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.

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.

Warm and Welcoming... By: Jameel Shareef

Hello everyone, my name is Jameel Shareef. Like my colleagues and fellow blog contributors I am also a second year Bio Med student following the research track here at PCOM. As I will describe in further detail shortly, PCOM is a very warm and welcoming school with people from all walks of life and the Bio Medical Sciences Masters Program is an amazing opportunity that allows future science and health professionals to get acclimated to graduate level school work after entering the working world for a time or it can act as resume or GPA booster for graduates interested in applying to professional school, but first let me share a few things about me.

I earned my Bachelors Degree in Biology from the esteemed Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. I originally entered Morehouse with the intent to pursue a career in medicine. I had always been interested in science and from my early childhood years. My father worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep, which introduced me to various health care professionals at a very young age and provided me with various shadowing opportunities as I got older. During the summer before my senior year, I obtained an internship at the Atlanta Veteran’s Administration Hospital in the inpatient pharmacy. This opportunity intrigued me opened my eyes to another potential career path in the health care industry that I initially had very little knowledge of. In my time there, I gained invaluable experience as health care provider and knowledge on the intricacies of hospital pharmacy and various techniques such as IV prep, dosing, and dispensing. I also made the rounds on the patient floors with the medical team on several occasions. In the summer after I graduated, I also work as an intern at the Association of Black Cardiologists (www.abcardio.org) in Atlanta, GA, a non-profit organization committed to the study and eventual elimination of cardiovascular health disparities amongst minorities. While working there, I completed various administrative tasks, such as, compiling and organizing data from surveys taken at various community events around the country into spreadsheets, applying for logo patents, and created company profiles for the executive officers of ABC for potential corporate sponsors. I also began laying the groundwork for a mentorship program for high school and college students interested in careers in medicine.

The VA internship helped me to secure a position as a certified pharmacy tech at Dekalb Medical Center in Decatur, GA, where I worked for a year and a half after finishing at Morehouse. Here I expanded my knowledge of previously learned techniques that I could not perform as an intern such as handling narcotics and preparing chemo meds in the IV room. I enjoyed my time at Dekalb in my expanded role in the pharmacy, but I began to see that my true passion in patient care was in role of a physician. These realizations reignited my passion for medicine and fueled my desire to become a physician. I chose to move back home and focus on getting into school, preferably a post baccalaureate or masters program to help boost my credentials and compensate for my time away from school and it was here that I learned of PCOM and the Biomedical Sciences program.

From the first time that I walked through the doors at PCOM as visitor, I felt welcome and knew that I was in the right place, and even now as I am entering my second year those feelings still exist. One person who is primarily responsible for the warm atmosphere at PCOM is Ms. Debbie who works the front desk in Evans Hall. She remembers almost everyone’s name and greets everyone with a big smile. No matter what kind of day you are having she always manages to put a smile on your face. This same warmth is an integral part of the culture at PCOM and is also shared by staff, faculty, and fellow students.

When classes finally started, there was a bit of an adjustment period for me having been out of school for close to three years. It is true that we only have class three days a week but the amount of a material that I received in each four hour lecture was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Two things that are extremely important in this program or any other program for that matter are time management and keeping your priorities in order. Taking it easy for a day could set you back several days in terms of the material. Keeping your head above water is very doable; it is just a matter of finding a balance between school and personal life and doing what works for you. To all the incoming students I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to PCOM. To prospective students interested in coming to PCOM, I hope that this post has been informative and has been helpful in your decision to attend. Until next time.

Medical Decisions by Alexis Mark

Of all the professional arenas one could choose from, health and medicine calls to me the most. You might ask what is the attraction to medicine, as I too often ponder the reasons why I have decided to commit to this field and think about where I’m heading. Well, the simple answer is, I like it! The bit more involved one requires my learning more about myself and the fact that I am intrigued by science's endless possibilities to discover more about the human body and its intricate functions. My experiences over the first year of the Biomedical Sciences program here at PCOM have deepened my passion for further understanding the application of science to medicine. Currently I am pursuing the research track during the second year of the Biomedical Sciences master’s degree. Over the next few blog posts I will discuss classes in the first year in more depth and my experience with the research track.

But FIRST, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Alexis, and I am also a contributor to Biomedventures... welcome to joining our journey! Here is a little bit about me and what I have done before arriving at PCOM:

2007 - present: Medical Missions for Children Volunteer (www.mmfc.org)

I have been a volunteer with this incredible organization that is dedicated to providing medical care to global populations that do not have access to adequate medical care. Groups of healthcare professionals headline missions, which focus on surgical cases involving repair of cleft lip, cleft palate, and microtia, as well as skin grafts for burns patients. During the spring of 2008, I participated in a mission to L’viv, Ukraine and photographed patient cases and surgeries. Currently, I assist with procuring donations of medical supplies for future missions, and with donations for auctions at annual benefit galas.

2007 - 2010: Clinical Research Study Assistant, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), NY, NY- (www.mskcc.org)

My position at this preeminent cancer research center focused on clinical trials within the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) service. I worked with several principal investigators of studies to monitor regulatory processes, and was involved in ensuring trials were conducted according to FDA and sponsor rules and regulations. In addition, I created patient progress reports for those participants enrolled in BMT trials. MSKCC was a wonderful experience during which I had the privilege to work with highly-esteemed oncologists that affirmed my commitment to working in the medical field.

Summer 2007: Alpha One Foundation, Dublin, Ireland (http://www.alpha1.ie/)

My internship after graduating from college took me to the Emerald Isle! :) As a clinical research assistant I participated in many facets of the organization. I helped with recruiting potential candidates in clinics around Dublin for the Targeted Screening Detection Program with the head Clinical Research Nurse. The recruitment process entailed assessing patients’ medical history for respiratory illness and providing the patient with a brief summary of the condition Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. By shadowing the scientists in the lab on site, I assisted with minor experimental procedures. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at this foundation and seeing firsthand the medical system of another country.

Spring 2007: Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

During the spring semester of my senior year at Boston College, I was a health communication research assistant. I assisted in the development of studies, for a principal investigator in the Communication department, by collecting audio documentation of interactions between medical school students and standardized patient educators (SPE) within the context of a routine doctor’s visit. After each recording, I analyzed segments of dialogue between medical school students and SPEs for verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors. The results of this data collection and analyses by myself, other research assistants, and the principal investigator have been used in several health communication research publications. This area of research particularly exciting for its relevance and useful applications in fostering more productive medical visits.

Finally, I truly encourage all readers to post comments, feedback. Let us know how we all can help in answering questions you might have. And, if we don’t have the answer, we will work to find someone who does! Welcome to discovering more about PCOM and best of luck in your exploration of professional studies!

In the beginning... By: Susan Ramirez

Hello! I'm Susan, one of the 2nd year Biomeds contributing to the blog.  If you'd like to read a little about how I came to be a Biomedical Sciences student at PCOM, check out the "About me" section of my Blogger profile.

For this first post, I'd like to give you an introduction to the Biomed program, and a closer look into our very first course, Molecular Basis of Medicine (MBM).

• PCOM Graduate Program in the Biomedical Sciences:

The Biomed program starts as a one-year certificate program, wherein we take 7 courses worth 29 credits. The school year starts in mid-August, ends in late May, and is broken up into trimesters. The first trimester consists of Molecular Basis of Medicine (MBM), and Infectious Process (IP). The 2nd trimester consists of Gross Anatomy and Histology, and the 3rd trimester consists of Neuroscience, Medical Pharmacology, and Physiology. All courses are taught in the evenings, three days a week, and your classmates are your fellow Biomed students. If you wish to complete a second year in pursuit of a Master of Science in Biomedical Science degree, you can undergo an internal application process in the Spring of your certificate year, and if accepted, start either during the Summer immediately after the certificate year, or during the Fall. PCOM does a much better job of describing the nitty gritty here.

Now, prior to my first lecture I was advised to have fun but to work hard because this is a rigorous program... yet for the first few weeks, I couldn't help but look back to my undergrad days and think, "I only start with two courses, I can keep working as much as I am now, see friends all the time, and still do well."
 
Grad school is a whole different ball game. The Biomed program is a full time program. The coursework is not insurmountable but I had to make sacrifices in order to meet my goals and keep up with the lecture material. I set high expectations for myself; I didn't simply want good grades, I wanted to become one of those students that knew enough background info that I could manipulate the lecture material as it was being lectured... I wanted to learn the material, and use it to try to understand some of the prevalent diseases we hear so much of on the news.

Even though there were nights this school year when I had to remind myself, time and again, of the reasons why I wanted to push myself to do well, anytime an old friend would ask, "how's school going?" I couldn't help but smile and tell them, "I'm sleepy, but I've never been happier." Truth is, I love learning about the life sciences, and in this program I am surrounded by 70ish others just like me. For the first time in a long time I was internally driven to learn, I was excited about my schoolwork, and I didn't have to hide my excitement for molecular mechanisms.  With all that to gain, what's a little sacrifice every now and then?

• MBM:

The course name says it all! We learned some molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics in a clinically relevant manner. You won't learn diagnosis, or too much pathology, and you won't see patients. What I mean by clinically relevant is evident in some of the topics covered: Hormones, Human Molecular Genetics, Generation of Energy from Dietary Carbohydrates, Diabetes Correlation, Hemoglobin... the list goes on. Plus, you will have a few Team Based Learning (TBL) exercises to do with your assigned groups. TBL assignments consist of a made-up patient case that is relevant to the material recently covered in class, which you and your team try to solve. You will be provided with physical exam findings, patient complaints, lab reports, etc., have a designated amount of time to research and meet with your group outside of class, and then meet in-class to take a quiz and answer questions. It's SO MUCH fun!!

This course, as most courses in the program, is taught by various lecturers. Each lecturer will post a handout and a powerpoint presentation on Blackboard before his or her lecture. Sometimes this is posted a week or more in advance, sometimes you only have a day or two advanced notice. I benefited from previewing the posted material before class, even though it was a time-consuming study method. My hand was much less tired of writing, and I had a better understanding of the information at the end of class, when I took the time to read through the handout, compare it to the powerpoint, and make a rough outline (maybe with a few questions) of the material before class.

 
Although the course is taught by different professors, lectures build upon the information provided by previous lectures, and a lot is covered during a class period. A few missed classes can sometimes feel like a month's-worth of missed material; it was to my advantage to keep on top of my readings and studying, and my previewing practices helped me connect the new material back to the older information.  I spent many a late-night (not only before an exam) previewing, reviewing, making note-cards, checking online textbooks, e-mailing professors, etc. You'll hear this next line again and again, and I don't mean to sound preachy but: the majority of us can't learn all the material the night before an exam (or the weekend before).

With that in mind, MBM taught us to study both for factual knowledge AND for a deeper understanding. Oh how many of us wish we had known to do this before the first exam! Facts are great for some types of tests (such as quizzo) but they may not be very useful if you can't apply that knowledge to new situations (read: such as with developing a thesis topic); the reverse is also true. I learned best when I studied the facts, studied the context in which they appeared, and then changed the situation and asked myself, "How do the facts apply? What have I changed, and how will that affect the outcome?" You'll see what I mean when you get to the metabolism lectures. =)

One concept that was foreign to me prior to my time at PCOM is this: Don't be afraid to ask the lecturer for clarification. I used to be the type to keep my confusion to myself and work furiously alone to try and figure it all out; it was a tiring and frustrating endeavor. During the fall trimester, I quickly learned that PCOM has an open-door policy, and our professors really believe in it. This means that you can walk into their offices, and if they're not in the middle of something else, they will sit down with you to talk or help you out. Cool right? They genuinely want us to do well, and enjoy sharing knowledge.