P.A.S.S. pics

I took some more pics of the P.A.S.S. complex today. Some turned out really blurry, because I was in a hurry to take them, as it was during a break and everyone was milling around (what loser whips out a camera to take pics of couches? oh. wait...)

So, the best of the blurried: one shot is of a study lounge area (where many of the guys go to sleep during breaks...they are comfortable couches) and the other is from the back of the lecture room. There are probably 5 computer rooms where you can study/answer questions, 2 "kitchen" type areas, and 1 no talking room. Maybe I should take a few pics of those.

Tomorrow is the last day. I'm so shocked. This has been such a fast month! I was lucky in that I got to have 2 tutoring sessions with the big man himself, Dr. F. He is such an inspiration. Going from a "barely passing/barely failing" guy (as he describes himself) to someone that medical students all over are clambering to talk to.

The Anchor Holds

Ignore the mullet and listen to the message...

So Fast!

I'm approaching the end of my 3rd week here at P.A.S.S. We finish up next Wednesday, August 1st. This has been the fastest month ever. We've finished all of the disciplines except Micro/Immuno (i think we have 1 final biochem lecture left). I'm kind of happy that we're ending with micro, as it is my strongest subject and gives me more time to review older material at night, since it won't (knock on wood) take me as long to go over that day's material.


I keep running into more and more AUC students. I guess the word's getting out. I'm hearing scores from friends who went to PASS and so far, everyone's doing really well. I have high hopes (although that knawing fear and anxiety won't go away).

I'll be taking my first NBME soon. I just have to reach my goal of having x amount of questions finished from USMLE world before I do so (p.a.s.s. recommends completing 800-1000 questions before you even consider taking a NBME). So this weekend, i have quite a few questions that I'm going to try and knock out.

Gotta get back to work.

P.A.S.S. Update

It's been non-stop studying here in Champaign, IL. Because P.A.S.S. has bought some new apartments to rent to its students, this month's session is ending 2 days earlier than usual. This means that those lectures have to be given on Saturdays. So, for the past 14 days, I have only had 2 non-lecture days, which means that I'm still a little behind (hey, you try going to class from 7am to 4 pm and getting everything done!) Today, I slept in a little, went to Panera to get some fresh bagles (yummy) and now, I'm about to go crazy and get caught up a little. It's been hard: the last 2 weeks have covered physio. Tomorrow we start biochem, leading into micro/immuno, which are my strongest subjects, so it won't take me as long every night to review. I'm definetly looking forward to that.

I've taken lots of pictures of Champaign, but none of them turned out very well, so I'll have to start that all over again. I'm posting a close-up pic of the P.A.S.S. program "lecture room" I'll have to take one from the back of the class tomorrow so that you can really see what it's like. From my understanding, though, they will be moving, soon, as they built a new complex that not only houses apartments for students, but contains an ampitheater-type lecture hall. Impressive.

Hail

It's been raining everday for several days now here in Champaign, IL. Big thunderstorms, too. I've never seen the lightning so close to the ground without actually hitting anything. It's bright, too. Every night, I wake up because the lightning is so bright. Today, during class, it actually started hailing golf ball-sized stones. It actually happened right at a break, when some students had left to walk to McDonald's to get coffee...ouch.

I'll have to start taking some pics of the town and area. It's quaint. A little mini city surrounded by corn fields as far as the eye can see.

And let's not forget about the program itself. I figured out that there were 12 AUC students that came out for the June session, and there are like 6 of us here for the July session. Knock on wood, but from my understanding, no AUC student that has gone to P.A.S.S. has failed (i say knock on wood, b/c i don't want to be the first!!!) We're all learning a lot here. It's amazing the connections that are made. Again, once I get some time, i'll start posting a few of them.

Later....

911 Math Call

Cute kid!

I'm Already Tired

I've been in class for the past two days, but already, I feel as if I've been plowed over by a MAC truck. Rise before 6am to get there by 7. Class runs from 7am until anytime after 4pm. (the first day, we went until almost 6). I then have to make time to exercise and eat dinner, and then try to cover that day's material.

It's totally worth it, though, and if anyone would ever ask me, I would not hesitate to advise to pay the money (3k) and get here and listen to Dr. Francis. He is teaching me so much.
Details can actually be thought through as long as you can grasp that basic concept. I'll be posting more on this.

Back to the whole tired thing. It's after 11, and I'm burnt out. Even though I have more studying to do, I'm hitting the hay. I feel like a little old lady, because I'm ready to go to bed every night by 10.

I'm posting pics of the apartment. I can't say how much nicer (and cheaper...by half!) it is than campus village. Plus utilities, cable, and internet are included. I love America!!

Post 4th July Stuff

The last few days have gone by in a blur, and consequently, I was unable to post some pictures/videos of 4th of July. I went to the Dundalk,MD parade, which used to be one of the largest in the state, but apparently, over the last 2 years, it has gotten a little smaller. I got there a little late and missed the Baltimore Ravens marching band/cheerleaders, but here he is, the infamous Ronald McDonald. He's in the parade every year. Don't know how he's patriotic, except maybe McDonalds=fat Americans. This year, he wasn't even walking, but has resorted to moving around on his segway.

My youngest cousin, playing with poppers during the parade. The kid is going on 4 and can count in English (obviously), Chinese, and Spanish.

Maryland sunset

So, this was last night's sunset. I tried posting it last night, but photobucket wasn't working properly (in actulality, it was, and I, being technically challenged, was pasting the wrong URL. I figured out my mistake 24 hours later =)

Pretty, huh? I actually like my sunsets better than SXM. They have more pink and red hues in them.

I MISS SXM!!!

Haha, got you. Just wanted to see if any eyebrows would go up.

I'm pretty productive at home. It helps to be in the good old U.S.A. where you can run errands in 2 hours, instead of 4 on SXM. I'm also relishing the fact that I'm able to eat fresh produce (yummy corn on the cob!) and fresh Maryland seafood (I just had steamed shrimp tonight, seasoned with old bay). Sadly, I haven't broken the habit of sniffing the milk every time I open it, despite it being a week away from the expiration date.

This week is going to get a little crazy. Last minute studying before P.A.S.S., packing (ironic, since I haven't finished unpacking), and of course, 4th of July, which is a big deal for my family. This is the first time that I've been home for a July 4th in over 2 years. Oh, some 4th of July trivia: I'm surprised at how few people know the origins of "The Star Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key in 1812 right after the British attacked Ft. McHenry (Baltimore, MD). Americans, naturally, won that one (hence, why it's the star spangled banner, not the star spangled crosses, or whatever the British call that red cross over the white flag).