***Official UTMB-Galveston Class of 2013 Thread***

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UTMBMD2012 said:
They are useful to keep a schedule and check stuff online, but I dunno if I would consider them required, many people function well without them. I just happen not to be one of those people.
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Lol, thanks alot, buddy. I think I'll just "rough it out" with a regular phone for now, spend the big bucks going in to year 3.
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JaxsMom said:
To those of you that have stayed in the UTMB Ferry Road apts., what are they like(condition, noise, size, etc)? We (me, my husband and my 9 mo old son) are thinking about getting a 3 bedroom there for the next 6-12 mo. Is this crazy? Are there other families that live there or is it all single students?

They seem so cheap compared to other 3 bedrooms on the island and it would be nice to save a little money this first year (my husband got laid off last December and has yet to find work).

Please let me know if this would be a big mistake for any reason.
Thanks
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I am moving into the Ferry Road apartments with my fiance in 2 days. There is not a lot of activity at the apts. so i think it would be a fine place for your family. Also, they are now only leasing to students, so you don't have to worry about having a shady neighbor. They are a little small, but for the price and cleanliness, they seem like a good deal. I'll post again once I get moved in this weekend.
 
Do we need a dissector book for GAR? I was at Half Priced tonight and saw they have Grant's Dissector for $15 and wondering if I should go back and get it soon.
 
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FutureTexasMD said:
Should we already be getting books/supplies?
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I've already picked up Moore's ECA and Netter's Atlas, but that's about it. Guaging by my undergraduate experience, books are cheaper on Amazon.com, haha.
 
DrSno said:
Do we need a dissector book for GAR? I was at Half Priced tonight and saw they have Grant's Dissector for $15 and wondering if I should go back and get it soon.
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I had the dissector and never used it. They have a file for each lab of the stuff you need to find. I suggest just having someone print it out every lab and have a group atlas for use in lab.
 
I know this has probably the millionth time this has been brought up but what is the first day that we have to be at UTMB. I want to enjoy my summer to the very last minute
 
Doctor Chaos said:
I know this has probably the millionth time this has been brought up but what is the first day that we have to be at UTMB. I want to enjoy my summer to the very last minute
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August 22, Welcome weekend, is the first mandatory activity.
 
Hey everyone,

Can someone post a list of all required and recommended text books for UTMB first yr students? I'm having trouble finding out because I'm out of country.

So far, someone is this thread has recommended Moore's clinical anatomy and an atlas. Anything else?

Thanks!
 
Premedico said:
Hey everyone,

Can someone post a list of all required and recommended text books for UTMB first yr students? I'm having trouble finding out because I'm out of country.

So far, someone is this thread has recommended Moore's clinical anatomy and an atlas. Anything else?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

There are some other books, but I didn't reallly feel like copy/pasting them all. You don't really need to worry about the books yet. You probably won't buy the books for each class until the week before you start them (GAR/POM are the first ones you start). http://www.utmb.edu/ehs/cbooks2.htm is the place for the list of books as you get close to each course.

GAR: Essential Clinical Anatomy, Atlas (Netter's, Grant's, or Rohen) other ones aren't super helpful, but they include Langman's Medical Embryology, Gunderman Essential Radiology

POM: Bates Guide to Physical Exam and History Taking, Resolving Ethical Dilemmas (electronic version given free), other one I didn't buy Behavioral Medicine in Primary Care

MCT: .Junquiera.. Basic Histology., .Lippincott's Illustrated Review: Biochemistry (I highly recommend), . .Katzung.. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.., Generic Cell Bio book (i.e. Albert's . .Essential Cell Biology).., Generic Genetics book. (i.e. .Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine)

PHD: Medical Microbiology (Patrick Murray Ken Rosenthal and Michael Pfaller), Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Abas Cellular and Molecular Immunology

NHB: Nolte The Human Brain, Andreasen Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry, Kandel Principles of Neural Science (in my opinion buying this book is overkill), Stahl Essential Psychopharmacology
.
 
UTMBMD2012 said:
There are some other books, but I didn't reallly feel like copy/pasting them all. You don't really need to worry about the books yet. You probably won't buy the books for each class until the week before you start them (GAR/POM are the first ones you start). http://www.utmb.edu/ehs/cbooks2.htm is the place for the list of books as you get close to each course.

GAR: Essential Clinical Anatomy, Atlas (Netter's, Grant's, or Rohen) other ones aren't super helpful, but they include Langman's Medical Embryology, Gunderman Essential Radiology

POM: Bates Guide to Physical Exam and History Taking, Resolving Ethical Dilemmas (electronic version given free), other one I didn't buy Behavioral Medicine in Primary Care

MCT: .Junquiera.. Basic Histology., .Lippincott’s Illustrated Review: Biochemistry (I highly recommend), . .Katzung.. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.., Generic Cell Bio book (i.e. Albert's . .Essential Cell Biology).., Generic Genetics book. (i.e. .Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine)

PHD: Medical Microbiology (Patrick Murray Ken Rosenthal and Michael Pfaller), Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Abas Cellular and Molecular Immunology

NHB: Nolte The Human Brain, Andreasen Introductory Textbook of Psychiatry, Kandel Principles of Neural Science (in my opinion buying this book is overkill), Stahl Essential Psychopharmacology
.
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Thank you so much.

Actually, I was thinking of buying these books from the country I'm currently in because they are much cheaper over here.

Would you recommend that I only buy the POM and GAR books you listed above? Or should I buy all those you listed above for all the modules?

Thank you, again.
 
In June, I received the UTMB packet on the 1st of the month. Has anyone received the July mailing yet?
 
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Premedico said:
Thank you so much.

Actually, I was thinking of buying these books from the country I'm currently in because they are much cheaper over here.

Would you recommend that I only buy the POM and GAR books you listed above? Or should I buy all those you listed above for all the modules?

Thank you, again.
Click to expand...

I would just go for POM/GAR. The other ones won't be on your mind for at least 2 months after you get here.
 
jonhasaheart said:
Which mailing was this? The one with all the organization listings, or a new one?
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No, I got the organization one a while ago. This one was a new one with info about our first mandatory attendance (8/22).
 
kevinmw5 said:
No, I got the organization one a while ago. This one was a new one with info about our first mandatory attendance (8/22).
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Oh nice. Thanks alot, buddy - I'll keep a look out for it. :thumbup:
 
To the other MS0s, you all are going ahead and buying Scribes, right? I thought I'd send the check in today, but just wanted to make sure the overall consensus is to buy them.
 
DrSno said:
To the other MS0s, you all are going ahead and buying Scribes, right? I thought I'd send the check in today, but just wanted to make sure the overall consensus is to buy them.
Click to expand...

I went ahead and bought it around the same time the mailing came in last month. I figured that it would primarily help me get a general idea as to what's coming up in future lectures, as well as give me ideas on structuring my own notes and allowing me to fill in the blanks on them where needed.
 
jonhasaheart said:
I went ahead and bought it around the same time the mailing came in last month. I figured that it would primarily help me get a general idea as to what's coming up in future lectures, as well as give me ideas on structuring my own notes and allowing me to fill in the blanks on them where needed.
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It will turn into something more like. I'm going to memorize these and read them over 2 or 3 times the day before the test as my primary study tool. :p
 
UTMBMD2012 said:
It will turn into something more like. I'm going to memorize these and read them over 2 or 3 times the day before the test as my primary study tool. :p
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Haha, shooting me down before I even get started! :laugh:

I wouldn't doubt it if it did indeed turn out like that. By the time finals rolled around this past Spring, taking my own notes - by then, a distant memory - was quickly replaced with memorizing PPT slides :oops:.
 
When signing the MPN through Direct Loans online, there is no place that shows the value of the loan. I'm assuming it will be the same amount shown on UTMB's Student Financial Aid Portal when you login. Could someone please verify this for me? Thanks!
 
Is anyone in the HABLE program or know anything about it... I think I might do it?
 
Hey everyone! Congrats on UTMB! American Medical Women's Association has a Big Sib/Little Sib Program set up to help incoming students make the transition into medical school a little easier. The program matches each interested first year medical student with an upperclassman based on similar interests and background. Big Sibs try to answer questions about everything you ever wanted to know concerning medical school at UTMB and more! You will get a chance to meet your Big Sib during AMWA Welcome Weekend on August 21 (or another time if you can't make the Welcome Weekend).

The program is open to both men and women, and you don’t have to be a member of AMWA in order to participate!! To sign up for the program go to http://www.amwautmb.com/sib-signup-little.html. While you are on the AMWA website, feel free to sign up for the Welcome Weekend 2009 too!
 
Congrats all on coming to UTMB. I think that you'll come to love the school and the island.

I am a third year (just finished Step 1, just started OB/GYN), and I registered to help answer any questions. I'm interested in surgery and I'm also a TKY, though I don't live at the mansion. I take some different views on things (e.g. I am the one person in this school who does not use scribes), but some may find them helpful. I'll try to make a clear distinction between my opinions and commonly accepted ideas.

A few general points:

1.) Enjoy school, work and all. You earned the right to train for one of the coolest jobs in the world, right behind St. Arnold's quality assurance tester and super model paint bikini artist. It's not all work.

2.) Studying works a lot better if you understand what you're studying. Sometimes you have to cram a lot of facts into your brain by brute force to have the fund of knowledge required to really understand something (particularly in NHB), but you will keep them organized in your head by understanding them.

3.) This is an academic medical center. It has four purposes: 1.) caring for patients, 2.) doing research, 3.) training residents, and 4.) training you. You guys are 1/4 of why this place exists, and realistically much more. The faculty members get paid less, despite the fact that they are among the best in their respective fields, because they like doing research and teaching people like you. Take advantage of that.

4.) Go to St. Vincent's Clinic. You will learn more from 3 weeks of that than from all of POM1. And POM1 is a good course.

5.) Everyone here is smart. Some people are scary smart, some people are just ordinary smart. The ordinary smart person who cares about his patients will always be a better doctor than the scary smart person who doesn't. The big difference isn't natural ability, it's how you use it. Remember that the goal is to help people.

6.) Do not abstain from beer (see #7).

7.) Do not wake up face down in tall grass without a clear idea of how you got there (see #6).

8.) Take advice with a grain of salt. Your easy module may be someone else's most difficult. Your easy module may be a lot of peoples' most difficult.

9.) Assigned reading is not all high yield. Some courses (MCT, NHB) have assigned reading that will waste your time and hurt your score. Some people believe that scribes alone is the best method. I have found that there are typically 2-3 books per course that really matter and a constellation of other books that cost money and waste time. Ask older people which books they found useful.

10.) If the course director is an MD, expect more clinically oriented test questions. If the course director is a PhD, expect esoteric questions about physiology and clinical questions that cause you to scratch your head.

11.) Talk in small group. If your facilitator assigns learning issues, use that to your advantage. A good facilitator eval can be the difference between grades. DO NOT BE THAT GUY.

12.) There is always someone who has 18 different books and a set of flash cards with more colors than a Jimi Hendrix acid trip. You will feel inadequate when they pull out their library. Ignore them and study like a normal human being.

13.) Do not leave your car on the island when a hurricane is coming. Do not park your car on a street if it may rain. Your car is not a boat, it will not function as a boat, and proving this to yourself is costly.

14.) Do not commute from Houston.

15.) Everyone feels like they don't belong at some point. Even the person with the acid trip flash cards. Especially the person with the acid trip flash cards. You do belong, and you can overcome whatever difficulty has you down with determination.

16.) The number of future plastic and orthopedic surgeons in your class will rapidly decrease with time. You should ponder that phenomenon when thinking about your own aspirations. If you are determined to choose a specialty based on money and prestige, you may want to rethink your career in medicine.

17.) Of all of the movie characters in history, Forrest Gump probably would make the best medical student. The ability to tolerate BS without complaint is more valuable than you might think, and humility is worth its weight in gold.

18.) Forget the reading that they give you before orientation. Read House of God ("Samuel Shem") before you start school and after your intern year.

19.) Hang out with friends who are not in medical school as often as you can. They don't understand what you are going through and that's the point. You need to remember that somewhere, people don't live in 4 week test cycles.

20.) It will go by much slower and much faster than you think.
 
Last edited:
MaduroUTMB said:
Congrats all on coming to UTMB. I think that you'll come to love the school and the island.

I am a third year (just finished Step 1, just started OB/GYN), and I registered to help answer any questions. I'm interested in surgery and I'm also a TKY, though I don't live at the mansion. I take some different views on things (e.g. I am the one person in this school who does not use scribes), but some may find them helpful. I'll try to make a clear distinction between my opinions and commonly accepted ideas.

A few general points:

1.) Enjoy school, work and all. You earned the right to train for one of the coolest jobs in the world, right behind St. Arnold's quality assurance tester and super model paint bikini artist. It's not all work.

2.) Studying works a lot better if you understand what you're studying. Sometimes you have to cram a lot of facts into your brain by brute force to have the fund of knowledge required to really understand something (particularly in NHB), but you will keep them organized in your head by understanding them.

3.) This is an academic medical center. It has four purposes: 1.) caring for patients, 2.) doing research, 3.) training residents, and 4.) training you. You guys are 1/4 of why this place exists, and realistically much more. The faculty members get paid less, despite the fact that they are among the best in their respective fields, because they like doing research and teaching people like you. Take advantage of that.

4.) Go to St. Vincent's Clinic. You will learn more from 3 weeks of that than from all of POM1. And POM1 is a good course.

5.) Everyone here is smart. Some people are scary smart, some people are just ordinary smart. The ordinary smart person who cares about his patients will always be a better doctor than the scary smart person who doesn't. The big difference isn't natural ability, it's how you use it. Remember that the goal is to help people.

6.) Do not abstain from beer (see #7).

7.) Do not wake up face down in tall grass without a clear idea of how you got there (see #6).

8.) Take advice with a grain of salt. Your easy module may be someone else's most difficult. Your easy module may be a lot of peoples' most difficult.

9.) Assigned reading is not all high yield. Some courses (MCT, NHB) have assigned reading that will waste your time and hurt your score. Some people believe that scribes alone is the best method. I have found that there are typically 2-3 books per course that really matter and a constellation of other books that cost money and waste time. Ask older people which books they found useful.

10.) If the course director is an MD, expect more clinically oriented test questions. If the course director is a PhD, expect esoteric questions about physiology and clinical questions that cause you to scratch your head.

11.) Talk in small group. If your facilitator assigns learning issues, use that to your advantage. A good facilitator eval can be the difference between grades. DO NOT BE THAT GUY.

12.) There is always someone who has 18 different books and a set of flash cards with more colors than a Jimi Hendrix acid trip. You will feel inadequate when they pull out their library. Ignore them and study like a normal human being.

13.) Do not leave your car on the island when a hurricane is coming. Do not park your car on a street if it may rain. Your car is not a boat, it will not function as a boat, and proving this to yourself is costly.

14.) Do not commute from Houston.

15.) Everyone feels like they don't belong at some point. Even the person with the acid trip flash cards. Especially the person with the acid trip flash cards. You do belong, and you can overcome whatever difficulty has you down with determination.

16.) The number of future plastic and orthopedic surgeons in your class will rapidly decrease with time. You should ponder that phenomenon when thinking about your own aspirations. If you are determined to choose a specialty based on money and prestige, you may want to rethink your career in medicine.

17.) Of all of the movie characters in history, Forrest Gump probably would make the best medical student. The ability to tolerate BS without complaint is more valuable than you might think, and humility is worth its weight in gold.

18.) Forget the reading that they give you before orientation. Read House of God ("Samuel Shem") before you start school and after your intern year.

19.) Hang out with friends who are not in medical school as often as you can. They don't understand what you are going through and that's the point. You need to remember that somewhere, people don't live in 4 week test cycles.

20.) It will go by much slower and much faster than you think.
Click to expand...


Awesome post!
 
Couldn't agree more!

Thank you very much for your insight, Maduro. :thumbup:
 
For anyone interested... Step 1 scores for those who have taken it (18 have not) -- current average is 232!
 
Do y'all buy your textbooks in blocks like the classes or is it reccomended to just buy them all at the start of the year?

Either way, what books would you reccomend for GAR and any other class that we need to start looking into for books?

Thanks for the help and good job on step 1!
 
How do they pick the lab groups for GAR? Last name, random, etc?

Also, what building is PBL in? Thanks.
 
FutureTexasMD said:
Is there an assigned book for summer reading?
Click to expand...

There wasn't for us. There was a leisure reading book that they had a single book club meeting. We got a free t-shirt for doing it, but that's about it. I'm not sure if you guys have this or not, but it should be in your packets if you do.
 
jonhasaheart said:
As for dress code during QUEST and Orientation Week: really? Professional dress all week? :laugh:
Click to expand...


I thought the exact same thing... Also for when we go to class it said to dress nicely too, don't most students just wear comfortable clothes?
 
I'm in Galveston at my new house, and it is too ****ing hot in this town. I think my AC has been running constantly all day.

I've never lived in an area quite like this; it's much more a mingling of classes than I am used to. I can't wait to start classes though.
 
DrSno said:
I'm in Galveston at my new house, and it is too ****ing hot in this town. I think my AC has been running constantly all day.

I've never lived in an area quite like this; it's much more a mingling of classes than I am used to. I can't wait to start classes though.
Click to expand...

LOL, oh just wait until August..It gets hotter! Where are you from Sno? What part of Galveston are you living in? My fiance and I moved down here a little over two weeks ago. It takes a little getting use to, but it's fun. I am ready for classes to start though!
 
InvisibleSphere said:
LOL, oh just wait until August..It gets hotter! Where are you from Sno? What part of Galveston are you living in? My fiance and I moved down here a little over two weeks ago. It takes a little getting use to, but it's fun. I am ready for classes to start though!
Click to expand...
I haven't moved there yet, was just down there for a couple days to get my stuff moved in. I'm going to be living in Fish Village, but now I'm back in San Antonio where it's still too hot but at least the humidity is much lower. How are you and your fiance liking the Ferry Road apartments? FV seems ok; the main reason I moved there was to be very close to the school.

I went to the Wal Mart on Seawall and a lady security guard was fighting with what looked to be a bum after he stole some beer. Then another lady was all upset because she thought the security lady had used too much force. The bum was bleeding pretty good on his arm. Galveston is a different kind of place.
 
jonhasaheart said:
This seems to be the summer reading thing they were talking about: http://www.utmb.edu/studentlife/prospect/summerread.htm

I'm not sure how up-to-date this is, but I stumbled upon it a few days back.

As for dress code during QUEST and Orientation Week: really? Professional dress all week? :laugh:
Click to expand...

QUEST attire will be casual and as for orientation week definitely dress up the first day. The other days gradually get more and more casual. You can wear whatever you want to class... they'll let you know when you have dress professionally :)
 
DrSno said:
I went to the Wal Mart on Seawall and a lady security guard was fighting with what looked to be a bum after he stole some beer. Then another lady was all upset because she thought the security lady had used too much force. The bum was bleeding pretty good on his arm. Galveston is a different kind of place.
Click to expand...

Well you did go to Wal Mart...what were you expecting :laugh:
 
kevinmw5 said:
Well you did go to Wal Mart...what were you expecting :laugh:
Click to expand...

:laugh:. Seems like Galveston Wal Marts are not that much different than where I come from.

WH08P said:
QUEST attire will be casual and as for orientation week definitely dress up the first day. The other days gradually get more and more casual. You can wear whatever you want to class... they'll let you know when you have dress professionally :)
Click to expand...

Haha, thank goodness. I was worrying that I'd be way too underdressed at QUEST if I decided to show up in a decent pair of jeans and a polo.
 
DrSno said:
I haven't moved there yet, was just down there for a couple days to get my stuff moved in. I'm going to be living in Fish Village, but now I'm back in San Antonio where it's still too hot but at least the humidity is much lower. How are you and your fiance liking the Ferry Road apartments? FV seems ok; the main reason I moved there was to be very close to the school.

The apartments have turned out to be nice; their proximity to the school definitely played a role in chosing them. Fish village has a lot of cool houses, I drove through there a few times checking them out.

I went to the Wal Mart on Seawall and a lady security guard was fighting with what looked to be a bum after he stole some beer. Then another lady was all upset because she thought the security lady had used too much force. The bum was bleeding pretty good on his arm. Galveston is a different kind of place.
Click to expand...

HAHA, yes that walmart is crazzzyyyy! The night of July 3rd was a mad house. There is a newer target off broadway, close to where it becomes I-45.
 
im pretty sure this question has already been asked, but i just wanted to make sure:

macs are ok ?
 
So is the August 21st wknd called Quest? I ask this because in a mailer we received in the beginning of the year it said Quest would be August 14th-15th.
 
FutureTexasMD said:
So is the August 21st wknd called Quest? I ask this because in a mailer we received in the beginning of the year it said Quest would be August 14th-15th.
Click to expand...

Yes what was formally known as Quest and was an optional 2 days, is now called Welcome Weekend and is 1 day and mandatory.
 
A question for the current students... What internet service provider do you and most of the other students use at your apartment? Thanks!
 
kevinmw5 said:
A question for the current students... What internet service provider do you and most of the other students use at your apartment? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Im using comcast...it's $31.00 a month and im getting pretty fast download speeds. :thumbup:
 
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