Texas A&M

[barium]

The sphygmomanometer and stethoscope are used primarily for checking blood pressure. In your P2 year, you'll use them for listening to murmurs and crackles on the heart and lungs, but it's not nearly as exacting as would be needed for a medical student or a cardiology rotation.

As for missing the pre-orientation... try sending Dr. Robertson or Ms. Knudsen an e-mail about your situation. I was stuck in a research program during pre-orientation, and they made an exception in my case. I imagine that if your situation is unavoidable, then they will make an exception for you. As I understand it, though, attendance at pre-orientation has been high.

--Garfield3d

Yeah I totally understand that, I'll try to talk to someone tomorrow, and hopefully it will be okay with me ..... I start to hate myself for making any plans before knowing the schedule..

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

---

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[ShadowRX]

Eff Dell. 'Nuff said.

 

[syunfung]

Man, I was wondering how much they were expecting for that Dell. I don't think $1800 is worth it. Heck, my DV5Z is about 2 years old now and it still has better specs than it (and cost about 1/3 of that price)...

Though... HP supposedly has one of the worst customer service centers for mainstream users...

Either way, about those sphygmomanometers... They don't HAVE to be purchased through APhA-ASP, do they? I'd probably check into the price first, but if my employee discount at CVS gets me one cheaper than through APhA-ASP, I'd rather get it now before I quit the company! .
.

 

[Garfield3d]

Man, I was wondering how much they were expecting for that Dell. I don't think $1800 is worth it. Heck, my DV5Z is about 2 years old now and it still has better specs than it (and cost about 1/3 of that price)...

Though... HP supposedly has one of the worst customer service centers for mainstream users...

Either way, about those sphygmomanometers... They don't HAVE to be purchased through APhA-ASP, do they? I'd probably check into the price first, but if my employee discount at CVS gets me one cheaper than through APhA-ASP, I'd rather get it now before I quit the company! .
.

No, you don't need to buy the sphygmomanometer or stethoscope through APhA-ASP. It doesn't need to be particularly fancy or anything (don't try to get a Welch Allyn or a Littmann). But, while I imagine that they will be fine for blood pressure, the CVS ones do seem to be a bit on the super cheap side.

Personally, I bought mine on E-Bay.

--Garfield3d

 

[ShadowRX]

Man, I was wondering how much they were expecting for that Dell. I don't think $1800 is worth it. Heck, my DV5Z is about 2 years old now and it still has better specs than it (and cost about 1/3 of that price)...

Though... HP supposedly has one of the worst customer service centers for mainstream users...

Either way, about those sphygmomanometers... They don't HAVE to be purchased through APhA-ASP, do they? I'd probably check into the price first, but if my employee discount at CVS gets me one cheaper than through APhA-ASP, I'd rather get it now before I quit the company! .
.

HP's quality has gone up the last couple years. If you can service any and all issues with your PC, you'll be fine, screw the customer service.

 

[syunfung]

No, you don't need to buy the sphygmomanometer or stethoscope through APhA-ASP. It doesn't need to be particularly fancy or anything (don't try to get a Welch Allyn or a Littmann). But, while I imagine that they will be fine for blood pressure, the CVS ones do seem to be a bit on the super cheap side.

Personally, I bought mine on E-Bay.

--Garfield3d

Ah, okie dokie! I'll be grabbing one tomorrow morning XD

HP's quality has gone up the last couple years. If you can service any and all issues with your PC, you'll be fine, screw the customer service.

Well, I have to agree with that. I'm quite happy with my machinery. I just don't like their customer support. But, I think after working with them for so long, I can deal with the majority of my computer problems independently (subsequently, I'm also helping others with theirs too).

 

[ShadowRX]

Yeah... Toshiba, however, has outstanding quality. Have a Satellite right now, been almost 4 years. Recently had to get a new AC adapter (cuz the old one's wire's frayed due to awkward pulling; too lazy to solder it) but overall, keeping it for a couple more years. Specs were crap back in the day, but it works for the basics. Looking into a new Qosmio or another Satellite for more gaming + high performance purposes.

Also, just a plug for those who got into A&M but not joined the Facebook group yet - click this link:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112683645426056&ref=mf and join!

 

[LSUCPhT]

I have accepted Texas A&M's offer and will be seeing you guys in the fall!

 

[Garfield3d]

I have accepted Texas A&M's offer and will be seeing you guys in the fall!

Welcome aboard LSU! Feel free to shoot any questions that you have on your mind.

--Garfield3d

 

[RxMTM]

Does anyone know when they will start calling people off the waiting list?

According to Dr. Robertson, he is plucking people off the waiting list from the very day after he sends out acceptance letters up to the first day of class. People are always getting multiple offers so they switch schools. The only issue is that the waiting list is confidential so you can never really know what is going to happen unless you were drafted in the first round. Take a deep breath and just remember that no matter what happens, everything will be fine.

 

[RxMTM]

Man, I was wondering how much they were expecting for that Dell. I don't think $1800 is worth it. Heck, my DV5Z is about 2 years old now and it still has better specs than it (and cost about 1/3 of that price)...

Though... HP supposedly has one of the worst customer service centers for mainstream users...

Either way, about those sphygmomanometers... They don't HAVE to be purchased through APhA-ASP, do they? I'd probably check into the price first, but if my employee discount at CVS gets me one cheaper than through APhA-ASP, I'd rather get it now before I quit the company! .
.

Really, you don't need anything special. There are some people in our class that have OLD computers and they are still overpowered for anything they throw at us. If I were you, I would save some cash and just keep the one you have. Unless you are a gamer or high-tech junkie, you won't really need an $1,800 computer. I'm sure that many people will just want a new one though.

 

[syunfung]

Really, you don't need anything special. There are some people in our class that have OLD computers and they are still overpowered for anything they throw at us. If I were you, I would save some cash and just keep the one you have. Unless you are a gamer or high-tech junkie, you won't really need an $1,800 computer. I'm sure that many people will just want a new one though.

Haha, yeah, with that kind of money, I might as well just build a desktop. With better specs.

At this point, I'm pretty much officially coming to TAMUK. Just need to finalize a few things with family and finances

 

[ShadowRX]

Haha, yeah, with that kind of money, I might as well just build a desktop. With better specs.

At this point, I'm pretty much officially coming to TAMUK. Just need to finalize a few things with family and finances

Only issue with desktops is lugging the tower + wires if you move after your P1 year.

 

[syunfung]

By the by, I have a question regarding banks. What banks are available in Kingsville? I know for certain my current bank doesn't have any branches outside of the Houston Area. I want to be able to set up the banking account prior to arriving in Kingsville.

 

[Garfield3d]

By the by, I have a question regarding banks. What banks are available in Kingsville? I know for certain my current bank doesn't have any branches outside of the Houston Area. I want to be able to set up the banking account prior to arriving in Kingsville.

I'm hoping someone else can answer this more thoroughly, but from what I've seen, there aren't a whole lot of national banks in Kingsville. I think there might be a Wells Fargo in Kingsville. The remaining banks are just regional banks, such as Kleberg First National bank.

If you have a Compass bank account, I think there's one of those about 10 miles north of Kingsville.

Personally, I have a Chase checking account, and I have to either direct deposit everything, or hold onto everything until I can drive to Corpus Christi.

--Garfield3d

 

[ShadowRX]

By the by, I have a question regarding banks. What banks are available in Kingsville? I know for certain my current bank doesn't have any branches outside of the Houston Area. I want to be able to set up the banking account prior to arriving in Kingsville.

There's no Chase (unfortunately!), but there is a Wells Fargo or two, as well as an IBC, I believe. I will be on the same boat as Garfield.

 

[ShadowRX]

Curious - if anyone else has gotten into TX A&M and has not joined the FB group yet... we're trying to get a decent count.

Really, I'm just trying to bump this.

 

[ahimsel]

Has any one had cell phone coverage issues?
Anybody tried out a Mobile Broadband service like Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint?

Do we even need housing for our P4 years? I think we do our 6 week rotations back-to-back only coming back to Kingsville for 'benchmarks.'

 

[Garfield3d]

Has any one had cell phone coverage issues?
Anybody tried out a Mobile Broadband service like Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint?

Do we even need housing for our P4 years? I think we do our 6 week rotations back-to-back only coming back to Kingsville for 'benchmarks.'

I haven't had any cell-phone problems with T-Mobile in Kingsville. In the city, and while driving between Kingsville and Corpus, I've been able to maintain reception just fine. As for the pharmacy building itself, although reception seems to weaken inside the pharmacy building, I'm still able to send and receive calls in a classroom too.

As for housing in your P4 year, I think most people ended up rooming with underclass students or some sort of makeshift arrangements. As you've alluded to, you're spending 95% of your time in your rotation region. Other than the benchmark exam, the career fair (optional, I imagine), and maybe grand rounds, there's not much that will happen in the pharmacy building in your P4 year.

--Garfield3d

 

[pharm B]

Garf, what kind of ID do we get as a P1? I ask because I just signed up for a summer course at TAMUK and have been reading up on the Javelina Express Card (sounds so fast!). Do we get one of those so that we can access student services on campus, like the gym, etc?

 

[Garfield3d]

Garf, what kind of ID do we get as a P1? I ask because I just signed up for a summer course at TAMUK and have been reading up on the Javelina Express Card (sounds so fast!). Do we get one of those so that we can access student services on campus, like the gym, etc?

The College of Pharmacy gives you a Health Science Center ID that is distinctly different from the TAMUK ID. Unfortunately, unless they've revamped the system, the COP-HSC ID doesn't work with a lot of things on campus. If you purchase a meal plan for the TAMUK cafeteria, you have to obtain a TAMUK ID to access your meal plan.

While I've never checked anything out from Jernigan Library (the TAMUK library), I imagine that you would probably need a TAMUK ID to pull that off. Fortunately, you don't need to present an ID card to do any printing at most computer labs on the TAMUK campus.

Fortunately, the COP-HSC ID does work for getting into the gym.

Personally, I have never obtained a TAMUK ID, and I have never really needed one. If I'm on campus, I'm usually in the COP building and the COP-HSC card works for everything in there. Other than the Pharmacy building, the gym is the only other place that I might see, and the COP-HSC card works for that too.

But, I think you can pick up the newspaper for free at the library with a TAMUK ID card. I've sorta thought about that. Even with Google News, there's something distinctly nice about having a newspaper to hold.

--Garfield3d

 

[ahimsel]

Concerning financial aid, do we just file a FAFSA? How do most students get their financial aid -- loans, grants, or even scholarships?

 

[Garfield3d]

Concerning financial aid, do we just file a FAFSA? How do most students get their financial aid -- loans, grants, or even scholarships?

You will definitely want to file a FAFSA application. Be sure to use this school code:
004948

It's the school code for the Health Science Center, which is what the College of Pharmacy falls under administratively. You do NOT want to use the school code for TAMUK.

As for other forms of financial aid, beyond that it will probably be private loans.

A list of school scholarships can be found here: http://pharmacy.tamhsc.edu/prospective/scholarships.html . However, most of these scholarships pertain only to residents of South Texas. There aren't many scholarships outside of the school. I know Tylenol has a pharmacy scholarship that is awarded annually, but that will pit you against a nation of applicants.

--Garfield3d

 

[ahimsel]

That's what I figured, thanks Garfield!

 

[ahimsel]

As far as the dress code in concerned, are short sleeved dress shorts allowed?

 

[ShadowRX]

As far as the dress code in concerned, are short sleeved dress shorts allowed?

I would think not, but this is Texas, land of the heat and humidity.

I heard different stories about dress code: either polos & slacks or shirt & tie & slacks. Need to get this clarified @ pre-orientation meeting.

Also, anyone pick up stethoscope or sphygmomanometer yet? Prices? I've seen Fry's Electronics have a pair for $9 - wanted to pick a set up, but thought it might not be as comfortable as a better pair would be.

 

[Theta16]

What's the dress code for the pre-orientation meeting? I would assume business casual but didn't see any mention of it on the email.

 

[ShadowRX]

What's the dress code for the pre-orientation meeting? I would assume business casual but didn't see any mention of it on the email.

When I replied to confirm, I asked.

Business professional attire.

 

[ahimsel]

As far as the dress code in concerned, are short sleeved dress shorts allowed?

oops, i meant short sleeved dress SHIRTS* =P

 

[ShadowRX]

You can hit the EDIT button, ya know.

But good question... I'm sure, when we are able to wear our coats (if long-sleeved), it shouldn't be a problem to wear a short-sleeve shirt underneath. I don't know if it'll be a short-sleeved coat though. We'll find out Friday for our lab coat fittings.

 

[syunfung]

I just made a call to the office because I didn't get an email about the pre-orientation.

The email only makes mention of the dress code for the regular school year, but Ms. Knudsen mentioned business CASUAL.

:/

There seems to be some discrepancy?

As for the sphygmomanometer, I bought one at CVS for about $14.99, not counting the insane amount of Extrabucks/Employee Discount (making it about $3). The only complaint is that the stethoscope was ATTACHED to the sphygmomanometer. I took care of that though, and it made it easier to measure.

 

[enchanted]

I just called to reject the admission offer so hopefully that opens another spot for those still waiting. Good luck!

 

[ShadowRX]

I just made a call to the office because I didn't get an email about the pre-orientation.

The email only makes mention of the dress code for the regular school year, but Ms. Knudsen mentioned business CASUAL.

:/

There seems to be some discrepancy?

As for the sphygmomanometer, I bought one at CVS for about $14.99, not counting the insane amount of Extrabucks/Employee Discount (making it about $3). The only complaint is that the stethoscope was ATTACHED to the sphygmomanometer. I took care of that though, and it made it easier to measure.

Heh, wondering... did you reserve your spot? Pre-orientation is Friday, so hopefully they send you one.

 

[Theta16]

Heh, wondering... did you reserve your spot? Pre-orientation is Friday, so hopefully they send you one.

I just called the office and they said business casual as well. Considering it's gonna be 100+ degrees on Friday, I'll just skip wearing a jacket and stick to a button-down.

 

[ShadowRX]

I just called the office and they said business casual as well. Considering it's gonna be 100+ degrees on Friday, I'll just skip wearing a jacket and stick to a button-down.

Wasn't planning on a jacket anyway, even though Ms. de Leon said professional.

Heh, would polos count as business casual?

 

[pharm B]

I'm excited we're getting started. The class of 2014 finally gets to meet!

 

[syunfung]

Heh, wondering... did you reserve your spot? Pre-orientation is Friday, so hopefully they send you one.

I guess I should clarify. I meant I didn't get the second attachment in that email. I got the email on the 21st, but the one on the 28th had details on dress code.

Polo shirts are mentioned in the Business Casual Dress Code. Therefore, I think it is fine. I'll likely just wear a short-sleeved dress shirt.

The 100+ degree weather doesn't really concern me. Only if it's as humid there as it is here in Houston.

It is rather exciting, isn't it? We're gonna be meeting some of the people we'll be hanging around/tolerating for the next four years, after all

 

[ahimsel]

when you guys mailed the bacterial meningitis and the Student Privacy notice, is there any sort of confirmation? the same for the direct deposit form? i just sent it in an email in a .pdf file. nearly 1 day away guys!!

 

[pharm B]

I think they might discuss our paperwork (such as who's missing what, etc) during the meeting. I have to look over the email again. I didn't even think to look for a dress code for a pre-orientatation.

 

[Garfield3d]

Wasn't planning on a jacket anyway, even though Ms. de Leon said professional.

Heh, would polos count as business casual?

For pharmacy school, the only day where you have to wear a dress shirt + tie (along with dress shoes and dress slacks) are on Thursdays of each week. For the rest of the week, it's "business casual" where you can go down to a polo and you don't have to wear a tie. However, you still need to wear slacks and dress shoes. Honestly, you can probably get away with dark colored shoes of any type. The only things that you want to avoid is wearing jeans, sandals, and T-shirts, especially if you're planning on talking to faculty or Dr. Robertson on that day. Lastly, you'll almost never need a suit jacket for anything in pharmacy school. For many of the more formal occasions, they will often request that you wear your white coat (which you will receive later on in your time with the college of pharmacy). The last time I wore a suit jacket was for the Silver Star fundraising event, and it was actually helpful on that day because it was bloody cold outside. Also, I think I wore a suit jacket for the orientation that comes right before school starts (in August) and I was severely overdressed for that occasion. A shirt and tie might be better for that later orientation because I think they take your pictures at some point during the day.

--Garfield3d

 

[ShadowRX]

@ahimsel - only confirmation I got was the one asked for when I mailed it at the post office. (for like 70 cents, worth it.)

@syunfung - did you ask for the dress code? You mentioned you got an email on the 28th? I know I didn't.

 

[syunfung]

@syunfung - did you ask for the dress code? You mentioned you got an email on the 28th? I know I didn't.

Nope. I didn't. Ms. Knudsen only forwarded it to me today after I called about it. It's pretty much the same as the one we got on the 21st, but included a rough description of the dress code in a word document.

As for what was in that document, Garfield3d's description is pretty much the most concise version of it.

Well... for us guys anyway. There's more stuff for the ladyfolk.

 

[LSUCPhT]

Nope. I didn't. Ms. Knudsen only forwarded it to me today after I called about it. It's pretty much the same as the one we got on the 21st, but included a rough description of the dress code in a word document.

As for what was in that document, Garfield3d's description is pretty much the most concise version of it.

Well... for us guys anyway. There's more stuff for the ladyfolk.

I'm a ladyfolk...anything I should know?? I never got the 2nd email....

 

[syunfung]

I'm a ladyfolk...anything I should know?? I never got the 2nd email....

Haha, well with that, I present to you the exact text from the word document:

College of Pharmacy Dress Code

​

Business casual dress is required Monday – Wednesday and Friday of each week.
Men: Full-length dress pants or casual slacks, dress or sport shirt, and casual dress or dress shoes and
socks for men. Women: Appropriate length dress, dress skirt, blouse (and tasteful sleeveless blouse) or
polo shirt, pantsuit, flats or pumps - limited accessories.

Professional dress is required each Thursday. Men: Full-length dress pants, dress shirt and tie [a
dress or sport coat or suit is not required], and socks and dress shoes. Women: Suit, appropriate length
dress or dress skirt, blouse, heals or pumps – limited accessories.

Students may not wear the following: Athletic shoes, tennis shoes, sandals or casual sandals, "flipflops"
or sneakers; caps or hats; cargo pants; denim clothing or jeans of any color; clothing that shows
the mid-drift, or low cut tops; halter tops, tube tops; jogging or exercise clothing; mini-skirts or shorts;
noisy-sounding or distractive jewelry; non-collared T-shirts or T-lettering; pants that are frayed, dirtwashed
(looks dirty when bought), or lack a hemline at the bottom of the pant leg; pullovers with a
collar or sweatshirts; see-through clothing; skirts shorter than one inch above the knee when sitting;
shirts or clothing with distasteful or crude lettering or messages; spaghetti straps, tops or low-cut tops or
T-shirts that show stomach or back; tank tops or tee-shirts (as the outer shirt); sweatpants, sweatshirts.

Hope this helps!

 

[pharm B]

Anyone brave enough to show up in board shorts? How early are you expecting to check in? I saw the 8:30 start time but I'm not leaving Corpus until about that time!

 

[ShadowRX]

Driving from SW Houston @ 4 in the morning... will get there by 8, 8:30, assuming no major traffic.

 

[syunfung]

Just arrived at the Best Western. I don't want to deal with I-45 and I-59 in the morning. So I'll probably check in close to 8:30 or 9:00. Gives me some time to get to know my surroundings before the pre-orientation starts. I'm probably already cutting it close with a short-sleeve dress shirt, but we'll see.

 

[ahimsel]

Do the students need to print A LOT or material? or make a lot of copies? Do you guys have your own printers or.. how do you go about printing and copying?

 

[Garfield3d]

Do the students need to print A LOT or material? or make a lot of copies? Do you guys have your own printers or.. how do you go about printing and copying?

Notes for classes are posted online, typically as PDF files. If you have Adobe Acrobat Professional, then you can add text boxes onto the PDF files directly. Otherwise, a lot of students also use Microsoft OneNote to take their notes.

If you prefer to have paper copies of your notes, then your best bet is to print them out in a computer lab at either Jernigan Library or the Business building, both of which are adjacent to the Pharmacy building. You can also print notes out in the computer lab inside the Pharmacy building, but you have a limited amount of pages that you can print out per semester, and chances are that you will max out your printing quota before the semester ends.

As a note, the printers at Jernigan and the Business building are not the fastest things in the world. This is also exacerbated by the fact that you're printing out PDF files, which take more printer memory to churn out.

Lastly, you'll want to print 4-6 slides per page of notes. A lot of your lectures are going to span anywhere from 30-100 slides per packet, so, be sure not to print one slide per page. Otherwise, you'll end up wasting a huge amount of ink, toner, and paper.

(Edit)
Personally, I printed out most of my notes in my 1st year, but eventually, it became a bit of a hassle to constantly print out notes, and so I took notes directly on the PDFs with my labtop during my 2nd year. You can get by with either method, so it's just personal preference. I've found that it's easier to study with paper copies (since I'm less likely to wander off and get distracted by things online), but it just became a bit too cumbersome for me to keep up with. If I can find a fast printer somewhere, maybe I'll start printing notes again.

--Garfield3d

 

[syunfung]

Considering we're technically under the HSC, is printing for us actually covered at Jernigan or the BA building? Or do we pay by page?

How many pages are allotted to us per semester at the CoP?