University of Pittsburgh SOM Class of 2010

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JDWflash44

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Alright, I figure there have been a lot of us on here accepted to Pittsburgh already, so I think it is time for us to start a thread of our own.

Jim
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Does Pitt have a second look weekend? When? I've been travelling so I haven't had time to go home and get the package even though it's been there forever.

Pitt's one of my top choices now. I have a lot of family near there and know the area is pretty good (despite the fact that the weather right now is probably totally miserable). My friends who are there like it a lot.
 
The acceptance package didnt say anything about a 2nd look weekend, so i'm sure we'll hear something later on about it.

Jim
 
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Fairly sure there will be a second look day! Someone I know who goes there told me to go.

Where are you guys from? Pitt's one of my top choices, too.
 
Oookay, obviously I'm new to the forum. I see you all have your locations posted. :p Future doctor here, ladies and gentlemen.
 
Like I said, I grew up nearby. It's a great location: cheap COL, 30k college students near campus if that's your thing, plenty of "young professional" areas (like South Side) if it's not. Living in Oakland/Shadyside avoids most of the drawbacks of Pittsburgh, it's a city unto itself. The tuition break for PA residents makes it even sweeter. Only reason it's not an easy choice for me is that I kind of want to escape PA. Also, cardiac hill sucks nuts in january. :p
 
I am so excited about Pitt! I won't get a tuition break and I won't be near my family, but I love the school. I love it so much I'm choosing it over going to school in Boston and being near my family! I wish I got to see more of Pittsburgh, though, when I was there for my interview. I hardly know anything about the city.
 
Hey guys, congrats on getting accepted! It seems like a really great place and everyone seems pretty happy there. I for one really want to give birth to a dummy. Well not actually give birth to a dummy, but I mean birth a dummy. You know what I mean.

Anyway, I had a question about the weather, if any of you guys are familiar with it...I heard it's pretty grey most of winter. I'm from Florida and went to school in NC so I'm used to lots of sunshine. I can learn to deal with the cold, what I'm worried about is being so stressed in such a dreary environment. So if anyone who lives near there (dilated) or anyone else who is familiar with what it's like during the winter could maybe throw some thoughts about how depressing it really is out there, I'd appreciate it. Thank you much!
 
MrBurns10 said:
Anyway, I had a question about the weather, if any of you guys are familiar with it...I heard it's pretty grey most of winter. I'm from Florida and went to school in NC so I'm used to lots of sunshine. I can learn to deal with the cold, what I'm worried about is being so stressed in such a dreary environment. So if anyone who lives near there (dilated) or anyone else who is familiar with what it's like during the winter could maybe throw some thoughts about how depressing it really is out there, I'd appreciate it. Thank you much!
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It's pretty gray. You get used to it though, and it's not like it's never sunny, you just need to take advantage of the sun when it shines (go ski). The one upside to the weather is that snow rarely accumulates. When I have my mental debates of, say, Emory/Vandy vs. Pitt, it's largely the cold that makes me want to move. The cloudiness isn't a big deal after a while.
 
Whee ... just found this thread. Congrats, everyone.

Yeah, I'm worried about the weather, too. I just bought a light box to treat my possible SAD (no dx, just a hunch) and I'll definitely have to bring that along. I survived in England for a year, but snow is a complete mystery to me. (What, I can't snowboard to class?!?)

I'm killing time at work looking at places to live. It's so obscene and cheap compared to the Bay Area. There's a warehouse-y place called the Noodle Factory ... how cool would it be to live in the Noodle Factory? (I'm a starch grrl)

Anyway, I'm excited about 2nd look b/c I really want my s.o. to see Pittsburgh -- the school and the town.
 
Anybody know when the "zone" will be up for class of 2010?
 
This poor thread has been neglected. I was just wondering if any of you knew to what extent Pitt is PBL? I mean like, how much are students in PBL sessions per week vs. lecture? Hope you all are doing well.
 
Check this out -- you can see how the schedule breaks down day by day:
http://navigator.medschool.pitt.edu/
Some of it's password protected, but there's a lot there.

EDIT: I get so excited looking at it ... I'm gonna be a med student!
 
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prana_md said:
Check this out -- you can see how the schedule breaks down day by day:
http://navigator.medschool.pitt.edu/
Some of it's password protected, but there's a lot there.

EDIT: I get so excited looking at it ... I'm gonna be a med student!
Click to expand...
I'm probably just an idiot (nevermind I take that back, it's definite), but I see the schedule of classes in terms of blocks but I can't find a day to day schedule, complete with hours and such. Any ideas?
 
Click on the blocks to get more details! :)

Is anyone thinking about doing an Area of Concentration?
How about an MPH?
 
prana_md said:
Click on the blocks to get more details! :)

Is anyone thinking about doing an Area of Concentration?
How about an MPH?
Click to expand...
ah, it all comes together. I was trying to find an actual pretty picture schedule, but this works equally well. Thanks for the link. And if I go to Pitt I would most likely do the bioethics AOC; I looked into getting the masters, but it's not for me.
 
MrBurns10 said:
This poor thread has been neglected. I was just wondering if any of you knew to what extent Pitt is PBL? I mean like, how much are students in PBL sessions per week vs. lecture? Hope you all are doing well.
Click to expand...

In my interview packet I also got a stapled packet that had all of the curriculum on it. It had a calendar of what you had everyday throughout the year. I assume everyone got the same thing.

Jim
 
Hey folks, I thought I'd check in- anyone know when second look weekend is? I'm like 3 states away from my mailbox, so I feel a bit out of the loop with regard to announcements and so forth.
 
Hi, everyone! I'll probably be joining all of you at Pitt next year. I'm just hoping that I'll get some financial aid...
 
On the FA note, which forms are we supposed to fill out? The ones on www.medschool.pitt.edu all say "2005-06" ... are those the right ones? Or are forms for 06-07 coming later? Thanks!
 
prana_md said:
On the FA note, which forms are we supposed to fill out? The ones on www.medschool.pitt.edu all say "2005-06" ... are those the right ones? Or are forms for 06-07 coming later? Thanks!
Click to expand...

does anyone konw if pitt videotapes their lectures and puts them online?
 
FenderB2004 said:
does anyone konw if pitt videotapes their lectures and puts them online?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, it seems like they don't. If you go to the link prana posted and click on the block in October, on the Jewish High Holy days it says that lectures will be videotaped that day so people observing the holiday don't miss anything. So, I think this means that generally speaking they don't videotape them. but if anyone knows otherwise, please correct me
 
The student that I interviewed with said he had audiotapes that he listened to while commuting for his long-distance relationship. Not visual, unfortunately, but at least some record of the lecture.
 
prana_md said:
The student that I interviewed with said he had audiotapes that he listened to while commuting for his long-distance relationship. Not visual, unfortunately, but at least some record of the lecture.
Click to expand...

I asked specifically about this on my interview day. They do NOT video or audio tape the lectures. I imagine that students may do so on their own, but the school does not provide either service. But there is a note taking service. This was one of the few things I didnt like about Pitt.

Jim
 
JDWflash44 said:
I asked specifically about this on my interview day. They do NOT video or audio tape the lectures. I imagine that students may do so on their own, but the school does not provide either service. But there is a note taking service. This was one of the few things I didnt like about Pitt.

Jim
Click to expand...

If they don't offer a school sanctioned service, I wonder if it would be possible to set up a cooperative of students and create a video-transcription service. If you split the cost and labor of buying and running a camera, plus burning DVDs, over 20+ people it would be a great study aid for a relatively small investment of time and money. Something to think about.
 
DarkFark said:
If they don't offer a school sanctioned service, I wonder if it would be possible to set up a cooperative of students and create a video-transcription service. If you split the cost and labor of buying and running a camera, plus burning DVDs, over 20+ people it would be a great study aid for a relatively small investment of time and money. Something to think about.
Click to expand...

Camera ~ $450 + DVD-Rs for every lecture (could we burn a week at a time?) I'm a very visual learner and would totally buy into this coop. That is, if we have beer night, as well!

I wonder if there are rules against video-taping.

Also, isn't the newness of med school going to be enough to worry about, w/o worrying about taping and camera angles? I'm all for it, if there's a low-stress, no freak-out way to do it. Viva la 21st century!
 
I think it sounds great in theory, but Pitt has lots of lectures(like 20-30hrs/wk), so i dont know how realistic it would be to have time to re-watch much of them. I have to admit grad school has changed the way that I look at this topic. Coming in from undergrad I was one to learn a lot in lecture and not have to study too much. Which is still somewhat the case, but in grad school (at least here) there is sooo much information you need to know itis really more efficient to study it on your own. Just my $.02. But count me in for beer night/happy hour, i'm a big fan of the work hard/play hard philosophy :D

Jim
 
All right -- beer night is a go ... video lectures ... maybe if we have time. I like the way you think!
 
I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but as a Pittmed student(LOA so I have time to visit this site) I can say that I don't think you'll have too much time to re-watch videotaped lectures... give it a couple of weeks and then decide if this is something you want to pursue. My advice, read your syllabus before you go, pay attention, and review after and one round of lecture will be enough (and all you'll have time for, really). The only tapes I ever watched were the extra anatomy prosections which were very worth the time spent... trust me, you'll hear his voice in your sleep by the end of the course :)

And go to 2nd look weekends, here and other places too if you have a choice to make. At this point, an extra plane ticket or 2 is a great investment to see if your first impressions of the place match how it really is over a few days. They usually arrange driving tours of the city by uppeclassmen for anyone unfamiliar with the area, which is pretty helpful. And it is a great chance to meet the people who will be your future classmates and to see how you'll "fit in" at a certain school. It was definately the deciding factor for me between Pitt and another school.

Best wishes.
 
JDWflash44 said:
I think it sounds great in theory, but Pitt has lots of lectures(like 20-30hrs/wk), so i dont know how realistic it would be to have time to re-watch much of them. I have to admit grad school has changed the way that I look at this topic. Coming in from undergrad I was one to learn a lot in lecture and not have to study too much. Which is still somewhat the case, but in grad school (at least here) there is sooo much information you need to know itis really more efficient to study it on your own. Just my $.02. But count me in for beer night/happy hour, i'm a big fan of the work hard/play hard philosophy :D

Jim
Click to expand...

I don't think I'd want to rewatch ALL of them, but if you were studying for a final and there was a subject that you were having trouble with, or forgot, wouldnt a taped video lecture be awesome? Don't get me wrong, I know it would be a large investment, but it would be totally manageable if split among enough people. I'm talking about making a library.

I still don't think it would be too difficult- you stick it on a tripod at the side of the room, point it at the front, and push play before every lecture. The pain in the ass part would come from burning a bunch of DVDs, which is there the division of labor would come in.

Maybe, if the effort/reward ratio isn't all that high, then audio lectures would be more practical?

Anyways, I'm also very enthusiastic about the prospect of beer night, so I will be sure to join you folks.
 
Just curious. How did you guys find out about acceptance? E-mail? Phone? Mail? Thanks.
 
NoSoupforYou13 said:
Just curious. How did you guys find out about acceptance? E-mail? Phone? Mail? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Some people get e-mails from their interviewers but many don't, so don't worry if you haven't gotten one yet. The actual acceptance comes snail mail in a big envelope. Good luck!
 
Did you guys know that Dr. Curtiss just passed away this week? I was reading the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and ran across this article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06049/657579.stm

It sounds like he had a very positive effect on admissions at Pitt. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to interview with him. It makes me wonder how the rest of the admissions season and financial aid will be affected.
 
Wow, I feel like I owe him a lot as a non-trad.
 
I never met him, although I had a great talk with Paula Davis. He sounds like an amazing guy.
 
I had the chance to be interviewed by him, but there's nothing I can say that isn't in the obituary. He was nice.
 
MrBurns10 said:
Some people get e-mails from their interviewers but many don't, so don't worry if you haven't gotten one yet. The actual acceptance comes snail mail in a big envelope. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I also interviewed with Dr. Curtiss. He was extremely nice and welcoming.
 
HSteacher said:
Did you guys know that Dr. Curtiss just passed away this week? I was reading the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and ran across this article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06049/657579.stm

It sounds like he had a very positive effect on admissions at Pitt. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to interview with him. It makes me wonder how the rest of the admissions season and financial aid will be affected.
Click to expand...

OMG, he was such a nice guy. I met him for a few minutes and corresponded with him later, via e-mail.

RIP
 
HSteacher said:
Did you guys know that Dr. Curtiss just passed away this week? I was reading the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and ran across this article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06049/657579.stm

It sounds like he had a very positive effect on admissions at Pitt. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to interview with him. It makes me wonder how the rest of the admissions season and financial aid will be affected.
Click to expand...

wow, that is very sad news, and it's hard to believe I was fidgeting in his office only a month ago. I really liked him as well...he seemed a bit rough around the edges, and he definitely put me in my place, but I left thinking what a jovial, funny man he was.
 
Also does anyone know any thing about financial aid? are the forms out?
 
When I called last week, the lady said the 2006-2007 forms will be posted shortly. Keep an eye out for it!
 
Just wanted to say hello to all the Pitt people. See you at 2nd look.
 
dbhvt said:
Just wanted to say hello to all the Pitt people. See you at 2nd look.
Click to expand...

Hey, I see you got accepted today. Congratulations.
 
Hey guys just wanted to join in. I am excited about Pittsburgh! See you all at the second look weekend.
 
MissMD'10 said:
Hey guys just wanted to join in. I am excited about Pittsburgh! See you all at the second look weekend.
Click to expand...

What she said!
 
gcomplex7 said:
Also does anyone know any thing about financial aid? are the forms out?
Click to expand...

So, in addition to the FAFSA, Pitt has its own forms for us? Where can I find them?
 
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