To Duke Students

i have been wondering also because my pre-med advisor has advised me against Duke only because of the first year.

i really want to know from a student.

 

If they don't then I guess that's their choice. A student there told me that "if you're REALLY good, you might get to go out maybe one weekend in the entire year". I'll most probably still be going there anyway; I'm sure one can go out every weekend if one chooses to. If on the other hand one is looking for honors (btw there's nothin' wrong with that), then that individual would most definitely have to spend close to all weekends cramming. I guess my point is that the only person deciding whether or not there's a "chance"--to date, party, or whatever--is the student in question.

 

Hello!

Cast aside your fears and doubts. Duke's first year is only as hard as you want it to be. OK, maybe I'm being a bit too cavalier -- I remember when I first started, I felt as if I had to study all the time. It was my own insecurity that drove me to it: I was convinced everyone around me was a supergenius, and I'd never keep up. Then I hit my stride.

There is plenty of time to do other things. Many of my classmates work out several times a week. This confused me when I first saw it -- I came from art school, where nobody works out ever. Three of my classmates are actively musical: one plays for the Duke Jazz ensemble, one is recording a CD, and one plays drums for a band -- went to his gig last night.

Quite a few people are actually taking EXTRA courses: two people enrolled in a harmonica course, one in a sculpture course. One classmate has a one year old daughter. I work freelance for a publishing company, proofreading historical romance novels. And all of this is compatible with doing well academically.

Original: I'm really confused about why someone would tell you that you can only allow yourself one free weekend a year. That is just STRANGE! We have MUCH more fun than that. It's true that we do have Monday exams, and that these do tend to kill weekends for conscientous studiers. Some blocks are harder than others. The one that just ended (immunology/microbiology/pathology) featured a LOT of Monday exams. But on weekends without Monday exams, however, all hell tends to break loose (in a good way.) Our exam schedule is much better next block.

Anything else I can tell you?

 

is it the same amount of information in a much shorter time or is it a bulk if info condensed into one year? im asking because i cant see how you can put all of the same info into only one year. the first year on a regular schedule is alot to handle. how do you manage?

 

Mawell:

Yes, there are a surprising number of relationships going on. Three people are married, quite a number have boyfriends and girlfriends from before school started and -- get this -- seven couples have formed between classmates. That strikes me as alot for a class with 97 people in it!

As far as casual dating goes, Allied Health students are sometimes mentioned as a nice way of expanding one's horizons. The physical therapy students are considered especially desirable, from what I've heard. The proximity of UNC Chapel Hill also guarantees a steady supply of new faces for those who seek them.

psyc.lover:

From what I can tell, Duke's curriculum must hit the highlights rather than compress two academic years into eleven months -- otherwise we'd all be dead. It's hard to say, because I don't have a real basis for comparison. We do tend to move at a rather fast pace, but this seems to be the case at every other medical school as well. I was completely terrified of the pace before I started. I remained terrified for about two months, and then began to relax. From then on, everything was fine. Really.

The day-to-day pace is really not bad at all; the most tiring part is simply that it doesn't end: you cram for one exam, write it, and then have to start thinking about the next one. It's been a looooooooooooong year. What makes it worth it is being able to actually see how that knowledge works on the wards next year.

To answer mawell's earlier question about how much we study, it varies enormously. I tend to do little if any work during the week -- for me, going to class and paying attention is work enough. If we don't have a Monday exam, I'll spend maybe five hours over the weekend reading and making notes. If we do have a Monday exam, both days are devoted to studying, morning until night -- though I always take the end of Sunday evening off to take a bath, eat some ice cream, read a murder mystery...

Other people work harder during the week and then not so hard on the weekends, and there are plenty who never go to lecture at all but watch them on video later. I know someone who does most of his studying the night before a test (he stays up all night), but then again, some poor souls study all the time. It really depends on how you learn.

 

so what do you do the second year? i heard its all research. but, some say its clinical.

 

Second year is core rotations on the wards -- it's the same as most schools' third year.

Then during our third year we get to do what we want. A good chunk of the class does research (basic science or clinical), other people get an MPH, others begin law or business school, and a humanities option has just been added as well. Lots of possibilities!

 

WOW now i want to go to Duke.
Thanks for the great info! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by omores:
<strong>Original: I'm really confused about why someone would tell you that you can only allow yourself one free weekend a year. That is just STRANGE! We have MUCH more fun than that. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I was equally confused and found it unbelievable that the curriculum could be so rigorous. I was there in the 1st week of November, by which time you guys had only been in school a little over 2 months; so I guess this student might have still been in the freaking-out phase. Who knows?
Though surprisingly the student still seemed to be in love with the school.

 

1st week of November -- that explains it, then. We were immersed in Block 2, which meant a heaping helping of Physiology, Gross Anatomy, and Microanatomy. That block was the first time I really felt like I was in medical school -- working with a cadaver brings it home in a way that lectures on the urea cycle never can.

But it was a rough ride -- the anatomy labs were long and tiring, and the exam schedule was particularly onerous. Still, that pressure generated some of the more memorable moments of our first year. Shortly after your visit, the infamous "end of madness" party took place, featuring guest appearances by two anatomy instructors, one of whom actually did a keg stand, much to our surprise and delight. 'Twas a night to remember -- or not remember, as the case may be.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by omores:
<strong> Shortly after your visit, the infamous "end of madness" party took place, featuring guest appearances by two anatomy instructors, one of whom actually did a keg stand, much to our surprise and delight. 'Twas a night to remember -- or not remember, as the case may be.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">WOW!!! sounds good <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

 

hey omores - sent you a PM

 

Omores, I just sent you a private message too...

 

anyone here know how the Duke waitlist works? I'm waitlisted, but Duke is absolutely my first choice!

 

Hi TommyGunn.

The waitlist itself is a bit of a mystery to me, but I can give you some news you might like. This is what Brenda Armstrong told us recently:

This year, Duke made fewer offers of admission than it did in previous years: only 170 (versus 200) got the nod. This is because things got a wee bit tight last year, and the admissions office was afraid it had overbooked.

As of two weeks ago, somewhere around 40 had already withdrawn. I think there'll be quite a bit of waitlist movement this year, starting very soon.

Best of luck!

 

Dook Sucks. Ugly girls and rich kids.
Save your money.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by yigit:
<strong>Dook Sucks. Ugly girls and rich kids.
Save your money.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I didn't know there was a rivalry between the med schools too... <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

 

Omores,

How is the air in Durham? I had really bad allergies in Baltimore. This included reducing my air flow capacity by over 50%, allergic pink eye, major congestion, etc. Since Baltimore's spring season would probably be shorter than Durham's, I am imagining it is worse down there.

Also, there aren't med frats there right? Do people tend to live together?

 

Oldman:

Yes, there are abundant allergens in Durham, alas -- particularly of the pollen and leaf mold variety (the darker side of North Carolina's lushness...) The good news is that they might be different allergens from the ones you're used to, so it's possible you'd be entitled to a honeymoon period. But that's being optimistic.

No, no med frats. Many students live with roommates, generally from medical school. The medical school puts up an online bulletin for roommate-seekers, and there's also the grad student listing service as well.

Yigit: glad to see you haven't changed <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

 

any other Duke students around to share their wisdom about this wonderful place <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

 

thanks for the info. i'll take this into consideration. when i got to baltimore, i had allergies that first spring. i don't think i'll get a honeymoon period. now that MN is giving me more and more money, i'm having less incentive to go elsewhere.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by omores:
<strong>Oldman:

Yes, there are abundant allergens in Durham, alas -- particularly of the pollen and leaf mold variety (the darker side of North Carolina's lushness...) The good news is that they might be different allergens from the ones you're used to, so it's possible you'd be entitled to a honeymoon period. But that's being optimistic.

No, no med frats. Many students live with roommates, generally from medical school. The medical school puts up an online bulletin for roommate-seekers, and there's also the grad student listing service as well.

Yigit: glad to see you haven't changed <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">

 

Omores, I'm flattered that you remember me. I've been in hiding, but I'm seriously considering making a comeback. I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner. I'm thinking something along the lines of liver, flava beans and a nice chianti.

I've lost it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

 

I am not trying to be catty.....but dear God, why would you even let things such as a loss of weekend social life and dating even be a consideration? You are looking at DUKE! You'll give up a few free weekends here and there now while you are young -- but you'll be a physician with a Duke MD forever! If that's your only consideration, go for it!!!

Good luck <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />