�Table of Contents

University of ColoradoSchool of Medicine

Class of 2017MS1 Guide

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Contents

I. BeforeYouGettotheClassroom.................................................... 5 A.FundingYourMedicalEducation .............................................................5 B. The Summer Checklist .............................................................................6 C. Health Insurance ......................................................................................7 D.Vaccinations ............................................................................................7 E. Housing ....................................................................................................8 F. Computers & Phones .............................................................................��

II.AfterYouArrive............................................................................13 A.ADenverNative’sGuidetoGettingAround ..........................................�� B.TransportationandParking ...................................................................�4 C.CoffeeandFoodOnCampus .................................................................�5 D.FavoriteCoffeeshopsOffCampus .........................................................�6 E. Where To Eat ..........................................................................................�7 F.LifeOutsideSchool .................................................................................�8

III.MedicalStudentLife.....................................................................21 A.Orientation ............................................................................................�� B. The Buddy System .................................................................................�� C. Advisory Colleges ...................................................................................�� D.TheHonorCode,Professionalism,andEvaluations ..............................�� E. Assessment ............................................................................................�4 F. Classes: Tips for Success .........................................................................�5 G.Electives ................................................................................................�0

IV.GettingInvolved............................................................................31 A.ClassElections .......................................................................................�� B.GroupsandOrganizations .....................................................................��

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ALetterfromtheEditors

Your path to medical school has been paved with late nights studying, volunteer-ingonweekends,countlessexams,personalessays,brutalstandardizedtests,andanxiety-inducinginterviews.Butnowyou’vearrived,andallofthatisbehindyou.

We’rejustkidding,you’regoingtoworkreallyhard.

Butinthemidstofmorestudying,exams,andstandardizedtests,weencourageyoutotakethetimetomakethemostofyourfirstyearofmedicalschool.Tohelpyou, the Class of �0�6 has assembled this student guidebook to answer your ques-tionsandalleviateyourconcerns.

Includedisalotofusefulinformationwe’veaccumulatedfromourown experiences, coerced from our classmates (n = ���), or overheard while eaves-droppingonconversations.Andthere’splentywestraightupplagiarizedfromprevious student handbooks (such as this sentence).

While this guide will not give you all the answers, we hope it covers most of the basicsandprovesusefulnotjustforyourinitialtransitionintomedicalschoolbutthroughoutyourfirstyear.

CongratulationsonyouracceptancetotheUniversityofColoradoAnschutzSchoolof Medicine!

Sincerely,

Brittney,Regina,andSarah

� P E A R L

You’re in medical school, congratulations!

Don’t forget to live your life while you’re here.

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I.BeforeYouGettotheClassroomIn the months before medical school, you will be bombarded with mandatory paperwork,timelines,deadlines,andvariousadministrativerequirements.Youwillhavetojuggleallthatwhilelookingforsomewheretoliveandtryingto acceptthatyou’rereallyamedicalstudent.Muchofthisinvolvestediouspaperworkthatmustbewadedthrough,butyourfirstweekofschoolwillbemuchlessstressfulifitisallinorderbeforeyouarrive.Thissectionofthe handbook will help you deal with some of this drudgery.

A.FundingYourMedicalEducationOneofthebiggestconcernsforeveryincomingmedicalschoolstudentistheprospectofapproximately$200,000ofdebtaccumulatingoverfouryears.There is no easy way to pay for medical school, and for most of us, the cost will be supported by a staggering amount in government loans. There are, however, afewcreativeways(forthoseinterestedinthem)toavoidthisdebtload.

FAFSA and Financial AidHopefully,you’llhavecompletedseveralofthesestepsbythetimethat you sit down to read this handbook, but here is an outline of thetraditionalFAFSA/FinancialAidprocess.

January 2013 Startworkingonandfinishyour2012FederalIncomeTaxReturn.YoumustcompletethisdocumentandhaveofficialconfirmationofitsreceiptbeforeyoucancompletetheFAFSAapplication.

Afterfinishingyourtaxes,headtowww.fafsa.ed.govandbegintofilloutyourfinancialaidapplication.Thesooneryoudothisthebetter—scholarships and grant money that depend on income can run out quickly.

Thisisalsotimetostartlookingforscholarshipmoney!Asapublicschool,theSOMdoesn’thaveahugeendowmenttodrawon,buttherearesomespecialscholarships available, which you will hear about in the Spring. There are also othersforwhichyouwillautomaticallybeconsideredbasedonyoursituation.However, it is important to keep your eyes open for other sources. Fastweb.com can be helpful, but be forewarned that they like to send a lot of e-mails. ScholarshipinformationisalsopostedontheAcceptedStudentWebsite.

April-June 2013InAprilyouwillstartreceivingawardlettersfromtheschoolstowhichyou havebeenaccepted.Theseawardletterswilldetailtheamountofmoneythatwill be given to you and where the money will come from.

It is important to remember that you can accept all, part, or none of this loan money. Be deliberate in the loans that you choose to accept or decline: Examine interest rates, write out a budget, talk with parents or spouses, etc. Determinetheminimumamountthatyoucaneasilyliveoffofandtrynotto accept loans beyond that amount. Scholarships and grants from medical schoolswillbeincludedontheserewardlettersbutoutsidemonieswillnot be included, so keep in mind any external sources of funds that you may have.

TenTips forSavingMoney

�. Sign up for as many lunch lectures as you can—they almost always provide free food. Take advantage of any leftovers.

2.VisittheGoodwill.Noonewill ever know, unless you run into them there, which you probably will.

3.Insteadofgettingan apartment,justsleepina cadaver humidor. No one willnoticethesmell—at least during Anatomy.

4.Gohomeasoftenasyoucanand steal food from your parents. They have a pantry for a reason.

5. Watch television shows online—don’tpayforcable.Laptops and the Internet also exist for a reason.

6. Let the dental students check out your teeth so you don’tneedtopayfordentalinsurance. (Seriously, they have free clinics.)

7.Ducttape.Itcanfixanything.

8.Rideabikeeverywhereyougo.Betteryet,getatandembike and bikepool to school.

9. Write all your notes on a whiteboard to save on paper.

10.Gotobusinessschool instead.

P E A R L

School of Medicine FAFSA code: 004508

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ALittleAboutNHSCandHPSPSeveralfederalprogramsofferfullscholarshipstomedicalschoolinexchangeforaserviceobligation.

TheNHSC(NationalHealthServicesCorps)providesbothascholarshipandaloanrepaymentprogram.Thescholarshipprovidesfulltuition,fees,andbooksplusalivingstipend.ForeachyearpaidbyNHSC,youmustgiveoneyearofservice.TheNHSCrestrictstheresidenciesitsmemberscanparticipateinandifyou decide to go into a non-approved residency, you must pay the debt back intriple.Theloanrepaymentprogramallowsresidentsofapprovedspecialtiestoreceive $50,000 in loan repayment for two years of service. (hhsc.hrsa.gov)

The HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program) is a military program that providessignificantsupportinexchangeforserviceinoneofthebranchesoftheUSArmedForces.HPSPpaysforallexpensesassociatedwithmedi-calschoolandamonthlylivingstipend.Studentsserve45daysofactivedutyeachfiscalyearwhileinschoolandarerequiredtoapplyandtoacceptmilitaryresidencies(thoughsomebranchesallowaciviliandeferment).(goarmy.com/amedd/education/hpsp.html)

B.TheSummerChecklistWhenyou’renotstressingaboutfundingfouryearsofmedicalschool,tacklethemanyadministrativedetailsinvolvedinmatriculatingatanewinstitution.Below,we’velistedafewofthethingsthatyoushouldtakecareofbefore Orientationstarts.Andseriously,youreallyshoulddothisbeforeOrientation.

WhatToDoWhenYourIncomeChanges

Q. I’ve been working, but I’m going to stop when school starts. How can I change my financial aid?

A. The aid you receive for �0��-�0�4 will be based on your returns for the �0�� tax year. If your �0�� taxes do not reflectyourcurrentincome,youcanfilea“Reconsidera-tionofIncomeAppeal”withtheFinancialAidOffice.ThismaychangeyourEffectiveFamilyContribution(theamount the university thinks it is reasonable for you to contribute); it may also af-fect your eligibility for loans and grants the school has reserved for low-income students.(Onceyoustartschool, you will probably beclassifiedaslowincomeunless you have a partner who works or other special circumstances.)

Q. What if I encounter unexpected expenses?

A.Youcanfilean“IncreasetoBudget”formifyouhavespecial circumstances such as buying a computer, childcare costs,orhighmedical/dentalexpenses.Thereisalsoalittleknowncategoryof“negativeincome,”whichisparticularlyrelevant for students with children. Talk to the Financial AidOfficeformoredetails.

You can always contact the CUSOMFinancialAidOfficedirectly at �0�-7�4-80�9.

□Getvaccinated!(seesectionD)*

□HaveofficialtranscriptssenttoAdmissions*

□ Mandatory forms to sign and e-mail* □ VerificationofResidency □ CUContract □ RecordingPolicy □ Confidentiality/VideoRelease □ Technology Standards □ Honor System

□Getyourhealthinsurancesorted(seesectionC)*

□Findhousing(seesectionE)

□FillouttheMatriculatingStudentQuestionnaire

□ Write your bio for the MS� directory

□ Submit the Student Data Sheet

□RSVPfortheWhiteCoatCeremony(inJuly)

*Youwillnotbeabletostartschoolwithoutcompletingthis.

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C.HealthInsuranceTheUniversityofColoradorequiresallstudentstohavefull-coveragehealth insurance.Theschooloffersaplanfor$2,688to$3,460peryear(2012-2013rates;variesdependingontheplanyouchoose).Thereisnoroutinedentalorvisioncoverage,althoughtheplandoesofferadiscountthroughspecificproviders.

Ifyoudecidethatyoudonotwanttoenrollintheschool’sinsuranceplan (remember that with recent changes in health insurance, students can remain ontheirparents’healthinsuranceuntiltheageof26),youmustsubmitproofthat you have comparable insurance. Catastrophic or short-term insurance does notqualify.Fordetails,search“Anschutzhealthinsurancerequirements”inyour favorite search engine.

Ifyouhavequestionsaboutstudenthealthinsuranceorproblemswiththeinsurance company, contact LaVerne Loechel at �0�-7�4-7674 or laverne.loechel@ucdenver.edu.Sheisextremelyhelpfulandknowshowdifficultitcanbe to navigate the world of health insurance. In return, please understand that she too is at the mercy of the health-care system.

Notethatifyoujointhestudentplan,yourcardprobablywillnotarrive untillateinSeptember.Youcanstillaccessservicesusingatemporarycard(available through LaVerne), although you may have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.

D.VaccinationsStudentsarerequiredtohaveanumberofimmunizationspriortomatricula-tion.YouwillcompleteanImmunizationCertificationForm,whichwillbecomepartofyourstudentrecords.SeanSpellmanintheOfficeofStudentAffairswillnotifyyouifyouaremissinganyofyourrequiredimmunizations.

Mostimmunizationsareprettystandard,buttheonetokeepinmindis thePPD.IfyourPPDwillbeolderthanoneyearbymatriculation,youmust get a two-step PPD, which can take a month to complete. Even if you will have had a PPD within the year, you must get a one-step test. All PPDs have toberepeatedyearlyaccordingtothesametimingrules.Thereisaone- stepPPD,theQuantiferon;thisismoreexpensiveandmustalsoberepeatedannually.

CommunityclinicsanddrugstoressuchasWalgreen’salsoprovidePPDs.Itisthestudent’sresponsibilitytostaycurrentonallimmunizations.Where togotogainupdatesisapersonalchoiceoftendeterminedbythehealth insurance you have. If you have coverage through the school, one of your betteroptionsistheon-campusproviderEnvironmentalHealthandSafety,

P E A R L

Get your immunizations before school starts; it’s hard to do during Anatomy because of

the afternoon sessions.

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303-724-0345.Theoretically,StudentAffairshaslistingsforclinicsthatcan assistwithimmunizations,butoneofyoureditorshadnoluckwiththisroute.

E.HousingDenverandAuroraoffermanyhousingoptions,andafewstudentscommutefromtownsfartheraway,suchasBoulder,Centennial,Broomfield,andEngle-wood. Think about how much you want to spend, how you would like to get to school, and what resources you would like to have around you.

Ifyou’recomingfromoutofstate,don’texpecttofindarealestateagentwhowillhelpyoufindarental—theydon’tdothathere.You’rebetteroffwithasitelikepadmapper.com,butbewaryofthenumerousscams.Beskepticalofanything that sounds both cheap and fabulous.

Here are the most popular neighborhoods, their proximity to campus, and what we see as their pros and cons. When shown, prices are for �0��-�0��.

21FitzsimonsProximity on campusPrice midtohigh(1BR$820-1,195;2BR$1,142-1,819)Pros Itdoesn’tgetanycloserthanthis.Ifclassstartsat8:00am,youare

rollingoutofbedat7:45andstillwalkinginfiveminutesearly.Youwon’thavetopayforon-campusparking,cancutdownoneatingout by making the short trek home for lunch and dinner, and have a pool, hot tub, and workout facility on site. All of the apartments are newandingreatcondition.

Cons Price.Whenyouarelivingoffof$1,500amonth,spending$900onrentisrough.YouarefarawayfrommostofDenver’snightlifeandrestaurants as well as the great outdoors. If you are a person who needstogetawayafteralongdayinclass,youneverreallygettoescape from campus.

East Colfax, including Copper FlatsProximity bikeable (�0 min), walkablePrice lowtomid(CopperFlats:1BR:$650-8002BR:$900-1,100)Pros Again, you are very close to school, and if your dream was to walk

orbiketoschoolwhilebeingoffcampus,thisisyourbestbet.Prices on houses and apartments are generally low, which will give you extra cash to spend on other things like driving to the moun-tains.Ifyoucanfindacoupleofroommates,rentalhousesareverycheapandusuallyingoodcondition.

Cons Though our campus is new, many areas on East Colfax have not caughtup.Manyapartmentcomplexesareundergoingmajorreno-vationstoattractmedicalschoolstudentsbutsomearejustnotthereyet.Remember,anyapartmentorhousecanlookgreatonthe Internet, so make sure to check it out in person before signing a lease. The area lacks good restaurants (except for the taquerías) andbarsbuthasprettygoodbusaccesstoDenver.

21Fitzsimons.©AlbertVu

CopperFlats.©CarmelApartments

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StapletonProximity 4 to 5 miles; bus or drive, could bike but route is poorPrice high($1,004&upfora1BR)Pros Stapleton is a planned community close to school. Think kids

(lotsofkids)andyoungcouples.Ithasmanyamenities,includingswimmingpools(annualmembership,$20),medium-sizeparks, apubliclibrary,asummertimefarmer’smarket,KingSoopers, Udi’s,ayogastudio,anupscalebikeshop,adrycleaner’s,andaliquorstore.It’sclosetoWalmart,Target,andGoodwill.Rent varieswidely,fromaffordabletofairlycostly,andifyouwanttobuy, there are townhomes and single-family houses available. We have heard that some complexes give a discount to medical students, but that may be over.

Cons SomepeoplemightdescribeStapletonas“Pleasantville,”andsomepeople would be right. There are a couple of bars, but this is every inchakid-friendlyneighborhood.(Ifyou’vegotafamily,thenthisobviously is not a con.)

LowryProximity 4to6miles(10-20min,dependingontraffic)Price low to midPros LowryisaquietresidentialareabuiltonanoldAirForcebase.

It’scomparableinmanywaystoStapleton,althoughit’sabit older. Like Stapleton, it has a town center with some shops, a grocery store, and restaurants. While Lowry does not have much of a nightlife, the Lowry Tavern is a laid-back neighborhood bar andgrillwithabigpatioandgooddealsduringfootballgames.UnderneaththeTavernisalsotheSoiledDoveUnderground, wherelocalartistsoftenplay.Also,Lowryisnotfarfromthe Cherry Creek shopping area, which has nice restaurants, bars, andthemostupscalemallinDenver(justincaseyouwantto blowyourloanmoneyatLouisVuitton).

Cons While some people can certainly bike to school from Lowry, most drive. Downtown Denver is about a �5-minute drive.

OldCampus(ColoradoandColfax)Proximity 6 to 8 milesPrice low to mid ($500-�,000)Pros This area, which includes Park Hill, City Park, and Cheesman Park,

is loaded with apartments, condos, and houses available for rent orpurchaseataffordableprices.Manydevelopersandapartments arestillstrugglingwiththedropintenantsfromthemoveoftheschoolandoffergreatmove-indeals.Thereareseveralfunbarsand restaurants close by, and Downtown is a short bus or car drive away as well. The bus (�5 or �5L) runs straight down Colfax to schoolifyoudon’twanttodrive.Thenearbyparksaregoodforrunning or playing with the dog.

Cons It’sabitofahiketocampus.Thebusisgreatifyouaregoodaboutwaking up early enough to catch it and want to leave school at a

Botanica apartments, Stapleton ($�,�90 & up).©ForestCity

CityPark.©AlbertVu

AMLIatLowryestates($860&up).©AMLI

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reasonabletime.Ifyouarenotamorningperson,expecttodriveand pay for campus parking. The closer you get to downtown, the pricier it gets.

DowntownProximity �0 to �� milesPrice highPros WelcometoDenver.Youareintheheartofcity,whichisfilledwith

greatplacestoeat,drink,andstudy.Ifyouwanttocontinueyourcollege glory days, this is place to do it. Downtown has several greatrunningpathsandparksfortheactiveindividualandprovidesagreatescapefromschoolwhenyouareoffcampus.

Cons Youprettymuchneedtobuyaparkingpassanddrive.Nobusheads directly to campus. Apartments downtown can get pricey, andyoumayhavetopayforcertainamenities,likeaworkoutroom,thatotherplacesofferfor“free.”Also,ifyouarenotamorn-ingpersonitmaybehardtomotivateyourselftogetoutofbedtohead to school, especially if it is cold outside.

How To Find HousingTheStudentAssistanceOfficekeepscurrentlistingsofhousingonline. ConsiderfindingfutureroommatesonyourclassFacebookpage—many a happyfriendshiphasbeenformedthisway.However,peoplehavedifferentopinions on whether or not you should live with another medical student. Althoughlivingwithmedstudentscanbegreat(theyunderstandwhatyou’re

Downtown.©TheInterwebs

Renter’sRemorseFindingtherightapartmentcanbetoughwhenyou’renewtothearea.Around �0% of our class played it safe and chose a spot near campus (21Fitz,CopperFlats,Stapleton).Whenweaskedclassmateswheretheywouldliveiftheycoulddoitoveragain,thoselocationswerestillpopular. ThebigloserswereGreaterAurora,Centennial,and,ofcourse,Other.

ThankstoSarahCebronforsurveyingtheclassandcreatingthechartsandmap.

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goingthroughandcanbeawesomestudypartners),itcanalsobeanadditionalstress(twomedstudentsinaroomtendtotalkonlyaboutmedschool).Justmake sure that when you are deciding, you go with what will work best for you. Don’tputtoomuchweightintowhatsomeoneelsesaysyoushoulddo.

Thereareseveralresourcesintheareathatyoualsomightfinduseful.HousingHelpersisagreatfreeresourcethatcanhelpyoufindapartmentsinyourpricerange.Itistoyouradvantagetotakethetimetofindaplaceyouarecomfort-ableliving.Amiserablelifeathomecanleadtoamiserabletimeatschool.

For those considering buying a place, there are many condos and houses on the market that are taking a while to sell. You might be tempted by houses that arebank-owned,butthesalesprocesscanbeexcruciatinglydrawnout,andtheplaceitselfmaytakealotoffixingup.

Whenbuyingaplace,considerwhatyouwilldowithitafteryougraduateandwhat the resale value might be—as well as, of course, what you would do if yourplanAfellthrough.Inaddition,keepinmindthatyoudoalotofmovingaroundduringthirdandfourthyear,whatwithrotationsandinterviews.YoumayfindyourselfintheDenver/Auroraareaconsistentlyduringyourfirsttwoyearsonly.Whilebuyingisagoodinvestmentforsome(here’stoyou,MSTPs),it may not be right for you.

F.BuyingaComputerand/orSmartPhoneHavingacomputerisessential;asmartphoneisdebatable.Youprobablyhaveboth already, but here is our $�.�0 of advice, whether you want it or not.

Wherestudentswishedtheylived.CampusisthepinkrectanglenearI-225.Startingwiththeredcircleandmovingclockwise: 21Fitz,CopperFlats,GreaterAurora,Lowry,CityPark/Uptown,ParkHill,Stapleton.

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ComputersYou do not need to buy a new computer for medical school. If you have a functioningmachinewithwirelessandavailablememory,youwillbejustfine.

If you do need or want to buy a new computer, the School of Medicine has institutedsomeminimumrequirementsforlaptopcomputers(listedbelow).The school also has discounts available with several vendors and you can even takeadditionalloanmoneytobuyanewcomputeratthestartofschool.

Minimum Requirements80GBHardDrive1GBRAM(2GBrecommended)DVD-ROMdriveVideo cardMacs: Intel chips; �0.7+ will make life easierPCs:2GHzorfasterprocessor;Windows7istheofficiallysupportedOSAllcomputers:MicrosoftOffice,ortheabilitytoviewWordandPPTdocumentsas well as PDFs

Next, you may be asking: Mac or PC? Most likely you already have an opinion about this. Both computers styles will work perfectly well; it truly is based on personal preference. If you decide to go with a Mac, make sure that you have PowerPoint and Word or their equivalent programs, since many lecturers use one or both.

SmartphonesPhonesrunningiPhoneorAndroidhaveaccesstoamultitudeofhelpful applications―flashcardprograms,Epocrates,studyapps,andsoforth. WindowsandBlackberryphonesaredefinitelybehindinthisarea.

Like it or not, smartphones or some kind of tablet are rapidly becoming as basic arequirementashavingacomputer.Youmayfind,asoneMS1did,thatyourpreceptorstronglysuggestsyouhaveone.Sowhilewearen’ttellingyou officiallythatyoureducationwillbehamperedwithoutone,youreducationwillprobably be hampered without one.

Who’sthishandsomefella?

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II.AfterYouArriveWhetheryouareaColoradonativeorhaveonlybeenhereforyourinterview,oddsareyouhavealotofquestionsaboutwhatwillbeyournewhomeforthenext several years. We are here to help!

A.ADenverNative’sGuidetoGettingAroundThis section comes courtesy of the class of 2013.

Soyou’resayingthatyou’renotanexpertontheinsandoutsofDenvercitystreets?You’retellingmethatIfyouaregivenanaddress,youdon’thavethe foggiest idea what part of the city it is in? Now, IknowweallhaveGPSonourphones,butasaDenvernative,Iwouldliketogiveyouaquickguidetonavigatingthisfaircity;also,youcansoundlikeatotal expert when talking to your new classmates. So pull up a map of Denver on your browser, and study alongwiththesekeystepstoorientingyourself.

�. Denver streets are based on a grid system. There areafewglaringexceptions,namelyDowntown,which happens to be at a 45° angle.

�. East-west streets are avenues. North-south streets are streets.

3. Colfaxisthemainthoroughfaregoingeast-westthroughDenver.Other big ones (moving from north to south) are Montview, 6th Ave, Alameda, Evans,andHampden.Majornorth-southstreets(fromwesttoeast)areKipling,Wadsworth,Sheridan,SantaFe,University,Colorado,Monaco, Quebec, Havana, Peoria, Chambers, and Buckley.

4. The center point of most addresses in Denver and the surrounding metro areaistheintersectionofBroadwayandEllsworth.Broadwayrunssouth(and then north-south as you move south), and Ellsworth runs east-west.

a. AnyaddresssouthofEllsworthwillhavean“S.”infrontofthestreetname.AnyaddressnorthofEllsworthwillnothavealetter.

b. AnyaddresswestofBroadwaywillhavea“W.”infrontofthestreetname.AnyaddresseastofBroadwaywillhavean“E.”

Thus, ���5 E. Colfax is �� blocks east of Broadway on Colfax.

5. AsyoumovenorthofEllsworth,thestreetsarenumbered.Themajor exceptionsare15thAve=Colfax,20thAve=Montview,30thAve= MartinLutherKingJr.Blvd.

6. SouthofEllsworthdoesn’thaveanyunifyingpatternexceptthatachunkofavenuesarenamedafterstates.However,basedonfact4,youknowthatsomething at �476 S. Pearl Street is between �4 and �5 blocks south of Ellsworth (and about �0 blocks south of Colfax).

MS1sandfriendsenjoyingdowntownDenver.

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7. AsyoumovewestofBroadway,thestreetnameswillbealphabetical,andthey will generally start over when they hit Z.

8. AsyoumoveeastofBroadway,thestreetnameshavenopatternuntilyouhit Colorado. Then you will encounter a double alphabet, with the second being the name of a plant.

Ed. note: Some streets below Colfax are one-way, which may or may not have almost killed one of the editors.

B.TransportationandParking–GettingtoandfromClassCarsDuringyourfirstandsecondyear,youwon’tnecessarilyneedacar.Gettingaroundbybikeandbusisrelativelyeasyandcansaveyoualotofmoney. However, there are a couple of reasons that you might want to have one. First, itgivesyoualotmoreflexibilityinmatchingwithaFoundationspreceptor,whichoccursinOctoberorNovemberofyourfirstyear.Second,you’llalmostcertainlyneedacarforyourthird-andfourth-yearrotations,sinceyoucan(andlikely will) be assigned to sites in rural Colorado.

Ifyou’rebuyingacarandyou’renewtoDenver,youshouldknowthatwintersherearen’tascoldandsnowyasyoumightimagine.Evenafterabigstorm,snowmeltsprettyquickly.Ifyouliveinthemetropolitanarea,youdonotneedfour-wheeldriveforgettingaroundnorablockheaterforfreezingcoldnights.Agoodsetofsnowtireswillgiveyouplentyoftraction.

ParkingIf you want to park on campus, you need to purchase a parking permit at the ParkingOffice,locatedonthefirstfloorofBuilding500(notethatBuilding500usesEuropeanfloornumbers),nearthebookstoreandcafe.Thephonenumberis �0�-7�4-�555, but you have to show up in person to complete any meaning-fultransactions.Theofficeusuallyopensat7a.m.Youmust have a student IDinordertopurchaseapermit(i.e.,youcan’tdothisbeforeyougetbadgedduringOrientation).

Expectpassestobearound$36amonth.Oneniceoptionisacarpoolparkingpass—ifyourroommateisalsoanSOMstudent,youcanpurchaseonepassto share and then you split the cost. There are also daily lots for $5 per day. Anotheroptionistopayaone-time$10“activation”feethatallowsyoutoparkinpermitparkingafter6pmonweekdaysandalldayonweekends.WhiletheGeorgetownlotisonly$1duringthosetimes,thispasscouldeasilypayforitself if it matches your schedule.

Ifyou’retryingtoescapepayingforparking,thereareacoupleofsecretplacestoparkforfreeoncampus.Afewspotsarebehindthe21Fitzsimonsapart-ments, although these are limited and will almost always be gone before 8 a.m. WehaveseensomestudentsparkingononeofthesidestreetsoffofVictorSt.,betweenMontviewandFitzsimonsParkway.

You could also try leaving your wheels in one of the neighborhoods near campus,butwedon’tknowhowacceptingthelocalsareofunknownvehicles.Youmightreturntofindyourcaronblocks,sansstereo,ormissing.Somefreeadvice:Don’tchanceit.Payforapermit,useyourbuspass,orhoofit.

This will make you laugh next year. Although as anincomingmedicalstudent,you’reprobablygoingtoGooglethis.Butitstillwon’treally makeyoulaughuntilnextyear.©AndrewGoschka

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CommutingSomestudentscommutefromBroomfieldandBoulder.Thehappiestcommutersarepeoplewhoenjoydrivingorridingthebusandwholiketogetupat5a.m.,evenwhenit’spitchblackoutside. If this is you, get an mp� player so you can listen to excitinglecturerecordingsduringthecommute.

RTDRTDistheFrontRangepublictransitservice.AsaUniversityofColoradostudent,youwillgeta“free”buspass(paidforbystudent fees). Several buses stop on campus. The �0 runs from Stapleton to the entrance of Building 500, and the �5 and �5L run down Colfax to campus.

Don’tforgetthatyourpassworksonSkyRide(theairportroute)and on the light rail that runs in the area Downtown. To check bus schedules and routes, visit rtd-denver.com.

BikingYou can ride your bike to school most days of the year, given the abundant sun-shine,butconsiderbuyingfendersandsomelightweightraingearforafternoonthunderstorms.Wealsorecommendinvestinginlightsforyourbikeasitisillegal in Colorado to ride at night without them. Bike racks live in front of every building on campus, either alone or in groups.

Weusedtosayitwasunlikelythatyourbikewouldbestolenorvandalizedoncampusaslongasyoulockeditup,butwejustheardtherehasbeenarashofthefts.Considerinvestinginagoodlock(ifyoubuyaKryptoniteu-lock,they’llreplaceyourbikeifit’sstolen)orbuyingabeaterbikeoncraigslist.Also,BillBrandenburg advises you to register your bike and keep track of the ID number.

C.CoffeeandFoodonCampusEd2North,Building500,andthelibrarycafeallparticipateinthesame frequent-buyerprogram.Thereareseparatecardsforfoodandcoffee.

CoffeeEd2North,firstfloor 7:30a.m.-3p.m.Children’sHospital Opensat6a.m.Theonlyplaceopenonweekends.Dazbog 6a.m.-5p.m.cafeadjoininglibrary 7:30a.m.-2p.m.Building500,firstfloor 7:30a.m.-4p.m.

Foodfirstfloor,Ed2North pizza,sandwiches,bagels,sweetsResearchComplex2 Udi’sChildren’sHospital cafeteriastyle;thereisalsoagelatobarRestaurantarea Subway,JimmyJohn’s,PudgeBrother’sPizza,Marble

SlabCreamery,BigCityBurrito.Fordirections,askanMS2orlookforJimmyJohn’sonGoogleMaps.

Building500,firstfloor Wok’n’Roll,MamaAlvino’sPizza,BookstoreBrew

“Thesetrailsareafive-minutewalkfrommyhouse,”saysAnnaSchubert (r), who commutes from Boulder.

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D.FavoriteCoffeeshopsOffCampusSomepeoplearecoffeeshopstudiers.Ifthisisyou,testoneofthebelovedhangoutsoftheclassof2016.Everyplacehasfreewi-fiunlessnotedotherwise.

BardoCoffeeHouse It’sadrivefromcampus,butit’scozyandfullofotherpeoplestudying.S.BroadwaynearAlameda.Openearlytillate(1a.m.Sun.-Thu.andtil3a.m.Fri.andSat.)

BicycleCafe Getyourbikefixedwhileyoustudy.17th&Lafayette, 6 a.m.-�0 p.m.

CaribouCoffee OK,noonementionedthis,butit’sclosetocampus(SEkittycorner)andstaysopenuntil9p.m.

CommonGrounds EndorsedbysmartypantsTimNewton,soI’llbeheadingtheretoo.17th&Wazee,6:30a.m.-10p.m.Mon.-Fri.;opens 7:�0 a.m. Sat. & Sun. and closes 9 p.m. Sun.

Dazbog MultiplelocationsinDenver,includingoneoncampus.Afavorite of the class of �0�5.

HookedonColfax A porch and a basement equipped with comfy couches. Colfax & Steele, closes at �0 p.m.

IllegalGrounds Uptownneighborhood,17th&Ogden.7a.m.-9p.m.Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat. & Sun.

Pablo’s In Capitol Hill, so there are fewer medical students around.Greatcoffeeandnowi-fi,whichBrittanyCowfercitesasapositivesinceyoucan’tgetdistracted.6thandWashington, closes at �0 p.m.

St.Mark’s Usuallypackedwithmedicalschoolstudents.BrittanyFarnioksaysthecoffeeischeaperthanmanyotherplaces. �7th & Vine, closes at midnight.

Starbucks The closest one is in Stapleton (where all the children are drinkinggrowth-stuntingfrappuccinos).

Stella’s ClosertoDU,butifyouwanttogetawayfrommedicalstudents and hang out with law-school types and under-grads,thisistheplacetogo.Pearl&Florida.Openuntil�� p.m. Sun.-Thu. and midnight Fri. and Sat.

E.WhereToEatThereare,ofcourse,manyresourcesforrestaurantrecommendations,suchas5280magazineandYelp,aswellasgooddealsonGrouponandUrbanspoon.We asked our class for their favorites; the following table shows the write-ins withtwoormorevotes,andbelowthatarealltheothermentions.

Wehavenotdouble-checkedtheseplaces,sowecan’tguaranteethattheseare in fact restaurants (or at least bars with food), that they are open, that the names are spelled correctly, or that they even exist.

Stella’sCoffeehouse.©BrittanyCowfer

Pablo’s.©BrittanyCowfer

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TheClassof2016FavoriteRestaurantsWrite-inSurvey

Place Votes Comments

Atomic Cowboy 8Cedar Creek Pub 6 surprisingly niceCherry Cricket �Chipotle �CityO’City 4 Laura Kahn loves this placeD Bar �Euclid Hall � fancypantsJelly �JettAsianKitchen �KonaBarandGrill �Linger � tapas, drinks, former mortuary buildingOsteriaMarco � hands down the best pizza in townRockBottomBrewery �RootDown �Snooze 6 best brunch and wackiest pancakesStar of India 4Steuben’s 4Sushi Den 4SushiKatsu 4Thai Flavor 5Thin Man �Vine Street Pub �Watercourse �

Restaurants:OneVoteWonders1UpBig Hoss BBQBilly’s InnBJ’s BrewhouseBlake Street VaultBuffalo Wild WingsCheesecake FactoryChloe nightclubCity BuffetCity GrillEl ChapultapecFalling RockFat Sully’s PizzaFruitionGarbanzoGiggling GrizzlyGin MillGreat Divide Brew PubIzakayaLa SandiaLe Central at 8th and LincolnLodosMaloney’s Bar in LoDoMama Alvino’sMesob EthiopianMod MarketMy Other BarNallen’s Irish PubNew China KitchenOceanairePark BurgerPark TavernPho 888Phoenician KabobPinche TaqueriaPizzaFusionRioRiojaSamurai SushiSantiago’sSenor Ric’sStampedeSushi KassaiTable SixTablesTaste of IndiaThe Bull & the BushThe KitchenThe TavernThe Yard HouseUncleUncleDave’sBBQWendy’sWild Eggs

Beerpromotesfacialhair.(ltor)TaylorSoderborg,KevinKrughoff,SarahHaeger,EliseYerelian.

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F.LifeOutsideSchoolBefore you were a medical student, you were pre-med. No, seriously, youweremanythings:artist,athlete,traveler,volunteer,altruist,gym rat, bookworm, runner, skier, musician, actor, moviewatcher, golfer,climber,chef,activist,couchpotato,friend,spouse,writer...Andnowthatyouareinmedicalschool,youneedtocontinuetobe all those things. Those are the things that got you accepted, and thosearethethingsthatyouwillhaveafteryouretire.

Takenasawhole,2016isanactiveclass.Ofthe113respondentstooursurvey,34saidtheyskiorsnowboardintheirfreetime.36men-tionedhikingorclimbing,

and8ridebikes.Otherstudentsrun,do yoga, ride horses, play soccer or basketball, or work out in general.

Ifyou’renotsporty,don’tfret (although exercise will do wonders foryourstresslevel).Otheractivitiesmentionedwerespendingtimewithfriends and family, trivia, dancing, sing-ing,throwingparties,reading,catchinguponTV,andenjoyingtheculturaleventsinDenver.Anddon’tforgetabout sleep. Mmm. Sleep.

Whatever it is you like to do,trytofindawaytofititin.Itwillmakeyouahappierperson,introduce you to your awesome classmates, and probably give you anincentivetobemoreorganizedinyourstudying.

IntramuralSportsandWorkingOutTherearelotsofopportunitiestoparticipateinsports,fromorga-nizedbasketball,volleyball,soccer,andultimatefrisbee,topickupgames in Boetcher Commons every day at lunch (or even during the �0-minute breaks between classes). Many med students are runners,cyclists,swimmers,climbers,andskiers,soit’seasytofindworkout partners.

Ifyou’relookingforagymmembership,thenewHealthandWell-nessCenter,locatednearthenorthwestcornerofcampus,offersstudent memberships for $�0 a month. The signup fee is waived forstudentsandspouses(looselydefined—justplayalong),anditappears that spouses in fact pay only $�0 per month. Classes are included,andourownLoganMimssometimesteachesthere.Findoutmoreatanschutzwellness.com.

Ifyou’renotintocommitment,there’salsoafree,Senate-fundedworkout room in the student lounge in Building 500 (Student Senate is the interprofessional version of a student council). There areseveralotherfitnessfacilities(including24-HourFitness,whichoffersstudentsattheSchoolofMedicineadiscount),swimming

pools,andclimbinggymsscatteredaround.FacilitiesincludetheCentralPark

P E A R L

When you set time to study, STUDY. When

you set time to have fun, HAVE FUN. Don’t get

stuck in limbo not really doing either.

(ltor)IlanKaye,BrittneyMacdonald,andBrianLockeafterarideupGuanellaPass(Mt.Bierstadtinthebackground).

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RecreationCenter(partoftheDenverParksandRecsystem)andBladium,both in Stapleton, and climbing gyms includeRock’n&Jam’n(twolocations)and Spot in Boulder.

Googlewillhelpyouhere.YoucanalsocontactCherylGibsonintheStudentAssistanceOfficewithyourcampussports-andfitness-relatedquestionsaswellasquestionsaboutthe �4-Hour Fitness memberships (cheryl.gibson@ucdenver.edu; �0�-7�4-7684).

Skiing and SnowboardingEarly in the fall semester, there will be a couple of days when discounted ski resort passes are sold on campus (usually at tables set up in the Commons). Youwillfindoutabouttheseviae-mail.Thesearesomeofthebestdealsyouwillfind.ThestudentratefortheEldoraseasonpasswillpayforitselfwithintwotrips,forexample.Keepaneyeoutforspecialsinthecommunityaswell;this year, several students signed up for an account at Wells Fargo during a 2-for-1ski-passoffer.

Time on the slopes will be dictated by the weather, but in order to take advantage of a sudden snowfall, you will need to be diligent about your studies.

RunningandBikingDenverhasmilesandmilesoftrails,andwithallthesesunnydays,joggingis agreatwaytosqueezesomeactivetimeintoyourscheduleonthecheap.

Two main trails pass close to campus: Sand Creek runsjustnorthofthegolfcourse,headingeast-westthrough some nature preserve areas and neighbor-hoods.Itismostlygravelanddirt,soit’snotthebestfor city biking. If you go a mile east on Colfax or a milesouthonPeoria,youwillfindtheHighlineCanaltrail. The Highline winds its way all through Denver and connects with other trails in the city. The whole trailispaved,whichisgoodforcitybikes,butifyou’dratherrunondirt,there’sspaceforthatnexttothepaving. For mileage and route planning, go to www.mapmyrun.com/anduse80011asthezipcode.

If you hate running alone, check out the interprofessionalAnschutzRunningClub,whichmeets once a week in front of Cedar Creek Pub. Times vary depending on the season. Look up the group on Facebook for more details.

P E A R L

Make sure you exercise! It’s the single most important factor

for me in maintaining sanity and alertness

while studying.

RobbieFlick(l)conquersLong’sPeak.

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Hiking and outdoor climbingYoucanfindgoodhikingguidebooksonAmazon.com, and your classmates from this area can provide recommendationsaswell.

OtheractivitiesWe’vemostlywrittenaboutsportshere,weknow, butthatdoesn’tmeanthateveryoneinourclassisout climbing a fourteener on the weekend. There is almost always a group having a party, going to a con-certorshowdowntown,orparticipatinginacommu-nityevent,advertisedonyourclass’Facebookpage.You could also check out meetup.com or simply ask anMS2orStudentAffairsforsuggestions.

We’renotexactlysurewhat’sgoingonhere,butthesepaintedbeautiesappeartohavejustrunarace.(ltor)ReidHoward,BrittanyCowfer,SarahCebron,MaggieReinsvold,andEmilyJohnsonattheColorMeRad5K.

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III.MedicalStudentLife

A.Orientation—Yes,it’srequired,andno,youwon’tregretitSoyou’vemadeittoDenverandyou’vemovedinandexploredaweebit.NowitistimeforOrientation,theweekwhenyoumeetyour159futurebestfriends,too many administrators and faculty to remember, and a bunch of second-years whosenamesyouwillforgetwithinanhourofbeinginclass.It’smeanttobefun,soenjoyyourself!

Monday: Admissions DayThisisthedayyoucompletetheadministrativetasksneededtomatriculate.Betweengettingyourphototaken,pickingasizeforyourwhitecoat,complet-ingforms,andgettingbadged,you’llhavethechanceminglewithfacultyandstudents over the provided breakfast and lunch.

Tuesday-Wednesday: Winter Park WhatothermedicalschooltreatsyoutosummercampinthebeautifulRockyMountainsduringorientation?Youwillmeet on campus early in the morning on Tuesday and come back Wednes-dayintheearlyevening.CUprovidestransportation.InWinterPark,youwillget to know your classmates, play fun games,andenjoythegreatoutdoors.

ThursdayYouwillhavemoreactivitiesplannedforThursday.StudentAffairsisplanninganewagendatohelpyoumakethemostofOrientationWeek.

Friday: White Coat CeremonyYou will receive your white coat and stethoscope during the ceremony in themorning.Thissymbolizesyourmatriculationtomedicalschool,anditisanexcellenttimeforyourfamilytocomeseewhatyourworldwillbelikefor the next four years. Brunch is provided for students and families, fol-lowedbytheopportunitytoattendMini-MedSchoollecturesfrom Dr.FrenchandDr.CohenandtogettoursfromyouramazingMS2guides.

B.TheBuddySystemEach incoming student is matched with a second-year buddy. The idea is to give each MS� a friend who can provide encouragement, advice, andasurvivor’sperspectiveduringdifficulttimes.Onceyoufindoutwhoyourbuddyis,getintouch,askquestions,andmakesomenewfriends,including your grandbuddy. Somebuddiesgobeyondthecallofdutybylendingtextbooks,dissectinginstruments, and study aides. The MS�s will set up a Buddy Social at the start of the year.

TipsforaGreat OrientationWeek

RELAX.No,seriously.Relax. Schoolhasn’tstartedyet,sothereis really nothing to stress about. Appreciatethistimewithoutclasses and labs.

Befriendlyandoutgoing. While thiscanbedifficultforyoushymembers of the audience, try to branch out and make a few friends. It can help med school seem like a much less scary place.

Checkyouregoatthedoor. Every person in your class is awesome and deserves to be there, and you will only do yourself a disservice bylettingthewholeworldknowwhat your MCAT score was or how many burning orphans you pulled out of a snow bank. No one cares (except maybe those orphans).

P E A R L

First-Year Classroom: Ed1 1300

ClaudiaNieuwoudt:creativedoctoringinaction.

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C.AdvisoryCollegesAll students are sorted into one of eight colleges, which arenamedafter14,000-footmountains in Colorado. Each college is led by fourth-year mentors and two faculty advisors who work with students to help maketheirexperienceatCUSOMasfulfillingandproductive as possible. First-year students interact with fourth-years in their PBLgroupsandparticipateinseveral large and small events throughout the school year, including the Spring Stampede,ourannualcollegecompetition.

Ifyouarelookingforadviceonelectives,thebestwaystostudy,finding researchorclinicalopportunities,ormanaginglifeandschool,orifyouare justlookingforafriendlychat,yourfacultyadvisorsandstudentmentorsarealwaysthereforyou.Wehopethatthroughyourcollegeyoufindanoutstand-ingcommunitythatprovidesawonderfulandessentialcomplementtotheexcellentmedicaltrainingyouwillreceivehere.Formoreinformation,search“CUmedicineadvisorycolleges.”

D.TheHonorCode,Professionalism,andEvaluationsThe Honor CodeThe School of Medicine has a strict honor code. Each incoming class writes its owncomponent,whichwillfollowthesectionwrittenbytheuniversity.Youwillsignyourclass’honorcodeattheWhiteCoatCeremony.

DoThisDuring OrientationWeek

�. Make sure your ucdenver e-mail address is working, and choose a snappy password you won’tforget.

2. GetonCanvas(thenewcoursesystem) so you can see how yourclassesareorganized.

3. GetalockerinEd1orEd2andstock it with snacks and profes-sional clothes for those SPETA sessions you forgot about.

4. Orientyourselftocampus.When you have to meet with aprofessoronthe9thfloorofRC1Northoverlunchandbebackforlectureat1,it’sgood to know what you are up against.

5. Getorganizedforschool.Buyschoolsupplies(you’llwantatleastfourdifferent-colorpensor pencils for Anatomy).

6. Visit the doctor. During Anato-my,you’llusuallybeinschoolduring business hours, so if youdon’tdoitnowyoumayhavetowaituntilM2M.

7. Ask an MS� leader. If they don’tknowtheanswer,they’llpoint you in the right direc-tion.You’llhearrumorsabouteverythingfromDr.Carry’samazingsenseofhumor (true, he is hilarious) to horrificaccountsofDr.Boyer’spathology labs (not true, Dr. Boyer rocks). Take every-thing with a grain of salt.

P E A R L

It’s normal to feel a little lost during the transition to medical school. Remember that almost everyone else

feels the same way.

(ltor)AlexLy,SarahAllexan,JessicaMackey,BrittneyMacdonaldhangingoutattheDenverZooLights event sponsored by the Advisory Colleges.

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You’llexperiencetheimpactofthehonorcodeduringthefirstexam.Exams are not proctored—afacultymemberdistributesquestionsatthestartandcollectsthemwhentimeisup.Youmayleavetheroomandcomplete the exam anywhere you prefer—and this means anywhere, even off-campus—solongasyoureturntothelecturehallintimetoturninyour answer sheet.

You’lllearnmoreaboutthehonorcodeatorientation.Theidealwaytothink about it is as a step in helping you prepare both for the vast respon-sibility of the medical profession and for the necessity that medical profes-sionals act with the utmost integrity.

Professional BehaviorMedschoolisdifferentfrommostothereducationalprogramsinthatyouare viewed as a professional from the moment you start school. Even as a student, you are expected to conduct yourself in as professional a manner asifyouwereapracticingphysician.

Therearemanybehaviorsandactionsthatwouldnotviolatethehonorcode but would be considered unprofessional; these cases are dealt with by the ProfessionalismCommittee.Examplesincludebeingrudetofaculty,students,orpatients;inappropriateclothinginaclinicalsetting;absencefrom mandatory classes or small groups; and inappropriate (i.e., ANY) use of alcohol on campus.

Keepinmindthatyoure-mailcommunicationswithfacultyandfellow studentsaboutschoolmattersareprofessionalinteractionsand,assuch,aregovernedbythesamerulesthatapplytoface-to-faceinteractions.Obscenities,name-calling,andblame-placingareneverappropriate.Ifyouhaveaconflictordisagreement with someone, it should be handled via course reps, the course director, or other appropriate mediators.

Studentsoftenjokeaboutprofessionalismandprofessionalismviolations, but it is something that is taken very seriously by the school. By fostering professionalbehaviorthroughoutthecourseofoureducation,weareallmorelikely to act professionally in our careers—even in the face of the difficultandemotionalsituationsthatwewillinvariablyface.

EvaluationsWewon’tspendtoomuchtimeonevaluations,butitisatopicthatwewant to introduce to you now. Following every course, most small groups—andjustabouteveryothercurriculum-basedactivitythatyouengage in—youwillreceiveanonlinesurveytocomplete.Attimes,thenumberofevaluationscanseemoverwhelming,butdo not ignore these.

Thepremiseoftheevaluationprocessistoprovidefeedbacktolecturersandfacultymemberssothatthequalityofoureducationcanbecontinu-ously improved. In reality, you are only doing yourself a disservice if you havecomplaintsorcriticismsthatyoudonotvoiceintheevaluations.Takethetimetomakeyourvoiceheard.Theevaluationsarecompletelyanony-mous—noone,includingtheEvaluationOffice,canlinkwhatyouwrite

ShamitaPunjabidemonstratesthecorrectmethodof wearing a white coat.

P E A R L

According to our professors, studies show that hitting the

85% benchmark in lecture courses prepares you well

for studying for Step I.**Pleasenotewedidn’tsay“preparesyouwell forStepI.”Youstillhavetostudy.

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withwhoyouare.Ifyouhavequestionsaboutthis,contactGretchenGuiton,anassociateprofessorandtheheadofEvaluations(gretchen.guiton@ucdenver.edu).

Failuretocompleteanevaluationwillresultinaprofessionalismviolation,andas we said above, this is taken very seriously. A survey of medical students andphysiciansshowedthatasignificantpredictorofprofessionalcensurewaswhetherornotthatindividualhadfaithfullycompletedevaluationsthroughoutmedical school.

Itisagoodideanottowaittocompletetheseuntilthenightbeforetheyaredue.Youmayhavemorethan20evaluationsinablock,anditcanbehardtorememberwhatconstructivefeedbackyoumeanttoprovide.

E.Assessment—No,ItNeverEndsHonors/Pass/FailNearlyallofyourrequiredfirst-yearcourseswillbegradedonthehonors/pass/fail system. Passing requires an overall score of 70% or higher—this means that itisabsolutelypossibletofailanexam(orevenmorethanoneexam)andstillpass the course—not that anyone aims for this.

The Honors standard is set at 90%. The number of people who honor will vary from course to course, and it is a personal decision about whether or not honoring in a course is important to you. Some faculty may choose to round up from 89.5% and some absolutely will not.

In the case that you do fail a course, all is not lost. At that point, you will be given an opportunity to remediate the course. This will involve retaking the examsonwhichyouscoredthelowest,withtheultimategoalofraisingyourcumulativescoreenoughtoachieve70%.Thiswillbeenteredonyourrecordasa“PR”—PasswithRemediation.TheimportantthingtorememberisthattheSchoolofMedicineisinvestingalargeamountoftimeandmoneyinyouredu-cationandtheyabsolutelydoNOTwantyoutofail.Ingeneral,themajorityofstudents will pass every class. And for those who do need to remediate, nearly all pass when given that chance.

Thefinalpointwewanttomakeisthatthereisnocurve—you are not being judgedagainstyourclassmates,andthereisnocutoffforhowmanypeoplecanhonor.Thus,thereisnoreasonforcompetitionbetweenstudents.Ourclass and previous classes have developed an incredible culture where every-one works to help others and shares study materials, online resources, etc. It

isagreatwaytolearn.Andthebetteryourwholeclassdoes,thebetteryourwholeclasswilllook—meaning ev-eryonehasbetterlettersofrecommendationandgreatshots at the residencies of their choice. The theme here is“usvs.thetest,”not“youvs.mevs.thetest.”Helpeach other out!

PreclinicalGrades:DoTheyMatter?In a �997 survey of residency program directors, pre-clinical grades were ranked ��th out of �6 variables in importance. This survey was repeated in �006, and pre-

P E A R L

Not all schools have such a collaborative environment—

take advantage of the fact that we all want each other

to succeed.

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clinical grades were again ��th. The point? Honoring courses is nice, and that H suredoeslookgreatonyourtranscript,butnothonoringwillhavelittleimpacton your residency match. The most important variables are clerkship grades (years � and 4) and your Step I score. However, an F in a preclinical course will matterandissomethingyouwouldneedtoexplaintoresidencyprograms.

GradesintheHallwayFollowinganexam,theanswersandeachperson’sgradewillbepostedinthehallwayoutsidethelecturehall.Gradesarelistedbystudentnumberandthusremainconfidential,butstandingamongagroupofstudentssearchingforyour number and your grade can be anxiety-inducing. You may feel exhilarated, disappointed,orrelievedafterseeingyourgrade;however,itisunlikelythatthepersonstandingnexttoyouisfeelingthesameemotions.Pleasebecourteous.Almost100%ofthetime,answerswillbepostedbeforethescoresare.Be-cause you receive a sheet along with your test booklet on which to record your answers(formultiple-choiceexams),youhavetheoptionofgradingyourowntest. Some students love doing this the moment answers are posted, while oth-ers prefer to wait for grades to avoid increasing their blood pressure.

Please be delicate if you share your scores with others. There is nothing like receivingcongratulationsfromyourstudygroupwhenyouimproveyourtestgradesoracomplimentfromaclassmatewhoknowsjusthowhardyouworked,butatthesametime,itcanbeverydishearteningtohearsomeonecomplainabouta95%whenyouareworkingflatoutjusttopass.Everyonecontributes to a collegial environment, and keeping your composure is one way to keep things collegial.

F.Classes:TipsforSuccessToGoorNotToGo?Although,inprinciple,youareexpectedtoattendalllectures,attendanceisgenerallyoptionalinpractice.Thefacultywillletyouknowinadvanceifthereisamandatorylecture.Asyou’llsee,somepeoplealwaysgotolecture and others rarely or never do. Some instructors hand out notes and PowerPoint slides from which you can easily see what material was covered; others prefer to use only the whiteboard.

Forthosestudentswhochoosenottoattendclass(whetheronaregularbasisorjustonceinawhile),mostlecturesarerecorded(audio and visual) and then posted online on the student Black-board page. Panopto (the recording program) is a great resource forwatchinglecturesthatyoumissedorjustreviewingalecturethatyouarestillconfusedabout.Thequalityisn’tgreat,though.SoifyouplanonbecomingbestieswithPanopto,youmaywantto make friends with someone who goes to class so you can copy materialwrittenontheboards,whichareusuallyillegibleorsim-ply not recorded by the camera.

You may think that it would be valuable to know which instruc-torsarethebestsothatyoucanattendtheirlecturesandwhichlecturers are the worst so you can avoid theirs. However, in our experience,it’sveryrarethattheclassisunanimousintheiropin-ion about a given professor: Your favorite instructor may teach in

AbbyNimzputsherclassroomlearningtoworkon WarrenWoodrichPettine.

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awaythatsetsyourbestfriend’steethonedge.Gotolectureandthendecidefor yourself.

Ifyouchoosetoattendlectures,pleasebecourteoustoyourinstructorsandfellowstudents:Showupontime,turnoffyourcellphone,andbequietduringclass.Ifyougetboredandrestless,thendon’tcometoclass.Withtheplethoraof electronic devices that we all own, it is not uncommon to see someone checking the news, planning their wedding, shopping, playing games, sending e-mails,etc.Justberespectfultothosearoundyouandas“non-distracting”aspossible.It’snotfairtoeveryoneelseifyou’retalkingormessingaroundwhenthey’retryingtolisten.

In contrast to lectures, small-group sessions are mandatory. It is important to rememberthatfailuretoattendmandatorysessionsisaprofessionalismviola-tionandistakenfairlyseriously.Thefacultyareannoyedifyoudon’tshowup(rememberthattheyaregivinguptheirtimetoteachyou),and,sincetheyallhave the class composite photo, they will know exactly who you are. If you are unabletoattendamandatorysessionbecauseoftravelorillnessorsomeothernatural disaster, make sure to inform your small-group leader and the course di-rectorsaheadoftime(assoonasyouknoworatleast2to3weeksinadvance).If you need to miss PBL. Talk to Dr. Michaels. She and the course directors are generallyaccommodating.

Studying:HowMuchTimeDoesitReallyTake?Inourclass,therewasahugerangeofstudytime—from people who only study a few hours per week (they are rare) to people who study �� or more hours per day. Again, much of this depends on personal preference and study habits, as well as your background in the material that is being taught. From our experi-ence,mostpeopledobestbyworkingsteadilytomastereachday’smaterial.Thistakesdisciplineandtime(atleastafewhourseachdayoutsideofclasstime),butcanbeveryrewarding.

Remember:Youareonlytakingoneortwoclassesatatime(mostly).Youmayhave 4 to 8 hours of new ma-terial presented in a single day and another 4 to 8 hours the nextday.Gettingbehindcanbe crippling, so try your best to stay on top of the material. DON’Tleaveeverythingforamajorcramsessionbeforethe exam. There is simply too much material.

LearningObjectives:HowToUseThemandHowNotToUseThemLearningobjectives(LOs)willbe provided for each lecture. They exist because the LCME (theU.S.medicaleducationaccreditationbody)wantsus

Why is this chart so large? Because frontloading is a great idea!

RR:HowToReadBeforeClass

This article was written for you by our beloved immunology professor, Dr. JJ Cohen. His advice on studying (and pre-reading!) has helped countless students over the years.

Thefirsttimeyouencounternew material, memory traces are laid down, mostly in the hippocampus. Sleep allows them to be consolidated for longer storage in the cortex. A second exposure to the material, within about three days,potentiatesconnections(“neuronsthatfiretogether,wiretogether”).Lecturesaretoochaoticanenvironmentinwhich to learn material for the firsttime.

These four principles (all supported by extensive evi-dence) suggested an approach to learning in medical school that I call RR:Read,Recite. It’sbasedonaclassic“HowtoStudy”schemecalledSQ3R(survey,question,read,recite,review), which is too cumber-some for advanced studies. It’salittlemorethanjust“pre-read.”RRrequirestwothings:a readable set of notes, or specifictextbookreadings,andwell-constructed (technically: Magerian)learningobjectives.If the course does not provide these, students have the right to demand them.

The process then is this: � to � days before class, read the notes.Dothisasifyou’re interested in the material, not

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to have them, and because they are a pedagogically sound approach to improving teaching and learning. Each faculty member usually writes his or herownLOs,andtestquestionsareostensibly based on them.

ThebestLOsguideyoutothemostimportantmaterialsothatyoucanfocusonunderstandingthatmaterialfirst.Not-so-goodLOsarevague,leadingtotestquestionsthatexamineminutiaeratherthanyourtruelevelofunderstanding.

Inourexperience,thequalityofLOs(andtestquestions)arehighlyinstructor-specific.SomeprofessorsmaytellyouexplicitlythattheirtestquestionscomefromtheLOs,buttheirideaof“conceptual”questionswilloftenbecompletelydifferentfromyours.Untilyougettoknowaninstructor’stestingstyle,thesafestapproachistolearnboththematerialcoveredinthelearningobjectivesandthespecificdetailsemphasizedduringlecture.Somestudentswillreligious-lyanswereveryLO,whileotherswillneverlookatthemandonlyworkfromthelectures.Therearemanymethodstothemadnessofmedschool,andLOsaresimply one tool available to you.

Frontloading: What Is It?Some of you may already be familiar with this concept, also known as preread-ing.Youwillrepeatedlyheartherecommendationtofrontloadthroughoutyourcourses.Theideabehindfrontloadingisthatwhenyouattendalecture,youhave already seen the material being presented at least once, so that lecture becomesareviewthatsolidifiesconceptsinyourbrain.Frontloadingcanbeanythingfromskimmingthroughhandoutsandlearningobjectivesthedaybeforelecturetocompletingthelearningobjectivesbeforehand.

You will learn more about this study technique throughout the year, but it is definitelysomethingtoconsider.Somestudentsswearbyfrontloading,where-asothersneverfrontload.Onceagainthiscomesdowntopersonalpreference,but you should at least give it a try.

Textbooks: Worth the Expense?Everycoursewillidentify“required”and“recommended”textbooks.Forsomecourses,“required”reallydoesmeanrequired,whereasinothers,youcangetawaywithoutanoccasionalreviewofthelibrarycopy.Justaswithstudytechniques,medstudentsdifferwidelyintheiropinionsabouttextbooks.Somepeopledon’tusethematall.Othersmakethemtheirprimaryfocus.

Here is what past classes have found.

�. Textbooksaren’tnecessarytoprepareforexamsinmostcourses. Almost all instructorsbasetheirquestionsonthenotestheyprovideandthelecturesthey present.

2. Ifyouhavenobackgroundinabasicsciencetopic(nephrology,genetics),you may want or need an introductory text. Ask your friends in second year abouttheirfavoritetextbooksforspecificsubjects.Betteryet,yourbuddymight lend you a good textbook.

tryingtomemorize.Doyourreadingintheleastdistractingenvironment you can manage.

Whenyou’redone,turntothelearningobjectivesandtriedtorespond to each—out loud is best.Don’tjustlookatalearningobjectiveandsay,Yes,Igotthat;proveitbyreciting,becausewe’reallgoodatfoolingour-selves.Marksectionsyoudon’tunderstand; quickly reread sec-tionsyoudidn’tretain.Thispro-cess should take about as long as you usually spend on your notes afteralecture.

Getsomesleep.

Cometoclass.You’llexperiencea small excitement of Yes, I knew that. You can wait for explana-tionsofthepartsyoudidn’tget,andbereadytoaskaquestionifnecessary.You’llconcentratebetter,becausethelectureisastory,andyou’llknowtheplot.Newideasandconnectionsmayoccur to you.

Andyou’lllearn,andretain,much more than you did before.

JJCFebruary 2013

P E A R L

There is no replacement for getting enough sleep.

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�. Boardreviewbooksoftendon’thaveenoughdetailtobegoodtextbooks. If they do, then they are too detailed to be good board review books. Some students like having review books on hand for structure and summaries.

4. If you buy textbooks, take advantage of the Internet to save money. Althoughit’sconvenienttobuyfromthecampusbookstore,you’llprobablywant a discount when you are buying a lot of books. If you link to Barnes & Noble through the AMSA site, you get a 5% discount. As a student, you are eligibleforfree2-dayshippingviaAmazonPrime,andanyonecansignupforAmazonMom(youdon’tevenhavetobefemale).Ifyouhavetimeforslower shipping, consider half.com, eBay, and other discount sites. For fre-quentflyers,mostairlineshaveanonlinemallthatgivesyoutwoorthreemiles per dollar spent at B&N. The miles can add up really quickly.

5. For free textbooks, you can always check out books from the library, which has nearly all required and recommended textbooks available for a two-hour loan, or borrow from friends or your MS� buddy. In a later version of this document, we will go through each course and tell you which books we found absolutely necessary.

StudyGroupsIn our experience, smaller study groups are best—once you gather more than twoorfourpeople,yousimplyhavetoomanyvoices.It’simportanttokeepyourdiscussionpositiveandavoidcomplaining,whichcaneatupalotofen-ergyandalotoftimewithzeroproductiveresults. Groupsareparticularlygoodforverbalquizzingbeforeexamsandforbounc-ingideasaroundforhowtohandletoughtasks,suchasmemorizingadruglist.Findthegroupthatworksbestforyou;youwillworkmuchbetterwithsomethanwithothers.Groupstudyingisalsoverygoodifyouarehavingtroublesettlingdowntowork;twoormorepeoplestudyinginthesameroomcanhelpeachotherfocusandgetmoreworkdone.Thenagain,youmightjustbea

giganticdistractionforoneanother.

Exams: What To Study?The best advice we can give is that if the lecturer recommendspracticequestions,DOTHEM.Examquestionsoftenlookalotlikepracticequestions.Ifthelecturerdoesn’tprovideques-tions,thenaskifheorshehassuggestionsforagoodsource.Youcanoftenfindgoodpracticequestionsonlineorinboardreviewbooks.Itisaviolationofthehonorcodetostudyfromunauthorizedcopiesofoldexams.Don’tworry;thereisnofrat-housefileofoldexamsthatyourclassmatesareusingtogainacompetitiveadvantage.

Youwilloftenfindthatyoudonothaveenoughtimetolearnallofthematerialforaparticular

exam.Ouradviceistostaycalm,prioritizeyourstudyingbasedonthemate-rialworththemostpointsorthatismoststraightforwardandeasytolearn,andtakethehitonthethingsyoudon’tknow.Mostofushavepassedexams

(ltor)RyanPhan,MichelleRybka,TomCaliff,SarahCebron,andAnneTaylorat Beaver Creek. They probably frontloaded so they could make time for this trip.

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withoutlearningallthematerial.Itcanbemorehelpfultogetagoodnight’ssleep than to end up mentally and physically exhausted when you get to the exam.Somestudentscandowellwithlittleornosleep,butthisdoesnotworkfor everyone!

Veryfewlecturerswilltellyouexactlywhatmaterialisonanexam,oftenbe-causetheydidnotpersonallypreparethefinishedexam.Instead,theyarelikelytotellyouthatthequestionswillfocusontheLOs.Inthepast,somelecturershave tested on detailed material that students did not expect (this is common atmedschoolsacrosstheUnitedStates).Justlearnasmuchasyoupossiblycanandsimplydoyourbest.Youcanaddressunfairquestionsthroughaformalre-viewprocess,butdon’tcountonsuccessfullyarguingeveryquestionyoumiss.

Problems During an ExamBecauseoftheSOMHonorCode,therearenoprofessorsorfacultymemberspresent in the lecture hall during an exam, and you will not be able to ask ques-tionsregardingquestioncontent.Thetimeforthatcomesfollowinganexamwhen,asmentionedpreviously,thereisaformalreviewprocessinwhichyoucan“contest”specificexamquestionsthatyoufeelwereunfair,confusing,orinappropriately answered.

Instructorsdotheirbesttowriteclearquestions.Somewillhaveotherfacultycheckoverthequestions,andcoursedirectorsattempttoeliminatequestionsthathavebeenproblematiconpastexams.However,therewillinevitablybesomeexamquestionsthatarepoorlywrittenorambiguous.Knowthatstudentsatmedschoolsacrossthecountryencounterthesekindsofproblems.Ourbestadviceistoavoidwastingtimeandenergybybecomingfrustratedorangrydur-ingtheexam(orafterward).Staycalmandrelaxed.

Each course has one to two reps, volunteers from your class who address problems during a course. Following the exam, you will be able to e-mail the repsregardinganyquestionsthatyouareconcernedabout.Therepswillthenforwardaconsolidatedlistofquestionstothecoursedirector,whowillcontactthe appropriate lecturer. You will generally have a 48-hour window following the exam in which to do this.

Remembertobepoliteandcourteousandalwayskeepinmindthatitis highly unlikely that the instructor will agree with your analysisofthequestion.Historically,contestinghasnotbeen successful—but it is important to make student opinionsheardandtocontinuethepressureonfacultymemberstowritegoodexamquestions.

Failing an ExamMost medical students come from an academic back-groundinwhichtheywerethecurvesetters,oratleastfar to the right of the curve. But now that we are all medical students, that is no longer possible. This means that we are all spread along a new bell curve and you may not be able to predict where you will fall. Inevitably, you will do less than stellar on an exam, but that is no reason to panic.Onepoorexamgradeisnotgoingtoruinyourchancesofbecoming

P E A R L

You were accepted to CU for a reason. We believe in you,

and we hope you will believe in yourself. Try your best and

don’t give in to doubt.

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anamazingphysicianandtheoddsaregoodthatyouwillenduppassingthecourseanyway.Rememberthatyouareinmedicalschool,youdeservetobehere,andyouaremorethancapableofgraduating.

However, if you do fail an exam and are concerned about that, the course as awhole,oranythingelse,theOfficeofStudentAffairshasresourcesthataretherewaitingtobeutilized.Theycanaddressstudystrategies,timemanage-ment, and test-taking.

Dr. Carol Lay, a clinical psychologist and learning specialist, works with Student Affairsforjustthispurpose.YoucanscheduleanappointmentwithDr.Laybycallingthemainofficelineat303-724-6407.Theofficecanalsomakearrange-ments for a tutor to assist you.

G.ElectivesElectivesaddressspecificinterestsorprovideclinicalopportunitiesforfirst-andsecond-yearstudents.ThesecoursesaregenerallygradedPass/Failandcanbeagreatwaytomixupyourafternoonsandweekends.Somepeoplewilltakenoelectivesandsomewillenrollin5to6overthefirsttwoyears.Formost,elec-

tivesofferplentyofstimulationwithoutcompletelyovershadow-ing everything else you have to do.

Electivesgenerallyhavelowtimerequirements(mostmeetduringthe lunch hour), but keep in mind that everything adds up—and thatinordertopass,youmustattendmostsessions.Itiseasytoget in over your head.

Atthestartorjustpriortoeachsemester,you’llreceiveane-mailofelectives,theirprerequisites,andhowtoregister.Forthemorepopularelectives(StoutStreet,WarrenVillage,SABES),you’llwanttoregisterASAPafteritopens.RegistrationisdoneonlinethroughtheUCDAccessportal.Thereisnoextrachargeforelectives,althoughsummerelectives

carryafee.Here’salistoftheelectivesofferedduringthe2012-2013academicyear.Thisisjustanexample;notallofthesemaybeofferedagain.

CAM/Alternative MedicineCareer Elective in DermatologyCareer Elective in OtolaryngologyCareer Elective in UrologyClinica TepeyacCritical Evidence AppraisalDenver CARES ElectiveEmergency Med SkillsFlight MedicineGeriatric MedicineGlobal Health SeminarHealth Care and Public PolicyHealth Promotion IHealthcare for the Poor and HomelessIntro Emer Med & TraumaIntro to Emergency PschIntro to Global Health

Intro to OrthopedicsIntro Wilderness MedIntroduction Biomedical ResearchMaternity MatchingMedical HypnosisMolecular Biology Cancer Pre-Hospital MedicinePsychiatry in Great LiteratureQuality ImprovementRefugee Health ISABES Spanish ImmersionSubstance Abuse in Medical PracticeThe Healer’s ArtUrban Underserved CareVeteran Palliative CareWarren Village

P E A R L

Books and lectures can be tedious. Going to clinic or

joining an elective can help you remember why you are

working so hard on the basics.

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IV.GettingInvolved

A.ClassElectionsEach year, the MS� class elects about 40 people to various student governance positions.ThesepositionsprovideawidevarietyofopportunitiestohelpyourclassandtheSchoolofMedicinefunctionsmoothlyandproductively.Active,well-informedclassrepscanmakeabigdifference!

Someofthesepositionsrequireasignificanttimecommitmentallyear;othersrequireyourtimeforonlyafewweeksormonths;othersdon’trequiremuchtimeatall.SincemostpositionsaresharedandeverythingisorientedaroundtheMS1andMS2classschedules,itisraretohaveconflictsbetweenyourclassscheduleandstudentgovernanceresponsibilities.

Noneofthesepositionsrequiresanyrelatedexperience,althoughcertain positionsarebetterfilledbypeopleskilledatmultiprojectmanagement,con-flictresolution,orcustomerservice.Ifyoudon’talreadyhavetheseskillsbutwould like to develop them, this is a good opportunity to do so. It is very helpful tocheckinwiththepersonwhohadthepositionthepreviousyear.Belowisalistofthepositionsthatneedtobefilled.Fulldescriptionsandcon-tactinformationwillbeprovidedinthefinalversionofthishandbook.

President � year, � peopleVice President � year, � personSecretary � year, � personTreasurer � year, � personMedical Student Council � year, � peopleHonor Council 4 years, � personStudent Senate � year, � peopleCurriculumSteeringCommittee 4 years, � peopleLongitudinalCurriculumCommittee 4 years, � personFaculty Senate 4 years, � personIntercampus Teaching Excellence � year, � or more peopleStudentFinancialAidCommittee 4 years, � personSocial Chair � year, �-ish peopleHistorian � year, � peopleCourseReps Durationofcourse,2peopleOfficeofDiversity � year, � peopleProspectiveStudents �.5 years, 4 peopleAlumni Board 4 years, � peopleStudentProfessionalismCommittee 4 years, � personWellness � year, � to � peopleEditor MS� Student Handbook � year, � to � peopleOrientationVideoProducer � year, � to � peopleEssentialCoreBlockDirector � years, � peopleVOICECommittee 4 years, � peopleClerkship Block Director 4 years, � peopleTechnology 4 years, � to � people

�

WhyGetInvolvedWhenIFeelOverwhelmed?

So you have started your firstweekofHumanBodyBlockand between lectures, lab, andstillsettlingintolifeinmedical school you are trying to maintain some semblance of balance between school and yourhome/personal/sociallife(while smelling like the anato-mylab).You’rethinking,“Thereis no way I could possibly com-mittoanythingmoreandstilllearneverything.It’sjustnotpossible.“

In response to that, I would counter with a few things. First and foremost, it is impossible to learnand/orrememberabso-lutely every minute detail that the facultythrowatyouinthefirstyear. An old addage is that medical school is like trying to drink from a firehose.Unlessyouhaveatrulyeideticmemory,youwillforgetthings.However,don’tpanic. If you study consistently and frequently, you will pass and you can honor; many people do in each block.

OK,nowthatwehaveacceptedthefactthatthefirsttimearoundwe will not remember the phar-macokineticsofallcardiacdrugs,wecanmoveontowhygetting involved is important. To dispel therumorthatyouwon’thaveenoughtime,keepinmindthatunless you are running for co-

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B.GroupsandOrganizationsTheAnschutzMedicalCampusishometomanystudentgroups,cateringtoindividual professional schools as well as all comers. Here is a list of a few of thegroups;wewillupdatethislistwithdescriptionsinthefinalversionofthehandbook.

Ifyouhaveaquestionaboutaspecificgroup,pleasecontactStudentAffairsortheStudentAssistanceOffice.

All’BoutCouplesandFamilies(ABC)AMSAAnesthesiologyInterestGroup(AIG)ArrhythmiasBRANCH(BridgingResearchandAuroraNeighborhoodsforCommunityHealth)BenjaminRushSocietyBusiness & HealthcareCAMPS (Colorado Asian Medical Professionals and Students)ChristianHealthFellowshipColorado Medical SocietyCulturallyEffectiveMedicineInterestGroupDiabetesInterestGroupDermatologyInterestGroupDisability DialogueETIG(EducationandTeachingInterestGroup)EmergencyMedicineInterestGroup(EMIG)FamilyMedicineInterestGroup(FMIG)InstituteforHealthcareImprovementOpenSchoolChapterIntegrative,Complementary,andAlternativeMedicineInternalMedicineInterestGroup(IMIG)MedicalHumanitiesInterestGroupMedical Students for ChoiceMilitaryMedicineInterestGroupNutritionandPreventiveHealthInterestGroup(NPHSIG)OncologyInterestGroupObGynInterestGroupOphthalmologyInterestGroupOrthopaedicStudentInterestGroupOtolaryngologyInterestGroupPediatricMedicineInterestGroup(PMIG)PhysiciansforHumanRights(PHR)PrismRadiologyInterestGroupS.I.G.N.(StudentInterestGroupforNeurology)Students Interested in Brain SurgerySNMA(StudentNationalMedicalAssociation)Surgical SocietyWilderness Medicine

president or if you get involved inmultipleactivities(likesayMSC,interviewdays,orientation,writingthishandbook,etc.)thetimecommitmentisminimal—acouplemeetingsamonth,acoupleactivitiestoattendasemester. You do have that much time.Ipromiseyou.

Also,it’sextremelyimportantto have some sort of balance to your life in medical school. You will hear this ad nauseum from physicians, faculty, residents, and older students. As you move forward in your careers, your life will not get less complicated or busy, so it is important to do other things besides study. And theseleadershippositionscanberewarding beyond simply pad-ding your CV for residency. You will get to interact and develop relationshipswithotherstudents(particularlythesuperawesomeclassof2016),amazingfacultymembers, and other physicians in the community. So, peruse the followingleadershippositionandstudentinterestgrouppositions,andfindsomethingyouareinter-estedin.Also,highlycompetitiveresidencies look for those who haveheldleadershippositions.Thereareavarietyofdifferentways to get involved, and if you are passionate about what you are doing, you will be much hap-pier to commit to it.

Christie Osborne, Class of 2013

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TashaCabreraandSarahHaegerturntomorebeautifulthings.Sarahwon’tletustellyouwherethisis.©Someoneelse