====Virginia Commonwealth Univ/ MCV Class of 2012====

[nka1985]

DO NOT buy any equipment from the bookstore. They will overcharge you by at least 25%. For my stethoscope it was 129, in the bookstore almost 190.
For diagnostic sets they are 450 online and 650 in the bookstore.

They are switching bookstore companies but i suspect the same thing is going to happen. Look online.

Littmann is the standard stethoscope people get. Cardio II will work just fine.

Very true. And I've always found that allheart.com is the cheapest. I bought my stethoscope and diagnostic kit from them.

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[Instatewaiter]

Good to know. I hope that means you're celebrating. How long did it take to get your board scores back? Just wondering how many weeks I'll be freaking out waiting next summer.

Takes 4-6 weeks but they had a new format and by the luck of the draw I only had to wait around 3 weeks. They released all the scores for the new format on the same day so those who took it really early had to wait over 2 months while those who took it toward the end of the period waited under 3 weeks.

 

[montessori2md]

.

 

[himerenee]

hey all, pretty excited to see everyone in a couple of weeks.

quick questions since i'm moving from cali...what's a good cell phone carrier for the richmond and fairfax area (will be going to INOVA)? Is ATT reliable w/ coverage?

 

[himerenee]

I am out of state so the tuition is very scary! BUT, the rent is cheaper in Richmond than in So Cal so I am pretty excited! There are 1 bedroom apartments from $650 to $750 a month near campus. Thats amazingly cheap ... I pay close to that for a room in a house with 4 other people.

i'm moving from so cal too, westwood so for sure the rent is cheaper in richmond. where did you find apartments for that price close to school?

 

[himerenee]

To all the current students @ VCU,
Just wondering when students generally get involved with clubs? (I just don't want to miss that opportunity). Does the school have a day where we get to see all the clubs available? Also, how do you get involved in the student government? Thanks!

 

[himerenee]

There are various areas within walking distance going from closest to farthest:

Actual downtown- top of the hill near MCV
Shockoe bottom- bottom of the hill
Church hill. - back up the other side of the hill

Generally a good rule of thumb is live SOUTH of broad street.
A few blocks north of broad street is very seedy in church hil and a few blocks north of that is the projects. South of broad street is a good area with a decent buffer zone between you and the bad area of town.

A little trivia: churchill is where the "give me liberty or give me death speech" was held.

So the red line that goes through the word church hill is broad street.
Across the red line from the state capital is where MCV is.

To give you an idea about walking from churchhill, MCV is on 11th street.

arg...i wish i wasn't so stubborn and actually looked @ this website earlier. i didn't think it would be so helpful and now i'm bombarding the forums with tons of questions.

Anyway, how is the shockoe slip/bottom area? I'm going to be living there (already signed a contract), but everything was done online since I'm from cali.

 

[himerenee]

There are scholarships, of varying sizes and qualifications. You just need to fill out the FAFSA, Need Access, and the scholarship application on the admissions status website (it will appear at some point if it hasn't already--it's really short). If you do those three things, don't worry about it. The finaid office will sort through everything and let you know, usually by email, if you got anything.

pseudoknot, do you know when they will contact you with scholarships? Is it year round or is there a specific time where they tell you about them? Any other places we can look for scholarships?

 

[nka1985]

hey all, pretty excited to see everyone in a couple of weeks.

quick questions since i'm moving from cali...what's a good cell phone carrier for the richmond and fairfax area (will be going to INOVA)? Is ATT reliable w/ coverage?

I came here from Cali last year...I'll be honest, I've never had ATT while in Richmond, but I've had it several places in California and HATED it. I've had Verizon the whole time I've been in Richmond and I haven't had a single problem the whole year...and since all my friends and family have it too, I can call them all I want with the IN network calling plan feature. So here's a vote for Verizon.

To all the current students @ VCU,
Just wondering when students generally get involved with clubs? (I just don't want to miss that opportunity). Does the school have a day where we get to see all the clubs available? Also, how do you get involved in the student government? Thanks!

During orientation week there will at least one event where you can find out more about the clubs. It is probably in the orientation schedule already, but if it's not they will make sure you know ahead of time. Student government elections are well announced as well.

 

[pseudoknot]

quick questions since i'm moving from cali...what's a good cell phone carrier for the richmond and fairfax area (will be going to INOVA)? Is ATT reliable w/ coverage?

AT&T is OK, but there are patchy areas. I'm not aware of any carrier that works well in the hospital or Sanger. I'm wedded to AT&T since only they have the iPhone It's fine but not perfect.

 

[pseudoknot]

pseudoknot, do you know when they will contact you with scholarships? Is it year round or is there a specific time where they tell you about them? Any other places we can look for scholarships?

I don't know for sure. I don't think they necessarily send you a letter or anything, but I think mostly they will appear on your financial aid info online by the time school starts. I wouldn't waste time looking for outside scholarships as a med student...no one wants to give us money because they know we can make it back later on...

 

[himerenee]

The information about INOVA is on the general website.

There was a simple form you filled out (with your secondary app) which asks you to check a box for INOVA or for MCV Richmond campus for clinicals -I think there was a box for both/neither as well. You can change your choice, but if your choice was INOVA, the form says they want a reason for your change, and they choose the INOVA students via first come/first serve.

Admissions told me most of the people choosing INOVA are from northern VA and/or have family in the area, so they choose it to be closer to home.

The new wing (Claude Moore bldg) is gorgeous : ) The student lounge has a fridge, a microwave, and a pod coffee maker, and I'm a little worried about falling asleep at lectures because the seating is like a stadium style movie theater set-up. The MD lounge (which we won't use but maybe a faculty member would take you in looks like it came out of architectural digest and has a lunch counter inside.

The INOVA students take shelf exams to measure the new program's teaching. One of my tour guides at Richmond thought they were moving towards using shelf exams as well.

Anyhow, I thought Richmond's campus was awesome too, I chose INOVA because my DH works in DC and I know the schools here. I also liked the idea of rounding with just one other student instead of a couple of dozen, and being in a hospital that isn't full of academic faculty who are working on papers, etc -thought it would give me more of a "community hospital" experience, even though it's a huge campus.

The hours seemed fairly humane -seemed like most had Q4 call, except OB which had a week of night float, and a couple which had no call. According to the schedule they gave us at the interview, 3rd years still get a week for Christmas and Thanksgiving, with some other built in breaks.

I chose INOVA on my secondary (and actually got it) because of some personal reasons, though I'm from Cali. However, it doesn't make sense for me to go there anymore, but am wondering if it's a worthwhile change from the MCV campus? Is it a nice area? also, how expensive is living there?

 

[himerenee]

AT&T is OK, but there are patchy areas. I'm not aware of any carrier that works well in the hospital or Sanger. I'm wedded to AT&T since only they have the iPhone It's fine but not perfect.

pseudoknot, you're too cool. Thanks for the fast response time

do you know if ATT is good around shockoe bottom/slip and @ INOVA as well since i'm pretty sure i'm going there.

 

[himerenee]

I came here from Cali last year...I'll be honest, I've never had ATT while in Richmond, but I've had it several places in California and HATED it. I've had Verizon the whole time I've been in Richmond and I haven't had a single problem the whole year...and since all my friends and family have it too, I can call them all I want with the IN network calling plan feature. So here's a vote for Verizon.



During orientation week there will at least one event where you can find out more about the clubs. It is probably in the orientation schedule already, but if it's not they will make sure you know ahead of time. Student government elections are well announced as well.

yeah back when i was an undergrad at UCLA a long time ago, I opted for ATT and they just started their GSM phones. The service was horrible and i changed to verizon which was great. HOpefully now ATT isn't as bad.

 

[himerenee]

a long list of questions, thank you in advance for reading and entertaining

1. i read a couple posts warning not to buy book before orientation and to not buy it at the mcv bookstore. if i wait until I get to vcu during orientation, will it be too late to start buying books online (@ amazon, etc?)

2. are there asian supermarkets around?

3. insurance...any students there have any recommendations? as i'm pretty clueless when it comes to insurance shopping. any help would be greatly appreciated

4. @ our school right now we have "student health centers" where they have NPs, RNs and MDs. Do we have something similar like that @ the MCV campus? Does that service cost anything we if have non GM insurance?

5. i guess i'm taking out the entire "cost of living" from loans. parents can't help and I don't expect them to. Am I the only one doing this?

6. any recommendations of where I can get cheap furniture (but good condition). my mom is iffy about me furnishing my entire place w/ new furniture

7. My dad's been telling me to find out info about "winterizing" my car. Car bought a couple of years ago in cali and he's worried that it might not have all the "anti-rust' etc on it for the winter rain/snow weather of virginia. Any suggestions what I should do for anti corrosion and stuff?

8. Recommendations for car insurance companies? i've been babied so i'm barely feeling the stress of finding this information out by myself now.

9. white coat size? i'm a short girl...small is ok?


PS- i kinda wish i knew every1's name...instead of saying thanks pseudoknot would not want to call you that if i ever meet you on campus.

<3, Renee

 

[himerenee]

Well, technically it's not the out of pocket maximum that is the issue, since at a 10% payment for MCV, you would only have a $20k bill before the maximum benefit was reached anyway. Apparently this is quite rare (less than once per year).

And to be fair, the thread has gotten pretty long. I would have read the whole thing before posting, but most people wouldn't.

actually i've sat here and read all the threads. and i have to say i should have copy and pasted the important info because now I don't remember where I read "insurance info!" or "housing location info". so thank you so much for your patience and constant repetition of information.

 

[vcumed2012]

a long list of questions, thank you in advance for reading and entertaining

1. i read a couple posts warning not to buy book before orientation and to not buy it at the mcv bookstore. if i wait until I get to vcu during orientation, will it be too late to start buying books online (@ amazon, etc?)

2. are there asian supermarkets around?

3. insurance...any students there have any recommendations? as i'm pretty clueless when it comes to insurance shopping. any help would be greatly appreciated

4. @ our school right now we have "student health centers" where they have NPs, RNs and MDs. Do we have something similar like that @ the MCV campus? Does that service cost anything we if have non GM insurance?

5. i guess i'm taking out the entire "cost of living" from loans. parents can't help and I don't expect them to. Am I the only one doing this?

6. any recommendations of where I can get cheap furniture (but good condition). my mom is iffy about me furnishing my entire place w/ new furniture

7. My dad's been telling me to find out info about "winterizing" my car. Car bought a couple of years ago in cali and he's worried that it might not have all the "anti-rust' etc on it for the winter rain/snow weather of virginia. Any suggestions what I should do for anti corrosion and stuff?

8. Recommendations for car insurance companies? i've been babied so i'm barely feeling the stress of finding this information out by myself now.

9. white coat size? i'm a short girl...small is ok?


PS- i kinda wish i knew every1's name...instead of saying thanks pseudoknot would not want to call you that if i ever meet you on campus.

<3, Renee

Hi renee,

1- i wouldn't worry about books yet.
2- asian supermarkets- yeah there are (Tan-A is just outside richmond, probably 10ish minutes from downtown)
3- insurance- looks like a lot of people like Anthem
4- There is student health- it's included in tuition i believe
5- ?
6- craigslist. I usually look in the "free stuff" section and there is decent furniture that people just want to get rid of cause they have to move.
7- winterizing? never heard of this. I've lived in VA all my life and never done this. Perhaps go to AutoZone or Advanced Auto Parts and ask them about this.
8- not sure.
9- go w/ small

 

[vcumed2012]

I've heard that Verizon is the best and the Sprint isn't that good. dunno about att though

 

[pseudoknot]

1. There are no book-buying emergencies.
2. I haven't seen the place previously mentioned. There's something closer, in the west end, but I don't remember the name. My wife knows, so I can find out.
3. I think there was a list posted at some point here or in your orientation stuff. Anthem is a popular choice but pricey with the required maternity coverage for women. GM Southwest does really suck.
4. Yes, there is a student health center and services there are paid for by a fee that is part of your tuition. But a lot of stuff isn't covered so you still need insurance. Check their website for details.
5. I'm taking out almost the full amount every year, as are many others I know. It's OK, I've never seen a doctor begging for money on a street corner.
6. Craigslist.
7. This isn't northern Michigan. Don't even worry about it.
8. I think we have Liberty Mutual, but you should shop around. In CA I had Wawanesa which was amazingly cheap, but they don't do business here Unhelpful, I know.

a long list of questions

 

[pseudoknot]

do you know if ATT is good around shockoe bottom/slip and @ INOVA as well since i'm pretty sure i'm going there.

Yeah, I get good reception in those areas. I thought you said one post above that it no longer made sense to go to INOVA? I wanted to at one point but decided to stay...Richmond is cheaper, easier to live in, I don't want to leave my classmates, and there's more to see at our hospital.

 

[himerenee]

Yeah, I get good reception in those areas. I thought you said one post above that it no longer made sense to go to INOVA? I wanted to at one point but decided to stay...Richmond is cheaper, easier to live in, I don't want to leave my classmates, and there's more to see at our hospital.

yeah i did say that it didn't make sense to go to INOVA but the school also made a big deal about having a legitimate reason to back out so I don't think my reason is a good one. also, reading some of the previous threads about it being a level 1 trauma center and such it seems like a good environment where I can learn a lot from. only concern would be the cost of living where some people said it would be high.

i have heard conflicting statements about "more to see"...is there more to see as in variety of cases @ INOVA or the hospital on campus?

 

[pseudoknot]

You don't need a compelling reason to back out. You can do so anytime in the next year at least. They don't want to force people to go who don't want it, and there are usually a few on the waiting list to go.

I think MCV sees a lot more variety. Certainly INOVA can't hold a candle to our trauma volume, though I think that's overrated. Again, don't worry about it too much now, you have time to decide.

 

[Elixir86]

I asked a question about stethoscopes a few days ago and InState gave me an answer, but I didn't get a response as to whether it's necessary for us to buy any other equipment besides our stethoscopes for M1 (this question is directed to current M1 or above students)? Any advice before I waste my money would be appreciated.

 

[pseudoknot]

No, you won't need it for M1. In the unlikely event that your FCM preceptor doesn't have that stuff in the rooms, you can just get it after you find out.

I asked a question about stethoscopes a few days ago and InState gave me an answer, but I didn't get a response as to whether it's necessary for us to buy any other equipment besides our stethoscopes for M1 (this question is directed to current M1 or above students)? Any advice before I waste my money would be appreciated.

 

[struggler]

I'm guessing that we have up until classes start to buy our books, what about stethoscopes? Are there stethoscopes to rent for a while? I forget where I read this, but I've read that you could borrow them until you figure out which model you like best or something like that. Anyway, I'm waiting until I get to Richmond in early August to purchase books and stethoscopes (and maybe other equipment?), is that enough time?

I just read the required maternity coverage for women in a previous post. Maybe I missed this in the requirements? Just wondering, if I am a single, female, under 40 years old, which Anthem plan would meet the requirements set by VCU? I was going to go with the HealthSmart with Enhanced Drug Benefits? Is that one ok, or should I go with other Keycare plans? Just wondering, do all Keycare plans (Essential, Flexible Choice, Preferred) fit the requirements? And once I'm enrolled, how do I forward the Alternative Insurance form to them?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[struggler]

are you still looking for a roommate? also, is your place walking distance to MCV campus? Thanks!

 

[nka1985]

I'm guessing that we have up until classes start to buy our books, what about stethoscopes? Are there stethoscopes to rent for a while? I forget where I read this, but I've read that you could borrow them until you figure out which model you like best or something like that. Anyway, I'm waiting until I get to Richmond in early August to purchase books and stethoscopes (and maybe other equipment?), is that enough time?

I just read the required maternity coverage for women in a previous post. Maybe I missed this in the requirements? Just wondering, if I am a single, female, under 40 years old, which Anthem plan would meet the requirements set by VCU? I was going to go with the HealthSmart with Enhanced Drug Benefits? Is that one ok, or should I go with other Keycare plans? Just wondering, do all Keycare plans (Essential, Flexible Choice, Preferred) fit the requirements? And once I'm enrolled, how do I forward the Alternative Insurance form to them?

Thanks for all the help!

Foundations of Clinical Medicine will loan you a stethoscope for M1 if you choose to wait to buy one. I would reccommend buying one at some point during M1 if you want to actually HEAR anything, ha. I bought the Littman Cardiology III and love it. Make sure whatever you buy has both a bell side and a diapragm side (not a one-sided head) because FCM wants to see you use the right side depending on what you are auscultating.

And ordering one when you get here in early August should be plenty of time. I don't think we started FCM and Preceptor until late August/early September last year and it's not really critical if you have it on day one.

And DON'T buy books right away. I can guarantee you'll need Bates for FCM, but the only other books I found necessary for 1st semester were anatomy-and you don't need those until about 2 months after school starts.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

You don't need a compelling reason to back out. You can do so anytime in the next year at least. They don't want to force people to go who don't want it, and there are usually a few on the waiting list to go.

I think MCV sees a lot more variety. Certainly INOVA can't hold a candle to our trauma volume, though I think that's overrated. Again, don't worry about it too much now, you have time to decide.

Is that a gut instinct, or do you know that for sure? Inova does some pretty good trauma volume, but I wouldn't know how to compare it to MCV. My gf wants me to consider Inova because she thinks I will see more variety and more trauma volume there, but I haven't seen any data on it either way (and I'm pretty sure she hasn't either).

 

[pseudoknot]

Foundations of Clinical Medicine will loan you a stethoscope for M1 if you choose to wait to buy one. I would reccommend buying one at some point during M1 if you want to actually HEAR anything, ha. I bought the Littman Cardiology III and love it. Make sure whatever you buy has both a bell side and a diapragm side (not a one-sided head) because FCM wants to see you use the right side depending on what you are auscultating.

To give another perspective, I felt that the one they give you (a Littman Classic II, I think) is pretty good quality and I used it the whole year. I ended up buying a Welch Allyn Harvey Elite at the end of the year. The sound quality is remarkable although it's a bit heavier and more awkward to carry.

Anyway, I would definitely just borrow the one from FCM for a while, and then maybe once you get used to it you can check out others and see what you like.

Also, be careful about the Cardiology III--out of the box it has a pediatric side and adult side, both with tunable (pressure-sensitive) diaphragms. The small head only becomes a bell if you remove the diaphragm.

 

[pseudoknot]

Is that a gut instinct, or do you know that for sure? Inova does some pretty good trauma volume, but I wouldn't know how to compare it to MCV. My gf wants me to consider Inova because she thinks I will see more variety and more trauma volume there, but I haven't seen any data on it either way (and I'm pretty sure she hasn't either).

Somewhere in between, I guess. It's based on talking to people, and what I know of the patient populations in both places. Richmond is a poor, violent city with a ton of sick people. Fairfax is a rich suburb although INOVA does have a large catchment area. I'm sure you'd see plenty at both places, but my bet is that MCV's patients are sicker.

On the other hand, trauma volume is the last thing you should consider as a med student. It's totally irrelevant to your education except for maybe a few weeks in your surgery rotation (and most trauma is non-operatively managed). I would worry about that if you are a senior resident in general surgery, trying to choose between trauma fellowships. (Even then, it's not necessarily the quantity as much as the quality.)

 

[nka1985]

To give another perspective, I felt that the one they give you (a Littman Classic II, I think) is pretty good quality and I used it the whole year. I ended up buying a Welch Allyn Harvey Elite at the end of the year. The sound quality is remarkable although it's a bit heavier and more awkward to carry.

Anyway, I would definitely just borrow the one from FCM for a while, and then maybe once you get used to it you can check out others and see what you like.

Also, be careful about the Cardiology III--out of the box it has a pediatric side and adult side, both with tunable (pressure-sensitive) diaphragms. The small head only becomes a bell if you remove the diaphragm.

Good point, but it is easy to switch-just pull off the peds rubber ring and put on the bell ring that comes in the box.

 

[pseudoknot]

Good point, but it is easy to switch-just pull off the peds rubber ring and put on the bell ring that comes in the box.

Indeed. Not everyone reads their manual though!

For others, in addition to allheart.com (also the best places to buy scrubs) check www.steeles.com for stethoscopes. I think they have some special deals for students. That's where I bought mine.

 

[himerenee]

i've read va's dmv site...and a couple other sites including the richmond city site and am still a bit confused as to all that needs to be done/paid to have my out of state vehicle be legitimate in virginia...

i called them twice and twice they told me that if i'm a full time student and NOT working, I can keep my CA license, title, and registration. i can't seem to find this information anywhere, anyone know if this is valid?

if so and I DON'T register w/ VA's DMV, do I still need to pay the personal property tax and get a state inspection?

i also read on the city page that there's a city license fee (no more windshield decal though?) that neeeds to be paid. Is this the same as vehicle registration fee? once again...need it be paid if I keep my CA status?

lastly...if everything on my car reads CA, and i get pulled over, what do I have to show the guy to let them know I'm a full time student so I don't get ticketed for not having VA registration?

a lot of questions. moving out of state is a bit confusing, especially for someone like me whose been well taken care of by mommy =(

 

[nka1985]

i've read va's dmv site...and a couple other sites including the richmond city site and am still a bit confused as to all that needs to be done/paid to have my out of state vehicle be legitimate in virginia...

i called them twice and twice they told me that if i'm a full time student and NOT working, I can keep my CA license, title, and registration. i can't seem to find this information anywhere, anyone know if this is valid?

if so and I DON'T register w/ VA's DMV, do I still need to pay the personal property tax and get a state inspection?

i also read on the city page that there's a city license fee (no more windshield decal though?) that neeeds to be paid. Is this the same as vehicle registration fee? once again...need it be paid if I keep my CA status?

lastly...if everything on my car reads CA, and i get pulled over, what do I have to show the guy to let them know I'm a full time student so I don't get ticketed for not having VA registration?

a lot of questions. moving out of state is a bit confusing, especially for someone like me whose been well taken care of by mommy =(

From what I've read on the DMV site, you do not have to change anything as long as you are full-time and not employed. I didn't change anything-I still have my CA DL and CA plates on my car and I've been here a year now. I don't know what you would need to do if you get pulled over. I would just tell them I'm a student and offer to show my MCV ID card since it's always in my purse.
Yeah, moving OOS is a bit confusing. That CA to VA transition last year was interesting..especially the part where I drove 3000 miles with my fiance and 2 cats in the car. Oh yeah, and the fact that I did it with only the clothing I could fit into my trunk and NOTHING else. I had to buy everything when I got here, from furniture to cooking supplies to food.

 

[Carmenita79]

9. white coat size? i'm a short girl...small is ok?

I would probably go with x-small. They are mens sizes and I'm ~5'6" and ordered a small and it is really big, it is fine in the winter with sweaters, etc, but I also bought an xs at the bookstore for the rest of the year.

 

[pseudoknot]

The student thing is true, and it is on the DMV web site. I don't have time to find it, but it's there although not super-obvious.

I doubt your insurance company will let you maintain the CA registration (mine didn't). Many people don't tell their insurance company they moved. This works, but remember that it's insurance fraud.

I did end up moving everything to here. It seems more convenient. The registration fees in CA are way higher, although it's probably a wash with all the other fees you have to pay. And I think the city tax is for all residents of the city, but I'm not sure...you should call the city.

i've read va's dmv site...and a couple other sites including the richmond city site and am still a bit confused as to all that needs to be done/paid to have my out of state vehicle be legitimate in virginia...

i called them twice and twice they told me that if i'm a full time student and NOT working, I can keep my CA license, title, and registration. i can't seem to find this information anywhere, anyone know if this is valid?

if so and I DON'T register w/ VA's DMV, do I still need to pay the personal property tax and get a state inspection?

i also read on the city page that there's a city license fee (no more windshield decal though?) that neeeds to be paid. Is this the same as vehicle registration fee? once again...need it be paid if I keep my CA status?

lastly...if everything on my car reads CA, and i get pulled over, what do I have to show the guy to let them know I'm a full time student so I don't get ticketed for not having VA registration?

a lot of questions. moving out of state is a bit confusing, especially for someone like me whose been well taken care of by mommy =(

 

[himerenee]

From what I've read on the DMV site, you do not have to change anything as long as you are full-time and not employed. I didn't change anything-I still have my CA DL and CA plates on my car and I've been here a year now. I don't know what you would need to do if you get pulled over. I would just tell them I'm a student and offer to show my MCV ID card since it's always in my purse.
Yeah, moving OOS is a bit confusing. That CA to VA transition last year was interesting..especially the part where I drove 3000 miles with my fiance and 2 cats in the car. Oh yeah, and the fact that I did it with only the clothing I could fit into my trunk and NOTHING else. I had to buy everything when I got here, from furniture to cooking supplies to food.

thanks nka1985 and pseudoknot..

for nka1985, you're able to purchase insurance w/ the ca dl and plates right? Also, i'm assuming you're living in richmond, do you pay the personal tax? is there also that city license fee also?

 

[nka1985]

thanks nka1985 and pseudoknot..

for nka1985, you're able to purchase insurance w/ the ca dl and plates right? Also, i'm assuming you're living in richmond, do you pay the personal tax? is there also that city license fee also?

I haven't paid a personal tax or license fee. I've honestly never heard of it. I was able to keep my AAA auto insurance. My car was a present from my parents, and is still in their name since it's not paid off. They also pay the insurance. AAA added some fee since it is kept in another state, but they insured it without a problem. They even worked with me to find me a good body shop when I got in a fender bender 4 weeks after school started last year.

 

[Elixir86]

I would probably go with x-small. They are mens sizes and I'm ~5'6" and ordered a small and it is really big, it is fine in the winter with sweaters, etc, but I also bought an xs at the bookstore for the rest of the year.

Uh oh...I normally wear L coats, and I got an XL white coat. Is it possible to still change my size? Does the school have an extra box ready during orientation just in case someone misjudged their coat size?

 

[pseudoknot]

Also, i'm assuming you're living in richmond, do you pay the personal tax? is there also that city license fee also?

http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/finance/tangibletax.aspx

Generally, the situs of a vehicle is the locality in which the vehicle is normally garaged or parked. However, there are some instances where the general rule may not apply, such as full-time college or graduate students. Please contact one of our Tax Representatives at (804) 646-5700 to enable us to answer any questions regarding your particular situation.

They could be referring to out of state students with the above. Call if you want to find out.

 

[meister]

I've decided I'm switching all my car stuff to VA, including my license and my car registration. Car insurance is MEGA cheap there compared to California, I'm talking $40/month for me instead of $90/month. Good way to start the year I think. I'm also not going to buy any books or a stethoscope or anything until after school starts. So there.

Uh oh...I normally wear L coats, and I got an XL white coat. Is it possible to still change my size? Does the school have an extra box ready during orientation just in case someone misjudged their coat size?

I normally wear L white coats and ordered a L, why would you go with a different size than what you normally wear?!

edit: by the way I just had my last day at work today after 5 years there, and I'm starting my cross country trip Saturday. Exciting!

 

[nka1985]

I've decided I'm switching all my car stuff to VA, including my license and my car registration. Car insurance is MEGA cheap there compared to California, I'm talking $40/month for me instead of $90/month. Good way to start the year I think. I'm also not going to buy any books or a stethoscope or anything until after school starts. So there.

I normally wear L white coats and ordered a L, why would you go with a different size than what you normally wear?!

edit: by the way I just had my last day at work today after 5 years there, and I'm starting my cross country trip Saturday. Exciting!

Are you driving? Have fun! My husband (fiance at the time) and I had a great time, even with two cats in the back seat complaining the whole way.

 

[Elixir86]

I normally wear L white coats and ordered a L, why would you go with a different size than what you normally wear?!

I made my white coat size selection back in May. At that time, one of my friends (already in med. school) told me to "make sure I get one size bigger than what I normally wear." Now, I realize I obviously misinterpreted what he meant. I thought it was talking about a size bigger than the coats I normally wear, but I think he meant a size bigger than my normal attire. Anyways, I went online and changed my coat size. I don't know if that will change anything at this point, but I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

 

[meister]

Are you driving? Have fun! My husband (fiance at the time) and I had a great time, even with two cats in the back seat complaining the whole way.

Yup I sure am, a giant moving truck. 7mpg here we come!

I made my white coat size selection back in May. At that time, one of my friends (already in med. school) told me to "make sure I get one size bigger than what I normally wear." Now, I realize I obviously misinterpreted what he meant. I thought it was talking about a size bigger than the coats I normally wear, but I think he meant a size bigger than my normal attire. Anyways, I went online and changed my coat size. I don't know if that will change anything at this point, but I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

I'm sure you're fine, they probably have a ton of these things. I wear the same size coat as I do t-shirts though, a L. So I guess we'll see.

 

[nka1985]

I made my white coat size selection back in May. At that time, one of my friends (already in med. school) told me to "make sure I get one size bigger than what I normally wear." Now, I realize I obviously misinterpreted what he meant. I thought it was talking about a size bigger than the coats I normally wear, but I think he meant a size bigger than my normal attire. Anyways, I went online and changed my coat size. I don't know if that will change anything at this point, but I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

They had a few extra last year and people traded around until they got a good size. You should be okay.

 

[himerenee]

hey meister,
mind sharing which car insurance company in VA you're getting. i've gotten a quote from all state and it's like $90 a month...i had an M2 tell me not to switch anything to VA cause of the personal taxes you pay which may make the difference between Ca and VA costs almost the same. Where in cali are you from?

I've decided I'm switching all my car stuff to VA, including my license and my car registration. Car insurance is MEGA cheap there compared to California, I'm talking $40/month for me instead of $90/month. Good way to start the year I think. I'm also not going to buy any books or a stethoscope or anything until after school starts. So there.

I normally wear L white coats and ordered a L, why would you go with a different size than what you normally wear?!

edit: by the way I just had my last day at work today after 5 years there, and I'm starting my cross country trip Saturday. Exciting!

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

I doubt your insurance company will let you maintain the CA registration (mine didn't). Many people don't tell their insurance company they moved. This works, but remember that it's insurance fraud.

Insurance in VA is relatively cheap, and not letting them know that you're in VA is not just fraud, it doesn't make sense. You buy insurance for when you have a problem, so if you don't have a problem, they won't find out, but if you need them, you'll be screwed. May as well not even have insurance in that situation.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

hey meister,
mind sharing which car insurance company in VA you're getting. i've gotten a quote from all state and it's like $90 a month...i had an M2 tell me not to switch anything to VA cause of the personal taxes you pay which may make the difference between Ca and VA costs almost the same. Where in cali are you from?

Personal property tax is dirt cheap at this point. They've all but phased out the tax, and unless you drive an expensive car, you won't pay much. I pay very little on a 2005 Civic. Now, if the car is worth over $30k, the property tax reduction doesn't apply, and you will pay through the nose. But if you have that expensive a car, would it really be that much of an issue to you?

 

[meister]

I have USAA, and I have a cheapy cheap car. So maybe that's why? Didn't mean to brag or anything though.

 

[Smctbone]

Personal property tax is dirt cheap at this point. They've all but phased out the tax, and unless you drive an expensive car, you won't pay much. I pay very little on a 2005 Civic. Now, if the car is worth over $30k, the property tax reduction doesn't apply, and you will pay through the nose. But if you have that expensive a car, would it really be that much of an issue to you?

Hey...how much do you pay, if you dont mind me asking (you can PM me)?. I have an '06 Civic and need to know how much it'll set me back for my budget. Compared to VA, things in FL are a breeze. Insurance is only $50/month and the yearly registration is no more than $30, and that's it. Yall have to get annual safety inspections and biennial emissions testing, right?