Dr. SLK

[zt]寄语preliminary surgery的同学

2010-03-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

发信人: Lancet2008 (麦叶刀), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: 寄语preliminary surgery的同学
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Fri Mar 26 20:08:54 2010, 美东)

收到若干xdjm的email和电话，喜忧参半的告诉我，他们将进入Preliminary surgery。
现将自己preliminary surgery 经历的点滴与这些同学分享。

Preliminary surgery 是条曲折的路，是没有搭上到山顶的直通车的后备选择，但如果
把握好，一样可以最终引上大路，到达目的地。

我开始prelim前，听到的都是关于prelim surgery 魔鬼训练的描述：早晨4点多起床，
查房时昏昏欲睡，每天只能睡4-5小时……现在回首我的prelim surgery一年：劳累，
但却从容。除非on call，我基本保证每天睡8小时，并长了10磅体重。

Prelim surgery的疲劳来自3方面：日常工作的劳动强度、陌生医疗体系带来的精神压
力，和应对第二次match的心理压力。

Prelim surgery劳动强度比其他专业要大，但不像传说的那么离谱，尤其现在有80h/
week的duty hour限制，我们比老师辈的人好多了。劳动强度在不同program不尽相同，同一
program不同的轮转医院或科室也不一样。牛校和大的program劳动强度更大
些。一般工作程序不外乎早晨看病人，写病程，向Senior resident请示汇报病人的新
情况，作术前准备，办出入院，看急诊/会诊。intern一般很少有机会参加手术，但会
要求做一些基本床边操作，比如脓肿切开，胸腔引流和central line 等等。熟悉这些
日常工作程序，合理安排时间，另外尽快掌握这些基本操作，提高工作效率后，一般就
能游刃有余了。Prelim surgery year, 我一开始5:15-5:30am 赶到医院，有时忙到6-
7pm 才能回家，但prelim surgery后半年，工作方方面面熟悉以后，我一般6am到医院，
一样及时完成各项工作，经常5pm左右就走人了。（当然也有机会来麦地灌水了：））

刚进入临床，一般要6-8周才能对日常工作知道个所以然，各专业intern都要经历这个
阶段。这段时间的精神压力比体力疲劳更难熬。记得intern 第一天，住院总安排我到
“same day surgery”准备病人，现在我5分钟时间可以搞定的术前病历/小结/签字，
当时花了我2个小时，被住院总臭骂……另外，美国应用的各种敷料、缝线和器械，花
样繁多，各有各的名字和用途，我也是花了很长时间才搞清楚。为了减少这个阶段的煎
熬，象老刀向各位xdjm 建议的，最好提前到program作 observation，既让我们提前
了解program，更重要的是让program的人了解你，别忘了，2个月后你需要他们的
strong word for match。

第二次match的心理压力对prelim surgery intern是很大的折磨：即想好好表现，展示
自己的能力，尽早为match 创造良好条件，又怕出错，谨小慎微，影响工作能力的发挥
。当时我每挨一次骂，都觉着要被开了。有一次我晚上下班回家后接到一个Attending
的电话要查房，这是一个所有住院医都痛恨的坏脾气，我告诉他我已经signed off to
on call resident，听到的是电话另一端的暴怒”YOU DID NOT SIGN OFF TO ME!”。
我赶紧放下饭碗，赶到医院，陪他查到快10pm。但从那以后这个坏脾气对我尤其好，不
但有时主动让我参加他的手术，还请我周末看拳击比赛。后来得知他还是力主留我作
categorical的主要人物之一。

日常工作之外，建议主动争取和创造机会让program认识你的其他方面能力。进Program
时，我把作research 时参编的一本关于脏器移植的书，送给PD，现在这本书成了我
们PGY-3轮转移植外科的必读教材了。另外我match前research 的关门作品，修稿时，
及时添上了“Current address: XXX program”，并送给PD过目．．．．．．几个月后
interview Categorical 位置时，PD就问了我一个问题：“Will you do research
for me if I keep you in our program?”

回顾那一年的酸甜苦辣，希望对今年preliminary surgery 的同学有所启迪，期待明年
你们的好消息！

Schiller is stepping down

2010-02-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

On Feb 24, Dr. Schiller, my beloved master, announced his retirement from his chairmanship at the staff meeting and a special meeting with resident. He was very positive about the reirement, however, it is still a sad news for me, his protege.

I felt very fortunate to have his blessing, protection and support through my tenure with Mount Sinai, July 2006- June 2010. Our graduation ceremony seemed to be his last as chairman and the host.

Tongji Medical College at facebook

2010-02-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

Guogang Xu, and Yiyan Wang separately created two facebook groups for Tongji Medical College. I joined their cause, and am combining the great groups into one. Within half a week, our Tongji Medical College alumni facebook group has grown exponentially from 50+ to 100+.

A strict membership verification is in place to protect the privacy of our members.

I am amazed!

Create Pubmed link

2010-02-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

I have noticed recent change in Pubmed regarding data retrieval. The current advice from Pubmed help is rather simple: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=lanjing+zhang will be searching lanjing AND zhang in all terms.
For more, please visit http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=helppubmed&part=pubmedhelp

CMG group at facebook(linked out)

2010-02-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

It's been established in May 2009. Many news and info for CMG will be posted there.

Find it here

Open to all of the medical graduates of China. Chinese physicians, residents, fellows and students are welcome to join us!

Our goal is to help CMG apply to and excel residency training, and establish and expand their future medical practice. It also serves as a networking platform.

[zt]Match experience Stone Soup 石头汤

2009-12-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

发信人: littlefatty (little fatty), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: 石头汤
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Tue Dec 8 11:06:40 2009, 美东)

还有人记得我的石头汤啊。我当初的意思是对于一般人来说是很难把握一个长远的目标的。长远的目标的往往头绪很多，而又缺乏衡量的手段，所以人们在征途中往往觉得沮丧，绝望。心情呼上呼下。而这些又是有害无益的。不如把事情分成一些自己能够掌握的小步骤，然后尽力去做没一件小事，而不去让最终的是非成败左右自己的心情。就象熬石头汤那样，你得找到一个切入点，不论有多底，只要你抓住，用心做事，不沮丧，不放弃，下一步的机会往往就会出现。

即使机会没有出现，也不怨天由人，人生总不可能事事如人所愿。能平静地接受失败也是一种美德。

我现在已经开始做GI的FELLOW了。那碗汤还在慢慢地熬。在此谢谢老刀前辈们的帮助和鼓励
---------------------------------------------------------
longbow (12345) 于 (Sat May 19 12:58:13 2007) 提到:
我成绩和版上的大部分人比起来，真是不值一晒。真的，我还在这版上没有见过比我分数低的人。

我毕业快十年了，成绩也只有七八十分。没有绿卡，可我最后去了我最想去的医院做内科的住院医. 那家医院的最低要求是85分 in all steps.

我LD总是说，世上有些人凭本事，有些人凭运气，而我就是凭运气的。其实，我凭的也是本事。

世上的本事有很多种，学得好，考得好，是本事。可是，这个世界是由各式各样的人组成的，而你自己也是其中之一。所以我认为把握自己及与人相处的本领，才是最大的本事。

把握自己，这样才能在困境中看到自己的长处，冷静的找到一条可行之路，保持乐观，健康的心态，这是素质。而人相处的本领就是寻找机遇的本领，能使你事半功倍，这是本事。人情通达即学问嘛。

看到很多人来这里问，我这样的成绩，希望有多大。其实，每个人的情况多不一样，而这世上又有谁能预料未来呢？诸葛亮都说了“夫難平者，事也。。。至於成敗利鈍，非臣之明所能逆睹也”。所以我们只是要找出下一步我们需要做什麽，怎样才能在现有的情况下把下一步做好。就像煮石头汤，一步一步来。把自己能把握住的事情一定
要做好，自己把握不住的，就不要去担忧了。谋事在人，成事在天。既然成事在天，我们有为什麽要为最后的结果焦虑不安呢。就让老天爷去管就好了

我毕业於国内一所很一般的医学院，当年考G也就是刚刚过2000，可这并不妨碍我在一月份就开始拿到录取。我刚到的时候是中国人里面分数最低的，可我三年半就拿到了博士，也考完了board。

我参加今年的match，拿到5个interview。 3个pathology， 2个IM。面试其实和谈恋爱一样，太木纳，太热情，都不好。有些人在面试的时候急切想知道PD的看法，见interviewer就狂拍，见interviewees就想套别人的底细。其实这又何必。就和追女孩子一样，跑的最勤的，最帅的并不一定是胜利者。矜持一点，有点素质好不好。

三月份的我没有match上，我老板也没有钱了。我要找新的实验室，要计划抽时间做observation 。这是我最困难的一段时间。我找到了新老板，告诉他我的计划。和他商量定了我的工作安排。然后我就找我们学校的Pathology 和 family要求做observation。

我们的IM根本就不给observation。 Pathology按道理也不给做。但我找到他们的PD，没有要求做observation。我问他能不能旁听他们的morning lectures。开始旁听后我就和他们的attending以及senior residents 混熟了，然后，我就说我去你们实验室看看嘛，这样，就算是拿到了observation。

Family 的人倒是挺热情的，二话没说就给了observation. 这样，我周六，周日，周一上午在 Family，周三，周五在pathology。

做observation 时候，多和大家聊聊，不懂得就问，有时候遇到他们也不清楚的时候，你可以主动要求去查文献，然后在第二天做一个小talk。这样一来二去，他们就会把你看成自己人了。

以前rank我的几个program的PD都对我印象不错，四月底的时候，我给他们发了email，问他们有没有openings。很幸运，到此，石头汤就煮好了。

LD一直说我运气。其实着又何尝不是我努力的结果。其实即使没有这个机会，我也一定能在8，9月的时候把我们学校的pathology 或family 的outside match 搞定。

很多开起来不可能的事情，你要是能象庖丁解牛一样把它分解开，一步一步慢慢来，就像煮石头汤那样，成功也许就离你不远了。

[zt]A story of not getting matched

2009-12-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

EcoRone (中坑) 于 (Sat Mar 21 12:48:13 2009) 提到:
http://www.usmleforum.com/files/forum/2009/4/394667.php

2006 graduate, 95, 97, cs passed, all in first attempt, had 5 nterviews..MPH
..some research experience..no publications yet..working on it..and no USCE.
.did not match..tried for scramble..2 programs called..they said that they liked me..but said they cant sponsor visa..its so...irritating..tired of this near misses

What do you think..My analysis for me not getting matched is this..I hope it helps future applicants also..
1. Scores are not everything..they are very..very..tiny addition to your CV.
2. USCE is everything..
3. Programs actually read Personal Statements..I always thought my PS sucked..but I had prepared it at last min cause when we were about to apply, I had to evacuate due to a hurricane..
4. On the same note, I applied on Sep 8th..which is a very huge mistake..everything should go on the first day..no matter what happens..
5. Get everything by September..Whatever you do later..is a waste..Programs dont consider that..That I saw in my interviews..I built my CV mainly after September..I dont think programs remembered me talking about my research and all..
6. Dont count NY programs on your rank list..you cannot trust them..They interview too many people..you will be lost in the crowd unless you personally know someone there..I had 4 NY interviews.
7. Dont trust any letters which come that say they ranked you high.
8. Scramble is a waste of time for the most part. They are mainly looking for AMGs. I had 2 interviews..one today..can you imagine..they called me today..and said..oh..so sorry we liked you but we dont offer visas
9. Life does not suck..cause life goes on..even if you dont get matched..and you can expect bigger and better next year.
10. NY programs want Step 3. Even if you have average scores with Step 3.. you are better placed than a person with good scores and no step 3.
11. When you see on the website that a program has certain criteria to apply, If you dont meet the criteria, dont apply. Its a simple waste of money. I had applied to a place like that, I knew that they dont accept people without one year of clinical experience..I used to go there everyday to morning reports and case conferences after getting permission. I spoke with the PD. But finally, they just followed their criteria, they did not call me for an interview. I think there will be lot of stories where this is not true..but this is the rule..

The whole point of my lengthy discussion is ..Research your Programs..Dont go blindly by the IMG friendly list available..thats what I did. I did not apply to so many programs which were not on the list but were very IMG friendly. By the way, i applied to 160 programs..some of which i regret now. .Yale, Harvard..I did not realise that I was wasting 25 dollars every time I clicked on a program.

☆─────────────────────────────────────☆

Callmeman (麦地差生) 于 (Sat Mar 21 18:18:51 2009) 提到:

USCE=United States Clinic Experience
这是我这种补考过的人的最后稻草

Resident and student abstract awards

2009-12-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

The Student, Resident and Fellow Committee and the Research Committee of Associatin of Chinese American Physicians (ACAP) are coordinating a scientific poster session at her annual convention on May 23, 2010.

One or three abstract awards are planned to present to the best abstracts! Chinese Medical Graduate and resident members of ACAP are welcome to present and compete for the award(s). Should you be interest, keep an eye on this blog. More updates are coming...

[zt]怀念武忠弼教授: 留言签名

2009-10-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

怀念武忠弼教授: 留言签名
应“同济”母校之邀、受“同济海外学者协会”之托、念武武忠弼教授扶持之恩,我冒为江朗以诸学友之名稿撰此文。

先在网上公布，以求指点，并请校友置名，也为主标题提议。

大家亦可各自留言签名以表纪念。具体方法请见 tjmcoaapost group. 查阅所有留言：

屈振宏谨上

=============
亦儒、亦侠、亦风倜，有识、有才、有肝胆。
–同济海外学子怀念武忠弼教授

武忠弼教授是我国著名的病理学家和医学教育家，从教60余年。尤其在为发展同济医学院与德国的学术和人员交流付出辛勤劳动并取得丰收成果。

有幸跻身学海于同济医学院使我们人生的道路与武教授的教学生涯相交，成为了我们人生关键的一个转折点。“文革”浩劫之后，百废待兴，如何尽快有效地重建教育事业是对当时所有学校师员勇气、能力、和胆识的挑战。“文革”后恢复高考招生时，国门尚闭，武老便以“教育为百年大计”之识，“它山之石可以攻玉 ”之策，极力开展与西德的交流，他摒“爱国主义”之盲傲，冒“卑贡屈膝”之嫉嫌，大胆机巧地积极开拓双边交流，步步为营，楔而不舍。历几十年时代的变迁，经无数政事的起伏，“同济”对外交流始终步步前越，据统计，仅通过武教授所致力的校际交流赴德学习进修以及经德转赴美国、加拿等其它国家的同济学者，数以百计。可谓天涯处处有芳草。百年“同济”，桃李天下，春辉寸草，更远更生。*

在今天，两国间学术交流司空见惯，武教授致力的中-德交流看来似无可颂歌之价。可凡是经历过“文革”的人都知道，在当时万马齐喑、知识贬价的时代，敢于领头率先与非“社会主义”国家进行学术交往需要何等勇气、胆识和无畏的精神。或许有人认为，起初开放交流应为多方位，交流对象应包括美、英、法、日等国。可是，当时国门四闭，关键在一个“开”字。省时度局，察情量力，以一点引导潮流、再形成大势，是当时最可行施的策划，是为武老的卓识。或许有人认为，武老致力的中-德交流影响局限，如今曾受教于“德语班”或赴德学习过的“同济”学子在海外校友中已相对成少数。可是，中-德校际交流的深远影响绝不是可仅以此来衡量的。与德校际交流不仅促进中-德之间的往来及了解，更重要的是为后继的全方位、大幅度开放政策起到了积极有力的推动作用；使对外开放交流深入人心，大大减消了保守固封人事对学子们走向世界的阻碍；为“同济”学子走向世界铺出了大路，使无数“同济”学者有选择发挥聪明才智的良机。纵观三十年对外开放对中国科学、经济和政治的影响，回顾昔日“同济”在对外交流上的超前领先地位，阔视无数“同济”学子们的业绩，历时历事都印证了武教授超越时代的远见，育人贯学中西的卓识，周旋政-学之间的机智，放眼世界的胸怀和鞠躬尽瘁的奉献。

诚然，一个人的贡献和影响是有限的，我们今天缅怀和纪念的不仅是武忠弼教授，也是和武教授一样的学术前辈们。仰怀他们的勇气、胆识和才华，感念他们 “烛炬成灰泪始干”的献身精神，铭记他们鞠躬尽瘁的美德。是因为他们，中国的教育和科技才得以迅速恢复发展；是因为他们，中华学子遍布澳欧美，百科诸学各领风骚，为人类的科学事业注入了无限生机。以此，其德、其勇、其识、其才、其恩必不依形而立，不恃力而行，不待生而存，不随死而亡唉！

中华数千年文化，凡师授儒承，无不浸透风义深情，感戴受教之恩使中华学子崛出异族侪辈。历代人事美传不胜枚举；“一日为师、终身为父”、“寸草-春晖”、“滴水-涌泉”之喻即可见一斑。我们今天缅怀和纪念武忠弼教授等学术前辈们，可谓上承数千年师徒之风仪，继感恩之德情。籍此，愿前辈们献身为人师的恩德、鞠躬尽瘁的风范，在天为星辰，在地为河岳，幽则为神灵，于世为春晖，抚育了我们，并世代相传。

屈振宏 (执笔)

原七七级医疗系一大班

原同济医科大学病理解剖教研室助教

同济医科大学病理解剖教研室名誉教授

2009 ACAP Mock Interview Report

2009-09-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2009

2009 ACAP Mock Interview Report

Dear President Zhang,

With strong support from Dr. Eng, our attending interviewers and ACAP administrative staff, the ACAP Student, Resident and Fellow Committee (SRF) successfully held the 2009 mock interview on Sat. Sept 26, 2009, for 22 Chinese Medical Graduates (CMGs). Some of them came from California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The session started at 8:15am and was followed by 2 and half hours of group discussion led by me. Our attending interviewers ably covered Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anesthesiology, and Pathology. Each CMG has been interviewed and consulted by 3 or more interviewers in the specialty(ies) of his or her interest.

On behalf of the SRF of ACAP and participating CMGs, I would like to thank Drs. Wlody, Alchiyib, Chambers, Comrie, Gu, Ma, Siguenza, and Tan for their unconditional support! We are also grateful to our administrative staff, Alex and Jackie, and volunteering CMGs, Drs. Yijun Li, Xin Wang and Shuang Fu.

Many of the CMGs also expressed their great appreciation to the devoted resources and efforts of ACAP and participating parties. They felt the program significantly improved, or changed, their interview skills.

I found, and took full responsibility of, the problem of communication between various parties, which was exemplified by scheduling grids. In the future, this will be improved by earlier and complete communication with interviewers. I also apology to participating interviewers for not providing minimal hospitality, such as some snacks and coffee. It’ll be better next time!

Thank you all for your constant support!

Yours

Lanjing Zhang, MD, MS
Chairman,
Student, Resident and Fellow Committee
Association of Chinese American Physicians

Lanjing Zhang, MD, MS
Department of Pathology
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1194
New York, New York 10029 USA
Email: lanjing.zhang@mssm.edu

First Mock interview succeeded

2009-09-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

9/26 First Mock interview succeeded
September 27, 2009

We had 22 CMGs and 8 attendings. Many thanks to the attending physicians, Drs. Gu, Tan, Ma, Chambers, Wlody, Comrie, and several non-Chinese attendings.

The session started with a round of interview by Dr. Wlody and Chambers at 8:15. It was concluded by my group discussion with 15 CMGs, who were able to stay, at 3:15.

Most of the CMG had a mock interview with 3 or more attendings of their desired specialty. Dr. Gu of internal medicine is one of the most popular interviewers! He extended his stay to accommodate more CMG, so did Dr. Tan. We really appreciate their efforts.

Outline of preinterview teleconference

2009-09-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (R) 2009
PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS PIECE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER.
September 18, 2009

–Preinterview
1.suite, dressing conservatively. Navy blue/black. Talk to sales rep.
light color shirt. Stationary good pen.
2. Hotel, transportation reservation; leave 20-40min buffer time
3. Shower, gum, personal hygiene
4. Study interviewer’s background, alma mater, publications
5. Study Q and A
6. Study your own CV and PS
7. Hobby, sports, and entertainment may help

–Interview day
1. Keep eye contact, but not staring at interviewer.
2. Gesture. You own the chair. Do NOT hold the purse, rather place it on floor.
3. body langurage, hand shake, not too firm, neither light.
4. body buildup, exercise, and high spirit
5. Interview the program, asking about resident placement, the
strength and weakness of program
6. Do NOT ask faculty, but residents, about call schedule, work load,
book fund, and vacation time (usually standard 4wk/yr)

BE YOURSELF!

–Post interview
1. Thank you Card for program director and coordinator, possible chief resident
2. Thank you email to remaining faculty. However, it’s not overdone if
you send each attending a nice card
3. write down your evaluation about the program. A table/spreadsheet will help.

Practice, practice and practice.
================================
Dr. Eng’s advice to lady applicants:
“Skirt or pants is not important, just make sure clean and neat, clean neat
shoes, pantyhose. Dark brown, Navy Blue and Black are all appropriate.

Lanjing is correct, do not take off your jacket during the interview. If it
is too warm, usually the chair will say “you can take off your jacket” if
you like. Or follow the lead of others. Sweating profusely is not good
either, underarm deodorant is important if you are prone to sweating. Too
often my foreign medical graduates do not realize how important smelling
clean, having clean hair, neat nails etc. is. Body odor is definitely a
turn-off.”
—————–
From Dr. Eng:

Ladies can sit with knees crossed, or feet together and down. But at
all times, knees together no matter what the position. Never sit like
a man.

Everybody should sit up, straight, and if they are short, towards the
edge of the seat to be able to keep their feet on the floor. Eyes
directly at the interviewer, nod from time to time, appear engaged.
No sweaty hands, no wimpy handshakes. Never just hand your hand to
the other limply. no gum.

arrive early, bring an extra set of paperwork in case anything is
missing from their package. smiling with teeth showing is nice.
confident, not cocky. Hair neat. Shirt tucked in, no white socks.

if wearing a skirt, always wear pantyhose. Shoes clean. Shirts
buttoned, no cleavage (one open button is ok)

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (R) 2009
PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS PIECE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER.

2nd preinterview teleconference

2009-09-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

2nd pre-interview teleconference
September 18, 2009

We were delighted to have 16 CMGs across the country participated in the program in the evening of Sept 17, 2009. As prior one, this conference was focused on pre-interview preparation, interview performance, and post-interview matters.

It was assisted by Dr. Fu.

pre-interview coaching teleconference

2009-09-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

pre-interview coaching teleconference
September 11, 2009

Lanjing Zhang, MD, MS held a pre-interview coaching teleconference in the afternoon of Sept 10, 2009. A total of 15 CMG joined the 30-min presentation and about 30-min Q and A discussion. The teleconference covered pre-interview preparation, interview skills, and post interview matters.

Drugs targeting at cancer stem cells

2009-08-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Bloomberg news today reported that a group at MIT and Broad found "The compound, salinomycin, reduced the number of cancer stem cells100 times more than did Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.’s Taxol, a common chemotherapy medicine, according to a report published yesterday in the journal Cell." [link]

The original contribution (paper) was published in Cell, and the corresponding authors include, Piyush B. Gupta (also first author), Robert A. Weinberg and Eric S. Lander. [Abstract]

More info regarding solinomycin could be found at wikipedia. [link]

iphone tips: 1. sync

2009-07-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

After getting an iphone, one would first think of synchronizing his or her little cute toy with exchange/outlook email account, as well as personal (often free) email account. For me, it primarily involves my lovely gmail. Gmail is so easy to set up at iphone, so is yahoo and aol for they are available in the default email account option. Google calendar and contact sync, however, seem a little bit more complicated. If you set up a gmail first, iphone will automatically sync your contact from gmail at the time of setup (through the smart itune).

There are three ways to sync your google calendar with iphone and without itune, which enable you to easily access when and where your next meeting is.
1. Just download a google apps to your iphone, which I found it is rather a collection of google website addresses (optimized for mobile though). The big con is you need to have internet connection (such as wifi, 3G, Edge or others) to access it.

2. Add an exchange email account using m.google.com as server. It will automatically sync your calendar and conatct with gmail. Detail is found here Basically, you need to add an exchange account with your gmail email address, leaving server empty, and then add m.google.com as server when later being asked again for server. Note that gmail is not sync through this exchange method yet. You can add more cal of your gmail account, up to 30 in OS 3.0 and 5 in OS2.2.x . Detailed instruction is available at google site. Briefly, you visit http://m.google.com/sync through iphone and then choose the cals of your interest after log-in. Another approach is available for other domains.

3. The last is to add a CalDav to iphone, a simple and basic way. Instruction is also available at google.com I noticed this method seems only sync with one, the default, cal on your google account. If you only have and wanna one on your iphone, go ahead to use it. However, also keep in mind that you may not be able to sync your contact through this method, in contrast to method 2.

4. Of course itune. No need to repeat, and never forget the simplest way. More details are here.

More references:
http://google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=65928
http://www.google.com/googlecalendar/new.html
http://www.ideaexcursion.com/2009/06/17/howto-sync-google-calendar-on-iphone-os-3-0/

Give parents the keys to a better school | Alan Milburn - Times Online

2009-07-21T10:19:00.001-07:00

Give parents the keys to a better school | Alan Milburn - Times Online

Shared via AddThis

Task panel in gmail/google

2009-06-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

I recently found google finally put on the long-waited task panel. Very useful!

You may put on due date by clicking on the arrow on the right. It is so easy to add on new task, by just one click.

Tongji Medical College forum

2007-01-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

The BBS (forum) of Tongji Medical College Oversea Alumni Association (TJMCOAA) has been establish.

The link is bbs.tongjioversea.org

cancer stem cells 12/10/06

2006-12-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

Piccirillo SG, Reynolds BA, Zanetti N, Lamorte G, Binda E, Broggi G, Brem H, Olivi A, Dimeco F, Vescovi AL.
Bone morphogenetic proteins inhibit the tumorigenic potential of human brain tumour-initiating cells. [ABSTRACT]
Nature. 2006 Dec 7;444(7120):761-765.

Dirks PB.
Cancer: Stem cells and brain tumours. [ABSTRACT]
Nature. 2006 Dec 7;444(7120):687-688. No abstract available.

Alcaraz WA, Gold DA, Raponi E, Gent PM, Concepcion D, Hamilton BA.
Zfp423 controls proliferation and differentiation of neural precursors in cerebellar vermis formation. [ABSTRACT]
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Dec 6; [Epub ahead of print]

Chaichana K, Zamora-Berridi G, Camara-Quintana J, Quinones-Hinojosa A.
Neurosphere assays: growth factors and hormone differences in tumor and nontumor studies. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cells. 2006 Dec;24(12):2851-7. Epub 2006 Aug 31.

Menendez P, Bueno C, Wang L.
Human embryonic stem cells: a journey beyond cell replacement therapies. [ABSTRACT]
Cytotherapy. 2006;8(6):530-41.

Chebotaev D, Yemelyanov A, Zhu L, Lavker RM, Budunova I.
The tumor suppressor effect of the glucocorticoid receptor in skin is mediated via its effect on follicular epithelial stem cells. [ABSTRACT]
Oncogene. 2006 Dec 4; [Epub ahead of print]

Choudhury AR, Ju Z, Djojosubroto MW, Schienke A, Lechel A, Schaetzlein S, Jiang H, Stepczynska A, Wang C, Buer J, Lee HW, von Zglinicki T, Ganser A, Schirmacher P, Nakauchi H, Rudolph KL.
Cdkn1a deletion improves stem cell function and lifespan of mice with dysfunctional telomeres without accelerating cancer formation. [ABSTRACT]
Nat Genet. 2006 Dec 3; [Epub ahead of print]

Klein WM, Wu BP, Zhao S, Wu H, Klein-Szanto AJ, Tahan SR.
Increased expression of stem cell markers in malignant melanoma. [ABSTRACT]
Mod Pathol. 2006 Nov 24; [Epub ahead of print]

Rao MS, Reddy JK.
Pancreatic stem cells: differentiation options. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):265-72.

Shupe T, Petersen BE.
Evidence regarding a stem cell origin of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):261-4.

Alison MR.
Liver stem cells: implications for hepatocarcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):253-60.

Gostjeva EV, Thilly WG.
Stem cell stages and the origins of colon cancer: a multidisciplinary perspective. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):243-52.

Smith GH.
Stem cells and mammary cancer in mice. [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):215-24.

Passegue E, Weisman IL.
Leukemic stem cells: where do they come from? [ABSTRACT]
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):181-8.

Liu G, Yuan X, Zeng Z, Tunici P, Ng H, Abdulkadir IR, Lu L, Irvin D, Black KL, Yu JS.
Analysis of gene expression and chemoresistance of CD133+ cancer stem cells in glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT]
Mol Cancer. 2006 Dec 2;5(1):67 [Epub ahead of print]

pancreatic cancer weekly 12/10/06

2006-12-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Lee EJ, Gusev Y, Jiang J, Nuovo GJ, Lerner MR, Frankel WL, Morgan DL, Postier RG, Brackett J, Schmittgen TD. [ABSTRACT]
Expression profiling identifies microRNA signature in pancreatic cancer. Int J Cancer. 2006 Dec 5; [Epub ahead of print]

Dragovich T, Huberman M, Von Hoff DD, Rowinsky EK, Nadler P, Wood D, Hamilton M, Hage G, Wolf J, Patnaik A. [ABSTRACT]
Erlotinib plus gemcitabine in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors: phase IB trial.
Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2006 Dec 6; [Epub ahead of print]

Mudali SV, Fu B, Lakkur SS, Luo M, Embuscado EE, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA.[ABSTRACT]
Patterns of EphA2 protein expression in primary and metastatic pancreatic carcinoma and correlation with genetic status.
Clin Exp Metastasis. 2006 Dec 5; [Epub ahead of print]

Bianco C, Giovannetti E, Ciardiello F, Mey V, Nannizzi S, Tortora G, Troiani T, Pasqualetti F, Eckhardt G, de Liguoro M, Ricciardi S, Del Tacca M, Raben D, Cionini L, Danesi R.[ABSTRACT]
Synergistic Antitumor Activity of ZD6474, An Inhibitor of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling, with Gemcitabine and Ionizing Radiation against Pancreatic Cancer.
Clin Cancer Res. 2006 Dec 1;12(23):7099-107.

Rao MS, Reddy JK. [ABSTRACT]
Pancreatic stem cells: differentiation options.
Stem Cell Rev. 2005 Sep;1(3):265-72.

Chu CS, Xue B, Tu C, Feng ZH, Shi YH, Miao Y, Wen CJ.[ABSTRACT]
NRAGE suppresses metastasis of melanoma and pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo.
Cancer Lett. 2006 Nov 29; [Epub ahead of print]

AJSP dec 06

2006-11-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

CONTENTS

ARTICLES

Microcarcinoids in Large Intestinal Adenomas Melissa Pulitzer, MD; Ruliang Xu, MD, PhD; Arief A. Suriawinata, MD; Jerome D. Waye, MD; Noam Harpaz, MD, PhD

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN) of the Pancreas: Its Histopathologic Difference Between 2 Major Types Shinichi Ban, MD; Yoshihisa Naitoh, MD; Mari Mino-Kenudson, MD; Takaki Sakurai, MD; Makoto Kuroda, MD; Isamu Koyama, MD; Gregory Y. Lauwers, MD; Michio Shimizu, MD [ABSTRACT]

Autoimmune Pancreatitis: A Systemic Immune Complex Mediated Disease Vikram Deshpande, MD; Sonia Chiocca, MD; Dmitry Finkelberg, MD; Martin K. Selig, BA; Mari Mino-Kenudson, MD; William R. Brugge, MD; Robert B. Colvin, MD; Gregory Y. Lauwers, MD [ABSTRACT]

Expanding the Histologic Spectrum of Mucinous Tubular and Spindle Cell Carcinoma of the Kidney Samson W. Fine, MD; Pedram Argani, MD; Angelo M. DeMarzo, MD, PhD; Brett Delahunt, MD; Thomas J. Sebo, MD; Victor E. Reuter, MD; Jonathan I. Epstein, MD [ABSTRACT]

AJP Aug 06

2006-08-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

PERSPECTIVE --A new series in AJP
Hematopoietic Stem Cells: The Paradigmatic Tissue-Specific Stem Cell
David Bryder, Derrick J. Rossi, and Irving L. WeissmanAm J Pathol 2006 169: 338-346. [Abstract]

ARTICLES
Chemokine Receptor CX3CR1 Regulates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis after Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Kengo Furuichi, Ji-Liang Gao, and Philip M. Murphy Am J Pathol 2006 169: 372-387. [Abstract]

Elevated Cysteine-Rich 61 Mediates Aberrant Collagen Homeostasis in Chronologically Aged and Photoaged Human Skin
TaiHao Quan, TianYuan He, Yuan Shao, Lin Lin, Sewon Kang, John J. Voorhees, and Gary J. Fisher Am J Pathol 2006 169: 482-490. [Abstract]

Continued Administration of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Protects Mice from Inflammatory Pathology in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Tanja Kuhlmann, Leah Remington, Isabelle Cognet, Et al. Am J Pathol 2006 169: 584-598. [Abstract]

Increased Melanoma Growth and Metastasis Spreading in Mice Overexpressing Placenta Growth Factor
Marcella Marcellini, Naomi De Luca, Et al. Am J Pathol 2006 169: 643-654. [Abstract]

Also, of note, Dr. Peter Ward of Michigan became a Special Associate Editor of the AJP.

JCP Aug 06

2006-08-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

REVIEW
Best practice in primary care pathology: review 3
W S A Smellie, J Forth, D Bareford, P Twomey, M J Galloway, E C M Logan, S R S Smart, T M Reynolds, and C WaineJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 781-789. [Abstract]

Immunohistochemical markers of prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer: a review and proposal for a multiphase approach to marker evaluation
C-Q Zhu, W Shih, C-H Ling, and M-S TsaoJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 790-800. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.031351 [Abstract]

MY APPROACH
My approach to the interpretation of endometrial biopsies and curettings
W G McCluggageJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 801-812. [Abstract]

Lymphoproliferative lesions of the skin
L CerroniJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 813-826. [Abstract]

PAPER
The Warwick system of prospective workload allocation in cellular pathology—an aid to subspecialisation: a comparison with the Royal College of Pathologists’ system
R A Carr, D S A Sanders, O P Stores, F A Smew, M E Parkes, V Ross-Gilbertson, N Chachlani, and J SimonJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 835-839. [Abstract]

Finished USMLE step3

2006-06-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

What a relief!!

NMS 2nd round

2006-06-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Chapter 1 from 54% to now 64%
Chapter 2 from 43% to 64%
Ch 3 from 54% to 60%

Kaplan QBook

2006-06-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

IM1 64%, IM2 60%; Ped1 54%, Ped2 50%

Neuol 70%, ObGyn 74%; Psych 62%, Surg 68%

Average 62.5%

UW selftest 2

2006-05-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Average locks at 48.2%
ObGyn 44, 54
Neuro 42
ID 63, 42
Endo 29, 48
GI, GU, HemOnc 47

Cell May 2006

2006-05-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

Only one review of my interest.
The Exosome and the Proteasome: Nano-Compartments for Degradation
Esben Lorentzen and Elena Conti[Summary]

Selft test on UW

2006-05-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

UW is good. Record my own scores here as a reference.

ENT 71; Eye 64; Electro 62%; Bio 62%; Pulm 58
Psy 56; Hepat58; GI 54; Ped 54; Cardio 35-52%; Surg 52
Derm 48%; ID 46; Neurol 44
GU 40; Endo 40; HemOnc 40; Obgyn 40

Am J Surg Path may 2006

2006-05-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

Microadenomatosis of the Endocrine Pancreas in Patients With and Without the Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 Syndrome
Martin Anlauf; Regina Schlenger; Aurel Perren; Juliane Bauersfeld; Christian A. Koch; Henning Dralle; Andreas Raffel; Wolfram T. Knoefel; Eberhard Weihe; Philippe Ruszniewski; Anne Couvelard; Paul Komminoth; Philipp U. Heitz; Günter Klöppel 560-574

Pathologic Findings of Lung Tumors Diagnosed on Baseline CT Screening
and the ELCAP Investigators 606-613

Lymph Node Involvement in Ovarian Serous Tumors of Low Malignant Potential (Borderline Tumors): Pathology, Prognosis, and Proposed Classification
Jesse K. McKenney; Bonnie L. Balzer; Teri A. Longacre 614-624

Use of Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization to Identify MYCN Gene Copy Number in Neuroblastoma Using Routine Tissue Sections
Paul S. Thorner; Michael Ho; Susan Chilton-MacNeill; Maria Zielenska 635-642

Cancer Cell may 2006

2006-05-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

Cancer Cell May 2006 CONTENT

REVIEW
The challenges of gene expression microarrays for the study of human cancer Anna V. Tinker, Alex Boussioutas, and David D.L. Bowtell[Summary]

PAPERS
Ewing's sarcoma: General insights from a rare model Sean Davis and Paul S. Meltzer[Summary]
See also
Expression profiling of EWS/FLI identifies NKX2.2 as a critical target gene in Ewing's sarcoma Richard Smith, Leah A. Owen, Deborah J. Trem, Jenny S. Wong, Jennifer S. Whangbo, Todd R. Golub, and Stephen L. Lessnick[Summary]

PTENs
NKX3.1 stabilizes p53, inhibits AKT activation, and blocks prostate cancer initiation caused by PTEN loss Qunying Lei, Jing Jiao, Li Xin, Chun-Ju Chang, Shunyou Wang, Jing Gao, Martin E. Gleave, Owen N. Witte, Xin Liu, and Hong Wu[Summary]
The PTEN and INK4A/ARF tumor suppressors maintain myelolymphoid homeostasis and cooperate to constrain histiocytic sarcoma development in humans Daniel R. Carrasco, Tim Fenton, Kumar Sukhdeo, Marina Protopopova, Miriam Enos, Mingjian J. You, Dolores Divicio, Cristina Nogueira, Jayne Stommel, Geraldine S. Pinkus, Christopher Fletcher, Jason L. Hornick, Webster K. Cavenee, Frank B. Furnari, and Ronald A. DePinho[Summary]

USMLE Self-Test

2006-05-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Office 40/48 83%
Office 38/48 78%
In-patient 15/24 62.5%
ED 11/24 45.8%
Total 72%

Am J Path May 2006

2006-05-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

REVIEW
Cancer Interaction with the Bone Microenvironment: A Workshop of the National Institutes of Health Tumor Microenvironment Study Section Michael L. Cher, Dwight A. Towler, Shahin Rafii, David Rowley, Henry J. Donahue, Evan Keller, Meenhard Herlyn, Eun Ah Cho, and Leland W.K. Chung Am J Pathol 2006;168 1405-1412 [abstract]

PAPER
Glen Roseborough, Daqing Gao, Lei Chen, Michael A. Trush, Shaoyu Zhou, G. Melville Williams, and Chiming Wei The Mitochondrial K-ATP Channel Opener, Diazoxide, Prevents Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Rabbit Spinal Cord Am J Pathol 2006 168: 1443-1451. [Abstract]

Jing-Lin Xia, Chunsun Dai, George K. Michalopoulos, and Youhua Liu Hepatocyte Growth Factor Attenuates Liver Fibrosis Induced by Bile Duct Ligation Am J Pathol 2006 168: 1500-1512. [Abstract]

Monika Kasprzycka, Miroslaw Majewski, Zhi-Jong Wang, Andrzej Ptasznik, Maria Wysocka, Qian Zhang, Michal Marzec, Phyllis Gimotty, Mark R. Crompton, and Mariusz A. Wasik Expression and Oncogenic Role of Brk (PTK6/Sik) Protein Tyrosine Kinase in LymphocytesAm J Pathol 2006 168: 1631-1641. [Abstract]

Mariana Rodríguez Zubieta, David Furman, Marcela Barrio, Alicia Inés Bravo, Enzo Domenichini, and José Mordoh Galectin-3 Expression Correlates with Apoptosis of Tumor-Associated Lymphocytes in Human Melanoma Biopsies Am J Pathol 2006 168: 1666-1675. [Abstract]

NMS D5

2006-05-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

54%
SO overall is
53
43
53
56
54

JCP May 06

2006-05-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

CONTENT

REVIEW
Molecular biology of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck B Perez-Ordoñez, M Beauchemin, and R C K JordanJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 445-453. doi:10.1136/jcp.2003.007641 [Abstract]

Optimising preoperative diagnosis in phyllodes tumour of the breast R K Jacklin, P F Ridgway, P Ziprin, V Healy, D Hadjiminas, and A DarziJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 454-459. [Abstract]

FOR PATHOLOGY RESIDNT

Computerised pathology test order entry reduces laboratory turnaround times and influences tests ordered by hospital clinicians: a controlled before and after study J I Westbrook, A Georgiou, A Dimos, and T GermanosJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 533-536. [Abstract]
External quality assessment slide schemes: pathologists’ experiences and perceptions D M ParhamJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 530-532. [Abstract]
Why I became a haematopathologist P G IsaacsonJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 477-478. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.034736 [Extract]

PAPERS

An audit of the indications for the reporting of blood films: results from the National Pathology Benchmarking Study M J Galloway and J C OsgerbyJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 479-481. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.035006 [Abstract]
COX-2 expression in ampullary carcinoma: correlation with angiogenesis process and clinicopathological variables G Perrone, D Santini, A Verzì, B Vincenzi, D Borzomati, F Vecchio, R Coppola, A Antinori, P Magistrelli, G Tonini, and C RabittiJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 492-496. [Abstract]
Early integration of high copy HPV16 detectable in women with normal and low grade cervical cytology and histology S-M A Kulmala, S M Syrjänen, U B Gyllensten, I P Shabalova, N Petrovichev, P Tosi, K J Syrjänen, and B C JohanssonJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 513-517. [Abstract]
HBV, HCV, and TTV detection by in situ polymerase chain reaction could reveal occult infection in hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison with blood markers M Comar, G Dal Molin, P D’Agaro, S L Crocè, C Tiribelli, and C CampelloJ Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 526-529. [Abstract]

NMS D3 53 56

2006-05-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Chapter 3
Average 53
ED 54
Satellitic Clinic 47
Office 51
Hospital 63
Outpatient

Chapter 4
Average 56
Clinic NA/33
ED 48
Satellitic Clinic 50
Office 56
Hospital 78
ED/Office 100
ED/Hospital 50
Outpatient 25

NMS D1

2006-05-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Chapter 1
Average 53
ED 69
Satellitic Clinic 37
Office 50
Hospital 42
Outpatient 100

Chapter 2
Clinic NA/33
Average 42
ED 53/39
Satellitic Clinic 37/40
Office 50/48
Hospital 42/32
Outpatient 100/NA
ED/Hospital 60

Undergrad B school rankings

2006-04-28T16:51:00.000-07:00

Businessweek just cooked out a ranking list of Best undergrad B-schools. Interestingly, I found no Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, or Dartmouth in the list. My guess would be that those Ivy League schools do not have a so-called B-school for undergrads, rather just a major. At Michigan, select sophomores could grasp a BBA degree beared big M through 2 year study at Ross B School.

Mod Path May 06

2006-04-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

Content

FREE special online issue on Dermatopathology

Correlation of cytologic findings and chromosomal instability detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in breast fine-needle aspiration specimens from women at high risk for breast cancer Nour Sneige, Baoshun Liu, Guosheng Yin, Yun Gong & Banu K ArunMod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 622-629

Prostate cancer detected by uPM3: radical prostatectomy findings David G Bostwick, Victor E Gould, Junqi Qian, Martin Susani & Michael MarbergerMod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 630-633

Identification of SYT-SSX transcripts from synovial sarcomas using RT-multiplex PCR and capillary electrophoresis John A Thorson, Helmut C Weigelin, Robert E Ruiz, Jennifer K Howard & David R LucasMod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 641-647

Genetic profiling of stage I and II colorectal cancer may predict metastatic relapse Fahd Al-Mulla, Abdulla I Behbehani, Milad S Bitar, Govindarajulu Varadharaj & James J Going Mod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 648-658

Variability in the expression of polycomb proteins in different normal and tumoral tissues. A pilot study using tissue microarrays Margarita Sánchez-Beato, Esther Sánchez, Joaquín González-Carreró, Manuel Morente, Ana Díez, Lydia Sánchez-Verde, María Carmen Martín, Juan C Cigudosa, Miguel Vidal & Miguel A Piris Mod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 684-694

CXCR4 and VEGF expression in the primary site and the metastatic site of human osteosarcoma: analysis within a group of patients, all of whom developed lung metastasis Yoshinao Oda, Hidetaka Yamamoto, Sadafumi Tamiya, Shuichi Matsuda, Kazuhiro Tanaka, Ryohei Yokoyama, Yukihide Iwamoto & Masazumi TsuneyoshiMod Pathol 2006; 19 5: 738-745

FDA's updated contact lens advice

2006-04-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Stop using Bausch and Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc products and discard all remaining MoistureLoc solution including partially used or opened bottles.
Consult your eye care professional concerning use of an appropriate alternative cleaning/disinfecting product.
Consider performing a "rub and rinse" lens cleaning method, rather than a no rub method, regardless of which cleaning/disinfecting solution used, in order to minimize the number of germs and reduce the chances of infection.

Continue to follow proper lens care practices:

Wash hands with soap and water, and dry (lint-free method) before handling lenses.

Wear and replace lenses according to the schedule prescribed by the doctor.

Follow the specific lens cleaning and storage guidelines from the doctor and the solution manufacturer.

Keep the contact lens case clean and replace every 3-6 months.
Remove the lenses and consult your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as redness, pain, tearing, increased light sensitivity, blurry vision, discharge, or swelling.

JNCI apr 2006

2006-04-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

JNCI Apr 2006

Antitumor Activity of ZSTK474, a New Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitor J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98: 545-556

Assessing Prostate Cancer Risk: Results from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98: 529-534

Variables that predicted prostate cancer included higher PSA level, positive family history of prostate cancer, and abnormal DRE result, whereas a previous negative prostate biopsy was associated with reduced risk. Neither age at biopsy nor PSA velocity contributed independent prognostic information. Higher PSA level, abnormal DRE result, older age at biopsy, and African American race were predictive for high-grade disease (Gleason score 7) whereas a previous negative prostate biopsy reduced this risk.

Evaluation of Prostate-Specific Antigen Declines for Surrogacy in Patients Treated on SWOG 99-16 J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98: 516-521.

AJSP Apr 2006

2006-04-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

AJSP Apr 2006

Recommendations for the Supervision of Pathology Assistants. Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology 537

Mammary NOS-Type Sarcoma With CD10 Expression: A Rare Entity With Features of Myoepithelial Differentiation. Leibl, Sebastian MD; Moinfar, Farid MD 450

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Jejunum and Ileum: A Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Molecular Genetic Study of 906 Cases Before Imatinib With Long-term Follow-up. Markku Miettinen, MD; Hala Makhlouf, MD; Leslie H. Sobin, MD; Jerzy Lasota, MD 477

Glycogenic Hepatopathy: An Underrecognized Hepatic Complication of Diabetes Mellitus. Michael Torbenson, MD; Yunn-Yi Chen, MD, PhD; Elizabeth Brunt, MD; Oscar W. Cummings, MD; Marcia Gottfried, MD; Shriram Jakate, MD, FRCPath; Yao-Chang Liu, MD; Matthew M. Yeh, MD, PhD; Linda Ferrell, MD 508

Cancer Research apr 2006

2006-04-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Vol 66, issue 8 , Apr 2006

Meeting Report: Antiangiogenesis and Drug Delivery to Tumors: Bench to Bedside and Back Dan G. Duda Cancer Res 2006 66: 3967-3970

KRAS Mutation Status Is Predictive of Response to Cetuximab Therapy in Colorectal Cancer Astrid Lièvre, Jean-Baptiste Bachet, Delphine Le Corre, Valérie Boige, Bruno Landi, Jean-François Emile, Jean-François Côté, Gorana Tomasic, Christophe Penna, Michel Ducreux, Philippe Rougier, Frédérique Penault-Llorca, and Pierre Laurent-Puig Cancer Res 2006 66: 3992-3995

Id1 Transcription Inhibitor–Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Axis Enhances Invasiveness of the Breakpoint Cluster Region/Abelson Tyrosine Kinase–Transformed Leukemia CellsMargaret Nieborowska-Skorska, Grazyna Hoser, Lori Rink, Maciej Malecki, Plamen Kossev, Mariusz A. Wasik, and Tomasz Skorski Cancer Res 2006 66: 4108-4116

Multiple Adaptive Mechanisms to Chronic Liver Disease Revealed at Early Stages of Liver Carcinogenesis in the Mdr2-Knockout Mice Mark Katzenellenbogen, Orit Pappo, Hila Barash, Naama Klopstock, Lina Mizrahi, Devorah Olam, Jasmine Jacob-Hirsch, Ninette Amariglio, Gidi Rechavi, Leslie Ann Mitchell, Ron Kohen, Eytan Domany, Eithan Galun, and Daniel Goldenberg Cancer Res 2006 66: 4001-4010

Two-Dimensional Transcriptome Profiling: Identification of Messenger RNA Isoform Signatures in Prostate Cancer from Archived Paraffin-Embedded Cancer Specimens Hai-Ri Li, Jessica Wang-Rodriguez, T. Murlidharan Nair, Joanne M. Yeakley, Young-Soo Kwon, Marina Bibikova, Christina Zheng, Lixin Zhou, Kui Zhang, Tracy Downs, Xiang-Dong Fu, and Jian-Bing Fan Cancer Res 2006 66: 4079-4088.

Targeting Oncogenes to Improve Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Laura A. Christensen, Rick A. Finch, Adam J. Booker, and Karen M. Vasquez Cancer Res 2006 66: 4089-4094.

The Kinase Mirk/Dyrk1B Mediates Cell Survival in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Xiaobing Deng, Daina Z. Ewton, Sheena Li, Asghar Naqvi, Stephen E. Mercer, Steve Landas, and Eileen Friedman Cancer Res 2006 66: 4149-4158.

Development of Real-time Subcellular Dynamic Multicolor Imaging of Cancer-Cell Trafficking in Live Mice with a Variable-Magnification Whole-Mouse Imaging System Kensuke Yamauchi, Meng Yang, Ping Jiang, Mingxu Xu, Norio Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Katsuro Tomita, Abdool R. Moossa, Michael Bouvet, and Robert M. Hoffman Cancer Res 2006 66: 4208-4214.

Tumor Imaging Using a Picomolar Affinity HER2 Binding Affibody Molecule Anna Orlova, Mikaela Magnusson, Tove L.J. Eriksson, Martin Nilsson, Barbro Larsson, Ingmarie Höidén-Guthenberg, Charles Widström, Jörgen Carlsson, Vladimir Tolmachev, Stefan Ståhl, and Fredrik Y. Nilsson Cancer Res 2006 66: 4339-4348.

Characterization of a Novel Human Tumor Antigen Interleukin-13 Receptor 2 Chain Koji Kawakami, Masaki Terabe, Mariko Kawakami, Jay A. Berzofsky, and Raj K. Puri Cancer Res 2006 66: 4434-4442.

Int J Cancer 119:1

2006-04-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

International Journal of Cancer
Volume 119, Issue 1, 2006.

MMP-2 mediates ethanol-induced invasion of mammary epithelial cells
over-expressing ErbB2. Zunji Ke, Hong Lin, Zhiqin Fan, Tian-Quan Cai, Rebecca A. Kaplan, Cuiling Ma, Kimberly A. Bower, Xianglin Shi, Jia Luo. Pages: 8-16

Statins revert doxorubicin resistance via nitric oxide in malignant
mesothelioma. Chiara Riganti, Sara Orecchia, Gianpiero Pescarmona, Pier Giacomo Betta, Dario Ghigo, Amalia Bosia. Pages: 17-27

Green tea polyphenol stimulates cancer preventive effects of celecoxib in human lung cancer cells by upregulation of GADD153 gene. Masami Suganuma, Miki Kurusu, Kaori Suzuki, Emi Tasaki, Hirota Fujiki. Pages: 33-40

Reclassification of oligoastrocytomas by loss of heterozygosity studies Marica Eoli, Lorena Bissola, Maria Grazia Bruzzone, Bianca Pollo, Carmelo Maccagnano, Tiziana De Simone, Lorella Valletta, Antonio Silvani, D Bianchessi, Giovanni Broggi, Amerigo Boiardi, Gaetano Finocchiaro. Pages: 84-90

Serological immune response to cancer testis antigens in patients with pancreatic cancer Andreas Wadle, Boris Kubuschok, Jochen Imig, Beate Wuellner, Christine Wittig, Carsten Zwick, Axel Mischo, Kristin Waetzig, Bernd F.M. Romeike, Werner Lindemann, Martin Schilling, Michael Pfreundschuh, Christoph Renner Pages: 117-125

Optical diagnosis of cervical cancer by fluorescence spectroscopy technique Siddappa M. Chidananda, Kapaettu Satyamoorthy, Lavanya Rai, Attibele P. Manjunath, Vasudevan B. Kartha Pages: 139-145

Diabetes studies conflict on power of spleen cells

2006-04-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, a series of papers showed Reversal of Diabetes in Non-Obese Diabetic Mice without beta cell regeneration derived from spleen-cell or hematopoietic cells.

Couzin J. Immunology. Diabetes studies conflict on power of spleen cells. Science. 2006 Mar 24;311(5768):1694. No abstract available.
PMID: 16556811 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chong AS, Shen J, Tao J, Yin D, Kuznetsov A, Hara M, Philipson LH. Reversal of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice without spleen cell-derived beta cell regeneration. Science. 2006 Mar 24;311(5768):1774-5.
PMID: 16556844 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Nishio J, Gaglia JL, Turvey SE, Campbell C, Benoist C, Mathis D. Islet recovery and reversal of murine type 1 diabetes in the absence of any infused spleen cell contribution. Science. 2006 Mar 24;311(5768):1775-8.
PMID: 16556845 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Suri A, Calderon B, Esparza TJ, Frederick K, Bittner P, Unanue ER. Immunological reversal of autoimmune diabetes without hematopoietic replacement of beta cells. Science. 2006 Mar 24;311(5768):1778-80.
PMID: 16556846 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Kodama S, Kuhtreiber W, Fujimura S, Dale EA, Faustman DL. Islet regeneration during the reversal of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.Science. 2003 Nov 14;302(5648):1223-7.
PMID: 14615542 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Good new for MA residents

2006-04-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Massechussett state was about to become the first state that provides universal health insurance to its resident. The ones who are able to pay for private insurance will be penalized on state tax, if they do not pay for it.

For more, visit New York Times.

Histopathology Apr

2006-03-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

Content

Update on extranodal lymphomas. Conclusions of the Workshop held by the EAHP and the SH in Thessaloniki, Greece. (2006) Histopathology 48, 481–504

Epstein–Barr viral infection in extranodal lymphoma of the head and neck: correlation with prognosis and response to treatment. (2006) Histopathology 48, 516–528

Oval cells in hepatitis B virus-positive and hepatitis C virus-positive liver cirrhosis: histological and ultrastructural study. (2006) Histopathology 48, 546–555

A new vision of tubular and tubulo-lobular carcinomas of the breast, as revealed by 3-D modelling. (2006) Histopathology 48, 556–562

Uterine leiomyoma versus leiomyosarcoma: a new attempt at differential diagnosis based on their cellular characteristics. (2006) Histopathology 48, 563–568

High promoter hypermethylation frequency of p14/ARF in supratentorial PNET but not in medulloblastoma. (2006) Histopathology 48, 579–587

The distribution of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in the lungs of congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients and age-matched controls. (2006) Histopathology 48, 588–595

Int J Cancer Jun

2006-03-27T19:28:00.000-08:00

Clinical significance of serum Th1-, Th2- and regulatory T cells-associated cytokines in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: High interleukin-5 and -10 levels are significant unfavorable prognostic factors (p 3054-3061)
Atsushi Inagaki, Takashi Ishida, Toshihiko Ishii, Hirokazu Komatsu, Shinsuke Iida, Jianmin Ding, Kentaro Yonekura, Shogo Takeuchi, Yoshifusa Takatsuka, Atae Utsunomiya, Ryuzo Ueda

Tea drinking and the risk of biliary tract cancers and biliary stones: A population-based case-control study in Shanghai, China (p 3089-3094)
Xue-Hong Zhang, Gabriella Andreotti, Yu-Tang Gao, Jie Deng, Enju Liu, Asif Rashid, Kai Wu, Lu Sun, Lori C. Sakoda, Jia-Rong Cheng, Ming-Chang Shen, Bing-Sheng Wang, Tian-Quan Han, Bai-He Zhang, Gloria Gridley, Joseph F. Fraumeni Jr., Ann W. Hsing

New immunochemical fecal occult blood test with two-consecutive stool
sample testing is a cost-effective approach for colon cancer screening:
Results of a prospective multicenter study in Chinese patients 3078-3083
Shirong Li, Huahong Wang, Jichun Hu, Nan Li, Yulan Liu, Zitao Wu, Yue
Zheng, Honghua Wang, Kai Wu, Hui Ye, Jianyu Rao

Clinical significance of mannose-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (p 2930-2935)
Amit Verma, Ajay Matta, Nootan Kumar Shukla, Suryanarayana V.S. Deo, Siddarth Datta Gupta, Ranju Ralhan

STAT3 ser727 phosphorylation and its association with negative estrogen receptor status in breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma (p 2943-2947)
Yao-Tsung Yeh, Fu Ou-Yang, I-Fen Chen, Sheau-Fang Yang, Yuan-Yung Wang, Hung-Yi Chuang, Jinu-Huang Su, Ming-Feng Hou, Shyng-Shiou F. Yuan

Expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, urokinase receptor and laminin -2 chain is an early coordinated event in incipient oral squamous cell carcinoma (p 2948-2956)
Pia Lindberg, Åke Larsson, Boye Schnack Nielsen

Loss of RAB25 expression in breast cancer (p 2957-2964)
Ji-Ming Cheng, Ming Ding, Ahmed Aribi, Prabodh Shah, Krishna Rao

p38 MAPK turns hepatocyte growth factor to a death signal that commits ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis (p 2981-2990)
Nadia Coltella, Andrea Rasola, Elisa Nano, Chiara Bardella, Michela Fassetta, Nicoletta Filigheddu, Andrea Graziani, Paolo M. Comoglio, Maria Flavia Di Renzo

JCP Apr 2006

2006-03-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

Biochemical markers of acute pancreatitis W R Matull, S P Pereira, and J W O’Donohue J Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 340-344. doi:10.1136/ jcp.2002.002923
Do we need more markers for acute pancretitis? Please see the above review.

Accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of liver mass lesionsE Rakha, S Ramaiah, and A McGregor J Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 352-354.

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression correlates with poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer A Juuti, J Louhimo, S Nordling, A Ristimäki, and C Haglund J Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 382-386.

Familial tumoral calcinosis and testicular microlithiasis associated with a new mutation of GALNT3 in a white family M F Campagnoli, A Pucci, E Garelli, A Carando, C Defilippi, R Lala, G Ingrosso, I Dianzani, M Forni, and U Ramenghi J Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 440-442. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.026369

Rapid diagnosis of Penicillium marneffei infection by fine needle aspiration cytology D Lim, Y-S Lee, and A R Chang J Clin Pathol 2006; 59: 443-444. doi:10.1136/jcp.2004.024976

States for USMLE Step 3

2006-03-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

The following states do not need postgraduate training to sit for USMLE step 3.

ARKANSAS $500
CALIFORNIA $790 effective Jan 2006
CONNECTICUT $450
DELAWARE
MARYLAND $817AMG/$917IMG
NEBRASKA $200+LAP
NOTE: Step 3 eligibility requirements for the Nebraska Board differ from the Board's requirements for initial licensure. For initial licensure, the Nebraska board maintains time and attempt limits on USMLE and a minimum postgraduate training requirement.
NEVADA $400
SOUTH DAKOTA $200.00
TEXAS $805
UTAH $200
VIRGINIA $302
WEST VIRGINIA $300
For more info, please visit FSMB.

Pathology match stat

2006-03-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

Overall positions 525, unfilled 45;
West 86, unfilled 2;
Central 121, unfilled 11;
South 163, unfilled 20;
Northeast 155, unfilled 12

Last note, I have matched!

The Match Day

2006-03-13T07:58:00.000-08:00

Many of the candidates beome nervous at this moment, no matter where you are, and where you like to go.

I am one of them, so just be patient. All of the efforts will be rewarded, sooner or later. Hopefully, the good news will come as soon as 1 hour later, noon of March 13, 2006.

For those unfortunates, please visit the links of scramble in the residency section of left side navigation bar, where you will have another, if not last, chance of entering residency this year.

Good luck to everybody!

MBA plus MD?

2006-03-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Just came across an interesting 12-month MBA porgram offered by the Johnson School of Cornell University. It saves money, and time. It may be one of the best options for professionals, including doctors.

Ang Lee won Oscar of Best Directing

2006-03-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to you, Ang Lee. And also thank you for Chinese Thank You.

This is his second nomination, and first-time award for Best Directing.In 2000, his Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won Academy Award of Best Foreign Film.

See more at Oscar official site.
The Brokenback Mountain official site.
See also Ang Lee at wikipedia.

Rank order list 2006 Pathology

2006-02-28T18:24:00.000-08:00

Papaya
Congrats to all and best wishes on the match in a few weeks. I'm finishing up a month of hellish inpatient medicine and going on to Emed next month (another torture?). I guess I'll be the first one to post the rankings since I gotta put my little one to bed shortly.
1. JHU
2. Brigham
3. UCLA
4. MGH
5. Emory
6. Upenn
7. BIDMC
8. Duke
9. UCSF
10. UTSW
11. Stanford
12. UVa
Beary
I can't wait, here it is:
1) UVA
2) Michigan
3) Indiana
4) Utah
5) UTSW
6) Nebraska
7) Iowa
unranked - Wash U
Kibosh
1. UVA
2. UVM
3. Iowa
4. Indiana
5. Wisconsin
6. Michigan
7. Ohio State
8. Northwestern-Evanston Hospital
9. Nebraska
10. Penrose
11. UMinn
12. Colorado
papillomatous
1. Cornell
2. Columbia
3. Penn
4. U Chicago
5. Stanford
6. UCSF
7. BWH
8. MGH
9. UCLA
10. UCSD
(unranked - Mt. Sinai)
Gene
1. Texas A&M
2. UTSW
3. UNM
4. UTHSCSA
5. Methodist Houston
6. Baylor Houston
7. Wash U
unranked- UT Houston
Prairie
1. Iowa
2. UVa
3. U of Washington
4. Yale
5. Stanford
6. Emory
7. UCLA
8. Mayo - not bad, just not a good fit for me at all
I was so torn between Iowa and Virginia - if I get either one I'll be SO happy. UW would also rock. At least it's now out of my hands
Aubrey
1. UVA
2. JHU
3. UNC
4. Duke
5. B&W
6. MGH
7. VCU
miko2005
#1 Stanford
#2 UCSF
#3 UC Davis
Emaline
1. UVM
2. UNM
3. UVa
4. Iowa
5. U of Wisc
6. Utah
7. MUSC
8. Colorado
(did not rank Emory or OSU)
Bio-psy
1. Wake Forest
2. MUSC
3. UVA/MCV
4. East Carolina
5. UT Knoxville
6. MCG
7. ETSU
8. Emory (great program but don't like Atlanta)
9. UFL
10. EVMS (program sucks but still probably better than scramble)
NikRiveria
1.MGH
2.BIDMC
3.Yale
4.NYU
5.cornell
6.einstein/montifore
7.Mt.Sinai
Janedough
1- mayo
2- UVA
3- Cleveland Clinic
4- Vanderbilt
5- Dartmouth
6- U of MI
7- Yale
8- Iowa
9- Wash U
10- Beaumont (safety)
11- Wayne (safety)
Ohio- unranked
BamaAlum
1. Vanderbilt- overworked resident myth grossly misreported
2. Emory- loved it. Awesome program if you can deal with Atlanta
3. UAB- some of the nicest facilities I saw, tons of surgicals and very strong on the CP side
4. MUSC- The people there are just so darn nice I couldn't rank them lower than this
5. MCV- Again, the people were nice. Seemed like a solid program.
6. Florida-Gainesville- Medium sized program in college town.
7. UTSW- Didn't care for Dallas much.
8. Cleveland Clinic- Tons of surgicals, which may be good or bad depending on your take. Cleveland is colder than a mother..
9. Iowa- Great program, nice residents and faculty. Only downside for me was that it was in Iowa
ChipLeader
1. U Washington
2. Duke
3. UCSF
4. Hopkins
5. Stanford
6. UCLA
7. BWH
8. U Utah
9. U Colorado
10. UTSW
11. UNC
Dr Plum
1. Duke
2. UVa
3. Hopkins
4. Brigham
5. Mayo
6. UNC
7. Emory
8. UAB
Star123
1. Univ of Florida - Shands
2. UNM
3. Med Coll of Wisconsin
4. Iowa
5. Evanston
6. Northwestern
7.Nebraska
8. Emory
Interviewed but didn't rank: St Joes in Phoenix, Vanderbilt, Creighton, OHSU - Portland
Invited for Interview but Declined to interview: Penrose, Hershey, UVA, UCLA, UW, Rush, MUSC
CameronFrye
1a. UVA
1b. Michigan
1c. Hopkins
1d. BWH
Tidal
1. Mt. Sinai- GIGANTIC volume, big name, residents literally walk into any fellowship they want (including derm!!!)
2. Columbia- Great for research, laid back environment, nice facilities
3. MGH- Big volume, big name, similar to #1 but not in NYC
4. Cleveland Clinic- Big volume, great job placement, terrible winters
5. Hopkins- Nice volume, good reputation, Baltimore sucks (sorry!!)
6. Yale- OK volume, OK residents, I'd be OK if I matched there
Kaw
1. UVA--they are taking 5
2. Emory
3. UNC
4. Duke
5. Vermont -- was really impressed by this program
6. MUSC
7. MCV
8. Maryland
9. Brown
Declined offer by NIH -- though very enticing
Tappa
1. BIDMC
2. MGH
3. BWH
4. BU
5. Tufts
6. UMass
jsheokhan
1. U maryland
2. UTSW
3. Baylor Houston
4. Methodist Houston
5. UPMC
6. UTMB
7. NYU
8. Northwestern
9. OSU
10. Drexel
Torurismo
1. Cleveland Clinic
2. Wash U
3. U Chicago
4. Mt. Sinai (not in the midwest)
5. BWH (not in the midwest)
6. Michigan
7. Columbia (not in the midwest)
8. Case Western
9. OSU
10. Pitt
Not ranked: Cincinnati and Northwestern
AznDragon
1. UTSW
2. Baylor-Dallas
3. Baylor-Houston
4. UT-Houston
5. Emory
6. Iowa
7. Wash U.
8. SLU
9. Oklahoma
10. KU
11. U of Missouri-Columbia
12. Methodist-Houston
Rustio
1. Penn
2. Hopkins
3. Emory
4. UCSF
5. UCLA
6. UAB
7. U of Utah
8. Stanford
Mr Plow
1. OHSU
2. UNM
3. U of Utah
Mudbug
1 Iowa
2 Northwestern Evanston
3 UVM
4 Michigan
5 Dartmouth
6 Med Coll Wisconsin
7 Minnesota
8 U Mass
9 Baystate
10 U Chicago
11 Mayo
12 U of Illinois
unranked: Loyola

HappyPanda
1.U Chicago
2.UTSW
3.NYU
4.Methodist Houston
5.UT Houston
6.Case Western Reserve
7.UMass
8.U Colorado
9.U South Florida
10.UMDNJ
11.Hartford
12.Med Col Georgia
SLK
sorry for the late post.
1, Mt Sinai, NY
2, Baystate, MA
3, Metro, OH
4, KUMC, KS
5, NYU, NY
6, UWisc, WI

Englishpod 57

2006-02-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary
to make good impression/impress someone
to dress appropriately
to be decisive
in what context
that could be a disaster
to keep something in mind
an half hour conversation
creative
to come up with an idea
I'd like to be given a choice
nuts
generally speaking
Seriously
Tend to
I am not so sure about that
I quite like that idea:
You agree with: Wow~
When you are confused, then ask: Regarding what?

Rank Order List

2006-02-21T13:31:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the last day of submitting rank order list. Many program directors and also applicants became panic. PDs tried to sell their reserved prematch slots, while applicants are struggling to make the best bid. Some applicants are even expecting good prematch!!

List programs with "Rank you" letter/call from PD.
New York University pathology residency program
Methodist pathology residency program
University of South Floria pathology residency program
University of Kansas Medical Center/KUMC pathology residency program
Medical Collage of Georgia pathology residency program
Dartmouth Medical School pathology
University of Wisconsin pathology
Cornell University pathology

The 1000th visit.

2006-02-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Finally the visit reached 1000.

USCAP 2006 pathology Job

2006-02-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

by Yaah at SDN

I just got back from USCAP 2006 in Atlanta (not that I would really have noticed if it was in Atlanta other than that is what the airport and the local tv stations said it was since we barely left the two block area around the hotel). It was interesting and I am glad I went (was there sunday-this AM).

Thoughts:

1) Went to the house staff seminar on sunday night. It was a panel of private and academic pathologists and a recently graduating resident. The consensus: Employers are looking for people who have some extra training (like a cyto or hemepath fellowship) but not TOO MUCH extra training. More than two fellowships is actually frowned upon and employers start to wonder what your problem is. As usual, doing a dermpath fellowship is the most desirable currently but almost any fellowship will give you a leg up (except for microbio, chem). Private jobs are starting out in many places well over $200k, academics $120-140k. But the real numbers are not actually available and a lot of it depends on variables like whether they pay your malpractice, benefits, etc. In short: There are enough jobs out there and opportunities are apparently increasing.

The importance of the surgical pathology fellowship was emphasized, as the impression is growing among employers that residents are not as well trained in basic competencies as they were in the past and now require more hand holding at the start.

You can see the handouts for free online at www.uscap.org - look at the "evening specialty conference handouts" under house staff.
1.What Employers Are Looking For - Fred G. Silva - Executive Director, USCAP, Augusta, GA
2.What Employees Are Looking For - Carol Farver - Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH

They also specifically addressed the "path mill" type jobs and said the current prevelance of these jobs is still under 5% of the total jobs around the country, and the CAP and other organizations are actually actively lobbying to decrease these jobs and encourage people not to take them. Dr Silva and others said that it is unlikely these jobs will become commonplace.

The main factors important to employers which are often overlooked are "Interpersonal skills" and "Communication skills" as well as the ability to work with others. If you do well in residency and get good references from your attendings, this will have a large impact on your job search success.

2) Lots of good specialty conferences. I attended the long course yesterday on liver/pancreas and thought it was pretty good. Also attended a lot of poster presentations, platforms, and specialty conferences at night. The highlights I think were seeing Rosai present a case presentation (he looks old but moves fast- he blew by me at the poster presentations and obviously can still move quickly ) and the GI conference on tuesday night. It included 5 case presentations, two of which will be long remembered - John Hart from U of Chicago presenting a case of Behcet's disease and being very liberal with his use of the term "scrotal ulcer" and Appelman presenting a case of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome in a weightlifter which was the highest of high comedy.

3) I got to present a poster and it was a great experience - got to talk to lots of great GU pathologists and others from around the country. They also had a session every morning from 7-8am where they had food for housestaff and the opportunity to meet well known pathologists and chat, which people did not take advantage of. Another local resident and I went M-W and were nearly the only ones there. We also got taken out for dinner last night by three attendings from our instutitions which was neat. Then they bought us drinks at the bar.

USCAP is busy - there are events from 8am-9:30pm every day and multiple events at each time. Never a shortage of things to do.

4) There were about 10,000 posters about EGFR and P16.
======================
One interesting thing at USCAP was also to notice which programs have lots of posters and platforms (especially with residents presenting). We had quite a few and I think we in top ten, according to attendings, but there was no actual list. But in going through the posters every day it was pretty clear that there were a couple of programs that were just swimming in abstracts. Cleveland Clinic, for one (Goldblum's name was on about half of them!). JHU was well represented. The most surprising was Wayne State. It was insane. Seemed like in some sections every other poster was cleveland clinic or wayne state.
======================
I just got back from the USCAP conference last night. It was a great week and I hope I get to go next year! It was amazing to see all of the posters residents presented and to listen to the platform presentations. Some programs really crank out the research. My program was also suppose to be in the "top 10" of abstracts accepted, but I have no idea where we really ranked.

Yaah was right when he said that there were a lot of good specialty conferences. I went to the long course on Wednesday and to some short courses on Thursday and Friday. The one on the non-neoplastic bowel was great!

It was a very busy conference with something going on all the time. I was lucky that my program will pay for the whole week if you present a poster. Now I just have to wait to be reimbursed. It was expensive conference to go to on a resident's salary.

Maybe next year some of the SDNers can get together!

Advertise my site for 2nd time

2006-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

Basicly, I followed the suggestions of Biz Stone's classis article.

I registered or submitted my Dr. SLK and ZhangLab to several blog promoting sites,

The following sites have been registered with my blogs, so you will find the links on the bottom of the left side navigation bar.

Again, writing good posts is the only best way of your blog's adivertisement. Best luck with your blogs' traffic.

The 888th visit.

2006-02-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

The 888th visit was made today.

cons of path

2006-02-05T07:23:00.000-08:00

- Being pestered by clinicians:

Point #1: A pathologist is the doctor's doctor.
Point #2: Doctors are the worst patients.

- As for call, regardless of the call, call is call. Call blows. Home call is nicer than in house call but what sucks about home call is that some calls will require you to get your ass back into the hospital. That sucks. That being said, clinicians have it worse than the pathologists, generally speaking. Clinicians take call more often. And it's in house call. Clinicians also get more calls when they are on call and I feel for them. But that's their problem...and why I went into pathology. I don't like my pager. I am tempted to destroy it.

- Medicolegal issues - pathologists too have to carefully word things and document the stupidest of things just so that it doesn't come back to bite them in the ass later.

UCSFBound
Inappropriate usually consists of an intraoperative consultation that will have absolutely NO IMPACT on what they will do during that surgery.

For example, I received a frozen on a lymph node for a renal cell carcinoma. Reason for said frozen: hem-onc wants to plan course of post-op treatment (said they get more of drug x if the node is positive). Didn't change a damn thing surgically, in fact they were closing when I reported it back 10 minutes later (I at least figured they would take some more nodes, but they already had those out when they called). I have run into many surgeons who do not use the frozen results to manage their patients intraoperatively, rather, they like to have a diagnosis for their patient when they see them that afternoon in recovery.

I think the worst is when your attending will read these non-sensical frozens. I remember talking with a surgeon when I first started in July for like 5 minutes about why he was getting this thing, only for my attending to cave and allow it (and telling me that there is no reason for this). It makes it hard to tell the surgeon "inappropriate" when your attending wont back you up.

Angrytesicle
Word up man. Regarding your renal cell carcinoma story, I experienced an identical event this past Friday. Surgeon wanted a diagnosis on a metastatic RCC to a lymph node in the chest wall. The diagnosis we gave him was "consistent with metastatic RCC." What difference did this make in surgical management? None. I suppose that if the lymph node was negative for tumor, he might have dug around a little more. However, based on reading pre-op notes there were no other suspicious lesions except for this enlarged node. Doing the frozen was easy. But having to stay in the hospital just for this one case was the difference between me going home at 6 pm versus 8 pm. Wasn't very thrilled about this

Yaah

And in addition, diagnoses are more appropriately made with fixation and the time taken for good histologic sections. The frozen is basically a throwaway that is only glanced at during the real signout, and only to make sure nothing weird showed up on the slide that wasn't on frozen. The unfortunate thing is that if it is a small lesion (like thyroid or something) the bulk of the lesion is on frozen, and the final diagnosis becomes that much more difficult.

This is why breast frozen section has mercifully become much less common over the last few years. Surgeons have been taught now that doing a frozen on breast lesion destroys a lot of margins and diagnostic tissue.

Academia Pathjob

2006-02-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

PathDawg
The bottom line is this kids: Academia is not about learning and pursuing a higher level of understanding. Academia is about money and politics. If you are a "bread and butter" good diagnostician, you can get a job in an academic center; its just that you'll never progress within the department.
My first job in pathology was at an academic center. It was more than obvious that unless you brought in serious NIH money, you were ignored. The powers that be see diagnosticians as "necessary evils". If you want to pursue a career as a diagnostic surgical pathologist (and want to progress as you get better and more experienced), then private practice is the place for you.

LADoc
Academia is about becoming one with an evil leftist empire that threatens all of Western civilization. Until we all make the same crap salary they do and drive eco friendly cars while eating vegan sprout wraps and drinking organic farmer friendly coffee, they will never rest. They seek to destroy all that is good in the world in the name of cloning furry animals (err or lying about cloning furry animals ) and one day creating the holy grail of molecular biology research: the glowing penis. I read somewhere there is a secret feminist research cult that is using taxpayer money to replace all men on the earth and the rise of utopian muffnazi empire. Seriously, they are working on it as I type this.

There are several faculty members at my institution who publish translational/clinical projects with much less than 50% time off service for research.

The problem is a lot of the basic science people they bring on board work two months of the year on service (usually autopsy). It is utterly painful signing out with these people for a myriad of reasons, including the lack of teaching that goes on and their lack of experience due to the fact that they look at cases so infrequently.

UCSFbound
Another issue I have, which has been previously alluded to, is the fact that it is the rare position in academia where you can work strictly in diagnostics and teach. I enjoying teaching, and would like to pursue it in the future, but with the way things are I now have to devote more time to research than I would like to. So, for a person like me, who wants to be a part of medical education, private practice isn't a great option.

Fellowship

2006-02-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

LADoc00
No, for a number of reasons. For one, there are a TON of cyto fellowship positions, probably 2x as many that are needed. And this is nowhere near as marketable as it used to be given that breast FNAs are being replaced by cores from radiology. Pap smears too hopefully will go away with universal HPV screening. So move that down the list.

Now GYN in my opinion is near worthless, gynpath is bread and butter stuff you can get in any solid surg path year. Competition for these fellowships is limited to academic geek types who fantasize about large ovarian masses and endometrial polyps...move that down.

GI is HUGE and up-n-coming. How many solid GI fellowships are there? Maybe MAYBE 6 in the whole US: Odze at Brigham being no1, MGH, BID, UCLA (but their big guy left), Cleveland, Hopkins...the list is slim. And dont bring up UCSF please, that fellowship is 80% liver. Move that one WAY up.

GU is interesting b/c out of the blue this is hugely marketable. Okay realize Im saying "marketable" NOT useful. I can dx anything that someone who spent a year with Epstein can but in terms of marketing myself to urologists I dont have the same leverage, move this way up, there are less GU fellowship slots than GI!!

Overall my list:
1.) Derm, still king
2.) GI
3.) GU
4.) Heme
5.) Cyto
6.) Forensics (can be very competitive at the best places: NM and MiamiDade)
7.) Blood bankTM
8.) BoneSoftTissues
9.) Gyn
10.) general surg path
11.) Lung
12.) Liver (near worthless)
----------------------------------------------
Angrytesticle
Thanks for sharing your insights...very much appreciate it.

I remember talking to you about derm last year. I really enjoyed my derm weeks and derm is definitely on my radar now. However, I'm certainly more than aware of the competitiveness of getting a derm fellowship and honestly, this is quite unsettling.

And I second your opinion on the GI fellowship. We have a very strong GI fellowship here with Odze at the helm.
-----------------------
No. But I don't wanna spend the clinical part of my career (as limited and minimalized as it may be) just doing autopsies. Those kind of jobs are not very abundant. I want to be able to sign out cases in some specialty. That way I can have a more stable job and increase my salary. If this doesn't happen, I've wasted my time by going through medical school and I've wasted my time doing a residency. It's all about sound backup plans.

I will say this though...it's gonna be "my way or the highway". If I don't get the fellowship I want for whatever reason, that's it! I'm going straight to postdoc. I'm not gonna waste a year doing some fellowship I have absolutely no interest in (like cyto) just to wait in line for the fellowship I want. For example, this is the case for Heme and Neuro at my program. Spots are booked not just for next year but for future years as well.

There's the musings of a future scientist. How you like dem apples?
---------------------------
Pathdawg
Ouch, babe. The cyto slam kinda hurts. I agree to a point that there are indeed lots of cyto fellowships. However, cytology is still an integral part of pathology practice, and fellowship-trained people do it better than generalists (and thats not just my defensive cyto-trained self talking). GI path seems to be somewhat in favor, but isn't this bread and butter surgpath too? I also think heme should be higher. My list:
1) Derm
2) Heme
3) Cyto
4) GI (I'll include liver with this)
5) GU
6) TM
7) Bone/ST
8) Forensics
9) GYN
10) Gen. surgpath
11) Pulmonary
-----------------------------
LAdoc
Sorry for the cyto slam, cyto is absolutely a key skill, my issue is there are just way too many cyto trained pathologists nowadays and overall the field is trending away from cyto. Differentiate a fellowship that is "useful" (which cyto would be far and away no1, you see prob. 5x more cyto than derm) from those that are "marketable."

Heme was good, circa around 1 year ago. The reimbursements for flow were so crazy at one point that even small hospitals were buying million dollar equipment packages. It had been that flow was actually reimbursed similar to immunostains, on a per antibody basis. So if you had a rule out panel with 18-20 antibodies (not totally uncommon) at $95 per, you were pulling down $1800 just for the professional component (a negative takes me aroun 20 min to read and write up, do the math on a per hour billing for that)! Then you billed another $65 for the spin adequacy. That was insane money, especially if you could get your hemeoncs to order flow on every marrow and node. People flooded into heme fellowships, got phat offers and then it all changed. Now flow is a gobal fee, so where before you got $1850, now it is $500 or even less. Huge hit. People were saying flow was now even a money LOSER to do as the fees were all capped. Crazy. Anyway, lots of places that were bringing flow on line and hiring hemepath people reversed course realizing it was far more cost effective to send to USLABS/Clarient etc.

I am a hemepath person so Im being frank, I definitely would not have done a whole year of it (I still like hemepath) if I saw the writing on the wall years ago. I think heme will undergo further mass consolidation in the near future to commercial labs like Quest due to fixed asset costs required in building a cutting edge diagnostic hemelab.

*Oh and Neuropath isnt on there, it would be dead last. In fact I highly advise people to not do neuro unless 1.) you are at a very very high volume place 2.) you also do a surg path year/cyto/heme or derm to tighten your skill set 3.) you also do CP as you can see that would be a 4yearAPCP+2NP+1fellowship=7 year plan, which is freakin absurd, hence why it is dead last.
----------------------------
pathdawg
I'd put neuropath second to last, just before opthomologic path (I actually knew an opthomologic path fellowship trained guy. Is there a less useful fellowship out there? I think not. The only thing they're good for is orienting the one globectomy specimen you get once every ten years).

I am thinking of going back and doing a GI path fellowship, but focused to the 2nd part of the jejunum. This way, I would be sub-subspecialized. If it isn't from the 2nd part of the jejunum, I don't want to even see it. I would know nothing about the duodenum, ileum, rest of the jejunum, liver, or remainder of the GI tract. But if you have a lesion from the middle of the jejunum, I'm your guy. I bet some affected university would hire me, just so they can brag that they have the (2nd part of the) jejunum expert. It would be a sweet gig, too. I wouldn't get paid crap, but I would look at about seven slides a year in consultation. Sweet.
-----------------------
LADoc
Its ALL about marketing, why do think our large consumer corps spend billions a year on this crap? Why are there multimillion $$$ ads for flipping Viagra during the super bowl? You can argue what is more useful all day long, but at the end of the day the group with the fellowship trained GI and GU people will walk away with the contracts and you will be holding your nuts in your hand and crying for momma. This is the sad and f'd up thing about the path market today. This isnt superficial bro, this is what puts the spam n eggs on your kids plate, makes your Benz payments and pays your employees. i.e. this is the nuts n bolts of real life in pathlandia.

Until the ABP wises up and closes down 50% of the residency programs, the surplus in path will continue to increase already cut throat competition.
-----------------------
Truth be told, the souless moronic bean counters who make the decisions on granting contracts aren't even sure what "GI" stands for. They don't give contracts based on credentials. They give them based on cost. To them, cheaper=better. Plain and simple. If you can underbid your competitor, you win. This is how the sweatshops like Quest and Labcorp of the world get by. They are mills and they can thus get by with low contracts by producing huge volume.

btw, I agree with your point on cutting the residency spots 1000%. This would greatly increase our earning potential.

Cyto

2006-02-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

Cytology is the "Emperor's New Clothes" of Path.

Everyone around me pretends to see the illusionary enlarged hyperchromatic nuclei. Join me in prayer for the end of pap smears, breast and soft tissue FNAs. They are a scourge upon us.
-------------------------------------------

You crack me up, man. First of all, I was working up a damn B-cell NHL, not a T-cell angioimmunoblastic whatever. Secondly, heme is waaaaay too unnecessarily complicated. Cyto is straightforward. You follow certain criteria and make a dx without having to cut somebody open. If you think about it, thats pretty cool. With heme, you have to get about 12 IHC stains, then get flow, then get cytogenetics, then get B- and T-cell rearrangment PC-frickin' R studies. WTF! Make a damn call already without spending tens of thousands of dollars. Jeeech.
------------------------------------------------------
From my limited exposure, cytologists tend to be quite fanatical (and also very good) at what they do.

"I trust the cells better."
__________________
Take me out to pasture and shoot me.
---------------------------------------------------
I think it may even vary from institution to institution. Different practices abound. Like here, the pulmonologists and surgeons INSIST on doing bronchoscopies with biopsy for attempted diagnosis of interstitial lung disease, which has a sensitivity of about 5%. The path attendings here say it is ingrained in the culture and they are somehow not swayed by the comments on about 95% of their transbronch biopsies "Tissue insufficient for diagnosis of interstitial lung disease."

At Wake Forest, they diagnose and treat many sarcomas based on FNA only, because one of the attendings there will make diagnoses on them. Breast FNAs are not done commonly here at all. And we almost never see sarcoma FNAs. I think perhaps the future will depend on availability of molecular tests for diagnosis, from tissue obtained by FNA. But who knows.
--------------------------------------------------

Jobs of Path 1

2006-02-05T06:38:00.000-08:00

LADoc00 at SDN
The pathology job situation in LA is beyond the pale. Aside from a IED killing most of the LA path society off, you might as well put your head between your legs and kiss your butt off. Realize the absurd number of:
people who want to live in LA, everyone, everyone and their DAMN MOMS TOO.
Massive managed care penetration of Kaiser, you will be a Kaiser biotch in LA, end of story.
The horrendous number of residents churned out down there is crazy, just crazy. UCLA, UCI, USC AND Loma Linda!!! Then the other crew from UCSF/Stanford and Davis trying to break in b/c their own markets are totally impacted. Madness I say.
I would do IM if you HAVE to stay in LA, you will be used/abused in that path scene, it is pure sharks.

When I went to LA path society meeting downtown, I used to have watch my back! There are resident/fellows who would shank me for just half of what I was making. They even have a yearly resident conference where they present cases and then are paraded around on a stage as the PD hope to auction em off to groups who might hire em. Im serious, it was cRaZy, I couldnt stop laughing at these poo' bastards. They might as well just had a big wet t-shirt contest and be honest about it

Goodluck. Play the lottery.
-------------------------------------------
Yep. The supply is far outstripping demand. The problem you face in any big city is there is massive subset of the medical world who HAVE to live there and thus will take any job/contract/terms put in front of their face, they are:
1.) IMGs that want to stay in near big cities b/c they only can make friends with other people from their own country or they live with freakin grandparents who dont speak english. How they can enjoy marriage/life with grandma listening to you bang your wife has always baffled me.
2.) Women married to men who have jobs in big cities and cant relocate. They often dont have much ambition in terms of salary and for managed care are a wet dream come true, there are Kaiser groups of 8-10 pathologists composed of pure women!
3.) Gays who want to stay near gay friendly areas. Dunno, if I was a gay guy and my choice was 250K more a year or living in West Hollywood next to Trunks, my choice would be easy.
4.) Single women on the manhunt. Often terrified of moving to rural/suburb areas and marrying...God forbid!...someone who isnt rich/high status.
5.) Some URMs, although URMs in pathology are SUPER RARE, not sure why. (This is a very minor component, if at all)

Those factors along with a general oversupply create a Perfect Storm of caca that makes it impossible to find reasonable employment, I would say these are the worst path markets in the US:
1.) Boston - far and away the worst
2.) NYC - also a complete waste of time to even send a resume anywhere within commute range of Manhattan
3.) SF - people dont realize this city is small! And is the fastest shrinking city in the US.
4.) LA
5.) San Diego
6.) San Jose/Silicon Valley
7.) Baltimore
8.) Chicago
9.) Miami
+ Probably lots of New England places Im not familiar with, overall the Northeast US is a complete waste of time.
-----------------------------------------

PhD to MD

2006-02-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

标题: Re: 恳请大家的建议
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Feb 1 20:59:53 2006)

绝对应该去申请转到MD！！！！！我父母朋友的儿子就是先上了一个Ivy League的graduate school,后来因为比较出色就被医学院收进去了（内部申请），现在已经fellowship快毕业了。这对你是天赐良机，如果能把握好，Ivy League的医学院出来前途无量，FMG或一般学校的AMG进不去的residency你就有可能去。和这种良机相比MCAT是绝对值得你花时间的。

发信人: usa521 (nini), 信区: MedicalCareer？
标题: Re: 恳请大家的建议
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Feb 1 20:54:12 2006), 转信
我因为已经在医学校phd了，我现在的学校是常青藤，竞争比较激烈。但是据说第一年或者第二年的phd可以申请md，这个申请是内部申请，可能会比外部的申请好一些，但是还是需要mcat。
我现在phd第一年，应该有充分的时间准备这些，但是投入产出比，不知道是哪个好

发信人: againstwind (逆风而行), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: Re: 恳请大家的建议
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Feb 1 20:49:27 2006)
1。phd-md竞争非常激烈的，因为可以豁免学费，一般是给顶尖的美国学生的，你事先可以去问一下。学制7-8年，上两年医学基础，然后做研究，然后最后两年临床实习。非常stress的，但是出来非常光明。需要考mcat，因为是医学院的program。医学院一般要求是美国公民，至少也要有绿卡。

2。药剂师10万我觉得不错呀，相对医学生要经过残酷的考试，住院医生培训，生活质量不可同日而语。

我也谈谈美国教育zt

2006-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

送交者: 唐宗宋祖 2006年1月30日15:55:04 于 [教育与学术]http://www.bbsland.com

前面看到几篇谈美国大学教育的文章。我自己也在美国大学教书，学校在100-150之间。有些自己的体会，感觉不吐不快。

我个人认为，其实所谓的美国的“差”学生并不差，也不笨，只是数理和逻辑能力很薄弱而已。（的确很薄弱，跟中国学生比起来，差的太多了。美国教育的传统就是数学差劲）但是如果你根据一个人的数理知识和数理能力来判断他的水平，其实有点舍本逐末了。或者说，一叶障目，不见泰山。

我们自己想想，一个人在社会上的成功和幸福，和他的数理水平到底有多大关系？其实就像卡内基指出的，一个人的成功，不到30%和专业技术有关，70%和这个人的沟通能力，交际能力，个性品质有关系。可能对于纯理工学生来说，专业技术的比重会高些，但也不会超过50%。

如果从这个角度看，美国的所谓“差”学生，其实一点都不差。他们的沟通能力，交际能力，个性品质，其实相当的不错，甚至超过大多数同一档次的中国学生。他们只是数学知识，逻辑推理能力要远远落后于中国学生。

另一点，美国学生相对比较思想单纯，不象中国学生思想会转弯。其实这和智商无关，也不是“笨”。只是美国环境比较单纯，学生不需要那么复杂。况且，大家思想都那么复杂，很多精力都消耗在内斗和互相替防上了，很无必要。

还有一点，就是身体。说老实话，拚tenure，拚科研，拚到后来，就是拼勤奋，也就很大程度上是拼身体，拚意志了。我自己是相当羡慕几个老美教授的身体素质。他奶奶的，我年轻的时候还能几个通宵不睡觉，过了35以后，一个通宵就撑不住了。还好tenure才6年，咬咬牙就拼过去了。

我个人认为，中国教育比较欠缺，比较失败的几点：
1）非常偏重和强调理工，其实最终很容易演化为知识的灌输而已。
2）非常忽视人的个性品质，交际沟通能力的培养。
3）相当忽视体育。
4）学术道德低下。其实这也不单是教育界自己的问题。

美国的高等教育，总体而言，不论是体制，资金和人员素质，远远超过其他国家。美国整体教育的最大问题，我个人认为，是初中等教育太过于自由化，放纵化。以后有机会在聊吧。
---------------------------------
中国教育差最重要的原因是教师不是学生 - paladin 1/31/06 (1)
再挖根子--首要的是制度问题。 - yuan2 1/31/06 (0)
美国逃潦尤颍瑆ithout a doubt! /无内容 - chouette 1/31/06 (1)
对！美国教育的成功在于它的制度--虽然也有问题。 /无内容 - yuan2 1/31/06 (0)
是那么回事！同意本文的观点。 - yuan2 1/31/06 (0)
Well, american students are better in math. - usedpen 1/30/06 (1)
the problem lies in teachers, not students - paladin 1/31/06 (0)
No wonder you are in 100-150 tier school - kayakar 1/30/06 (1)
what's the use of good math if you 一个通宵就撑不住了? - kayakar 1/30/06 (0)
老美学生的数理差,是有历史传统的 - 老陶 1/30/06 (3)
本来一个国家的强大本来根本就不需要那么多懂数理的人 - paladin 1/31/06 (2)
Graduate Entrance Exam fails how many in China? /无内容 - yaubei 1/31/06 (0)
您这是短视行为,连老美现在都不会这么看 /无内容 - 老陶 1/31/06 (0)
“中国人数学好”不过是一种stereotype，是填鸭填出来的。 - prn 1/30/06 (4)
你是填鸭填出来的,别以为别人象你 /无内容 - yinyue 1/31/06 (1)
难怪这么阴郁呢。是不是太把自己当回事儿，而学生又太不 - prn 2/01/06 (0)
kind of agree - dothis 1/30/06 (0)
锟斤拷锟斤拷同锟斤拷 - dothis 1/30/06 (0)
俺认为美国学生数学根本不差 /无内容 - 职业 1/30/06 (4)
你教过他们数学吗？没有的话别乱说了。 /无内容 - 分析几何 1/30/06 (1)
俺指导俺孩子的数学，现在，发现他们很深的 - 职业 1/30/06 (0)
美国大学生在各方面也就象中国高中生水平 /无内容 - yinyue 1/30/06 (1)
那是因为够了，到研究生时再钻研就可以累。。 /无内容 - 职业 1/30/06 (0)
大多美国学生连英语作文都不行,唯一行的就是口语 /无内容 - yinyue 1/30/06 (4)
大多数中国学生的中文作文也不怎么样。 - prn 1/30/06 (2)
我在这碰到的很多中国留学生连中文口语都不行。 - prn 1/30/06 (1)
那是因为他们从来没说过真话，写过真文章 /无内容 - 职业 1/30/06 (0)
那是因为他们的写作在大学才教，但足够累 /无内容 - 职业 1/30/06 (0)

Scramble 3

2006-02-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

"Phone Interview with the Program Director"

Usually, 24 hours after the match results are posted, a list of the programs that did not fill all their positions become available to registered candidates only. You will be notified on "Unmatch Day," the day before Match Day.

Are you sure the specialty you chose is still what you want? You have about 24 hours to reconsider and convince the program director on your phone interview. Another important consideration is your geographical flexibility. If you are flexible, you can be confident you will have a reasonable chance at the Post Match Scramble.

If you are one of those unfortunate few, listen to the advice from your Dean of Students and remain calm and attack the Post Match Scramble in an orderly manner until you secure a position. If you do not have a Dean or somebody familiar with the complex process then plan ahead and retain professional guidance early.

Beginning at 12 noon (EST) on Unmatch Day, unmatched applicants and unfilled programs begin the laborious process of contracting for positions.

In order to be prepared you need the following:

1. Fax Machine and Email Account ... critical ... your future will depend on a these tools (fax your CV, PS, LORs, Dean's Letter, ECFMG Certificate, transcript, picture)

2. Professionally prepared Curriculum Vitae ... they don't use ERAS after the Match!

3. Letters of Recommendation ... should be written in an Americanized format

4. Medical School Transcript

5. ECFMG Certificate

6. A flawless, and well written Personal Statement

7. Dean's Letter ... this is usually at least a 3 page comprehensive letter

8. Universal Application for Residency if the program asks for it

scamble 2

2006-02-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

USMLE post match scramble is an important and free process for International Medical Graduates (IMGS) in which all those who have been unsuccessful in obtaining a match for their residency can apply for the unfulfilled positions. The list of these unfulfilled positions is usually posted on NRMP website (http://www.nmrp.org/) two days prior to the posting of the final match results. In 2005 this will be 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States, on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 and will last from noon on March 15 to noon on March 17, 2005. In these 48 hours the online USMLE Post Match scramble process usually transmits thousands of documents.
The USMLE Post Match scramble involves three different organizations: 1. MyERAS, operated by the Association of American Medical Colleges ERAS; 2. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP, or "the Match") NRMP; 3. Your ERAS Crew at ECFMG, your designated Dean's Office ECFMG. Any applicant who has not matched can apply for USMLE Post Match scramble. IMGs must have their passing results for all required exams reported to the NRMP in time to participate in the Match, but they do not have to be certified prior to the Match in order to participate. To participate in USMLE Post Match scramble and to increase your chances of getting a match in the USMLE Post Match scramble, one should apply as soon as the list of unfilled positions has been posted at http://www.nrmp.org/ at 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States, on Tuesday, March 15, 2005. This is also the site where the final Match results will be posted 2 days later. You may apply to any program that has an unfilled position. If you have applied to a program earlier then let them know that they already have your application, and ask them to take another look at it. You cannot re-transmit your application.
In case you did not register with the Match, you need an NRMP / AAMC ID and a password to gain access to the list of unfilled positions. Ideally, you will have contacted a few programs in advance to find out whether you should apply, and how each program wants to receive your application. Since it will be difficult to reach the program directors and receive the answers you need during the USMLE Post Match scramble, the following method is considered to be the most appropriate:
1. Add up to 30 programs to the list of programs to which you have applied 2. Try to follow up with these programs by phone 3. If a program prefers to receive your application by fax, you can still fax your application to them.
You may apply to a maximum of 30 programs during the two-day USMLE Post Match scramble.
There is no charge for applying to programs during the USMLE Post Match scramble. However, to release your application, you must complete the payment process, even if the amount due is zero. Any programs to which you apply after 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States, on Thursday, March 17, 2005 will be charged at the regular rate. For more information, see ERAS 2005 Application Fees on the AAMC ERAS website.
On Thursday, March 17, 2005, at 1:00 PM, the results of the Match will be announced.
One should always consider USMLE Post Match scramble as there are some programs that participate in ERAS, but not in the Match and vice versa. Although the list of such programs is not readily avaiable, it is better to increase your chances of getting a residency by exploring all the options including this USMLE Post Match scramble. You might have to appear for interviews in some programs even in USMLE Post Match scramble process but that depends from program to program and the program directors will be in best position to tell you.
You can make changes or update your application before the USMLE Post Match scramble only till the extent the software will allow you to change. You may change the information in MyProfile and you may reassign personal statements and Letters of Recommendation.
Throughout the season ERAS crew checks your files, on a daily basis, for any new information that would require an updated ECFMG Status Report to be transmitted to the programs. That new information could be a USMLE score or issuance of an ECFMG Certificate. Once a new Status Report has been created, based on any of these conditions, it will be transmitted automatically at the end of the day. There is nothing you need to do. During the two USMLE Post Match scramble days, ERAS crew will login to the ERAS PostOffice several times each day to retrieve your document assignments and program lists. They will process those lists and transmit your documents shortly thereafter.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- List of things to do to prepare yourself appropriately for the USMLE Post Match scramble ----------------------------------------------------------------------- During the 48 hours of the USMLE Post Match scramble, there is no time for manual processing. Your file must be ready for automatic processing by our system before the USMLE Post Match scramble begins.
That means:
1. At least one week before the USMLE Post Match scramble, you must apply to at least one program.
2. If you are planning to apply during the USMLE Post Match scramble only, you must still apply to at least one program about one week before the USMLE Post Match scramble.
3. You must also make sure that all of your documents have been received and assigned, so that ERAS can attach and transmit them before the USMLE Post Match scramble.
4. If you are sending ERAS new or replacement LoRs, they must have them one week prior to the USMLE Post Match scramble, so that they have time to attach them. If you have a new, additional LoR, assign it to one of your original programs. This gives them time to attach it before the USMLE Post Match scramble. During the USMLE Post Match scramble ERAS will not have time to do it.
5. If you are sending ERAS a replacement LoR from the same writer, attach a note to it that reads, "This replaces the previous LoR." Otherwise, ERAS might mistake it for another copy of the one they have already scanned and discard it without scanning. After that, your file is ready for the USMLE Post Match scramble.

Scamble -1

2006-02-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Official Timeline
February 22, 2006
Late Registration Deadline
Rank order list certification deadline
Applicants and programs must certify their rank order lists by 9:00 PM eastern time. Staff will be available to answer your questions during the final deadline hours. CERTIFIED applicant and program rank order lists and any other information pertinent to the Match must be entered in the R3 System by this date and time.

Monday, March 13, 2006
Applicant matched and unmatched information posted to the Web site at 12:00 noon eastern time.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Filled and unfilled results for individual programs posted to the Web site at 11:30 am eastern time.

Locations of all unfilled positions are released at 12:00 noon eastern time. Unmatched applicants may begin contacting unfilled programs at 12:00 noon eastern time.

March 16, 2006
Match Day! Match results for applicants are posted to Web site at 1:00 pm eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Plan of The Game

1. Have the following equipment available: two or even better, three phone lines, cell phones will do fax machine; computer with high speed internet connection a couple of friends who will help you to call the programs frozen lunches or a friend ready to bring some from the nearest McDonald's
2. Get the unmatched programs list
3. Call, e-mail and Fax your application as fast as you can, so you are ahead of others

What you should expect on that day
1. Monday from about 9 AM CST every future resident in the country is trying to log on to the NRMP. Needless to add - most of them are unsuccessful. The closer it gets to 11 AM, the less chances one has to get there. The web site just cannot handle the load. That's where having a fast internet connection, more than one computer and a couple of friends trying to log on, pays off big time.
2. After logging on, you still are three clicks away from downloading a list of unfilled programs. Each click you will have to repeat from 10 to 100 times because everybody else is doing that. What you will see is a "Site is unavailable" page after some time out. My advice - do not give up and start over, use browser "Refresh" to get thru.
3. After getting the list, you have to filter out the information you need: specialty and geographic location. Now you need to compile a list of phone numbers, e-mails and faxes of the programs you want to apply to.
4. You log on to ERAS and apply for 20-25 programs you are interested the most. Save 5 applications for the leads you are going to get from faxing and e-mailing.
5. One of your helpers faxes your application to ALL programs in ALL specialties you consider. I recommend using some fax service like http://jblast.jfax.com/ . You can pre-load your documents in advance. The most important thing - they have lots of phone lines and fax machines trying to deliver your faxes simultaneously. Their service is $.06 per page and it's worth it!
6. Another helper of yours e-mails your application to the programs.
7. You and all other helpers available call the programs.
8. You get a spot if everything went OK!

Everything listed above should be of some help for you just by itself. If you need professional help getting your information before or after the match to as many programs as possible, please see the "IMG Residency Match" and "Post Match Scramble" pages.

Residency-Chinese

2006-02-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Skate case 1
Skate case 2
Skate case 3
Skate case 4
Skate case 5
Madoc case 1
Madoc case 2
Scramble 1
Scramble 2
Scramble 3
关于选program的一点想法zt
再谈要端正心态zt
Stat of Pathology match 2006
Rank order List 2006 for pathology match

Madoc case-2

2006-01-31T14:03:00.000-08:00

标题: 闲聊这次面试的经过！！！
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Tue Jan 24 23:49:21 2006)

没有吹嘘的意思，只是希望有朋友看了能有点帮助。

这次在纽约，新泽西一共有四个面试。当时向头请假的时候是抱着被kick out的可能硬着头皮去的。好在中国农历新年要来，加上利用老美看中新年的弱点竟然欣然同意了我的假条。不过来这新公司三个月，我给他们做了三家医院的数据处理系统，公司还是很满意我的表现的。在美国公司混，get job done,别人一般也就不会有太大意见。

对第一个医院的面试，我并没报很大希望。不过即使one in million 的机会，也要全力以负。因为前面已经去了六家，再加上去年换工作面试了三家公司，已经是面试老油子了。记得在去年第一家医院面试的时候，都紧张的差点被椅子绊倒。现在是一进会议室，就是自己倒饮料喝，跟其它residence瞎砍。也许以上的原因，系头对我的回答很满意，就说：小子，如果今天整个面试完了，你还是对我这个地方感兴趣的话，就来我的办公室详谈。

这个program是community based,university affiliated，毕业的学生50%以上去做fellowship,而且是很不错的地方。我遇到一个今年去UCLA。这点是很impressive.确实打动了我的心。本来我是中意南部的一个医院。

面试完，我径直走进系头的办公室，跟他说我对你的program非常感兴趣。系头可能明白了我的意思，但他告我剩下的医院你照样去，星期五给我答复。完了，在美国待了多年，这点意思我还是明白的。看来是没戏了。此处不留爷，自有留爷处。

但我的文件留在了他们的一个会议室，有位住院医答应帮我去开门。不巧他的BP机响了。我就等在会议室外，看着窗外飘零的雪花，心头不仅一紧。一起来面试的一位老印在知道不能拿H-1得时候眼圈都红了。哎，同是天涯沦落人。。。。。。。。。

手机响了，怎么可能？这里的手机信号很弱。定睛一看是个很陌生的电话号码。不会又是猎头的电话吧？这段时间IT工作巨多，老有这样的电话。本不想理，鬼使神差我接了电话，没想到时这个program的秘书打来的。某某，你能来一趟吗？有戏。。。。。。
。。

我镇静而从容的步入办公室，神速的出乎大家的意料。系头一把握住我的右肩，说到：we want you! ”哎，要我就早点说吗！！！搞来搞去要搞死人的。。。。。“周星驰的无俚头名言差点脱口而出。我这时想得却是”感谢党和领导对我多年的关怀和培养。。。。。“。

接下来到行政办公室去签合同。然后系头再次嘱咐我要从match 里withdraw,otherwise it is illegal.

That's it.祝大家新年也都顺心顺意，马到成功。

Madoc case-1

2006-01-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

标题: 第一次与艾滋病人握手！！！
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Thu Aug 18 15:28:55 2005)

人生又完整了点。

　　　我的医生朋友给了我shadow的机会。跟考board很不一样的。用药都是商品名。电话dictation没有几年训练还真的不行。ＣＳ的考试还是很有用的。

医生朋友的效率很高，16个病人３小时就基本上完成了。如果不给我讲解的话，估计２小时也就ok了。下午又回公司上班。
-----------------------------------------
标题: 一个星期拿了四个IM的邀请信
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sun Oct 30 21:42:55 2005)

由于种种原因，申请的比较晚。一个星期拿了四个IM的邀请信让我感觉好了一点。以后
应该还会更多。
到了MALL里定了一套西服，争取在面试中搞定一个。两个月前找新工作的时候三个面试
搞定了两个，算是热身了。
----------------------------------------
标题: 看样子要给我prematch！！！
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Tue Nov 22 14:38:57 2005)

今天收到一封信大致意思是我们interview了100个候选人，你的经历很impressive，希望你在甄别program要睁大眼睛，明白什么是好的什么是坏的。有空再到我们这里来看看。
这个program的location我是真喜欢，就是以后的fellowship的机会少了点。真的给我prematch,可也是要掂量掂量。
------------------------------------------
标题: 今天来了两个邀请信
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Mon Oct 31 14:25:52 2005)

一个内科，一个家庭医生。不错的开始。
------------------------------------------
标题: 印第安那大学的家庭医生program真大方
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Mon Dec 5 15:44:54 2005)

帮你出机票。如果进这个program，每年还有近1万的房贴。Not bad deal!
------------------------------------------
标题: 一个校友拿到了MGH麻醉的OFFER!!!
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Jan 25 17:21:15 2006)

麻省总医院--- 哈佛附属医院。

他的背景是99/99，GC holder,Ph.D,USCE
------------------------------------------

skate case -5

2006-01-31T13:43:00.000-08:00

标题: 2006 Match申请的体会
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sat Jan 14 23:29:34 2006)

本人对住院医申请过程的一点体会，希望对以后申请的人有帮助。

1.时间一定要安排好，我自己考得太晚，希望大家尽量别犯我的错误。理想状态应该是9月1日前结束所有Step 1, Step 2 CK,Step 2 CS (要H1签证的还要考Step 3)，并且拿到ECFMG certificate(一般是所有的考试考完后两个星期拿得到certificate)。这样对于申请下一年的住院医来说已经掌握了第一个主动权，原因如下：现在每年申请住院医的外国毕业生越来越多。像今年我去面试的一些program说他们收到3500份申请（计划只收20个住院医生）。9月1日是你可以递交给电子系统（ERAS)申请的第一天，如果那一天能够所有材料都齐全的话就可以抢占第一批被program review的batch。外国毕业生最容易去的是比较小的community hospital program,而这些program往往招的人数不多，能够面试的人数有限。所以他们review了一开始的几批申请后就会发邀请（自然是喜欢邀请已经都考完并拿到ECFMG certificate的人)，interview slots fill up就不再审阅了。早申请的优势是很明显的，可以大大增加interview的机会。当然晚申请也不是世界末日，只是如果你现在计划考试的事不妨考虑到这个时间因素。

2.以前一直知道绿卡很关键，我想对中国人来说仍然是一件重要的事。不过今年我发现很多申请者没有绿卡也能拿到好的interview,似乎绿卡不是那么重要的门槛了。所以没有绿卡不等于只能去没人要去的program。

3.毕业年限。一直都听说很多program不要old graduate。我毕业7年了，申请的时候没有去打听过哪个program收5年以上的人，看着想去的我就申请了。（当然一大因素是我只申请了所在地的program,如果全国范围申请的还是应该打听一下program requirement作参考）如果有一个program你很想去但是毕业年限不符合要求，我建议你还是申请。我面试了一些地方后再去看看他们的要求发现其实好几个地方都说只要毕业3年内或5年内的人。我在面试时还碰到过毕业10多年的中国人，所以这种要求不是绝对的。Program还是会看
whole package的。

4.美国临床经验。依我看来这是除分数外唯一可以大大增加竞争力的因素了。我看今年人们post的信息，有US clinical experience的人很多都有很好的program的interview。如果你想去很好的program的话只有靠这一条来脱颖而出了。我今年的体会是：如果有99/99,美国research,美国医生的推荐信，9月1日就递交完整的申请，能去的program也就只能到一定的水平。USCE是可以完全make a huge difference的。当然USCE要关系，要花钱，就看你个人的目标了。

5.Be self assertive。如果你觉得自己deserve一个program,就努力争取。没有人会笑话你异想天开，试过了你才知道会怎样。

以后想到了再补充。祝各位好运！

skate case -4

2006-01-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

标题: Re: USMLE考试经验
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Jan 11 18:50:43 2006)

你可以试试打电话。kaplan有免费的one day pass,你可以去弄一个然后看看是否喜欢这
样的学习方法（看录像）。顺便可以问问优惠的事。

Kaplan 5 day CS如果有钱值得上。不然听说纽约的Dr. Schwartz的课很好，也便宜多了
。（他以前就是在kaplan教CS的，后来估计分赃不均就单干了）Kaplan的主要是有个10
patient simulation,比较有助于适应考试的环境。
-----------------------------------------------
Kaplan一般每年年底涨价。平时有时候有促销的（比如kaplan alumni是10% off)。我都
是优惠时付$500定金，以后再参加。（这种定金如果决定不上课了可以拿回来的）我在这
次年底前又付了step 3 30visit的定金，准备过一阵子去上课，争取住院医开始前考掉。

Skate case -3

2006-01-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

标题: USMLE考试经验
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed Jan 11 16:26:06 2006)

今天得知CS通过了,总算松了口气。想和大家分享一下这一年多的学习体会，以互相鼓励。2005年对我而言是疯狂的一年，考了3门USMLE。STEP 1： 250/99，STEP 2 CK：260/99，STEP 2 CS：Pass。

我所有的考试都是用的KAPLAN的NOTES，本人体会是好好看KAPLAN的书就足够考99分了。我刚开始也是听了各种说法，买了很多书，但最后也只用了KAPLAN。

STEP 1：争取看上4遍KAPLAN的书，看两遍First Aid，听Goljan的病理audio lecture，做Kaplan Qbank。临靠前一个月做www.nbme.org的self assessment test，$45一套，自测的分数和真实考试最接近了。（我测下来有99，就去考了）

STEP 2 CK：我上了KAPLAN的Center Prep 30 visits progrm $1500，很有帮助。STEP 2不象STEP 1，死记硬背帮助不大。一定要掌握基本原则和概念才能在短时间内取得好成绩。看了两遍KAPLAN NOTES，看了一小部分Crush Step 2，做了KAPLAN Qbank和USMLEWORLD.COM的题。考前也作了NBME的自测题，说是有99就去考了

STEP 2 CS：上了KAPLAN 5 day course，花了$2000。其实不是太必要，但是我考得晚，想确保通过以赶上今年的MATCH，所以咬牙花了钱。这个主要是练习。和会说英语的家里人或朋友练就行了，不一定得找一样考试的人。材料用First Aid和USMLEWORLD的CASES就足够了。

我一共花了一年多的时间复习，期间在实验室里全职做研究。最后几个月改成一周上3-4天班以加快速度。STEP 2 CK的复习需时较少，3个多月就足够了。CS花了一个月。参加了2006MATCH的申请，目前正在INTERVIEW （申请了内科）。我知道的好几个中国人都考得很好，只不过没有发帖而已。USMLE还是doable test，只要坚持一定会成功的。

祝各位好运！！！

Skate case -2

2006-01-31T13:33:00.000-08:00

发信人: skate (skate), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: 得到offer，退出了2006 Match
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Thu Jan 26 12:40:45 2006)

本人背景：
Step 1 250/99，Step 2 CK 260/99， Step 2 CS pass，Step 3 还没考美国医学研究3年，年会时有过一个POSTER，唯一的paper还没写好2封美国的推荐信，1封国内的推荐信没有美国临床经验国内3年内科住院医，1年专科医生持绿卡

申请了40多个内科的program，基本都在纽约地区。得到了12个面试，因为offer cancel了3个面试。去过的9个面试中共有6个给了prematch offer。（我相信如果考试考得早还会多些面试的。大家尽量9月1日前都搞定）

最后被New York Presbyterian Cornell的内科接受为PGY-2，所以退出了Match。

我有幸让这个program PD考虑我是因为毛遂自荐的勇气（归功于老公的建议），好分数，强大的推荐。但是这些并不够，所以PD让我在病房里observe以决定我是否有能力。在病房参与讨论时我能够让所有人觉得我可以胜任归功于国内做过的临床和STEP 2复习打下的基础。我很珍惜这个机会，希望能做一个好住院医。特别是他们告诉我这个program从没收过中国的毕业生，我更应该努力工作，以convince PD将来让更多的中国医学毕业生进入到这种top program。

这一年多经受了很多压力和焦虑。我很庆幸一直有朋友，同事和家人的支持。复习时我经常觉得很沮丧，好在有很多考友可以“骚扰”，他们的安慰和鼓励对我真的很重要。所有的事情要面对时都会觉得时最困难的。没考时我觉得考试最难，曾经以为永远也没勇气去考场了；考完了觉得申请最难；有了面试又觉得面试时的表现最难；现在又觉得真正工作最难。所以大家无论处在何种阶段都要坚信困难会过去的。只要努力一定会做上住院医。

祝大家好运！！
-------------------------------------------------------
我们Match或Prematch都是申请PGY-1的位置，内科住院医都是3年完成的。我这次Cornell
是让我直接做PGY-2，所以我2年就可以完成了。虽然节省了时间，我觉得压力还是很大。
因为PGY-2就要supervise PGY-1，所以自己一定得快速适应。

Skate case -1[zt]

2006-01-31T13:25:00.000-08:00

标题: Re: Connections count
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Fri Jan 27 12:12:22 2006)

第一次和Cornell的PD见面时他很坦率地告诉我如果我不和他主动联系的话他肯定连我的file都不会见到。因为他们不考虑外国医学毕业生，第一轮筛选就通通筛掉了。我为什么会想到contact PD？因为我很向往这个医院，每次看到他们的住院医生来来往往都觉得很羡慕。但是我很清楚美国学生也想挤破头进去，想到他们不大可能考虑我心中一直有些遗憾。我只申请了纽约的内科program，拿到的面试中最好program要算是St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Long(Columbia affiliated的大型community hospital）和Long Island Jewish Hospital。我当时很清楚以我的分数和背景这是我在纽约能去的最好的地方了。正如我预料的，虽然我也申请了所有纽约Univeristy Hospital，没有任何回音。我不在Cornell工作，不过我们的医院和Cornell的联系紧密，我老板本身也是Cornell做的住院医。我很快意识到虽然老板很支持我，也写了强大的推荐信，她不可能帮我去联系任何program。所以如果我想去一个地方，只有我自己去和那儿的PD说才行。这里要感谢我的老公，他说我不够self-assertive，被动等是不会有top program主动邀请我的。在他的鼓励下，我鼓起勇气迈出了第一步。一旦我和他们搭上话，我老板还是鼎力back me up的，这也是很重要的一点。我觉得自己幸运的地方是所有的环节都很favorable，从分数到最后在病房里的表现。Connection固然重要，但是其它的因素特别是自己毛遂自荐迈出第一步也都是缺一不可的。

我希望我的经历可以鼓舞所有的同道。
------------------------------
Hi, skate,
Congratulations!
I have a question for you. What kind of IMG can enter the university program? I think your background is good enough for that. why do not you try to contact the university program.

Thanks for reply!

首先我的经验只限于纽约地区，内科program。美国稍微好一些的医学院的University Hospital的内科是不大收外国毕业生的。原因很简单，他们有足够的优秀美国医学毕业生可挑。而且招收美国学生政府给补贴，招外国学生就没有。一般所谓IMG friendly的program其实就是招不足美国学生或根本没有美国学生肯去的。美国政府肯让外国人行医，说白了就是医生需大于供。我面试的地方都是这样的。我的99/99，美国推荐信，绿卡顶多让我去到好一些的community program。如果我有美国临床经验的话（observe没用，至少要真正接触病人的hands on experience半年或以上）可以去再好一些的地方。但是竞争激烈的大学医院比如Ivy League的或NYU还是没戏的。所以我的体会是，尽量分数考好点还是可以至少去好些的community hospital，prematch offer也会多些，不会落到没match上或是很糟糕的program。

美国的住院医培训还是挺标准化的，不象中国，大小医院出来的人会很不一样。所以申请时还是应该调整好心态。争取去最好的地方，但是无论最后去何program都应该高高兴兴，完成这三年的训练。我不是现在才说风凉话，Cornell的事情还没有work out的时候我就已经这样想了。因为大小program各有利弊：community hospital有很多hands on看病人的机会，有利于培养独立从零开始work up一个病人以诊断治疗。有的program小到没有fellowship，很多人觉得这是很糟糕的，其实没有fellow的地方内科住院医还要担负起专
科会诊的任务，这也是很好的锻炼机会。university hospital可以看到很多专科的专家，复杂的procedure，比较开眼界，但是收进病房的病人大多已经在入院前已经有的彻底的work up，所以会相对欠缺独立诊断的机会。因为上述我从面试中得到的结论，我觉得内心平静了很多，因为去哪儿都有一番天地。

住院医申请我们处劣势，因为没有临床经验是一大缺陷。但是一旦挺过了这三年，我们申请fellow就会有很多优势了。因为临床经验已经不是问题，更重要的是很多中国人以前做的研究会让他们明显stand out。

祝各位狗年好运！！

发信人: madoc (香格里拉), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: Re: Connections count
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Fri Jan 27 15:36:26 2006)

说得不错！！！

我认识的那位中国医生也不是什么大学program毕业，他在EMORY 的IM实习过十个月。如果将来只想出来赚钱大可不必去University based.他去年有47万。Emory的IMprogram,每天morning report 时都要有powerpoint做presentation.大学program一般比较大，象Uiv of Kansas的IM一班有60个人，教授都不知道你叫啥名。毕业的时候给你写推荐信都不一定strong.因为人多了高手就多，把你跟其他美国学生比，IMG往往就是个殿底。

当然人往高处走，能进大学program尽量进，进不去也无妨。至少这三年可以lay back a little.中国人一般要进专科。那就在training中搞点研究，与相关的专科医生搞好关系。毕业了去个专科培训。专科培训一般是大学program.

不管如何，在美国当上医生就是强者了。只认英雄,不论出处。

Externship resource[zt]

2006-01-31T13:24:00.000-08:00

标题: Re: To madoc
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sat Jan 28 15:36:08 2006)

I used gmcgroup. U can check http://www.gmcgroup.org/

There is phone number for externship. cost me 350/week.

But recently I heard that so many people call them for externship.So better
check it out quick.

Good luck.

【在 stareee (星星) 的大作中提到: 】
: I read your posts here regarding exam and match experience, and appreciate
: your generoisty of sharing. I was wondering whether you can tell us
something
: about externership. Do you need to apply for it, or do you have to know some

: doctors in order to be accepted? Thanks a lot.

IM interview questions!!![zt]

2006-01-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

发信人: madoc (香格里拉), 信区: MedicalCareer
标题: IM interview questions!!!
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Tue Jan 31 16:02:58 2006)

我一共去了6个IM，1个FM。除了一个program问了我医学问题，其它都是很轻松的。而且大部分内科program都不会问你医学问题，只是想看看你这个人personality 如何。所以大家去面试内科时大可relax，show your real personaliy.PD喜欢的候选人因program而异，因人而异，增加胜算的唯一方法是多去几个。圈里流行的是6个面试能secure one.一般去六个，两个看你不顺眼，两个爱你不过来，另外两个爱你死去活来。去面试之后你一般都会有点感觉了，回来之后对你有好感的会对你的感谢信很快回复。然后双方眉来眼去，就这样成了。总之跟相对象有点相似。想想要相处3年整，那不挑个顺眼的来。候选人长得漂亮，长得cute就便宜了。长得汉城得也不要灰心，madoc我也不拿了一个。

基本问题：

1. Why choose our program?

2. tell me yourself.

3. What did you do after graudation?

4. Why choose IM?

5. What is your strength and weakness?

6. Are u a leader or a follower?

7. What are your spouse doing?

other useful adjectives

2006-01-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Beautiful美丽的 ugly难看的 cute/ lovely可爱的 gorgeous华丽的
good-looking 好看的 excellent卓越的/杰出的 progressive进步的
conservative保守的 talkative健谈的 dumb沉默的
wise聪明的 foolish愚蠢的 kind亲切的/好心的
diligent勤勉的 patient有耐心的 amicable友善的
ambitious雄心勃勃的 energetic有生气的 alive/animate生气勃勃的
affectionate充满情感的 arrogant自大的 supercilious高傲的
clumsy笨拙的 pleasing惹人喜爱的 jolly快乐的
brutal残忍的 mean 恶劣的 cautious谨慎的
courteous/pilote有礼貌的 cordial恳挚的 content满足的
faithful忠实的 decent体面的 respectable可敬的
desperate绝望的 dreary/gloomy忧郁的 tame温顺的
eloquent雄辩的 ardent热情的 timid胆小的
imprudent轻率的 humane仁慈的 merciful慈悲的
impartial公正的 inferior劣等的 notorious声名狼藉的
influential有影响力的 rational理性的 stingy吝啬的
modest谦逊的 serious严肃的 stern/strict严格的
sly/ tricky/cunning狡猾的 upright正直的 vulgar粗俗的
witty机智的 worldly世俗的 zealous热心的

EnglishPod 39

2006-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Adjectives 'a-jik-tiv
How to paint a picture.
Adorable &-'dOr-&-b&l, -'dor-
most times for baby or puppies
Average 'a-v(&-)rij
normal, ordinary
Clean-cut man
Concerned k&n-'s&rnd
worried
Curious 'kyur-E-&s curiosity "kyur-E-'ä-s(&-)tE
Cute 'kyüt cuteness noun
Not beautiful, but pleasant. Always for woman. Innocent feeling.
Distinct di-'sti[ng](k)t
Elegant 'e-li-g&nt
lady like, carried herself well. High class.
Filthy 'fil-thE
dirty.
Glamorous 'glam-r&s, 'gla-m&-/
loud dress. most times for Hollywood stars
Strange 'strAnj
Ugly '&-glE
no for man or woman.

EnglishPod 40

2006-01-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

Wrong words
Clothes KlO-ths
Humberger NOT humberg
*Expresso ik-'spre-(")sO
*mayonnaise 'mA-&-"nAz
*Pollution p&-'lü-sh&n
Brother 'br&-[th]&r
*Febuary 'fe-b(y)&-"wer-E 'fe-br&-
Probably 'prä-b&-blE, 'prä(b)-blE
Toward 'tO(-&)rd, 'to(-&)rd
Passenger 'pa-s&n-j&r
Ask 'ask
Hight 'hIt
Debt 'det
Vehicle 'vE-&-k&l also 'vE-"hi-k&l

Med News06 1.2

2006-01-30T07:08:00.000-08:00

WebMD reported Jan. 27, 2006

Exubera delivers short-acting insulin via an inhaler. It offers adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes an alternative to the insulin injections they need to control their blood sugar. The device is not approved for use by children younger than 18. The FDA approval requires the manufacturer to distribute medication guides along with Exubera. The guide contains FDA-approved information written especially for patients.Exubera is not to be used by smokers or people who have quit smoking within the previous six months. It's also not recommended for people with asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. However, people with colds or flu should still be able to take the drug, although it may cause coughing.

Good lung function was recommended to be confirmed before installing this therapy. Long term lung safety, especially in patients of pulmonary disorders, is needed, and was recommended by FDA. Advantages were obvious. Easier use of insulin. With epidemics of diabetes in US, the drug maker Pfizer may hope this new drug would reach billion-dollar seller. Eli Lilly is too developing their own inhalable insulin.

Med News 1

2006-01-30T06:44:00.000-08:00

According to JAMA Jan. 25, 2006; vol 295: pp. 387-388 and WebMD news.

Jan. 27, 2006 - Less than one out of five American women who have mastectomies also have breast reconstruction surgery, but cost does not seem to be the only thing driving the decision, new research suggests.

A review of breast reconstruction practices in the U.S. found that reconstruction rates overall have not increased since 1999 -- the year legislation was enacted mandating insurance coverage for the surgery.

Figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show a 22% decline in breast reconstruction procedures between 2000 and 2004.

Differences of Ethnics and Regions
Whites have highest rate of undergoing reconstrution surgery, while blacks, Asian and Latinos have only half rate of them. Women living in Atlanta have highest rate of any regions investigated, while Alaska has lowest. Interesting findings. Maybe women in Atlanta have more needs for self-image?

Yet less than half of breast reconstruction surgeries are performed on patients age 50 and older, and fewer than one in 12 reconstructive surgery patients are over age 64.-WebMD

Yes. The elderly does have different priorities. Personally, I do not think there would be the same proportion of older women who are good candidates for surgery, including reconstrution.

How to blog 1

2006-01-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

Use Blogthis! to easily format blog.
expandable summary.
Advance use for Bloggers.

Promote your blog.

Med blogs 2

2006-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

Dr. Charles, a FM doc at UK.
GruntDoc, one of the best medical blogs of 2004
Clinical cases, collection and news
Summer doc, best new blogger of 2005. Colletion of latest medical papers with comments.
Medgadget.com who honor the recipients of best webloggers!

spam again?

2006-01-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the tight blogspot policy against spam blog,

I have to verify my post, each, and very one of them, again. This is becoming quite annoying...

Medical blogs

2006-01-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

Dr. Kevin is running one at his own website.
An introduction to early medical blogs at kidneynote blog. KN runs like collecting health news with original abstract from medical journals. Interestingly, KN also uses Technorati Tags, where I advertised my sites.
Medlogs, a good site.
A medical news commentary, aetiology at Sienceblog.com. I just sent in my application for a space at scienceblog. We'll see how it goes.

--To be continued.

USMLE preparation tips 1

2006-01-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

What to read?
1, Choose right books. Consult with factulty members at your medical school, and also the senior medical students. They are very experienced with the exam preparation.
2, Do NOT read textbook from cover to cover. Rather read review books.
3, Choose one review book, and stick to it. Every books has its strength and weakness. But one has to finish one book before using other books as suppliment.
4, Recommend books/course. Kaplan live lecture and its note have been considered gold standard in preparation, especially step 1. First Aid for Step1 was very good last-week review book. Crush the board step 2 and First Aid for step2 are both good for last-week review for step2. I can not give list of recommended books for step3, because I have not finished it yet.

How to read materials?
Simply actively read books.
1, Propose questions. Ask yourself what the exam would ask about the subject? When you can write questions, you have a deeper understanding of the subject.
2, Chart and graph. Photographic memory is the key for most medical students. So use it, and you will recall the whole picture!
3, Recite or rephrase the subject. When you are able to describe the subject with your own words, you will have put the subject in your mind again, more likely deeper.
4, Summary. Focus on the key differential features of the subjects. You do NOT have to understand the subject completely, which is the goal of residency and subspecialty training. For exam purpose, it is sufficient if you can differentiate those options/subjects from the given info.

Hard to remmeber those?? Easy, the last piece of advice.
Use mnemonic: the about case. I use QCRS=Qaulity Control ReSearch!

Best of luck with your exams!

a letter to scienceblogs

2006-01-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

Dear staff,

My blogs are http://zhanglab.blogspot.com/ and http://drslk.blogspot.com

The Zhang Lab was dedicated into stem cell research, also covering recent biomedical literatures of general interest, for stem cell biologists. It includes highlights in stem cell research (HiSCR), journal club and general readings (GR). HiSCR was a collection of recent publications with immediate interest to stem cell biologists. I generally browse and pick up papers from Impact Factor more than 10 or so, therefore, the data in the paper would be more solid or less likely a fraud. In weekly journal club, I would discuss significance, perspective and problems/arguments about 1 or 2 recent interesting papers. Hopefully, JC would stimulate more serious thinking about such subject. GR is for brain storm, in my view. This collective reading list may help broarden our science thinking in certain way. These 3 parts would fit into general biologist or experienced stem cell biologist, as I propose
The later Dr. SLK was for clinical medicine with focus on pathology, which would become my clinical training specialty. I would comment on recent progress in medical fields, including general health news and publication in medical journals such as JAMA, NEJM, BMJ, Lancet, etc.

I have tried to find a place/site where many good scientists share their blogs of serious scientific thinking. With a link from Nat Genetics Blog, I found you site, and thought it would fit my blog perfectly.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Lanjing Zhang, MD
PS, you may find my CV at http://myprofile.cos.com/ljzhang

Yu Passed USMLE Step1

2006-01-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

It was not easy, to pass such a crucial exam in China. As we all know, the language challenge will provide large barrier for foreign exam takers. Anyway, he passed it verified by the trick of OASIS/WIA at ECFMG site.

The trick as many of USMLE exam takers know, it was just to re-register for the step1 or 2 after the ECFMG site shows a score report has been issued. If the WIA lets one continue to register for the same exam, unfortunately, it was likely the one did not pass the exam. If the WIA does not let one register, it is a good indication. The screen will show-- you have pass the USMLE step X and you can not take it again. Wish you best of luck!

Ad day

2006-01-25T13:03:00.000-08:00

Today, I did some advertisement for my site, not only for myself but also for the doctors or scientists who share the similar interest.

As you may notice, there are several additonal banners on the left sidebar. Those are the places, where I registered to broadcast for the promotion of this site. I think those ranking/listing sites of blogs will also help the readers of this site find more interesting sites...

They include
--technorati.com/blogs
--blogrankings.com
--shadows.com
--blogtopsites.com

a prematch for madoc

2006-01-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

After a long journey of preparation and interviews, Madoc at Mitbbs.com finally got his prematch and concluded his period of Match with wonderful end.

He's very high scores, if I recall it, like 90+ in USMLE step1 and 2.
He's PhD in US, which was from a good US school.
He's working experience in hospital info management, for 1-2 years. That provides him unique experience in the US health system.
He's US clinical experience, by attending an out-of-his-pocket externship of 3 month.
He's US green card.

In summary, he's almost very thing one needs for the match, or residency application. So it's not a surprise that he succeeded.

Best of wishes to him!

journals

2006-01-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

Wed JAMA
Thu NEJM
Thu Nat
Sun BMJ
SciDirect
Fri SCI
Free Medical Journals

33.3 Nat Rev Cancer
30-28 Nat Med
26.7-27 Cell
26.5 Physiol Rev
26.4-26.7 Nat Genet
26 NAT REV MCB
22.8 Ann Rev Cell Dev Biol
21.7 Nature Rev Genet
21 Lancet
20.2-18.28 Nat Cell Biol
19.8 TiCB
19.0 Curr Opin Cell Biol
17.9-12.8 Nat Biotech
17.0-18.7 GeneDev
16.8-16.4 MOL CELL
15.8-11.5 DEV CELL
15.8 JEM
14.5 JNCI
14.39 TiBS
14 JCI
13.8 PLoS Biology
13.6 Neuron
13.6 NAT REV CA
13.3 Trends in Pharm Sci
13.2 Trends in Genet
13.0 PLoS Med
12.5 JCB
12.11 Curr Opin Gen Dev
11.9-8 Curr Biol
10.3-10.69 EMBO J
10.2-10.7 PNAS
10.0-09.63 Blood
08.80 MCB
08.31 Cancer Res
08.25 Diabetes
08.19 Cell Death Diff
07.8 Development
07.5 MBC
07.5 Lancet Oncol
07.2 FASEB J
06.95 JCS
06.75 Am J Path
06.69 JBC
06.3 Oncogene
05.6 Clin Cancer Res
05.3 J Path
05.22 J Cell Physiol
05.1 Dev Biol
04.8 Cell Mol Life Sci
04.6 AJSP
04.48 Differentiation
03.94 AJP-Cell Phyiol
03.8 Febs letters
03.8 Cell Growth Diff
03.7 Lab Investigation
03.6 Mod Path
03.3 Hum Path
03.26 Mech Dev
03.23 Front Biosci
02.87 Dev Dynam

step 3 prep[zt]

2006-01-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

ani - 11/16/05 23:49

I took my Step 3 last weekend and thought I should write a post to help people sitting their exam in the near future. I will write my full experience and answer questions regarding my preparation when I get my results but for now will concentrate on the exam.

Step 3 is the most practical of all the Steps and sort of puts you in the position that we have all been in real life, with a patient in front of you and figuring what to do. Any doctor who has practiced clinical medicine will feel more at home with this exam compared to the other Steps. Many questions reflect things doctors really face in day to day life so it is not an exam worth panicking about and you should feel relatively at ease. That is not to say it is an easy exam…it is not that either.

I found that of all the MCQ questions I probably confidently knew the answer to 40-50%, 25% to 30% I was not certain but could make an educated guess, and another 20-25% I had no clue or could only narrow the responses to two and then had to make a wild guess. Unlike experience of others, I did not find much similarity between the questions and those on USMLEworld. A few questions (below 10%) I would say I had encountered on USMLEworld. What though is similar is the length of questions. And also because many USMLEworld questions are so badly written, if you are used to teasing those out then the real USMLE questions will be relatively easy to understand.

I found time to be a major constraint in the exam. This may partly be because most of my blocks were from the office or health center setting. As I have been a hospital doctor for last 14 years who has never worked outside hospital, I found the office questions rather difficult to reason out and many of the scenarios or questions were strange to me. The hospital and ER blocks were much smoother and I did not have constraints on time, but unfortunately they constituted less than a quarter of my exam. The result is I ended up always rushing against time by the end of the blocks. Concentrating for 8 hours is extremely difficult which was part of the problem and on two or three occasions I dozed off momentarily while staring at the screen (I had been at work in hospital till midnight the day before). There were a lot of ethics questions but if you have been a practicing doctor then many are scenarios you would have encountered in real life and if you stick to your instinct most would be okay. Also a lot of epidemiology – if this is not your strength then do not waste time on them as some will take you minutes to resolve and it is best to forgo that point and spend the time on other questions (for me epidemiology is a strong area so I always worked them out).

General tips I will give on handling MCQ

1) Use the highlighting tool. I think this is the most important way you can a) stay awake b) stay focused and c) keep from making silly mistakes due to not reading the question properly. As you start to read a question you never know where it will end, so just take the marker and mark out key elements of the history, exam, abnormal findings and anything unusual that shouldn’t be there. For example, if it said something harmless like ‘she stopped her job as a nurse 3 weeks ago’ or ‘four years ago she was admitted for stomach pains’ then be suspicious and highlight such phrases because those phrases have no business being in the vignette, except that they are there for a reason. In contrast stuff like vitals are of no importance unless abnormal. Once you do this then go to the question, the bits you have highlighted in yellow stand out and you will be surprised how many apparently innocuous phrases are the clinch to the answer; and if you were to take that phrase out (i.e. if you failed to notice its importance) the question would have a totally different answer (which would also be among the listed options).

2) Do not dwell on questions you don’t know. If you don’t know the answer then no point reading and rereading it, just guess and move on. If you can narrow it to 2 options just guess one of the two and move on. Reading it more won’t do anything than increase your frustration and leaving you fighting against the clock as you get to end of block.

3) Do not dwell on questions if you do know the answer. You will occasionally come across questions that you know you know but for some reason cannot figure out. Do not waste 3 or 4 minutes trying to get this one mark. Mark the question, guess and move on. If you have time at the end then come back to it. Else the time you spend on that Q will hurt you later when you find you have 6 minutes for last six questions. You will then hurry over the last six and could end up failing them all just because you had spent too much time trying to get a single mark.

4) Do not dwell on questions you fail. Do not think too much about questions you have failed; as you go through the exam and see the same theme resurface, you will realize you failed the question first time around. Mourn when you get home. It serves no purpose now other than to distract you and make you more prone to future errors.

5) Learn from previous questions. You will be surprised how many questions have similar themes and how many answers can be derived from questions you have encountered in earlier blocks. Of course often you will learn from a subsequent question that you failed the earlier one; regroup and pick the correct answer this time. Many questions too are repeated. I must have had 5 questions each on two particular neuropathies. I even saw exactly the same (dermatology) photo but with slightly different vignettes on each occasion. When you see things in one question that may help in future then right it down on your board for future reference. When you see the same option or theme repeated then it is likely that that is the correct answer (and you failed it earlier); just regroup and get it right this time. Write down the normal values for lipids – these will feature again and again.

6) Guess intelligently. There are some cardinal rules. If you do not know the answer and there exists an option which says ‘do nothing’ then pick this; sometimes you will be wrong but majority of times you will be right. If you do know the answer and there is another option that says ‘do nothing’ then seriously reconsider your answer. If your answer is option A then hesitate and read through for you may see a better option, because there may be an even better ‘best next step in management’. Or you may find a more specific answer e.g. (A) may be abdominal XR and (D) erect chest and abdomen XR. If there is a strange option that seems to have no reason to be there then this is likely the answer. For example if you have a question on how to manage what looks like an MI, the usual options to expect are cardiac cath, troponin, aspirin, atenolol, lasix, cxr etc. If amongst the options you see something strange like electrophysiological study then read the question again and be careful that what you are dealing with is not an MI but something else like WPW syndrome. Always look hard at the simpler options seriously (like TSH, urinalysis) before you consider sophisticated ones (like MRI). Before you pick the second best answer (because the best has not been provided), look for different ways of describing the same thing – that you don’t see your first choice answer doesn’t mean it isn’t there; for example eponymous names may not be used or a mechanism of action rather than a drug name or a pathological description rather than a disease name. It is EASY to answer questions correctly even when you do not know what the question is asking. If you can guess correctly on even a quarter of questions that you do not know then you seriously enhance your chances.

The first night.
Do not despair after your first day. No matter how bad you have performed it is still recoverable at this stage. Remember most who fail will fail with 70 to 74 so a little extra effort could be the difference between pass and fail. On the first night try and work to limit the damage of the first day. Personally I went through Aster notes (and it paid cos on the second day I had at least 5 questions that I came across night before) and also USMLE CCS cases. Keep your spirits up and hope tomorrow will be a better day.

The second day MCQs I found better (most people do) – I think they want to ease you into the CCS.

CCS
Personally this was my Achilles heel. At least 3 cases I could not get to the bottom of the diagnosis. And the patient was better but not quite right. The pediatric cases were my major problem. My advice to you is when you go in write some things down on your board before you start the CCS on things you must not forget. Like Counsel every case, change location, toxicology in ER cases, pregnancy tests in females etc. I was stunned cos I had 3 cases where the solution to the case came from a test I had ordered innocuously, and had I forgotten to order that test then I would have got nowhere. One patient with vague symptoms ends up pregnant, another HIV positive, another hypothyroid etc. And it was so easy to have forgotten to order the test and be led down the wrong path. Of course two, I could not solve cos there was clearly something I should have asked for which I didn’t. This part of exam is more like a computer game. Try and keep calm. At one point when I reached a dead end I became frantic and lost control and started requesting every test under the sun I could think of which surely didn’t help my case (often met with response the patient is too young and cannot co-operate for this test). Other thing I found is most cases have accessory issues so do not feel comfortable that you worked out they have carpal tunnel syndrome– they might also have peptic ulcer. Another problem I had is I did not advance the clock enough so try and keep up with that.

Take breaks wisely between blocks. When you have a bad block stop and take a break – it is easy to become frustrated and then it becomes self-perpetuating. When things look gloomy, think of it this way. You are not the worst doctor in the world. There are others doing the same question that are finding it as difficult or more difficult than you. There is always someone worse than you. If the block is difficult, maybe it is difficult for everyone. If you are an IMG remember there are many American graduates that are nowhere near as good a doctor as you and if they all pass the exam then so can you. It is a game, just play by the rules and hope for the best – I am doing just that now. Wish you luck.

Ani

让俺瓜瓜写个常见缩写含义吧－－方便新手阅读本版。[zt]

2006-01-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

发信人: nkmelon (胖胖的西瓜), 信区: Photographer
标题: 让俺瓜瓜写个常见缩写含义吧－－方便新手阅读本版。
发信站: Unknown Space - 未名空间 (Sun Apr 24 17:06:02 2005), 转信
photo
常见镜头名称篇

DB：大白指Canon EF 100－400 f/4.5-5.6 L 体积大。
XB: 小白指Canon EF 70-200 2.8 L. 和大白形成对比。
XXB: 小小白指Canon EF 70-200 4.0 L 体积小，和XB同焦段。
99年出来之后广受好评，成为价格最便宜的L头。XXB昵称
最早鉴于台湾一个论坛，然后无忌上面就流行开了。
XBIS：爱死小白，指Canon EF70-200 2.8 L IS比XB多个图像稳定器。
以上几个镜头都因为镜头是白色的而得名。
XH：小黑， Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 光圈大价格便宜。成像不错。
XGP：小钢炮Nikon 80-200 mm f/2.8
百微：100mm macro。一百毫米微距头。
Bigma: Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG/HSM

还有几个不常用的在无忌上可以看到这么称呼比如
DH: 大黑 Sigma 100-300mm f/4
DDH：大大黑 Sigma 300-800 f/5.6
DGP：大钢炮 Nikon Nikkor 200-400mm f/4
痰盂： Canon EF 50 1.8 张的像，便宜。

成套镜头

佳能变焦新三剑客
EF 16-35 2.8 L + EF 24-70 2.8 L + EF 70-200 2.8 L IS
最大光圈都是2.8,虑镜都是77mm
佳能变焦老三剑客
EF 17-35 2.8 L + EF 28-70 2.8 L + EF 70-200 2.8 L
F4小组合
EF 17-40 4.0 L + EF 70-200 4.0 L
基本覆盖常用焦段，价格便宜，成像好。

镜头材料
UD：底色散镜片
AP：非球面镜片
FL：萤石玻璃，萤石比UD好。

镜头等级
L头，红圈头：Canon镜头分消费级镜头和专业镜头，L是Luxury第一个字母的
缩写。特指专业镜头，做工好，成像好。镜头前端有个红圈。
狗头：指成像不好的消费级镜头。牛头L头是反义词。
套头：特指EF-S 18-55和Canon 300D，350D，20D一起买的kits lens

常见英文品牌中文翻译
Canon 佳能
Contax 康太师/康太时/康太克斯
Nikon 尼康
Pentax 宾得/潘太克斯
Minolta 美能达
Olympus 奥林帕斯
Alpa 阿尔帕
Hasselblad 哈苏
Fujifilm 富士
Mamiya 玛米亚
Vivitar 威达
Rollei 禄莱
Voigtlander 福伦达
Schneider 施耐德

Leica 莱卡
Carl Zeiss 蔡司

Gitzo 捷信顶级三角架品牌
Bogen/Manfrotto 曼福图现在吃了Gitzo成为最大的三角架供应商意大利品牌

其他常见缩写
LD：领导，一般指自己的老婆，也用于指老公。
DX：大侠。
XDJM：兄弟姐妹
MT：模特
JJYY：唧唧歪歪
TS：唐僧，婆婆妈妈的意思
PS：photoshop，一种图像处理软件
RT：如题
FYI: For your information
RPWT:人品问题
xxsl:洗洗睡了
SB，TMD：都是骂人的。本版不提倡使用。
GG，JJ，DD，MM：大家都知道什么意思了。
双A阶层：嘻嘻这个是俺发明的，指靠奖学金过日子当TA或RA的穷学生。

Blueice 补充
补充：
35mm，指胶片的一种规格，长边35mm，短边只有长边的2/3。
135系统：用35mm胶片的拍摄系统。
APS：Advanced Photo System，一种不同于35mm的拍摄系统，胶片比35mm小。现在通常指
CCD/CMOS尺寸比35mm全幅小，只能达到以前胶片APS的胶片尺寸。
110系统：小画幅系统，底片面积小于一半135系统底片。
120系统：用更大面积的底片的拍摄系统，底片面积6×4.5cm，6×6cm，6×7cm，6×8cm
，6×9cm，6×12cm，6*17cm，6×24cm等等，俗称中幅。
645, 66,67,680,690,612, 617, 624:意思见上一条款，单位cm。
4×5，8×10，20×24，大幅底片系统，俗称大幅。底片面积以英寸为单位，一英寸＝2.
54cm，自己换算去吧。
xpan: Hasselblad的产品：底片面积65*24mm.

ISO：国际标准化组织，这里通常指的是胶卷（或者数码）的感光度。
AE：Auto－Exposure，自动曝光。
AF: Auto-Focus，自动对焦。

AF-S: AF-Slient(?)，Nikon的静音马达对焦
IS：Image Stablization，佳能的图像稳定技术。
VR：Vibration Reduction，尼康的图像稳定技术。
OS：Optical Stablization，sigma的图像稳定技术。
AS：Anti－shake，Konica-Minolta公司的防抖技术。
MF:Manual-Focus，手动对焦。也指Medium Format：中幅。
DOF: Depth of Field,景深。
MTF：Modular Transfer Function，模量传输函数。
FTM：Full Time Manual，全时手动。
MLU：Mirror Lock－Up，反光板预升。
ED: Extra Low Dispersion，极低色散。
EV：Exposure Value，曝光值。
FPS：Frame Per Second，每秒钟曝光数目
GN：Guide Number，指的是闪光灯输出量。
SLR：Singular Lens Reflex，单反相机。
TLR：Twin Lens Reflex，双镜头反光相机。
P&S：point and shoot，一般傻瓜机。
RF： Rangefinder，旁轴相机。
IF： Internal Focus，内对焦，对焦时最前组镜片不动。
EOS：Electronic Optical System，佳能目前的成像系统。
EF：Electronic Focus：电子对焦。
EF-S：“S”：Short back focus

DX：Nikon小画幅系统，倍率1.5。

D：Nikon镜头表示镜头可以传递距离信息给相机。
G：Nikon镜头，光圈环由机内电子控制，不再可以用手直接调节。

Ai = Automatic Maximum Aperture Indexing 开放光圈值自动补正方式
Ai-S：为了用机械方式实现光圈优先(以至程序模式)的功能，针对过去的Ai方式的光圈连
动杆的动作
和光圈收缩的档数之间的非正确比例的不足，改变设计为正确比例的机构，而实现了光圈
优先(以至程序模式)的功能。

XZP: 小竹炮,Nikon 70-200/2.8 VR
Texas Leica: 大莱卡，Fuji 690系列，包括GW 690， GSW 690等等。

翻译：
摄影包名称：
Billingham：白金汉。
Lowepro：乐摄宝。
Tamrac：天域。
Tenba：天霸。
Domke：杜玛克。
Saftotto：赛富图。
Mekko：美康。
Jenova：吉尼弗
小资F4组合现在看来得加上 Canon EF 24－105/4 IS。
又找到几个：
碧玉刀：Nikon AF 20-35/2.8 （这个真不常见）

胶卷：
RA：Fuji Sensia 100
RAP：Fujichrome Astia 100－F
RDP-III：Fujichrome Provia 100F
RH：Fuji Sensia 400
RHP-III：Fujichrome Provia 400F
RM：Fuji Sensia 200
RTP-II：Fujichrome 64T
RVP：Fujichrome Velvia 50/100F

给打算回国工作和定居的朋友提几条建议[zt]

2006-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

给打算回国工作和定居的朋友提几条建议
作者: 佚名 (推荐: 一读者) 万维读者网 2006年01月21日 http://www.creaders.net
Career

1.尽早在国内买好房子。自己暂时不住可以让自己的父母先享受起来。

北京上海深圳南京杭州大连广州等大城市(相信这些城市是‘海龟’们回国的首选地)的房子已经不便宜了，好一点的150-200平方米左右的房子要100到300万人民币左右，合美元20-30万左右吧。房价还会涨。

安居才能乐业啊。回国谋个位置挣点钱在衣食和行方面过上食有鱼出有车的小康日子是不难的，但是单凭工资要买栋好房子还是不容易的。我认识的那些在国内能买得起好房子的人要么是自己开公司当老板的，要么是有合法或不合法的外快收入的，要么是沾了大学研究所银行公司等单位的政策的光，用自己以前的工龄折抵部分房价买房的。这几样，大部分在海外留学和工作的人都不具备。所以要早作准备。

2.尽量让自己的孩子学好中文，如果有条件的话，把孩子送回国去上两年学。要么，干脆晚点生小孩，等你回国时他刚好上小学。这样，孩子比较容易适应国内的教育环境。

按中国大城市的标准，美国一般的中小学的教育质量实在是太差了，五年级的学生的数学水平还不如中国三年级的学生。而且，对社会上的事儿，国内的孩子比国外同龄的孩子要精明的多。另一方面，中国的应试教育搞得也太过火了，现在的孩子比我们当年更辛苦。我们这些人算是幸运的，不管是轻松还是费力，过五关斩六将我们是过来了。想想我们的同学中那些苦苦用功但学习成绩并没有显着提高的人吧，他们在这种应试教育环境里是多么地痛苦。

回国去的确有个再适应国内环境的问题，这对我们这些在国内长大又曾四海飘荡白手起家的人来讲不是什么没法克服的问题(对那些出了几年国就猩猩作态地表示国内的人太多空气难呼吸水没法喝阳光不够明媚的‘高等华人’也许是个没法克服的问题)，但对于孩子来说是个真正的挑战。我自己小的时候从南方到北方，还是在自己的国家里面，适应新环境还适应了快两年呢。生活环境变化对孩子的影响我自己是深有体会的。我的朋友里面，有人因为从小跟着父母在国外生活过几年，后来回国后适应不了国内学校的竞争环境以致于他们已经当了‘老海龟’的父母又放弃了国内的工作重新出国。想回国的人应该把这些可能的问题想清楚，并准备好应对措施。

3.平时和老婆在这方面多沟通多交流思想，在回国的问题上达成共识。在考虑自己回国后的前途的同时也得考虑好老婆回国后的前途和生活。

大多数女人是比较感性的，而且更注重平时的日常生活和物质方面的东西。光棍一条的时候，弟兄们尽可以天马行空独往独来，成了家就没那么容易了。

更重要的是，做人得有点哥们儿义气，老婆也是你哥们儿中的一个，而且是最重要的之一，是和你相濡以沫同甘共苦为你生孩子的‘哥们儿’。总不能在追小姑娘时花言巧语信誓旦旦，一到了要改变生活的时候就不顾老婆的想法了吧。而且，大部分来美国的老婆们也是在名牌大学受过高等教育的，人家也有自己的专业和职业，不应该让她们为男人牺牲太多的东西。所以，在回国前好好沟通思想和考虑老婆的将来对于是否能顺利回去和回去后是否能生活愉快是很重要的。

4.千万不要自我膨胀。回国去别兄弟我在美国如何如何，硕士博士头衔，10万8万收入什么的。更别指望回国一下子就会有相当于10万8万美元的年收入。

我不是要大家自卑，而是希望回去的人能踏踏实实地生活。胡吹乱泡容易招人烦。来美国留学然后又在公司做技术工作的人，基本上在物质生活方面过比美国的平均生活水平还高一点的小康生活是没有什么问题的。只要舍得花时间下功夫，拿几个学位也不难。但这些都不应该是拿来炫耀的东西。实事求是地讲，即便是在美国，年薪超过10万的也只有在硅谷和华尔街比较多点，在其它地方也是不很容易的。在吹10万8万收入的同时别忘了吹吹硅谷和曼哈顿的房价和高昂的生活消费水平。而且，在美国每年1/3左右的收入要交税，花钱时还要交6%-8%的税，买了房子还有房地产税和保险要交。而且，在美国挣1美元只能当1块钱花，并不会自动膨胀8倍。别老是想着到国内去也一下子弄个70-80万花花，中国不是冤大头，也没欠你什么。实事求是地讲，在国内一年能挣70-80万人民币的人的生活水平和质量比在美国一年挣10万8万美元的人的生活水平和质量强得多。

从衣食住行医疗教育娱乐旅行等基本的生活消费来看，除了买房子的花费之外(这是为什么我第一条先单独谈房子的原因)，目前国内大城市的每月1.5万人民币收入的人的生活水平一点都不比在美国年收入7-8万美元的人的生活水平差。所以若是回去能谋个月薪2万人民币的工作，我觉得就很正常也很不错了。如果一回去就想弄个年薪50-80万人民币的工作，我反到觉得是非分之想。在国外都没有年薪20-30万美元的收入(在国外有这样的收入才能保证有和国内50- 80万人民币年收入的人相当的生活质量)，凭什么一回去就要有那么高的收入?!撇开是否是回国工作(应该有一点服务精神和自我牺牲精神)不谈吧，就算是跳个槽，经济好时加1万2万美元年薪是有的，但没听说一下子加10万8万美元年薪的。

5.有针对性地练点真本事或者干点好项目，多积累点技术技巧和工作经验，或者在国外多建立些生意关系，回国才能有好位置，或者自己搞起个公司来。光会讲两句英语或编两行程序是没法在国内混上好日子的，混个中等的日子还差不多。

要是没有特别的本事回去就应该安心过普通的日子挣一般的钱。不然的话，人家就会骂你是个眼高手低的‘海龟’(若如此，实际上你也就是。)要是没什么本事又想回国去混比国内本事差不多的人生活质量高得多的日子，怕是只有象胖子加骗子吴征那样去骗了。

在国外的人其实是有很多优势的，关键看自己怎么开发了。(网络文摘)