White Coat Ceremony

I walked in a student and walked out a “Student Doctor.” Bally’s Resort and Casino event center in Las Vegas was filled with family, friends, and healthcare-professionals-to-be. We literally walked into the beginning of our new profession.

Coat of Honor

When we matriculated, we knew the goal was to walk away a physician educated in the art of medicine. Some have said that by the end of four formative years in medical school, the white coat is donned four years too late. Rather than waiting until our two years of classroom work and two years of clinical studies are completed, the esteemed white coat was presented to us this last week as a manifestation of the profession we are entering.

A historical tour of medicine reveals that the white coat is reserved for the medical professional. With more experience, it is appropriate for the coat to become longer. Thus a medical student wears a coat that reaches to the waist whereas that of a seasoned physician will hang at the knees. Both are a symbol of the provider's dedication to the practice of medicine and the patients with whom he or she interacts.

Dignified Ceremony

Seated guests looked for ‘their’ student as they processed to the chairs at the front of the hall. The color guard presented the nation’s flag and I participated in the a cappella group that sang the national anthem before taking my seat among my colleagues. As TUNCOM is a Jewish institution, the governing Rabbi offered an invocation in the Hebrew tongue. The Dean of the school took a moment to express the significance of this event and then read each name one by one.

Students crossed the stage and handed their white coat to a member of the faculty who shook the coat before handing it to another professor who then assisted the student into their coat. This symbolism represented the formative classroom and clinical years respectively. Once the coats were received, the students stood to take The Osteopathic Oath:

I hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter.

I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and the life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature’s laws and the body’s inherent capacity for recovery.

I will be ever vigilant in aiding in the general welfare of the community sustaining its laws and institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon myself or my profession. I will give no drugs for deadly purposes to any person though it be asked of me.

I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices.

I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biological truths to the healing arts and to develop the principles of Osteopathic medicine which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor Still.

In the presence of this gathering I bind myself to my oath.

Similar to the Hippocratic Oath given to allopathic counterparts, this oath embodies the characteristics of sound, dedicated physicians. It is a standard of care physicians attempt to deliver every day around the world. Although the formalities of the evening may be over, the journey is still in its infancy for the many medical students who wear the white coat and experience this honored rite of passage.

Yom Kippur

Once again Touro students find themselves at a time of holiday. Almost ten days ago Rosh Hashanah started and we are now in the midst of Yom Kippur, or the "day of atonement." It is considered to be the most important Jewish holiday, representing repentance and the atonement. An extended fast is performed during this time which is accompanied by considerable prayer. A normal day usually consists of three prayer services whereas this special day commonly has five.

Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah when it is believed that God writes the fate of individuals into the book of life. The ten day period between offers time for repentance at the start of the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur is the day when the "verdict" of God is sealed. May your Yom Kippur be a day of renewal.

Rosh Hashanah

Shana tova. This traditional Hebrew or Jewish greeting is an expression of the Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah (ראש השנה).

Rosh Hashanah

Touro University is a smaller branch of the larger Touro College and as such holds true to its Jewish history. As Jewish men and women come together to celebrate this new beginning, I thought it would be appropriate to understand the significance of this important day in Jewish culture. Touro institutions give their students vacation time during this time of Holy Holidays, or Yamim Noraim, which is considered one of the most important holidays.

Rosh Hashanah is considered as sacred as the Shabbat and is therefore a day of rest. The shofar, a trumpet made from a ram's horn, is sounded to wake those who "slumber" and alert them to their impending judgment. Symbolically, prayers are offered near moving bodies of water where bread or pebbles are thrown to signify one's sins being "cast off." From the first day of Rosh Hashanah, individuals are given ten days to repent and leave their sins behind before the arrival of Yom Kippur when names are written into the book of life or are "blotted out of the book of the living."

Similarly, traditional Jewish foods characterize this sacred holiday. As a "sweet" new year is expected, apples, honey and pomegranates are commonly served. Recipes include meats from the head of animals are used symbolically as Rosh Hashanah is literally translated to mean "head of the year." Challah, a round bread, represents the cycle of the year. Other typically Mediterranean foods are served such as dates, gourds and beans.

Though I am sure many students will use this three day vacation to catch up on their studies, it is great to know why we have the time off in the first place. This respite to a hectic life certainly plays a significant role in global appreciation.

Ketiva ve-chatima tovah, "May You Be Written and Sealed for a Good Year."

Heart of Gold

No longer pumping the fluid of life to the vital organs of its owner, this human heart has been cut out for the purpose of scientific and medical learning from someone with a heart of gold.

Medical Science

In my undergraduate anatomy course I took for granted the skill with which our human cadavers were dissected. Now in medical school we are responsible for learning the anatomical structures by careful use of the scapula and scissors. To preserve important structures and improve the overall appearance takes patience, effort and a careful hand.

This week we were responsible for opening the thoracic cavity. What may seem like a brutal task actually provided numerous learning opportunities. We explored the lungs in the pleural cavity and the heart in its minute detail. After removing the outer protective layer, the chambers of the heart were opened to reveal how a muscle so small could allow mankind to live.

It is a rather awe inspiring task to hold and clean the heart of another individual who likely has children, grandchildren and other family members. They laughed, cried, worked, served and struggled with the stress of life just as we do today. On top of it all they had a desire to donate their bodies to medical science for the purpose of educating medical students. Teaching others long after their hearts have stopped beating. I could never have imagined I would be in this position when I was younger.

There is so much yet to be learned as we deconstruct each part of the body to gain a working knowledge of its importance. Many resources are available for learning and identifying the thousands of structures. Lever soap only scratched the surface when they used the slogan "for all your 2000 body parts." The following is a list of helpful tools when trying to commit the body to memory:

• Flash Cards - Popular Netter Flash Cards make studying anatomy more portable
• Cadaver Anatomy - Learn and be quizzed with photographs from real dissections
• Mnemonics - Make life a little simpler with medical mnemonics
• Gray's Anatomy - Historically one of the best sources
• Anatomical Models - Three dimensional models can tell more than a picture

Weekend Getaway

Living in the world's capital of entertainment, I find it hard to get away from the tourist traps occasionally. Las Vegas has a large array of events, shows, and activities available for all crowds and personalities. When it comes to inexpensive shows that deliver, you have to look a little harder. Craigslist is a great place to look when student loans are looming more than ever.

We were able to obtain tickets to a celebration in honor of Giacomo Puccini. For those who may not know, he was a writer of Opera over one hundred years ago. It was nice to leave the scrubs at home, dress up a little, sit back and admire the talent of classical opera. Although Italian is not my forte despite my heritage, the performance still fulfilled a need for something other than textbook culture.

Office Space

The den of a medical student, where learning is bursting at the seams. There are no skeletons in the closet and plenty of books to go around.

The Office

I am learning to spend the greater part of my home-life in the company of Mr. Bones. The office was on the priority list for completion from the day we moved in. Having the right place to study at home or on the road makes a big difference.

I chose to surround myself with anatomical anomalies which have proven very useful. Gifts from my childhood now line the shelves and fill the room with study aids or tools of the trade. Imagining the structural layout of the human body is just not the same as handling a 3-dimensional model or the real thing. But cadavers tend to carry a rather unpleasant odor that is better left at school.

Study environment has a lot to do with the success achieved. Productivity increases when the setting is just right. Some things to consider:

• Temperature - Warm temperatures can lead to drowsiness
• Comfort - Posture and seating, if poor, will reduce attention as the pain worsens
• Nutrition - Decrease sugary/fatty foods and caffeinated beverages
  
• Breaks - Study for an hour or two and then take a break to get a snack, shoot hoops, or get some fresh air - it's important to get up and move around at least a little
• Groups - Input from others can be extremely beneficial, not to mention it is easier to stay on task when multiple people are sharing valuable time
  

Exam Week

This weekend has proven a respite from the stress of continual studying. We finished our first week of block exams and are quickly moving forward to the second. The great news is that I passed and will now be able to sleep better at night. One exam each day led to some really long evenings of study. It was certainly not the most difficult obstacle in my life, but being the first set of exams made it an uneasy experience.

With our last exam finished, the weekend was open for a little taste of freedom before starting the new material. Some found there ways to the mountains, others to the lake, and me, well I put up lights. I feel like that was my right of passage into manhood, holding so many electrical wires in my hand at once. Just don't laugh when I tell you the power was turned off first.

Week of Wits

It's time to get out my trusty no. 2 pencil and put on my thinking cap. Our first week of block exams is already here.

Test Masters

Test masters know that you must fill in the Scantron test sheet very carefully to avoid mechanical errors. Don't let your mark leave the box or bubble, erase any changes completely, and above all else get your identification number right.

Mastery of the Scantron is crucial if you expect to succeed. More importantly though is the time and effort dedicated to acquiring the knowledge behind the answers. I thought the transition from high school to college was significant. I guess I simply had nothing to measure it by because I was mistaken. Moving up the ladder from college to medical school has been ten times more intense than my last educational leap of faith. We cover more material, in less time, and we are expected to know it well enough to heal the patients we see. You had better believe I am going to be studying more.

Study Time

Just like MCAT preparation, these exams have consumed the greater part of my daily routine. It goes something like this:

• 8:00 Get to campus
• Study and review materials
• 12:00 Partly study, partly eat lunch, and partly get away from it all (thanks Youtube)
• 1:00 Back to the grind
• 5:00 Break for dinner
• 5:30 Plant my nose back into the books
• 8:30 Prop my head up to avoid falling asleep
• 11:00 Leave campus

No sooner than I walk in my front door I am already questioning the material I covered 12 hours earlier. At that point it is just better to call it a night, so I can do it again the next day. Fortunately, the anatomy exam is first this week with a different exam each day, some easier than others. The goal is to stay fed, awake and sharp. After this week, we start all over with a new subject or two and more detail in the old ones.

Study Aids

One of the problems I have noticed is that there is so much information it is hard to limit yourself to the study aids. Certainly, if your course is using a text or Power Point presentation those would be the optimal resources. Other helpful ideas include:

• Computer flash cards - Flashcard Machine or Flashcard Exchange
• Study group - Two heads are definitely better than one
• Review sessions - Too many will eat up study time, whereas some will highlight important information
• Application settings - An example of this would be the cadaver lab for anatomy
• Websites - Wikipedia is your friend though it may not be perfect, don't get too carried away with the rest

All this studying has its consequences too. My birthday yesterday had to have been one of the most boring as I sat in a room studying for hours. I now have 'Dunlap's disease' (my belly dun-lapped over my belt) as we sit and have limited time to exercise. All the new terms are running around in my head and somehow I have to get them into my fingertips so they can make it onto the Scantron. I just hope I remember my I.D. number when the time comes.

Rationed Time

The long days that never seem to end are certainly anticipated experiences. Only in the beginning of the whole process, I am learning to ration my time to the many tasks that demand my attention.

New Home

We finally closed on our new home and moved in last week (hence the missed post). It took our mortgage broker a long time to finalize the transactions and was more than a headache with a new problem or delay every day. Being first time home buyers has been quite the hassle and I know many medical students wrestle with the decision to become home buyers or simply rent.

In making our decision we had learned that renting a unit in Las Vegas would cost nearly the same as a mortgage. Our struggle was mostly with the mortgage lenders being flexible once we found the house we wanted. We waited until the very last minute before making the deal official.

All I can say is that if you are entertaining the thought of home buying, start well before matriculating. We ended up staying with family for almost a month. It was great to spend time with them, and we will forever be grateful for their hospitality. We just hate to have out-stayed our welcome. Renting sure sounded tempting on occasion, but our new home was worth the effort.

Student Loan

Reimbursement for the expenses of medical school cannot come too soon. With all the costs of living increasing and becoming more abundant, staying financially afloat is a rather fancy dance. I can come up with a lengthy list of debts, but if you are reading this you could name them just as well.

My financial institution is finally funding my tuition and reimbursement checks. It is a huge relief to know we will be able to buy groceries next month and have a roof over our heads. Visit the past post for more student loan info.

Exams

I knew medical school would move quick, but I had no idea we would cover an entire book in less than a couple months. Midterms were only one month in and next week will be our first week of exams. "Block week" as they call it, occurs three times a semester, testing our memory and endurance skills. With 24 credits this semester, I should start having nightmares any night now.

Somehow I managed to make it through my first couple tests despite the late...late nights of studying. This method is not recommended for two reasons: 1)Taking a test while fatigued makes information recall ineffective and 2)It's bad for your physical health. Of course I would like to have performed better, but the information was spilling out of my head by the time I took the test. I think I need to reformat my cerebral hard drive and free up a little space.

Student Organizations

I have been blown away and slightly annoyed by all the organizations vying for my money. Who knew there were so many student medical associations? Each one asks for membership money but none really have a significant impact that seems evident. The benefits they have expressed usually include free meals, discount suture clinics, and the ever popular screen printed tee-shirt.

I may be new to this medical school thing, but I'm not an idiot. My intention is to pass and earn a degree. If that means I cannot join an organization my first week of school, please support me in that decision. Perhaps down the road I will share a portion of my student loan with you so I can say I belong to your club. Maybe in the meantime you could come up with better reasons than a free lunch to be a member of your organization.

Pathways Galore

You may not fully understand it (like myself), but it is happening right now inside your body. The breakdown of sugar into usable energy or glycolysis is one of the many biochemical pathways our bodies use to function.

Biochemistry

Once again, the week has been occupied with many hours of in and out of class biochemistry. Only two weeks into the semester, we have finished three quizzes and a significant portion of the textbook's material. It is comforting to know that I am not the only student in the class that has a difficult time following every lecture. My routine has become a state of confusion during lecture that is cleared when I read the book to clear up the details. It takes a lot of time, but the material is making sense that way.

It has become clear that there is a lot of memorization to be done. Once the amino acids are crammed in my head, it is time to learn the pathways: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and the list is going to keep growing. We usually chuckle when the professors say there is no need to memorize the pathway, but know the starting materials, products, and enzymes involved. Adding it all up, we really do need to know the pathway in detail. When was the last time your doctor broke it all down in the exam room?

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

OMM as it is called is one of those classes that is unique to schools of osteopathy. In fact it is, at this point, one of the more enjoyable courses. We will be learning how to find problematic points of the body, manipulate them, and ultimately seek healing as a result. We take turns acting as patient and provider while learning the body and manipulations. I have a feeling this will be my family's favorite part of medical school as I have to practice on someone in order to study. As we are not too far into the curriculum, it ends up being more of a massage than a corrective technique. Over time, I imagine that will change.

In order to be considered an osteopathic physician, we have to be enrolled in OMM during each semester of school. Hence, this is a long term course that will build from semester to semester as we progress in our techniques. It is unfortunate that many osteopathic physicians do not employ these skills and perhaps do so because their practice does not incorporate them explicitly. Many people are convinced after only one treatment that OMM has significant healing results. Fortunately, or else osteopathic schools would not exist.

Anatomy

No relief in the anatomy department. We have explored the chest, shoulders and arms in great detail. Thankfully, my undergraduate education provided a strong foundation for most of these anatomical anomalies. We have yet to be tested on anything, which will be quite an eye opener I am sure. Just when you feel secure in your understanding and memorization, you have to be humbled by the intellectual development of your professors' years of experience and training. Needless to say, our memorization skills are improving at a rapid rate...or maybe I am just being hopeful.

Back to School

Would you believe I made it through the second day of medical school and still had a smile on my face?! So, I had to force it a little. The first week is behind me and classes are under way.

Orientation

Touro University has chosen to start the school year with a two day orientation that gives the new medical students an opportunity to meet administrators, professors, and the other students. We worked out technological kinks, signed a lot of paperwork, and learned a little about the background of our new school.

As TUNCOM is still rather young, there has been a lot of change from year to year. Each professor has been assigned four or five students whom they mentor. Mine happens to be one of our biochemistry professors. A large portion of our teachers have foreign backgrounds; my mentor hails from Russia.

What did I take away from orientation you may wonder? Medical school is going to be really...really hard and keep us extremely busy. However, they want us to succeed and will help us get there (I wish I could say, "or my money back.") I really believe they are looking out for our best interest. On top of all that, we received our ID badges and multiple kosher meals. When was the last time you had kosher pizza?

First Day of School

Bright and early, we all filed into our lecture hall (for the next year), turned the room into what looked like a laptop convention, and received a two hour orientation to anatomy procedures. As creepy as it may seem, a room with 40 cadaveric patients is an awesome sight. It was soon time for our first lecture...biochemistry.

Anyone who has taken a course in biochemistry knows that there is a lot of information to absorb learn in an hours time. Fortunately, we only have a little more than a month of biochemistry, and I am sure they will cover everything. That being the case, they sure have started us on the right foot. After six hours of biochemistry, I think we were all ready to go home and catch up.

All the Rest

We had full days of school from 8 in the morning until 5 at night. A break for lunch and dinner were followed by more intellectual feedings. I don't know about my counterparts, but I was studying until 11:00 or later each night and trying to get up early enough to exercise before classes. The days are full; what else could I have expected?

Our first quiz was this week and we have already started dissecting our cadavers quite extensively. They want us to finish anatomy early on so we have a good understanding of human geography for the remainder of our education.

Murphy's Law

You know, 'if anything can go wrong, it will.' These are not problems with the school, but issues none the less. I am reconsidering my decision to save $400 by not purchasing a laptop protection plan. The girl next to me spilled her soda on her laptop only two days into the year. At least it wasn't a month later, but she still had to purchase a new one and this time she bought the protection plan. This warranty will usually cover everything from spills to running over your computer with a car. Unfortunately, you still run the risk of losing stored information.

When I chose my lender, I thought I was getting a great deal and saving quite a bit in the long run. Perhaps I should have gone with a well known lender. Only a few days into the year and they called to let me know they were changing their company organization and would not be able to guarantee when my loan would be available. That is bad news when your bank account cannot afford a $40,000 tuition cost. With my new lender, I think things are now moving in the right direction.

And with that I would say to anyone who has gotten this far, enjoy your free time. At least do it for those of us who don't get much.

Welcome to Las Vegas

The biggest part of the move was a success and I am now writing from the Las Vegas valley. The moving truck barely made it up the hills at 45mph and coming down them topped out at 70mph. Due to the slow speeds, the trip took an extra hour to arrive. Perhaps the bugs smacking into the top of the truck are what slowed us down the most.


Hotel Las Vegas

As usual, our grandparents offered a very warm welcome upon our arrival. It's one of the things we look forward to each time we visit with them. Until the documents are signed and we close on our home, they have opened their one room hotel to us their guests. Although we do not expect to be here too long, it will be at least two weeks before closing.

Our truck rental only covered three days, so we made a little room in the garage and emptied our belongings before the heat became too much to withstand. We were surprised at how little we actually had and how quick we were able to unload. It was likely in anticipation of finally seeing the home we are in the process of purchasing.

Vegas Vacation

The home is beautiful and just what we expected to be getting from the pictures we have seen. We can not wait to move in and have the whole procedure finished. Meanwhile, I have been enjoying my last week of vacation before school starts. With so much to do, every day has something new to offer. One day I'll get a little sun next to the pool and the next I fill my appetite at one of the many buffets. I have to learn when to stop, it is starting to hurt.

Having air conditioning, in and of itself, is a super vacation. With no assignments, exams, or appointments to worry about, this has been a relaxing week. Just what I need right before starting the long days of medical school.

Back to School

With orientation and classes less than a week away, the final preparations are under way. I stopped by campus to get my photo taken for my ID card and was surprised to learn the students from other fields of study have been in classes for over a month now. The osteopathic students are the last to begin. A schedule of our classes for the next five months was distributed, showing what we have to look forward to in the near future.

We start as first year students with two days of orientation before classes begin. Oddly, there is no set schedule every week and classes vary from day to day, but the average day starts at 8:00 in the morning lasting until 5:00 at night. The nice part is that Fridays are shortened due to the Jewish sabbath. Jewish holidays throughout the semester offer many days off, especially during the month of October.

Looking at the course load seems a little daunting at this time, but the subject matter is exciting to consider. After all, this is the stuff I and my classmates have been waiting a lifetime to study and we are just now on the doorsteps of experiencing it all firsthand.

We are celebrating my grandpa's birthday this weekend, buffet style, what a great way to start the last weekend of my relaxed life. After next week, they will not be common occurrences for some time. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!

Time to Hit the Road

After months of preparation, we are minutes away from leaving to our new home in Las Vegas. The truck is packed, has a full tank of gas, and the keys to our rental unit turned over to the management.

Budget Rental Truck

When I visited the post office to change our address, I was surprised to see a coupon for 20% off a Budget rental. Of course it might be too late now, but in the future I will be sure to look at the coupons before planning my move completely. We are still excited about the savings we obtained with Budget nonetheless.

Our truck is the larger 16' as the 10' truck would simply be too small. We still have extra room in the truck. It certainly relieved a headache of not being able to fit all our belongings into one vehicle. We have little furniture to transport, so fitting our collection of boxes was no problem. I would still recommend getting a truck slightly larger than what you expect to use.

Cleaning

Once our belongings were packed into the truck we were prepared to clean the apartment from top to bottom. The saying "many hands make for little work" is so true. I would like to express our appreciation to all of our friends and family who helped load our life into the truck and willingly cleaned with us. It went extremely fast; only one hour to load the truck and a few to clean.

We borrowed an inflatable mattress from some friends for the night as everything else was packed away. With everything done, it is a relief to be finished with this side of the move. The irony is that it only gets harder from here.

Fuel Economy

As I have never driven anything as big as our rental truck, I will be taking it slow on the road, not to mention it contains all of our earthly possessions. We plan to drive between 60-65mph to decrease our drag and increase our savings. Not to mention it will ease my nerves and improve our safe arrival.

A couple nights before departure, I used the internet to plan our trip and the best gas prices along the route. Using a combination of Google Maps and Gas Buddy I found the cheapest gas prices within the last couple days and the exit numbers to get us to the stations along the way. Before leaving I compared the most recent prices of the day and we are set. It is quite convenient as the average price is $4.08 and right in the middle of our trip is a station selling gas for $3.90! Of course driving two vehicles will not help, but any savings will help at this point.

Cheers to the last post in Utah and to a future in Las Vegas!

Packing Boxes

It has finally come down to cardboard, tape, and furniture. The last few days have been spent packing away books, utensils, supplies and everything else all in preparation to load our moving truck next week.

The first thing you see upon entering our home is a wall of boxes containing our life for the past two years. Thankfully it wasn't longer or we may have had more to pack. During my time as a postal employee, one of the carriers saw a box with a sticker on it and said, "Fra-gee-lay, that's French meaning 'to drop'." Evidently the fragile markings don't do much for security.

We spent some time with family this weekend and plan to spend more time with friends in the coming days as we say our goodbyes. Commonly a biter-sweet activity, there is no easy way to do it and feel like everything has been said or expressed.

As the months turn into weeks and then into days, I grow more anxiety towards the future and its complexity looming overhead. Some times I think I am that box being held by others who are saying "fra-gee-lay," shrugging their shoulders and dropping me to the ground below. What an amazingly stressful time.

Discount Books

I am growing what seems to be a never ending stack of books. A couple of months ago, Touro sent me a list of 'Required' and 'Recommended' text books for First Year students. At last, the time for real-deal medical books has come...or so I thought.

Buying Medical School Books

After receiving some feedback from veteran students and practicing physicians, I saved hundreds of dollars. Actually it was rather intuitive; do NOT purchase the 'Recommended' books. They certainly may contain some useful information, but I think I will have plenty to read within the covers of my 'Required' library that superfluous texts will only add to my lack of time.

With that decision made, the list was cut in half, leaving me a little less in debt. The remaining 20 books, however, are starting to make my shoulders ache just thinking about carrying them to class.

Since I have not yet received my loan reimbursement, the new problem is being able to pay for $2500 worth in books. My solution has worked thus far and costs approximately $250 every pay check. I made an initial order and waited for the shipment to arrive before selecting the next handful of texts to purchase. It is exciting to think I am one order away from having all my books and the projected total is a little more than $1000.

Bargain Prices

Some students opt to borrow or share texts with their neighbors. Good idea, but I plan to spend some serious time with my books. TUNCOM has an online bookstore that gives back to the school when used to purchase texts as many schools probably have. This is great for the school, unfortunately there is very little discount to the student.

There is an option for getting the books for free, since that includes the military, that option is out for me. As most students are doing now, I turned to the internet's vast library of cheap books. Although there are many online stores for purchasing text books, the two with the greatest savings are no surprise. Between ebay's half.com and omnipresent Amazon, there is a lot of saving power.

The part I like is that you are helping other people sell their books. I imagine down the road I will have to sell mine too, so it is a way to build up positive karma I suppose. Perhaps you are more into funding a 'better' cause. In that case you may be interested in purchasing books for full price and then some at Better World Books who make an effort to stamp out illiteracy.

If used books are viable options, prices can be significantly reduced. Other considerations may be older editions, borrowing, and buying the books as soon as possible. I learned this the hard way. When I first performed my book search, the prices were almost one third of the original. Now only weeks away, costs are up as the cheaper selections have already been bought by others.

Between the Book Covers

As I searched the confines of Amazon, I came across the 'wish list' feature. When you find something you like, you simply click the wish list button to add it and others can see what you want. My list became an organizational tool for me, but if you have a gift giving event coming up, you may consider sharing your wish list with others. Who knows, perhaps they will be able to help cut down on the costs for books and supplies.

With work and preparations to move, opening these books has not been the first thing on my list of priorities. They certainly look attractive though. Knowing I will have plenty of time to digest the material, I am enjoying my vacation now while I am still ahead. For now the mystery will maintain my intrigue.

New House

So the house may not be new, but it will be new to us. After a long, grueling month of wondering where we will live once in Nevada, we finally know. We had to shop online and have family visit the home before we decided to make an offer. When we did, the days just seemed to drag on waiting to hear if it had been accepted. Normally, it is a rather quick process, but we were in the market for a foreclosed home owned by the bank. They are not the quickest people when it comes to making a sale, but if the money tickles their fancy, your chances seem to be better (I can't imagine why).

Rent or Buy

After two weeks of waiting and finally deciding that our offer had been rejected, we started to look at other options including a dreadful return to rental units. Fortunately, before all hope was lost, we heard back from our buying agent that the selling agent was fired. As the French would say, 'tant pis' (too bad), but we were grateful it was that and not that our offer was rejected. Another selling agent stepped in and offers were re-accepted. Our agent helped us choose a strong offer and we submitted a second with toes and fingers crossed this time.

The next day we heard back from our agent with some of the best news we have heard in a while. Our offer was accepted among all that were submitted! We finally made it to the 'first time home buyers club' and haven't looked back since.

Now it is a matter of getting through the hoops of paperwork, escrow, home loan, earnest money, insurance, and whatever else comes with the news. We are extremely excited to be on our way to owning our own turf, carpet, walls, driveway, and stone backyard. Well, the stones in the backyard are not the most exciting part, but we are learning to like whatever comes with the house.

Summer Fun

Our dilemma is in our enthusiasm to leave Utah. Sure our families want us to stay nearby, but we have seen enough and want to establish a home of our own in a place that does not have the letters 'U' and 'T' anywhere in the mailing address.

As a result, we have enjoyed (probably too much) the last months of our stay in Rental Kingdom. Dishes, laundry, groceries, cleaning all go undone while we find more entertaining excuses to keep us occupied. We get around to the mess or task when the cupboards or dresser are empty. The lack of air conditioning doesn't seem to help much as we would rather not move from the whole in the couch more than once because we might drowned in our own sweat.

When we aren't stuck in our sauna of an apartment we like to get out for ice cream, cold drinks or a movie in an air conditioned theater. If we feel a little more daring we go out for walks or find a trail to somewhere fun. It might still be in the heat, but at least we can get some Vitamin D while we are out and about cavorting in the sun.

Move-In

We were hoping to be able to move-in a couple weeks before school started so that we would have some time to get settled in our new environment. It seems that will be delayed a little longer than we would have liked. If all goes well, we can expect to be moving in the first or second week of August. Just a note for the future to plan well in advance so this doesn't happen again. For now we are seeing three walls and a front door made out of storage unit steel. Hopefully it will not last for long so we can be in our new home soon.

The Perfect Computer

This blog post comes to you from the keyboard of my first laptop. It is amazing to think I have made it this far without one. The upgrade from a 4GB desktop to a 250GB laptop is a huge technological advancement I am learning to appreciate very quickly.

Many institutions of higher education are requiring their students to have laptops and medical schools are no exception. Had it not been mandatory, I am certain by the time I graduate, I would have a tree or two sitting in storage from all the paper I would have used.

Choosing a ComputerLike the desktop I used, computer technology becomes obsolete in no time at all. Knowing that medical school is at least four years and another three to four for specialization, I opted to purchase a laptop that would have the latest technology to meet these long-term needs.

With all the features a new computer provides, you can imagine the difficulty in finding 'the perfect computer.' Most schools will provide a list of minimum requirements which the majority of newer models fulfill. After a little searching, I found Best Buy's laptop discovery tool, that helped narrow the options easily (Under the 'compare laptops' tab).

Although the models offered did not include everything available on the market, it was an useful way to see a variety of brands and features in one place. It led me to the HP Pavilion series. After a little in-store shopping, I found the dv6838nr model seen above.

Computer Deals

It will not take long for you to find that computers come at a hefty price. Obviously, some are more affordable than others, at the cost of less technology. Below are some suggestions for getting more bang for your buck:

• School discount programs - Many schools offer discounts to their students when they purchase computers from them rather than other corporate entities
• Online discounts - Companies offer significant discounts when items are purchased online because there are less retail expenses involved. Circuit City, CompUSA, Best Buy and Frys are some of the major vendors that have a large selection.
• Online stores - Some companies solely operate online and can therefore charge less for their products. Consider buy.com, overstock.com and tigerdirect.com
• Used Computer - Both used and refurbished computers can offer significant savings
• Listing Services - You can save when you buy from craigslist, ebay, and amazon, but know that the product is not always guaranteed.
• Free Shipping - Vendors that offer free shipping can help keep money in your pocket.
• Student Discount - Many companies offer discounts to active students, be sure to ask about available savings.
• Mega Stores - Sam's Club and Costco offer member savings that are generally lower than competitor prices.

Buying a Computer

Once you have found the right computer, try to find a local store that carries that model or one similar. Actually handling the computer before you purchase it can have a lot of sway in your decision. Some stores offer competitive discounts as well if you find the same computer elsewhere.

Check out some of the discounts on computers and accessories available at Amazon that can be shipped right to you.


Touro University, as well as other medical schools that require notebook or desktop computers, account for this purchase in their first year student expenses. TUNCOM specifically assumes a $2000 allotment will be sufficient for this investment which tends to be more than my total computer expenditure. It is considered a school expense and therefore loan money would be used appropriately in this purchase.

Above all else, know that you and your computer will have to become very good friends during the medical school experience. Take some time prior to the start of school to use some of the programs, find where things are located on your computer, and set up your software before classes start. This will save you the headache of trying to learn it at the same time you are learning course material and improve your classroom efficiency.

Housing

Finding housing can be one of the most exciting and stressful experiences of the pre-matriculated medical student. While obtaining all the necessary documentation, supplies, and loans it is crucial not forget that you have to live somewhere. I was actually surprised to learn that my wife and I could afford more than a one bedroom home from Monopoly.

Studies have shown that individuals who buy a home tend to have more money saved than those who continue to rent. In our case we had to choose between paying $1200 for rent every month or paying a mortgage of $900-1100. Obviously the former choice would be throwing money to the wind whereas the later would ultimately build equity in our name. The decision was not hard to make as you could imagine. With that in mind, this blog will concentrate more on the purchase of a new home rather than renting a unit.

Home Loan
Many of us who are entering medical school have never purchased a home and likely do not have the money to afford paying cash for one. Currently, we are in a 'buyers' market which means it is easier and cheaper for buyers to get a home. Certainly my wife and I would love to have a lavish home with furnishings and the like, but neither of us make the kind of money that would be required for this to happen.

Our first task was to find a mortgage lender, someone who could determine how much home we could afford. Through a careful review of our expenses, debts owed, savings, and salary we could determine a monthly mortgage payment that would not be too expensive for our budget. In our case, I do not plan to work as I will be a student. This means one salary will be figured into the equation, which is usually a safe way to avoid foreclosure.

The goal here was to become pre-qualified and pre-approved. Qualified simply means you are eligible for a loan where approved means you have the loan waiting to be used. Sellers prefer an approved buyer as they will not have problems receiving their money. Thus pre-approved buyers have a greater chance of purchasing the home they want sooner than a buyer that is only pre-qualified.

Now that my wife and I knew how much our monthly payments would be, we also knew the price range in homes that we should be seeking. This significantly reduces the amount of homes in our search and allows for a more focused house hunt.

Location
Knowing where your school is located and the neighborhoods in the area helps greatly when looking for a new home. In my case, I would like to be able to live close enough that I could bike to and from school. Not only to economize with rising gas prices, but for the sake of exercise and proximity. If you are fortunate, Google will have your neighborhood on their street view allowing you to see it online before visiting in person.

Safety, climate, populations and other information may be useful as you look for the perfect place to call home. Consider your city's reported values and how they compare to national averages. After all, a purchase suggests you will be there for an extended period and you want to be certain it is the right place for you.

Realtor
Let's face it, you are strapped for time and orientation is just around the corner. Looking for all the available homes would be impossible without a realtor who's job is to help you find the right place. Our lender helped us find a realtor and we have been running ever since.

Know what your home must have so your realtor can narrow down the listings. We chose to have at least three bedrooms and two baths. The garage was not mandatory, but it would be nice for storage purposes. Having the proper hook-ups for a washer and dryer were the other must as the coin laundry gets really expensive. Other things to consider would be cabinetry, appliances, basement, landscaping, backyard and remodeled features.

Walk Through
Since you will be eating, sleeping and studying in your new home, you had better like it. Take time to actually walk through the home yourself or have someone you know do it in your place. If you are out of town, the realtor could take pictures of the home and email them for your approval.

We drove to Las Vegas and stayed with family over Memorial Day weekend. Our realtor sought out homes to visit and we spent a couple days looking at various locations, properties and options (condominiums and houses). This visit was valuable as we could see the homes and their respective neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the real estate market is moving fast and the homes we tried to obtain were already sold by the end of the weekend. This only emphasizes the need to start early.

Many of the homes on the market today are repossessed by banks as foreclosures. The savings can be extremely valuable. In fact, the only homes that we visited were foreclosed as they were in good condition, newer models, and most importantly in our price range. For example the home we are currently looking to buy has been reduced in price by more than $100,000 in less than three years!

Buying Your New Home
So you have finally found the home you like. Your realtor and lender will do most of the difficult paperwork and organizing your offers to the seller. Once accepted they work out the details necessary to close in a timely manner and you make your move into your new home.

Any day now we will be hearing back from the bank as to whether our offer was accepted. It is stressful not knowing if we need to keep looking for other homes or if we can start planning our move in its entirety. In the meantime, wish us luck and happy hunting!

Student Loan

There are a few ways to pay for that expensive medical school education. Unless you have a great inheritance, win the lottery, or find a sac of hidden cash, it is likely that student loans are the only way to pay. I never found the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and now must look for other financial options.

Scholarships and Grants
If you have the grades, the time, and the will power, it is wise to search for a little free money. Grants and academic scholarships helped fund a large portion of my undergraduate studies leaving me debt free upon graduation.

The hardest part is sitting down and looking for matches that meet your personal qualifications. FastWeb is a great place to start as it does the sorting for you. With the right grant or scholarships, the medical school expenses can be significantly buffered.

Student Loans
Once scholarship opportunities are exhausted, the most common method for payment comes from borrowed money in the form of a loan. With rising costs for medical school, loans are becoming more substantial all the time. Loans to consider: Stafford, Grad PLUS, Perkins, and private.

Stafford Loans
Stafford loans come in two forms, unsubsidized and subsidized. $32,000 and $8,500 can be borrowed from these loans respectively, totaling $40,500. This will satisfy tuition, but not easily the other expenses of room, board and supplies. Interest is paid by the US department of Education for subsidized loans while in school where unsubsidized loans require the interest to be paid by the student from the time of disbursement. Obviously subsidized loans are preferred in this regard. Interest rates may be high, but some lenders offer benefits to curb the overall expense.

Grad PLUS Loan
These loans are backed by the government and come with a fixed interest rate of 8.5%. As these are usually supplementing the Stafford loans, they are not need based and vary according to the amount of aid already received. You cannot borrow more than the cost of attendance. A good credit history will make this loan easy to obtain.

Perkins Loan
The Perkins loan is a federally funded loan that provides aid to those who are exceptionally needy. It offers a low interest rate to those who qualify.

Private Loans
Should the loans above not provide adequate funding, private loans are available to supplement your resources. Do not over-borrow as it will one day have to be repaid. Interest rates are not fixed and other requirements may apply.

Lenders
Finding the right lender can be difficult. Compare the terms of service and special offerings before selecting your lender. Some will offer all or a couple of the loans listed above. Use one lender for all your loans. Once the time comes to repay your loans, the process of loan consolidation will be made easier offering a lower interest rate.

I chose to use MedInvest as they offered greater discounts than the other lenders I researched. With on-time payments and direct withdrawal, similar sized loans save almost $2,000-3,000 over the lifetime of the loan.

Application
I have chosen to apply for the Stafford loans and some Grad PLUS loan money. TUNCOM has a loan application form that is filed once a lender is chosen. The financial aid office applies for Stafford loans on my behalf. In order to obtain Grad PLUS money, I must apply with my lender of choice for the amount of desired money on my own. Since my wife will be able to work during my time in school, it is not requisite that I borrow the full amount available. Since I would like to buffer some of the expenses, I will obtain a small Grad PLUS loan to help cover living expenses.

In every case, it is necessary to fill out a FAFSA application as this is how lenders approve your loan request. Never incurring debt until this point in my life has been a great accomplishment. Now that I must borrow money to thrive, the natural fear that is associated with owing something to someone else is very daunting.

One physician I spoke with said that students are poor and doctors are rich. Borrow a little extra during school in order to live moderately so that the transition is not too drastic. Good advice, I hope that is still the case when I graduate.

Achievement

The sweet taste of achievement is immeasurable by anyone other than the one who obtains their own success.

Making it to the Top
Defined as "a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill," achievement is the result of a goal set and accomplished.

More than eight years ago, I embarked upon the collegiate journey as a lowly freshman without a notion of the things to come. During orientation of that first year, many made a trek to the over-sized, cemented 'Y' on BYU's eastern backdrop. It was by no means the hardest climb, nor the longest. Simply an afternoon walk that lasted a couple of hours. We stopped at the base of the 'Y' and never climbed the extra 380 feet to its top.

As we hiked back to our dorms I remember thinking to myself that I would one day hike the remaining 380 feet. Time passed quickly, and I never returned to finish what I had started. Now graduated, I had more time to see that my goal was not abandoned. On a day off, I set out to hike the 'Y' once again, this time all the way. In a matter of hours I was there, peering out over the valley, soaking in the sun, and feeling the cool valley breeze. Finally, I made it to the top.

Success
As cliche as it may seem, the mountainside hike was a moving experience. I made a goal and saw its successful completion. In a like manner, my education has carried similar feelings of accomplishment. Knowing from a young age where I wanted to be and shaping my life to get me there has been a rough ride.

With medical school only a couple months away, last week I made the final $1000 deposit reserving my position in Touro University's College of Osteopathic Medicine. Medical school is no longer a possibility, but now a reality.

In a couple months I will be making new goals and finding new 'mountains' to hike. The process will begin again taking me one step further than the last, starting the adventure all over.

This has been my success. Sure it may be expensive, have long hours, and stretch me beyond my current capacities, but it could not be more satisfying than seeing the achievement of my dreams become reality.

According to the definition used above, the recipe calls for a little effort, courage and skill. The first step is usually the hardest, often leading to the greatest rewards.

Set a goal for yourself and don't give up short of success. A big thanks to all those who have helped me along the way by means of support, education, encouragement, and understanding. You made this journey possible.

Moving

Is it already time to pick up the house and move? It can definitely be one of the most stressful events of the year. With a little planning, a lot of cardboard, and helpful hands, your move can be rather painless. As my hands will be full the day of my move, I decided to discuss the topic early.

Plan Ahead
Some medical schools offer relocation allowances for new students. Unfortunately, TUNCOM is not among them. Before finalizing reservations, contact your school to determine the allowance they offer, as they may require the use of a particular service.

Although my move is not planned for another two months, it was necessary to ensure a vehicle would be reserved for the big day. Depending on the time of the month, rates will change according to demand. Commonly the busy days are Fridays or Weekends near the end of the month. Agencies will rent moving space or trucks with little or no prior notice, but be prepared to pay significantly more. A reservation can usually be canceled with no penalties if your service is given 48 hours notice.

Movers
In searching for a moving company, there are many options and it is wise to shop around. Compare some of the major companies, their offered discounts, and options. Below are some notable commercial movers and a few pros and cons:

• Ryder- 15% discount when reserved online, few locations
  
• U-Haul- 3 days, 500 miles included, poor customer service, old fleet
  
• U-Pack/ABF- they drive, gas price included, 10% discount
  
• Budget- 3 days, 10% online discount, limited miles
  
• Penske- 4 days, unlimited miles, ~20% discount (online only), new fleet
  

What Size Mover?
Knowing how much space is needed may be difficult to determine without a little help. Penske has a great tool they call the Truck Loading Wizard, which helps calculate the appropriate size truck for your move.

Insurance
Some auto agencies will cover you during your move. Contact your agent to learn if this is the case, if not, you may consider purchasing moving insurance. This is often provided as a service through the moving company.

Timing
Give yourself adequate time to pack your belongings and load the truck. Start early packing boxes, dismantling furniture, and discarding unwanted objects. If you intend to sell furniture or other items, list them well in advance to ensure they are sold by the time of your move. The more you have packed before your truck arrives, the less stress you will have to incur.

Here's to happy moving!

Graduate of Higher Education

Certainly, one of the more significant accomplishments of my younger life, has been the completion of my undergraduate studies. This last week I participated in my University's graduation ceremonies and to my surprise, my good friend and I were featured the following week on the front page of the campus newspaper! My education at Brigham Young University spanned almost a decade, cost a bundle of money, and sadly moved me from my Chicago home. The experience was wonderful and definitely worth the effort.

Going the Distance
Just when it seems that my educational career has come to an end I am about to embark on even higher education, that will cost even more, and take almost as much time. It seems that the end of the road is so far from reach, but once again, the experience will be worth the effort. Of course I wonder if this is the right decision, or if there is another route to take. The calming thought comes when I remember that this road is one that fulfills a dream.

Work
Let's face it, being employed is very nice as it allows us to have fun when we want. Once finished with medical school, we will be working, a lot. It is easy to drowned ourselves in overtime now, but due to the inevitable burn-out it will cause, we must consider other activities for our "spare time."

Vacation
What to do then with my educational "layover?" You know, the time after undergraduate graduation and before graduate orientation. There are a few options that can better prepare for medicine that I would like to explore. As always, suggestions are welcome in the comments section.

Experience
Gaining more experience in your field will undoubtedly build confidence, character, and/or technical skills. Bellow are some possible opportunities to be explored in the medical field:

• Research or Internship Opportunities
  
• Hospital Volunteer - Search a local hospital
  
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Medical Assistant (MA)
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Position in any medical setting - Retirement/Nursing home, Home health, Hospital

Some of these positions take a small amount of time to become certified or licensed. Start early and remain in the position for a significant amount of time. Keep a record of the dates as medical schools will want to know how long you have been there in addition to your responsibilities.

Fun
As medical school is known for its rigorous demands, time with loved ones and friends would be well used before matriculation. Whether a week-long trip to a novel destination or simply a night out on the town, your mental health depends on it. Enjoy a hobby, learn a new skill, or read that book you have always wanted to read but couldn't because you were studying your textbooks. Here is a small list of ideas to get you started:

• Up the road or across state lines, plan a road trip
• Visit a local theme park, water park, amusement park, or zoo
• Go on a bike trip
• Bring a tent or RV and go camping

Sure it may cost a little, but relatively speaking, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the years ahead. Get out there and have some fun.

The Science of Healthy Living for Success

It is not astonishing that some of the brightest minds in our world's history have researched the human body to some extent. Complex beyond belief, mankind has been studied by millions who have compiled literature on healthy habits, proper body function and medicinal remedies to heal the broken body. This type of knowledge relates to the field of health science, which applies scientific study to improving healthcare and the treatment of the body.

Physical Exam
In preparation for matriculation, I had my physical exam this week. I was fascinated by the numerous 'tests' used to assess for optimal health. From head to toe, the body is put through rigorous strain which can be expressed by various ailments and yet history has discovered ways to unmask some those that may be hidden from first glance.

I have yet to hear of anyone who is excited about hernial, prostate, rectal, or other intrusive exams. Nonetheless, it is amazing that we have learned the bodies reactions to abnormalities and can thus identify problems through simple tests. Need an exam? My recommendation is to find someone you know well to conduct your physical exam. They are much more likely to use prudent judgment when it comes to the nitty-gritty.

The physician that performed my exam is a good friend that I work with on a regular basis. He reminisced about the days when he was in school learning the techniques himself. We laughed as he explained that neighboring classmates were used to practice techniques pertinent to the eye, ear, mouth and other exams. It was great until the dreaded time came to practice the more personal exams. All he could think was, "how will I ever face my classmates for the next three years after doing those?!" Fortunately, the school hired individuals to participate where the students probably should not. Despite the trepidation that may arise, it is exciting to know I too will one day have the skills needed to adequately assess physical health.

Immunizations
Can you remember when you received that shot for Hepatitis A? How about the measles? I certainly can not recall them with certitude. If we are going to heal the sick, we have a really good chance of contracting various illnesses if not properly protected. Medical schools, similar to entering high school or an undergraduate university, require vaccinations and their documentation. As I do not have a copy of all my immunizations, I had to rely on other sources to obtain the necessary information. Each of the suggestions listed below will send you a copy for a couple dollars if not for free.

1. Contact your current and former county health departments. Use a search option to find 'local health department' or 'county health department' to find the contact information.
   
2. Contact your high school.
3. Contact your college or university.
4. Some employers such as health providing institutions will offer immunizations. Be sure to contact them for applicable information.

Physical and Mental Health
Whatever it takes to keep your head on your shoulders is worth doing. Life is going to get crazy really fast in medical school. New terms, people, activities and routines are just the beginning. Maintaining healthy habits are crucial. Every aspect is vital to scholastic success; nutrition, exercise, and leisure are just as important as the long hours studying bio-molecular pathways. A healthy balance will invigorate the mind and keep your physical state up to speed with the demands on your mental state of being. Currently, I am on vacation as there is no homework, test or quiz in the immediate future. Does that mean I am in a vegetative state...perhaps, but I am convinced it is good for my physical and mental health.

Touro University - College of Osteopathic Medicine

With the successful withdrawal of my medical school tuition deposit and my second transcript sent, I am not only poor, but I have been added to the class roster of 2012 (At least it is something worth being poor for)! When I share the good news with friends and family, they have often never heard of the campus, the school, or its programs. Encouraged by those who are curious and those who will be applying, I have compiled some information about the osteopathic program at Touro in one blog.

Certainly this is not the comprehensive tell-all, but a way to paint the picture from my current perspective and experience.

Location/Facility
On the outskirts of sparkling Las Vegas, Nevada in the suburb of Henderson not far from Lake Mead. (Map) Touro University's Nevada campus is housed in a modified warehouse that has the basic necessities of any medical school (anatomy lab, fitness equipment, lecture halls, electronic library, etc).

The Big Picture
Touro University Nevada is a sister school to the Mare Island, California campus of which Touro College in New York City is the parent. These institutions are Jewish sponsored and welcome students of all religious denominations.

Touro is a private institution "educating caring professionals to serve, to lead, and to teach." All school purchased foods are kosher although nutritional choices are left to the student. The Nevada campus educates the following professionals: Doctor of Osteopathy, Physician Assistant, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, and others within the School of Education.

Demographics
Approximately 300 medical students are instructed among a student body of nearly 600. The average age of entering students is 27 years and all students have a baccalaureate degree. MCAT scores are 23 or higher and GPA starts at a minimum of 3.0. The admissions committee has accepted students below these numbers on a case by case basis. Contact the admissions office for current details.

Mission Statement/ Accreditation
Prospective and current students at Touro are expected to embody strengths that enrich their education through Judaic commitments. The school became accredited in 2004 and will therefore be celebrating the graduation of its first class in 2008.

Applying
The first place to start is AACOMAS, the generalized application form for Osteopathic medical schools. Candidates will have a baccalaureate degree, MCAT scores not older than 3 years, and prerequisite course grades of "C" or better. If minimum requirements are met, applicants are invited to submit a secondary application at a cost of $100. A large portion of applicants who submit their secondary are invited to interview through the end of April. It is in your best interest to have shadowed an osteopathic physician well in advance to provide them with ample time to write a letter of recommendation.

Tuition/Expenses
Although it is variable, the reported 2007-2008 cost for tuition and fees was approximately $37,000. This does not include the estimated equipment ($4000), personal ($4000), transportation ($6000), and room/board ($18,500) expenses. The grand total is nearly $69,000 of which Stafford and Grad PLUS loans will cover if eligible.

Interview Day
This can be one of the most difficult experiences in the whole process. With an interview, you have the opportunity to prove in person who you are, and without it you will go nowhere. To be honest, I thought I performed horribly in the interview and was happily surprised to be accepted. It is common for interviewers to give the impression that they are not interested or that they do not agree with your responses. Whatever you do, stick to your story, be honest and be you. A great resource for past questions can be found at the Student Doctor Network.

Applicants will arrive and sit in the lobby until the day begins. Get to know the other candidates (it will help ease some tension later), dress professionally, do not chew gum, and use good manners. When the day begins, they take you to a conference room and explain the process. While some applicants take a tour of the facility, the other applicants are interviewed by two members of the staff. I say staff because I had a librarian and a professor. Once your half hour interview is finished and the tour complete, a kosher lunch is served before going home.

The Wait
Probably the best part of the process is when the interview is over and the wait begins. Those who are interviewed, and accepted, receive an email to that extent one week later (unless the director of admissions is asked by the applicant to send the committee's decision). It takes a few days to receive the official letter after the initial one week wait. The letter contains one of three possibilities: 1. Accept 2. Wait List 3. Denied. Two weeks are given to submit the letter of intent and initial deposit.

Resources
The brochure that is provided at college fairs contains a general overview of the school, similar to the information provided here. Their 2008 supplemental application may vary, but will likely be similar in future years. This is the TUNCOM portion of the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book that provides a general overview of the school.

Late Nights and Long Shifts

The day this picture was taken at 3 in the morning, the local trauma room was quiet. It certainly doesn't take much for it to become the most active place in the hospital in a matter of minutes. Just this past week, this room alone was used to stabilize, save and improve the life of dozens of individuals. The occasional and emotional loss of life occurs inevitably, but you had better believe the room is usually in shambles as a result of all the effort put forth to overcome another expiration.

I love my job. As an Emergency Department Technician we may do a lot of the so called "dirty" work, but it has its perks. Watching people get better usually ranks among the better ones. If we aren't doing CPR, starting intravenous (IV) access, drawing blood, collecting urine or stool samples, then we are probably transporting patients to radiology, their longterm rooms, monitoring their vital signs or preparing for the next ambulance to arrive. Usually working long 12 hour shifts, the work-week commonly only requires three shifts, translating to four days off.

With an understanding that medical school will be quite expensive simply for the education itself - not to mention housing, car and other expenses - paying off any existing debt now will certainly help down the road. I commonly pick up extra shifts to help buffer the onslaught of bills and rising prices in all markets. Being at the bottom of the totem poll though, means that I work the graveyard shifts quite frequently in addition to some of the other unwanted shifts. Not always the most pleasant of circumstances, but at least it pays to have the experience in preparation for long hours as a physician.

There is something great to be said about working hard and earning money for your own efforts. I've always enjoyed working and earning, but I have always had a hard time spending. Usually looking for ways to save or invest my income, I find it difficult to incur so much debt at this point in my life. As a rule of thumb, I make it a point to invest 10% and save 30% of my net earnings, leaving 60% to go towards bills and other expenses. Now I know this will likely have to be modified as the income stops and the payments start, but in the meantime I have the plan to keep me on track. For some other tips and ideas, you might want to head over to the Poor MD blog.

Financial Woes Before Matriculation

With a letter of acceptance in my hands and only two weeks from the date of its arrival, I had to decide whether Touro was the school for me. One week passed and the deadline continued to approach ever so quickly. I faxed my letter of intent to the office of admissions; confirming my decision to attend TUCOM in the fall.

If only it was that simple. Just when I thought I was done, in order to show them proof of my desire to attend, I had to make a sort of down payment, that would "reserve" my seat. That wouldn't have been so bad if it were pocket change; it cost $2000. Lucky for me I had enough in my savings account to meet the demand and still eat my peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch! Can you see me smiling? You know the big cheesy grin that says, 'I can't believe I just spent so much money and to think this is only a fraction of the cost.' At least this goes towards my tuition.

A couple days later, still eating PB&J for lunch and loving every moment of it, I received more letters of felicitation emailed to my inbox. They were well received until I realized it was time to get back to work. My "To Do" list just quadrupled in size... literally. I had just paid $2000 to find out it was time to spend more money.

1. New this year, Touro is requiring all first year students to have a laptop. So if you own one, that's not really a problem. Unfortunately, I don't fall into that category. Now I'm on the hunt for a new way to spend another $2K, this time in the form of a mechanical box that is smarter than me. I am considering a tablet PC as it may offer functions more suitable to the classroom. (I could just write my notes on slides rather than type my own set in an outline) The appeal of a regular laptop is that I already know the major functions and could work efficiently from the start.
   
2. All students are required to have medical insurance. This isn't really something new, just that it means I have to look for insurance again as I will be leaving my current employer. They mentioned that there is an allotment of $2000 which I assume can be included in the cost of my loan to cover this expense. That is unless my wife has a job that comes with the proper benefits.
   
3. Speaking of loans, in my mind this translates to debt. The school pointed me in the direction of an online loan counseling session. It is a program that defines the main points of loans, important definitions and some of the consequences if I fail to repay the borrowed money.
   
• Certainly, the first place to start is with the FAFSA once your taxes are finished.
• Next, look for independent scholarships to help reduce overall costs at FastWeb.
• Specific to Touro and many other institutions is the online loan counseling.
• It is recommended that you verify your credit report FREE for any inconsistencies.
4. Before matriculation, I have to prove my health in the form of a physical. An immunization and medical history, if I can gather all that paperwork, is needed too.
5. Perhaps only requested by Touro, one more copy of my undergraduate transcript showing that I really did attend college and meet the prerequisite requirements.

They informed me that I was placed on the mailing list for my graduating class of 2012. That should be really nice for study groups and other activities, should we ever have the time for a BBQ or something. After a little searching, I found my class had a group on Facebook and a forum at the Student Doctor Network. It's good to know I have a way to contact other students before even attending the school.

Now that I've officially declared my future full of debt, it's time to look at housing. To buy or not to buy... condo, townhouse, single family home. What lender is going to want me -- pretty soon I won't even own half of the assets I use!