A lot has happened since my last post in May, and I wanted to have everything complete before I wrapped up my biomed blogging days with this final article. Two years have really flown by, and the summer semester which included my internship didn't give me much time to lounge on the beach... okay, maybe I snuck in a little time. The 2014 biomedical sciences graduation ceremony took place on August 1 at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. The entire event was organized very well, and was a lot of fun for both the graduates and their guests. For this last blog, I'm going to cover what forensic biology concentration students of the biomed program should expect for their final semester... FMED 508: Capstone Integrative Experience.
Internship
Each forensic student is expected to find their own internship location which will allow for 112 hours of experience. The site should allow the student to be able to utilize their forensic knowledge in an active, working environment. I completed my internship at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office (MEO) as a forensic investigation intern. My primary duties within the unit were assisting the investigators during scene investigations and completing case files reports while in the office. When on active scenes I was trained to perform and participate in field photography, next of kin interviews and body bag preparation prior to transport of the decedent. Office hours at the Philadelphia MEO
consisted of paperwork pertaining to identification reports and acquiring health histories [of recently deceased] from health care providers. I was also provided time to shadow the forensic pathologists during their medical examination hours.
My intern experience was just one of many possible to the student. As long as forensic science is utilized at the site of the internship, it's up to the student and their specifics interests in deciding where to complete their 112 hour requirement.
Capstone
In a sense, the "capstone" of the forensic biology concentration is a culmination of everything that you have learned over the past two years. and presented via a portfolio which is handed in at the end of the summer semester. The packet must include a research review article, an evaluation of the site of internship, a detailed journal of the student's intern experience and time sheets signed by the internship site's supervisor. It's smart to manage your time wisely for this process, because it takes some effort to have everything laid out in a professional manner which flows properly.
The research review article topic is chosen by the student and based upon a specific interest which was experienced during the their time interning. It should be forensic in nature, and be a broad enough topic whereby peer-reviewed journal articles are readily available for research and citation.
Parting Words
This is me signing off. It's been great being able to blog for all of your prospective and current PCOM students over the past year and a half. I hope I've been able to provide a substantial amount of information to you that you may not have been able to come across as easily during your "quest for the right school". I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors and future goals!
Rich
Monday, August 25, 2014
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Year Two Continues: Second and Third Trimester
The weathers getting warmer outside once again, and in what feels like the blink of an eye another year in academia is about to conclude. It's been quite the undertaking balancing work with classes at PCOM the past two years, but its been worthwhile in what I've gained in experience and knowledge. The graduation ceremony where all of my fellow biomedical students and myself are awarded our master's degree is right around the corner, but there's still a lot of work to be done over the summer. However, before I get into the capstone project- which I'll cover next month- I'm going to wrap up the didactic portion with this blogger post going over the past two trimesters.
Forensic medicine (FMED I/II) follows after the rigors of pathology and they focus more on real-world exposure, as well as expert experience. Each weekend class session is completely different from the next. Topics are taught to the class by experts in their respective field through class discussion, PowerPoint presentation and hands-on experience in the field. The following is a list of the subjects that we've covered in our two FMED classes over the past several months:
Manner of Death / Cause of Death
Post-Mortem Changes in Anatomy/Physiology
Entomology
Odontology
Ritualistic and Religious Crimes
Crime Scene Investigation and Fingerprinting
Blood Spatter and Forensic Photography
Anthropology
Firearm Ballistics
Electrocution
Child/Elderly Abuse
Basic Legal Systems
Arson
Water Related Death
Each subject is taught with an emphasis on how it relates to the forensic field of study. Students are expected to learn and excel at these topics with the capability of obtaining a job within a forensic/legal setting upon graduation. Some of my peers have jobs like this lined up, but others plan on furthering their education by attending a professional school (medicine, podiatry, law, etc).
The information is vast, and there's a great deal to learn- but when forming a larger picture of all of these topics- they're intertwined in a way which encompasses the forensic profession as a whole.
Forensic medicine (FMED I/II) follows after the rigors of pathology and they focus more on real-world exposure, as well as expert experience. Each weekend class session is completely different from the next. Topics are taught to the class by experts in their respective field through class discussion, PowerPoint presentation and hands-on experience in the field. The following is a list of the subjects that we've covered in our two FMED classes over the past several months:
Manner of Death / Cause of Death
Post-Mortem Changes in Anatomy/Physiology
Entomology
Odontology
Ritualistic and Religious Crimes
Crime Scene Investigation and Fingerprinting
Blood Spatter and Forensic Photography
Anthropology
Firearm Ballistics
Electrocution
Child/Elderly Abuse
Basic Legal Systems
Arson
Water Related Death
Each subject is taught with an emphasis on how it relates to the forensic field of study. Students are expected to learn and excel at these topics with the capability of obtaining a job within a forensic/legal setting upon graduation. Some of my peers have jobs like this lined up, but others plan on furthering their education by attending a professional school (medicine, podiatry, law, etc).
The information is vast, and there's a great deal to learn- but when forming a larger picture of all of these topics- they're intertwined in a way which encompasses the forensic profession as a whole.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
My Second Year as a Biomed Student: Forensic Biology
I chose to pursue the forensic biology concentration for my second year as a biomedical student at PCOM. Thus far, the classes have provided me the opportunity to expand on the anatomy and physiology that I learned in my first year, but with specific focus on how the information can correlate in a forensic/medico-legal setting. The year is broken into trimesters and an additional capstone summer semester which allows the student to focus his or her attention on researching and writing a paper which relates to a topic within the realm of forensic science.
The first trimester of the second year was all pathology. Over these months, we covered a broad range of disease ranging from dermatopathology to renal pathology. Every system of the body was covered, and we were given information on how each given pathology occurred, appeared in a clinical setting and treatment options. The class felt very akin to the first year biomedicine classes in that the information was very dense, and we had to keep on top of our studies in order to not fall behind. Although the hours of study added up quickly, I still found the time to work close to full time at my job to continue paying the bills. The class schedule- one to two weekends a month- is very friendly to those that have jobs outside of school, but time management is crucial.
Aside from studying course material during the pathology trimester, we were also assigned several forensic medicine journal articles per class to review. After reading and analyzing the articles, we would compose a summary paper critiquing the article. I felt this allowed me to digest the material in active way since I was expected to form my own views and opinions on each respective author's research. The information/research in each of the articles was chosen to run parallel with the course material being taught. I felt this aspect exponentially enhanced our course by adding real-world depth to what we were learning in class.
My next blog will summarize my experience within the second and third trimesters of the forensic biology year: Forensic Medicine I/II
The first trimester of the second year was all pathology. Over these months, we covered a broad range of disease ranging from dermatopathology to renal pathology. Every system of the body was covered, and we were given information on how each given pathology occurred, appeared in a clinical setting and treatment options. The class felt very akin to the first year biomedicine classes in that the information was very dense, and we had to keep on top of our studies in order to not fall behind. Although the hours of study added up quickly, I still found the time to work close to full time at my job to continue paying the bills. The class schedule- one to two weekends a month- is very friendly to those that have jobs outside of school, but time management is crucial.
Aside from studying course material during the pathology trimester, we were also assigned several forensic medicine journal articles per class to review. After reading and analyzing the articles, we would compose a summary paper critiquing the article. I felt this allowed me to digest the material in active way since I was expected to form my own views and opinions on each respective author's research. The information/research in each of the articles was chosen to run parallel with the course material being taught. I felt this aspect exponentially enhanced our course by adding real-world depth to what we were learning in class.
My next blog will summarize my experience within the second and third trimesters of the forensic biology year: Forensic Medicine I/II
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
The Second Year: Three Different Concentrations
Upon completing your rigorous first year as a biomedical student at PCOM, if you choose to continue on with intent to earn your master of science degree, you'll have to choose among three different concentrations to pursue prior to commencing your second year. The three routes are Research, Organizational Development and Leadership (ODL) or Forensic Biology. Each one is a completely different animal from the other, and your choice should strongly play off of your strengths in class, interests and future ambitions upon graduating as a biomedical scientist. PCOM's website does a pretty good job of giving you a basic overview of each program concentration, and in this blog I'm going to expand a bit about each avenue to give any prospective candidate a better idea of what each path is all about.
Research
If you love wet-bench work, and seem to have an insatiable appetite for spending your time wearing your white coat in the lab with a pipetman at hand, then this is probably going to be a good choice for you. Toward the end of your first year, students interested in this direction will be informed on the research projects going on at PCOM which they're welcome to join in on in assisting for their second year. Every year different faculty members at PCOM work on different areas of research. Over the course of your research year, you will be expected to be very much involved in the project and typing up/publishing a paper for your given research assignment. At the end of the year your research group will likely travel somewhere in the country to present your work at a convention. Although most of your time as a research student is going to be geared toward working in the lab with a supervising professor, you will also be expected to make some room for classes such as epidemiology. Understand that if you choose this track, your research at PCOM is going to on a large chunk of your time (think: full-time job). The other two second year concentration tracks offered are considered much more flexible in regards to their schedule.
Organizational Development and Leadership
Although many biomed students are interested in a future where they'll be involved within a clinical or laboratory setting, the ODL program at PCOM will help you develop leadership skills which will advance your communicative and organizational skills within any work environment. Students within the ODL program spend their second year as biomedical students sharpening their abilities on writing, group presentation and the importance of building- and managing- a successful working team.
Forensic Biology
The forensic biology track will start off by continuing to expand your knowledge of the human body with where you left off at the end of your first year. The first trimester is an intensive pathology class taught by the same professor who teaches the medical students pathology at PCOM. The second and third trimesters will then switch gears to focus more upon the forensic nature of medicine both within the worlds of clinical care and law enforcement. The class schedule for forensic biology allows for a more manageable timetable if you're a graduate student who must also work full-time outside of the classroom. Class sessions take place Friday through Sunday from 0800 until 1600. This kind of schedule may sound daunting, but this Fri-Sun gauntlet only takes place one to two times a month. Toward the end of the year, you will be expected to have acquired an internship relating to your interests/future aspirations after graduating with your degree. You are expected to keep a log of your activities during your internship, and upon its completion, complete a capstone research project based upon a specific area of forensic science.
Research
If you love wet-bench work, and seem to have an insatiable appetite for spending your time wearing your white coat in the lab with a pipetman at hand, then this is probably going to be a good choice for you. Toward the end of your first year, students interested in this direction will be informed on the research projects going on at PCOM which they're welcome to join in on in assisting for their second year. Every year different faculty members at PCOM work on different areas of research. Over the course of your research year, you will be expected to be very much involved in the project and typing up/publishing a paper for your given research assignment. At the end of the year your research group will likely travel somewhere in the country to present your work at a convention. Although most of your time as a research student is going to be geared toward working in the lab with a supervising professor, you will also be expected to make some room for classes such as epidemiology. Understand that if you choose this track, your research at PCOM is going to on a large chunk of your time (think: full-time job). The other two second year concentration tracks offered are considered much more flexible in regards to their schedule.
Organizational Development and Leadership
Although many biomed students are interested in a future where they'll be involved within a clinical or laboratory setting, the ODL program at PCOM will help you develop leadership skills which will advance your communicative and organizational skills within any work environment. Students within the ODL program spend their second year as biomedical students sharpening their abilities on writing, group presentation and the importance of building- and managing- a successful working team.
Forensic Biology
The forensic biology track will start off by continuing to expand your knowledge of the human body with where you left off at the end of your first year. The first trimester is an intensive pathology class taught by the same professor who teaches the medical students pathology at PCOM. The second and third trimesters will then switch gears to focus more upon the forensic nature of medicine both within the worlds of clinical care and law enforcement. The class schedule for forensic biology allows for a more manageable timetable if you're a graduate student who must also work full-time outside of the classroom. Class sessions take place Friday through Sunday from 0800 until 1600. This kind of schedule may sound daunting, but this Fri-Sun gauntlet only takes place one to two times a month. Toward the end of the year, you will be expected to have acquired an internship relating to your interests/future aspirations after graduating with your degree. You are expected to keep a log of your activities during your internship, and upon its completion, complete a capstone research project based upon a specific area of forensic science.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The First Year (Volume II)
Here we go: Volume II of what to expect in your first year as a biomedical student at PCOM. A few weeks ago I talked about how things will play out at the start of your first trimester, and what kind of time constraints to expect as a student in this graduate program. I'm now going to go over each class you're going to register for over the three trimesters of your inaugural year as a biomed. There's quite a bit of info, so to condense it down, I'm going to cover things in a pretty straight forward fashion and move from course to course covering all the good stuff... like... general content overview, teaching method and if any text is truly necessary for purchase (thus helping you determine if you really need to drain your bank account).
--- --- ---
First Trimester: Molecular Basis of Medicine; Infectious Process
Molecular Basis of Medicine (lovingly referred to as MBM)
Think of this class as undergraduate biochemistry on [lots and lots of] steroids. You will be covering an abundance of information relating to the metabolic processes of the body and also a large chunk of molecular genetics. A solid undergraduate premedical curriculum should have you ready to tackle the rigors that are about to unfold before you, just be sure to use some time management to get through all the information that's about to be hurled your way. Class is going to generally stretch the entire four hour span here (coffee lovers, rejoice), and all of your information will be provided through Power Point presentations and teacher provided handouts (which you'll need to seek out and print prior to class). Your professors will provide you with a list of helpful textbooks for purchase, but you'd be better off saving that money for decompression post exam. You and glycolysis will soon be closer than you and your bff.
Infectious Process
For the most part, this class is not as rigorous as its first semester counterpart. A lot of immunology and microbiology will be covered here. Again, no text is really required as long as you're able to take efficient notes during lecture and utilize Google. You're more likely to get out of this class earlier than you would MBM. Although the information isn't as saturated in Infectious Process, you'll be doing yourself a disservice by not spending a good amount of time prepping for the exams. Like MBM, you will have your information provided to you via Power Points and hand-outs. A lot of students slant there studies heavily in favor of MBM only to have their final GPA broken to bits when they do poorly in this class.
Second Trimester: Human Anatomy; Histology
Human Anatomy (or Gross Anatomy)
If you've made it this far in the year, then breath a sigh of relief because the crucible known as MBM has been bested by you. However, this doesn't mean anything is going to get easier- but it does say something for your ability to ingest a lot of bio content and then regurgitate it come exam time, which is exactly what you'll be doing for anatomy. This stuff is really straight forward, but be ready for an onslaught of anatomical jargon which you've unlikely come across in your previous years of undergraduate education (yes, even if you took a "comparative anatomy" course), Things are going to get very detailed for this class, especially when it comes to your cadaver practical, so be prepared to spend a lot of time upstairs in the laboratory after-hours. Class is taught with Power Points (surprise), and for cadaver lab, you will be provided with a checklist each class of anatomical sites to identify (which are all up for grabs to be "tagged" during your lab practical). Exams and lab practicals are on the same day. I highly advise that you pick up an anatomy atlas for this class. The eighty to one-hundred dollars you drop on this book will be well worth it when it comes time for studies. Be prepared to have the smell of formaldehyde on your clothes and a craving for chicken after each class session.
Histology
By far my favorite class of the first year (and unexpectedly so because I'm not very fond of peering down microscopes for extended periods of time). Lots of visual memorization is going to be helpful here (for those that don't have a good visual memory system or some sort of photographic memory, get ready to burn the midnight oil). Each class will have a lab component. No text is really necessary as long as you utilize your PCOM internet suite sources (more info on that will be provided once you're a student). The professor is going to tell you to rent a light microscope, but many a student- including myself- did very well without the additional eighty dollar rental. In the end, it's up to you and how well you know yourself and your visual memorization ability.
Third Trimester: Neuroscience; Physiology; Pharmacology
Neuroscience
The name of the class says it all: you're going to be covering all sorts of neural synaptics and get in depth on the plasticity, and structure, of the brain. You will have two lab periods in which you dissect and identify all the regions of the human brain. The content isn't too horrible, and it's all provided via Power Point presentation. You probably won't need any text to do well as long as you attend each class and are able to use an internet search engine. Take good notes, and be sure to pay close attention when you start to get into the cranial nerve and optic lectures... they're a doozy.
Physiology
Get ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of our body's inner workings and musculoskeletal kinetics. A lot of this stuff can be quite confusing, so be sure you have a solid base coming out of anatomy and be sure to take really good notes during class and maybe even watch Tegrity and couple times over to drive all of the concepts home. Weekly exam/quiz hybrids will be given over the entire trimester (one of those double-edged swords we talked about in a previous blog post). No books will be needed to get an A in this class. The quicker you get renal physiology down, the happier you're going to be... so don't procrastinate on that one.
Pharmacology
Brute memorization. The entire trimester. Just accept that the day you're accepted into the biomed program and once pharm comes around you won't be as shell-shocked. A lot of interesting information is to be had, but it's difficult to "enjoy" what you're learning because before you can take in that fact that you know how to treat a bradycardic patient, you'll be expected to memorize appropriate dosages of alprazolam for a young adult with anxiety. Stay way on top of things and you should end up fine. Power Point lectures and hand-outs will be provided. I really did find this class very interesting, and you're going to get a lot of clinical knowledge out of it if you put the time in. No text purchases necessary.
--- --- ---
Yep... a lot of information was thrown at you in this post, but for those that are really interested in knowing how the year will play out ahead of time- this should give you a satisfactory idea. It seems like a lot, and definitely daunting initially, but you really just have to take it one day at a time and everything falls into place. Everything you learn builds upon previous lectures, so it does get easier once you find your "flow".
--- --- ---
First Trimester: Molecular Basis of Medicine; Infectious Process
Molecular Basis of Medicine (lovingly referred to as MBM)
Think of this class as undergraduate biochemistry on [lots and lots of] steroids. You will be covering an abundance of information relating to the metabolic processes of the body and also a large chunk of molecular genetics. A solid undergraduate premedical curriculum should have you ready to tackle the rigors that are about to unfold before you, just be sure to use some time management to get through all the information that's about to be hurled your way. Class is going to generally stretch the entire four hour span here (coffee lovers, rejoice), and all of your information will be provided through Power Point presentations and teacher provided handouts (which you'll need to seek out and print prior to class). Your professors will provide you with a list of helpful textbooks for purchase, but you'd be better off saving that money for decompression post exam. You and glycolysis will soon be closer than you and your bff.
Infectious Process
For the most part, this class is not as rigorous as its first semester counterpart. A lot of immunology and microbiology will be covered here. Again, no text is really required as long as you're able to take efficient notes during lecture and utilize Google. You're more likely to get out of this class earlier than you would MBM. Although the information isn't as saturated in Infectious Process, you'll be doing yourself a disservice by not spending a good amount of time prepping for the exams. Like MBM, you will have your information provided to you via Power Points and hand-outs. A lot of students slant there studies heavily in favor of MBM only to have their final GPA broken to bits when they do poorly in this class.
Second Trimester: Human Anatomy; Histology
Human Anatomy (or Gross Anatomy)
If you've made it this far in the year, then breath a sigh of relief because the crucible known as MBM has been bested by you. However, this doesn't mean anything is going to get easier- but it does say something for your ability to ingest a lot of bio content and then regurgitate it come exam time, which is exactly what you'll be doing for anatomy. This stuff is really straight forward, but be ready for an onslaught of anatomical jargon which you've unlikely come across in your previous years of undergraduate education (yes, even if you took a "comparative anatomy" course), Things are going to get very detailed for this class, especially when it comes to your cadaver practical, so be prepared to spend a lot of time upstairs in the laboratory after-hours. Class is taught with Power Points (surprise), and for cadaver lab, you will be provided with a checklist each class of anatomical sites to identify (which are all up for grabs to be "tagged" during your lab practical). Exams and lab practicals are on the same day. I highly advise that you pick up an anatomy atlas for this class. The eighty to one-hundred dollars you drop on this book will be well worth it when it comes time for studies. Be prepared to have the smell of formaldehyde on your clothes and a craving for chicken after each class session.
Histology
By far my favorite class of the first year (and unexpectedly so because I'm not very fond of peering down microscopes for extended periods of time). Lots of visual memorization is going to be helpful here (for those that don't have a good visual memory system or some sort of photographic memory, get ready to burn the midnight oil). Each class will have a lab component. No text is really necessary as long as you utilize your PCOM internet suite sources (more info on that will be provided once you're a student). The professor is going to tell you to rent a light microscope, but many a student- including myself- did very well without the additional eighty dollar rental. In the end, it's up to you and how well you know yourself and your visual memorization ability.
Third Trimester: Neuroscience; Physiology; Pharmacology
Neuroscience
The name of the class says it all: you're going to be covering all sorts of neural synaptics and get in depth on the plasticity, and structure, of the brain. You will have two lab periods in which you dissect and identify all the regions of the human brain. The content isn't too horrible, and it's all provided via Power Point presentation. You probably won't need any text to do well as long as you attend each class and are able to use an internet search engine. Take good notes, and be sure to pay close attention when you start to get into the cranial nerve and optic lectures... they're a doozy.
Physiology
Get ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of our body's inner workings and musculoskeletal kinetics. A lot of this stuff can be quite confusing, so be sure you have a solid base coming out of anatomy and be sure to take really good notes during class and maybe even watch Tegrity and couple times over to drive all of the concepts home. Weekly exam/quiz hybrids will be given over the entire trimester (one of those double-edged swords we talked about in a previous blog post). No books will be needed to get an A in this class. The quicker you get renal physiology down, the happier you're going to be... so don't procrastinate on that one.
Pharmacology
Brute memorization. The entire trimester. Just accept that the day you're accepted into the biomed program and once pharm comes around you won't be as shell-shocked. A lot of interesting information is to be had, but it's difficult to "enjoy" what you're learning because before you can take in that fact that you know how to treat a bradycardic patient, you'll be expected to memorize appropriate dosages of alprazolam for a young adult with anxiety. Stay way on top of things and you should end up fine. Power Point lectures and hand-outs will be provided. I really did find this class very interesting, and you're going to get a lot of clinical knowledge out of it if you put the time in. No text purchases necessary.
--- --- ---
Yep... a lot of information was thrown at you in this post, but for those that are really interested in knowing how the year will play out ahead of time- this should give you a satisfactory idea. It seems like a lot, and definitely daunting initially, but you really just have to take it one day at a time and everything falls into place. Everything you learn builds upon previous lectures, so it does get easier once you find your "flow".
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The First Year (Volume I)
After thinking about the amount of information I'd like to pass off, I've decided to break down my summary of the biomed program's first year into two volumes (hey.. if Quentin Tarantino could do it with Kill Bill...). By combining the info from this passage and my next passage, you'll have garnered yourself a solid understanding of what to expect as a first year biomedical student at PCOM.
I started the first year of the biomedical sciences program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine around the end of August 2012. A week or so prior to commencing class, we had an orientation event in Evan's Hall (big building where the majority of your classes will be held). This was helpful because it allowed our class to become familiar with the campus, our fellow student body, select faculty, some of the administrative staff and a handful of biomed students from the previous year. A great deal of information was covered, and the second year biomeds and first year osteopathic medical students were nice enough to take time out of their busy schedules answering questions. The event is an excellent "kick-starter" and provides a great deal of valuable information about the coming trimesters as a biomed student at PCOM. In the following paragraphs, I'm going to cover some of the info they would touch upon and more.
I doubt you've missed it, but I'll say it again: the biomedical sciences program at PCOM is taught through a "trimester curriculum". For the most part, undergraduate schools run via a semester schedule (one local exception to the semester rule that you can reference is Drexel University, but I digress). Trimesters can be a double-edged sword: although you have the opportunity to learn a great deal of information from a wide spectrum of topics, you're going to be cramped for time (a lot). From the start of your first class, your new professors are going to be expecting you to perform on the graduate level (they're going to say that a lot, so you might as well hear it first from me). That means you'll need to really bunker down with your studies. It's not medical school (or dental school, podiatry school, etc)... yet... but there's going to be a serious flow of science related content headed your way, and it's easy to get overwhelmed quickly. Those that are most content with their final grades are the students that treat their classwork like it's their full-time job (and we're going to get into working while schooling shortly). As long as you keep on top of your work, enjoy what you're learning (why else would you be here?) and study diligently, you're going to be just fine.
Some popular questions are "Can I work?" and "How much do you really need to study to do well?". My class had around 70 students, and a great deal of us- including myself- worked part-time to pay the bills. It was a balancing act in figuring out how many hours I could work a week and still stay on top of my academics. We're all different, but I found my sweet spot to be somewhere around 20-25 hours a week spent on the job, and when finals were coming up, I would usually drop down to about 18. I think there may have been a couple people in my class that worked full-time and were able to stay on to of their grades, but I wouldn't advise it. Studying has a lot more to do with the student and less to do with how much time they put in. However, no matter how efficient your study methods or memory skills, you're still going to be sitting at a desk with your books for a very large chunk of time if you want to be pulling a 4.0. Students who performed best report having spent 20-28 hours a week on their studies (and that number likely increased a bit during any given exam week). It isn't that the information is especially hard, there is just a great deal of it being thrown at you at once (look up the fire hose analogy).
Unless things are going to change between now and when you begin class, your entire first year's schedule is going to be class on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Some days you'll be getting out early, but don't count on it (especially during the first trimester and for classes which include a laboratory component). Sometimes, namely human anatomy, students stay well beyond when class ends to go over their cadaver a bit more in hopes of getting a leg up in their studies and to solidify concepts from previous lectures. This brings us to popular question #3: "Do I really need to attend class?"... Well, yes and no... If you want to get as much out of your classes as possible and want to be able to interact with your fellow students and faculty, then yes- you really need to attend class. However, if you're sick or "sick", then you have the benefit of being able utilize a program called Tegrity. Tegrity is there to [theoretically] record each lecture over every trimester for playback by you at a more satisfactory time on your computer or portable device. This tool was very helpful for me last year around December when I came down with the flu. Word of caution to those with a tendency to play hooky: there have been a many a time when the software malfunctions and an entire four-hour class is lost to all sans those who are in attendance.
I think that's as good a place as any to stop for now. My next post will cover the classes of each trimester. I'll provide a basic overview of each class, when to expect to encounter each class over the course of your first year and some other info which may be helpful in saving you some money.
Rich
I started the first year of the biomedical sciences program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine around the end of August 2012. A week or so prior to commencing class, we had an orientation event in Evan's Hall (big building where the majority of your classes will be held). This was helpful because it allowed our class to become familiar with the campus, our fellow student body, select faculty, some of the administrative staff and a handful of biomed students from the previous year. A great deal of information was covered, and the second year biomeds and first year osteopathic medical students were nice enough to take time out of their busy schedules answering questions. The event is an excellent "kick-starter" and provides a great deal of valuable information about the coming trimesters as a biomed student at PCOM. In the following paragraphs, I'm going to cover some of the info they would touch upon and more.
I doubt you've missed it, but I'll say it again: the biomedical sciences program at PCOM is taught through a "trimester curriculum". For the most part, undergraduate schools run via a semester schedule (one local exception to the semester rule that you can reference is Drexel University, but I digress). Trimesters can be a double-edged sword: although you have the opportunity to learn a great deal of information from a wide spectrum of topics, you're going to be cramped for time (a lot). From the start of your first class, your new professors are going to be expecting you to perform on the graduate level (they're going to say that a lot, so you might as well hear it first from me). That means you'll need to really bunker down with your studies. It's not medical school (or dental school, podiatry school, etc)... yet... but there's going to be a serious flow of science related content headed your way, and it's easy to get overwhelmed quickly. Those that are most content with their final grades are the students that treat their classwork like it's their full-time job (and we're going to get into working while schooling shortly). As long as you keep on top of your work, enjoy what you're learning (why else would you be here?) and study diligently, you're going to be just fine.
Some popular questions are "Can I work?" and "How much do you really need to study to do well?". My class had around 70 students, and a great deal of us- including myself- worked part-time to pay the bills. It was a balancing act in figuring out how many hours I could work a week and still stay on top of my academics. We're all different, but I found my sweet spot to be somewhere around 20-25 hours a week spent on the job, and when finals were coming up, I would usually drop down to about 18. I think there may have been a couple people in my class that worked full-time and were able to stay on to of their grades, but I wouldn't advise it. Studying has a lot more to do with the student and less to do with how much time they put in. However, no matter how efficient your study methods or memory skills, you're still going to be sitting at a desk with your books for a very large chunk of time if you want to be pulling a 4.0. Students who performed best report having spent 20-28 hours a week on their studies (and that number likely increased a bit during any given exam week). It isn't that the information is especially hard, there is just a great deal of it being thrown at you at once (look up the fire hose analogy).
Unless things are going to change between now and when you begin class, your entire first year's schedule is going to be class on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Some days you'll be getting out early, but don't count on it (especially during the first trimester and for classes which include a laboratory component). Sometimes, namely human anatomy, students stay well beyond when class ends to go over their cadaver a bit more in hopes of getting a leg up in their studies and to solidify concepts from previous lectures. This brings us to popular question #3: "Do I really need to attend class?"... Well, yes and no... If you want to get as much out of your classes as possible and want to be able to interact with your fellow students and faculty, then yes- you really need to attend class. However, if you're sick or "sick", then you have the benefit of being able utilize a program called Tegrity. Tegrity is there to [theoretically] record each lecture over every trimester for playback by you at a more satisfactory time on your computer or portable device. This tool was very helpful for me last year around December when I came down with the flu. Word of caution to those with a tendency to play hooky: there have been a many a time when the software malfunctions and an entire four-hour class is lost to all sans those who are in attendance.
I think that's as good a place as any to stop for now. My next post will cover the classes of each trimester. I'll provide a basic overview of each class, when to expect to encounter each class over the course of your first year and some other info which may be helpful in saving you some money.
Rich
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Biomedventures: RESUSCITATED
I remember when I was trying to sort out what I wanted to do with my life after I graduated from Saint Joseph's University back in 2009... I was a younger man than I am now with spunk in my step and a motivation to match. However, I wasn't sure as to where or how I wanted to channel all of this new energy and diploma. I had completed my bachelor's degree in biology, but at the time wasn't certain with how I wanted to continue on with my education. Did I want to enter the law field... or was a career within the medicine where I would be best suited? Four years came and went too fast, and now that the day had finally arrived, I didn't want to jump into any decision with too much haste. Although only twenty-two, I was already intimately familiar with the bite and burden of student loans. As necessary an evil as they are, I was in no rush to compound what I already owed back to Uncle Sam and our [all too willing] banker friends. This called for some introspective thought; I decided on taking some time off from pursuing any type of graduate education until I was certain on what trail I wanted to blaze.
Fast forward a few years and I'm now one of many focused, hardworking students within PCOM's biomedical sciences program. After much thought, and reflection, I felt my calling was a career in medicine. The biomed program is providing me with a wide spectrum of knowledge pertinent to any individual who aspires to perform at their peak not just in the medical field, but also in areas of scientific research, leadership and forensic study. Classes range from the study of microbiology and immunology to gross anatomy with several of the classes being accompanied by a laboratory component to supplement the didactic teaching approach.
As my inaugural Biomedventures blog post, I wanted to give myself a quick introduction and also talk about some key points of the biomed degree that many incoming and prospective students often have questions about. Thusly (it's rare that I get the chance to use these kinds of words so hang with me here because you'll see them often), I decided that this posting will cover a summary of the program as a whole. I'm a second year biomed student, so rest assured that my words here can be trusted as they've been forged by experience through the "Hot Gates" of PCOM (that's a 300 reference... there are actually no flowing springs on campus aside from maybe the fountain adjacent to the Levin Administration Building).
The biomedical sciences graduate program can be completed in two ways: you can either earn a master's degree in science (two years) or be awarded a certificate of completion (one year). The certificate of study can be helpful to many in proving their grit when applying to professional school (medical, dental, podiatry, etc) and aids in supplementing their application packet and GPA. For those who go on to pursue the MS: prior to starting their second year, students must decide upon one of three specific concentration tracks: research, organizational development & leadership (ODL) or forensic biology. The name of each track is pretty self explanatory in regards to what's the focus of study therein. Important to note, unlike the ODL and forensic concentrations, those who wish to pursue the research track must make arrangements in assisting with one of the teaching faculty's specific project. There are several research opportunities to choose from every year, so if hitting the [lab] bench and getting down with the light microscope is your thing, fear not.
A very popular topic of discussion which seems to cycle within the first year biomed body is that of how acceptances correlate between PCOM's osteopathic and biomedical program. In other words: how likely it is that a biomed will be accepted into the following year's DO class. For those that aren't savvy, PCOM's MS and DO classes are in no way linked in a fashion whereby acceptance into one program is an automatic acceptance into the other. However, whether you're a first or second year biomed student, if you're in good standing with at least a 3.0 GPA and 24 MCAT, you are guaranteed an interview by the DO admission committee. Keep in mind- as with any competitive program- it's always to your benefit to try and far surpass the bare minimum.
That about sums up my introductory post on the biomedical sciences program at PCOM. My next blog will include a lot of information on what to expect as a first year biomed. Details pertaining to classes, schedule, professors and expected required text over the course of the trimesters will be discussed at length. Also some other answers to popular questions such as, but not limited to: "Can I work during my first year?", "How much do I need to study?" and "Do I really need to attend class?"
I'm going to try and blog at least once a fortnight (another underused word, imo). Eventually I'll be leading the topics of my posts towards running parallel with my current coursework within the forensic biology track. If you have any questions or comments throughout my blogging trek please feel free to post them!
Rich
Fast forward a few years and I'm now one of many focused, hardworking students within PCOM's biomedical sciences program. After much thought, and reflection, I felt my calling was a career in medicine. The biomed program is providing me with a wide spectrum of knowledge pertinent to any individual who aspires to perform at their peak not just in the medical field, but also in areas of scientific research, leadership and forensic study. Classes range from the study of microbiology and immunology to gross anatomy with several of the classes being accompanied by a laboratory component to supplement the didactic teaching approach.
As my inaugural Biomedventures blog post, I wanted to give myself a quick introduction and also talk about some key points of the biomed degree that many incoming and prospective students often have questions about. Thusly (it's rare that I get the chance to use these kinds of words so hang with me here because you'll see them often), I decided that this posting will cover a summary of the program as a whole. I'm a second year biomed student, so rest assured that my words here can be trusted as they've been forged by experience through the "Hot Gates" of PCOM (that's a 300 reference... there are actually no flowing springs on campus aside from maybe the fountain adjacent to the Levin Administration Building).
The biomedical sciences graduate program can be completed in two ways: you can either earn a master's degree in science (two years) or be awarded a certificate of completion (one year). The certificate of study can be helpful to many in proving their grit when applying to professional school (medical, dental, podiatry, etc) and aids in supplementing their application packet and GPA. For those who go on to pursue the MS: prior to starting their second year, students must decide upon one of three specific concentration tracks: research, organizational development & leadership (ODL) or forensic biology. The name of each track is pretty self explanatory in regards to what's the focus of study therein. Important to note, unlike the ODL and forensic concentrations, those who wish to pursue the research track must make arrangements in assisting with one of the teaching faculty's specific project. There are several research opportunities to choose from every year, so if hitting the [lab] bench and getting down with the light microscope is your thing, fear not.
A very popular topic of discussion which seems to cycle within the first year biomed body is that of how acceptances correlate between PCOM's osteopathic and biomedical program. In other words: how likely it is that a biomed will be accepted into the following year's DO class. For those that aren't savvy, PCOM's MS and DO classes are in no way linked in a fashion whereby acceptance into one program is an automatic acceptance into the other. However, whether you're a first or second year biomed student, if you're in good standing with at least a 3.0 GPA and 24 MCAT, you are guaranteed an interview by the DO admission committee. Keep in mind- as with any competitive program- it's always to your benefit to try and far surpass the bare minimum.
That about sums up my introductory post on the biomedical sciences program at PCOM. My next blog will include a lot of information on what to expect as a first year biomed. Details pertaining to classes, schedule, professors and expected required text over the course of the trimesters will be discussed at length. Also some other answers to popular questions such as, but not limited to: "Can I work during my first year?", "How much do I need to study?" and "Do I really need to attend class?"
I'm going to try and blog at least once a fortnight (another underused word, imo). Eventually I'll be leading the topics of my posts towards running parallel with my current coursework within the forensic biology track. If you have any questions or comments throughout my blogging trek please feel free to post them!
Rich
Saturday, December 29, 2012
We survive FMED 500 and the Mayan prophecy...
And move onto FMED 501, an introductory course into the
principles of forensic medicine. Here,
we get to the “heart” of the track, so to speak – the basics of crime scene
investigation, the science of fingerprints, forensic photography, the study of
blood splatters... The latter topics
will be covered in my next post, but for now, I’ll just touch briefly on a few
of the highlights from the first class.
We began the course by building off the pathological
processes we learned in the previous trimester and get a general overview of
the post mortem changes that take place, e.g. rigor mortis, changes in body
temperature and color, skin slippage and marbling, other characteristic
physical and chemical changes etc. And also got the chance to exercise our deductive reasoning skills, Law and Order style, running through a couple of different scenarios and debating what the manner of death is, for instance, of someone who dies while playing Russian roulette. Accident? Suicide? Switching gears from a biological and clinical background to a legal one was not only thought provoking, but dare I say, even fun?
Much to my surprise, a particularly interesting section for
me was the forensic entomology workshop.
Frankly, and maybe, I’m the only one on this island of thought, but I
never really found the world of insects especially exciting. Maybe it’s due to my instinctual first hand
response to search and destroy most critters that cross my path, but with that
being said, it was really interesting to learn about the essential role insects play
in body decomposition and how the stage
at which the collected specimen is found in can help provide vital information such as relative time
frame of death. Furthermore getting a
hands on look at some common, and not so common, species of
flies, maggots, and beetles, and inspecting their anatomy macroscopically and microscopically was especially cool and and identifying their structures gave me a better understanding of their role in crime scene investigation.
I'm looking forward to the next set of classes and writing about some of the hands on activities and learning more of the social science perspective of forensics. I'll keep you posted.
See you in 2013!
I'm looking forward to the next set of classes and writing about some of the hands on activities and learning more of the social science perspective of forensics. I'll keep you posted.
See you in 2013!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Onto the second term!
The first term has come to an end and I want to congratulate all of the first year Biomeds for completing IP and MBM. I know that it was a tough term so take the time to reflect on what you have just accomplished. As another term is upon you, refocus yourself on the reasons you came to PCOM's Biomed program. Don't be discouraged by the work but be motivated to continue to do your best. You have two new classes lined up. Take the advice of the second years and know that both Anatomy and Histology are not to be taken lightly. Make sure to re-evaluate your learning styles and decide if they are applicable to helping you succeed in Anatomy and Histology.
On another note, it's time for some introductions. I'm Odessa Pulido, a second year Biomed in the Organizational Leadership track. I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and I graduated from Seattle University in 2010. As a Biology major, I studied the effects of TGF- Beta on the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition of breast and bladder cancer cells. Organizational Leadership was one of the reasons I was attracted to PCOM's Biomedical Science program. This program is for students who want to be leaders in their respective fields and make a change in their organizations. If this interests you, I highly recommend pursuing this route.
I hope that you all enjoyed your time with family and friends during the Thanksgiving break, and got to fit in some studying too, while recovering from your food coma. Again, congratulations for finishing your first term. I hope that you all stay focused on your goals and allow those at PCOM to help you get there. Onto the second term!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Life as a 2nd year...
Welcome! My name is Irene and I’m a second year Biomed Student at PCOM. Over the course of the next year you’ll find posts from second years such as myself who are completing the second half of the Master’s program, having chosen a concentration via one of the following tracks - Forensics Medicine, Research, and Organization Leadership. We’ll be documenting, writing, and sharing our experiences while offering tidbits of advice and wisdom, and perhaps, even a bit of humor/sanity to you folks out there who have decided to go down the harrowing, but very rewarding path of a career in health care.
First and foremost, let me take a moment to introduce myself. Just a little background information, I graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Psychology and worked in two labs, one studying the effects of automaticity on implicit attitudes and beliefs, and the other, exploring cognitive attentional deficits from prenatal cocaine exposure using the rat model. After undergrad I moved to Philadelphia to complete my premed requirements at Penn and worked as an Academic Associate in the ER at CHOP and then worked for a local women’s health non profit for a bit before applying to PCOM’s Biomed program, and am now in the midst of completing the second year via the Forensics Medicine track with the final destination of medical school in mind.
(If you have stumbled upon this blog in pursuit of information regarding the first year’s coursework and experiences, please click on the entries in the archive on the right hand side of the page. You’ll find a great deal of insight, information, and support there!)
Ok, whew, moving on. After completing the first year of the program, you’ll have the option to pursue one of three different tracks. I decided to choose Forensics Medicine because I was interested in pathology and wanted to build on the foundational knowledge I had gathered from the first year of the program (and because I might have watched one too many episodes of HOUSE, CSI, and Dexter).
The forensics track begins with taking FMED 500, which is a four credit course that starts in the fall. It meets one weekend per month for four consecutive months, Friday to Sunday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Though this turbo style of class might sound not as heavy in coursework as say Histology or IP, heed my words, take this class seriously, do not underestimate the rigorousness of this course. Study a little bit every day. There is a significant amount of material to get through and leaving it one week before the exam will not cut it. FMED 500 covers general pathology of nearly every system (kidneys, respiratory, cardio, liver, etc). At this point, having taken histology and IP, you should have a pretty good understanding of the disease process – initial onset, progress, and morphology – and this will give you a leg up in path. Oh, obviously, on the plus side of having classes only once a month, this will leave you a nice chunk of time to pursue other things, e.g. a work study/volunteer position in another faculty member’s lab, shadowing, finishing up applications, getting more involved in one of PCOM’s many clubs and activities, and perhaps even having a bit of a social life. J
Taking pathology has given me a more well-rounded, comprehensive view of understanding the etiology and progression of disease, and has helped me especially to begin to think like a clinician. Things are beginning to make more sense this year, and I find myself thinking more along the lines of “What are the symptoms that my patient of a specific demographic will present with? What are the hallmarks of the disease? How can I use them to compare & contrast and eliminate them from other differential diagnoses?” Getting in this mode of thinking has been empowering and motivating and makes me feel like all the hard work I put in, in acquiring the foundational knowledge, has been worth it in helping me to really understand and begin to think like a physician. I’m looking forward to phase II, FMED 501, where we incorporate more of the forensics aspects of medicine, and will keep you posted on what I learn. Please don’t hesitate to email me at irenepa@pcom.edu if you have any additional questions!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Onward... by Alexis Mark
Graduation has come and gone for the PCOM Biomedical Sciences Class of 2012. I know that no matter what the journey has been to accomplish this achievement, we all have worked so hard and most definitely earned a moment of glory! Congratulations to everyone!
My experiences during the first year the Biomedical Sciences program at PCOM have strengthened my knowledge base of the sciences and enhanced my appreciation of just how complex and useful science is toward piecing together the processes involved in human health and illness. The advancement of medicine would be incomplete without scientific progress. And this was part of the big picture lesson that I more fully realized while pursuing the research concentration during my second year of the program.
Now, I would just like to take a moment to share with you some words of wisdom, a handful of hopefully helpful hints on surviving and thriving in graduate school. My first tip would be to work smart. While, of course it is a known fact that you must work diligently to achieve your goals, it is important to be efficient! This means understanding how you best study and absorb ideas with the goal of truly learning the material you need. Gauge the tools, tangible and abstract, that will help you move forward to thoroughly understand the concepts you will need, whether it be in preparation for a test, how to plan an experiment, or learning how one idea fits into a more complex one.
Secondly, take time. Remember to pencil in time for activities that make you, well ... you. Meaning to say, take time for what is important to shaping who you are and contributes to your success ... by the way, this includes SLEEP! Seize those opportunities that enable you to grow by stepping outside of your comfort zone. Take time to appreciate the resources available to you, and use them to your benefit to enhance what you know.
Lastly, have fun! No one wants to be around a boring grad student who only talks about their research all day and all night! Get out and live a little!
Also, the website scholarships.com reviews ways to make the most of your graduate eduction in the article, “Top 10 Tips for Surviving Graduate School,” found at the following website: http://www.scholarships.com/resources/after-college/graduate-and-professional-school/top-10-tips-for-surviving-graduate-school/. My favorite snippets of wisdom from the site’s features are: 1) Take initiative, 2) Get organized, and 3) Prioritize.
And now, as I end my final blog post, I am reminded of that cliché phrase that although graduation marks an end, it also symbolizes another beginning. So onward to next chapter I charge, full of unknowns and new horizons that I eagerly anticipate! But, I will remain thankful for and remember the challenging times and lessons learned, the people I met and true friends made, and the experiences I’ve gathered over the past two years.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
PCOM - Relay For Life by Phil Koehler
Once again I found another reason to be
extremely proud to be a part of the PCOM family! Friday, March 30th
marked the first annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life at
PCOM. Relay For Life (RFL) is run by the American Cancer Society (ACS)
and seeks to bring together communities in solidarity for remembering and
celebrating people who have battled cancer. Funds raised go toward American
Cancer Society’s research efforts and services provided, such as transportation
to treatment centers and providing a place for patients and caregivers to stay
when away from home at ACS Hope Lodges.
It was an unbelievable event, in which
I hope to participate for years to come! About 200 members of PCOM
participated in the 14 hour-long celebration, raising more than $20,000 in
donations!!! Donations can still be made: Donations. More info about the event can
be found here: What Is RFL?
Some of the fun things at the event:
The coolest part for me was hearing so
many inspiring stories and the camaraderie amongst participants.
I am also so ecstatic to report I have
been accepted to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2016 at
PCOM! It is a tremendous opportunity and I am very grateful for the many
people that have worked hard at helping me reach this goal.
Before classes start in August, I will
be writing and defending my thesis. I am
looking forward to presenting and watching all of my classmates defend over the
next couple months. The Biomed program has gone by so quickly, and it
will be surreal graduating with all of my classmates and dear friends in July!
Friday, March 16, 2012
An Amazing Opportunity (AAAEB 2012) by Jameel Shareef
Time is really flying. Can you believe that the year is almost over? Only 9 weeks left in the school year. For us 2nd years there is still so much work to be done. On the research track most have completed data collection for their respective projects while others are finishing up experiments. Many of us have started writing our thesis papers, (or we have at least thought about it), and others are preparing posters to be presented at various conventions such as the American Association of Anatomists Experimental Biology (AAAEB) Conference in San Diego. This year, I am excited to have the opportunity to do just that.
At this year’s AAAEB conference, I will be presenting my project which is titled “The In Vivo Reorganization of Laminin in Relation to α1 Integrin in Chick Skeletal Muscle.” This project has involved studying the arrangement of an extracellular matrix protein called laminin that plays a key role in the development of skeletal muscle in embryonic chicks. Laminin is a heterotrimeric, (composed of 3 subunits (α, β and γ)), protein that is a major component of the basement membrane, which is an extracellular matrix material that coats most cells in the body. Laminins work with Integrins, which are heterodimeric (composed of 2 subunits (α and β)) cellular transmembrane receptor proteins, to anchor cells to the basement membrane. Deficiencies in the Laminins and or Integrins that are involved in the development and organization of skeletal muscle have been known to result in muscular dystrophies. The specific Laminin to Integrin combination involved determines type of muscular dystrophy. In previous work, Alpha-1 (α1) Integrin was found to reorganize in chick skeletal muscle from a punctate (spotty) distribution to one that is more periodic (occurring at intervals) within the muscle sarcomere. Prior to hatching, α1 distribution becomes punctate again and eventually disperses to a point where it is no longer visible with immunohistochemical staining. The function of α1 integrin is unknown, but its reorganization during the gestation period is thought to indicate a structural role in muscle development. Previous In Vitro studies have established a linkage between the spatial and temporal reorganization of α1 and the localization of Laminin. The purpose of my study is to determine if that same relationship occurs In Vivo.
I am genuinely looking forward to attending the AAAEB conference next month. The opportunity to not only share my work but to learn about other potentially revolutionary studies is exciting. I have learned so much this year and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
V-Day: A Venue for Change by Alexis Mark
Many enter the healthcare field with the intent of helping people. This often becomes a challenge for many reasons. Sometimes this challenge is attributed to the fact that a disease is not fully understood. At others, it is because patients are noncompliant with treatment. Then there are instances in which environmental or lifestyle factors become hindrances. Throughout our professional lives, we will face circumstances in which a problem just seems insurmountable, and the intent to solve it gets lost in the reality of its power to overwhelm us. However, we also hold the power to decide to remain persistent. I’m now reminded of one of my former teachers who frequently said, life is a series of decisions. And, while I agree with this, I also posit that it is a series of actions that we take to define solutions and improvements.
So where does V-Day come into play with this post? And what, you may be wondering is The Vagina Monologues? V-Day and The Vagina Monologues are efforts that address the issue of violence, specifically tackling violence against women.
To briefly summarize, V-Day is a worldwide movement established in 1998 with a group of women in New York City as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its goal is to empower anti-violence organizations and at the same time represents a commitment to ending violence against women and girls. According to the website, http://www.vday.org, V-Day’s purpose is to end violence against females, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation, and sex slavery. This problem may be larger than you are aware of: according to the UN report The World’s Women 2012: Trends and Statistics one key finding was “Violence against women is a universal phenomenon.”
Eve Ensler, a Tony-award winning playwright and the author of The Vagina Monologues, decided to take action by expressing the voices of those women whose stories are often untold, forgotten, or deemed not as important as other matters. Her intention is to foster dialogues about and allow for an openness in understanding and breaking down this worldwide challenge. The play launched in 1994 and was the culmination of dozens of interviews administered by Ensler with women from a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. The show initially ran in New York and then toured around the U.S.A.
Today over 5,800 performances are put on annually during the months of March, April, and May. Last year I had the honor of participating in PCOM's annual production of The Vagina Monologues. It required me to step outside my comfort zone, but this is something I believe I need to continually push myself to do. It also allowed me to come together in solidarity with others for a cause that DEMANDS attention. While violence against women may seem deep-rooted and overwhelming, there are steps we can take to educate and change cultural and societal attitudes about violence against women.
This year, PCOM’s performance of The Vagina Monologues will take place Saturday, February 11 at 7pm and Sunday, February 12 at 2pm. I urge you to come support your classmates who have put a TON of effort into this production and support V-Day as a way to implement change.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
New Year, Fresh Outlook...By: Susan Ramirez
picture from: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ReviewPhotos-g34227-d633477-r7476815-Cocobelle_Resort-Fort_Lauderdale_Florida.html
Happy New Year everyone!
I'm sure you're all off to a running
start as you get back to work or school. First year Biomeds are now in the
second half of Anatomy and Histology, and second year research students are
well underway in their projects.
As my post-vacation serenity started to
slowly give way with the rush of school, I decided to try new ways of kicking
back and catching my breath. Learning is a priority in my life but burnout can
make me lose sight of my goals (& lose my mind!).
Well, a few months ago a friend asked me
a question about a park I walk through everyday. I
was embarrassed that after living in Philly for over 10 years, she
knew more about that park than I did. So, I'm checking out these
"attractions" soon to learn more about my city.
- Mummer's museum: The Mummers are a group of 10,000 people (yes, ten thousand!)
that dress up and orchestrate a parade down
- Federal Donuts: This is Philly's new Chicken & Donuts food spot. I know it's not the
healthiest of food choices but there's something about well-seasoned
crispy (chicken) skin that makes my mouth water. I also don't want to pass up the
challenge of getting in line early enough to actually get some chicken!
This is just one of many of Philly's family-owned food spots, and in the
heart of South Philly. http://federaldonuts.com/main.html
If volunteering is more
your thing, here are a couple of opportunities that I’m a part of:
- Puentes De
Salud: http://www.puentesdesalud.org/welcome
- Puentes Hacía el Futuro: https://sites.google.com/site/puentestutor/
You can also find more opportunities
here: http://www.uwsepa.org/
And take a break to
check out this year’s student production of the Vagina Monologues, February 11th
@7pm or February 12th @2pm.
Learn more about V-Day here: http://www.vday.org/spotlight2012
I hope to keep work-life balance a regular priority and
part of my lifestyle rather than a New Year's resolution (you know- “in” for
January, out by February). Leave a comment to let me know what you guys do
to unwind, I’m always up to try something new!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Most wonderful time of year...By: Phil Koehler
Hey everyone…once again it’s getting to that time of the year…midterms/finals! I remember this time last year, stressing over balancing classes and spending time with my family. It is funny how all you want is a break and your family starts asking you medically related questions. Believe it or not, after 1 semester of experience I was looking at blood test reports on Christmas day.
Medicine and school is my life but it is extremely important to take a break and enjoy the holidays. Last year I made the mistake of telling myself “I will study everyday over break”. It was the wrong attitude to have because I never gave myself time off mentally and accomplished the same amount of work as if I did take a couple days off. It is especially important because second semester is challenging due to the quantity of work. Therefore, my fellow bloggers asked me to share some insight on my experience with Histology….
The difficulty of Histology usually takes you by surprise. I believe success in the course has to do with your ability to recognize structures, which is generally a new skill to learn. It took me a while to learn how to study for this. By the end of the course I realized you couldn’t develop that skill in a few days and how important it was to look at as many slides as possible. The sources that helped me the most were using the Histotime CD (available through the library), multiple books/atlas, Vbrick videos, and using slides from lab. Be as efficient as possible in lab because it is easy to neglect the time and sources available.
Good luck with midterms. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday! All I want for Xmas is an Eagles Superbowl victory, but it looks like that won’t happen…maybe next year.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Out With the Old, In With the New... By: Jameel Shareef
Hello everyone. I would just like to congratulate all of the first year Biomeds for completing the fall term. There is still plenty of work to be done, and the remaining courses are not to be taken lightly, but in my personal opinion, the worst is over. After hitting the ground running shortly after school started, I know most are looking forward to the break next week as much as I am. The break is much needed and well deserved, but at least for the next few days I encourage you to remain focused. Letting up between now and then could set you back a bit when you return, and that is the last thing you want to have happen. Anatomy and histology are “monsters” in their own right, but the hands-on aspect of the courses certainly makes learning the material a little easier.
Anatomy was my favorite course of the Biomedical Sciences program, mostly because of the lab component of the class. At first, the idea of working with a human cadaver may be daunting to some, but for me, it made the course exciting and intriguing. Being able to examine the intricacies and inner workings of the human body first hand was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A few words of advice: the key to success in anatomy is to LIVE in the lab. It’s true that everyone has different ways of learning, but just speaking from my experience, lab time is invaluable. The lab is open most of the day, including weekends, except for the day of exams so I encourage you to spend as much time there as possible. I would also suggest that you study with some of the cadavers that belong to the other groups, as long as you have their permission. Key tissues or structures in certain cadavers may have been damaged or removed altogether during the dissection, but if it is listed in the lab manual, you must be able to identify it on the practical. If anyone has any questions about the course please do not hesitate to stop me and ask when you see me around campus. Good luck to everyone, and I wish you all continued success in the program.
Anatomy was my favorite course of the Biomedical Sciences program, mostly because of the lab component of the class. At first, the idea of working with a human cadaver may be daunting to some, but for me, it made the course exciting and intriguing. Being able to examine the intricacies and inner workings of the human body first hand was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A few words of advice: the key to success in anatomy is to LIVE in the lab. It’s true that everyone has different ways of learning, but just speaking from my experience, lab time is invaluable. The lab is open most of the day, including weekends, except for the day of exams so I encourage you to spend as much time there as possible. I would also suggest that you study with some of the cadavers that belong to the other groups, as long as you have their permission. Key tissues or structures in certain cadavers may have been damaged or removed altogether during the dissection, but if it is listed in the lab manual, you must be able to identify it on the practical. If anyone has any questions about the course please do not hesitate to stop me and ask when you see me around campus. Good luck to everyone, and I wish you all continued success in the program.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Old Wives Tale or Old Wise Adage? by Alexis Mark
The other week I was in the supermarket waiting to pay for my groceries when I noticed the person behind me with a cart full of apple juice bottles (literally, her cart was filled ... I’m not exaggerating!). Now, despite realizing that apple juice was on sale that day, I still thought it a bit odd at the quantity being purchased. Perhaps seeing my bewildered expression, my fellow consumer explained to me about the wonders of the apple that resulted from drinking apple juice. After her daughter was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, she tried numerous drug and physical therapies to manage her pain. Some of the medications made her ill with unbearable side effects, some made the pain worse. After reading about the possible link between pain reduction and malic acid, a compound present in the apple fruit, she asked her daughter’s physician about the validity of this claim. Her physician recommended giving it a try. She says it has helped immensely with minimizing her daughter’s aches and increasing the quality of her daily life.
Intrigued, and maybe a little bit skeptical, I did some background research. Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is not new by any means, the validity of these therapies and treatments is constantly being questioned. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial study, performed by Russell, Michalek, Flechas, et. al described in the Journal of Rheumatology, analyzed the effects of a therapy consisting of a combination of 600 mg of malic acid and 150 mg magnesium versus a placebo. The therapy was administered twice daily over the course of four weeks. It was found to be safe, but no improvement was seen during the randomized-controlled phase of this study. However, after two months, pain and tender point scores markedly improved. Improvement was also seen after six months in tender point scores.
One article from 2001 in Current Rheumatology Reports discussed CAM options for treatment of fibromyalgia, some of which include magnesium, ginseng, valerian root, acupuncture, and osteopathic manipulations. Many of the effects of these therapies were believed to be short-lived but with low risk for serious complications. The authors noted the need for conduction of longer-term studies to adequately assess the benefits of various therapies and/or supplements.
So in this case, does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? For me, the jury is still out for the treatment goal of pain reduction. But with that being said, I am looking forward to discovering the possibilities alternative medicine has to provide for pain alleviation of fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses. I think it’s important to stay open minded to learning something new, whether it is inside or outside of the classroom. Happy learning!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Congratulations! by Alexis Mark
I just want to start things off with a couple of congratulations. Firstly, best wishes to the PCOM D.O. class of 2015 on receiving their white coats yesterday! I truly admire your dedication toward reaching the goal of becoming a physician. Good luck with your pursuits over the next four years! Secondly, congratulations to the first year biomeds on completing their first Molecular Basis of Medicine (MBM) and Infectious Process (IP) exams!
The other week I was reminded of that time last year when I was studying for the first MBM test and the IP midterm as I ran into a student who was in one of the smaller orientation groups I led just two months ago. Time flies when you’re busy studying, so use it wisely! IP was a class I truly enjoyed because it allowed me to connect some of the things I learned while working at MSKCC (www.mskcc.org) with more specific information on the processes at work in the immune system. One caution for learning the material for this class: IT’S EASY TO GET LOST IN THE DETAILS! This is especially true for the lectures leading up to the final, as you will soon experience. My tip would be to look at the big picture and THEN understand the building blocks that compose it. So as you’re going through cellular reperfusion and inflammatory pathways, try to first understand why and when this happens, and then how. To reiterate Susan’s first post of the blog, make the material your own. For me, I’m really a hands-on learner, so lecture-based classes can be challenging for me, but I will make topics into a project of sorts so that I can get a deeper understanding of what was covered. For someone else, “making the material his or her own” can mean coming up with mnemonics that make it easier to recall the order of certain processes, or making outlines, or drawing out diagrams and charts, but the bottom line is the same: do what works best for you.
Monday, September 12, 2011
BIOMED and the MCAT... By: Phil Koehler
Hey everyone!
It is hard to believe it is September already! This summer went quickly and was fun yet busy. Like many of my classmates, I spent the summer preparing for the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) or other entrance exams. For me, preparing for the exam was a challenge because it tests many of the basics sciences I learned 6-7 years ago as an undergraduate. The exam is one of the most important aspects of medical school applications, so I invested a considerable amount of time preparing. Preparing for the test was one of my biggest concerns when deciding on a program to continue my education.
About a year ago this time I struggled over the decision as to whether or not to enroll at PCOM or another post-bac program. To me, the greatest advantages of the program at PCOM was the medical school level courses and the possibility of graduating with a certificate or Masters degree. The only drawback to me was that the courses were not designed to directly prepare you for the MCAT. Other programs advertised this as their main goal, which influenced their successful placement of students into medical school.
After finishing the exam, I can say once again that I am very happy with my decision to go to PCOM. The courses over the past year thoroughly prepared me for the Biology section (most important section) of the exam. Furthermore, I have heard from alumni of the Biomed program, that it helped them prepare for boards in medical school, definitely an added bonus!
It has been hard, but I have learned that although becoming a physician is a long process, it is important to look at the time as an opportunity to learn and master the profession. School, exams, and other requirements seem like part of a big checklist you need to complete, but I hope I remember to keep focus on the goal of becoming a great physician and not just a physician. It has been extremely encouraging and rewarding seeing classmates and alumni go on to do great things with their education!
It is hard to believe it is September already! This summer went quickly and was fun yet busy. Like many of my classmates, I spent the summer preparing for the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) or other entrance exams. For me, preparing for the exam was a challenge because it tests many of the basics sciences I learned 6-7 years ago as an undergraduate. The exam is one of the most important aspects of medical school applications, so I invested a considerable amount of time preparing. Preparing for the test was one of my biggest concerns when deciding on a program to continue my education.
About a year ago this time I struggled over the decision as to whether or not to enroll at PCOM or another post-bac program. To me, the greatest advantages of the program at PCOM was the medical school level courses and the possibility of graduating with a certificate or Masters degree. The only drawback to me was that the courses were not designed to directly prepare you for the MCAT. Other programs advertised this as their main goal, which influenced their successful placement of students into medical school.
After finishing the exam, I can say once again that I am very happy with my decision to go to PCOM. The courses over the past year thoroughly prepared me for the Biology section (most important section) of the exam. Furthermore, I have heard from alumni of the Biomed program, that it helped them prepare for boards in medical school, definitely an added bonus!
It has been hard, but I have learned that although becoming a physician is a long process, it is important to look at the time as an opportunity to learn and master the profession. School, exams, and other requirements seem like part of a big checklist you need to complete, but I hope I remember to keep focus on the goal of becoming a great physician and not just a physician. It has been extremely encouraging and rewarding seeing classmates and alumni go on to do great things with their education!
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