Eastern Virginia Med Class of 2010

[thediamondmaker]

I have recently developed an obsession with the X-files and whenever I try to discuss them with people they tell me to live in the now. I have seasons 1-3 and I LOVE them. Right now it is my favorite show. So if anyone wants to discuss the finer points of alien abduction (as seen on the X-files), you know who to talk to now.

X-Files? Firefly? Now you're talking my language. My wife and I are extreme fans, to the point of unhealthy. We own all the DVD seasons of X-files, as well as all 14 *precious* episodes of Firefly. When school starts I can hook you up with the rest of the X-Files season, Panic. We even named our second daughter after Agent Scully. Pathetic, I know.

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[thediamondmaker]

So, I haven't seen any info posted yet on how to get into the Alien Autopsy subspecialty programs. What kind of research opportunities should I be pursuing during medical school to be more qualified for such an extremely competitive residency? Do I have to be AOA? I've been trying to get my paper on "common extraterrestrial injuries resulting from UFO crashes and the subsequent approaches to medical treatment thereof" published, but the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery doesn't seem to be returning my calls.

 

[Don't Panic]

So if anyone wants to discuss the finer points of alien abduction (as seen on the X-files), you know who to talk to now.

Okay, reviewing my previous post: I think we have now officially reached the point where we need to have a "Official EVMS Class of 2010" thread and an "Inappropriate Confessions from the EVMS Class of 2010" thread.

I nominate DM to start the new thread, in honor of his confession that he named his daughter after Agent Scully. But anyone who knows how to do it can do it-- I am clueless.

What do you think?

 

[Don't Panic]

I just thought of something related to medical school. Is anyone else here going to have to practically buy a gas mask to get through anatomy lab? I absolutely cannot take that formalin (?) smell and was seriously nauseous even during the 3 minute trip into the anatomy lab on our tour. I will be the weirdo next semester wearing my own oxygen tank to class. And to my alien autopsy internship.

 

[Depakote]

There are tricks to get around that.

If I recall correctly. One is to put Vicks Vapor Rub directly under your nose. This will overpower the smell.

Eventually you'll get used to it though.

 

[thediamondmaker]

Don't Panic's suggestion to create an off-topic thread is an excellent one. The EVMS Class of 2010 off-topic thread can now be found at:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=3638484#post3638484

This current thread has been invaluable so far in getting a little more knowledge out there to those of us who are excited about EVMS and are trying to figure out the best way to prepare for the next 4 years. (An especial thank you to Depakote, the seasoned veteran who has been very generous with his time and knowledge, considering he's in the thick of it right now.) Let's move the "get to know you" items to the new thread so that newcomers won't feel like they are interrupting when they come with germane EVMS questions. I look forward to getting to know all of you better!

TheDiamondMaker

 

[Don't Panic]

There are tricks to get around that.

If I recall correctly. One is to put Vicks Vapor Rub directly under your nose. This will overpower the smell.

Eventually you'll get used to it though.

Funny you mention that trick... I saw that in the X-files. (Seriously.)

In the meantime I will keep shopping for masks that look (somewhat) like surgical masks except they are approved for work in toxic environments and asbestos removal. They actually do exist-- I just found some on the internet. Anyone else with a sensitive nose PM me and I can send you the link.

 

[Depakote]

Don't Panic's suggestion to create an off-topic thread is an excellent one. The EVMS Class of 2010 off-topic thread can now be found at:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=3638484#post3638484

This current thread has been invaluable so far in getting a little more knowledge out there to those of us who are excited about EVMS and are trying to figure out the best way to prepare for the next 4 years. (An especial thank you to Depakote, the seasoned veteran who has been very generous with his time and knowledge, considering he's in the thick of it right now.) Let's move the "get to know you" items to the new thread so that newcomers won't feel like they are interrupting when they come with germane EVMS questions. I look forward to getting to know all of you better!

TheDiamondMaker

Just FYI, I'm far from a seasoned veteran. I'm actually on the waitlist to get in for this class.

I just know my way around this process and a few others... I get in, I'll tell you about it.

 

[thediamondmaker]

Any recommendations for cell phone providers in Norfolk? Which company has the best service/ strongest signal? I recall that during my interview several students commented that they didn't get good reception in the school study areas. Are there any exceptions to that rule? My wife and I are getting his and hers cell phones when we move out in July and will forever forgo the hard line at the house.

 

[Depakote]

Any recommendations for cell phone providers in Norfolk? Which company has the best service/ strongest signal? I recall that during my interview several students commented that they didn't get good reception in the school study areas. Are there any exceptions to that rule? My wife and I are getting his and hers cell phones when we move out in July and will forever forgo the hard line at the house.

I used my Sprint phone in the dead center of Lewis hall and got good reception.

There was a page of the book they gave us at preview weekend that specifically addressed this issue. I don't have it with me. I'll try to remember to grab it when I get home.

 

[ghostchild]

Any recommendations for cell phone providers in Norfolk? Which company has the best service/ strongest signal? I recall that during my interview several students commented that they didn't get good reception in the school study areas. Are there any exceptions to that rule? My wife and I are getting his and hers cell phones when we move out in July and will forever forgo the hard line at the house.

Alltel also game me a really good reception all over Lewis Hall and overall in the Norfolk area whenever I checked it. Yeah, check the preview weekend packet if you went and there were reviews of all the cell phone companies. It seems like not many students had alltel in that packet, but my current options are Alltel and Verizon because i live in a rural area that not many cell phone companies cover. Surprisingly, verizon wasn't rated very high in the packet for Norfolk. So, looks like I'll be sticking with Alltel.

 

[xraygray]

yeah verizon gets really bad reception inside of Lewis Hall which sux because my contract is for another year. some people were saying you can only get reception with verizon in the library next to a window.

 

[Depakote]

If I can remember when I get home. I'll try to scan that page and post it.

*emails self*

 

[sparkyur]

Not to get too serious, but has anyone thought about specialties?

I found this medical specialty aptitude test at:

http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/Home.cfm

It was pretty good, although I don't know how accurate.

It listed surgeries and pathology at the top of my list. Who knows?

 

[Depakote]

Not to get too serious, but has anyone thought about specialties?

I found this medical specialty aptitude test at:

http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/Home.cfm

It was pretty good, although I don't know how accurate.

It listed surgeries and pathology at the top of my list. Who knows?

Honestly, I'm feeling a very strong pull toward the various oncology specialties at the moment (specifically medical oncology and hematology/oncology/bone marrow transplant). But I'm not ruling anything out at the moment

 

[thediamondmaker]

Not to get too serious, but has anyone thought about specialties?

I found this medical specialty aptitude test at:

http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/Home.cfm

It was pretty good, although I don't know how accurate.

It listed surgeries and pathology at the top of my list. Who knows?

Thanks for the link. That was an interesting test. I have been working in the orthopedics industry for a while, and plan to do ortho, ENT, or facial plastics. I worry that may be tough to do, coming from a school like EVMS, which has such a great rep for primary care, but not neccessarily a powerhouse in the surgical specialties. The last 2 years of match lists, however, have shown a small but nevertheless significant number of EVMS students who have matched with competitive surgical specialties, so I will remain hopeful. And work hard (also important).

 

[murphomatic]

My fiancee and I just bought a house in Portsmouth. It's like 15 min away, but it was too perfect. If anyone has any thoughts about the area we would love to hear them.

 

[murphomatic]

Any recommendations for cell phone providers in Norfolk? Which company has the best service/ strongest signal? I recall that during my interview several students commented that they didn't get good reception in the school study areas. Are there any exceptions to that rule? My wife and I are getting his and hers cell phones when we move out in July and will forever forgo the hard line at the house.

I use a Razr with Cingular service and my phone worked everywhere (Norfolk, VA Beach, Chesapeke, Portsmouth, as well as along I-64 to Richmond)

 

[DO Sigma Nu guy]

My fiancee and I just bought a house in Portsmouth. It's like 15 min away, but it was too perfect. If anyone has any thoughts about the area we would love to hear them.

Hey i'm not going to EVMS, but i've lived in the area for 20 years (i'm 22) and portsmouth has its good and bad areas. I currently live in the Churchland/Suffolk area, which is fairly low in crime and still close to Downtown norfolk, chesapeake, and Va Beach.

The only drawback I will see in living in Portsmouth is dealing with tunnel traffic. ITS CRAZY at 8 am. I had to deal with it driving to ODU to make it to a 8/9 am class. Good Luck! Just give yourself a good 45 minutes to make a 4 mile drive to EVMS.

Have fun in the Hampton Roads area. I was dying to leave. Philly here I come.

 

[thediamondmaker]

Hi all,

I was supposed to go to the preview weekend but had to bail at the last minute. It sounds like the preview information packet they gave out was full of useful intel. Does anyone have the ability to post the information online or email/fax it to me? You can send me a private message through SDN and I will give you my fax #, if desired. Thanks for your help!

 

[Depakote]

Hi all,

I was supposed to go to the preview weekend but had to bail at the last minute. It sounds like the preview information packet they gave out was full of useful intel. Does anyone have the ability to post the information online or email/fax it to me? You can send me a private message through SDN and I will give you my fax #, if desired. Thanks for your help!

I'm sorry. This weekend was pretty bad.

I actually have access to an amazing scanner at work. I'll try to scan it and then I can e-mail it to you.

Again, I don't have it with me so I'll have to do this tomorrow.

 

[ghostchild]

Hi all,

I was supposed to go to the preview weekend but had to bail at the last minute. It sounds like the preview information packet they gave out was full of useful intel. Does anyone have the ability to post the information online or email/fax it to me? You can send me a private message through SDN and I will give you my fax #, if desired. Thanks for your help!

Whew! Easier said than done. The entire packet is 62 pages total, but you can take out several because some are pictures, descriptions of students running the preview weekend, etc. I would take the time to do it but I don't have a fax machine. This week is also exams for me, but if nobody is able to by sometime next week, just pm me your e-mail and I'll scan them and e-mail anything of use to you.

 

[Depakote]

Whew! Easier said than done. The entire packet is 62 pages total, but you can take out several because some are pictures, descriptions of students running the preview weekend, etc. I would take the time to do it but I don't have a fax machine. This week is also exams for me, but if nobody is able to by sometime next week, just pm me your e-mail and I'll scan them and e-mail anything of use to you.

My office scanner is a xerox workstation. It'll do 62 pages in 30 seconds.

Leave it to me.

If anyone else needs it lemmie know.

 

[ghostchild]

My office scanner is a xerox workstation. It'll do 62 pages in 30 seconds.

Leave it to me.

If anyone else needs it lemmie know.

Wow, I am truly impressed, my at home dell scanner/printer takes about a minute per page. I am envious!

 

[Depakote]

Wow, I am truly impressed, my at home dell scanner/printer takes about a minute per page. I am envious!

just says something about the mountains of paperwork my job entails.

 

[ghostchild]

I use a Razr with Cingular service and my phone worked everywhere (Norfolk, VA Beach, Chesapeke, Portsmouth, as well as along I-64 to Richmond)

Something I have been curious about though, is which type of cell phone I'm going to get. And since I've never had a cell phone, I have no idea if this even makes a difference. But I've already mentioned that I'm getting service through Alltel. But will I get any better reception with a specific type of phone? Murphomatic mentioned having a Razr, would I get better reception with this type of phone (a more expensive one) as opposed to a cheap motorola or some off brand that just has an Alltel logo on it?

 

[Depakote]

Something I have been curious about though, is which type of cell phone I'm going to get. And since I've never had a cell phone, I have no idea if this even makes a difference. But I've already mentioned that I'm getting service through Alltel. But will I get any better reception with a specific type of phone? Murphomatic mentioned having a Razr, would I get better reception with this type of phone (a more expensive one) as opposed to a cheap motorola or some off brand that just has an Alltel logo on it?

I have a Treo 650. It was outlandishly expensive (gift to self with first paycheck) but it does have some nice features like great webbrowsing and e-mail capabilities. It can handle Powerpoint and other MS Office utilities. I got it with med school in mind but I've been having fun with it for a year already and still think I made a good call.

 

[murphomatic]

Hey i'm not going to EVMS, but i've lived in the area for 20 years (i'm 22) and portsmouth has its good and bad areas. I currently live in the Churchland/Suffolk area, which is fairly low in crime and still close to Downtown norfolk, chesapeake, and Va Beach.

The only drawback I will see in living in Portsmouth is dealing with tunnel traffic. ITS CRAZY at 8 am. I had to deal with it driving to ODU to make it to a 8/9 am class. Good Luck! Just give yourself a good 45 minutes to make a 4 mile drive to EVMS.

Have fun in the Hampton Roads area. I was dying to leave. Philly here I come.

yea, I know the traffic is bad, but the house was too nice to pass up

 

[ghostchild]

I have a Treo 650. It was outlandishly expensive (gift to self with first paycheck) but it does have some nice features like great webbrowsing and e-mail capabilities. It can handle Powerpoint and other MS Office utilities. I got it with med school in mind but I've been having fun with it for a year already and still think I made a good call.

You're on the ball today Depakote! Thanks for the quick responses.

 

[Depakote]

Hi all,

I was supposed to go to the preview weekend but had to bail at the last minute. It sounds like the preview information packet they gave out was full of useful intel. Does anyone have the ability to post the information online or email/fax it to me? You can send me a private message through SDN and I will give you my fax #, if desired. Thanks for your help!

OK,

I've officially scanned the Preview Weekend handout.

Anyone that wants it, PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

Warning it's 3 MB.

 

[Depakote]

I used my Sprint phone in the dead center of Lewis hall and got good reception.

There was a page of the book they gave us at preview weekend that specifically addressed this issue. I don't have it with me. I'll try to remember to grab it when I get home.

now the pic about cell service I promised sooo long ago...

 

[ghostchild]

now the pic about cell service I promised sooo long ago...

Wow, only 6% of the respondents had Alltel, must not be that big in the area. That just seems strange to me because it seems like everybody has it that I know now. But it had a perfect rating with those who had it so I'll stick with them. I'm also surprised T-Mobile was as high as 9%, I thought about switching to them but when I went to their website, their coverage area doesn't seem to cover much of Virginia.

 

[sparkyur]

Besides Murph, has anyone else actually nailed down housing for the fall?

My wife and I are trying to get a place this week-end so that we can move in around mid-July.

 

[thediamondmaker]

Besides Murph, has anyone else actually nailed down housing for the fall?

My wife and I are trying to get a place this week-end so that we can move in around mid-July.

I'm flying out again June 1st to buy a house. We are also hoping to move in around mid-July. I am officially sick of looking at houses, I hope I never have to buy another house until I can afford one that I really want.

Does anyone know what general utility expenses are if you own a small home in Norfolk? My wife and I are trying to put together a budget, so we know how many of our children to sell off.

 

[Depakote]

I'm flying out again June 1st to buy a house. We are also hoping to move in around mid-July. I am officially sick of looking at houses, I hope I never have to buy another house until I can afford one that I really want.

Does anyone know what general utility expenses are if you own a small home in Norfolk? My wife and I are trying to put together a budget, so we know how many of our children to sell off.

Pft. Kids are really a replenishable comodity... And fun to make too.

Go for broke.

 

[sparkyur]

Oh the joy of apartment shopping!

My wife and I visited some aprtments in Norfolk from Craigslist managed by [email protected].

They sound great, but are dumps. We visited 1217 Colonial Ave, 1000 Westover, 831 Westover, 400 Fairfax, etc, but found serious structural damage, ropes holding water pipes up, small Easybake-looking ovens, dog crap IN some of the apartments, no central air, no window AC units provided, questionably safe patios, exceptionally sketchy and poor apartment mangement, etc. the buildings were in nice locations, but the management company seems to be more like slum-lords like than true property management professionals.

We had a hurdle; a dog which limits the number of apartments available to us. We were able to pay up to 1200 per month for rent, but had a difficult tiime. Instead we secured a place in Great Bridge, which is a 10 minute drive from school. The rent is 900 per month which includes digital cable and trash/sewage, a pool, and a lake which you can fish stocked with Bass and Catfish (crazy isn't it?). It is called the Cedars. Other good apartment complexes we looked at were Greenbrier Woods on the Lake and the Birches. Both were closer to 1000 a month.

 

[thediamondmaker]

Oh the joy of apartment shopping!

My wife and I visited some aprtments in Norfolk from Craigslist managed by [email protected].

They sound great, but are dumps. We visited 1217 Colonial Ave, 1000 Westover, 831 Westover, 400 Fairfax, etc, but found serious structural damage, ropes holding water pipes up, small Easybake-looking ovens, dog crap IN some of the apartments, no central air, no window AC units provided, questionably safe patios, exceptionally sketchy and poor apartment mangement, etc. the buildings were in nice locations, but the management company seems to be more like slum-lords like than true property management professionals.

We had a hurdle; a dog which limits the number of apartments available to us. We were able to pay up to 1200 per month for rent, but had a difficult tiime. Instead we secured a place in Great Bridge, which is a 10 minute drive from school. The rent is 900 per month which includes digital cable and trash/sewage, a pool, and a lake which you can fish stocked with Bass and Catfish (crazy isn't it?). It is called the Cedars. Other good apartment complexes we looked at were Greenbrier Woods on the Lake and the Birches. Both were closer to 1000 a month.

By way of reality check, what does the average student renter pay for a 3 bedroom apartment in Norfolk?

 

[murphomatic]

Pft. Kids are really a replenishable comodity... And fun to make too.

Go for broke.

yea, too bad our cars can't run on them

 

[Don't Panic]

By way of reality check, what does the average student renter pay for a 3 bedroom apartment in Norfolk?

I've been thinking about your question, since I want to live in a three-bedroom apartment in Norfolk too. But I will be sharing the rent, not having to shoulder all of it like I suspect you will.

If you have the binder they gave out on preview weekend, there is a graph on page 42 that at least alludes to your question, even if it doesn't answer it. Supposedly nearly half (40%) of students pay $400-$600 for rent with most paying more than that. But of course that represents how much individuals are paying for rent, not the average total rent per apartment, let alone average total rent per three-bedroom apartment.

My yardstick is that the three bedrooms in Pembroke towers next to campus cost ~$1400 including utilities. I'm going down to Norfolk sometime this week to look for housing, so if I get a better idea then, I will definitely let you know.

 

[sparkyur]

DP,

My wife and I just came back from Norfolk and saw a bunch of nice places, less than a mile from school, that were 2 and 3 bedroom apartments or divided houses. Most were nice, as long as you do not have a dog or cat. Most are also with Cooke and Neff. They seemed to take the time to renovate, put AC in, and generally maintain the properties. We met two grad students that had friends renting from Cooke and Neff and had really nice places, reasonable rent, and were happy.

Also, your guestimate is pretty good for 3 bedroom rent.

 

[Snelj23]

Has anyone received their financial aid package from EVMS yet? I was told it was coming sometime in May...

 

[thediamondmaker]

Has anyone received their financial aid package from EVMS yet? I was told it was coming sometime in May...

I had a phone conversation with Michelle in the financial aid office yesterday. She said that she is trying to get the financial aid packages together and that she hopes to get them out by the end of the month. My impression was that it could potentially spill over into early June.

She also made the curious comment that no one she was aware of takes out private loans to aid with living expenses beyond the school approved budget (roughly $12,000 living expenses per year). While you can file for a budget increase based on having a kid (an extra $4k), she claimed that everyone was able to make do with the med school official package. This was in context of me trying to figure out my budget with two young children and my wife. It seems to me that this will be a very difficult feat to pull off on the EVMS budget, and I had the impression that other people in my situation were able to get additional student loans from banks, etc. based on having a good credit score. Does anyone have any insight on this? Is the EVMS budget really enough? Michelle has only been working in the financial aid office since Decmber, apparently, so we will be the first incoming class she is going through the process with, and as such I'm looking for verification on what she is telling me...

 

[madi]

Hi everyone!

I was accepted to EVMS off the waitlist on Tuesday, and spent the last hour just catching up on everything that's been said on the thread.

I wish I could have attended the preview weekend. It sounds like there was a great group of people present, and I look forward to meeting you all at a later date.

 

[Depakote]

Hi everyone!

I was accepted to EVMS off the waitlist on Tuesday, and spent the last hour just catching up on everything that's been said on the thread.

I wish I could have attended the preview weekend. It sounds like there was a great group of people present, and I look forward to meeting you all at a later date.

Now go to the Shooting The Breeze Thread and find out just how wierd everyone is...

Oh, and PM me if you want the preview weekend packet.

 

[xraygray]

Madi,
Congrats and welcome.

 

[kevin_md2010]

Congratulations madi. welcome to the inner sanctum

 

[Don't Panic]

DP,

My wife and I just came back from Norfolk and saw a bunch of nice places, less than a mile from school, that were 2 and 3 bedroom apartments or divided houses. Most were nice, as long as you do not have a dog or cat. Most are also with Cooke and Neff. They seemed to take the time to renovate, put AC in, and generally maintain the properties. We met two grad students that had friends renting from Cooke and Neff and had really nice places, reasonable rent, and were happy.

Sparky,

Thanks for the advice!!! I went down to Norfolk last week and looked at apartments with them and they seemed really nice. I put down a deposit on one place that was so close to campus that you would have to live in the parking lot to get any closer... I am so pumped about it, I really hope it works out. I guess it's time to remove myself from the wait list at Vanderbilt!

Madi-- Congratulations and welcome!

 

[ketzela]

delete

 

[murphomatic]

Hello Everyone!

I just found out yesterday (5/19) that I have been accepted off the waitlist. I have been waiting since November, and I am so thrilled and relieved. I will definitely be joining you all in August!

I loved everything about EVMS when I came down for my interview, so I know its a great fit for me.

I was planning on coming down to Norfolk in early July to secure an apartment for Aug 1st, but now I am not so sure after reading your posts.
Should I come down sooner rather than later??

-Ketzela

congrats ketz and madi !!!!

welcome

 

[thediamondmaker]

Let's get a feel for the class thus far. Is anyone here leaning towards a particular area of medicine? There will be plenty of time to choose as you gain more exposure during med school, but I am curious if many of you have put much thought into it yet...

As for myself, I may have mentioned before that I am all about surgery, particularly ortho, ENT, and facial plastics.

I'm looking forward to meeting you all!

TheDiamondMaker