In three weeks I will have moved onto the D-1 year of schooling. As mentioned previously, the research program ended last week and now I actually feel like I’m on vacation. I recall ranting about a TB test a few posts back. Today I realized that it doesn’t matter if they find my records – because the old test was just barely over a year ago – making it null and void. So crapola.
Good news about teeth though! Another perk of hanging around the school all summer was meeting a few D-2. Currently, I have a 'hook-up' for plenty of teeth. This should be next spring...YAY!
Aside from polishing up the immunity forms, I still need to get a lot of odds and ends sorted out. I lack any sort of ‘bookcase’ in my apartment, and am going to try to install shelves above my desk. Of course by ‘try to install’ I mean have my dad do it because he knows his way around a hammer. Speaking of books, I just smacked down around 500 dollars for this semester – and that was on the cheaper scale because I got them through amazon and not a bookstore. I still need to find the right edition of a physiology book too…so may as well say 600$ and call it a day. In all honesty though, that isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I bought every ‘recommended’ book just because I’m insane. Hell, I even went out of my way and added Netters anatomy to the pile despite it not being mentioned on the booklist. Everyone says it is ‘da bomb’ and another 70 bucks didn’t feel like too much after a certain point. Plus I have a feeling anatomy is going to be really hard and I am going to need the extra help to survive. The real kicker is that this booklist is subject to change before school starts..which is bullshit. I shouldn't figure out and have to buy my books the day class starts. Have you ever gone into a bookstore on day 1? It is awful...not to mention everything sells out and you end up being bookless for 1/4 of the semester. So whatever, if I get the wrong edition, I'll work around it...they don't change much anyways.
I also ordered some sweet dissection equipment from INDIA! Only cost 15 bucks and has a ton of instruments and a nice little pouch that would look really fashionable worn on a belt –but I’m not going to wear it, what kinda freak do you think I am?
The anticipation of school is slowly creeping up. I have always been a good student, but I am truly concerned that this will be an insurmountable amount of work. I suppose nobody knows until they start. Everyone also tends to exaggerate their troubles simply because bitching is a form of therapy. I can’t wait to see what sort of posts I will be throwing up here in three months…
Now onto the real meat of this post – I got the official orientation schedule that starts August 20th, and lasts all week. Let me tell you, orientation is serious business. It appears as if orientation will be more jam-packed than a normal week of class. Considering the awkward nature of being thrown into a room with 65 strangers and being forced to go through all those monotonous ‘nice to meet you’ routines – I am less than thrilled. I am just glad I met 9 of them already so I won’t feel completely isolated.
Here is a complete rundown for those who just like the details and I know you are out there:
Keep in mind that each day goes from about 8 am – 5 pm.
Monday:
-check-in and breakfast
-meet deans
-presentation (The Roots of Dentistry…sounds awesome right?)
-presentation (admissions)
-presentation (academic affairs)
-presentation (student services)
-Lunch
-Presentation (student professionalism…guess I better start shaving and getting hair-cuts)
-Coaching (D1s get paired up with faculty to act as mentors I think..this lasts for 3 hours)
-Meet D2s (Big/Little pairing…WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?)
Annnd finish…but there is a diner that goes from 5-7 at a local restaurant –not mandatory but I’ll be going! FOOD AND BEER ON THE HOUSE!
---------------
Tuesday:
-Registration and breakfast
-Meet some other people
-ID photos (DONE) and student tour
-Lunch with coaches
-Presentation (research opportunities….yea, this is something I’ll have seen already)
-Presentation (student ethics)
-FIN
---------------------------
Wednesday:
-registration and breakfast
-Welcome by CDS (???)
-Presentation (financial aid)
-Presentation (more financial aid)
-Presentation (counseling center)
-Presentation (Access and equity)
-Presentation (Academic Center for Excellence)
-Lunch
-Presentation (Safety…already saw this one too)
-Composite Photos
-Presentation (disability services)
-Anatomy Open House!
-FIN
--------------------------
Thursday:
-Registration and Breakfast
-CPR….ahh haven’t used those dummies since high school!
-Lunch
-Presentation (Campus Care)
-Sprit of Chicago Boat Cruise…sounds interesting..I hope there are refreshments
-Fin
---------------------------
Friday:
-Registration and Breakfast
-Overview of Clinics
At this point we break into three different groups going through the same presentations in different orders.
Here is an example if I end up in group A:
-Cultural Competency Training
-Equipment Distribution
-Lunch
-Library Orientation…..sigh
-OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-------------------------
Does that not look like a full rich week? I’m sure I will have a better evaluation once I actually start…though I doubt I will be commenting on each day. I have a feeling it is going to be rather boring as orientations usually are.
Still, only 17 days stand between me and becoming a D-1, depositing the first of many loans, and wearing scrubs all the time. Hard to believe how time has flown..especially since I can look back at my January posts…ahhh to be six months older.
I promise some more fun writing in the future…but am busy with other hobbies currently. I shall return! This is also my 50th post...that is a lot. Time to pat myself on the back.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
