Rocky Vista University (RVU-COM) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

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For those of you going to the Utah campus, are you planning on living in the dorms or renting a place close by?


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After finding out that the onsite housing is pre-furnished and without laundry hookups, I decided against it. So my wife and I will be looking to rent somewhere close by!


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Random question: does anyone know where school apparel can be bought online? I will be attending the Utah campus starting in July 2017 and was hoping to get a shirt or sweatshirt or something.

Thanks so much!!! :)
Usually school clubs will sponsor even more RVU-branded clothing. It'll be up to members of the inaugural Utah class to form clubs and then sponsor donations via clothing. Of course you'll all be able to reach out to existing clubs at the Colorado campus for help. They should be able to copy-paste all their information and projects to Utah so things should be easier for you all.
 
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Random question: does anyone know where school apparel can be bought online? I will be attending the Utah campus starting in July 2017 and was hoping to get a shirt or sweatshirt or something.

Thanks so much!!! :)
There will be merchandise for you to purchase during orientation. Members of the Inaugural Class will receive a shirt which they can wear the first day of orientation.
 
After finding out that the onsite housing is pre-furnished and without laundry hookups, I decided against it. So my wife and I will be looking to rent somewhere close by!


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also isn't the onsite housing not available until spring semester?
 
After finding out that the onsite housing is pre-furnished and without laundry hookups, I decided against it. So my wife and I will be looking to rent somewhere close by!


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What do you mean by "laundry hookups"?


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I think that the apartments lack washer/dryer within the apartment, and there are laundry rooms for the floors
 
Yep, by laundry hookups I mean a washer and dryer in each apartment. Which they won't have, they'll just have a public laundry facility for all the building tenants to share


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I think that the apartments lack washer/dryer within the apartment, and there are laundry rooms for the floors

Yep, by laundry hookups I mean a washer and dryer in each apartment. Which they won't have, they'll just have a public laundry facility for all the building tenants to share


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Oh yeah, I saw that on the building plans!


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Hey everyone! I'm a first year at RVU and am willing to answer any questions you have about the school/Denver. Congrats to those accepted and to those who are still interviewing. I have two classmates who interviewed in April and were accepted. Don't give up! Direct message would be best since I don't have a lot of time right now (in the middle of Neuro studying) to be scrolling through the threads. For those of you who care, my MCAT was 28 (Old MCAT), 3.8GPA, out of state from CA.
 
Do we have any info on UT's rotation spots?
dean Park said SLC and the Denver spots would be available to SU students; there are a few rural rotation spots in utah as well I believe. Not all the spots that he mapped in Utah are ready just yet though from my understanding but they would be before the 2 year mark
 
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Accepted pending space to Utah yesterday. Interviewed 03/03
 
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Withdrew my acceptance to the Colorado campus! Good luck to anyone pending an acceptance offer/response!
 
Any current students have any insight about looking for housing in the area (when to start, where to look etc.)
 
Any current students have any insight about looking for housing in the area (when to start, where to look etc.)

Don't go too far away from campus your first year; it'll make the commute easier when it rains/snows.
Some places to look at:
Courtney Downs (a big chunk of the 1st year class lives here)
Dove Valley Apartments
Windmill Creek Condos
Fox Run Apartments
Zenith Meridian
 
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Thank you, when should I start thinking about signing a lease? I don't want to get stuck in a crappy spot but also can't sign too early (hoping to get off an MD waitlist).
 
Thank you, when should I start thinking about signing a lease? I don't want to get stuck in a crappy spot but also can't sign too early (hoping to get off an MD waitlist).


The sooner the better IMO. I was trying to save some money and sign lease last minute but my lady turned me around with reason. You need to move in at least a few weeks early, figure out how noisy the neighbors are at night, get acclimated to the higher altitude (some it's not a problem, others like myself it was headaches and lightheaded when doing more than a walk. Lasted a month), learn where grocery store is etc....

Talking with some of the second years during interview, they said it's possible to live +30 minutes away as others did and it worked, but the closer the better. I made a 20 minute drive rule and stuck to that (got a place in downtown littleton next to lightrail stop).

If you haven't noticed already, prices here are expensive so be cognizant of that. Find an environment for success but don't break the bank. Looking at my spreadsheet I made on loans, if we get the 6.8% interest loans by end of 4th year $1,000 becomes 1,300.19. and that doesn't include the length of your residency and if you will be paying it back during that time or just forbearing it. So, every penny saved counts.

I am a local here (as of 3 years ago) so go ahead and ask any other questions you might have.
 
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The sooner the better IMO. I was trying to save some money and sign lease last minute but my lady turned me around with reason. You need to move in at least a few weeks early, figure out how noisy the neighbors are at night, get acclimated to the higher altitude (some it's not a problem, others like myself it was headaches and lightheaded when doing more than a walk. Lasted a month), learn where grocery store is etc....

Talking with some of the second years during interview, they said it's possible to live +30 minutes away as others did and it worked, but the closer the better. I made a 20 minute drive rule and stuck to that (got a place in downtown littleton next to lightrail stop).

If you haven't noticed already, prices here are expensive so be cognizant of that. Find an environment for success but don't break the bank. Looking at my spreadsheet I made on loans, if we get the 6.8% interest loans by end of 4th year $1,000 becomes 1,300.19. and that doesn't include the length of your residency and if you will be paying it back during that time or just forbearing it. So, every penny saved counts.

I am a local here (as of 3 years ago) so go ahead and ask any other questions you might have.

OK, so assuming orientation is mid-July, moving in a few weeks early would be mid June = looking for a lease at the end of may?

Thank you for all that info. Your post was super helpful. I didn't even think about the altitude thing! I didn't notice it when I was there (even went for a hike in the mountains) but I was only there for a few day.
 
OK, so assuming orientation is mid-July, moving in a few weeks early would be mid June = looking for a lease at the end of may?

Thank you for all that info. Your post was super helpful. I didn't even think about the altitude thing! I didn't notice it when I was there (even went for a hike in the mountains) but I was only there for a few day.

I think that is a good timeline, I would definitely start looking the sooner the better.

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet (might have, just haven't seen it :p) is that many apartments price their rooms based off of a daily fluctuating market system. If you haven't seen it before, what it is is that depending on their competitors prices and how many apartments they have available that day, the prices will increase or decrease that day. This is especially true for the middle to upper end apartments. So keep it in mind.

Also, as we approach spring (April, May...) I was told that their prices generally increase as more people move. Winter months tend to see less people moving so the number of vacancies will increase slightly. This is not a guarantee though as Denver is in such housing demand some places (the more desirable places) don't necessarily experience this seasonal fluctuation as much/at all. But it does happen with some so the prices will go up and vacancies will go down/disappear.
There will be vacancies in most apt. complexes in Denver, just not in a few desirable complexes. Don't want to create a panic!

Yeah, the altitude thing affects some, but not all. There is a smaller recovery 1-3 days, then longer recovery (as body compensates and produces higher concentration of red blood cells) that will put you back to normal in about 3-6 weeks time.

For a full read: Effects of high altitude on humans - Wikipedia
 
I am looking for a roommate maybe 2 or 3 to rent a place super close to campus. I am coming from Chicago, pm me if you are interested.
 
Do any current students know some of the Denver area rotation sites? And if they are affiliated with any teaching hospital's in the area? I looked online but could not find much in regards to specific sites.
 
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Denver, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
North Denver
Greeley, CO
Pueblo- Parkview, CO
Pueblo- SMC, CO
Ft. Collins/ Loveland, CO
Grand Junction, CO
Northern Utah
Southern Utah
Blackfoot, ID
Cheyenne, WY
Casper, WY
Rapid City, SD
Show Low, AZ
Lancaster, PA

Do any current students know some of the Denver area rotation sites? And if they are affiliated with any teaching hospital's in the area? I looked online but could not find much in regards to specific sites.
 
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Denver, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
North Denver
Greeley, CO
Pueblo- Parkview, CO
Pueblo- SMC, CO
Ft. Collins/ Loveland, CO
Grand Junction, CO
Northern Utah
Southern Utah
Blackfoot, ID
Cheyenne, WY
Casper, WY
Rapid City, SD
Show Low, AZ
Lancaster, PA

Thanks! Any specific names of the hospitals/clinics rather then just the area they are located? I was able to find that list online, but nothing more specific
 
wow for studio $1650!!! I think it is more expensive than SF and NYC
 
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I've lived in St. George for a large part of my life. St. George is NOT an expensive city to find housing. $1,500 is absolutely outrageous and insane.
I would look into St. George for housing or near Dixie State and just commute. The drive is beautiful.
 
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Hello everyone on here! I'm a first year student on the CO campus and am looking forward to meeting all of you in a few months! I wanted to throw a few pieces of money-saving advice out there, just in case they haven't been said yet.

For one, finding a few roommates and renting a house will save you a lot of $ and is great for facilitating the process of socializing and making new friends. You should check your class FB page to find other students who may want to live together.

Second, if you can stay on your parents health insurance, do it. If not (and if you will be in a low-to-no income household while in school), consider applying for medicaid soon after you move out here to expedite the application process. If you can get this done before the school's deadline for healthcare coverage (after which they autoenroll you in Aetna) you'll save yourself about 4k a year.

I briefly perused some previous posts. I saw someone asking about what diagnostic equipment to buy. Just hold out for now. They'll give you a reccomended package towards the beginning of the year. It's great and all, and is of high quality with warranty, but a few of us bought diagnostic equipment from different brands off ebay and amazon and saved $900. Worked just fine all year.

come into school ready to have a great year that will be both challening and fun. You will learn a lot about medicine and medical science at a quick pace, but I have been able to find a lot of time to enjoy my life and pick up new hobbies as well. The general vibe on campus is very positive and friendly and I think you all have made a great choice!

Feel free to message if you have any questions.
 
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Did anyone else hear an ~$800 figure when interviewing / visiting?


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I think that was just a guess based on housing in the surrounding area. I don't think anyone was expecting them to come in that high. The school didn't have any control over the pricing.
 
I was sending my titer results in and noticed the lab didn't add any ranges for for interpretation of the mumps screen. The other results had this included. Anybody know if this will be a problem? I haven't heard back from the school yet.
 
Thanks! Any specific names of the hospitals/clinics rather then just the area they are located? I was able to find that list online, but nothing more specific

Denver:
Sky Ridge
St. Joseph's
Rose Medical Center
St. Anthony's
Swedish
Presbyterian St. Luke
Parker Adventist
Lutheran
National Jewish
Among others...

North Denver:
St. Anthony's
North Suburban
Boulder Medical Center
Boulder Community Health



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So I noticed on the technical requirements that touch screen enabled laptops are not allowed for NBME. Is there a work around? My laptop is touch screen and I didn't know if it was going to work for class or not.

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So I noticed on the technical requirements that touch screen enabled laptops are not allowed for NBME. Is there a work around? My laptop is touch screen and I didn't know if it was going to work for class or not.

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Multiple people in my class, including myself have touch screen laptop/tablet combos. It has never been an issue. I wouldn't worry about it at all.


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So I noticed on the technical requirements that touch screen enabled laptops are not allowed for NBME. Is there a work around? My laptop is touch screen and I didn't know if it was going to work for class or not.

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I think they've loaned laptops to people with technical crises for shelf exams before, so if all else fails there's that. Probably.
 
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I will be commuting to the CO campus and wanted to know if there is a lightrail station close to the school?
 
So I noticed on the technical requirements that touch screen enabled laptops are not allowed for NBME. Is there a work around? My laptop is touch screen and I didn't know if it was going to work for class or not.

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I feel like this is an older requirement that's been passed down. As it's sort of difficult to find newer PCs without touch screens. Not to mention how popular the Surface line is with being able to use a stylus to take notes.


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Could anyone tell me a little about the orientation week schedule? Mostly about the hours per day we will be in orientation? I have some family that wants to visit a few days before the white coat and I'm looking to get an idea of how much I'll be around to see them
 
Could anyone tell me a little about the orientation week schedule? Mostly about the hours per day we will be in orientation? I have some family that wants to visit a few days before the white coat and I'm looking to get an idea of how much I'll be around to see them
I'd venture to remember that orientation was 8-3ish each day. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
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Could anyone tell me a little about the orientation week schedule? Mostly about the hours per day we will be in orientation? I have some family that wants to visit a few days before the white coat and I'm looking to get an idea of how much I'll be around to see them

If you're on the Utah campus then the white coat ceremony is 6 weeks after orientation week... not sure if the CO campus uses the exact same calendar but if you wanted to plan for a little time with them- according to the calendar we'll have classes but no exams in the 4 days leading up to 9/16, the next exam will be Wednesday 9/20.


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Hello everyone on here! I'm a first year student on the CO campus and am looking forward to meeting all of you in a few months! I wanted to throw a few pieces of money-saving advice out there, just in case they haven't been said yet.

For one, finding a few roommates and renting a house will save you a lot of $ and is great for facilitating the process of socializing and making new friends. You should check your class FB page to find other students who may want to live together.

Second, if you can stay on your parents health insurance, do it. If not (and if you will be in a low-to-no income household while in school), consider applying for medicaid soon after you move out here to expedite the application process. If you can get this done before the school's deadline for healthcare coverage (after which they autoenroll you in Aetna) you'll save yourself about 4k a year.

I briefly perused some previous posts. I saw someone asking about what diagnostic equipment to buy. Just hold out for now. They'll give you a reccomended package towards the beginning of the year. It's great and all, and is of high quality with warranty, but a few of us bought diagnostic equipment from different brands off ebay and amazon and saved $900. Worked just fine all year.

come into school ready to have a great year that will be both challening and fun. You will learn a lot about medicine and medical science at a quick pace, but I have been able to find a lot of time to enjoy my life and pick up new hobbies as well. The general vibe on campus is very positive and friendly and I think you all have made a great choice!

Feel free to message if you have any questions.

Hey man, thanks for posting! I was wondering how many people go to lecture on a daily basis.
 
Hey man, thanks for posting! I was wondering how many people go to lecture on a daily basis.
By the end of the 1st semester, I'd say 40-50% were attending lecture regularly with the exception of a few lectures that were important to attend. This semester I'd say it's about 1/3 of the class. Certain professors achieve higher attendance than others.
 
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By the end of the 1st semester, I'd say 40-50% were attending lecture regularly with the exception of a few lectures that were important to attend. This semester I'd say it's about 1/3 of the class. Certain professors achieve higher attendance than others.
How much mandatory stuff throughout the week?

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How much mandatory stuff throughout the week?

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It depends on the class. About 2/3 of the 1st year you will have clinical medicine lab 1x/wk, omm lab 1x/wk, and dissection 2-3x/wk. each lab is typically two hours long. There are a few other infrequent events requiring attendance. The other 1/3 of the year (certain classes) require varying reduction in this total amount of mandatory time. It seems that 2nd year is less demanding regarding mandatory events overall (I am 1st year).
 
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