, and I met my current boss in Pathology from shadowing my mentor in the clinic and at Rounds. One thing led to another, and now have my life's mission.

Looks like all along, God was right in there directing my path! 👍

As for your "research" career, and I'm sure you already know this, but I believe Hopkins has special research electives for URM students interested in their residency programs. You may want to give this a try perhaps in between MS1 and MS2. Just a suggestion............... 🙂
 
lotanna said:
Interesting research, Howard has big research going on with sickle cell,my aunt is a prof working there in the center that they have going.
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The center is one of the MANY reasons Howard Med is on my list! 👍
 
pathdr2b said:
My Dad died from prostate cancer a few years ago, so unfortunately I'm very familiar with the disease. But you know it's funny how things work out in life, I've NEVER had a personal interest in Urology (although my current research is concentrated in urological oncology) but my mentor with the MD/PhD works in that area as an Oncologist. About 1.5 years ago, I joined her on a project examining the links between genetics and certain types of renal cancer just before my Dad died, and I met my current boss in Pathology from shadowing my mentor in the clinic and at Rounds. One thing led to another, and now have my life's mission.

Looks like all along, God was right in there directing my path! 👍

As for your "research" career, and I'm sure you already know this, but I believe Hopkins has special research electives for URM students interested in their residency programs. You may want to give this a try perhaps in between MS1 and MS2. Just a suggestion............... 🙂
Click to expand...

Thats for sharing the unfortunate story-link, but ur right everything does happen for a reason, nothing is due to chance, luck or by accident!
I'm familiar with their Summer research internship, and its definitely an option. I was just looking at the application last week, and the deadline is Feb. Yeah part of my whole networking and planning early stage. I'd be looking at Pulmonary and Critical care. I like this about the prog

"Those students interested in clinical medicine are also given the opportunity to "round" with the Johns Hopkins Medicine residents. This allows students to step out of their research experience for a time, and get a glimpse of life in clinical medicine, and life as a resident at an academic institution. "

Wouldnt hurt to start networking early u know, especially considering that pulmonary and critical care is tied in with infectious disease and cardiology(fields of interest to me), and those will be the same people affiliated with the Internal Medicine Program :idea: **light bulb** 👍
 
Just a reminder that it's vitally important for URM applicants to have mentors at ALL stages as you go through the process of becoming an trained physician. Also, mentors don't necessarily have to be URM's, just interested in URM issues.
 
Hey guys! I feel like I've learned som much info from this thread in the past few days. lotanna and pathdr2b, I'm curious about where to start looking for info on summer opportunities for med students. The only one that I know of is the NIH fellowship for med students, but I'm sure that there are others!

If you wanna be competitive in this career, you have to have everything all mapped out. So I'm just trying to be like you guys!

I should also add that I have research experience (breast cancer), but I didn't play any part in developing hypotheses, writing, getting published, etc. How do I get started?
 
Jamaican MD said:
I should also add that I have research experience (breast cancer), but I didn't play any part in developing hypotheses, writing, getting published, etc. How do I get started?
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Here's a good place to start:


http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/crisp/crisp_query.generate_screen

In the space marked "Enter Search Terms" - type "breast cancer"

In the space marked "Insitution" put the entire name of the school where you want to do research followed by a % sign. For example, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill%

Howver, if you are interested in breast cancer work at G'town, send me a PM (I cleared my box).
 
Jamaican MD said:
Hey guys! I feel like I've learned som much info from this thread in the past few days. lotanna and pathdr2b, I'm curious about where to start looking for info on summer opportunities for med students. The only one that I know of is the NIH fellowship for med students, but I'm sure that there are others!

If you wanna be competitive in this career, you have to have everything all mapped out. So I'm just trying to be like you guys!

I should also add that I have research experience (breast cancer), but I didn't play any part in developing hypotheses, writing, getting published, etc. How do I get started?
Click to expand...


hey girl, there are a ton of opportunities available. 4 example, MIRT run thru NIH grants pays for everything plus housing stipend(of about 1000)/monthly stipend of about $1000-1500 and its 2 months. There're several in Jamaica even if ur interested, hey its a free trip, all paid for 😀
For more on MIRT click here, http://www.fic.nih.gov/programs/mirt.html
which u can apply to even if u dont go to the schl, only exception is University of mich


Check out these websites as well

http://www.bettyfordcenter.org/programs/services/educational/summer.html
http://www.med.upenn.edu/md_phd/resoppsmd.html
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/2635.cfm
 
Thanks lotanna and pathdr2b! Those are awesome links!
 
lotanna said:
hey girl, there are a ton of opportunities available. 4 example, MIRT run thru NIH grants pays for everything plus housing stipend(of about 1000)/monthly stipend of about $1000-1500 and its 2 months. There're several in Jamaica even if ur interested, hey its a free trip, all paid for 😀
For more on MIRT click here, http://www.fic.nih.gov/programs/mirt.html
which u can apply to even if u dont go to the schl, only exception is University of mich


Check out these websites as well

http://www.bettyfordcenter.org/programs/services/educational/summer.html
http://www.med.upenn.edu/md_phd/resoppsmd.html
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/2635.cfm
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Thanks Lotanna!
That Jamaica opportunity sounds real good!!
 
hey people, yeah i had a friend who did MIRT like 4x, and went to 4 different countries. Talk about free travel 😛
 
Are there any summer paid clinical opportunities that you guys are aware of for med students?
 
Jamaican MD said:
Are there any summer paid clinical opportunities that you guys are aware of for med students?
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like fellowships, or internships? they usually dont pay much, u might get like $3000 for the summer, then again as a broke med student, thats not bad 🙂 I'll hopefully be doing something like that next summer, hoping to do the Hopkins one in pulmonary/critical care, its research but they've clinical aspect as u get to shadow residents.
 
hey y'all I love workingout, but past 7 weeks now, I've been on a workout challenge. I just started the nutrition part of it, using body for life method(sorry that atkins thing does work for me, i need some kind of carbs), esp cause i get tired from lifting.
Anyway so I'm back to eating good, did it last yr for 2months, and it was great till i fell off 🙁 Trying to bring it back, make it part of my lifestyle once again So I'm on a 12 week challenge till med schl starts for me end of aug. Oh weee, cottage cheese here i come once again 😱 🙁 at least now, i've figured out ways to make the food interesting. ANyone interested in joining in? www.bodyforlife.com and www.eatingforlife.com
Now i'm really going to try HARD and wake up 30mins earlier and go running. I run everyday as is, but thats in the evening, and thats not what i want, i want to target my body while the glycogen supply is depleted, after the body fasts while i sleep for a few hrs. Not really looking for weight loss, just cut down body fat% and my abs!! 😛

Anyway i'll post weekly updates, maybe that might motivate someone to give it a try 👍
 
lotanna said:
like fellowships, or internships? they usually dont pay much, u might get like $3000 for the summer, then again as a broke med student, thats not bad 🙂 I'll hopefully be doing something like that next summer, hoping to do the Hopkins one in pulmonary/critical care, its research but they've clinical aspect as u get to shadow residents.
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$3000.00 is ALOT of money to me!!!!!
 
Lotanna, are you taking their supplements? What turned me off from the program was the incorporation of what I like to call "fake food" i.e. protein bars and shakes. Not only are they expensive, they're also nasty!

I like th fact that the Hopkins program has clinical opportunity. I love being in the hospital, and seeing the action up close. $3000 is cool for me too. Maybe I could supplement that somehow with a part-time gig in an ED?? We'll see.
 
pathdr2b said:
$3000.00 is ALOT of money to me!!!!!
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I know, i thought about that after i typed it, especially for 8 weeks!!! 😛
 
Jamaican MD said:
Lotanna, are you taking their supplements? What turned me off from the program was the incorporation of what I like to call "fake food" i.e. protein bars and shakes. Not only are they expensive, they're also nasty!

I like th fact that the Hopkins program has clinical opportunity. I love being in the hospital, and seeing the action up close. $3000 is cool for me too. Maybe I could supplement that somehow with a part-time gig in an ED?? We'll see.
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With the Hopkins one, they say u wont have time for anything else, cause it'll be fulltime, and no real time for vacation. But yeah dont mind me give me $3000 anyday!!! My summer enrichment program paid the same for 8 weeks MCAT prep.
Paying me money to network, how could i turn it down

Naah girl, never that, supplements arent required though, i'd only drink a protein shake if i was lacking time to eat a meal/snack. I make my own shake using a blend of soft tofu/cottage cheese, light maple syrup, skim milk, banana
and never mind the ingredients :laugh: but its real tasty!! 😀
I did my 20mins cardio this morning running outside b4 work, using their high intensity training thing: you go up a notch each min, start level 5 (say run at an easy pace) do it for 2mins, go up to level 6 do that for a min, all the way to level 9, and then u drop down again to level 6, and u do the same thing and at the last time, u go all out to level 10, and then come down to level 5 for 2 mins, and thats it.

Body for life works for me, I cant do Atkins and stuff because thats more weight loss, not necessarily getting your body together
 
Lotanna, I used to use their 20 min exercise plan on the stairmaster. WHEW! Talk about working up a sweat! That exercise plan is NO joke. I can't wait to be able to exercise again! I've gained a lil weight since my accident. Ah well, c'est la vie.

I'll get back down to my Beyonce bootylicious booty-shaking self in no time! :laugh:
 
Hey all,
Does anyone know of any scholarships or grants for minorities/African Americans going into medical school? I've searched and searched the internet, but contrary to what I expected there's not a lot out there. Any advice/suggestions/websites would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Emeri Onwunwa said:
Hey all,
Does anyone know of any scholarships or grants for minorities/African Americans going into medical school? I've searched and searched the internet, but contrary to what I expected there's not a lot out there. Any advice/suggestions/websites would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

There's more financial opportunites after you actually matriculate. I'll try to dig up some info as soon as I can.
 
pathdr2b said:
There's more financial opportunites after you actually matriculate. I'll try to dig up some info as soon as I can.
Click to expand...

I noticed that too... it's the strangest thing. Thank you soooo much in advance.
 
Some scholarships that come to mind are the national medical fellowship scholarships.
 
Jamaican MD said:
Lotanna, I used to use their 20 min exercise plan on the stairmaster. WHEW! Talk about working up a sweat! That exercise plan is NO joke. I can't wait to be able to exercise again! I've gained a lil weight since my accident. Ah well, c'est la vie.

I'll get back down to my Beyonce bootylicious booty-shaking self in no time! :laugh:
Click to expand...


yeah i used it last yr too, and it worked for 2months. This morning, i was drenched in sweat, i think their 20mins cardio=an hr of normal running. Its real tight, Beyonce will be begging me for my bootylicious secrets by the time this summer is over :laugh:

BTW, howz ur foot?
 
pathdr2b said:
There's more financial opportunites after you actually matriculate. I'll try to dig up some info as soon as I can.
Click to expand...

yeah thats how it is in my schl. Plus i encourage everyone to apply for awards, like many medical organizations have them like american women of psychiatrists for example, and the stipends are usually like $1000 cash. It'd be great pocket money 🙂

I 2nd NMF too
 
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