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no problem man; i wouldn't write anything that was meant to be mean.
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WESTERN/COMP Discussion thread 2007-2008
Started by mshheaddoc
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no problem man; i wouldn't write anything that was meant to be mean.
Hey guys,
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. As for the waitlist, here is what I know:
The class is now full, it has been for a few weeks now. There were a few students who interviewed late, were admitted into the school, but now have to wait for a seat to open. Once those students are given a spot, I think that is when people from the waitlist will then fill open slots.
I suspect that we should start seeing spots open before and around May 15, because that is when any MD admit who was holding a spot at COMP must pick a school and withdraw from all other schools.
Good luck everyone!
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. As for the waitlist, here is what I know:
The class is now full, it has been for a few weeks now. There were a few students who interviewed late, were admitted into the school, but now have to wait for a seat to open. Once those students are given a spot, I think that is when people from the waitlist will then fill open slots.
I suspect that we should start seeing spots open before and around May 15, because that is when any MD admit who was holding a spot at COMP must pick a school and withdraw from all other schools.
Good luck everyone!
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from what i can gather, we should see waitlist movement after may 15th...that's when everyone holding onto mutliple acceptances has to choose. Good luck to you!
Hey all!
Where do you guys plan to live? I was planning on moving to Santa Monica or the surrounding area and commuting in? Is there are carpool list circulating? Does anyone have info on the commuter rail? Does anyone have a clue what our class schedule will be like? Sounds like streaming lectures will be ideal for those commuting - this way we can stay home and only come to campus when necessary. Can anyone speak to this?
Thanks.
Where do you guys plan to live? I was planning on moving to Santa Monica or the surrounding area and commuting in? Is there are carpool list circulating? Does anyone have info on the commuter rail? Does anyone have a clue what our class schedule will be like? Sounds like streaming lectures will be ideal for those commuting - this way we can stay home and only come to campus when necessary. Can anyone speak to this?
Thanks.
no waitlist movement so far.
santa monica as in the beach???? have you driven in LA??? have fun fighting traffic!!!! i would kill myself. or I would do as you suggested and NEVER come to class and just view the web streams every single day.
I know at least half a dozen people who live in santa monica/weho, and westwood areas. Some come to class everyday, some don't. I wouldn't. The nice thing is that if you want to live far from campus, its entirely do-able since we have Apreso.
I live in long beach, which is the same distance to campus as santa monica, but with arguably less traffic. The last time I came to campus for a non-mandatory class was sometime during the 10th week of first year-first semester classes...
And as I've mentioned before, commuting is a great time to listen to goljan audio.
I talk about this a lot, I guess I just don't want to see people get pigeon-holed into living in the fabulous IE if they don't want to.
I live in long beach, which is the same distance to campus as santa monica, but with arguably less traffic. The last time I came to campus for a non-mandatory class was sometime during the 10th week of first year-first semester classes...
And as I've mentioned before, commuting is a great time to listen to goljan audio.
I talk about this a lot, I guess I just don't want to see people get pigeon-holed into living in the fabulous IE if they don't want to.
i assume Apreso is the online webstream of the lectures??
i dunno man. i feel like i'm a lecture kind of guy. i rarely ever miss lectures in undergrad. althoug who knows, it may change in med school, especially since i could have the opporutnity to view them online. i just know that I wouldn't want to live that far away and commute seeing that I am the type of person that likes to go to lecture.
Yeah, Apreso is the audio/video synced w/powerpoint.
There are definitely people who have to go to lecture. Everyone has their own style, although its quite likely that it will change vs undergrad style. I went to lectures in undergrad, but in med school its just not efficient for me to do so. I can play lectures at 2x and have more time to review later (although now when I actually hear the professors talk in real time its like they have bradyphasia... I just want there to be a 2x button on their forehead
) I also used to print out the lecture pdf/powerpoint/notes and take them with me to class to annotate. If I were to do that now, I'd go through a ream of paper every fewdays (avg ~2000 ppt slides/test; ~1 test/2wks). OneNote has fixed that problem.
If you don't see yourself commuting, play it safe and live near campus for a year. If you can't stand it there, you can always move out later.
There are definitely people who have to go to lecture. Everyone has their own style, although its quite likely that it will change vs undergrad style. I went to lectures in undergrad, but in med school its just not efficient for me to do so. I can play lectures at 2x and have more time to review later (although now when I actually hear the professors talk in real time its like they have bradyphasia... I just want there to be a 2x button on their forehead
) I also used to print out the lecture pdf/powerpoint/notes and take them with me to class to annotate. If I were to do that now, I'd go through a ream of paper every fewdays (avg ~2000 ppt slides/test; ~1 test/2wks). OneNote has fixed that problem.If you don't see yourself commuting, play it safe and live near campus for a year. If you can't stand it there, you can always move out later.
Hey all! Thanks for your responses above. I have yet to decide where I will be living next year, but I can tell you that I will not be living in Pomona. I am currently looking into Santa Monica and Pasadena, but would certainly be open to other alternatives. When will WU send info with regards to housing and roommate lists? Does anyone have any interest in rooming outside of Pomona?
I will be commuting from Pasadena!!! It will probably be better than my commute from Cerritos to Irvine that I've been doing...
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Tablet.
Yes, I use the OneNote virtual printer to "print" the powerpoint/PDFs/word docs into onenote. After 2 years, my OneNote Notebook directory is over 10 gigs 😛
Hey Cyclohexanol
Have you found your tablet to be a benefit to you? I'm considering buying one also and wanted to know some of the perks you've found by using one. Thanks
I just received my Lenovo tablet today - starting to play with it and figure out One Note - I would also like to hear how you use some of it's features at Western. I know that the lectures are streamed and that the audio can be synchronized with the PPT's - I am hoping this is easy to figure out. Do you actually download all of the lectures??? That seems like too much.
Yes, I don't use the writing features ALL the time, but when I need to annotate a diagram or something, it does come in handy. I could get by without it, but again, its just nice to have that feature when you do need it.
Basically I just download each powerpoint or PDF or whatever and 'print' it to OneNote using the virtual printer driver. I follow along as I stream the lecture at 2x and annotate my copy as needed in OneNote. I'm sure it can do a lot more than that, but I don't need it to. This is probably the simplest way to use OneNote
I've lived in Westwood/Brentwood for 6 years, so I might be interested in living in the Santa Monica area. Pasadena might be an option for me too. PM me if you'd like! 🙂
Yeah, its part of the software. When you install onenote it installs the virtual printer driver.
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has started to look for housing? Or anyone looking for roommates. I have a 7 Ib malti-poo who will be coming with me...so the person has to be okay with dogs. Having your own is a plus.
But does Western email us emails and names of people looking for housing or new students?
I was wondering if anyone has started to look for housing? Or anyone looking for roommates. I have a 7 Ib malti-poo who will be coming with me...so the person has to be okay with dogs. Having your own is a plus.
But does Western email us emails and names of people looking for housing or new students?
Few options
Either access banweb and go through their COMP housing services
Join the facebook group get to know classmates through our get meetings or just post as some have.
Lastly, I think I've seen some websites that also help link people up. GL
I just withdrew from COMP yesterday, so one more spot is now available. Hope one of you guys will get it.
Best of luck.
Has anyone received their financial aid award letter yet? I received an email from the financial aid department stating that we should be getting our letters through our Western email addys by May 16th. I have not received my letter yet and just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one without a letter. 😕
I received that same email and I also have not received my award letter. It looks like they were out of the office the past couple days though, so maybe theyll send them out tomorrow.
Good to know. Thanks!
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Did you do the Stafford Entrance Counseling Interview?
I called the financal office on Friday and asked, and they said that they did not know about the May 16th letter that was sent out. They are working on getting the letters out as soon as possiable, but still a little behind. At least that is what they told me. The said hopefully they will get the letters out in the next two weeks.
Thanks for the update!
I got off the waitlist to my top choice so it looks like I will be withdrawing... hope this helps someone on the waitlist!!
Fin aid questions for those already enrolled...
Can we change our lender for stafford and grad plus loans from one year to the next? I would imagine they would offer different incentives each year.
As you look at the lenders and their incentives for the 08-09 year, does it seem like the incentives are worse than they were last year (or two)? I'm wondering if the credit crunch is prompting lenders it give out less lucrative incentives.
Is there a difference between "principal reduction" (SunTrust, grad plus)vs. "rebate of the original principal" (US Bank, grad plus)?
Any other words of advice on how to pick these lenders? I feel like I'm making such a huge decision here, and they only give us a week to sort all this out 😡
Can we change our lender for stafford and grad plus loans from one year to the next? I would imagine they would offer different incentives each year.
As you look at the lenders and their incentives for the 08-09 year, does it seem like the incentives are worse than they were last year (or two)? I'm wondering if the credit crunch is prompting lenders it give out less lucrative incentives.
Is there a difference between "principal reduction" (SunTrust, grad plus)vs. "rebate of the original principal" (US Bank, grad plus)?
Any other words of advice on how to pick these lenders? I feel like I'm making such a huge decision here, and they only give us a week to sort all this out 😡
As far as I know, yes.
I haven't really paid much attention to incentive variation over the last 2 years, so I can't answer that question. I don't know the difference between the "principal reduction" and "rebate of original principal".
If you need help, you could try calling the fin aid office and talking to them. I don't remember why I picked chase, I'm sure I had a good reason at the time.
EDIT: after looking at the lenders, it seems like suntrust is a pretty decent deal.
Are you suggesting Sun Trust for Stafford and/or Grad Plus? Thanks for your advice!!! 🙂
In response to my "principal reduction" vs. "rebate of the original principal" question...
When I called up the banks I found out that principal reduction is the same thing as rebate of the original principal. Sun Trust offers 1.5% principal reduction while US Bank does 1.0% rebate of the original principal.
So, SunTrust is definitely better than US Bank for GradPlus!!
When I called up the banks I found out that principal reduction is the same thing as rebate of the original principal. Sun Trust offers 1.5% principal reduction while US Bank does 1.0% rebate of the original principal.
So, SunTrust is definitely better than US Bank for GradPlus!!
have you guys already received your reward letter, non ISAC students? i didn't get anything in my email~
my finacial aid stuff was finished back in march =(
got my scrubs today, is there any color requirement for scrubs?
is there anything else that i need to get for school? books? stethoscope? wanna get everything ready before i leave for my trip to Japan^^
thank you^^
my finacial aid stuff was finished back in march =(
got my scrubs today, is there any color requirement for scrubs?
is there anything else that i need to get for school? books? stethoscope? wanna get everything ready before i leave for my trip to Japan^^
thank you^^
Ehh, don't wear scrubs to school; you will look like a tool. Scrubs in anatomy lab is fine though, and no there is no color requirement.
The only books you will need are rohen - color atlas of human anatomy (the "Dead body" book), and first aid for usmle step 1.
Other books that might be useful, but you will likely never even open are:
anatomy
--------
netter - atlas of human anatomy
either a) moore - clinically oriented anatomy or
b) drake - gray's anatomy
everything else
---------------
Harrisons textbook of internal medicine (also available for free online through the library proxy)
Robbins path
Review books for whatever system (BRS, HY, etc..)
Eventually you will need a stethoscope for ECM, along with a bunch of other equipment you will never use (insufflator bulb, peds and obese BP cuffs, tuning forks, etc.). Spend some time NOW shopping around for a good deal on a stethoscope, otoscope+ophthalmoscope. I got my oto/ophth on eBay for a decent price before classes started. Despite telling us that we needed to have all that equipment within like 2 weeks of the first day of class, we ended up not using any of it until 3 months in.
Don't get the panoptic ophthalmoscope, despite what the salesperson for welch-allyn tells you 🙄. Every clinic you go to will have the standard ophthalmoscope, so if you learn on a standard one you will be fine. If you learn on the panoptic (easier), you will have a more difficult time using the standard ones during rotations unless you want to carry your panoptic with you everywhere.
Also, get a copy of Maxwell's pocket reference in the bookstore, its like $8. Keep it in your white coat pocket.
Enjoy Japan, don't think about starting school at all...seriously.
Totally normal feeling! However, expect it to last for many years to come. Every time you feel like you figured out how things work (applying to med schools, getting used to first year classes) you're presented with another situation to feel lost in (how to study for step 1, how to select rotations, perform well on rotations, how to choose a residency, how to do well in residency, etc...). Don't worry, you'll figure everything out as you go along.
I don't remember registering for classes first year, I think we did it in person during orientation week. Every semester after that, you just do it online. The registrar will send you an email with a code to input into the registration page on banweb.
At COMP, you provide your own everything for everything. There are lockers, but I wouldn't keep rank scrubs in there, unless you want your locker to imbue the smell of rank scrubs onto everything you put in there for the next year or so.
Personally, I just wore ****ty jeans and t-shirt to anatomy lab, and if I had ECM later I'd just bring my good clothes to change into after lab, or go home and change then come back for ECM. There are men's and women's locker rooms just down the hall from the anatomy lab if you want to change, just don't keep your rank lab **** in there. Clothes in the lab really aren't a big deal, just don't wear clothes you care about in there.
The most important anatomy lab attire tip I can give you is to wear ****ty shoes. If you're like most people, you'll end up spilling cadaver fluids on you and your shoes. Even if you don't, your shoes will pick up the rank smell just by walking around in the lab every day. Therefore, wear shoes you don't care about. If you don't have any, get a pair of cheap shoes you can toss later.
Also, watch out for fluid spillage especially on the 2nd day 😉 After making the first few incisions, lots of embalming fluid will seep out onto the gurney overnight, then when you come in to turn the body, it tends to splash and/or get pushed off the gurney by way of the cadaver's arm squeegee'ing it onto the floor (most likely on your shoes). The rad thing is that even though I warned you about it, it will still happen to you [at some point]. But again, I told you to get some ****ty shoes also, so it shouldn't be a big deal.
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What else do we need to get, other supplies ect.., or should we wait until school starts? I was looking at the stethoscopes from the Western bookstore and there are tons, what type of stethoscope do we need ? Or is there one that is recommended? Also, is there any other (tools) we need to get?😕
If you like Crocs....
http://www.crocsworkshoes.com/
Cool place to order scrubs online, they also sew white coats. Right from Baltimore, owned by a doc
http://aetnashirt.com/medicalcoats/medical_scrubs.html
Thanks for the details cyclo, as usual
http://www.crocsworkshoes.com/
Cool place to order scrubs online, they also sew white coats. Right from Baltimore, owned by a doc
http://aetnashirt.com/medicalcoats/medical_scrubs.html
Thanks for the details cyclo, as usual
i really have no idea. the class is probably not full since some people started declining their acceptances, buttttttttt the adcom probably hasn't met up yet to discuss who they accept of the waitlist. This is what happened last year, i think the first ones to hear about getting off the waitlist last year was in the first week of June. I wonder how many people are on the waitlist.
Ok, so I know I am not the only one waitlisted at WESTERN here, e.g. garypharm. I am making this the official waitlist thread for COMP; anyone with updates or just wanna vent contribute here! 🙂
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