An Informal Guide to the First Year

Congratulations! Welcome to Pritzker School of Medicine from members of the second-year class. You have worked hard to attain this goal and pursue this career. You are about to depart on what will stand to be another tumultuous segment of the journey we call life. You are probably nervous and not quite sure what to expect. You knew what questions to ask at your medical school interviews to demonstrate your interests but there is much to learn about the program you are about to start and you did not even know what questions to ask. That’s how most of us felt. But, somehow, we all figured things out with a little help from our predecessors and the Office of Medical Education. The OME works hard to provide you with guidance, resources, and opportunities to get you through. We have just barely finished what you are about to begin and we want to give you a little reassurance and helpful information to set you off in the right direction, hence this informal "guide". The class that preceded us is the group of upperclassmen and -women that we had the opportunity to know best. Likewise we look forward to getting to know you.

Excuse Me, Is there a Doctor in the House?

Are you really becoming a doctor? Do you really deserve to walk around the hospital wearing a white coat? Do you know enough to advise others? At this point, you should probably answer "no". However, by the end of your first year you will begin to feel that a small, but perceptible change has taken place. You are learning medicine! You will start during the first quarter with a course called Introduction to Clinical Medicine (see below) which, among other exercises, gives you the opportunity to interact with patients in the hospital. You will soon realize that most patients have an implicit trust in you. One of the hardest things about this course is to convince yourself that it is not a goofy charade, but an essential exercise in learning to communicate well with people who are ill. By the time spring quarter rolls around, many of you will have volunteered in local clinics and enrolled in preceptorships with clinicians because you want more can’t get enough clinical experience. After all, patient contact is keystone in the practice of medicine.

The Hospital

As your interview experience may have already demonstrated to you, the University of Chicago Hospital complex is a labyrinth. In spite of this, you are expected to find your way around. Follow the signs, ask around, travel with a friend and don’t lose your map! The elevators are good landmarks. Chances are once you know how to find a specific location, you will retrace your steps there every time.

Your Life as a Medical Student:

The academic life at Pritzker is, without a doubt, rigorous and time-consuming. However, it should not occupy all of your time, especially during the first year. For some of you, a portion of the material covered during your courses will be a review of material that was covered in your undergraduate courses. Those of you with less of a background in biological science may be challenged more by some of the courses. The pass/fail grading system is designed to level the playing field and eliminate the need for competition. As a result, you are free to approach medical school as a long-term enterprise rather than obsess about every grade. In the end, everyone completes their first year with a series of P’s on their transcript. Under the pass/fail system most students in our class maintained a full palette of extracurricular activities and continued or began to establish good habits such as exercising regularly and maintaining relationships. There are lots of opportunities to fill your free time and this includes having some fun!

Value your free time and take time to get to know your classmates. Parties generally abound early on as people continue to meet one another. If that’s not your scene, get together a smaller group and avail yourself of some of the fine gustatory experiences to be had in the Chicago area. Explore the campus and Hyde Park. The university sponsors a myriad of cultural events ranging from lectures, film, theater and orchestral music to outdoor concerts, a wacky scavenger hunt and intramural sports. And Hyde Park has a few cultural treasures that are truly worth visiting. There are lots of interesting things to do in Chicago. Friday faculty-student social rounds (a.k.a. "Liver Rounds") held in the hospital is a place where many students gather to make plans for the weekend. The University of Chicago has a large graduate school population and graduate school mixers are held throughout the year.

Some of you will be living with family members while going to medical school, or living with your spouse or significant other. Make sure you start to talk about how you will integrate the demands of medical school with your responsibilities to loved ones. Don’t forget about your friends outside of medical school. They offer something very important: a viewpoint of life that is not tainted by a need to know the intricacies of the human body.

Much of your first year will be spent adjusting. It can be uncomfortable at times. You are with the same group of people, often from 8:30am-5pm, and there can be a bit of a fishbowl effect. As the novelty of medical school wears off and the routine of studying for and taking tests becomes annoyingly familiar, morale usually becomes less jovial. By the end of the year most of you will be focused on simply finishing and starting summer. This mood swing will happen at different times for different people. During winter quarter, darkness falls before you leave lab. Many people go through a phase of depression (which Dean Wagoner will refer to as the "D" zone) and self-doubt. Medical school is very trying and can seem overwhelming. The reason we say this is that almost all of us have been there. Make sure you don’t feel that you must endure these feelings alone. Your relationships in and out of medical school as well as with the staff of the OME are there to help get you through–and you do get through it. On the other side is a more realistic expectation of your academic life and career. It is also important to remind yourself that your medical career develops over the course of seven to ten (or more) years of training. We are told time and again that the most important things come later and that the first years are for establishing a foundation.

The OME anticipates the doldrums that we experience by treating the first year class to the First Year Retreat! It is a much needed weekend getaway in the middle of winter quarter after a brutal set of midterm exams. It is scheduled right around the time when most people are in the D-zone. There is plenty of good food, a stress management workshop, a talent show, faculty-led workshops on different humanistic topics (e.g., medicine and marriage, time management, art in medicine, among others), a personality workshop, and a great party. It is an ideal time for you to bond (or re-bond) with your classmates and get to know some of the people that you haven’t yet. Virtually everyone attends.

As spring rolls around, the weather gets better and virtually everyone comes back to life. The work-load seems somewhat lighter as most classes are only tested at the end of the quarter. This can make for a very stressful period just before finals as you attempt to make up for weeks of slacking. Try to stay on top of your work throughout the quarter. With the opportunity to take some electives, you have the chance to explore some of the things that really interest you. There will be a meeting in winter quarter to present what to expect, how to plan, and what opportunities are available for spring quarter courses and electives.

Academic Life: A Brief Introduction

You will spend much of your weekdays in class. Below, we present a few necessary details so that you can get a sense of what is on the horizon. Speak to upperclassmen and -women about their experiences. Ask them about their strategies for dealing with the volume of information. Take each piece of advice lightly. Though you should use it to develop your own habits, you should remember that everyone will have a different opinion and everyone has different strategies for success.

Regarding placement exams: a reason to take them is to gain some flexibility in an otherwise inflexible academic program. If you feel uncertain about how much you retained from your undergraduate biochemistry course, take the placement exam anyway and see how you do. Feel free to speak to the course directors about any concerns you may have.

A word about "failing" at Pritzker: keep in mind that everyone wants to see you do well. If you are having trouble keeping up with the material, there are lots of people who can help. You will work hard, but you should try to enjoy the process as much as possible. You should begin to feel an emerging sense of competence by the end of the year. Whatever your approach, know that there are 104 other students in the same boat as you.

During orientation, you will be told that group study is the best way to success. Though team work is important in the medical practice, many people study more effectively on their own. Develop the study techniques that work best for you. Learning styles vary from person to person and don’t feel pressured to study in a way that is less comfortable for you.

Academic Life: Fall Quarter

Biochemistry

Biochemistry is a traditional didactic course. Interspersed among the daily fifty minute lectures are a handful of computer based labs. The course covers a wide array of topics including protein and enzyme biochemistry, lipids and membrane biochemistry, metabolic pathways and their regulation, biochemistry of nucleic acids, and protein synthesis. Exams are given about every three weeks or so and are non-cumulative. It is advisable to go to class and take good notes, and you may not even need a textbook. This course and its complement during the winter quarter (Molecular and Cellular Biology) are intended to provide a foundation for subsequent courses in the basic medical sciences such as pathology. This course covers a lot of material that will be a review for those with a solid background in biological science or biochemistry. Dr. Meredith, the course director, offers a placement exam to anyone who wishes to take it.

Introduction to Clinical Medicine

As the name implies, this is the first in a series of courses you will take throughout medical school that teaches specific aspects of clinical medicine. You begin with the basics: learning to perform a structured medical interview and learning basic doctor-patient communication skills. In the past, the course has met twice each week for an hour and a half. The course directors intend to incorporate a number of different opportunities to gain practical experience and feedback on your communication skills including supervised medical interviews of patients in the hospital. Professional dress and white coat are required.

Cell and Organ Physiology

Physiology is a two quarter course that spans the fall and winter. The course meets daily for fifty minutes. The first half of the fall quarter course covers some fundamental principles that will for a basis for the rest of the course. Starting with the study of cell membranes, membrane potentials, and epithelial transport, the course becomes more clinical as muscle physiology, cardiovascular physiology and respiratory physiology are covered. There are three or four labs integrated into the course utilizing the computer program "Symbiosis". The labs require you to apply the ideas that were covered in preceding lectures to clinical scenarios. Most of us found them to be an enjoyable and useful way to integrate lecture topics. Exams are given every three weeks or so and are non-cumulative.

Human Morphology I

Human Morphology combines embryology, histology and gross anatomy. The course directors feel that teaching these subjects in a unified fashion will encourage better integration of the material. Human Morphology spans the fall and winter quarters. This course tends to dominate as the primary academic concern during the autumn and winter quarters, although not all students regarded it as such. There are daily lectures in the morning followed by lab in the afternoon. A set of colored pencils or a multi-colored pen will prove very helpful throughout the course. You won’t work with the cadaver until the end of the second week of class. The first two weeks are devoted to the study of embryology by examining chicken embryos under the microscope. The rest of the fall quarter is spent exploring the thorax, the abdomen, and the pelvis. Histology and dissection labs are integrated to give both a gross and microscopic perspective of the various structures and organ systems. Exams are given after each section of the course and are non-cumulative. The TAs for the course (second year medical students) will be an invaluable asset to you. They will help you navigate the difficult terrain of the gross and microscopic anatomy of the human organism.

Facing the Issues of Death and Dying in Human Morphology Lab

The Human Morphology course, perhaps like no other in the first two years, is a potential source of anxiety due to the fact that you will be dissecting a cadaver. Some people dread the idea of handling a cadaver while wannabe surgeons are more excited to get inside the human body. Please don’t be alarmed if you have no feelings other than a natural curiosity. All of these reactions are well within the limits of "normal." We are encouraged to maintain a high degree of respect for the bodies that we study and this usually helps one adjust to the necessity of the task at hand. The initial lab period you spend with the cadaver will not involve any dissection. It occurs at the end of the second week of the first quarter and will be a relatively brief exercise in wrapping the body with wet cloths to prevent the cadavers from drying during the time you will work with them.

Kyle Nash (a specialist on death and dying issues at the hospital and fellow at the ethics center) gives a rather unique lecture as a preparation for gross anatomy lab. She provides an historical perspective on dissection as a part of medical education and the rather lengths students and faculty had to go to in the past to study anatomy. She also explains the details of how and where cadavers are presently obtained by medical schools in Illinois. Afterwards she gives people an opportunity to tour the anatomy lab and express their feelings if they feel the need to do so. With the help and support of Kyle, Pritzker students organize a memorial service to honor those who have given their bodies for our edification at the conclusion of the course. Most students attend the service, and many participate by writing poems, singing songs, or sharing their personal experiences.

A Message from Kyle Nash:

A very wise student reminded me to stress that here at Pritzker no one has to be alone in this. Students are very supportive of one another. I’m here as an optional resource: a supportive presence. If nothing else, we’ll just "shoot the breeze." Whatever your reaction(s) to dissecting the human body, it is a profound experience, one in which I feel honored to share.

-Kyle Nash

Academic Life: Winter Quarter

Molecular and Cellular Biology

This is another traditional didactic course that convenes daily for a fifty minute lecture and a few additional times to discuss a relevant scientific paper (i.e., "journal club"). The journal club papers offer you the opportunity to reflect critically on published experimental observations. Topics covered during the course include prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression and its regulation, signal transduction, cell cycle and its relation to cancer, intracellular trafficking, cell structure and organization, and cell-cell communication. It may be a review for some of you. Exams are given every three weeks or so and are non-cumulative.

Organ Physiology and Endocrinology

During this quarter you will continue studying the physiology of the major organ systems and culminate with four weeks of endocrinology. Lectures are given daily for fifty minutes. The winter course presents basic human physiology and then applies these principles to clinical scenarios. The renal physiology section incorporates weekly case-based discussion sections in place of a lecture. After renal physiology, you will spend a few weeks on gastrointestinal and hepatic physiology before endocrinology begins. Exams are given after each section and are non-cumulative.

Human Morphology II

The second part of the Human Morphology course is less time-intensive because there is scant histology and embryology. Lectures convene three times per week, as do labs. You will begin by dissecting the legs and hips, arms and shoulders, before concluding with anatomy of the head, face and neck. This involves learning the cranial nerves. These dissections are tricky, so you will rely on your dissection skills of first quarter. You will probably feel that the winter course requires you to fine-tune your memorization skills. TAs are fewer in number and play a less prominent role in the course, but are quite knowledgeable. Pritzker’s future orthopedic surgeons (fourth year medical students) typically TA the course. Exams are given after each segment of the course and are non-cumulative. They focus more on gross anatomy and less on physiology, embryology and histology.

The Doctor-Patient Relationship II / Medical Ethics

This course sets the University of Chicago curriculum apart from many other medical school curricula. It stems from the University’s tradition of pioneering work in the field of medical ethics, much of which was done by the course co-director, Dr. Mark Siegler. Different faculty members cover a wide range of topics including euthanasia, pediatric ethics, reproductive issues and genetic engineering, and the ethics of human experimentation. The course meets once a week for a lecture, followed by facilitated small group discussions. Students are also encouraged to participate in extracurricular ethics discussions, such as case conferences and the student-run Bioethics Interest Group. The final exam is a take home essay exam that requires an ethical analysis of a case.

The Social Context of Medicine

This course covers the economics, politics and social underpinnings of the American medical profession. It meets once per week for lecture/discussion. This is an evolving course. Course format and issues are likely to vary from year to year, but may include such topics as how doctors are paid, managed care organizations, the structure of an academic medical center, health care for the poor, public health, racial discrimination in medicine, and information technology in medicine. The course requires you to attend a couple of small group sessions that are held weekly with attending physicians from the hospital. The presenters give a brief lecture and lead a discussion on a topic in which they are involved. A brief write-up is submitted. There are several short papers required and a longer final research paper.

Academic Life: Spring Quarter

Medical Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology

This class is really a two quarter course combined into one quarter. Lectures are given an average of two times per day (sometimes three or four) with neuroanatomy and neurophysiology labs once or twice per week. Basic neuroanatomy is introduced, then revisited in a functional context. You will learn several neural pathways and their function: sensory/motor, pain, vestibular, oculomotor, auditory, visual, and limbic. Cranial nerves will be reviewed. Other topics include neural system differentiation, membrane potentials, synaptic transmission and neural/synaptic plasticity. Clinical applications are presented throughout the course. The last few weeks of the course mainly cover autonomic neuropharmacology. Exams are given every three weeks or so and are non-cumulative.

Development and Psychopathology

This course is a traditional didactic course with lectures given three times per week. It begins with lectures on normal human development and follows with coverage of major categories of mental illness, their diagnostic criteria and treatment options. The final (only) exam is a "Boards" style, case-based exam that tests your ability to integrate the material. The course directors will evoke the fear of failure in you as you are presented with your first Boards style cumulative exam. Try not to get to worried and do your best to learn the material.

Medical Genetics

This course meets three times per week. Topics include analysis of Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance patterns and their molecular basis, pedigree analysis and risk assessment, molecular diagnostic techniques, chromosomal abnormalities, genetic counseling, biochemical disorders, and the genetics of cancer. A number of clinically relevant congenital disorders are discussed in detail and efforts are made to demonstrate clinical applications. You are evaluated with a single exam given during finals week. You may feel that you have a good background in genetics, but this course emphasizes the medical application of human genetics. You may be able to place out of it if you have taken a comparable medical genetics course, but the course director encourages students to take the course because most undergraduate genetics courses do not emphasize human medical genetics or genetic counseling.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

This course covers the basics of biostatistics and epidemiology. It also covers basic principles for analyzing and using medical literature for improving the practice of medicine (i.e., evidence-based medicine). It meets three times per week for lectures. Dr. Thisted does his best to accommodate students. The course evaluation was based on on-line quizzes every other week.

Nutrition

This course revolves around one weekly lecture and one weekly small group discussion with assigned cases. There are a few activities to complete during the quarter, including a diet analysis, and a final exam.

Electives

Many students use their spring elective period (100 credits; more if you place out of a course) to begin research that they hope to continue through the summer. Several students do a clinical preceptorship in order to explore clinical work. There are a number of popular courses offered by the medical school that are somewhat different than the traditional didactic courses you’ve had until now. Most have a substantial clinical component. Courses in the college and graduate school are also viable options if you can find one that does not conflict with your schedule. The OME circulates a list of electives to give you some ideas. You are at liberty to pursue any interest you have, even if it is not medically related.

Buying Books

Professors may require certain textbooks, while students may highly recommend other books for clearer comprehension. Some students rely only on lecture notes, but books are usually more helpful because of their indices, glossaries, and figures. Many students found board review books particularly useful and wished they would have used them more during their first year. Most textbooks are available on reserve in Crerar library. The disadvantage to reserve books is that you cannot write in them, you are limited by time, and other students may have them out. Some books will be worth owning; whereas others may be useful for reference only. We have polled our class and the results are to follow. You will be able to tell by the data that many people have different opinions about books. Go over the survey and ask second years during orientation and beyond. This year, the second years are coordinating a Book Fair in order to organize second, third and fourth years who have books they want to sell. These used books will be available cheap and a portion of all sales will go to an AMSA charity (T.B.A.). This event will be held during orientation, so it would be best to save your money and buy books during the fair. Take a look at the book survey before the sale because supplies are limited and there will be a rush.

The U of C Bookstore

Barnes and Noble bought and renovated the University Bookstore in the fall of 1995. In addition to the medical books located on the second floor, it contains a Starbuck’s coffee shop and ATMs (BankOne). B & N will order any published book in the world at the customer’s request.

Other Sources of Books

Some professors order their books through the Seminary Coop Bookstore (752-4381) at 5757 S. University, a cramped place with lots of character. Members get 10% off all purchases, and they will special order.

The Seminary Coop Bookstore also operates 57^th Street Books (684-1300) at 1301 E. 57 St. Though this is not the place to buy textbooks, it is a very cool bookstore for your non-school book buying needs. Also noteworthy is Powell’s (955-7780) at 1501 E. 57 St. They usually have a collection of free books out front for the taking.

For a female/lesbian centered bookstore, check out Women & Children First Bookstore at 5233 N. Clark, 773-769-9299.

The Logan Medical Bookstore (733-4544), across from Cook County Hospital, is a good place to explore if the book you want is out of stock in Hyde Park. You might also check at the Northwestern University Medical Bookstore at 710 N Lake Shore (312-503-8486) or the University of Illinois Medical Bookstore at 828 S Walcott (413-5500). Call ahead for hours and details of how to reach these places.

Probably the most popular means of purchasing books is the ubiquitous internet. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc have a plethora of our texts available. Medsite.com has a deal with AMSA through which membership in AMSA (www.amsa.org) will get you a free Netter’s Atlas when you order through their website. Listen up during orientation for details.

Some students prefer to purchase books by phone at 1-888-BUYALLB (1-888-289-2552). Reportedly the prices are discounted 20% and UPS shipping is inexpensive. You can save on shipping costs by ordering in groups. This is the cheapest way to buy your books. However, it takes 7-10 days to receive them, so order before the quarter begins (i.e. during orientation week and quarter breaks).

Recommended Books for the First Year

This is by no means an exhaustive list of available books. We polled the class of 2004 and of those who purchased or owned the following books, we asked how they felt about their usefulness. As you can see by the results below, opinions are quite varied. See "Buying Books" above for more information. Remember that people like to study in different ways and that some will find certain books and study tools useful while others will not. Some students purchased very few textbooks, whereas others felt it necessary to buy all of them. Many books are available on reserve and the bookstore does have a short return policy, so you can find out if you like a book before you really spend the money. Look for the AMSA book sale and postings on the listserver. Some mentors will even loan the books to their mentees, but will (and should) expect them back in the late winter and spring as they review in CPP and prepare for Boards.

Note: Not all columns add to 100% due to rounding.

All books were priced at amazon.com, except this noted with (*).

Clinically Oriented Anatomy — "Big Moore," Moore & Dalley, 4^th ed., 1999, $65. Unabridged text which provides useful adjuncts to enhance understanding; blue boxes provide clinical correlation which may be useful for the Boards.

The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, Moore & Persaud, 6^th ed., 1998, $48.29. This is the all-encompassing guide to embryology. The diagrams are useful in appreciating the 3-dimensional nature of development and the text is useful in understanding system development.

Essential Clinical Anatomy — "Baby Moore," Moore, et al, 1995, $45. Abridged version of Moore. For many people this is all they need, others need the more detailed text and diagrams of Big Moore.

Basic Histology, Junquiera, 9^th ed., 1998, $44.95. Text guide to histology that works well along Wheater to gain a total understanding of histology; provides the physiological details absent from Wheater’s picture heavy guide.

Wheater’s Functional Histology, Young & Heath, 4^th ed., 2000, $59. Combines concise text with histological preparations; comes with a CD-Rom.

Atlas of Human Anatomy, Netter, 2^nd ed., 1997, $64.95. Excellent book of drawings detailing human anatomy at a multitude of levels and views. Your lab table should pool money and buy one early (keep it locked up).

Grant’s Atlas of Anatomy, Agur, et al, 10^th ed., 1999, $59.95. May help you in studying since diagrams from this atlas are used for some exams.

Color Atlas of Anatomy, a Photographic Study, Rohen & Yokochi, 4^th ed., 1998, $66.95. Many considered it the source for passing practicals; book of photographs of immaculate dissections with number labels so you can quiz yourself (your dissections will never look like these).

Clinical Anatomy Made Ridiculously Simple, Goldman, 1991, $19.95. Provides easy to remember though often far-fetched analogies to help you remember anatomical concepts.

Board Review Series (BRS) Anatomy, Kyung, 1995, $26.95 (* medsite.com). Outline summarizes concepts in bullet form.

Other books that some students found useful include:

Clemente’s Anatomy, Gray’s Anatomy (for the stuff you can’t find elsewhere), Shell’s Human Anatomy (in Crerar, concise), Human Anatomy Coloring Book, Gartner and Hiatt Color Atlas of Histology.

Physiology, Berne & Levy, 4^th ed., 1998, $69. Recommended text for physiology; very detailed but covers specific topics in a concise manner.

Renal Physiology, Vander, 5^th ed., 1995, $29.95. Well-written, easy to read, and necessary book to complement class notes.

Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary, and Nutritional Physiology, Chang, et al, 1996 (out of print), 24.05 (used). Now out of print. Dr. Chang, who wrote the book and teaches the course, distributes notes that represent the book very well. Some Students still found it useful to get their hands on the book.

BRS Physiology, Costanzo, 2^nd ed., 1998, $28.95. A great review book and useful adjunct to the course.

Other book that some students found useful include:

Constanzo’s ‘Stars’ Physiology Review

Biochemistry, Voet & Voet, 2^nd ed., 1995, $126.50. Recommended text for biochemistry, many students survived without purchasing it.

Biochemistry, Stryer, 4^th ed., 1995, $125. Another detailed text.

Lippincott’s Illustrated Reviews — Biochemistry, 2^nd ed., 1994, $32.95. More necessary if your background in biochem can use a boost.

Other books that some students found useful include:

Lehninger, Nelson, and Cox Biochemistry, BRS Biochemistry (better than Lippincott’s but with less figures), Voet, Voet, and Pratt Fundamentals of Biochemistry (smaller, easier to digest), Zubay Biochemistry.

Principles of Neural Science, Kandel, Schwartz, & Jessell, 2000, $85. You will be told that this book is a must have for your career in medicine; decide for yourself.

Neuroscience, Purves, 2000, $76.95. Readable but a bit basic is some areas.

High-Yield Neuroanatomy, Fix, 2^nd ed., 2000, $15.95.

BRS Neuroanatomy — out of print substitute with:

NMS Neuroanatomy, Demyer, 2^nd ed., 1998, 28.00

Lippincott Pharmacology, Mycek, et al, 2^nd ed., 2000, $32.95. Valuable book in Dr. Heller’s section of neuropharmacology.

Pharmacology, Rang, 4^th ed., 2001, $49.95. New edition due out in 2001; some used the reserve copy.

The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Goodman & Gilman, 2001, $125. Supposedly a must have for studying pharmacology; new edition due out in August.

Neuroanatomy Text & Atlas, Martin, 2^nd ed., 1996, $79.95

Neuroanatomy: an atlas of structures, sections, and systems, Haines, 5^th ed., 2000, $37.95. Very useful guide through neuroanatomy labs.

The Brain Atlas, Hanaway, 1^st ed., 1998, $55.

Other books that some students found useful include:

BRS Pharmacology, Neuroanatomy Made Ridiculously Simple, Haines Fundamental Neuroscience, Lange Pharmacology

Molecular Cell Biology, Lodish, 4^th ed., 1999, $106.40. Some found this book valuable; others never laid eyes on it.

Medical Genetics, Jorde, 2^nd ed., 2000, $45. Most people found the notes sufficient.

Genetics Pre-test, Wilson, et al, 1998, , $24.94. book of practice questions and answers.

High Yield Biostatistics, Glaser, 2001, $15.95. Some used this book to supplement the course lectures and notes.

BRS Behavioral Science, Fadem, 1999, $26.95. Most read this BRS cover to cover before the exam; covers more than the course does but should not substitute for course notes.

Medical Nutrition & Disease, Morrison & Hark, 1999, $36.95. Most valuable as a reference in completing the course assignments and the open book cased based portion of the final exam.

Other books students found useful include:

Cell Biology: Alberts Molecular Biology of the Cell (if you already own it, don’t buy Lodish)

Genetics: Thompson and Thompson Genetics in Medicine

Epidemiology: Petrie and Sabin Medical Statistics at a Glance(valuable as reference for

future researchers)

Psychopathology: BRS Psychiatry, Kaplan and Sadock Synopsis of Psychiatry

Co-op Note Service

During the first two (pre-clinical) years, students traditionally establish a note-taking service that records every anatomy lecture (directly from a cassette deck on the podium connected to the lecturer’s microphone) and provides edited transcripts to members of the co-operative. Each co-op member takes his/her turn transcribing so that no single person does all the work. This is an independent, student-run organization. It sounds like a lot of work, but when it’s split between 90 people, it isn’t so bad. Co-op notes can be very useful when it comes to translating the language that the professors speak in class into plain, ordinary English. It also provides you with a big picture understanding of the material.

The notes also serve as a good source of comic relief, as most people personalize or theme their notes.

The service also routinely provides copies of old exams for all classes. Co-op organizers obtain these old exams away from second year students to put them on on-line reserve.

The members of the co-op select which courses they would like transcribed. Our class only transcribed human morphology lectures and lab boards. In the past, classes have had physiology and neuroanatomy lectures transcribed as well. Mostly the notes provided by the professors are sufficient for other classes. Talk to second and third year students if you want more advice.

Some general advice: have transcribers show their notes to the lecturer before distribution so errors can be caught and points clarified. Tape directly from the podium. Set fees at an affordable level that will cover cost ($45 this past year). Consider handing out co-ops from previous years for the material immediately preceding the test. Some have suggested getting a hold of last year’s notes and lighten the load by updating, modifying, and enhancing those already transcribed. This will save people time and effort since the vast majority of lectures (and exams) remain unchanged from year to year. Mailboxes are the way to distribute co-op notes.

Unfortunately, peer pressure seems to be required in order to generate and maintain co-op quality. If you feel that a co-op is sub-par, submit an evaluation form (which should be offered by the co-op leaders) informing the author of your suggestions for future improvement.

A good co-op should be able to stand on its own apart from handouts received in class; in other words, don’t just add a few explanatory remarks made by the lecturer and staple them to the lecture notes nor photocopy pages from textbooks most students already own. Try to augment your fellow students’ understanding, using the text or other sources to explain any confusing points. Remember: if you do a good job, others will be inspired to do the same.