Oklahoma future 2011ers part 01

[Doctor Bagel]

As I am sick and home from work... more questions for the medschool mafia to take your mind off the politics.

Who teaches what for MS1 (at least the first semester)? I know from reading this thread that there are multiple lecturers for the same class, but could you break it down for us?

Who is a good lecturer? Is there anyone that could teach you the phone book and make it interesting? Who is isn't so good?

Who has more material on tests and whose material is harder?

Since you guys are talking about competitive specialties, does anyone know OU's average score on Step 1 & 2 (specifically Step 1)? I asked during my interview and all I could get was: "Our pass rate is on par with the rest of the US, and that won't be a problem for you." I wasn't really satisfied. You can pass by one point but if, say, 3/4 of the class barely passes that says something about the school's curriculum.

I know that one can work hard and overcome, but like the Wiz, I don't want to be limited in what specialty I ultimately go into because of my first two years.

At the start of the year, you'll be able to buy an unofficial guide that is put out by the class above it. It generally contains information about professors and tests and what's worth attending and what you should skip. Overall, I think it leans a bit more in favor of attending class than is necessary, though.

Here's my quick rundown of the first semester --
Biochem -- this is taught by 50 million different professors, about half of which are good and half just plain suck. The guide will give you a breakdown, but the ones that are especially bad are Broyles, Hanas and Steinberg. The ones that are especially good are Bidichandani, Fuller (I heard -- didn't attend his lectures), and I'd say Weigel. Leon is good if you listen to him at 2x speed, but going to his classes can be a bit frustrating because he's slow and sort of random. Whether you should go or not go to any of them -- I didn't go and made an A. Leon will give you the breakdown before each test and how many questions will come from each instructor -- it's usually divided pretty evenily.

Anatomy -- imo, this is not a subject that lecture is helpful for. I attended lecture to get the ARS points, but I generally daydreamed or skimmed Chung's book on my own during the lecture. The lectures are mostly given by Chung, O'Donoghue and Dandajana. Chung is funny because he just starts to talk faster if he's running out of time, but he'll repeat what he thinks is important like 50 times so just focus on what he repeats. O'Donoghue tells a lot of jokes and some self-aggrandizing stories (might bug you, might not), and his lectures are referred to as "point and name" because he points his laser pointer at structures and names them. Dandajana tells weird jokes and is sort of hard to understand. He's a dentist, so he thinks teeth are important.

Up until the last exam, the anatomy written test was really predictable because the questions were very similar to the questions in Chung's BRS book. However, if Chung is still gone next fall, the class is probably going to be pretty different. The one thing I noticed from our last exam (our one non-Chung exam) is that things like muscular attachment seemed more important.

Embryo -- Tomasek teaches the first part of the class, and he's a really good lecturer. A lot of the material is very visual, and it builds on itself, so I'd recommend going to class for the first test block. You can also watch the lectures in your mod, but with me being attention-challenged, I got more out of sitting in the lecture hall. Rada takes over after the first test block, and her stuff is really straight forward. I largely attended lecture, but I think you could get away with skipping and just studying her power points.

Human Behavior -- this is a trickier one. Like biochem, we have lots of different lectures with varying skill. I personally would recommend going just because attending lecture and studying the night before is generally enough to make an A. Lecture does sort of help you clue into what each professor considers to be important. Also, it's sort of an ego boost because you can always follow the lectures without anything going over your head.

Personally, my favorite professors were Smith, Scott and Allen. Scott and Allen's material makes up a big chunk of the first test, so I'd especially recommend going to their stuff. Morgan, bleh, she just reads off her powerpoints, but she gives you bonus points for going. Tucker is an odd one (she's the one who shows the porn), but her material makes up a huge chunk of the second test block, so I'd go to her stuff, too. I've got to say I wasn't a huge fan of her test questions because she seemed to focus on really little things. For example, she gave us a list of risky sexual behaviors and asked us which one was riskier -- to answer correctly, you had to have memorized one small chart buried in her power points.

Anyway, this is just my quick rundown. Hope it's somewhat helpful.

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[SoonerGeek]

Just to be clear, the school keeps record of our percentage grades throughout our schooling? Thats really disappointing since the grade system at OU is what I found appealing. I know that UTSW has sort of a rigid ranking system where top 20% get an A, next 50% get a B, or something of that nature. That system seems more directly competitive, but it sounds like the OU method has little difference. Is it accurate that every point could potentially factor in to your final ranking?

Certainly, I see the difference in the systems. With OU, you are not "directly" competing with your classmates to achieve a curved score. You are competing against the test to achieve the percentage. I am not sure which system is really best. I would hate to get passed over for AOA because I missed 2 questions on a GA final that dropped me to a 91% and the cut off for AOA was 92%. I can not critique either system without having discovered the flaws first hand. Are my concerns legitimate?

As for the debate about the professor's comments, it seems that physicians in training do not have the luxury of keeping their environment sterile and free from anything offensive. While I would not have found the comment offensive personally (even if it were directed at me), it seems like you could consider it part of the training... developing a thick skin. Doctors see people at their rawest and their worst. I imagine that unless you go into pathology, you'll encounter a "non-compliant" patient that says/does far worse.

Did the comment cross the line? Probably. But, the professor was at least making an effort to break up the monotony of memorize/regurgitate even if it was the medical equivalent of a fart joke. As an outsider, it seems kind of whiney to make issue of it, and I would understand being embarassed that your class escalated it. I guess with my "let-it-slide" mentality, it begs the question as to where you draw the line. I would say it raises problems if the intent is malicious or if the lecturer "picks on" an individual or group of individuals consistently. As long as the professor is a competent teacher, why call the PC police to throw him in shackles?

Like I said, I am an outsider with a lot of naivity about medical school. Personally, I will pretty much never tell someone that they offended me unless they are a friend. Otherwise, why should they give a damn?

Its probably not my place to comment, but I am "working" through my company's Christmas party so lucky you.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Just to be clear, the school keeps record of our percentage grades throughout our schooling? Thats really disappointing since the grade system at OU is what I found appealing. I know that UTSW has sort of a rigid ranking system where top 20% get an A, next 50% get a B, or something of that nature. That system seems more directly competitive, but it sounds like the OU method has little difference. Is it accurate that every point could potentially factor in to your final ranking?

Certainly, I see the difference in the systems. With OU, you are not "directly" competing with your classmates to achieve a curved score. You are competing against the test to achieve the percentage. I am not sure which system is really best. I would hate to get passed over for AOA because I missed 2 questions on a GA final that dropped me to a 91% and the cut off for AOA was 92%. I can not critique either system without having discovered the flaws first hand. Are my concerns legitimate?

As for the debate about the professor's comments, it seems that physicians in training do not have the luxury of keeping their environment sterile and free from anything offensive. While I would not have found the comment offensive personally (even if it were directed at me), it seems like you could consider it part of the training... developing a thick skin. Doctors see people at their rawest and their worst. I imagine that unless you go into pathology, you'll encounter a "non-compliant" patient that says/does far worse.

Did the comment cross the line? Probably. But, the professor was at least making an effort to break up the monotony of memorize/regurgitate even if it was the medical equivalent of a fart joke. As an outsider, it seems kind of whiney to make issue of it, and I would understand being embarassed that your class escalated it. I guess with my "let-it-slide" mentality, it begs the question as to where you draw the line. I would say it raises problems if the intent is malicious or if the lecturer "picks on" an individual or group of individuals consistently. As long as the professor is a competent teacher, why call the PC police to throw him in shackles?

Like I said, I am an outsider with a lot of naivity about medical school. Personally, I will pretty much never tell someone that they offended me unless they are a friend. Otherwise, why should they give a damn?

Its probably not my place to comment, but I am "working" through my company's Christmas party so lucky you.

You know, I guess the reality of it is that you're always competing. It is sort of depressing, though, to make As and feel like it doesn't mean much if you don't make a 97% in everything.

As for the comment, I agree. We are going to have to put up with people saying offensive things and just grin and bear it. My understanding is that this is especially going to happen during clinical years and residency where encountering sexist, homophobic attendings is probably not an unusual occurrence.

IMO, the real problem with this situation (and why I'm still irritated) is just the complete lack of communication from our student leaders. Nontrad is the only elected official who has said anything, which isn't fair to him or to us.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

No prob, soonereng, if you're going to join us at the circus, it's OK to comment!

Hey, guys, thanks for not tarring and feathering me. I felt bad going to bed last night - I believe in what I said and I don't mind an honest argument at all but none of this garbage is worth how I feel about you guys who post on SDN - you're the people at school that I actually like!

Exlaw, you're right - not posting on discussion board yesterday was cowardly. I should have posted immediately. I didn't want my name over there and I was hoping the Prez would deal with this one. I got myself on Mr. Burns' bad side earlier in the semester (long story) and I try to fly under his radar. I wanted to be treas because it was a natural fit for me and I figured that I could help. I wanted, however, to stay "back office" and not try to represent us out front - I'm not sure I could fairly represent most things, since my demographics are so far outside the mean. I know I don't want that role - but maybe there are times I'll have to do it. This time, I should have filled-in the obvious gaps immediately.

We do have serious communication problems - I'm going to carry that message back. I'll even read the minutes (I don't look at 'em, either). And, you guys have mentioned some serious problems with other members of the "team" that irritate me just as much. I've mentioned the problems, but I haven't yet been confrontational.

Merry Christmas, guys.

 

[soonereng]

No prob, soonereng, if you're going to join us at the circus, it's OK to comment!

Of course I'm joining the circus. Can I be the class clown? It's always funny when a 6'5" guy in makeup climbs out of the back seat of a Mini Cooper....maybe we could add that position to the council for next year.

Seriously though, I can't wait to get started, off-color jokes and all. I wish August would come sooner. I have my location in my SDN profile listed as Purgatory because that is what I feel like...stuck between my old career and my new.


***START OF RANT***
On the joke... people say stupid stuff, sometimes to intentionally hurt, but many times not. Those who were offended, on the council or not, should have let the offender know in person, in private. One can only hide behind institutions and representatives for so long in life. If you weren't offended enough to let them personally know about it, you weren't really offended...at least not on a level that requires corrective action.
***END OF RANT***

 

[Antigunner]

Just thought I'd share an excerpt from an email I sent to your exam review chair shortly after he was elected:

"One important bit of advice I will offer is to make sure that you communicate with your class as to what's going on with the exam review process. People can get a bit disgruntled if they don't know what's going on, as our ERC chair from last year would tell you."

What can I say, I tried!

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Just to be clear, the school keeps record of our percentage grades throughout our schooling? Thats really disappointing since the grade system at OU is what I found appealing. I know that UTSW has sort of a rigid ranking system where top 20% get an A, next 50% get a B, or something of that nature. That system seems more directly competitive, but it sounds like the OU method has little difference. Is it accurate that every point could potentially factor in to your final ranking?

Certainly, I see the difference in the systems. With OU, you are not "directly" competing with your classmates to achieve a curved score. You are competing against the test to achieve the percentage. I am not sure which system is really best. I would hate to get passed over for AOA because I missed 2 questions on a GA final that dropped me to a 91% and the cut off for AOA was 92%. I can not critique either system without having discovered the flaws first hand. Are my concerns legitimate?

Well both the 91 and the 92 will be reflected as an A on your transcript here. In making an AOA distinction, it is only to point out that you can get straight A's and still not be in the top sixth of the class. If I have made comment of a specific line, it is only to expound on a personal battle between myself and one of the deans who says that A-B-C fosters competition whereas honor/pass/fail does not (according to him).

BTW, you guys who made three A's this semester (I'm guessing at least three of you 10er's did), great work! In the grand scheme of things, such is certainly enviable. I am a little bit disappointed in myself for simply throwing in the towel after TB 2 for at least one of my classes, but I don't mean to disparage those who managed to grind it out to the end. Your staying power will pay off next year for Pharm and IHI which are year long.

Only one grade is given fall of MS 2, and that one (MMI) better be calling me daddy when all is said and done lest I have to face my lab director (whom the 09er's know as Blakey) again.

Really, with grading, it is one of those things that you can't really know much about until you've been in the system. Here it would be a very bad thing for the school to "weed people out." Attrition is not desirable. As such, saying that a 70-80% C is "average" simply is a mischaracterization of the student population. If we were just "average," we wouldn't be here! The UTSW system is actually the same thing as honor/high pass/pass/fail. It just has different labels.

There are really only two ways to grade. The first is like ours and UTSW--give everybody separate levels of evaluation per class; then in the end, assign a rank based on the composite of those evaluations. This is analogous to the electoral college during presidential elections. The other way is to simply do pass/fail per class or block (not uncommon with the big dogs on the coasts) and then assimilate a rank later on by total points or USMLE step 1. This would be more analogous to a simple popular vote in a national election. If you think back in U.S. history, the electoral college almost always reflects the popular vote at large. It however allows candidates to concentrate on the swing states. Like here, we just crammed in embryo (Wyoming) and HB (South Dakota) both because they were low weight classes and they were perceived as easier. On the other hand, we had to put in more time for biochem (California) and gross (Texas) because they had more contact hours.

How do I get off on these goofy tangents?

Anyway the alternative to our more traditional curriculum is systems-based in which the anatomy/physiology/embryo/histology are taught simultaneously with a particular block being dedicated to an organ system. The "new" take on this style is to convert it all to inquiry or problem-based. Either way, there is a set level of knowledge that you need for USMLE 1. How the school prepares you for it is probably immaterial. There is no one best way to learn it. I'd just as soon buy a set of books, take 'em home, and memorize 'em at my own pace.

I have my location in my SDN profile listed as Purgatory because that is what I feel like...stuck between my old career and my new.

You and me both, dawg. I am still working on my old career as an MS 1.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Tucker is an odd one (she's the one who shows the porn), but her material makes up a huge chunk of the second test block, so I'd go to her stuff, too. I've got to say I wasn't a huge fan of her test questions because she seemed to focus on really little things. For example, she gave us a list of risky sexual behaviors and asked us which one was riskier -- to answer correctly, you had to have memorized one small chart buried in her power points.

Anyway, this is just my quick rundown. Hope it's somewhat helpful.

Indeed I already forgot about Human Behavior. The first part is a review of gen psych--reinforcement/punishment, classical conditioning, stages of development, yada yada. Should be easy if you've had gen psych. If not, just cram the night before the exam. HB tests are last during block.

For Tucker's stuff (TB 2), there is some stuff on abuse that I missed out on having not gone to class. If in doubt about risky behaviors, the rule of thumb that I use is anything behind latex is safer. I didn't know that there was a chart. (shrug) She'll probably also ask you about giving advice to a conservative pt. I still don't know how you compare female superior to aided masturbation. Can't I just give them a pamphlet and tell them to have a nice day?

I got myself on Mr. Burns' bad side earlier in the semester (long story) and I try to fly under his radar.

Let's go put some dog poo on his front porch, light it on fire, and then ring the doorbell. You know who we can blame it on.

 

[Jwax]

Indeed I already forgot about Human Behavior. The first part is a review of gen psych--reinforcement/punishment, classical conditioning, stages of development, yada yada. Should be easy if you've had gen psych. If not, just cram the night before the exam. HB tests are last during block.

Woo hoo! It looks like there may be at least ONE class I'll get an A in! I have to imagine that a BA in sociology / criminology, with the added bonus of taking gen. then abnormal psychology ought to pay off for that class. Thanks for the reassurance on that, Wiz. Also, thanks for the info. about the Step 1 - I had always wondered why people didn't retake if they scored low, like we have to for the MCAT. I just assumed that it was b/c of the joy of just passing that there was no way you'd screw around with it again (and when would you have time during your 3rd year anyways??).

RachelD, that was too funny about your boy & the "where's your penis, where do you pee, oh, you're butt" stuff! HILARIOUS. I actually laughed out loud & had to read it to my fiance so he could laugh, too. He's got a nine year old son, who as far as I can tell is pretty ignorant about sex as of yet. Or maybe he just tries to act that way when he's around his dad (he lives w/the mom).

ExLaw - I love your new signature! I touch the fire and it freezes me... Hmm, are you having Buffy marathons for your break? I've been kinda feeling like one myself (I own the whole series on DVD's from some 3rd world country that won't play on my dvd player - only the computer).

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Woo hoo! It looks like there may be at least ONE class I'll get an A in! I have to imagine that a BA in sociology / criminology, with the added bonus of taking gen. then abnormal psychology ought to pay off for that class. Thanks for the reassurance on that, Wiz. Also, thanks for the info. about the Step 1 - I had always wondered why people didn't retake if they scored low, like we have to for the MCAT. I just assumed that it was b/c of the joy of just passing that there was no way you'd screw around with it again (and when would you have time during your 3rd year anyways??).

Yeah just remember that the test scores they tell you have any extra credit from lecture bonus Q's already included. HB 1 is my highest grade so far. For those keeping score at home, tack on "gen psych TA" to my neverending list of jobs I had before I decided to become a med student, otherwise I'd probably be behind in there too.

We do abnormal psych (DSM-type stuff) during the second semester of MS 2. Can't wait. I can be our class clinical correlation.

And Jwax, be sure to tell your friends who are single and share your dating preferences that there are no risky behaviors with the Wizard unless they have a heart condition. I'm tested every 56 days (blood donor). "Wizard" isn't just a nod to ex-St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith; it's also a reference to a Lil' Kim/50 Cent song from the summer of 2003.

I'd love to see how close to the bottom I am

Actually I saw a copy of the version that lists the students in order of people I'd most want my child to grow up to be. You're in the 95th percentile.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Let's go put some dog poo on his front porch, light it on fire, and then ring the doorbell. You know who we can blame it on.

What a rotten thing for Freeze to do! When can we go??

 

[Wizard of Oz]

As I am sick and home from work...

I hope that you are feeling better today.

 

[soonereng]

I hope that you are feeling better today.

Marginally better...but I'm still going in to work today since there won't be anyone there to spread it to, as they'll all be on vacation. I ran out of vacation due to shadowing docs in October...but 4 new wks of vacation is only a week away. I may just blow it all at the beginning of the year...probably not.

 

[Mr. Freeze]

What a rotten thing for Freeze to do! When can we go??

You guys are wrong. But if you do go, let me know ahead of time so I can stockpile some poo. I'll even take the blame, but only if it makes Youtube...I was thinking about going to Tulsa anyway! It is apparent I will need to keep an eye on y'all, lest I get framed for something.

You'd have thought I had ebola as much work as I missed last summer. I figured as many times as I went to work when I felt like ****, it all balanced out. At least that's how my male rationalizing went...Save your vacation for june or july, when there is more to do and it isn't cold!!

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Only one grade is given fall of MS 2, and that one (MMI) better be calling me daddy when all is said and done lest I have to face my lab director (whom the 09er's know as Blakey) again.

You work with Dr. Blakey?

That man is the ****. =) If it weren't for him, I think IHI would be unbearable since Dr. Holliman is out sick.


==================================================

I've been out of commission/out of pocket lately for good and ****ty reasons. Friday after our IHI final I got either food poisoning (I don't think it was - not quite acute enough) or got some kind of viral 24-hour bug. I spent most of the weekend in bed or in the bathroom throwing up. Excellent way to lose weight, but not so good for celebrating then end of my hardest semester ever. Sunday I went to Durant to go flying. I spent 4 hours on Monday in the backseat of a 172 somewhere over Texas. On Tuesday I got to personally fly for 6.1 hours in the nasty awesomeness of the cold front that wandered through. 5.6 hours of actual instrument time, baby, yeah! Great experience! However, starting on Tuesday I started to feel a tickle in my throat that has since progressed into what the PA I saw yesterday called non-Group A strep throat (the Rapidstrep test was negative, but I was manifesting all the clinical symptoms). Ugh... I feel like crap today, and we're supposed to be driving home to my wife's family this afternoon.


Just to touch on a few topics before I go...

As AG already mentioned, you get to vote on class officers again later in the Spring semester. I think we did ours sometime in late April.

-----

If you're looking for info on AOA, go straight to the source: http://www.alphaomegaalpha.org/

I won't lie by saying I didn't want to make AOA. However, my perspective has changed, particularly in light of the statistics I linked earlier in this thread. Making AOA would be nice, but not being AOA does not rule out competitive specialties. I like to think that what I may lack as far as test scores go I more than make up for with personality, extra-curriculars, and other stuff.

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Anyway... have a great break, everyone. I'll pop in occasionally.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

You work with Dr. Blakey?
That man is the ****. =) If it weren't for him, I think IHI would be unbearable since Dr. Holliman is out sick.

Yezzir. Greg's really quet. He is from OK and is a Norman grad but did med school in Dallas--very sharp. Only doc I ever met who started a psych residency and then switched to pathology! Kind of opposite ends of the spectrum. When I started in the lab at Childrens, he was just finishing his residency here. He did a brief fellowship in Houston (something like molecular path) and came straight back to become our director of microbiology services circa 2005. The post had been vacated a couple of years earlier when one of the faculty in the micro department left for the east coast. Dr. B. has several other hats (which seem to be increasing in number). I'm trying to get a publication going with him, but our damn organism keeps dying! We think that we will get to name a new species of Helicobacter which causes sepsis in immunocompromised pt's. I won't tell you how our index pt originally got infected. We're thinking of calling it H. dawgii.

Actually we do have a minor celebrity in the lab. Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of cat scratch fever, is named in part after one of our med techs. She trained me.

However, starting on Tuesday I started to feel a tickle in my throat that has since progressed into what the PA I saw yesterday called non-Group A strep throat (the Rapidstrep test was negative, but I was manifesting all the clinical symptoms).

Save me a swab next time! You do know that Group C and G are associated with animal contact, dontcha? lol it's kind of an old wives tale among micro geeks. Our lab doesn't report non-A on a throat cultures, but the rapid prolly misses about 10% of cases. Azithromycin has become the drug of choice among the insured, but I think Pfizer pushes it knowing that resistance would coincide with the expiration of their patent.

Marginally better...but I'm still going in to work today since there won't be anyone there to spread it to, as they'll all be on vacation. I ran out of vacation due to shadowing docs in October...but 4 new wks of vacation is only a week away. I may just blow it all at the beginning of the year...probably not.

Thanks for commenting over on that thread with the PA haters.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Nuts... I just read in the Tulsa paper that there was a small earthquake in Mid-Del. And I wasn't in town to feel it. I miss all the interesting stuff.

 

[soonerfan77]

I heard it was only a 2.4 magnitude. I'm sure everyone at Sarkey's is going crazy.

Quick question--- Adcom normally has ~250 interviews. Without an increase in the class size, can anyone explain the increase in the number of interviews. Maybe it's because of the increase of apps, or more of their offers were declined, or ????????????

Any ideas?

 

[soonereng]

Quick question--- Adcom normally has ~250 interviews. Without an increase in the class size, can anyone explain the increase in the number of interviews. Maybe it's because of the increase of apps, or more of their offers were declined, or ????????????

I would go with more declined since they started interviewing earlier this year.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

I would go with more declined since they started interviewing earlier this year.

That and they heard that more good people would be applying this year.

They've changed the process this year, I'm guessing to try to move the interviews back into the Texas timeframe. Scuttlebutt is that they started accepting at the same time anyway.

 

[soonerfan77]

I noticed that the Adcom tally makes a reference to "offers made" not "acceptances" or "seats filled". That definitely coincides with an increase of declines. Boy, my chances are looking better and better everyday.

By the way, I wanted to thank all you SDNers out there who have given me a great tool to ease my stress. My wife and I wish you all the best this Christmas!!!!!!!!

JESUS is the reason for the season.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I heard it was only a 2.4 magnitude. I'm sure everyone at Sarkey's is going crazy.

Quick question--- Adcom normally has ~250 interviews. Without an increase in the class size, can anyone explain the increase in the number of interviews. Maybe it's because of the increase of apps, or more of their offers were declined, or ????????????

Any ideas?

Hmmm... well, they decided to expand from 150 to 162 and wound up with 167 to start for the Class of 2010. Since the AAMC is hounding them to increase class size, maybe they want to take a closer look at the qualified applicant pool. Dr. Hall said that they looked at the recommended 15% increase (which has since been upped to a recommended 30% increase) and decided to go with 8% to see how well it worked. I don't know how they're going to increase further - I've never counted seats in the auditoriums, but they're aren't many seats left when we're all in there. They opened up an unused mod for the Class of 2010, but I don't think there's much space left. There is already a desperate shortage of powder room space for females in our lovely 1970 BSEB building (it was designed for a class of maybe 10-15% females, not 45%). If O'Don does away with the ARS points for anatomy lecture, it wouldn't be a problem - they could set-up folding chairs for orientation and, after that, there'd be plenty of seats for whomever wanted to attend lecture!!

 

[JohnnyOU]

Nuts... I just read in the Tulsa paper that there was a small earthquake in Mid-Del. And I wasn't in town to feel it. I miss all the interesting stuff.

Yea my ex msg'd me that day and told me about it...a 2.5 over near sooner road... I didn't feel anything...called a couple of friends and they didn't either...so you didn't miss anything exciting.

I get more shaking from the brothers thumpin their boom boxes in their cars.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Yea my ex msg'd me that day and told me about it...a 2.5 over near sooner road... I didn't feel anything...called a couple of friends and they didn't either...so you didn't miss anything exciting.

I get more shaking from the brothers thumpin their boom boxes in their cars.

Shoot... a good earthquake in my 'hood around 23rd and Portland would give us some badly-needed urban renewal! We have some houses worth keeping but also a few that probably wouldn't survive even an M2.5. But, you're right, if the occupants of the slum houses keep playing their boom boxes at full volume, sooner or later those houses are coming down!

Actually, I've learned to enjoy an inner-city environment. Some of my neighbors weave garland and lights right through the burglar bars on the windows, and it actually looks kinda pretty...

 

[JohnnyOU]

...I don't know how they're going to increase further - I've never counted seats in the auditoriums, but they're aren't many seats left when we're all in there. They opened up an unused mod for the Class of 2010, but I don't think there's much space left. There is already a desperate shortage of powder room space for females in our lovely 1970 BSEB building (it was designed for a class of maybe 10-15% females, not 45%). If O'Don does away with the ARS points for anatomy lecture, it wouldn't be a problem - they could set-up folding chairs for orientation and, after that, there'd be plenty of seats for whomever wanted to attend lecture!!

As for ARS pnts...there aren't many mods so they should just put clicker receivers in each mod (~$100/mod) and stream the lectures to the mods like they did in embryo....it's already set up.

I plan to attend as few classes as possible from now on, especially since I seem to do better in the classes I study at home for instead of attending lectures...I think a bunch of others will do the same so that may free up some seats. GA was about the only class that was usually full imo.

You people on the student council should make an announcement about the folks who dropped or failed out so far...might motivate the others. ie...the why's and when's...no names are necessary.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

You people on the student council should make an announcement about the folks who dropped or failed out so far...might motivate the others. ie...the why's and when's...no names are necessary.

Funny you should mention that - I've asked Student Services more than once about the body count and what happened. Apparently it's a deep-dark secret because they won't tell me anything - they won't even confirm the numbers that I already know about.

One thing I think about, although I haven't gotten feedback from anyone yet - I think orientation needs a little more reality mixed-in with the fun. Certainly you don't want to scare anyone and you don't want to make it a downer, but I do think new students need to be told that probably they're going to be stressed to the absolute max physically and emotionally while adjusting to medical school life in the first semester. Not to make a big deal of it - but I think they should know that, if they problems, they're not alone and where to go for help. When I was having a small melt-down mid-semester, I learned the hard way that a lot of students cover-up just how stressed they are while they're on campus. It shouldn't be that way, because it helps to talk about it (although I went through an obnoxious period when I would b*tch to anyone who would listen).

 

[JohnnyOU]

On second thought...they should just stream ALL classes to the mods...it's already set up...won't cost a penny...

Additionally, the can easily enlarge the class size if they want (except for mod size limitations).

But they should still stream all the lectures to the mods...and make a master copy dvd that we students can buy for $1..one dvd would hold 2-3 lectures. I would benefit much more from a video of the lecture I can watch over and over than from an mp3 where I'm trying to keep track of what syllabus page they're on.

OK non-trad....Mr. PN...you're on the council....make it so Number One.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

OK non-trad....Mr. PN...you're on the council....make it so Number One.

I'll try... my big mission for last semester was trying to get Leon to release the combined audio/PowerPoints for biochem... the audio/vis support people had the same tapes for biochem that we had for embryo - but Leon wouldn't approve them for release because he thinks people ought to come to class. He doesn't have control over the .mp3s, so at least we had those. I thought the audio with the PowerPoint slide show was very helpful for embryo. (I did succeed in nudging Rada to make sure her PowerPoints were posted faster... I was furious in Block 2 when the last lecture didn't show up for 2 full days... she did get that fixed for Block 3.)

Leon is a very nice guy and he was very kind to me when I was having a hard time... I like him a lot... but, he's been around for a long time. If he doesn't want to do something and you try to nudge him, he'll blow you through the doors backward before you even finish talking. Now that I'm not in his class, I wouldn't scare as easily. Sort of.

 

[JohnnyOU]

Funny you should mention that - I've asked Student Services more than once about the body count and what happened. Apparently it's a deep-dark secret because they won't tell me anything - they won't even confirm the numbers that I already know about.

One thing I think about, although I haven't gotten feedback from anyone yet - I think orientation needs a little more reality mixed-in with the fun. Certainly you don't want to scare anyone and you don't want to make it a downer, but I do think new students need to be told that probably they're going to be stressed to the absolute max physically and emotionally while adjusting to medical school life in the first semester. Not to make a big deal of it - but I think they should know that, if they problems, they're not alone and where to go for help. When I was having a small melt-down mid-semester, I learned the hard way that a lot of students cover-up just how stressed they are while they're on campus. It shouldn't be that way, because it helps to talk about it (although I went through an obnoxious period when I would b*tch to anyone who would listen).

I guess I'm fortunate in a way because I'm not looking for a 4.0 since the specialties I'm interested in are less competitive (ig...general surgery, ER, family doc). Those poor saps that think the HAVE to become a dermatologist or an ortho surgeon must be stressing about LORs, GPAs, ECs, and word of mouth info. I'm just happy to pass and still know my kiddos fully. I'm lucky that most ppl don't want what I want.

We're all stressed though for one reason or another. I hope we all make it year after year and those who were gonna fall away have already done it. I wouldn't want to join the class of 2011 or 12...and was scared it was gonna happen after that GA final and Embryo final....I am studying more than I ever did in undergrad but think it's still gonna become more...

I guess that's ok since people's lives will depend on the choices we make.

I've also been thinking how I'll react when my first pnt dies...
and when my first pnt dies because of a bad decision I made...

 

[JohnnyOU]

I'll try... my big mission for last semester was trying to get Leon to release the combined audio/PowerPoints for biochem... the audio/vis support people had the same tapes for biochem that we had for embryo - but Leon wouldn't approve them for release because he thinks people ought to come to class. He doesn't have control over the .mp3s, so at least we had those. I thought the audio with the PowerPoint slide show was very helpful for embryo. (I did succeed in nudging Rada to make sure her PowerPoints were posted faster... I was furious in Block 2 when the last lecture didn't show up for 2 full days... she did get that fixed for Block 3.)

Leon is a very nice guy and he was very kind to me when I was having a hard time... I like him a lot... but, he's been around for a long time. If he doesn't want to do something and you try to nudge him, he'll blow you through the doors backward before you even finish talking. Now that I'm not in his class, I wouldn't scare as easily. Sort of.

I like Leon too...but he's too old school...he needs to update his teaching methods with the times or step aside...even if he's the nicest prof we have...my pnts will depend on what I've learned and he needs to do whatever is available to aid our learning and retention. The man uses a device from the 50's to give lectures...that's not acceptable...especially since we are each paying $40k/yr to learn to be able doctors.

I was also pretty irritated last block when the notegroups were coming out AFTER we were already tested over the material. How is that useful...we paid good money for those notegroups printouts. That girl is also paid $200/mo from our fees to ensure that stuff arrives on time and correct as possible.

This coming semester is gonna be harder from what I hear. Bugs need to be worked out before classes start up.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I guess I'm fortunate in a way because I'm not looking for a 4.0 since the specialties I'm interested in are less competitive (ig...general surgery, ER, family doc).

Yup, I envied you the balance you had in your life during the semester. I've had a thousand people tell me "just pass, don't worry about an A!" (I guess the fact that I'm a type-A is fairly well-known among my friends, even my physician buddies who knew what we were going through). But I'm no gunner... I was pleased with the way my semester turned-out, but I was always just praying to pass. If I knew how to study for a "C" without risking a "D", I'd do it - I just want to go into Medicine. But maybe I know how to study for a "B" now and won't be as crazy next semester. I'm actually a little pleased that I officially did not pass the block 3 GA practical - I failed something, and I'm over it.

 

[SoonerGeek]

Does anyone know what specialty/sub-specialty of cardiology does the endoscopic procedures? I mean things like repairing valves, adding stints, etc. I know it is done largely by navigating through veins to the heart depending on the problem area, but I was wondering if a cardiologist does this or a cardiothoracic surgeon. Also, for cardiology, would you first go into Internal Medicine residency or do you start out cardio from the get go?

I am looking into getting some shadowing experience with a cardiologist (though I do not know any yet that would be willing), but I am not really sure who type of specialist to bug?

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I was also pretty irritated last block when the notegroups were coming out AFTER we were already tested over the material. How is that useful...we paid good money for those notegroups printouts. That girl is also paid $200/mo from our fees to ensure that stuff arrives on time and correct as possible.

Absolutely. There is no excuse for what happened with notegroups last semester, and changes have to be made now. I've talked to the notegroups chair twice, but I've been far too nice about it - and, obviously, nobody else has dealt with it, either. We've failed on that one miserably - although everyone needs to start putting some heat on the chair (notegroups is its own little empire BTW - we student officers don't get any say on the rules or what happens to the best of my knowledge but I'll check that - they have their own bank account that I've never even seen).

I didn't disagree with the chair's idea of no fines in the first block while everyone was learning the system - but what happened after that was inexcusable. Maybe the chair can't physically force people to do notegroups when the fine is only $15, but we should have been getting status updates by e-mail when there was so much missing in Block 3 at a critical time. And when you-know-who was doing half the notegroups at a 50% discount off the going rate and not doing a very good job with them, a stop should have been put on that before it degenerated into the disaster that it was by block 3 test time when it really mattered. If somebody else hadn't picked up the last 30 minutes of nutrition lecture after the sound system failed, I would have bombed that section of the test. I will admit, I fob off my notegroup assignments - but I pick people carefully, I pay top dollar, and I make sure they're posted on time.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Does anyone know what specialty/sub-specialty of cardiology does the endoscopic procedures? I mean things like repairing valves, adding stints, etc. I know it is done largely by navigating through veins to the heart depending on the problem area, but I was wondering if a cardiologist does this or a cardiothoracic surgeon. Also, for cardiology, would you first go into Internal Medicine residency or do you start out cardio from the get go?

I am looking into getting some shadowing experience with a cardiologist (though I do not know any yet that would be willing), but I am not really sure who type of specialist to bug?

Neither a cardiologist nor a cardiothoracic surgeon does most non-surgical cardiac procedures these days (like balloons) - they're done by interventional radiologists - although the cardiologists still do a lot of stents (and, boy, are the cardiologists pissed about what they've lost). There is also a huge ground shift coming in endoscopy - as virtual colonoscopies by CT are perfected, the GI guys are going to lose a lot of revenue on routine colonoscopy screening (although they'll still have to do the followup on abnormal tests). You would question some docs' altruism if you'd been in some of the financial meetings I've attended - they get ugly.

Cardiology is an internal medicine subspecialty. You do a full three year internal medicine residency and then you go on to a cardiology fellowship.

 

[soonereng]

I think that would be interventional cardiologists rather than CT surgeons. I believe that you would go IM then fellowships. Not sure, but I've got a book at home that I will look at and repost.

Edit: see Non-Trad's post above.

 

[JohnnyOU]

Absolutely. There is no excuse for what happened with notegroups last semester, and changes have to be made now. I've talked to the notegroups chair twice, but I've been far too nice about it - and, obviously, nobody else has dealt with it, either. We've failed on that one miserably - although everyone needs to start putting some heat on the chair (notegroups is its own little empire BTW - we student officers don't get any say on the rules or what happens to the best of my knowledge but I'll check that - they have their own bank account that I've never even seen).

I didn't disagree with the chair's idea of no fines in the first block while everyone was learning the system - but what happened after that was inexcusable. Maybe the chair can't physically force people to do notegroups when the fine is only $15, but we should have been getting status updates by e-mail when there was so much missing in Block 3 at a critical time. And when you-know-who was doing half the notegroups at a 50% discount off the going rate and not doing a very good job with them, a stop should have been put on that before it degenerated into the disaster that it was by block 3 test time when it really mattered. If somebody else hadn't picked up the last 30 minutes of nutrition lecture after the sound system failed, I would have bombed that section of the test. I will admit, I fob off my notegroup assignments - but I pick people carefully, I pay top dollar, and I make sure they're posted on time.

She sits right next to me in our mod. I'll say something to her and see if she responds positively or gets all pissy and defenseive. I was personally offended that after we'd paid all our dues she decided we didn't need our GA notes...I needed them more than any other I think.

I also feel that anyone choosing electronic copies only, shouldn't have to pay a penny since they're doing the work. E-versions must be free to those who do part of the work.

Any fines given should go directly back to the students...I don't know where all those fines $$$ went but there is no reason for it to go anywhere but to those who paid for the service since we are the only ones affected.

 

[soonereng]

There is also a huge ground shift coming in endoscopy - as virtual colonoscopies by CT are perfected, the GI guys are going to lose a lot of revenue on routine colonoscopy screening (although they'll still have to do the followup on abnormal tests).

A good and funny book to read over the break about this and other changes coming is The End of Medicine. The guy who wrote this is all about money and technology, but it's still a pretty good read.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

A good and funny book to read over the break about this and other changes coming is The End of Medicine. The guy who wrote this is all about money and technology, but it's still a pretty good read.

Cool! Thanks! I'll order it... I'm reading Woodward's "State of Denial" right now (anything that doesn't have anything to do with medicine). The fights are really getting ridiculous. Many brain/other surgeries for tumors are no longer necessary because, with a $3 million linear accelerator, you can do precision destruction of tumorous tissue in someone without putting a scratch on them - it's expensive technology, but obviously a great improvement for the patient. BUT - the surgeons now want to be in the control room when radio-surgery is done, and they want a consultant fee. The radiation oncologists don't need them there and don't want them there. I'm so glad I'm out of hospital administration.

 

[Jwax]

My mom bought my dad "Stem Cell Wars" as a Christmas gift, which he loaned out to me while they are on vacation. I figure that should be some good reading before my interview!

I think I want to be a notegroups writer. While I'm not the biggest fan of going to class, I have found that I tend to learn better by writing my own notes for a lecture than just reading over power points.

I was wondering about Anatomy... I'm taking it at OU in the spring (b/c who doesn't want to take anatomy two semesters in a row!?!?!?) and one of the biggest focuses (it seemed) for learning anatomy was on attachment, insertion, action, and innervation. We were required to learn it for 50-75% of the muscles for lab & lecture. How big is that in med school? Would it be worth trying to retain? Or should I be memorizing to get through the class & spend most of my time learning exactly what everything looks like & where it should be?

Also, I'm taking microbiology as well. This is a 2nd year class, right? Have you had it yet? Any of you take it in undergrad & think there is anything that would be good for me to focus on?

Also, I'm either taking micro lab (2 hours) or business calc 1 (online, 3 hours) or both (will only have 12 hours total). Any recommendations on which (if either) I should drop if need be? Gracias!

Oh, and Johnny - it's EM as a speciality, not ER. ER's a place. Freeze taught me that

 

[Bravofriendly]

Does anyone know what specialty/sub-specialty of cardiology does the endoscopic procedures? I mean things like repairing valves, adding stints, etc. I know it is done largely by navigating through veins to the heart depending on the problem area, but I was wondering if a cardiologist does this or a cardiothoracic surgeon. Also, for cardiology, would you first go into Internal Medicine residency or do you start out cardio from the get go?

I am looking into getting some shadowing experience with a cardiologist (though I do not know any yet that would be willing), but I am not really sure who type of specialist to bug?

I have worked for very large cardio group in the area and this is what I know about who does what procedures based on that experience:

Interventional Cardiologists
-diagnostic catheterizations
-interventional cardiac catheterizations (stenting of cardiac structures)
-transesophageal echocardiograms
-cardioversions
-pacemaker implantations (rarely, these are mostly deferred to the EPs)
If there are local cardiologists performing valve repairs via catheter, I'm unaware. Our surgeons were the only ones performing valve procedures. Also, contrary to reports of interventional radiologists sucking up all the business, there was recently a second ambulatory cath lab built to accommodate the great need of this cardio group. I’m certainly not in-the-know about the details, but I can’t imagine that any business person or bank would invest such finances in building a facility without a secure understanding that it would have long-term payouts.

Cardiothoracic Surgeons
-valve replacements
-CABG, both open and endoscopic (for all the talk about cardio surgeons not having enough patients, the ones I know of have more work than they can handle, one even operates 7 days/week and still doesn’t keep up with demand)
-endarterectomy
-revascularization procedures
-Maze procedure (as well as a newly developed afib procedure)
-pacemaker/defibrillation implantation and associated procedures (again, these are generally deferred to EPs)
-lung resections
-transplant procedures (of course, the only ones in okc who do these would be out of baptist’s transplant center)

Interested? Check this link: http://www.sts.org/

Vascular Surgeons
-peripheral vascular stenting
-AAA interventions/repair
-amputations
I am sure that there are other procedures they do, I’m just not all that familiar with what they are.

Interested? Try this link: http://www.vascularweb.org/_CONTRIBUTION_PAGES/Residents_and_Students/index.html

Electrophysiology
-pacemaker and defibrillation implantation
-cardioversion
-catheter-based ablation of multiple arrhythmias

A cardiologist recently made the statement that he would love to move to Colorado to practice, but Oklahoman’s insistence on treating their diabetes and heart disease with diet and exercise and the subsequent failure to follow-through was what keeps him in business. With Oklahoma being one of the WORST states in the nation for heart health - there are plenty of patients to go around.

 

[Talpa]

I have worked for very large cardio group in the area and this is what I know about who does what procedures based on that experience:

Interventional Cardiologists
-diagnostic catheterizations
-interventional cardiac catheterizations (stenting of cardiac structures)
-transesophageal echocardiograms
-cardioversions
-pacemaker implantations (rarely, these are mostly deferred to the EPs)
If there are local cardiologists performing valve repairs via catheter, I'm unaware. Our surgeons were the only ones performing valve procedures. Also, contrary to reports of interventional radiologists sucking up all the business, there was recently a second ambulatory cath lab built to accommodate the great need of this cardio group. I’m certainly not in-the-know about the details, but I can’t imagine that any business person or bank would invest such finances in building a facility without a secure understanding that it would have long-term payouts.

Cardiothoracic Surgeons
-valve replacements
-CABG, both open and endoscopic (for all the talk about cardio surgeons not having enough patients, the ones I know of have more work than they can handle, one even operates 7 days/week and still doesn’t keep up with demand)
-endarterectomy
-revascularization procedures
-Maze procedure (as well as a newly developed afib procedure)
-pacemaker/defibrillation implantation and associated procedures (again, these are generally deferred to EPs)
-lung resections
-transplant procedures (of course, the only ones in okc who do these would be out of baptist’s transplant center)

Interested? Check this link: http://www.sts.org/

Vascular Surgeons
-peripheral vascular stenting
-AAA interventions/repair
-amputations
I am sure that there are other procedures they do, I’m just not all that familiar with what they are.

Interested? Try this link: http://www.vascularweb.org/_CONTRIBUTION_PAGES/Residents_and_Students/index.html

Electrophysiology
-pacemaker and defibrillation implantation
-cardioversion
-catheter-based ablation of multiple arrhythmias

A cardiologist recently made the statement that he would love to move to Colorado to practice, but Oklahoman’s insistence on treating their diabetes and heart disease with diet and exercise and the subsequent failure to follow-through was what keeps him in business. With Oklahoma being one of the WORST states in the nation for heart health - there are plenty of patients to go around.

How long are each of these fellowships?

 

[want2beadoc]

[Grabs popcorn and waits for the impending exlaw comment about what was posted on the MS1 discussion board]

 

[Bravofriendly]

What resources are available on Hippocrates vs. Notegroups?

 

[Mr. Freeze]

Oh, and Johnny - it's EM as a speciality, not ER. ER's a place. Freeze taught me that

The force is strong with this one

I'm a little behind, but the earthquake "center" was about 1/2 mile from my house. I was actually posting on here when the second one came, and it sounded exactly like someone kicked my garage door in, waking my wife up. So I grabbed my thunderstick and went downstairs to smoke me a crackhead. I could see the garage light was on, so I was kinda amped. But I'd left it on when I was cutting pergo earlier, which is why I didn't feel/ear the first one. Several of my doors are out of square now, and there is a crack in the brick of a window sill that my wife said has been there, but I don't know...

Even so, I'm sure the 'quake was my fault. Sorry 'bout that...

I'll read the rest later; I've got a stair rail to build before grandparents get here tomorrow...

 

[Mr. Freeze]

Yea my ex msg'd me that day and told me about it...a 2.5 over near sooner road... I didn't feel anything...called a couple of friends and they didn't either...so you didn't miss anything exciting.

My phone must have been off.

I only live in midwest city...

Ok, so you're not an albino mexican, jeez...

 

[Wizard of Oz]

Sorry guys, been workin.

What resources are available on Hippocrates vs. Notegroups?

Hippocrates holds the prof's powerpoints. Our notegroups are now accessed through a link on Hippocrates, but only those who've subscribed are supposed to have access to it. Notegroups has mp3's of the lectures which are taped by students as well as lecture outlines written by students. Those in notegroups write for 30 minutes or an hour each block. Every module has a "taper" for the mp3's and a "stuffer" (person who distributes typed outlines to our mailboxes).

You would question some docs' altruism if you'd been in some of the financial meetings I've attended - they get ugly.

Cardiology is an internal medicine subspecialty. You do a full three year internal medicine residency and then you go on to a cardiology fellowship.

Are you saying that some docs are more obsessed with the bottom line than helping people? It certainly couldn't have anything to do with the cost of our medical education or the way we are trained, could it?

How long are each of these fellowships?

Methinks cards is 3 years, invasive 3 more--check me on that. Interventional rads is one year preliminary ("intern"), four years diagnostic rads, another year or two interventional fellowship. General surgery residency is five years, CT fellowship is two more (not sure about vascular). CT much easier fellowship to get these days due to the other dawgs preventing them from having business.

[Grabs popcorn and waits for the impending exlaw comment about what was posted on the MS1 discussion board]

exlaw is AFK today. I miss her!

Gimme a minute, Jwax. Lemme read what you wrote me on myspace and check out what want2be is talking about. Be back in a sec.

 

[soonereng]

Thanks for commenting over on that thread with the PA haters.

No prob. I usually keep my opinions to myself, but living in a medschool box makes some people blind. It will be interesting to see how those who look down on midlevels will change their tune when its time to practice in the real world. And with that.... [best Gump voice] that's all I have to say about that... I shall comment no more.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

[Grabs popcorn and waits for the impending exlaw comment about what was posted on the MS1 discussion board]

Oh, God (holding head in hands, feeling a tad sick to my stomach). I knew I would regret going over to the discussion board. Was it me, or was there something in the tone that was just a wee bit patronizing? Good grief, I don't want to have to baby-sit on how to write a memo that doesn't insult anyone who reads it. How did I get myself onto this team? Please tell exlaw that I abruptly transferred to the Caribbean.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

I was wondering about Anatomy... I'm taking it at OU in the spring (b/c who doesn't want to take anatomy two semesters in a row!?!?!?) and one of the biggest focuses (it seemed) for learning anatomy was on attachment, insertion, action, and innervation. We were required to learn it for 50-75% of the muscles for lab & lecture. How big is that in med school? Would it be worth trying to retain? Or should I be memorizing to get through the class & spend most of my time learning exactly what everything looks like & where it should be?

Yeah I seem to recall having to know a little bit about attachment, insertion, action, innervation, and blood supply. We were required to learn it for 100-110% of the muscles since there are some muscles that not all of us have. Just playin, actually for some reason we kind of blew off the feet. "Those are for podiatrists, and we don't eat with our feet." Actually if you memorize Netters' flash cards that have all of that stuff on them, you could probably get a C on the first two block lecture exams pretty easily. Now I wouldn't recommend that you continue to cram that stuff into your brain over the summer; instead do something else with your time (like rubbing your fiance's tummy). I had to memorize most of those lists in classes before med school, and while it cut back on the amount of study time I needed, there was still plenty to polish up on. I wound up with a B in Gross. I hate that material.

As a rule of thumb in medical school, each test item will likely refer to 10-15 tidbits of rote memory. Your odds of getting a question correct increase as the number of these tidbits you've retained increase, but by the end of the exam, the best score will go to the student who worked the hardest on memorizing the material since the last block, not who was the most prepared before they got here. I'm living proof. I'd actually had 85-90% of our biochem material and 40% of our anatomy material before getting here, yet you would not be able to tell it by my exam averages. Now I may argue that I understand it better than most and will retain it well for my career, but we're a society centered on immediate gratification. (shrug) In all honesty, I do wish that my scores were a little bit better.

Everybody across SDN will say to do something you enjoy. If you enjoy anatomy, wonderful! Chung's BRS is pretty cheap. Just keep reading it until you can answer all of the questions at the back of the chapters without cheating. That will be a good start. Alternatively, Netter's atlas is good bedtime reading.

Also, I'm taking microbiology as well. This is a 2nd year class, right? Have you had it yet? Any of you take it in undergrad & think there is anything that would be good for me to focus on?

Also, I'm either taking micro lab (2 hours) or business calc 1 (online, 3 hours) or both (will only have 12 hours total). Any recommendations on which (if either) I should drop if need be? Gracias!

We don't have micro labs in med school anymore. I am the biggest champion of clinical microbiology on SDN (it's my job! ), but I don't think it's going to help you that much in medical school. Ditto for the lecture. I used to teach both in Stillwater, and I can categorically state that there isn't much relevance to the medical environment. Pathogenic maybe, but undergrad profs don't emphasize the right material--too much rambling on about molecular stuff. Even though I am an MS 1, and you are correct about MMI being an MS 2 class, I feel alright commenting because I used all of their material to prepare for my certification exam.

If you are interested in micro, then do take it, but don't tell me because I may have a hard time thinking about you as "just a friend" with your looks being already pulchritudinous.

Edit: The other thing that I will say is that once you get to MS 2, you will have learned how to study. Chances are good that your undergrad habits and recollection will be a thing of the past by that time. Step 1 material is very focused and concentrated, and traditional classes (undergrad or grad level) are too broad to mimic med school content.

One more thing... I like you a lot. (shy Wizard face) Hunt me down next summer while you're hangin with Mulvihill, and I'll show you some clinical microbiology that will make your head spin (and not just from the smell).

No prob. I usually keep my opinions to myself, but living in a medschool box makes some people blind. It will be interesting to see how those who look down on midlevels will change their tune when its time to practice in the real world.

Yeah those people have no idea how healthcare works. It's a friggin team, people! Your patients will brag about your services once you realize that. I don't think that they understand that if they want to utilize "midlevels" properly in their own careers, it will be in their best interest for their colleagues to be treated as medically equivalent care providers.

 

[want2beadoc]

I am sure there were a couple people that didn't feel insulted after reading that. I am not one of those, that message made me feel like a kid being chided. I was in the middle of constructing a wonderfully sarcastic message that emulated his tone but I thought that it might be unprofessional. Glad I didn't post anything inappropriate on the board. NonTrad, your name isn't attached to the message and you don't belong in the beautiful Caribbean. You belong here with us, in scenic Oklahoma. You have my vote for pres, but I somehow doubt you want that job.