TIPS FOR STUDY GUIDES
-Try to summarize lectures on a page or less. They really only test the big concepts b/c there is so much material.
- Make your notes each day after lecture, but don't copy them straight out of the syllabus, a summary of each lesson with all the main points in your own words ensures you understood the concepts
- Find old tests, sometimes put on reserve in ERC by Block
- Make your study guides as the block progresses. Making a chart/notecards/etc the night before the exam will not be as helpful as one made over the 6 weeks
- If you decide to study with a person/group, make sure you actually do some work!
- Study the same way that you did in college. It obviously worked
- Use the study guide from the syllabus more than the required reading
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS (
sorry lost the bolding on this part. maybe someone can help add them in?? this guide will also be in the intranet once baylor gives you a baylor account ID.
Here is a list of books that the Class of 2008 used. The ones in BOLD were owned by most everyone in the class. The other books are included for those who benefit from using books and are not essential.
Block 1: Junqeira, USMLE first aid, USMLE step 1 guide (some students say that a few questions came directly from here), Langmann's Embryology (good pics), Bates for PPS
Anatomy: New Harveys (updated from syllabus given in class), Netter's for anatomy (better diagrams/charts), Rohen's gives labeled pictures of cadavers (pretty much everyone owns either Netter's or Rohens or both), BRS anatomy for sample questions, Ackland videos available in ERC are very helpful
Blocks 2-3: BRS physiology
Block 4: Cellular and Molecular Immunology
Block 5-6: Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simply
-Use other libraries. Many have books that you can check out rather than buying the textbooks, using them for one block and never looking at them again.
-Buy books ahead of time online to save money
IPS RESOURCES
ERC web resources (on ERC homepage): statref, uptodate.com, Harrison's online
Webmd.com
PubMed
Mdconsult.com
Emedicine.com
Medlineplus
HOUSING (
some of the rent info will undoubtedly be outdated, but the comments on the apts are generally sound
Use Apartment Locators. They will take you around for free to as many apartments that you want in their own car (so you do not spend the day getting lost).
San Melia: $1265/mo for 2BR/2BA/~1200SF, received 2 mo. free w/special they were having, ended up about $1065/mo
Include transportation options from your location
Bus: 87, nearest bus stop about a 5-7 min. walk (depending on how fast you walk)
Apt. Shuttle: tokens are $0.50 each way, passes once every hour
Overall recommend or avoid: Rate from 5 (best) to 1 (worst)
4: PROS: very nice, pretty new apt.'s, nice office staff, beautiful pool/exercise facility
CONS: walk to/from bus seems long on hot or rainy days
Lanesborough $730 mo
Next year two of us are getting a two bedroom there for about 1100.
Light Rail, AMAZING! (Railpass free provided by Baylor), walk (25 min), bike (10 min)
Overall recommend or avoid: Rate from 5 (best) to 1 (worst)
3-4, the annoyances (bugs, things breaking, mean ladies at the office) are worth the easy access to school, great amenities and location, convenience
Camden Vanderbilt on Buffalo Speedway - $800 for a single 1 bed/1bath
I think they had a discount of $150 off, but it was for everyone, not just med students. It's a really nice place and the management is wonderful. You put in a request and it gets done that afternoon or next morning.
Include transportation options from your location
Metro bus to the metro rail, or the metro bus all the way
Overall recommend or avoid: Rate from 5 (best) to 1 (worst)
5 – I really like living here, but transportation is kind of annoying though…I'd prefer to just take the rail instead of the bus, but it's okay. I get to school in 30 min. Only about 4-5 people from our current class live here.
Cambridge Court at 8055 Cambridge, I rent a two bedroom condo for $745 a month.
Include transportation options from your location
Bus #87 just outside the complex, close enough to bike (10-15 mins) or walk (45 mins).
AMLI apartments- $880 for a two bedroom, two bath. It is a well kept, nice apartment complex. Bus stop about 10 minutes away. Biking to the med center takes about 15 minutes (my preferred method).
I would rate it a 4. It is a really nice apartment that is not too expensive. The only problem is that the bus stop is not right outside the complex.
Parque Del Oro - $760 for the first year which included the discount
(discount at that time was 2 months free prorated over the year)
Shuttle, Bus (but you have to walk a little ways to it)
Overall recommend or avoid: Rate from 5 (best) to 1 (worst)
3, not the most convenient place but the floor plan is really nice if you have a roommate. It's a very generous split plan, but I'm unsure how much the price will go up in the 2nd year. It's a very small complex, and the management is good. Neighbors can get a little loud because most of them go to UH or Rice with some med students, PA students, graduate students, and other people interspersed in between.
Archstone med center: $790/ mo for a 2/1 (850sq ft) not including utilities (around $100 mo), rates vary month to month, check w/ office
Light rail is superconvenient
i love archstone medical center (i heard the other archstones weren't so great), they fix things fast and are very professional. very clean and new. i feel safe and completely at home. no problems at all, Rate it a 5
Versailles Park: $845 mo but $685 w/ 2 months free for 1/1
Transportation: 87 bus is around the corner, 5 minute walk to bus stop
Drive and park near Rice along residential street and walk in, takes 30 minutes total
Rate 4: nice grounds w/ palm trees, excellent price w/ 2 mos free, it seems that in the past 2 mos the people moving in have been questionable
I wouldn't recommend the Esplanade….I've lived there for a year and won't live there next year….they have not been very customer-friendly and are constantly struggling with crime
**Home: Pearland, Community: Parks at Walnut Bend
$142,000 for brand new home, about 2100 SF, mortgage payments about $1400/mo
Commute: about 50-55 min. total time to drive to Fannin South Park & Ride ($2/day, $35/mo), take metrorail (free for students) and walk to class
Rate 4/5: PROS: great investment, very good for kids (nice community, good school district and schools), much lower crime rate
CONS: commute, probably more expensive per month than renting in Houston (but you are owning it not renting it)
A very spacious 2/1 for 1050 a month (split b/w 2 people), it is a duplex less than a mile from campus located in a quiet, safe neighborhood. It takes me less than 15 minutes to walk to school in the morning. The bike ride would probably be around 5 minutes.
RESTAURANTS
-Café Adobe- 3 dollar margaritas on Mondays,
-Angelica- Cheap Date Night- 5 dollar movie/popcorn/drink- also on Mondays
-Amazon Grill
-Collina's
-Chocolate Bar
-Two Rows: dollar pint night
-Free brewery tour with samples at saint arnold's every Saturday.
-Ming's located at Montrose and Westheimer, best Chinese in town.
-Baba Yega -- healthy yummy food $8-12,
-Chinatown (go to bellaire st., and pick any restaurant you want, explore)
-Istanbul Grill -- the best Turkish/Mediteranean food ever for $6-15
-Empire Café, plates go for $10-$15, they serve a variety of sandwiches, chicken plates, pizzas, a variety of coffee drinks, and awesome slices of cake
-The Red Onion (on Kirby) – great place to take the parents, delicious Central American cuisine and fabulous margaritas! $15-24
-Sushi Rock – $6-8 for lunch special, Thai/Japanese
-Niko Niko's – $7-10, Greek
-Fadi's Mediterranean Grill – $8-10, Mediterranean
-Sinh Sinh – $7-10 a dish, Chinese/Vietnamese
-Mayuri - $10 Lunch buffet, Indian
-BW3/Buffalo Wild Wings – 35 cent wings on Tuesday and 50 cent legs
-Cheesecake Factory – $10-17, Galleria area, good portions compared to other upscale places
-Eatzi's – $5-10, healthy food, not really a restaurant though
-Hungry's in the Village – $8-13, Mediterranean
-La Tapatia on Richmond and Hazard-ish – Open late night, $3-10, Mexican food
-Chacho's – $3-10, open late nights
-Pei Wei: $10 a plate
http://www.myconsumerguide.com/entertainment_guide.htm
COFFEE SHOPS/ STUDY
-Diedrich's coffee
-Crossroads – coffee
-Salentos
-Café Brazil
-House of Pies on Kirby
-Taft Street Coffee – only coffee and a few pastries, but a great study spot! $2-5.
-Teahouse on Shepherd - $3 a drink, Tapioca
CHILDCARE
Southampton Montessori School, 5012 Morningside, Houston, TX: this school is in the Rice Village, I've had my 2 girls here since August and we love it
PROS: Great program, very nice teachers and staff, certified through American Montessori Society, they learn and play a lot, both my girls love it there
CONS: pretty pricey, we pay about $700/mo for each girl
*I know the price is pretty daunting, but I was willing to pay for it because it was the place where I felt I would be most comfortable leaving them and I wouldn't feel guilty if I had to leave them there a little longer so I could study or do this or that. BTW, Baylor has a daycare expenses allowance that they include in your financial aid package.
