Well, we went thru orientation today. Got great info which I’ll post into my blog, but suffice it to say, we got some nice speaches (all short btw) on what it takes to make a doc, blah blah blah.
We learned about the international mission of St Christopher’s and how the school is being asked by the WHO and UN to form new schools in smaller African countries to assist in making health care available to those who need it most in areas devastated by the severe lack of clinicians. We are encouraged to make medical mission trips to Dakar to spend short periods between semesters to assist in the schools new hospital that the UN helped build. The WHO is giving the school funds to build 3 new hospitals in small African countries where there is nothing other than a dust hut.
The schools leader is Dr. Leone who is a Yale trained physician. He is quite the inspiring man. Calm and quiet, but with great things always happening. Ugrad Deans from Rutgers, UNJ Robert Wood, and Temple came to see the school today and I chatted with them briefly. They were impressed by the gains the school has made and that they were glad to see a healthy student body there.
Lunch was served and we had shorter sessions on AMSA and SGA as well.
My semester goes like this:
Embryology
Anatomy with lab in London (man that’s going to be tought going to London for Anatomy) 
Ethics
Histo/Cell Biology
Overall we are in class from 8-2pm everyday except Wednesday when we are out at 11 to then go to London for the remainder of the day.
Anatomy is now strictly pro-section. The faculty and students (prior to me I guess) all agreed that having pre-dissected cadavers was more effective as a tool for learning. The explanation was that the Senior House Officers were going to cut because they had more skill with getting to the structures and could do it more effectively and without screwing up. (Gotta like that). In the previous semester, the class was broken down into 2 groups, the pro-section group only scored higher on the exams. They also showed a higher degree of understanding of the anatomical material in relating it to clinical questions. (Ok, so its not like I have a choice now do I?)
In the end, I think everything will be fine. I am excited about what it going on here and the fact that I am now officially an MS-1. Just like Jeff, well, except that he is an MS-3 and by the time I get to MS-3, he’ll be an …uh, MD. So, I’ll sort of be just like Jeff, but different… 
Congratulations on beginning medical school! My best wishes for a most successful first year! What an interesting concept to provide anatomy students with a dissected cadaver. I can see the benefit to it although others may differ in their opinions; I can recall instances where students inadvertently destroyed structures while performing a dissection. Of course, their were other cadavers available from other teams in which to see what had been “trashed”.
I truly envy your opportunity for international exposure while in school. For me, nothing could be more rewarding in terms of affirming your decision to become a physician.
Again, my sincere congrats and wishes for a terrific year for you and your family! 
Congratulations! That first semester is so exciting!?
They are talking about going to prosections at my school as well. I have mixed feelings about this. I so enjoyed my time working in the lab. Granted, not all structures found were beautifully dissected but it was very satisfying when I was able to dissect and trace out the thoracic duct all the way from the cisterna chyli to its insertion into the subclavian vein. My other concern is that I will be doing many surgeries in my time and if I only had exposure to prosections, then the first body in which I cut would be a live one and I could do some real damage there.
So have fun and remember that the smell is temporary. 
Kim
There is competing thought on the pro-section thing. Some schools in the US are going to it and with varied success.
One thing I do like about being here:
After our first Black Monday (a day of full testing in all subjects ala the USMLE) we are going to Paris on a bus to go to Disney for the weekend. We also are planning on a trip to Warwick Castle (http://www.warwick-castle.co.uk) for a day of fun and a Kingmakers Feast. Also in the works after first break in Jan is a trip to Switzerland for skiing and snow fun.
Sorry about all you guys stuck in Florida, Arizona, or whatever. I will send you some snow via FedEx so you can see how lovely in Europe it is during that time…
| QUOTE (futrfysician @ Aug 29 2003, 10:16 PM) |
| Anatomy is now strictly pro-section. Just like Jeff, well, except that he is an MS-3 and by the time I get to MS-3, he'll be an ...uh, MD. |
Howdy Joe!
I'm glad you're getting settled in and enjoying school. I'm pretty bummed about all those horrible places you're going to have to go. Too bad everyone can't go to school overlooking the beautiful brown water of the Gulf of Mexico, like me. I know you'll get by when you settle for Paris and Switzerland. Good luck with that.
Take care,
Jeff
BTW, I liked that part where you pointed out I'd be an MD soon.
Yes Jeff, its a problem but I’ll deal with it. For kicks, you can go to this Link and find out how much it will unfortunately cost us to fly to say…Italy. Look it up from Luton Airport. It will make you sick. To convert to dollars, just multiply pounds by about 1.5… bwahahahahaha
Today we learned that the Head of Pathology for The London Clinic is the new head of Pathology and 55 of his colleagues are now teaching Path at the school. Each will lecture on his or her own area of expertise. I might have mentioned that before because I heard it from a friend, but the school confirmed it today in opening sessions.
Also, word is that Barbara Fadam, the BRS author of Behavioral will be doing a 5 day lecture review here for MS-2’s. Also, someone whose name I failed to recognize will be doing a review of Biochem for MS-1’s in 2nd semester.
Our anatomy prof rocks. He is a Neurosurgeon. Although he is from India he was educated in England at Cambridge and is incredible to listen to.
Congrats J.P.!!! Hope you like it over the “pond”…I loved it when I was in the military. Take care, good luck with your MS-1 year, and best wishes for you and your family!
Hi Joe,
If you need skiing advice for Switzerland let me know - best places for families etc… Mid to end of January is the best time for snow quality and prices I think. Most places practically double their prices during school holidays by the way. I used to be able to work around this stuff and go at the end of January but now that I have a first grader, we have to go during school holidays if we're going to go at all… But maybe your school holidays in the UK will be different than the Swiss ones and you'll be able to avoid the crowds and high prices.
Another fun place for the kids is Europa Park in Rust Germany.
Anyway enjoy…
Hey thanks. I will tell that to Debbie. It is easy for us to leave after my last class on Thursday and just blow off Friday and be in wherever the previous night.
We are looking to Italy first I think. That is debbie’s goal. Mine is to fly into Baden-Baden and go to one of the Austrian snow-skiing resorts. Hee hee!!!