PHASE WEEK-Usually, there are five weeks of lecture and laboratory followed by one intense week of testing (called a Phase). The week of tests is called Phase Week. Consider each test during phase week a final examination and prepare during the preceding five weeks accordingly.
THE SYLLABUS- Each course has a packet of lecture notes called a syllabus, which includes outlines for each lecture. Some are more complete than others. You are required to buy a syllabus for each of your courses when you purchase textbooks.
STUDY AID CD- Before school starts and during the beginning of school, you will receive an order form for the Study Aid CD. This is a compilation of old tests, charts and helpful notes compiled by students for students. Many students in the Class of 2005 have found this to be an invaluable tool for the purposes of self-testing before exams and in determining what areas in a course they need the most help PRIOR to it affecting their grade.
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES-If you need to save money, discuss with your Physical Diagnosis partners about sharing equipment. Everyone should, however, buy a stethoscope. Medical books are expensive; you cannot do anything about it. Some people can do without them; some people buy selectively and rely more heavily on the library and friends; some buy almost everything. The average cost of one book is about $60. If your budget is limited, shop carefully. In the first semester, you can expect to spend about $250-450. The second semester's books run about the same amount. You will also have to purchase diagnostic instruments second semester which cost around $500. Tutoring in medical school is a whole new experience. Even if you have never used a tutor in the past, you will most likely hire one during your first year. Tutors are available for the following classes: Gross Anatomy, Microanatomy & Neuroscience. Prices for tutoring depend on the amount of time used & the number of people tutored. Typically an hour of tutoring costs around $20 for a group. Do not forget to account for the cost of tutoring sessions in your budget. Your big brother/big sister might be willing to lend you some books for the semester for free! Many students have purchased their books online at a much cheaper price than the bookstore. This usually occurs after becoming a member of an organization such as AMSA, which provides coupons to http://www.medsite.com with membership dues. The UTHSCSA bookstore is the only deal in town for new medical books and supplies. If you are eligible for military privileges, stop by the bookstore on the first floor of the Academy of Health Sciences at Ft. Sam Houston (no tax!). All of the required texts are on reserve in the library, but that does not mean that they will always be there. Half Price Books has a Medical Section with some great bargains on textbooks. Quantities vary and are limited. New and used college textbooks will not have many medical books, but they will special order used medical textbooks for you. Also, remember if you have any textbooks from college that you think might be helpful, bring them! Sometimes it helps to have a familiar resource when you need a less detailed overview or a quick reminder of how something works.
SCRIBE SERVICE- One of the first things you will want to organize as a class is the student scribe service. It is a voluntary system whereby members share the responsibility of taping, transcribing and proofing the transcriptions (scribe notes) of lectures in all of the classes for the fall semester and all of the classes for the spring semester. Since the scribe service is not an official organization sponsored by any UTHSCSA administration, a scribe service for your class is not already set up for you. It is imperative that some of you take the initiative to get the scribe service going for your class either before or during orientation week. If you are interested in heading up the service, you can contact our Scribe Guru, Casey Mitchell-Drawert at [email protected] and she will give you all the information you need to know to get started smoothly. Your first lectures start the first week of class and must be scribed. It takes only one or two people to oversee the service, and the participation of the class to scribe, tape lectures, and post notes on the web. Each member pays a fee (as determined by your scribe committee) for being in the scribe service. Being a member entitles him/her to receive copies of the scribe notes as they are prepared (usually all of the notes for the lectures of the previous week are posted on the web site by Monday). In addition, each member is responsible for scribing and proofing a specified number of lectures for the semester. It is strongly recommended that you become familiar with using a computer or a word processing program this summer. Although the scribe service is a voluntary system, it is highly recommended that you consider it as a study resource. Lectures are often presented extremely quickly and there is often not enough time for you to take comprehensive, accurate notes on the information presented. Scribe notes are just another example of the efficient use of study time, because the material presented in lecture accounts for most of the material which will appear on phase exams. Once again, Casey Mitchell-Drawert has done an outstanding job of running the Class of 2005 Scribe Service and will gladly assist you with advice regarding how to set up and run your own scribe service.
LIAISONS- UTHSCSA, like many medical schools, has developed a liaison system to facilitate communication-between students and faculty. Liaisons are members of your class whose responsibility is to present students' opinions and concerns to the professors and relay professors comments and instructions to the class. Liaisons are busiest immediately following tests since it is their job to challenge disputed questions. Diplomacy is of utmost importance in a liaison, so choose them carefully. Diplomacy is of utmost importance in a liaison, so choose them carefully. If you become a liaison, remember that you represent your classmates and the job you do influences them.
STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOPS- The Counseling Service office sponsors workshops to help you find the best method to study effectively and manage your time. The workshops are offered on request and at scheduled times. Look for posted schedules. Individual consultation for study skills is also provided by appointment. For locations and more information about the workshops please stop by room 358L or call 567-2648 |
