Updates Underway

Hey everybody! My name is Anna Lauren Gathings and I am serving as AMSA's new webmaster! I am working hard to get this blog updated, so bear with me through the renewal! :)

Blood Drive RESCHEDULED

Hey everyone,

Due to unforeseen issues with United's bus, the blood drive is going to be rescheduled. For those of you who volunteered to help, I will contact you with the new date when we have one. Sorry for the confusion, and thank you for your support.

-Jack

Minutes From August 23

Hey guys! This is just a reminder to first of all thank all of you who came, signed up, talked to Dr. Case, and enjoyed the pizza!!

Secondly, for those who could not show up, I know we had a lot of stuff going on around campus and for keeping that in mind, I'm going to briefly mention what we talked about at the meeting last night. Our guest speaker last night was Dr. Steve Case who is the Dean of Admission at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). He gave a power point presentation about the interview process and the "pearls and pittfalls" or in another words, the "do's and don'ts." He gave some pretty legit tips about what to do at an interview, how to dress up, how to be a good listener, a good communicator, and so forth.

Dr. Case also mentioned about the Early Decision Program (EDP) and the Regular Decision Program (RDP) just for UMMC. Some students even talked to him one-on-one about individual questions they had about applications, UMMC, and the interview process. 

And the most important part of the email...we have scheduled trips to some medical schools (William Carey and UMMC) and in order for YOU to attend these, we ask that you come to the stadium cleanups. I know this might be a little annoying at first cleaning the stadium and all..but trust me, I did this last year and it was absolutely awesome. Work hard, play hard right? 

Attending these med school trips gives you a good idea of what that school will be like, whether that school really is for you, or whether you might be interested and have not thought anything about it! I went last year and you get to talk to First and Second year med students and they give you an insight about life as a med student.

Minutes from March 29th

Hello everyone! We had a great meeting this past Thursday with Rosalyn Campbell from the North Mississippi Medical Center. She spoke to us about the Physician Shadowing Program at the hospital, which is a great way to see a variety of specialties and to get some observation hours.

Also, our next meeting is April 12, and Dr. Case will be here from UMMC. So please come out to see him and hear about the med school application process.

There are some important dates in this email, so be sure to write them down!!!

UMMC Trip

• April 13, Friday
• Depart at 7:30 from Sanderson parking lot
• $10 fee from anyone who did not attend enough stadium cleanups
• Excuse form for Friday classes

Trip to UAB

• Possibly April 20
• If interested, email Caleb Zumbro (cez7@msstate.edu)

Volunteer Opportunity

• Run To Rescue 5K (runtorescue.org)
• Raises money and awareness about human trafficking
• Thursday, April 26^th at 6 pm beginning at the Junction
• Print registration form and send in with $20 registration fee
• Can also volunteering, contact Melissa Byrd (mkb187) if interested

Next Meeting

• Thursday, April 12
• Dr. Case from UMC
• “Application Workshop” presentation

Officer Elections!

• Wednesday, April 18 at 6pm
• If interested, let us know!

Speaker: Rosalyn Campbell

Physician Shadowing Program with the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo

• Tupelo is the Largest Rural Hospital in America
• 159 students through this program since it's beginning
  
• Hired by the hospital, and it is a paid position
• 3 week session (June 11-29 or July 9-27)
• Interviews, April 10^th, 3^rd floor of the Union
• To schedule an appointment, contact rosalyn.campbell@nmhs.net
• FINAL DEADLINE: April 20th

What's required?

• 2 letters of recommendation
• Official transcript (Beware Safescript), email Ms. Campbell if you are using this
• Essay of past experience, future plans, and why you’re applying to the program
• Email Ms. Rosalyn at rosalyn.campbell@nmhs.net

If there are any other questions about the Tupelo Shadowing Program, send us an email! Alex and Kelsey have both been through the program and can tell you pretty much whatever you want to know.

Hope you have an awesome week!!!

Minutes from February 16th

Hey, everyone! We had an awesome turn-out for our last meeting. Thanks for being there! If you were not at our AMSA meeting on Feb 16, then you probably missed out. Dr. Peggy Davis from UMMC came down to speak to us about the pathway to medical school. However, here are some brief notes about upcoming events in AMSA and what Dr. Davis talked about.


AMSA Meetings

• March 22: Rosalyn Campbell is coming to speak about the Tupelo Shadowing Program
• She will also be conducting interviews on that day, so be on the lookout for an email with info on that
• April 12: Dr. Case from UMMC is coming to give an application workshop. And you don't have to be applying this upcoming year in order to find this useful
• April 17: OFFICER ELECTIONS
• If you are at all interested in being an officer, then let us know and we can talk to you about it
• Also, we will still be selling AMSA t-shirts at the rest of the meetings for $10. They have Dr. Bully on them, so how could you not buy one???

MCAT Practice Tests

• We had an awesome turn-out to our last practice MCAT, and I think that everyone who came benefited from the experience
• Another (and the last one for the semester) has been scheduled for Sunday, March 4 at 1:00pm. It will be in the 4th floor computer lab in Griffis
  

Medical School Trip

• UMMC on April 13
• Send msuamsa@gmail.com an email if you are interested in going

Volunteering

• Run to Rescue 5K
• April 26th at 6pm, beginning at the Junction
• If you don't want to run, then you can still help out; email Melissa Byrd at mkb187@msstate.edu
• For more info or to register to run, visit rescuetorun.org

Pathway to the School of Medicine 2012
by Peggey Davis, Director of Medical School Admissions
(http://som.umc.edu)

The Steps of Medical School

1. Get a degree, 4 years
2. Medical school for 4 years
3. Residency, 3-5 years
4. Optional fellowships

Quick look at the 4 years of medical school

• M1 and M2:
• Basic Sciences, Normal and abnormal physiology
• Take Step 1 for the USMLE
• M3 and M4:
• Clinical Training
• Take Step 2 during fourth year

Academic Preparation

• Bachelor's degree
• Any major
• A year's worth of credit in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Math (must have the minimum prerequisites listed on UMMC's admissions website)
  

Personal Preparation

• Exposure to medicine,volunteer or employment
• MD office, clinics, hospital, nursing home, pre-medical organizations, medical research, ect
• Extracurricular activities (indicative of effective iteration with diverse people)
• Service to individuals, family, and community groups
• Leadership and other forms of responsibility
• Academic/cultural interests beyond the classroom
• Work experience

AMCAS: online service for the primary application to allopathic medical schools (MD schools)

• Be super detailed! Explain what you did in each experience and what you gained from it.
• Choose up to 3 "most meaningful" experiences to give details about.

What to do now:

• Keep a journal of your activities
• Contact information for your activities
• Reflect afterwards to determine what it means to you, so that you can have easy access to 

You are ready to apply if you:

• Are a Mississippi resident (or can meet the 1 year residency requirement before matriculation)
• Will complete all academic requirements within the current academic year
• Prepared to matriculate next August (deferments discourages)

UMMC Programs:

• Early Decision Program
• Apply to one school only
• > 3.6 BCPM GPA and 27  MCAT sum
• Regular Decision Program
• Apply to multiple schools
• Sliding for BCPM GPA and MCAT scale (a low GPA can be off-set by a high MCAT score, ect)
• Combined MD-PhD Program
• Average: BCPM GPA >3.8, MCAT 31
• Sequential acceptance to MD or PhD programs
  

Check out:

• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• AMCAS
• MCAT
• Also, Dr. Davis gives pre-application counseling for any who are interested

Thanks again for everyone who showed up to hear Dr. Davis speak. I'm sure you walked away with a new perspective and maybe some new idea on how you can turn yourself into a better applicant. Be sure to come out for our last 3 meetings!!

Minutes from January 19th

Hello, everyone! Hope the semester is going spectacularly! If you couldn't make it for this past Thursday's meeting, then here are the important upcoming announcements. We had SSG Harvey, SSG Harding, and SSG Bittenbender come to speak about the Army's Health Professions Scholarship Program. If that interests you, the highlights are here and more information is available on the web.

Next Meeting: Feb. 16 
Dr Davis from UMMC will be giving a talk on the "Pathways to Medicine"
Be sure to come out and meet her if you plan on applying to UMMC!

Potential Community Service/Volunteer project:
Up Til Dawn letter writing campaign to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

• Teams of 10
• Feb 8
• Writing letters to friends and family on behalf of St. Jude

Practice MCAT

• Sunday, Jan 29
• 4th floor of Griffis Computer lab
• 1 PM
• Free for AMSA members

TSHIRTS!!

• Only $10, and they are fantastic! Who wouldn't want a Dr. Bully shirt? They will be available for purchase at every meeting
  

Med School Trips

• UMC Trip - April 13th (tentative)
• UT Memphis Trip - probably March, overnight trip

And our guest speakers is SSG. Harvey, SSG. Bittenbender, and SSG. Harding

Health Professions Scholarship Program

• Estimated Annual Cost of UMMC: $35,000
• Total Tuition Cost can accumulate up to $300,000
• However, you could complete medical school DEBT FREE
• 1,2,3,4 year scholarship that covers the majority of fees
• Over $2000 stipend per month
  
• All specialties are accepted
• Obligation is one year of service for each year of scholarship with a minimum of 2 years for physicians
• Army Avg Board Pass 90% vs Civilian Avg Board Pass of 70%
  
• Know that a private practice includes paying for professions, staff, insurance, a facility, and miscellaneous costs: None of that in Army Medicine!
• There is no malpractice insurance and staffing is provided, as is healthcare benefits
• 30 days of paid vacation
• Best patients around!

Thanks for coming out and supporting AMSA! See you at the next meeting!

Minutes from November 10th

Hey, everyone! In case you missed the meeting last Thurs, here are the minutes. We had a general information session about what will be happening next semester, so needless to say, it's going to be fantastic. Be sure to check out our speakers!

For MCAT books:
Stefanie Vamenta (bibiow@gmail.com, 601-562-0857): Examkrackers MCAT set for $45
Kelsey Layman (kbl55@msstate.edu): set of Kaplan MCAT book set for $20

Stadium Cleanups

    *  Two left: THIS Saturday after the Alabama game (~10 pm) and after the Egg Bowl
    *  These are the last two. So if you would like to go on a medical school trip (UMMC for sure), then you must have attended 2 cleanups.
    * Also, these cleanups are a great opportunity for community service. Med schools will ask you how you have volunteered, and you can say you helped raise money for the Jackson Free Clinic!

Next semester:
·         Practice MCATs
·         Medical school trips
·         Volunteer opportunities
·         Speakers!

•    Raymond Archambo with the USAF on 1/19
•    Dr. Davis form UMC on 2/16 (Pathway to Medical School)
•    Rosalyn Campbell with the Tupelo Shadowing Program on 3/22
•    Dr. Case from UMC on 4/12 (Application Workshop)
•    Officer elections on 4/17

·         New T-shirts! (or you can buy an old one for $5)

Thanks to all who came out! Remember that the Egg Bowl is our last cleanup opportunity!

Minutes from October 13th

Minutes for Oct 13, 2011
Hello everyone! Thanks to those who came out to here Dr. Jim Weir. We will be taking a medical school trip to WCU so be sure to sign up for that. We also have some community service lined up in the next couple of weeks.

Next Meeting: Nov. 11
Peer-to-Peer interactive meeting. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!!!

Medical School Trip: Friday, Oct 28!!!

• William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Must have attended 2 stadium cleanups
• If you would like to go, contact Caleb: cez7@msstate.edu

Next Cleanup: South Carolina Game!!!
Come and support!!!

Volunteer Day: Oct 29

• Safe Haven in Columbus, MS
• 8 am - 12 pm

Sweet Potato Drop

• Friday Oct 21 by Palmeiro Center
• Help bag sweet potatoes
• 8-11 am

Speaker: Dr. Jim Weir, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why become a physician?

• work with and help people
• prestigious profession
• high income
• high demand
• high-end technology

Why be an osteopathic physician?

• They are fully qualified physicians licensed to perform surgery and prescribe medicine
• Emphasized musculoskeletal system
• Osteopathic Manipulation Therapy
• Practice a "whole person" approach to medicine (treat a person, not a disease)
• Preventative health care!
• Work right along side MDs (equivalent degrees)
• Four years of basic medical education and can specialize

How to get into medical school

• How well you follow the WCU-COM Mission
• Academics/Credentials (average GPA 3.4-3.5, however how you got that GPA matters)
• Letters of Recommendations (two science faculty and one from a physician)
• Personality Traits (ethics, professionalism, motivation...)
• ACCOMAS Primary Application, Secondary Application, Interview, and Decision!

Why WCU-COM

• New state-of-the-art facility
• Small class size ~100
• Exceptional faculty
• Teaching is the first priority
• Unique curriculum
• Average faculty member has over 25 years of medical teaching 

Masters of Biomedical Science

• 1 year, non-thesis MS
• take courses with medical students
• does NOT replace MCAT
• contact Dr. Bob Bateman or www.wmcarey.edu/COM/MBS

For more information, visit: www.wmcarey.edu/COM
Dr. Weir: jweir@wmcarey.edu

Thanks, everyone!

Minutes from September 23rd

Hello everyone! Hope you've had a great weekend. Thanks to all the students who came out to hear about the Rural Physicians Scholarship Program. We made a few announcements, so if you weren't able to make it, here's your recap:
Next Meeting: Thurs, Oct 20!!!
Practice MCAT:

• Saturday, Oct 8

• 8:00 AM in Griffis computer lab, 4^th floor

Volunteer Day (tentative)

• Saturday, Oct 29 from 8am-12am
• We will let you know once a community service has been chosen

Stadium Cleanup
Next cleanup is the South Carolina game on Oct 15!

• Remember: you get to go on medical school trips

• We are also having a drawing at the end of cleanup and another at the end of the semester

William Carey Medical School Trip

• We do not have a set date for this trip, but it will probably be on a Friday. More info to come later!

 
Rural Physician Scholarship Program from UMMC
Speaker: Ms. Janie Guice

To be considered for the program, must be/have:

• Mississippian
• Rural background
• Work ethic
• Volunteerism
• Exposure to medicine
• Faculty evaluations
• Commitment to MRPSP

Data supports that Mississippi is in need of more physicians, in particular, ones that practice in rural areas

•  1^st in adult obesity
• 1^st in heart disease deaths
• 1^st in teen birth rate
• 2^nd in infant mortality
• 2^nd in diabetes
• 2^nd in hypertension
• 3^rd in cancer mortality
• Fewest physicians per capita!

The Program consists of four distinct phases

1. Undergraduate premedical education
2. Medical or osteopathic school
3. Primary care residency training
4. Rural clinical medical practice
   

Applications MUST be submitted by Feb 15.
 March: Interviews by physicians
 April: School of Medicine Admissions Committee Interviews
 May: Selection of 15 undergraduates plus alternates

Once you've graduated and been through residency:

• 4yrs of service
• Rural town of less than 20,000
• Must be 30 miles outside of a medically served area

For more information contact jguice@umc.edu or visit the website http://mrpsp.umc.edu

Once again, it was good to see everyone, and we look forward to seeing you again at the next meeting (10-20)!

Minutes from August 25th

Hey, everyone!

We had an excellent turnout at our first AMSA meeting! I hope you all enjoyed it and found out something new about medical school. If you didn't get to make it, here are the highlights:

Why be in AMSA?

• Free Practice MCATs
• Med School Trips
• Volunteer opportunities
• Informative speakers
• Free pizza! 

If you would like to be a member of AMSA, the one-time-only dues are $20 for all 4 years.
We also have t-shirts from last year that are $5.

MSU vs LSU Stadium Cleanup

In order to be able to go on medical school trips, AMSA members participate in stadium cleanups right after home games end. Our first one is Thurs, Sept 15.

• Meet at bottom of student end zone bleachers
• More cleanups = more chances to win money and go on Med School Trips!

Blood Drive: Sept. 19

Our blood drive is part of our community service initiative. We had a sign up sheet for times to assist in advertising in the Union and hanging out with other AMSA members. It will be in room 325 of the Union. Come, give blood, and INVITE your friends!

Next Meeting: Sept. 22

Our next meeting will be in the same location in Harned. Ms. Janie Guice from UMMC will be speaking about the Rural Physicians Scholarship Program.

The Interview Process for Medical School

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Case,

Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of Mississippi Medical Center

For an invitation you must meet these requirements:

• Mississippian
• Completed AMCAS application
• MCAT scores
• UMMC Secondary Application
• $50 Supplemental App Fee
• 3 faculty evaluation letters received & transcripts

Early Decision Program: For students who choose to apply to UMMC only.

This program looks at BCPM: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math (must be >3.6) and MCAT (must be >27)

Regular Decision Program: Uses a sliding scale for combined GPA and MCAT score. If one is low while the other is high, then the applicant may still be considered for an interview.

Making the Cut

• Invited by email
• YOU call admissions office to schedule date and time

Interview Day

• Meet admissions staff and committee
• Answer questions, react to scenarios, and descriptions of your preparations and motivation to attend med school
• One-on-one interviews: look for verbal and nonverbal communication

Pitfalls

• Casual clothing
• Extremely high-heeled shoes
• Shirt collar too tight
• Skirt too short
• Very loud voice
• Too quiet to be heard
• SIT UP

Pearls

• Plan for the unexpected so you can arrive on time
• Conservative dress—business attire
• Comfortable shoes
• Turn cell phone off
• Neatly groomed
• Pay attention to your speaking volume
• When asked a question that you do not have an immediate answer for, it is okay to take a moment to think. The pause is much better than blurting out something.

 If you have any more questions, Dr. Case's powerpoint is available on the UMMC website:

http://som.umc.edu/admission.html

Also, the admissions committee offers counseling at any stage of your medical school preparation. To schedule an appointment or ask any questions not previously answered call:

601-984-5010

Once again, we want to thank everyone who came to the meeting, and we want to encourage everyone to come out for the next one!
Hope to see you there!

March 24th - Physician Shadowing Program

Some information and upcoming events:

• We have two medical school visits this semester! We are going to UMC on April 1^st and Vanderbilt on April 15^th. Vanderbilt will be an overnight trip. Remember, you must have come to two stadium cleanups to be able to attend your first visit and one stadium cleanup for each subsequent visit. If you came to enough stadium cleanups, the trips will be free. The dress code for both of these visits is business casual – that means no blue jeans! Guys should preferably wear khakis or nice pants, a button-down shirt, and a tie. Girls, you probably know what to do. If you have any questions, send us an email!
• For the UMC trip, we will meet on April 1^st at 6:45 a.m. and will leave at 7:00 a.m. We will meet in front of the Hump in the parking lot facing the Sanderson Center. If you didn’t come to enough stadium cleanups, you can still come, but you will have to pay $10 to help cover the cost of gas. We should be back in Starkville by 4:00 p.m. 
• For the Vanderbilt trip, we will meet on April 15^th at 5:45 a.m. and will leave at 6:00 a.m. We will meet in the same place. We will be staying in Nashville Friday night and then driving back to Starkville on Saturday. If you didn’t come to enough stadium cleanups, you will have to pay to go on the trip. The estimate now is around $70. You will receive more information in a later email.
• AMSA t-shirts are available for $10 to anyone who would like one! A picture is available on our website.
• We will be having officer elections on April 19^th. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, send us an email. You will need to give a speech. You will receive an email with descriptions of the job positions and what the speech should be about soon.
• Our next meeting will be April 14^th at 7 p.m. in McCool 100. Dr. Steven Case, the Associate Dean at UMC and a member of the Admissions Committee, will be speaking to us about filling out the AMCAS application. Anyone who will be filling out the AMCAS this summer should make every effort to come, as this will be a very helpful presentation!

This past Thursday, Mrs. Rosalyn Campbell came to speak to us about the Physician Shadowing Program at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. This is a very good program that provides shadowing experience to students. More information can be found in an online PDF at http://www.nmhs.net/documents/PhysicianShadowing.pdf .

• This is the program’s 11^th year.
• This program allows you to see the day-to-day lives of doctors and helps prepare you for medical school.
• There are 2 three-week sessions in the summer – one in June and one in July. Six students are selected for each session, and 30 – 40 students typically apply.
• If you are accepted into the program, you are hired (and paid minimum wage). You also get a lab jacket with your name on it! For the first two weeks, everyone goes on rotations in the same specialties. The third week, you are able to choose 3 specialty doctors. You also shadow ER doctors at the end of your third week. This program is only observational– you will not be performing procedures!
• To apply, you must fill out an employment application, write an essay, send your college transcripts, take part in a one-on-one interview, and submit two letters of recommendation.
• The application can be found online at nmhs.net/employment. Select North Mississippi Health Services, and the option Physician shadower should be available. Complete this application.
• The deadline is April 20^th.
• Mrs. Campbell already conducted the interviews here at MSU; however, if you would like to have an interview, submit everything by April 10^th and send Mrs. Campbell an email saying you would like to have an interview. (Send us an email too and let us know so we can help coordinate things if needed). If Mrs. Campbell receives enough people asking for interviews, she has offered to come back down for another round of interviews. However, if there aren’t enough people, you will likely have to go to Tupelo for an interview.
• If you don’t get in your first year, reapply next year.

For more information, call (662) 377-3245, 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375), or email rosalyn.campbell@nmhs.net .

February 17 - Bulldawgs for Hearth Health

First, congrats to everyone who won money for attending stadium cleanups! Everyone should come to stadium cleanups next year! You could get a prize too!

Some information and upcoming events:

• AMSA is having a Dental Hygiene Drive! We are collecting dental hygiene products, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, etc., for St. Joseph’s. There will be a drop-off box at the front desk in Griffis. You can also bring the items to our next meeting.

• Practice MCAT on March 5^th. We are planning to have a review of the MCAT where we would go over the test that you had just taken, but we would like some input about when we should do the review. We can either have the MCAT Saturday morning and the review Saturday afternoon, or we can have the MCAT Saturday afternoon and the review Sunday afternoon. If you would be interested in taking part, please let us know which choice you prefer.

• Two people are selling MCAT books! If you would like to buy them you can contact:

Sarah Kreut, sek78@msstate.edu, 601-415-8422

Brooke Harris, BrookeNH10@aol.com, 601-613-8962

• We have two medical school visits this semester! We are going to UMC on April 1^st and Vanderbilt on April 15^th. Vanderbilt will be an overnight trip. Remember, you must have come to two stadium cleanups to be able to attend your first visit and one stadium cleanup for each subsequent visit. If you would to go on a visit and weren’t at the meeting on Thursday, send us an email and let us know. If you didn’t come to enough stadium cleanups but would still like to go to UMC, send us an email and we’ll work something out. You will most likely have to pay for some gas. If you would like to go to Vanderbilt and didn’t go to enough stadium cleanups, you are welcome to meet us at the medical school for a tour, but we will not take you there or provide you with a hotel room.

• Our next meeting will be March 24^th at 7 p.m. in McCool. Mrs. Rosalyn Campbell will be speaking to us about the Physician Shadowing Program at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. The Physician Shadowing Program is a 3-week long, paid physician shadowing opportunity. More information can be found in an online PDF at http://www.nmhs.net/documents/PhysicianShadowing.pdf .

Mrs. Campbell will also conduct interviews for the program on March 24^th. You will receive an email later with more details.

This past Thursday, Dr. James Warnock was supposed to speak to us about Bulldog’s for Heart Health. However, he was unable to come to the meeting so Alex gave us a presentation about it instead.

• Mississippi is ranked 50^th in the nation for potential to live a long, healthy life.

• Bulldog’s for Heart Health (or BH²) was started by two graduate students at MSU to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in Mississippi.

• Students participating in BH² have visited local 3^rd grade classes and talked to them about heart health and the importance of healthy eating habits and exercise.

• New students are needed in the organization, particularly students who have new ideas about making an impact. BH² can also provide leadership opportunities.

If you are interested in becoming a member of BH², you can find information on the MSU website. You can also send us an email.

1/20 Meeting-Dr. Peggy Davis and the Pathway to Medical School

A few important upcoming events:

• If you attended the last stadium cleanup (on November 20^th following the Arkansas game), please send us an e-mail and let us know! We will have drawings for prize money for attending stadium cleanups at the next meeting. Be sure to come for your chance to win!

• Practice MCAT today, January 23^rd, at 2 pm in Hand Lab.

• We are thinking about trying to have MCAT workshops to help raise MCAT scores. If you would be interested in attending a workshop or if you have any suggestions for a workshop, please send us an e-mail.

• Volunteer opportunity on February 11^th - You can volunteer to plant trees for MSU’s Arbor Day Celebration! From 9:00 am – 12:00 p.m., volunteers will be needed to plant trees around the MSU campus. For more information and to sign up, visit http://mvc.msstate.edu/volunteer/ .

• If you ordered a t-shirt, you need to pick it up by our next AMSA meeting! If you do not pick up your shirt, we will sell it to someone else. The t-shirts are $10. You either can pick up your t-shirt at our February meeting or at the front desk of Griffis Hall on Wednesdays between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

• Our next meeting will be February 17^th at 7 p.m. in McCool. We will have a speaker from Bulldogs for Heart Health.

This past Thursday, Dr. Peggy Davis MD, MBA, spoke to us about the Pathway to Medical School, particularly as it related to the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Dr. Davis serves on the medical school selection committee at UMC. The program on Thursday was the second of a three-part series about the application and admissions processes at UMC. This presentation contained useful information for everyone!

Dr. Davis’ PowerPoint presentation is available on the UMC website at http://som.umc.edu/admissions.html under the “Pathway to Medical School” link.

Some additional information she told us:

• The road to becoming a physician is long, and it is a big time commitment! Medical school classes will also be long and intense. Be prepared! Once you adjust to the rigorous schedule, you will be able to succeed.

• Your first year of medical school consists of lots of science classes. Anatomy and Biochemistry are the two “big” classes your first year. If you can get through these, you can probably get through the rest of your first year of medical school. In your second year of medical school, you become more involved. You begin learning basic clinical practices. You begin clinical rotations in your third year of medical school. Everyone follows a schedule, but you are allowed an elective so you can try to find your passion. In your fourth year of medical school, you begin to look at residency programs so that you can get a match! This is your most flexible year of medical school, and it will likely be your most enjoyable one as well.

• UMC works to help prepare their students for the tests that you must take in medical school to be able to continue on your path to becoming a physician. In fact, UMC students are beating the national average and the national pass rate on both Step 1 and Step 2 tests.

• Step 3 happens during residency and functions to make sure you haven’t forgotten any of the knowledge you gained in medical school.

Some helpful MCAT prep advice:

• Be sure to take practice exams (like the one coming up today)!

• Study with other students. Studies have shown that the optimum number of students in a study group is 4.

• Another study has also demonstrated a way of dealing with test anxiety. Before you take the exam, write down all of your worries on a piece of paper to help push them out of your mind. It will help you focus!

Some advice for students who want to attend UMC:

• Exposure to medicine is an absolute requirement for admission into UMC – this includes shadowing physicians, volunteering/working in medical settings, and being involved in your wonderful MSU AMSA! Exposure to medicine helps ensure that it is the right career for you.

• Service is another important preparatory step for admission into UMC. Time management skills are showcased by your activity involvement.

• Be sure to get your AMCAS application in as early as possible and verify the receipt of each item in the application. Also, be sure to watch deadlines.

• In Mississippi, a speeding ticket is a misdemeanor. Disclose everything on the AMCAS application prior to the Criminal Background Check! The admissions committee doesn’t know your criminal background, but failing to disclose something could hurt your chances of getting into a medical school.

• Most alternates have been admitted to UMC by mid-May.

• 1/3 of the freshman class every year has applied more than one time.

• If you don’t get accepted, counseling is available to help you be successful when you re-apply. Take advantage of this if it applies to you. There aren’t many medical schools that do this!

And a final interesting statistic: The national average of applicants to seats in medical school is 3:1.

There will be an AMCAS application workshop later in the semester, also from UMC.

11/11 Meeting-Navy Scholarships

A few upcoming events:

• Only one more stadium cleanup! It will be next Saturday, November 20^th, immediately following the game.

• Practice MCAT November 14^th at 2 pm. We will be meeting at Hand Lab. The price for the test is $30, and you will need a credit card to pay for it. AMSA will give you a check to reimburse you for the test.

• 2010 – 2011 AMSA T-shirts are in! If you ordered one, bring $10 to the next meeting, and you can pick up your shirt. We also have a few extras if you want one but didn’t order one.

• Our next meeting is January 20^th. You’ll receive an email with more information in January.

This past Thursday, Chief Susan Patterson from the Navy came to speak to us about opportunities in Navy medicine.

Chief Patterson spoke about two programs available from the Navy to students pursuing a medical degree with a desire to serve in the US Navy: the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the Health Services Collegiate Program (HSCP). Information about these programs and about Navy medicine in general can be found at http://www.navy.com/navy/careers/healthcare/ , http://www.myspace.com/navyofficerrecruitingmem , and http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accessions/Pages/default.aspx .

HPSP

• Offers full tuition and allowable fees, reimbursement for required book and supplies, monthly stipend of $2060, optional clerkship during the summer where you will receive full officer pay, $20,000 one-time signing bonus, reimbursement for health insurance if required by school, guaranteed residency match, and GMO tours available if you don’t receive your match the first time.

• Requires US citizenship, physical qualifications, acceptance into an accredited school in the US, Canada, or Puerto Rico, and a GPA 3.5 / MCAT 25 / DAT 18.

HSCP

• Helps relieve cost of education by giving students full pay and allowances as an E-6. It also provides medical and dental benefits to the collegiate and his or her immediate family (wife/husband, children), access to military bases, facilities, and services, the possibility of being promoted to E-7, guaranteed residency match, guaranteed progression in specialty, and 30 days of paid vacation along with 45 days of maternity leave.

• Requires US citizenship, physical qualifications, acceptance into an accredited school, and competitive test scores.

It is preferable for you to apply for these programs the fall before you are going to begin medical school, but the programs are still open even once you enter medical school.

If you have any questions or would like to apply for one of these programs, contact Chief Susan Patterson by phone at (601) 594 – 7497 or by email at susan.patterson@navy.mil .

10/14 Meeting-Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program

I hope that those of you who went to William Carey had an enjoyable trip!

A few upcoming events:

• Deadline to order 2010 – 2011 AMSA T-shirts is quickly approaching! Orders must be placed by Friday, October 22^nd. If you have not yet placed an order, e-mail us with your name, netID, and t-shirt size. The t-shirts will be $10 – 12 (we will have a price once we place the order).

• Two stadium cleanups this month! The next one will be on October 23^rd, which is Homecoming, so please come! The next stadium cleanup will be the following weekend on October 30^th. We have three possible medical school visits left. Remember, if you want to go on a medical school visit, you must have come to two stadium cleanups for the first visit and one cleanup for every subsequent visit.

• Sweet Potato Drop on November 12^th from 8 am – 12 pm. The Sweet Potato Drop will be held at the Palmeiro Center. This is a come-and-go thing so you don’t have to sign up for a time. Come out if you can! This is a great (and interesting) way to get community service.

• Practice MCAT November 14^th at 2 pm. We will be meeting at Hand Lab. The price for the test is $30, and you will need a credit card to pay for it. AMSA will give you a check to reimburse you for the test.

• Our next meeting is November 11^th at 7 pm in McCool. Chief Patterson will be speaking about medical opportunities with the Navy, and she will be providing Abner’s!

This past Thursday Mrs. Janie Guice, Executive Director of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program (MRPSP), spoke to us about the MRPSP.

Her presentation covered information that can be found on the MRPSP website: http://mrpsp.umc.edu/index.html

Some important points (and interesting information) from her presentation:

• Mississippi has the fewest number of physicians of any state in the US. The MRPSP aims to fix this problem by encouraging pre-med students to practice in rural parts of Mississippi and helping them achieve this goal.

• The program targets college sophomores interested in practicing Primary Care in Mississippi.

• Ideally, students enter the program when they are college sophomores and remain in it through Medical or Osteopathic School, Residency, and Initial Practice (4 years).

• Juniors and seniors may enter the program as well and continue through it as normal. Juniors do not receive sophomore training, but everything else is the same. Seniors do not receive sophomore or junior undergraduate benefits and fill out a different application.

• The undergraduate requirements for applying to the program are very similar to those for medical school and can be found on the website. Applicants must also have a rural background, exposure to medicine, a strong work ethic, a commitment to MRPSP, good faculty evaluations, and participation in volunteer activities.

• The undergraduate application opens on November 1^st and closes on February 15^th.

• One interesting benefit from participating in this program is consideration for Direct Admission to UMMC. Basically, you can earn a seat in medical school while you are completing your undergraduate degree (and bypass some of the application process).

• Additionally, this program provides undergraduates with Medical Encounters experiences at UMMC, rural health academic enrichment, rural clinical experience, rural physician mentors, and a free Kaplan MCAT prep course. During medical school, this program can provide a $30,000 a year scholarship along with faculty mentors and academic support.

• Students complete residency in one of five areas: Family Medicine, OB/GYN, Internal Medicine, Medicine-Pediatrics, or Pediatrics.

• After residency completion, members of the program must enter a clinic-based practice in a rural town of less than 20,000 people. You must remain in the town for at least 4 years in order to complete the program.

• If, at any time, you default on the program, the money must be repaid in full along with 6% interest. Be sure this is what you want to do before you apply!

If you have any questions, you can contact Janie Guice by phone at (601)815-9022 or by email at jguice@umc.edu.

A few important upcoming events:

• Blood Drive tomorrow (Monday, September 20^th) from 9 am – 2 pm! It will be in rooms 325 and 327 in the Union. Our volunteer slots are full, but you can still come and give blood (or bring your friends to give blood)!

• Medical School visit to William Carey University on October 15^th. Remember, you must have come to 2 stadium cleanups to go on the trip. We still have 2 more stadium cleanups before we go on the trip! Send us an email if you would like to come.

• Stadium cleanup this Saturday, September 25^th, directly following the game. We will meet under the old Jumbotron in the parking lot before we begin cleaning up. After we have started, you can find us just past the 50 yard line. We are on the right side of the stadium if you are facing the new Jumbotron. Remember, you get entered for a chance to win money in January for every stadium cleanup you come to!

• We are ordering t-shirts! If you’d like one, send us an email telling us what size you want. The t-shirts will be $10 - $12. The exact price will depend upon how many people order t-shirts.

• Our next meeting is October 14th at 7 pm in McCool 100. Jaynie Guice, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Rural Physician Scholarship Program, will be speaking about the scholarship program.

This past Thursday, Dr. Jim Weir, Jr., D.D.S., J.D., came to talk to us about the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Jim Weir is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and a Professor of Pathology, Histology, and Oral Health at WCU – COM.

His PowerPoint presentation covered information that can be found on the school’s website: http://www.wmcarey.edu/COM/Home/1722/CollegeofOsteopathic.shtm

Some important points from his presentation:

• This year is the first year that William Carey University has had a D.O. program. Their charter class had 110 students.

• Doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.s) are fully qualified physicians who are able to practice and prescribe medicine in all 50 states. They receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system and are trained to look at the whole body when diagnosing patients. They focus on preventative care.

• D.O.s follow a fairly typical medical school path. They can enter into any kind of medicine, but 2/3 are in primary care.

• Important admissions information is available on the website. Keep in mind that, when applying to D.O. schools, the AACOMAS Application must be completed ( http://www.aacom.org ).

• Applicants to WCU – COM are judged on their academics, alignment with the school’s mission, personal attributes, and motivation to become a doctor.

Some of his advice for getting into medical school in general was:

• Follow a plan, do well in school, take the MCAT early, earn a degree, shadow a physician (particularly one in the field you are interested in), apply to schools early, and visit schools for advice specific to their programs.

If you have any questions, you can call Emily Bennett, Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, at (601) 318 – 6235. You can also email her at ebennett@wmcarey.edu. Dr. Jim Weir’s email is jweir@wmcarey.edu.

Dr. Mike Shaw, D.O., was also available to answer questions about D.O.s and medical schools. He is an Emergency Room Physician at Oktibbeha County Hospital. He reminded us about the Shadowing Program at OCH, in which students can shadow various physicians at the hospital. You can either see Mary Celeste Reese in the Biological Sciences office on the 2^nd floor of Etheredge or call the Medical Staff Office at Oktibbeha County Hospital.

Hello everyone.

This past Thursday, Dr. Steven T. Case, PhD, came and talked to us about the interview process at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Dr. Case is a professor of Biochemistry and the Associate Dean of Admissions. He conducts many interviews at UMC. The program on Thursday was the first in a three-part series about the application and admissions process at UMC. This program was directed at Seniors preparing to interview at UMC in the next few weeks, but some helpful information for students of other classifications was included as well.

Dr. Case’s PowerPoint Presentation is available on the UMC website, http://som.umc.edu/admissions.html.

Some additional information is:

• Apply as soon as possible! The sooner you apply, the sooner an interview invitation can be sent to you.
• Admissions preference is given to applicants whose files are complete, including transcripts and letters of evaluation, so try to get everything in as soon as possible.
• At UMC, you will have 3 interviews. The interviews are one-on-one and typically last 20 - 30 minutes.
• On interview day, some of your interviewers may have read your file, and some may not have read it. Be aware of this in case they ask you questions about things in your file.
• Be sure to look at the website to see the traits that your interviewers are seeking to assess.
• Every question the interviewers ask you helps them to evaluate you as a future physician.
• The most important thing to remember in an interview is to be yourself!
• Be sure to sit up.
• The single most common mistake people make in the interview: failure to answer a question. This includes responding to a question without answering the actual question that was asked. If your interviewer asks for one reason for something, only give one reason (not two or three)!
• Remember that it is no longer about you. It is about how you would treat your patients as a physician. Conduct yourself how you would like your doctors to conduct themselves.
• Finally, interview day is not designed to intimidate you.
• About half the people who interview will be accepted. Some of the interviewed applicants will become alternates.

The Admissions Office email is AdmitMD@umc.edu. The Admissions Office phone number is (601) 984 - 5010. One-on-one appointments are offered at UMC. The appointment will allow you to get prepared for the interview beforehand so that you will be more comfortable on the day of the interview. You will be able to meet the staff in the Admissions Office and to familiarize yourself with the campus. If you would like to schedule one of these appointments or a medical school counseling appointment, call (don't email) the Admissions Office.

Also, we would like to thank everyone for coming on time and looking nice!
Kelsey

August 24, 2010 Meeting Minutes

Hello everyone.

Our first meeting was Tuesday, August 24^th, and it was great! We had introductions of all of our officers, wonderful pictures included, before covering some important information and upcoming events.

Meeting on Thursday!

·         Dr. Steven Case, the Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is coming to speak to us today, August 25^th, at 7:00 p.m. in McCool 109. He will be speaking about the admission and the interview processes.

·         Come early for pizza, and try to look nice!

Next meeting in September

·         September 16^th at 7:00 p.m. in McCool 100

·         Our speaker will be Dr. Jim Weir from the William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine

Stadium Cleanup

·         Stadium cleanups typically begin at 6:00 a.m.

·         You must attend 2 stadium cleanups to go on your first medical school visit and 1 stadium cleanup for each subsequent medical school visit.

·         First stadium cleanup is Sunday, September 4^th.

·         We are unsure of the date of the cleanup for the Auburn game. You will receive an email about it later.

·         We will be having a raffle for $20 at the end of the semester, but you can only enter if you’ve come to stadium cleanups!

·         The more people we have, the faster the stadium cleanups go, so everyone should try to come!

Dues

·         One-time membership dues of $20 – this covers all 4 years, or any years you have left if you are not a freshman. If you have paid before, you do not need to pay again!

·         You can pay with cash or check at the next meeting.

Blood Drive

·         September 20^th, 2010 in Union rooms 325 and 327 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

·         Our volunteer time slots are all full, but you can still come and give blood!

AMSA T-shirts

·         2009 – 2010 t-shirts are available for purchase for $5

·         2010 – 2011 t-shirts will also be available for purchase. More information will be available at a later date.

Medical School Visits

·         We will have 2 each semester.

·         Possibilities for this school year are: Emory, UMMC, UAB, Tulane, and William Carey

 Practice MCAT

·         We’re having a practice MCAT this Saturday, August 28^th, in Hand at 8:00 a.m.

·         If you are a member of AMSA, you will be reimbursed for the practice test fee.

Service Project

·         Habitat for Humanity

·         The tentative date is September 11^th.

·         We will send out more information on this later.

Shadowing Opportunities

·         Mary Celeste Reese has information on a shadowing opportunity here at the Oktibbeha County Hospital.

·         If you’re interested, see her in the Biological Sciences office, located on the 2^nd floor of Etheredge.

2010-2011 Officer Election Results

Your 2010-2011 AMSA officers are:

President: Stefanie Vamenta
President-Elect: Alex Ruhl
Vice-President: Jordan Ingram
Secretary: Kelsey Thompson
Treasurer: Same Sullivan
Webmaster: Charles Runyan
Chapter Development: Becca Bernheim
Recruitment Officer: Jane Anderson
Historian: Dorothy Damm

Thank you to all who attended the election.

Minutes from 03/26/10 Meeting

Hello Everyone!

Here is what we talked about at our meeting last evening:

Our guest speaker was Mrs. Rosalyn Campbell from the North Mississippi Medical Center. She spoke about the Physician Shadowing Program they offer over the summer, as well as the requirements for the application. The deadline to apply is April 20th, but she will be returning to Mississippi State on April 6th in the Union from 3-6 to conduct interviews. She put out a sign-up sheet for the interviews, and all the time slots were filled. However, if you are interested in interviewing, please contact me at aas169@msstate.edu and I will see if something can be worked out. More information is available at nmhs.net/employment.

AMSA t-shirts have arrived! If you pre-ordered and did not pick up your t-shirt, please be sure to do so at the next meeting. We also have ordered extras, and are selling them for the price of $12 a shirt at the next meeting. The shirt comes in a v-neck and a "regular" (crewneck) style.

Upcoming Events:
Trip to UMC on April 9th. We will be leaving from the Hump parking lot on the morning of the 9th, and will return to campus late that afternoon. If you would like to go and did not sign up at the meeting last night, please e-mail us as soon as possible at msuamsa@gmail.com. Also, if you would be willing to drive please let us know. Drivers will be reimbursed on the day of the trip for gas costs. Those who have signed up will receive further details on the trip via e-mail.

Our next meeting in on TUESDAY, April 6th, in Room 100 of the ABE building. Dr. Case or Dr. Davis from UMC will be coming to speak on filling out the AMCAS (the application for medical school). Pizza and drinks will be provided.

Officer Elections are scheduled for April 22nd! If you are considering running, please remember that officers are required to attend stadium clean-up every Sunday after a home football game in addition to position-specific responsibilities. Let us know if you have any questions!

Minutes from 02/18/10 Meeting

Hey guys,

At our meeting on February 18th, we hosted MSgt Raymond Archambo of the US Air Force. He discussed medical school scholarships that the Air Force offers. They sound like a pretty nice deal, so if you are interested, the powerpoint presentation is available here! https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=12721f0f23d602a7&mt=application%2Fvnd.ms-powerpoint&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2F%3Fui%3D2%26ik%3D4dd7ed766e%26view%3Datt%26th%3D12721f0f23d602a7%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dattd%26realattid%3Df_g6bj6fk00%26zw&sig=AHIEtbSHUyQwLwd92zh1jNMzDKYD_fCgGQ&pli=1

Also, we will have a CPR/First Aid certification course on Thursday, March11th (next week) from 6:00PM-10:00PM in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building Rm. 100. While four hours may seem like a long time,the normal time for a class like this would be 8 hours. It will be completely free to you, so it is an opportunity that you should definitelytake advantage of! CPR certification will be first, so you can leave after that portion if you don't want to do the First Aid part. Please respond to our email to let me know if you will be attending so that we can get a better head count.

We will be going to tour the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson on Friday, April 9th. There will be a sign-up sheet for this at our March 25th meeting, but make sure to keep this date open if you would like to go. We would be more than happy to write you a letter for your teachers explaining how beneficial the trip will be if you need me to.

The AMSA t-shirt order has been placed. If you didn't put your name down on the list, don't fret because we have ordered a few extras that will be on sale at the next meeting for $12.

If you would be interested in touring the UAB and/or UT Memphis, please reply to our email and let us know. We will need at least 10 people to tour these medical schools.

Minutes from 01/21/10 Meeting

Hello Everyone!

Here are some of the things we covered in AMSA tonight! In case you couldn't make it to Dr. Case's "Pathway to Medical School" presentation, you can check it out anytime via this link: https://webmail.msstate.edu/util/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsom.umc.edu%2Fadmissions.html&Horde=d3a7ef2390206d1d46667dcd97d09e38 and then click on "Pathway to Medical School" under the "Admissions" heading.*

Other Important News* We are offering a *practice MCAT* THIS SATURDAY *at 8:00 AM in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building (for those of you who don'tknow, it is between Dorman and the McCarthy Gym). There are only 10 computers there, so please bring a laptop if you are able to. You will also need to bring your debit or credit card, which will be charged $35. AMSA will refund you this amount with a check *immediately* at the testing site.

*AMSA t-shirts *are being offered this year! A link to the proof is located on the right of the blog so that you can see what they look like. We are offering them for only $12! Please e-mail Stefanie Vamenta at sv114@msstate.edu to let her know if you are interested and what size you would need. We are trying to get these ordered quickly, so let her know ASAP!

If you want to sell any of your MCAT study materials still, please let Brooke Harris know by e-mailing her at bh396@msstate.edu.

Hope that y'all are having a good week, and please e-mail us if you have any questions!