The University of Medicine and Dentistry medical school moved to Newark in 1977 to be part of a huge centre containing preclinical buildings, the University Hospital, an ambulatory care centre and a community health centre. East Orange VA, Hackensack University Medical Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital, the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, the Kessler Institute and Bergen Pines Hospital are also used.

UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ

08854-5635

Telephone Number: +1 732 235 4576

Fax Number: +1 732 235 5078

The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is the major teaching facility. The Cooper Hospital and the University Medical Center in Camden also provide training. There are also the Institutes of Mental Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Science.

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Remember that these numbers are for gross salaries! This is not a net amount, which means that the take home salaries are much much lower!

Newfoundland and Labrador: $42,781

Maritime Provinces: $46,358.55

Quebec: $40,455

Ontario: $46,017

Manitoba: $43,273.17

Saskatchewan: $47,117

Alberta: $50,957

British Columbia: $48,565.20

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This is a huge hospital serving a large segment of Cape Town and the townships. All specialties are here. It has a level one trauma unity, which is busy seeing 35,000 cases a year, half deliberate acts and half penetrating trauma. This is mainly gunshots, stabbings, and car accidents. There is an acute arm – admitting and stabilising trauma patients – and a surgical arm – performing acute and subacute procedures on them. Common trauma includes thoracic cases such as stabbed hearts, neck trauma, abdominal and vascular injury. The hospital spends a million a year on security to sop gangs coming in to finish the job. There is a high incidence of HIV. There is also an excellent neurology and cardiothoracic department.

Apply at least a year in advance if you want to do trauma. It is popular with Australian, German, Dutch and British students because of the excellent social life. It’s good for trauma, with many practical procedures, and there is a good lecture programme. There are lots of UCT students who have preferential treatment however. Reports say that the head of department is very strict. You do not manage any patients without any senior consultants and you must be present when you are supposed to be. Medical pathology includes TB, AIDS, and rheumatic fever. Cardiothoracic surgery is good as the students have a rota system giving plenty of time off, but ward rounds start at 7am. There are 22 languages used in the area, not a problem unless you are doing psychiatry, where it really does limit you to being an observer.

Accommodation:

The Lodge

36 Milton Road, Observatory, Cape Town

Telephone Number: +27 21 448 6536

The Lodge is a good place to stay. It seems as if all the medical students stay here and some people have left because of this and questions of security. They can also arrange cheap car hire. The Green Elephant Hostel is also good. Some people have preferred Sunflower Stop (Main Road, Greenpoint. Telephone Number: +27 21 434 6535, Fax Number: +27 21 434 6801), which is nearer to the beaches and waterfront.

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For electives, apply to all the University of Cape Town hospitals via the university, but note that most elective places are filled up to a year in advance. The processing of applications can take several months. You may well be best writing to your destination first. If organised through the university, there is a fee for administration and then you have to pay to register with the South African Medical and Dental Council, giving you permission to practise in the country and covering you for malpractice. Write to the elective coordinator at medfac@medicine.uct.ac.za or

University of Cape Town

Faculty of Medicine, Anzio Road,

Observatory, Cape Town 7925

Telephone Number: +27 21 650 9111

Fax Number: +27 21 478 955

The UCT also runs a Student Health and Welfare Community Organisation. This consists of UCT students and a doctor going out into townships to run clinics. Previous elective students have found it an excellent experience and it may be worth enquiring about.

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I can’t believe another year has gone by.  Not certain that I have made it to third year medicine but at this point I’m just happy that I wrote those exams without going through a nervous breakdown.  Prior to one of my exams I was reading an online article about Brandon Crisp, the boy who was found dead a month after he ran away over a dispute with his parents regarding his Xbox being taken away as a form of punishment.  In some weird and twisted way, knowing that there are other people out there in far worse situations than I am provided me with a place of calm.  You see before any exam I get a little stage fright - to the point where I could throw up my morning breakfast in somebody’s face.  But surprisingly I’m pretty calm when it’s time to perform.

Throughout this year I’ve noticed that people are secretly competitive.  At least I make it known that I’m competitive.  I have a habit of constantly comparing myself with others in the class by asking people how they did on exams.  Annoying? Perhaps.  But I think it’s more annoying when you realise that people who you thought you can trust end up throwing you under the bus just so they can grab that one extra point.  You know who you are.  I believe that there were certain things you kept to yourself and not shared with the rest of us because you were afraid that you needed every advantage you can get.  I see right through it and now I know for the future.  Bitter? Perhaps.  What’s done is done and the game continues next year.

There is so much more I want to say but can’t because people in my life are beginning to stumble upon this blog.  Perhaps it’s about time to start another one?

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These are the things that matter to me as a medical student:

1. Family

2. Food

3. Shelter

4. Friends

5. Money

6. Love interest

7. Working Out

1 provides 2 and 3.  Without 1 I’d be homeless and starving and would therefore be unable to continue my studies.  There’s a fine line between being a medical student and a drunken bum.  4 comes and goes, but the true ones stay around forever.  I need 4 to stay sane sometimes.  4 is always there when I need them and I am there when they need me.  Sometimes 4 equals 6 and for some people 4 equals 5.  Speaking of 6, I have started 7 again in hopes that 6 will care enough to notice.  I think I’m ready to get out of this slump.

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Hey everybody, I’m in the process of relocating some of the files on this site. Don’t worry you’ll still be able to download USMLE prep materials, but it will be hosted on a different site. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I had no choice as my sites have been down for the past few hours. I won’t get into the details, but everything should be back to normal by tomorrow. Thanks again for visiting and please check back soon. Who knows what valuable medical school study guides I might find next.

Update: All files have been relocated.  Thanks for your patience.

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Here is a list of Free USMLE Practice Tests Download from The Rejected! I hope this helps you with your studying! There are a tonne of practice questions here to help you study for Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensure Examination. Read the rest of this entry »

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The USMLE First Aid Step 1 study guide is a book that every medical student intending on taking the USMLE Step 1 exam should get to supplement their studying. It contains high yeild concepts, practice questions, and detailed explanations to common problems that will most likely show up on the exam. Chapters include behavioural science, biochemistry, embryology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, and pharmacology. Read the rest of this entry »

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Life: It sucks when you’re a medical student.  I just finished an essay and about to start another one.  I’m pretty sure the first one makes no sense but I don’t care anymore.  I’m sick of looking at its ugly face all night.  Why must they insist we keep writing about crap which I might add that it’s taking up some of my valuable tv watching time.

Relationships: It sucks.  I’m single.  I think I’ve found somebody I can crush on.  I haven’t been able to do that for the longest time but I think I’m finally beginning to move on from my last relationship.  Actually, I’m ok with being single at the moment.  I don’t have time for something meaningful right now.  A romp in the sack with some unsuspecting hooker is probably all I can handle at the moment.

Presentations: SUCKS.  I hate presentations.  I just want to sleep.  I hate doing them and I hate watching my classmates put them on.  People are boring - myself included.  Nobody wants to hear your mouth diarrhoea.  Thank god it’s not contagious or maybe it is… I think I might have it right now.  Fecal vomitting anyone?

Housemates: Sucks a giant one.  You sir, failed to mention that your f**king girlfriend has moved in to live with us without paying rent and using up all the resources.  I’m f**king tired to taking cold showers in the morning and if I have to do it one more time I’m throwing her s**t out on the front lawn and burn it to hell.  OH and you guys are dirty as f**k.  Were you raised by wolves or just inbred parents?  Empty the drain when you’re done washing the dishes, clean up your bathroom because it smells like s**t, and throw out your damn garbage.  The vacuum cleaner was not invented yesterday.

RANT OVER.

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