How To Transition Into CMBM!

1. American Medical Student Association (AMSA) & Sigma Sigma Phi (SSP) How To Transition Into CMBM!

2. Main difference: the AMOUNT of lecture material! • All those countless hours in lab will now be spent in the classroom. • Why does this matter? • It’s important to limit your resources or you will be overwhelmed!! SPOM vs CMBM

3. You will NOT have time to get through all of the assigned reading. • It’s important to stick to the materials the professors give you as this is what they will test you on!!! • However, books should be used as a reference if there is something you really don’t understand (most of the books are available online). • More on books later... Should I Buy The Books?

4. The general consensus: GO TO CLASS!! • At first at least… • Some of the BEST professors at this school teach this course and you need to hear what they have to say. • As you get to know them, you will start to figure out what they are likely to ask on exams. To Go Or Not To Go? That is the question

5. Biochemistry: Dr. Jenney and Dr. Deadmond • Cell Biology: Dr. Jenney and Dr. Deadmond • Genetics: Dr. Jenney, Dr Deadmond, Cadet? • Microbiology: Dr. Buxton, Dr. Habal, and Dr. Hauser • Immunology: Dr. Buxton, Dr. Habal, and Dr. Hauser • Pathology: Dr. Zaman and Dr Daniels • Pharmacology: Dr. Owen and Dr. Komiskey • ClinicalMedicine: Dr. Wannamaker • Guest lecturers What Am I Learning In This Class??

6. Know every rate limiting enzyme for every biochemical pathway. • Draw out & understand (memorize) each pathway & know how they relate to each other. • Genetics: understand, really UNDERSTAND, all those processes you’ve “learned” a million times (ie., transcription, translation, mitosis, etc.) Biochemistry/Genetics

7. MEMORIZE Bugs and Drugs: • Classifications, ID tests, and virulence factors • Antibiotics/antifungals/anti-virals because this will be on boards (and you’ll see it again 2nd year) • Make Charts!! (Habal’s charts/First Aid) • Books: • Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (Gladwin) • Illustrated Q&A Review of Microbiology & Immunology (Buxton is an author of this…check it out, it’s free online on the PCOM Library site) • First Aid Good charts and organization of bugs/drugs…and mnemonics Microbiology/Immunology

8. Dr. Zaman’s lectures. Lecture can be very detail laden so books can be helpful to sort out the details. are based on Robbins Basic Pathology • Books: • Robbins Basic Pathology (this book is available online & can be helpful before doing Dr. Zaman’s powerpoints) • Recommendation: Get Robbins and Coltran Pathologic Basis of Disease • Rapid Review Pathology (Goljan) and listen to Goljan Audio!!! • Pathoma: Very concise review of pathology geared to Step 1. Zaman will have more details in his powerpoints Pathology

9. Dr. Owen and Komiskey: Tend to ask straight forward questions from their packets. • Don’t wait to memorize drugs until the very end! • Make flashcards for the drugs, these are easy test points. • Never had pharm before?: Lippincott’s Illustrated Reivews - Pharmacology, 4th ed. (Does a good job at explaining pharmacokinetics) Pharmacology

10. Go to their lectures (probably going to be mandatory anyway) • It’s refreshing to see someone new & nice to see what you’ve been learning applied in clinical practice. • Many will tell you exactly what they are going to ask, so don’t lose these easy points!!! (Einstein and Wannamaker) Guest Lecturers

11. Go to class & listen to Tegrity! She is very good & gives Board relevant information. • Know the terms in red. • Know defining characteristics of bugs/drugs. Organize them! • Understand the cases she goes over in class. • Her questions are case-based & long, so ID key words in her description of the case. • Look at the “notes” under her slides. Dr. Buxton

12. Do his objectives!!!! • Know the blue terms. • Once you know him, the things he likes are made obvious in class. • Answer the questions on the extra articles he gives you to read - he WILL ask 1 or 2 questions & they are generally easy points! Dr. Jenney

13. Go to class & listen to their lectures on Tegrity if needed, especially because they’re new. New Professors

14. Time management!!! - do something everyday. Do NOT let yourself get behind! • If you do get behind, GO TO CLASS & stay on top of the lectures for that week. Then use the weekend to catch up. • Get the “big picture”- understand what will be covered each test block. • Define Terms!! - if you don’t know exactly what it means, LOOK IT UP! (wikipedia is usually enough) • Practice questions - BRS, websites, Buxton & Gregg’s book... Keys For CMBM

15. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! • Go to the professors for help if you are struggling or don’t understand something. • Ask your classmates for help!! Group studying is essential to understanding some of this material since we all think differently (ie., Dr. Jenney). • Prioritize your teachers! • Who has the most questions on the test? • Don’t spend to much time on things you “like” (focus on what challenges you). Keys For CMBM

16. Don’t procrastinate with your papers - They are a great way to get extra points & not a “waste of time” because they are relevant to material you will have later!! • Make sure you participate during the group discussions - they will keep track and this is another easy way to get a buffer in your grade. Keys For CMBM

17. Some 2nd years have found that: • Your grade will end up being way better than you expect (thanks to the extra credit & presentations). • Doing your best on the 1st exam is very important!! Easiest one and having that cushion at the end of the term when you’re exhausted really helps. • Notecards?charts/ORGANIZATION is key to bugs/drugs (We all think this! Really LEARN them the first time around, they will come back to haunt you!!!!) Still haunting us on tests now. • Slides about updated research & hot new topics were rarely tested, so don’t spend too much time on them. • Read ahead if at ALL possible - this may seem impossible, but at least you’ll know what’s going on in class (and will see the material twice minimally!). Personal Preferences

18. Do NOT forget about OMM!! • We know CMBM is a LOT, but focusing on it at the expense of OMM can really get you into trouble. I Have Other Classes?

19. Schedule in time for yourself. (This is a MUST to maintain your sanity!) • Find time to exercise or do the things you like. • Get outside! • You will be in the classroom ALL day. • The sun starts to rise later & set earlier, so it’s easy to get depressed – SADD is a real thing. Survival

20. Goljan Audio • Listen to lectures 1-4 at the beginning of the term. • The hematology lectures are VERY helpful when you get to that topic. • First Aid for USMLE (Kaplan/BRS/…for dummies/etc.) • Helpful to pull out most important information. • Has good mnemonics. • iFlash for Mac users! (great for bugs & drugs) • Easy way to create flashcards with text, images & audio. And it’s cheap! • PC users: www.flashcardmachine.com Resources

21. We hope to have a few multi-disciplinary clinical case conferences on Friday afternoons- may be 3 or 4 for the entire term. • The course director is ????????? – vice director? • Tips- come to class, work hard, stay on top of the material, get help as needed ASAP. What Dr. Buxton has to say

22. Membership requirements: 25% of each class • A minimum GPA of 90% AND, a history of community involvement/extracurricular activities (since matriculation into GA-PCOM) OR • A minimum GPA of 87% AND, a STRONG history of community involvement/extracurricular activities (since matriculation into GA-PCOM) • Questions? Email wesleybo@pcom.edu Sigma Sigma Phi (SSP)

23. QUESTIONS?

24. Immunology Site: http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/book/immunol-sta.htm • Pathology Sites: • http://www.hematologyatlas.com/principalpage.htm • http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/intro/blood.htm • http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/webpath.html • http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/Histo/frames/histo_frames.html • http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/ • http://www.histology-world.com/contents/contents.htm#blood • http://faculty.matcmadison.edu/mljensen/BloodBank/lectures/bb_lecture_table_ of_contents.htm • http://www.wadsworth.org/chemheme/heme/microscope/smudgecell.htm • Shotgun histology videos on youtube (5 minute summary on every tissue!) Resources