Hi all,
As some of you know I'll be starting up in September' 05 (two weeks from now), and I'm all packed and ready to go. I will be departing this evening.
All I can say is, let the journey begin. Suprisingly I'm not nervous or anxious, just really neutral. I've known for a long time I wanted to go to med school and I'm just ready to begin and let the experience embrace me (or rather I embrace the experience).
To everyone, thank you for your helpful posts, and to all of the September students, I can't wait to meet you all.
Goodluck everybody!
Ellie

Good for you! Don't freak out when you get here and this place is totally dead right now during the break.
I'm still on island. I can give you my cell number in case you need something, like a ride from the airport, or to the grocery store. Send me a PM (same goes for anybody else arriving early).
~W

__________________
PGY-1 Psychiatry

wolfgang,
How did everyone do for the first semester. any fails? looking for insight. Do you recommend that I read ahead any or just work and enjoy my time off?
--donnie

Hey,
Good luck, i will be joining the rest of the crew a week from now. i will be leaving home with mixed emotions as well, leaving home is a messy affair no matter how many times you ahev done it before. all i can say is MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.

Ok, flight is bout 8 hours away...remember when i said i didn't feel nervous, well i don't, i just feel anxious..lol, it'll be ok...
Thanks for your posts plabon and wolvgang...i'm leaving home for the first time, not easy but it brings the family closer together...ah it would happen sooner or later.
Alright, this is officially my last post for now...see you all soon and goodluck!
Ellie

Hey Ellie,

Have a safe trip to Saba.

I get there on the 1st so I guess I have a bit more time to freak about getting everything together lol!

From all the posts so far, the september class looks awesome and I can't wait to get to know everyone.

-Lifesaver

Here's the breakdown:
We had about 5 people leave due to family reasons/emergencies, or a realization that they wanted to do something else. Most of those came in the first couple of weeks of school.

Five people failed Anatomy, if I remember correctly, and 7 people failed histology.
If you fail once, you can retake the course. If you fail twice, you will either be asked to leave or perhaps offered a place at MUA, depending on the promotions comittee's judgment. (This is what one student who failed told me.)

The key in both classes is to shoot for a 100 on every test, especially early on. The finals are tough, and if you are borderline or worse by that time...

Realize that there will be 6 or 7 students per cadaver. Establish yourself confidently early on, while avoiding being obnoxious. Do not hesitate to be assertive and do what you need to do in lab, regardless of what anyone, even the prof says. If I had to redo Anatomy, I would have listened to my instincts more and other people less in Anatomy lab.

Also, If I had to do it again, I would have memorized everything I could in Netter's atlas in the section on the lower limb. Adjusting to island life was really hard for me the first few weeks, and we were tested on lower limb after having only been here two weeks. We didn't get any slack just because we were newbies here, you still have to know the stuff.

Other long time posters like steph will advise not studying at all before school starts, and have good reasons for their opinions.
I just know what works for me. Trust yourself and find what works for you.

I'm not studying biochem prior to 2nd semester, as I won't be having the adjustment issues I had first semester. I will familiarize myself with the texts and syllabus, something I did not do 1st semester.
Good luck to all,
~W

__________________
PGY-1 Psychiatry

Have a safe trip ellie. I'll see you in a week!

2 weeks before start seems early, where will you stay? Are the dorms available for the incoming class that early on?

Alright on Saba and on wireless connection, don't know who's but just thankful.
Here's the breakdown...
Had to stay in St. Marteen overnight...mention u are student, they give you discount, I stayed at Travel Inn, very basic, 89USD.
If you are taking ferry (the edge) (which I did because it was cheaper) do not eat before hand as the trash can was embracing my head or take some sort of anti-nauseant, it is a rough ride, I'm not joking you, so save yourself. (I found it amusing, the NYer tells me after the ride you should have taken an anti-nauseant, well no sh**t)
Island, school are what they are as you see it.
I came early to adjust to the island. More than I can count, I wished I could go home because I miss my mommy! (I've always lived at home...so its not easy, cut me some slack, ok). I have already questioned medicine a million times, I think this is all natural.
All I can say is its different, just know why you are here and if you are a mama's girl like I am, bring her picture and lots of napkins.
Ellie