WVSOM Discussion Thread 2008-2009

[AmyWho]

Do you know websites for information regarding primary care, especially OB/GYN? Thank you.

Actually I think you're right, sry about that.

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[Razbrygrl3]

Anyone know what the weather is like in Lewisburg in the winter time? I know it snows, but does the snow stay or does it come and go? Does it usually melt quickly? Do they use salt on the roads? Why I ask is because I have a modified car and I'm thinking that I might need to sell it before I move down, as I won't have the luxury of having two cars anymore.

Given that this is my first year in Lewisburg and that we've just had our first "big" snow, I'm not sure if any of what I'm about to say is the norm but here's what I've seen:

Between Monday afternoon and yesterday evening, I'd say we got about two inches of snow. The roads have been kept pretty clear though. There were times when the sun was out when it was snowing, so that helped to warm up the ground and keep things from sticking or freezing. I've seen a salt truck so they salt the roads, but I don't know if it's only major roads or also residential streets. Some cars in the parking lots on campus look like they have salt on them and others don't. Local schools have been closed for the past two days, which seems a little strange to me since there really wasn't that much snow.

What kind of car do you drive and what mods do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[koojo]

Given that this is my first year in Lewisburg and that we've just had our first "big" snow, I'm not sure if any of what I'm about to say is the norm but here's what I've seen:

Between Monday afternoon and yesterday evening, I'd say we got about two inches of snow. The roads have been kept pretty clear though. There were times when the sun was out when it was snowing, so that helped to warm up the ground and keep things from sticking or freezing. I've seen a salt truck so they salt the roads, but I don't know if it's only major roads or also residential streets. Some cars in the parking lots on campus look like they have salt on them and others don't. Local schools have been closed for the past two days, which seems a little strange to me since there really wasn't that much snow.

What kind of car do you drive and what mods do you have, if you don't mind me asking?

Ah I see. I was hoping that they would use minimal salt. My car is also low, so it would act like a snowplow if I there was snow on the roads. I might be getting an apartment at Woodland Acres, and that's just a short walk/bike to the school, so the car would only be needed to go to the store or something.

Here is my car:

Heavily modded. Check out http://www.koojo.net for more pics (you need java for the website to work).

Are you into cars as well?

 

[Razbrygrl3]

Very nice G20! I can see you put a lot of quality work into her! Are you getting a new daily driver once you sell it or do you already have one?


Yeah I'm into cars. A couple years back I had a friend who would not shut up about the work he was doing on his Stingray. It was annoying at first but eventually his obsession with cars rubbed off on me. Though I'm "still a newbie with a lot to learn," as he tells me. I joined the University of Maryland's car club, College Park Tuning during my undergrad and they can't seem to get rid of me or any of the other alumni.

I drive a 3rd gen eclipse. I picked it up not too long after I graduated college but it's still stock. When I got it, all my money was going to paying bills and med school applications. And now I'm living off of student loans and it wouldn't be a very good idea to use those to make upgrades, not that I haven't thought about it.

Doesn't seem like there's a whole lot going on around here for cars though. In late summer, every now and then I'd see a group of people with modded pickups gathering in the Walmart parking lot, but never any cars. There's a couple of nice cars on campus. Someone's got a really nice looking GTI. with a FMIC and some exterior mods. Haven't been able to figure out who it belongs to though so I don't know what's under the hood.

Nice to know there will be at least one more person around next year who is into cars.

 

[Silverz26]

I am 80% positive that OB/GYN is primary care b/c I am interested in that also, but I don't think it's "as primary care" as IM/FM/Peds just b/c it includes some surgery and such. But either way (no watter what it is) I wouldn't let that stop you from going to WVSOM b/c not everyone can/does go into primary care, I think you should try to do whatever would make you the happiest. Maybe we can start a pre-OB/GYN club (if there isn't one already) when we get there haha.

Also the $50,000 a year scares me also but it could be wosre, I live in Michigan and if you come here as as out of state student tuition is almost $62,000 a year. And UNECOM is I think $42,000 a year. I figure we will all be in the same boat so we can work together to figure out some way to pay this all off...

 

[koojo]

Very nice G20! I can see you put a lot of quality work into her! Are you getting a new daily driver once you sell it or do you already have one?


Yeah I'm into cars. A couple years back I had a friend who would not shut up about the work he was doing on his Stingray. It was annoying at first but eventually his obsession with cars rubbed off on me. Though I'm "still a newbie with a lot to learn," as he tells me. I joined the University of Maryland's car club, College Park Tuning during my undergrad and they can't seem to get rid of me or any of the other alumni.

I drive a 3rd gen eclipse. I picked it up not too long after I graduated college but it's still stock. When I got it, all my money was going to paying bills and med school applications. And now I'm living off of student loans and it wouldn't be a very good idea to use those to make upgrades, not that I haven't thought about it.

Doesn't seem like there's a whole lot going on around here for cars though. In late summer, every now and then I'd see a group of people with modded pickups gathering in the Walmart parking lot, but never any cars. There's a couple of nice cars on campus. Someone's got a really nice looking GTI. with a FMIC and some exterior mods. Haven't been able to figure out who it belongs to though so I don't know what's under the hood.

Nice to know there will be at least one more person around next year who is into cars.

Haha that's awesome. I have a daily driver now, but I'll probably be only bringing one car down. I want to sell my G20 and get a 07 or 08 350z convertible. I just posted the G20 for sale yesterday so I'm looking for a buyer. Hopefully I'll see you around!

 

[UofU2009]

I'm going to be interviewing at WVSOM on Dec 8th in the morning. I scheduled a flight into Charleston Yeager on the 6th (Saturday), renting a car so I can drive around and get a good feel for Lewisburg on Sunday, interview Monday then return home Tuesday. Anyone have any advice as to what I can check out while I'm there? Congrats to all of you who have already been accepted - that's great! I get a great feeling about WVSOM from reading posts in this forum. It really sounds like a great school. If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it. Anyone else interviewing on December 8th?

 

[koojo]

I'm going to be interviewing at WVSOM on Dec 8th in the morning. I scheduled a flight into Charleston Yeager on the 6th (Saturday), renting a car so I can drive around and get a good feel for Lewisburg on Sunday, interview Monday then return home Tuesday. Anyone have any advice as to what I can check out while I'm there? Congrats to all of you who have already been accepted - that's great! I get a great feeling about WVSOM from reading posts in this forum. It really sounds like a great school. If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it. Anyone else interviewing on December 8th?

My only advice would be to get to the interview early....like 45 min early. Hopefully you'll get lucky like in my group and you'll have some no shows, and it'll speed up the interview process! WVSOM is great, you'll love it.

 

[em73837]

I'm going to be interviewing at WVSOM on Dec 8th in the morning. I scheduled a flight into Charleston Yeager on the 6th (Saturday), renting a car so I can drive around and get a good feel for Lewisburg on Sunday, interview Monday then return home Tuesday. Anyone have any advice as to what I can check out while I'm there? Congrats to all of you who have already been accepted - that's great! I get a great feeling about WVSOM from reading posts in this forum. It really sounds like a great school. If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it. Anyone else interviewing on December 8th?

I am! ... where are you flying in from?

 

[AmyWho]

How much weight do they put in the secondary application essay, anyone knows? My essay is a total junk, too wordy, and suck.

 

[UofU2009]

I am! ... where are you flying in from?

I'm flying in from Salt Lake City, Utah. My flight is from SLC to Atlanta, then up to charleston yeager. I'm flying delta? Are you going to be at Yeager about the same time (Sat @ 830PM)?

 

[GAMB1T]

Hey everyone! New to forum. I have a question for those that have received their acceptance letters or those who have been sent the secondary applications. How long after your application was submitted by AACOMAS until you heard back from WVSOM? I filled out the AACOMAS a long time ago; however, it just was released yesterday to WVSOM. Thanks in advance!!

 

[koojo]

Hey everyone! New to forum. I have a question for those that have received their acceptance letters or those who have been sent the secondary applications. How long after your application was submitted by AACOMAS until you heard back from WVSOM? I filled out the AACOMAS a long time ago; however, it just was released yesterday to WVSOM. Thanks in advance!!

I think I heard back in less than 2 weeks after AACOMAS had me verified.

 

[obbobbo]

I had a great experience at WVSOM. I recently interviewed with them and it went really well. I loved the school. The anatomy lab was the best one I've seen so far. I don't know if I should take up a bunch of space here, but if you want to read about my WVSOM experience feel free.

 

[UofU2009]

Anyone else have an interview on Dec 8th in the morning?

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Just got the invite today...it's for December 10.

 

[GAMB1T]

Congrats on invite!

 

[GAMB1T]

Hey dozit, just out of curiosity, how long did it take from when you application was approved from the AACOMAS to when you heard from WVSOM? Thanks in advance.

 

[em73837]

Anyone else have an interview on Dec 8th in the morning?

i do ... i'll be flying in from NY. where are you staying/flying in from/in to?

 

[tallgal0523]

Just got the invite today...it's for December 10.

Congrats! How long were you decision pending before you got the interview invite?

 

[MikeHoks]

Hey everyone, I have an interview on Dec 19th at WVSOM and was hoping I could get some insight on some of the questions being asked. Thanks in advance for your help. -Mike

 

[koojo]

Hey everyone, I have an interview on Dec 19th at WVSOM and was hoping I could get some insight on some of the questions being asked. Thanks in advance for your help. -Mike

Check out the interview feedback page.

 

[AmyWho]

Hope this helps. I was deferred for 3 weeks and decision pending for 2 weeks after before I got the interview invite.

Congrats! How long were you decision pending before you got the interview invite?

 

[tallgal0523]

Hope this helps. I was deferred for 3 weeks and decision pending for 2 weeks after before I got the interview invite.

When did you get the email that West Virginia had received your AACOMAS? I've been decision pending for eight weeks...

 

[Chocolate Bear]

In case anyone's interested, here are a couple of match lists I found for WVSOM. Enjoy!

 

[ImBrianFellows]

Thanks Chocolate Bear! I've been looking for the 2008 list ...

I love your avatar by the way! lol.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Thanks Chocolate Bear! I've been looking for the 2008 list ...

I love your avatar by the way! lol.

No problem! And thanks!

All other match lists I could find are now located at the bottom of the Pre-Osteo FAQs thread.

 

[AmyWho]

My AACOMAS was compete on 10/3, and I received the email from WVSOM for login ID and password on 10/21. That was when I found out that I was deferred. Sorry for the earlier confusion, I tried to round up the time I was deferred and decision pending. So I was actually deferred for almost 3 weeks and decision pending for almost 1 week.

When did you get the email that West Virginia had received your AACOMAS? I've been decision pending for eight weeks...

 

[esk1137]

Status pages were just updated!! I was just accepted!! I interviewed 11/17...Good luck to everyone!!!

 

[ImBrianFellows]

Congrats esk1137!!

 

[esk1137]

Thank you so much! See you next Fall!!

 

[hopefulfor2013]

wow that was quick. I interviewed Monday and got accepted today! now come onnnn ohio schools give me something so I don't have to pay $50,000/yr :/

does anyone know if you can declare in-state residency after a year or anything like that?

 

[koojo]

does anyone know if you can declare in-state residency after a year or anything like that?

Congrats! I've asked this question before and I believe you have to live in the state a year prior to going to school before claiming residency.

 

[PGRAH004]

I have my interview dec 10th... Anyone else have it that day if so let me know.


Paul

 

[PGRAH004]

Just got the invite today...it's for December 10.

Pm me dude

 

[GAMB1T]

Hey everyone, I just got my email today giving me my ID/PW. But, when I go to check my application status, I receive this message: ((Sorry, but we do not have an active application for the current academic term.)) Did anyone else see this message when they initially got there ID/PW? Thanks in advance.

 

[JustJan]

I am interviewing on Dec 15th.

 

[mn601]

Hey everyone, I just got my email today giving me my ID/PW. But, when I go to check my application status, I receive this message: ((Sorry, but we do not have an active application for the current academic term.)) Did anyone else see this message when they initially got there ID/PW? Thanks in advance.

make sure you select 2009/10 Entry and include @ in your ID

 

[SemperDO]

Hey everyone, I just got my email today giving me my ID/PW. But, when I go to check my application status, I receive this message: ((Sorry, but we do not have an active application for the current academic term.)) Did anyone else see this message when they initially got there ID/PW? Thanks in advance.

Make sure you select the right button. My Mac made the homepage look a little skewed, so I ended up hitting the wrong button and got that same response Luckily it didn't take me too long to figure out what was wrong

 

[JustJan]

I am 80% positive that OB/GYN is primary care b/c I am interested in that also, but I don't think it's "as primary care" as IM/FM/Peds just b/c it includes some surgery and such. But either way (no watter what it is) I wouldn't let that stop you from going to WVSOM b/c not everyone can/does go into primary care, I think you should try to do whatever would make you the happiest. Maybe we can start a pre-OB/GYN club (if there isn't one already) when we get there haha.

Also the $50,000 a year scares me also but it could be wosre, I live in Michigan and if you come here as as out of state student tuition is almost $62,000 a year. And UNECOM is I think $42,000 a year. I figure we will all be in the same boat so we can work together to figure out some way to pay this all off...

Hi,
I have an interview on Dec 15th and I am a Labor and Delivery Nurse (17 years), and I can tell you, NOTHING takes the place of watching someone take their first breathe....even if it is their last.

 

[kdmt7]

Hi,
I have an interview on Dec 15th and I am a Labor and Delivery Nurse (17 years), and I can tell you, NOTHING takes the place of watching someone take their first breathe....even if it is their last.

That kind of sounds a little morbid. Good luck on your interview.

 

[koojo]

That kind of sounds a little morbid. Good luck on your interview.

Haha, good one.

Good luck everyone

 

[JustJan]

That kind of sounds a little morbid. Good luck on your interview.

Thank you for the wish of good luck. ...not morbid....realistic....OB is not all fun and happy times..too many go into it thinking that it is all a good time. It is a critical care area and stuff happens there just like every other critical care area....but most are first breathes.....

 

[ejay1518]

Hey, i just interviewed at WVSOM on 12/5. In terms of facilities it is a great school and the people there are very nice. The schools focus is primary care but they have a decent amount that do others things. While Dr. Madrzakowski was doing the PBL presentation, in walked a WVSOM graduate from PBL (unplanned). He graduated 2 years ago and he is doing his residency in orthopedic surgery in Ohio which caught me by surprise but it is possible. Their admissions com meets every Tuesday so I should be hearing back within a week or so! hopefully I get in.

 

[koojo]

Hey, i just interviewed at WVSOM on 12/5. In terms of facilities it is a great school and the people there are very nice. The schools focus is primary care but they have a decent amount that do others things. While Dr. Madrzakowski was doing the PBL presentation, in walked a WVSOM graduate from PBL (unplanned). He graduated 2 years ago and he is doing his residency in orthopedic surgery in Ohio which caught me by surprise but it is possible. Their admissions com meets every Tuesday so I should be hearing back within a week or so! hopefully I get in.

Good luck! Hopefully you get accepted tomorrow...eerrr, today that is!

 

[p1acebo]

Hey, I was curious if anyone knows if the class is full yet, or how long they usually take to fill up the class? If anyone could pm me and useful information I would highly appreciate it. Thank you

 

[UofU2009]

I am from Salt Lake and recently interviewed at WVSOM. I interviewed on Monday, 12/8 and had a WONDERFUL time. I was completely blown away by the people; including those on faculty, the students, and those in the community. Those interviewing with me were all great people and the town of Lewisburg has such a positive attitude. I checked my status TODAY and I have already been ACCEPTED!!!! So, less than 24 hours after interviewing I found out that I was accepted. Good luck to all those interviewing soon. If anyone has any questions about the process, feel free to PM me and ask.

 

[Razbrygrl3]

Congratulations on your quick acceptance!

 

[Cabbagetoe]

Hi to all!

My wife is currently a 2nd year student at WVSOM. I have been reading the forum and thought I would post some information that might be of help to accepted students, interviewees and potential students.

Does Lewisburg really not have public transportation?

No it does not. As posted previously, public transportation used to be available but is not any longer. You will need to find some way to get around.

What rental car companies are located at the airport?

Avis http://www.avis.com 304-645-7243
National http://www.nationalcar.com 304-645-6044
Alamo http://www.alamo.com 304-645-4016
Hertz http://www.hertz.com 304-647-5170
Enterprise http://www.enterprise.com 304-645-2800

What is the closest airport?

The closest airport is the Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB). The link can be found here: http://www.gvairport.com

Only a handful of flights fly in and out per day.

Is there any way to get in-state tuition without living here for 12 months prior to matriculating?

No. There is not. They will not change it. You have to realize that out of state residents are a HUGE source of income for the school. If you want in-state tuition, move here 12 months prior like we did. Sorry for the bad news.

Can I use a Macintosh computer, even though it is not recommended?

Yes, you can use a Macintosh computer. It needs to be fairly recent though so that you don't get stuck buying a new one halfway through studies. This being said, Mac users are on their own. The computer services dept hardly knows anything about PC's much less Macintosh. I'm not trying to slight their IT dept, it just seems as though most of them aren't very smart. If you can run boot camp, parallels, or VMware on your Mac for the times when you migt need Windows, you'll be fine. The website used to have a recommended PC configuration but I can't seem to find it on the site anymore. A LAPTOP IS REQUIRED! You will absolutely need a laptop for attendance at WVSOM. I would recommend something lightweight since you will be hauling this back and forth to class almost EVERY day. HEAVY books and a HEAVY laptop are not fun. Since you can't control the weight of a book, the laptop is the only way to shed some of those extra pounds. The entire campus has wireless and printing solutions. You will get a print card during your orientation that will allow you to print to the campus printers for large documents. There is a fee involved in printing. Your card will come charged with a starting amount of $100 if I'm not mistaken, but once this runs out you will need to recharge it.

Can anyone tell me where to stay while I'm here?

There are a number of options. The Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express (finished in Summer 2008) are the newest and nicest, as well as the most expensive. The General Lewis Inn is very old, but also very historic. If you want to stay somewhere that is classic, this is the place. Their food is also VERY good. The Brier Inn has been around for a bit and is mediocre. They also have a conference center and a bar. The Brier is a local hangout on the weekends during the summer for live music, etc. A list with contact info is below.

A.Hampton Inn Lewisburg, WV

- www.hamptoninn.com - (304) 645-7300
B.Brier Inn

- www.brierinn.com - (304) 645-7722
C.Super 8 Lewisburg

- www.super8.com - (304) 647-3188
D.The General Lewis Inn & Restaurants

- www.generallewisinn.com - (800) 628-4454
E.Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Lewisburg

- www.hiexpress.com - (877) 863-4780
F.Fort Savannah Inn

- www.tripadvisor.com - (304) 645-3055

How long does it take once I interview to find out if I'm accepted?

The admissions board meets almost every Tuesday unless there is a conference or something is going on that has a lot of the staff out of town. If you interview on Monday, there is a chance you will know the next day. The admissions dept is VERY good about updating status information on the web page. If you have questions, don't hesitate to call Annette Moore at 304-647-6230 [email protected] or Angie Amick at 304-647-6408 [email protected].

What is the housing market like?

Housing is tough. It depends on a lot of factors such as the economy, etc. Most of you will be renting houses instead of buying. Lewisburg has a huge variety of rental options. You can get a house, an apartment, a single room at someone's house, live above the dry cleaners (seriously) and other options. Rent varies widely depending on where you live. Lewisburg, Fairlea, White Sulphur Springs, and Ronceverte are all options. Much farther than those areas and you're looking at quite a haul to school, especially during the winter months with inclement weather. You can view housing information on the WVSOM website where they have an interactive tool that will help you search rental listings. This list used to be in Word format and downloadable from the site, but it is now interactive and must be accessed with a student ID. The links can be found here: http://www.wvsom.edu/students/housing.cfm

What are the average MCAT, GPA, hair color, weight and height of students?

WVSOM seems to be different than some schools in the aspect of scores and the like. While scores DO matter, they are not the ONLY determining factor. While I cannot be sure, if you have a 2.0 and a 19 MCAT you will most likely not get into WVSOM. If you have a 3.5 and 30, you might not get in either. WVSOM tends to look at the candidate as a whole instead of looking only at grades or only at personality. If you have high scores, and come off as God's gift to the medical profession in your interview, there is a possibility that they might not accept you because of your attitude. This is all subjective and being that I'm not on the interview board, I cannot speak truth in this matter. Having met TONS of students while my wife has been here though, this seems to be the general consensus.

Is it possible to have kids while attending medical school?

YES! Whether starting school with a child or children, planning to have children while in school or just thinking about the possibility, it is certainly do-able. My wife and I had our first child while she was in her first year. She was born in March toward the end of the school year. I currently know of 4 people who are having children while in school (2nd year students or spouses). One is a student and 3 of them are spouses of students. This is NOT something to be taken lightly. If you do not handle stress well, this might not be a good option for you. If you are a strong person with a level head, then it is certainly something that can be accomplished with minimal school downtime. The school will work with you on having children while in school. While you won't get a 4 week vacation and an exam curve, they try to accommodate most situations. Speak with the dean to discuss your options.

I'll add to this list as more questions get asked. I'm not a student and don't know much about the curriculum, etc. but do have information on the area and general school information since we've been here for over 3 years. If you have additional information that you think I might be able to answer, please PM me. If it is something I can answer I wil do so promptly. If it is something I can't answer, I'm sure I can find an answer for you and reply accordingly.

Hope this helps!

 

[kdmt7]

Thank you cabbagetoe for that informative post. I just sent in my deposit to attend WVSOM and am very excited to start. My wife is pregnant and due June 20th, so this will be a very exciting time as we will be new parents, we will be moving and I will be starting medical school; all within a couple of months. It is good to hear of others that are in the same situation we are in.