Survival Guide Table of Contents
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Introduction
USF COM/DPT Issues
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First Year Courses Overview and Textbook/Equipment Recommendations.
o You can find out what textbooks the faculty required us to have, which textbooks
were not worth buying, the different components of each class such as group
projects, applied information sessions, etc for each of the courses below.
 POM
 Biochemistry
 Ethics & Humanities
 Physical Diagnosis
 Anatomy
 Physiology
 LCE
 Colloquium
 Behavioral Medicine
 Neuroscience
 Extra DPT courses: Movement Science and Physical Therapy
Class Officers & Liaisons
o Are you interested in getting involved!?! Look at the positions that are available
throughout the year, and find out what your class dues pay for.
Class Attendance
o Find out our school’s official policy on attendance and when you should not miss
class.
Noteservice/VideoStreaming
o These are two excellent resources that the entire class uses to either learn or
supplement the lecture.
Studying Advice
o Many of you may have to modify your studying habits from undergrad. It is not
feasible to wait until the weekend before the test to begin studying, and because
tests can literally last all day, pulling an all-nighter before the exam can be especially
tough. Here is what we had to say about the intense studying you should be
prepared for.
General Wisdom and Advice
o For our class to yours 
The Reality of Medical School
o Now that the first year of medical school is over, the students were asked if it was
HELPS
o HELPS stands for Health Enhancement for Lifelong Professional Students, you are
encouraged to contact them if you begin to have financial, relationship, legal, or any
other problem that is affecting your performance in school.
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OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
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What to do in Tampa
o In order to maintain your sanity, it is really important that you keep up with your
hobbies/interests that are beyond school. School may take up a lot of your time but
you will still be able to workout, shop, and eat well during the school year and you
are encouraged to do so. We have listed some of our favorite places to visit besides
Room 1096
Places of Worship
o Previous classmates have suggested the following places of worship and have given
their contact information if you have any questions or would want to join them.
Hurricane Prep
o This is Florida and you do need to be prepared during Hurricane season.
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Dear Incoming Students,
On behalf of the COM Class of 2010 and DPT Class of 2009, congratulations and welcome to the
University of South Florida! We represent the Peer Advisory Committee (PAC), which is a
selected group of students whose role is to make your transition into medical school and your first
year a successful one. Previously, this committee has been made up of twelve members and is
often referred to as '12
PAC'. This year, with the
addition of two members
of the Doctor of Physical
Therapy class, we have
fourteen. We look forward
to meeting you and we
are available this summer
to answer any questions
you may have.
As you begin to search for
places to live, you may
find our apartment guide
helpful. It is a compilation
of comments our class
had about the places they
lived this past year and if
they would recommend
them or not. One thing
you should know is the
area near the University Mall is a high crime area -- avoid apartments located on the West Side of
Bruce B. Downs from Bearss Ave to Busch Blvd. Also South Tampa is not a bad decision. It is a
25 minute ride to class everyday, but it is 5 minutes from TGH and all the great bars in South
Tampa.
Another document we would like to turn your attention to is the Little Sibling Questionnaire.
Next year you will have an assigned Big Sibling from the class of 2010. He or she will be available
to you for advice, guidance, and possibly hand-me-down textbooks. This is an informal
questionnaire, please enjoy completing it. Only members of the 12 PAC will have access to this
information so there is no need to censor your responses.
The Peer Advisory Committee also provides a First Year Survival Guide, which is a summary of
pointers from the previous classes. This includes: a summary of all of all first year classes,
information about textbooks and equipment, the role(s) of class officers and liaisons, class
attendance policies, noteservice, videostreaming, what to do if a hurricane threatens the Tampa
area, and a collection of restaurants, museums, gyms, etc. that members of our class wanted to
share with you.
During the weekend before the start of your classes and your first week of school, we have
organized many events for you to participate in so you can become familiar with the Tampa area,
members of your class, and members of our class. We sincerely hope that you will be able to
attend these events. Feel free to bring significant others and family members to any and all of
these activities.
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Saturday August 11, 2007 BBQ and Scavenger Hunt (11am)
This will be your first chance to meet members of the classes of 2010 and 2011 as
well as faculty that you will be working with. After the BBQ, we will split you up into
groups and send you out into the Tampa area (with detailed maps and someone who
is familiar with the area!) to introduce you to some of our favorite hot spots. This event
will begin in the picnic area beside the COM. Please bring a few extra dollars to give
the drivers for the scavenger hunt as well as a change of clothes.
Sunday August 12, 2007 POM Dinner (6pm)
The first class that you will have is a 3 week introduction to the profession of medicine aptly
named, The Profession of Medicine (POM). During this course you will be
working closely with an assigned group of classmates. This dinner gives you the
opportunity to meet those individuals who have been arbitrarily assigned to your
group. In addition, there will be members of the class of 2010 dining with you to
answer any last minute questions you may have before your first day of classes.
We will meet in the atrium of the nursing building which is right beside the first and second year
classrooms for some appetizers before splitting up for dinner. Sorry everyone is responsible for
their own dinners.
Monday August 13, 2007 Big/Little Sibling Lunch *Free Lunch*
Maybe we should elaborate, although what more incentive is there? We will be
providing the classes of 2010 and 2011 with free lunch in order for them to take this
opportunity to meet or just meet up with their Big Sibling. It is a very casual
encounter that will hopefully alleviate any anxiety you have on your first day of
classes. This event will take place in the first year histology labs.
Friday August 17, 2007 80s Party (8pm)
The 80s party is to celebrate completion of your first week of medical school. As
you will discover, the course, The Profession of Medicine, is designed to show
you how various common health problems were dealt with in the 1980s and how
they are dealt with now. This costume/theme party is to celebrate the 80s and to
see your course director, Dr. Bognar dressed in a fantastic outfit deserving of the
greatest mockery. He is our friend, not the enemy.
Saturday August 25, 2007 3rd Annual Fun Run (9am)
This will be the third annual Fun Run (nomenclature that is derived as a parody from
the 11th Annual Bull Run - see below) that is designed to ignite camaraderie
between medical school classes and faculty. It is a charitable event in which the
money raised will be donated to free health clinics in the community. Shirts for this
event for the incoming class will be provided through 12 PAC. There will be a short
run to get the blood flowing followed by some games such as a water balloon toss
and water relays. Last year there was also a hotly contested beach volleyball game
while others simply enjoyed the park.
Wednesday August 22, 2007 Bowling
Come and enjoy another great opportunity to get acquainted with your new
classmates as well as us. The price will be $10 per person (please bring
exact change) for all-you-can-bowl, shoe rentals, and a couple of free
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beverages, as well as drink specials. This event will occur from 8-12pm at University Lanes on
56th St. You are welcome to bring friends and family.
Directions from USF:
1. Go North on Bruce B. Downs heading towards Fletcher Ave.
2. Make a Right on E. Fletcher Ave.
3. Make a Right on 56th Street N
4. Make a Right into 13109 N. 56th St N (AMF University Lanes)
Saturday September 29, 2007 11th Annual Bull Run
This event is a University of South Florida College of Medicine tradition in which
all four medical school classes are invited to a night out in Ybor City. Shirts are
purchased through 12 PAC and friends and family members are welcome to join.
Each shirt will have a list of participating clubs and bars that have agreed to
provide one beverage (alcoholic or non alcoholic) to the wearer of the previously
mentioned shirt. Buses will be provided for members of the class of 2011 to and
from Ybor City and there will be members of 12 PAC located at certain participating vendors
should you become separated from your friends. Remember, as students embarking upon the
medical profession, it is expected that those who choose to drink alcohol, will do so in a
responsible adult manner!
Please stay tuned for more events to follow!!
The Peer Advisory Committee is a self-funded student organization. We raise our money for these
events by selling shirts and equipment to incoming first year students. In addition to class shirts
and shirts for Bull Run, we also sell physical diagnosis kits that you will need for the Physical
Diagnosis class. These kits include the necessary (required) tools at prices lower than those
offered by the bookstore on campus. We also sell scrubs that you will need for Anatomy Lab.
Keep checking the 12-PAC website for updates. Click on the different links to find the Medical
Sales Order Form (included with this letter), First Year Survival Guide, the Big Sib/Little Sib
Questionnaire and the Apartment Guide.
So now that you are in medical school, what should you do now?
Relax and have a great summer!!!
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If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us via phone or email. We really mean
it, we’d like to hear from you! Also, keep checking the website for updates. Once again,
congratulations and welcome to the University of South Florida!
Sincerely,
Peer Advisory Committee Chairs
Deana Hussamy
dhussamy@health.usf.edu
Thure Caire
mcaire@health.usf.edu
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c: (813) 380-7289
c: (850) 321-1541
MS I Overview:
Your approximately 10 month first year of medical school will be broken up into smaller
blocks (not semester style), during which time you will take particular courses, although a few
courses run through multiple blocks. What follows this is a brief description of what each block &
course comprises. Our goal is to simply give you an idea of what to expect, as well as a few
pieces of advice on how to succeed, regarding both grades & in learning how to be a competent
physician. Make sure you also check out the advice section on the 12-PAC website! Hope this
helps!
Block A: Profession of Medicine – 3 weeks
*BOOKS (for POM & PD)
Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination by Seidel, Ball, Dains, & Benedict
*COURSE SETUP:: M-F 8-5. Includes lectures, small group time, student
presentations, physical exam practice, & completing compliance standards (you will be
certified in Basic Life Support & you will be fitted for a TB mask).
*GRADING: 1 Quiz, 1 Test, 2 Presentations, Attendance
*COURSE INFO:
This is where it all begins! This course, which is affectionately referred to as ‘POM’ (you
will see there are lots of acronyms in medicine… why say posterior inferior cerebellar artery when
you can say PICA?) has several main goals.
First, it is meant to give you a chance to get to know each other, so try & take advantage of
the PAC events and group activities. Remember: this course represents the lightest amount of
work so take advantage of this opportunity to attend the PAC events in order to become further
acquainted with your classmates as well as our class & the Tampa area. You will be have 1 quiz
and 1 test on the material taught during POM, & the course does count towards your grade point
average, so do take it seriously.
Second, you will start to learn a little basic science, however, everything you learn during
POM will be taught to you again during the course of the year. You will learn about four common
diseases & will work on presentations with your POM group that will be part of your grade.
Third, you will see how medicine changes over time and it is often emphasized how being a
doctor involves lifelong learning. For example, when a 60 year old doctor was in medical school,
not only did MRIs not exist, CTs did not exist either, yet this 60 year old doctor must know how to
read such images as well as a 35 year old in his or her same specialty. Material will be presented
regarding how medicine changes over time by examining how four diseases were perceived &
what treatments were used in the decade of the eighties & how it is today.
Fourth, you will also get some instruction in evidence-based medicine, ethics, & study
skills. All three of these topics are intended to provide a foundation for learning & practicing
medicine in school & beyond. “EBM” is designed to introduce you into how to research medical
topics, including how to do literature searches. You will have a mini-quiz about searching for
topics so make sure you pay attention! You will be using these techniques to look up information
(since it is absolutely impossible to know everything about everything in medicine) for the rest of
your career. And introduction to ethics and humanities are provided just to get you thinking about
these foundational aspects of medicine. A selected group of you will be writing the oath you get to
take at White Coat Ceremony, which will be held at the end of POM
Fifth, you will be introduced to the physical examination (however, you do NOT
need to go buy a stethoscope at this point although you may find one to be helpful; they provide
stethoscopes for use at sessions in exchange for your car keys). We do advise that at this point
you buy the book Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination book by Seidel, Ball, Dains, & Benedict;
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you will need it for the physical diagnosis course given throughout the rest of the first year as well
as second year. Since this course is given during the second year as well, your big sibling may be
reluctant to let you borrow this book, so you may just need to buy it from the bookstore. You will
have lectures with Dr. Wallach- make sure you read ahead because he loves to call on people to
answer questions! And you will also have hands-on experience during 3 PD skills sessions
covering three major exams: abdominal, cardiac, & lungs. During the sessions, you will have 1on-1 time with a standardized patient and a preceptor & you will rotate through 6 patients. Enjoy
& make the best of this opportunity as it is some of the most personalized PD skills practice you
will get during your first year.
Block B1: Biochemistry, Ethics/Humanities & PD – 10 weeks
*BLOCK SETUP: Schedule varies. It’s usually M-F 8-3 (sometimes until 12 on F). These hours
will be filled with lectures for Molecular Medicine, Ethics & Humanities, & PD. Note: when you
have a Clinical Correlation for Biochem, dress up & be in attendance.
• Molecular, Cellular, and Genetic Basis of Medicine
* BOOKS:
*Book recommended by faculty that some people found useful: Histology: A Text and Atlas by Ross
et all.
*Books recommended by faculty that no one found useful & just because they tell you it is required,
it is most certainly not, i.e. these are very expensive paperweights: Textbook of Biochemistry 5th
Edition by T.M. Devlin, Wiley-Liss, Lippincott Human Molecular Genetics 3 by T. Strachan & A.P.
Read, Garland Science
*Some teachers use pictures in their Powerpoint slides from: Biochemistry 5th Edition by Berg,
Tymoczko, & Stryer
**Any sources you have from undergraduate or graduate studies would probably be sufficient for
looking up more difficult concepts or for referencing a topic, but for the most part the notes from
class and a BRS book is really all you’re going to need.
Despite everyone calling this class “Biochem”, it really is more than that. During this course
you will cover biochemistry, molecular genetics, cell biology, & histology of basic tissues. While
having taken a biochemistry course as an undergraduate may be advantageous, do not worry if
you did not. One common theme you will see during this block is that it is not necessary to
memorize entire pathways but rather what is the rate-limiting step in a pathway, & which enzyme
catalyzes that reaction. Lectures will also focus on making this material clinically relevant, for
example, by covering a case where the patient is missing a certain enzyme. Each lecture will
typically have a case that correlates with the material- learning about the disease/condition
associated with each topic to ensure your understanding & prepare for the test will be very
advantageous.
For molecular genetics you will learn about DNA, RNA, & many of their little buddies
(regulatory proteins). You will also learn about the various inheritance patterns that occur with
many of the diseases you will be discussing in the biochemistry & cell biology lectures.
The other component of this class is to start on the histology of the four basic tissue types:
muscle, neuronal, connective, & epithelial. Histology is basically microscopic anatomy, which
means you will learn how to recognize tissues under the microscope. Drs. Muffly, Wiranowska, &
Phelps are especially helpful during laboratory time, & it would be in your interest to listen to their
expertise.
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You will also get to do a group presentation on particular disease related to the material during
this block. The groups are chosen at random & are paired with preset diseases and dates. It is
beneficial to pay attention to these presentations as the material presented by your classmates is
testable. It may be helpful to have each group submit a short summary to the class to facilitate
studying this material.
• Ethics and Humanities
*BOOKS: Ethics and Humanities Supplement (purchase from ProCopy)
On Doctoring (given to you for free at the White Coat Ceremony)
These are two entirely separate courses that combine only for grading purposes. The basis of
these courses is to read something & then engage in discussion with a faculty member about the
assignment. For Ethics, Dr. Walker and his colleagues will present various ethical issues that
doctors face today. For some topics, there is a clear-cut answer (i.e. you may NEVER have sex
with your patient, especially if you become a forensic pathologist…), while for others, the solution
is more esoteric & the goal is to simply make you ruminate about the ethical theme. For the tests,
you should be familiar with the presented court cases & the precedents they established as well
as knowing about the hierarchy of ethical responsibilities in the process of making decisions about
patients. This is mostly a class to get you to start thinking about how you would conduct yourself
in difficult ethical dilemmas. Make sure you learn what the professor defines as the correct
answer to each of the presented problems for testing purposes.
During, humanities you will read various pieces of literature & attend lectures by Dr. Nixon,
who will elucidate their meanings. Dr. Nixon might be perceived as eccentric and trying to decode
her emails and test questions may frustrate you, but she is a nice lady who genuinely wants to
introduce the arts into our lives, so enjoy it! Field trips, movies, papers, and pop quizzes are in the
mix for this class. The exams for humanities are take-home, open book and with a randomlyassigned classmate and are very straightforward and manageable.
• Physical Diagnosis (PD)
Physical Diagnosis is where you will begin to learn some of the clinical skills associated with
the examination of patients. This class runs throughout the entire first two years of medical school,
although you are given a separate grade for each year. The first year course is run by Dr. Coris, a
family medicine doctor who specializes in sports medicine, with the aid of Ms. Stephanie Peters,
his assistant. During B1 you will actually get lectures on topics that are fairly intuitive (i.e. do not
be racist, be respectful to your patients, do not have sex with them… they really emphasize that
one…). However, the rest of the year you will be expected to learn the material on your own
mostly, via PowerPoint files. However, during B1, you will have PD lectures each Wednesday that
will introduce you to this important subject. Look for more regarding PD later…
Block B2: Anatomy and Physiology
*SCHEDULE: M & W 8-5, T 1-5 , R & F 8-12. LCE times: T 8-12, R & F 1-5.
B2 is feasibly the most challenging block of the first year curriculum, and there is no way
around the fact that there is a lot of material to learn (some have described it as trying to drink
water out of a fire hose). Stay on top of the lecture material as it builds quickly. Don’t be afraid to
go & ask the professors for help… they are more than willing to advise you on study technique &
answer questions.
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You will have to juggle anatomy, anatomy lab, physiology, imaging, PD lectures (online),
Colloquium, & LCE. Additionally, you will have Joint Cases that incorporate anatomy, physiology,
& PD. You will have an online quiz due the morning of the Joint Case. Attendance at Joint Case
is mandatory & you must dress professionally & wear your white coat. You will rotate through a
lecture on the anatomy, physiology, & imaging of the case topic, a lecture on the PD findings, &
actual PD stations where you will examine patients that have the condition discussed. You will
ask the patients questions & examine them so come prepared.
• Anatomy
*BOOKS & EQUIPMENT: You need more books for this course than probably any other. There are a ton
of resources with textbooks, review books, and online resources so find out what you like and what works
for you. For the most part if you really get your notes down and use Netter’s you’ll be set.
According to Professors:
• Required Books:
Clinical Anatomy by Systems, Richard Snell, 1st edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006, is
the required textbook. Students are responsible for all the material indicated on the title page of each
region. Individual lecture outlines are annotated to encourage students to read in advance the specific
topics to be discussed. Purchase price: $68.95 (this book was only useful for the muscle section of
anatomy according to Tab, but Catherine does not recommend)
The Developing Human 7th edition , Moore and Persaud (NO ONE bought this book, notes are
sufficient)
Histology, A Text and Atlas, 4th Edition, Ross, et al.
Clinical Applications of Human Anatomy 1st edition Nolan
Applied Anatomy, Nolan (get this at the bookstore)
According to the class of 2010:
• Most Recommended (Almost have to have):
An atlas, Netters!!! (Netter’s is probably more popular, Grant’s has some text with it) Histology
textbook (some said that the slides provided were sufficient)
Rohan Atlas (real life pictures of cadavers that are helpful for the practical)
Some Recommended:
Netter’s Flashcards (most of the same pictures as Netter’s)
BRS Anatomy (good for practice questions)
High Yield Embryo (or BRS Embryo) (notes are mostly pictures, so text helps)
• Online Resources:
Michigan: http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/courseinfo/mich_quiz_index.html
Medical Mnemonics: http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/
Anatomy Lab Equipment:
• General advice:
Need a labcoat, scrubs, closed toe shoes (crocks work great!), gloves (double gloving to keep your
hands from smelling, or if one glove rips), dissection kit is provided,. Some groups had lockers to
keep their materials in and some kept them in the lab. Make sure you label books if they are yours &
hide your equipment because they tend to get borrowed and disappear.
Here, at USF, Gross Anatomy is an inclusive course that includes not only gross anatomy, but
histology, cross-sectional anatomy, & embryology as well. That means that each exam will have
components of all topics, although the majority will be gross anatomy. There are two main
components to anatomy: lectures & labs, and there are two types of labs: gross dissection &
histology.
Your lectures will be a good introduction to what you will see in lab. You will also learn about
how each of the systems developed embryologically, which can contribute to your understanding
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of why structures are where they are. Take advantage of online practice quizzes as they can
help.
We also had Applied Anatomy sessions & Computer-Based Learning sessions. During “APA”
we completed the book written by Dr. Nolan under his supervision. The questions helped to
categorize & clinically apply material learned in lecture. “CBLA” consisted of going over crosssections, Acland videos, & Primal pictures. Do not blow this off as questions from these sessions
do appear on tests!
Gross lab is the big enchilada; you will help dissect a human cadaver. Following the dissector
that Dr. Arslan provides for you, you will dissect your cadaver in the same order that you are
lectured on these regions in class. Please show these cadavers the respect they deserve; many of
us learned best from them & it is truly a privilege to cut up someone’s husband, wife, mother,
brother, lover, etc. The faculty demand proper behavior in the cadaver lab, and so should you.
You will share a cadaver with a predetermined group; 6-7 people will share each cadaver but you
will be split into teams of 3-4 and alternate dissection periods.
Dissection periods are a good time to ask questions from a professor but you will need to
spend time in cadaver lab or with a good atlas in order to grasp all the material. Keep in mind that
which each cadaver there is anatomic variation. These are slight variations in an individual’s
anatomy that, in a normal person may not be significant, but could be very important if that person
needed surgery. Your practicals will consist of many questions from the cadavers so make sure to
look at other cadavers besides your own. Some students felt that it was rude to do this during
assigned dissection time, & some also felt like it was rude to expect guided tours of cadavers by
the people in that group. It is crucial and beneficial to help each other out but just keep in mind
that the study relationships should be multi-directional. However, the faculty tends to be
extremely fair, and almost always test the normal anatomy and not the variants. You will have a
list of structures you will be responsible for knowing, so know them from every angle possible. As
Dr. Cameron will stress, you name the artery by where it goes, not where it originates. Really take
the time to look at structures & their spatial relationships as this is your only opportunity to learn
like this.
Histology lab is where you look at slides of the organs you are grossly dissecting. Do not
neglect this material, as it does show up on the practical in proportion to how much material there
is presented. You will be provided with a lab manual to direct you in which slides you are
responsible for. During the lab sessions the faculty will be there to answer any questions you
have, however, you can look at your slides whenever you want since you will have keys and
access to your microscopes and slides (they are stored in your histology lab desks). Be able to
identify the organ the slide comes from as well as the cells or structures & what they do.
For the examinations, there will be a practical that consists of many stations with one question
per station. You are timed at each location. Every time the buzzer rings you must move to the next
numerical station. At the end of the practical you will have ten minutes to go back to any station a
second time. Questions include gross anatomy (in which different items on each cadaver or
skeleton are tagged with string), cross-sectional anatomy, histology (microscopes or pictures), or
imaging (MRIs, CTs, x-rays, etc.). All questions are multiple-choice. Histology questions may be
secondary questions (i.e. what hormone does this cell produce?).
The course as a whole is divided into blocks of a particular system of the body. The curriculum
changes every year, but here we will present what happened last year. Your experience will
probably be fairly similar. The systems are broken down into the following: 1. Musculo/skeletal, 2.
Arteries/veins/nerves 3. Pulmonary/cardio/abdominal viscera 4. Genital-urinal. During dissection,
take advantage of the relative symmetry of the body; do slightly different dissections on the right
and left side. For example, you could try to isolate the brachial plexus on the left side, while
focusing on the subclavian/axillary/brachial artery and its branches on the right. This will make for
both better learning and more interesting dissections.
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• Imaging for Anatomy
This course is Pass/Fail but still take the material seriously as the skill of knowing
how to read x-rays, CT scans, & MRIs will be necessary at times no matter what field you choose
to practice in. You will have a few lectures that focus on material being covered in Anatomy. Dr.
Choi & Dr. Hazelton are good at pointing out the important structures. Test questions for this will
be presented as films during the anatomy practical. Review sessions can be scheduled with Dr.
Choi by the liason & are extremely helpful. This course is pass/fail, but is still incorporated into
your average for ranking purposes.
• Physiology
*BOOKS:
Most students said don’t waste your money on the required book. Understanding the lecture material and
having practice questions are what was emphasized.
According to Professors:
• Required Book:
Physiology, 5th Edition, Berne & Levy, Mosby
• Recommended Book:
Respiratory Physiology, 7th (or most recent) Edition, West, Williams & Wilkins
According to the class of 2010:
• Most Recommended:
BRS Physiology (Good for review and practice ?s)
• Some Found helpful:
Respiratory Physiology (Helpful for respiratory material that isn’t covered well in other books and
lecture.)
Other review books (like USMLE Roadmap or Kaplan Physio Q bank)
• Online Resources:
Physiology Tutor: http://medstat.med.utah.edu/kwh/ptt/ptt.html
Review Questions: http://www.ecu.edu/physio/quest.htm
Physiology is all about the normal functions of the body, answering the question, “How are
things supposed to normally work to maintain homeostasis?” In theory, the schedule attempts to
coordinate anatomy and physiology so that as you are dissecting a certain region you are also
learning about its functions. That does not always quite work out, but it really does not need to.
Physiology, like anatomy, is also divided into sections. In general, physiology is less memorization
than anatomy, but more application. You will have lectures & small group discussion sessions that
you must prepare for & attend. Some advice we wish we had known is that the physiology case
discussion topics have a strong tendency to show up on the exam, so pay attention during those
sessions. Be able to think through & apply this knowledge to cases as this is the foundation of
your clinical reasoning ability.
o Neuromuscular
Spend some quality time with Dr. Bennett and learn all about nerve transmission. Dr.
Bennett (who sounds eerily like Jon Lovitz…) is a very good teacher who will tell you all you ever
wanted to know about the molecular events involved in action potential transmission. This is
scheduled nicely so that you get a smooth transition from this same topic back in Biochemistry.
Then Dr. Price comes in to talk about the muscular part of this story.
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o Cardiovascular
There is another smooth transition from striated and smooth muscle into cardiac muscle
and then the functioning of the heart. You will learn to loathe a very prominent graph about the
cardiac cycle; however, you really do need to know it. A good way to be prepared for the exam is
to consider a particular point in the cardiac cycle and then consider what else is going on. For
example, during rapid ejection which valves are open/closed, what is the ventricular volume, what
is the blood pressure, etc? Once you learn the cycle you should be able to think these types of
questions through, without having to memorize every scenario. Understand the heart’s electrical
activity, especially if you want to become a cardiologist! Then you will cover the physiology of the
blood vessels; basically, how does the body ensure proper blood flow to all the tissues of the body
(except the brain as Dr. Nolan will cover that separately during neuroscience). Get a solid grasp
of the various regulatory mechanisms and how they change blood pressure and flow.
o Pulmonary
This is where you learn about how the lungs work to make sure the blood is able to get
oxygen & remove carbon dioxide. You will learn about the mechanical properties of the lungs &
the chest, as well as things like resistance & compliance. Understand the various volumes of the
lungs & learn about V/Q mismatching; these topics will be tested, & they will become your life if
you become an anesthesiologist. Also think about the ways a particular disease would affect these
numbers. Regulation is another important topic, so make sure you pay close attention during this
particular lecture, as you could kill a patient by giving them oxygen by mask.
o Renal
In the renal unit Dr. Dietz (an absolutely fantastic teacher) will explain to you how the
kidneys remove particular wastes from the body, while at the same time retaining the
components we want to hold onto. You will be responsible for memorizing some basic
equations & important normal values. Understand the fluid compartments he explains up
front, and also know what is absorbed and/or secreted at a particular part of the nephron.
Know the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathway, & if you want to impress Dr. Dietz, find
out the proper way to pronounce ‘renin’. Here you will also learn about pH regulation in the
body & how we stay at a nice constant 7.4 normally. This section also focused on acid/base
balance & included lectures from guest speakers about what happens clinically when an
imbalance occurs. Make sure you pay attention to the mnemonics & techniques used to
identify acidosis or alkalosis. Be able to differentiate respiratory vs. metabolic acidosis/
alkalosis as well as be familiar with the importance of calculating the ion gap. Memorize the
Henderson-Hasselbach equation.
o Endocrine
For the endocrine unit Dr. Nazian teaches you about the various hormones of the body,
what they do, how they are regulated, etc. Dr. Nazian was not a big fan of questions during the
lecture, but he is a good teacher & what he says in class will be what is tested, despite there being
much more on each topic. Be comfortable with the regulation of each hormone; be able to say
how a particular action would alter the rate of release of a particular hormone. Understand the
menstrual cycle, & when he says to know 200 pg/mL, know it! There is not a lot of memorization
in physiology, but when an instructor emphasizes a particular number or equation it will most likely
be tested.
o Digestion & GI Endocrine
For digestion you will go through how we turn food into something useful. The focus here
will not be on the biochemistry, but rather on the regulation of the movement & enzymes involved
in digestion. Know your GI (gastrointestinal) hormones and what their effects are. It is also worth
knowing what part of the GI tract particular nutrients are absorbed in; this is important because we
13
have to consider what nutritional deficiency a patient might have if we remove a particular piece of
the GI system.
• Colloquium
This is an interesting class that will cause you no stress at all. This class is run by Dr.
Ridley, and the idea behind it is to expose you to other topics of medical interest that do not
otherwise have a place in the first two years. Every other week this class meets for two hours
(starting at 8AM- DON’T BE LATE!), and each session there is a different topic. Some of the
topics last year were forensic pathology, personal finance, trauma, infectious disease, and cardiac
rehabilitation. The only work involved is a reading assignment; nothing written or graded. Dr.
Ridley got a little mad at us when some students were studying or using their laptops during the
presentations, so please show these guest speakers the appropriate respect.
It is very important to be punctual for colloquium, since in order to pass all you need to do is
attend class. There are sign in sheets as soon as you walk in the door and ten minutes after 8, the
sign in sheets will be removed and you will need to write an extensive paper in order to get credit
for that colloquium. We know everyone is completely honest, but just a warning kids have been
caught in the past signing in for their buddies, so we advise against this. The professors are really
aware of this problem and punish harshly the students who do this.
• Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE)
Hopefully someone mentioned this to you during your interview day, but if not, this is the
class where you will spend one half-day every week paired with a community physician. In theory,
you will do more than just shadowing, the idea being that as the year progresses & your own
clinical skills progress, you will do more & more with your preceptor. In reality, this did not happen
for all of us. Depending on what specialty you are working with, you may do quite a bit or not
much at all, & many of us found this frustrating. Some people had wonderful experiences where
their preceptors explained things and allowed them to do quite a bit, so it is really just a matter of
chance & also a bit of making the best of what opportunity you happen to get.
In any case, the class is just pass/fail, so as long as you show up, you will pass. Dr.
Hoffman, the course director, is very strict on attendance as he wants you to get all the experience
you can. You are representing USF Health to the community so be professional & enjoy the
experience. It can serve as a great reminder as to the reason why you are shoving your head full
of tons of information… to be able to apply that in order to help your patients.
There are also small group meetings for case discussions. You will have to present one or
two cases throughout the year. These are just rather informal presentations to a small group of
your classmates, & they are not something to stress about. However, it is a good time to practice
presenting a patient in terms of history, physical findings, differential diagnosis, diagnostic
procedures, treatment, and social and financial issues, so make the best of it! There will be large
group presentations that you must attend as well & these are put on by students who volunteer (&
who get the benefit of choosing their LCE for year 2).
• Physical Diagnosis
Required: Mosby’s Textbook (you can get this at the bookstore, and it must be new so that you
have an online access code that is valid—it’s included with each new book)
Stethoscope—you’ll need this at least by the beginning of Molecular Medicine, so it is definitely a
good idea to pick one up. There will be a day during B2 when you will have the opportunity to buy
one, so if you want to wait, you can. We recommend Litman Cardio III.
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During B2, the Physical Diagnosis is supposed to correlate with what you are covering in
anatomy and/or physiology, & usually it does. So as you are studying the anatomy of the
abdomen, you will be learning about the physical exam of the abdomen. Lectures are all online,
so you must listen/watch them at your own convenience. It is also helpful to read the correlating
chapters in the book as material from the PowerPoint & the book are testable. In addition to
questions on the block exam given after each unit, PD will also have quizzes about midway
through each unit. This is Dr. Coris’s way or making you read the material before the night before
the exam. The quizzes do count towards your grade, but more importantly you have to pass them
to go to the skills sessions, which is where you get to practice these skills on each other and/or
real patients. While at the time it did not feel like we were learning much, by the end of the year
you will see you really have learned a fair amount about the physical exam, and we would
encourage you to practice these skills & using your equipment whenever you get a chance.
Block B3: Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine – 9 weeks
*SCHEDULE: M & W 8-5, T 1-5, R & F 8-12.
The theme here is the brain. Neuroscience will be two solid months of nervous system,
while behavioral medicine is basically introductory psychiatry. PD, Imaging, LCE, & Colloquium
continue on, & Joint Cases still occur. For Neuro & PD, you are encouraged to complete the
“Green Book” during lab sessions. This includes questions that test your neurological reasoning
as well as your exam skills. Do this as you go as we were all struggling to finish it the week before
it was due & it was not fun to have to go back to previously covered topics & try to figure them out.
You will be tested on the neurological exam skills you learn at the end when you turn in the Green
Book & you will be using these techniques in your practice so learn them well! You will also buy
an “Orchid Manual”, and although it is not required, it is a very helpful manual with summaries
provided by Dr. Nolan of each individual lecture. There are also multiple choice practice questions
and diagrams to complete that are VERY helpful.
• Neuroscience
*BOOKS:
Most people recommended having a few resources to refer to in addition to the lectures and outlines.
According to Professors:
• Required Book:
Procopy lab manuals (Both The Green Book & The Orchid Book)
• Recommended Books:
Introduction to the Neurologic Examination Michael F. Nolan
According to the class of 2010:
• Have to have:
Procopy lab manuals—Orchid and Green Books!!!
You will get to know Dr. Nolan very well, he is one of the best teachers you will have your
entire first year. You will study the spinal cord and brain ad nauseum, learning a lot of ‘wiring
schemes’; that is, the connections that permits us to feel, move, react, etc. The level of
memorization here is less than during anatomy, and Dr. Nolan prefers to make you think.
However, when he says you need to go memorize something on your own, you need to do it. He
prefers to use class time for explanations and reasoning, knowing we can memorize on our own.
The practical for this class is given in the lecture hall & uses atlas pictures rather than cadaver
brains. Also, Dr. Nolan likes to teach, so if you are struggling or just have questions, go see him in
15
his office, as he is truly a nice man who wants to see us succeed. You will find this class has a
strong emphasis on topics that are clinically important in the neurological examination because Dr.
Nolan, more than most teachers, believes that he is teaching us how to be good doctors, not just
how to regurgitate answers for an exam.
• Behavioral Medicine
*BOOKS: There aren’t any required or even recommended books for this course. They will give you all the
powerpoints printed out, so just focus on those.
The course director for this class is Dr. Catalano, a psychiatrist who has a great sense of
humor. If you only go to three lectures this year, go to his because he will give you extra credit.
This is the class where psychology majors will have an advantage, since you will first study human
development from a psychological perspective (Piaget, Freud, etc.) before moving onto studying
some of the psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. One of the themes is
that these disorders are important for all doctors, not just psychiatrists, to know since, for example,
almost every disease has a worse outcome if your patient is depressed. The point is that all
doctors need to, at least be able to recognize these disorders so we can then get them treated
appropriately. Dr. Catalano likes to give ‘hints’ before each exam, & we strongly recommend you
focus your energies on whatever he says. You will find there is some overlap between
neuroscience & behavioral medicine, for example, dementia will be covered in both classes, as
will the mental status exam. Other good advice is to know Piaget, Freud, and Erickson pretty
solidly for the first exam. If you just pay attention in class you will absorb enough of the material
that you should not need to spend too much extra study time; save that for neuroscience and
memorizing what stays ipsilateral and what goes contralateral.
• PD, Colloquium, Imaging, & LCE
PD, Colloquium, Imaging, & LCE continue into B3 in the same format (except no PD quizzes).
However, in B3, PD correlates almost exactly to the material presented in neuroscience &
behavioral medicine. So if you learn the material for neuroscience & behavioral medicine, you will
probably need very little additional study time for PD.
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Movement Science I and II
* Strongly Recommended book: Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Physical
Rehabilitation by Neumann
Movement Science is a basic introduction to biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise physiology, motor control,
learning and development. Classes will be split between lecture and lab time. MS I is taught mainly by
Mrs. Stephenson and Dr. Highsmith and MS II is taught by Dr. Shaw, Dr. Quillen, and Mrs. Stephenson.
MS I focuses on basic principles and terminology needed for the course. You will spend a lot of time
talking about levers and forces. Mrs. Stephenson and Dr. Highsmith hosted MS Jeopardy quite a few times
throughout the course as in interesting way to remember terminology. Movement Science II will mostly
coincide with material you will learn in Anatomy. This part of the course focuses details not covered in
Anatomy such as joints, ligaments, insertions, origins and actions of muscles. The last few weeks of
Movement Science II is taught by Mrs. Stephenson. She teaches the motor control, learning and
development portion of the course. All information needed for her portion of the test can be found on the
powerpoints or handouts given in labs.
Physical Therapy Science I and II
*Strongly Recommended Book: Therapeutic Exercise by Kisner and Kolby
In PT Science I and II the majority of class time is spent in lab practicing skills hands on. DON’T FORGET
YOUR LAB CLOTHES! (shorts, tank tops, sports bra, etc.) You will be each other’s guinea pigs. It is
important to attend all classes to get hands on skills. Grades are made up of a mixture of skills checks and
written tests. PT Science I will be where you learn your “toolbox” of interventions. This includes an
introduction to documentation, transfers/mobility, modalities, gait training, and wound care. You will put
these skills to use right away in LCE 1 and 2. In PT Science II you will add tests and measures to your
“toolbox.” This includes goniometry, manual muscle testing, special tests, and a variety of other skills.
17
Class Officers and Liaisons
Several times during the year, you will elect some of your classmates to represent you as
class officers and liaisons.
The officers you will elect are: co-presidents (2), vice-president of IT (this will be your
website person), class secretary (takes minutes at meetings, sends out e-mail reminders, and if
he or she elects to do so sends out weekly newsletters), treasurer (keeps track of class dues and
class budget), honor council representatives (in charge of your class’s honor code enforcement ),
note-service chairs (responsibilities are explained in the Note-service section) (2), elections
officers (2) (in charge of running all of the class elections), and social chairs (2) (responsible for
planning class social events and for providing breakfast on the day of exams). You will elect one
set early in the year, and then in early 2008 you will elect a new set (although many of the same
people may run). Each of these jobs is important, so make sure you elect individuals that you are
confident will do their job.
Each class will have one, two or three liaisons, and their job is to be the conduit between
your class and the faculty. They will relay any complaints to/from faculty/students, argue any
unfair test questions on the students’ behalf, and will be your representation for that class. Again,
consider who you elect, and try to ensure that person is going to be responsible and accessible.
Last year, our class dues were approximately $45, which covered breakfast every morning
of an exam and class socials that were given usually the night after exams or that following
weekend. Some of our class socials included Lightning games, Peabody’s, and various house
parties. Your class will need to decide how much money to charge for class dues, depending on
how many events you want to have. It will also need to be decided whether class dues can be
used towards alcohol at events. Remember as students entering the medical profession, it is
understood that students will drink responsibly.
If you are interested in any of these positions, we urge you to contact one of the individuals
who held that position last year. The following is a list of those students who would be able to
answer any questions you have about that position as well as give you an idea of time
commitments and responsibilities involved.
Co-Presidents
Nishit Patel
Danish Ahmad
npatel1@health.usf.edu
dahmad@health.usf.edu
Vice President of IT
Jane Pak
jpak@health.usf.edu
Secretary
Charley Woods-Hill
cwoodshi@health.usf.edu
Treasurer
Jane Mai
jmai@health.usf.edu
Social Chairs
Jessica Freilich
Lauren Leffler
Jesal Popat
jfreilic@health.usf.edu
lleffler@health.usf.edu
jpopat@health.usf.edu
Community Service Chairs
Maria Khambaty
Catherine Hough
mkambat@health.usf.edu
chough@health.usf.edu
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Honor Council
Drew Carey
Gwen Wilson
acarey@health.usf.edu
gwilson@health.usf.edu
Elections Officers
Jackie Doetsch
Mindy Shiver
jdoetsch@health.usf.edu
mshiver@health.usf.edu
NoteService Chairs
Nicole Kirby
Leia Sanderson
nkirby@health.usf.edu
nsanders@health.usf.edu
Molecular Medicine Liaisons
Brian Allen
Casey Gooden
Tuan Truong
ballen3@health.usf.edu
cgooden@health.usf.edu
ttruong1@health.usf.edu
Ethics and Humanities Liaisons
Thure Caire
Mary Murphy
mcaire@health.usf.edu
mmurphy2@health.usf.edu
Anatomy Liaisons
Brian Allen
Mary Azer
Danny Nguyen
ballen3@health.usf.edu
mazer@health.usf.edu
dnguyen1@health.usf.edu
Physiology Liaisons
Thure Caire
Lilly Chang
mcaire@health.usf.edu
lchang@health.usf.edu
Physical Diagnosis Liaison
Navid Eghbalieh
neghbali@health.usf.edu
Imaging Liaison
Vikash Singh
vsingh1@health.usf.edu
LCE Liaison
Nina Paidas
Justin Sempsrott
cpaidas1@health.usf.edu
jsempsro@health.usf.edu
Colloquium Liason
Jarrod Keeler
jkeeler@health.usf.edu
Neuroscience Liaisons
Josh Raynes
Chad Rusthoven
jraynes@health.usf.edu
crusthov@health.usf.edu
Behavioral Medicine Liaisons
Krista Joseph
kjoseph@health.usf.edu
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Class Attendance
The official policy of the school is that you should attend all classes. The reality is that you
have to learn the material, and if you can do so without attending certain lectures, so be it. There
are certain things you do have to attend, such as small group meetings, Colloquium, PD skills
sessions, joint case, and LCE class meetings.
There are three main sources in which you can get the information presented in class,
attend class, video streaming and note service. Below, we listed the advantages/disadvantages
of each method as well as some suggestions for each block of your first year. Professors are
always available to help you with any questions you may have in their off time, but they might get
a little mad if you ask them to repeat a lecture for you. Please know that everyone studies
differently and that you need to figure out what works best for you. Use this as a guide.
1. Attend class - It is unlikely that you will fall behind and you have the ability to ask any
questions. Making it to class each day also keeps you on top of all of the activities
surrounding the USF COM. There are certain classes that will be mandatory throughout
the year in which case you do not have a choice. However, eight hours of sitting in class
can be difficult some days.
2. Video Streaming - The videos can be found online on Blackboard and can be played back
at a faster speed. In theory this can save you time, but not every lecture will be recorded
(maybe 5% don’t) and it is very easy to get behind in watching classes.
3. Note service - This is a class run organization in which each member writes out a
transcription of each class given. The larger the group the less each member has to
transcribe. Transcriptions are due 2 days following the lecture and you have to transcribe
about once every month and a half (depending on the size of your group).
Warning: It is very easy to fall behind when you don’t attend class. There will be a lot of
information presented to you in a short amount of time, so stay organized with your studying. You
will not have time to get through 3 weeks of class and study for an exam if you leave it until the
week before the test.
Blocks
POM- Attendance required
B1 (Biochemistry) - You are still getting used to medical school so many of your classmates will
attend class.
B2: Anatomy- This is a ton of information thrown at you pretty fast, so be ready. Our class was
pretty much split between those who went to class and those who didn’t. Cadaver lab is
mandatory and you will be spending a great deal of time in there so get used to the smell of
formaldehyde. In addition, you should always attend the gross lab at your scheduled time as a
matter of fairness to the other members of your dissection group. A good dissection takes time,
and it is not fair to the other members of your group if they spend several hours isolating a blood
vessel and its branches, and then you show up and reap the benefits of their hard work. Skipping
dissection is a guaranteed way to upset a lot of your classmates and earn you a reputation as
someone who cares only for themselves.
Physiology- The physiology class starts off as a live lecture that you can either attend or
watch online, but by the end of the class it is only taught online. There are, however, Physiology
case conferences at the beginning of the class that you have to attend. These conferences will be
20
lead by a professor and you will discuss with the professor and 10 other classmates a case that
you have looked over and answered questions on beforehand. At the end of the class, when the
lectures are only taught online, there is a study/discussion class that you will have to attend before
the test, but this is very helpful in reviewing material before the exam.
B3 (Neuroanatomy/Behavioral Medicine) - There are not as many mandatory class, but you can
get extra credit for showing up to some of the behavioral medicine classes. Everyone basically
uses the video streaming or note service to study along with their notes.
Physical Diagnosis: PD is a 2 year class that starts in POM and continues on. In POM you have
to attend the PD class, but after that the class is taught online. There are mandatory skills
sessions that you have to attend where you see patients. These are generally 1-2 hours long and
they are very helpful and you definitely learn a lot.
On a final note, regarding a certain level of respect and professionalism, when guest
lecturers come, it is embarrassing to the faculty and our school when the lecture hall empty. As
Dr. Specter will tell you, medical school is more than just the facts, and you do pick things up from
faculty and your classmates that you miss out on by never coming to class. You are paying a lot of
money for tuition and you are entitled access to the faculty; by never coming to class you are
basically paying for the right to take exams.
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Noteservice/Videostreaming
During the 2005-2006 academic year the new online audio and video streaming was
introduced. In addition to being able to rewatch the lectures, many students find it very helpful to
have the lectures in writing. This is the role of Noteservice. Noteservice started as a student-run
system of providing written transcriptions of the lectures. The class of 2010 modified our
Noteservice system to include typed notes along with images and explanations of difficult lecture
concepts rather than word for word typed transcripts; kind of like really good “Cliff’s Notes.” This
worked well for us because it allowed us to provide good, concise notes to our fellow classmates.
It is up to you and your classmates whether you would like your Noteservice to consist of
transcripts or notes.
Along with class officers and course liaisons, you will elect two Noteservice chairs, whose
job it will be to monitor Noteservice. They will be in charge of assigning transcriptions, taking care
of any logistics, and most importantly, ensuring the quality of the notes or transcripts. In
exchange, the Noteservice chairs have access to all transcriptions and notes without having to
transcribe or take notes, themselves. We strongly recommend you speak with the class of 2010
chairs, Nicole Kirby and Leia Sanderson, (nkirby@health.usf.edu and nsanders@health.usf.edu )
if you are interested in the job. Whoever gets the job needs to speak with them to get it set up
initially. The cost to join Noteservice is variable and up to your class to decide. You can ask
Nicole, Leia, and our class officers about this cost. Notes were generally due by 5pm two days
after the lecture was given, with a system set up to account for if the scheduled note taker was
unable to complete the notes/transcripts.
This is not a mandatory service to be a part of, but for certain classes it might be difficult to
get by without it, although certainly doable. In the biochemistry block, a lot of students did not
seem to need Noteservice, but during subsequent blocks (anatomy, physiology, embryology,
medical neuroscience, behavioral medicine, etc.) a lot of students found it very helpful, especially
for Dr.Hilbelink and Dr.Nolan’s lectures because they tend to have minimal text on their
Powerpoint presentations. It is not possible to write down everything these lecturers say, so some
students found it helpful to listen to the audio files or read the notes while studying. Note writing is
a time-consuming task, but if you get 80 or more students participating, then you will only have to
write Noteservice notes every few months. Also, there are a few students who offer their
mercenary services to write notes for people who did not have time to or did not want to. The
mercenaries in our class usually charged $25 for a note taking assignment.
If you need any more information, please feel free to contact either Nicole Kirby or Leia
Sanderson, they will be more then willing to give you the inside scoop.
Unlike note-service which is student run, video-streaming is run by the IT department.
Video-streaming was introduced in the middle of the 2005 Molecular Medicine block, and it really
revolutionized our studying abilities. The Professors can now draw on their PowerPoint
presentations and you can watch it later! You won’t miss the complex pathways of Neuroanatomy
or the massive labeling that Dr. Hilbelink does for embryology lectures. Of course, with this novel
new development in our learning, class attendance has since dropped dramatically. One thing to
remember is that physical demonstrations that are done in class can be absent on the videostreaming because it captures the PowerPoint instead of the lecturer. In addition, these lectures
aren’t posted online immediately. They are usually posted within a day after the lecture but in
some cases the posting time may be later depending on whether or not there are problems with
the lecture recordings or IT. This causes you to be at least a day behind those that go to class. It
is up to you whether or not you want to utilize these wonderful services that aid in studying,
22
supplementing the lecture, or replacing the lecture; but keep in mind that the only way to ensure
that you will GET EVERYTHING that is said is to just go to class.
23
Studying Advice
Many of you are probably wondering how much different med school studying is from
undergrad studying. Some med students will say that they used the same methods, but
accommodated it to the larger load. Most of us recommend studying every day, which is basically
reviewing the material you learned that day. The majority of us had to change our study habits to
be able to deal with the large amount of material, to learn more in less time, and to be more
organized. Some study habits, such as re-writing notes became too large of a task to accomplish
anymore. Below are some helpful hints collected from the COM class of 2010 and the DPT class
of 2009 that will hopefully help you understand what to expect. Good Luck!!! 
General Study Tips:
♦ If you learn better in class and like to ask questions, definitely go, but make sure that
you have a way to learn the material that you missed in class such as reading the
book, reading the class’s Noteservice, or re-listening to the lecture online.
 BEWARE: Sitting in a medical school class is much different than undergrad.
You will more than likely have your laptop in front of you and your friends
sitting beside you which can be very distracting. Therefore…
♦ If you are easily distracted and do not seem to learn much during class, then it would
probably be best to not attend class and to just listen to the lectures online so that
you can rewind as soon as you miss something. It keeps you from missing key
points that may affect your understanding of the rest of the lecture. (A large number
of students find this method most beneficial).
 BEWARE: This method requires a lot of self-directed learning, which in all
honesty, many of us have not experienced in our undergraduate degrees.
You can get very behind without even noticing. Also, the lectures from the day
are sometimes not posted until the following day which can also contribute to
getting behind on the material.
♦ Do not let POM confuse you into thinking that you do not have to study much for
med school.
 Have lots of fun and get to know your classmates during POM.
 The rest of the courses after POM are much more time consuming.
 Do not be discouraged if your studying techniques for POM do not help when
you get to the real material. The course structures are much different.
♦ Do not count on cramming for exams!
 There is WAY too much material (especially during blocks B1 and B2) to do
that! (Remember: It is NOT necessary to study everyday for POM.)
 Students who used to cram for just a day or two in undergrad now find
themselves studying almost every single day in med school.
 Reviewing the same day’s lectures every day is a VERY good way to keep
up.
• If you really can not get to it that day, make sure to review it soon after.
• The material builds up rapidly, so do your best to review every day.
♦ DON’T FORGET TO FIND TIME TO RELAX!!!
 This is really important for you to stay sane. 
 Knowing that you are going to do something fun like spending time with your
new classmates or other friends, going out, taking salsa lessons, or going to
the beach gives you something to look forward to after long days or weeks of
studying!
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♦ Stay organized. Have a plan of how you want to study for each exam. Set
achievable goals. If you find that you’re method did not work, then try another one
for the next exam. There are several study methods that work, so find your
strengths and use them.
 If you type fast, then you would probably find it easiest to type notes during
class onto the downloaded powerpoints.
 If you write faster, you might find it easier to print out the notes and take notes
on them. With this method:
• Have a binder for each exam.
• You usually will not be able to fit more that one exam’s worth of
powerpoints in a 1 to 1 ½ inch binder.
 If you absorb a lot from reading, keep up with the reading. If you like to
attend class, it helps to read before going to the lectures. Otherwise, you
might find yourself very lost and not get much out of class. (This is especially
true for anatomy.)
 It is helpful for some people to review each lecture at the end of the day and
extract all the high-yield material from all the examples and pictures that
aren’t as important. That way, when you get back to viewing that material
three weeks down the road you know exactly what you need to know for the
exam.
♦ Do not stress out if you feel behind!! Most people often seem to feel that way even
when trying hard to keep up.
 The weekends are a great time to catch up.
 Try to relax and take short breaks often. It can keep you from feeling burnt
out.
Extra Studying Advice for Biochemistry (Block B1):
♦ Many students found it useful to make an outline for every week of this block. Work
on that outline everyday after learning the material. It helps connect the dots. 
♦ Many found it useful to copy and paste the class’s Noteservice into the notes section
of each PowerPoint, so that they can study straight from their computers. This is
great for visual learners.
♦ A lot of this block is pathways, therefore it is very helpful to have a dry-erase board
handy so that you can draw out the pathways and mark the rate-limiting steps,
important enzymes, locations of diseases…etc.
♦ It is possible most of the time to take good notes during class during this block, so it
would be a good idea to try that out first.
 If it really does not work for you, then try listening to the lectures online
instead.
 Don’t forget to attend the required classes! 
♦ Group studying can be very helpful.
 Discussing topics is a great way to commit them to memory.
 Groups also help with making some connections that you may not have
thought of yourself. Everyone helps each other.
 Most people only find it useful after studying the material on their own first.
 There are several ways to do group studying. For example, it can be a
weekly group study time, or simply a group you meet with the weekend before
the exam.
• By then you should already feel comfortable with the material!!!
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•
•
•
The group studying is best used as a review to help everything stick.
Some groups found it best to meet more often for a shorter amount of
time, while other groups spent a lot of time one day a week or a couple
of days before the exam.
Avoid having too large of a group. (Three or four people per group is
usually best.)
Extra Studying Advice for Anatomy (Block B2):
♦ You will need to memorize A LOT of information during this block. Anatomy Recall
may help with that if you think that memorizing is a weakness for you.
 READ!!! You will be amazed as to how much anatomy you will be able to
learn simply by reading. This is especially true for histology. Some students
prefer the textbook, others prefer board review series books. Although, the
professors are very good about giving thorough lectures which cover most of
what the books say anyways.
♦ Go to the gross lab with a group to review everything several times before each
exam.
♦ Do not fall behind in this block! It is best to study/review that day’s material every
day. Do not procrastinate!!! This is the longest and biggest block of the year and it is
very easy to get burnt out if you don’t keep a strict schedule.
♦ Flashcards are helpful for this block.
 Both Netter’s flashcards and making your own for other material that is not on
Netter’s cards is useful.
o Mnemonic devices are great for this block.
o Even if you are not an artist, drawing out simple sketches and labeling them is also
helpful
o Be sure to keep up with anatomy on a regular basis because there are some blocks
in physiology that are very conceptually difficult and time consuming to study and
understand. You don’t want to have anatomy taking up your time right before the
exam.
Extra Studying Advice for Neuroscience (Block 3):
- This block is also a lot of memorizing. Although, once you learn the basics of the
neuroscience pathways, it is easy to learn the rest.
- This block builds in difficulty. The first exam is only after a short 2 weeks of material and
it is worth the least amount. The 2nd exam and 3rd exam are progressively more difficult
and covers a lot more material. They are also worth a lot more.
- The most important thing to remember for this block is that you must stay focused.
Many of you will be burnt out by this stage and neuroscience demands a high level of
focus and concentration, especially during the exams.
Choosing a Studying Location:
So, where to get all of that studying in? You again have many options, but find out what works
best for you. Here are a few quick tips when choosing a study location.
1. Internet Access- much of your studying will use your computer and the internet
2. Make sure you can concentrate- studying for 8 hours straight on Sheikra (the new
rollercoaster at Busch Gardens) isn’t all that productive
3. Distractions- This goes along with #2, but realize that there will be many distractions at
any study location that you choose.
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4. Study groups are very helpful- though they might not be as efficient as studying alone,
your peers are great resources to learn and get quizzed on the material
5. Study times can be just as important as place- There are significantly less distractions
in any of the following locations at 5am compared to 5pm.
Below are some locations that our class used with some advantages/disadvantages listed for
each.
1. Library- It has fast internet access, it’s quiet, but it can get distracting if you start talking to
people. You don’t have to use the COM library if you don’t want to.
2. Histology Labs- You will get your own large desk in the histology labs this year, and many
of our classmates study at these desks. There is internet access and it is fairly quiet. The
desk is fairly large so that you can spread all of your materials out if you want to. The one
big con is that it is depressing to study in there, you may find yourself feeling zombie-like
when you leave.
3. Home- The internet access and how quiet it is will be up to you. You do not have to go
anywhere (which can be good or bad) but none of your peers will be there and you can
study naked if that floats your boat. You will have many possible distractions such as the
TV, phone, roommates, and your BED!
4. Coffee Shops- Lots of people and internet access is a maybe. If you like to get out of the
house, but still be productive this might be your cup of tea. Just don’t get too distracted.
5. Vacation Home on/near the beach 5 hours away- Sternly discouraged, however when
our class figures out how to pull it off, we’ll let you know. The first step is to get one, but
how to study there…good luck.
We hope that all of this helps you all get started. Don’t forget that everyone is different, so if you
know a method that fits you best, stick with that. Just remember that it will be much more material
given in a much shorter amount of time when compared to undergrad. The best thing to do is try
out different strategies until you find something that works best for you. Don’t be afraid to ask
people how they study (trust me, some will talk your ear off on how amazing their study habits
are). Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask any 12-pac members for their advice, we will be happy to give it!!
Good luck with the year, and enjoy it!!!
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General Wisdom and Advice
This was the advice given to us as we started our first year from the COM class of 2009 and
DPT class of 2008. We pass it along to better prepare you for what we just went through. Keep
in mind that this is just advice, and you are ultimately going to have to decide what works best
for you.
Academic Advice:
• Netter’s is very useful
• Don’t buy too many books b/c you won’t have time to use them
• If class doesn’t work for you… don’t feel guilty about not attending!
• If you didn’t study your ass off in undergrad, that’s okay, but you will now. PS Don’t
be scared. Everybody feels the same way you do.
• Don’t blow off physical diagnosis – ever!!! (Even in B1 when it seems like common
sense) Dr. Coris is teaching stuff that you will really use and will be expected to
know.
• Don’t freak out in POM if you don’t know what the heck anyone is talking about –
that’s normal and you will spend the rest of the year learning the lingo.
• Know the PowerPoints, they are presented for a reason
• Go study in cadaver lab on the weekends- the bodies are there to learn from…don’t
wait until 3 days before the test to learn the body parts….there is too much info!
• Find your groove and don’t stop till you do.
• About the reading assignments: They are unrealistic, no one can read so much in so
little time, let alone remember half of it
• Keep in mind that your physical body has limits that don’t always coincide with your
mental drive; don’t get worried or frustrated if at some point you feel that you don’t
have the juice to study as you used to, despite the fact that you want to study. This
is normal. Respect the body, take good rests.
• Teach each other, it’s the best way to retain
• It’s your responsibility to learn this information so that you can treat patients, it
should be nobody’s business how you obtain it. (About not going to class)
• LEARN TO MANAGE TIME, I know you’ve heard it before, but SERIOUSLY!!!
• The lectures right before the exam on Anatomy, even if they say don’t learn these,
learn them. They always got a huge representation on the exam.
• In the gross lab, Drs. Nolan, Muffly, an Arslan were extremely helpful and we
suggest you take advantage of their expertise and friendly dispositions. Be warned
though that Nolan and Cameron love to pimp as they help, so be forewarned (but
don’t be afraid, as this is also a good learning tool).
• Learn because you want to be competent, not because you like regurgitating facts
like you did in undergrad.
• If you like to go out, go out as much as you can during POM. It’s a lower stress level
class that really is getting you accustomed to medical school. Just don’t blow off the
first quiz like it’s a joke, you are still in medical school.
• Use the professors to your advantage. They may seem a little scary, but really they
are very nice
• Don't get behind in school! Once you do, it is so much harder to catch up.
• Take some time off to make sure you don’t go crazy, but be productive on the
weekends
• Remember that everyone differs in terms of studying so try to find out what works for
you.
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Personal/Social Advice:
• Watch what you tell people because it may come back around.
• Remember to take time for yourself! Take time to do the things you like. Watch TV,
play a musical instrument, work out, go out, HAVE FUN!!! Work hard, but have fun.
• It relieves stress to hang out with friends and to do something fun. It will lead to
having close friends who are really there for you when you need them.
• Don’t forget about your spouse or boyfriend, you can take a day every week to
spend with them, I did it!
• Don’t be competitive with your classmates and don’t gossip about others, it’s mean
and damages class spirit
• Make as many friends as you can in the first week
• Never date anyone in your class!!! Find yourself a hot chef, seriously
• Caffeine is your friend, don’t fight it.
Extra-curricular Advice:
• Go to the lunch meetings! You’d be surprised how much you can learn about
different areas and aspects of medicine
• Volunteer at the Judeo Christian Clinic on a regular basis it is great motivation- sign
up for clinical volunteer opportunities as this helps keep your goals in perspective.
• Attending health-fairs (even if it was a test weekend) keeps you grounded and
reminds you why you are here. Sometimes volunteer work gives you that extra little
push that you need to be able to stay up a little later to study something. It’s very
motivational
• Get involved in at least one organization (for more than free lunch) it helps keep you
sane and reminds you why you're doing this torture called med school.
• Play intramurals. It's a great way to form friendships with classmates and relieve
stress.
General Advice:
• You will FREAK out when you get here and feel as if you are the only one, but
everyone is feeling the same way. Give it time and ride it out. Don’t be scared to talk
your fellow classmates.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself when you’re trying new skills or don’t make the grades
you did in undergrad.
• Medical school is like a marathon, not a race. It's a long way to the end, so don't
burn out early on. Take time for yourself and do what you enjoy because otherwise
you're studying all the time, which you should not be doing (unless it's anatomy, then
study more).
• This is medical school; it is not supposed to be easy.
• You will make great friends.
• Listen to the second years, they are very wise!
• Don’t be afraid to ask upperclassmen for help or advice.
• If you shake it more than three times, you’re playing with it.
• Never eat yellow snow
• You’ve made it past the really hard part: getting in.
• Consider buying a tablet PC.
• It’s very important to check and READ your emails daily, important information is
relayed via email.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
We are learning about health, but I guarantee that there will be moments when
simultaneously you will feel that medical school is making you break your own
health. How you handle those moments will define you as a student and possibly as
a doctor. Respect the body.
Whatever you do, please do not gauge your performance against another’s. You
must learn to work as teammates and help each other succeed
It is counterproductive to not believe in yourself.
If you see a woman walking out in the pouring rain, during a hurricane, on Nebraska
Ave, think before you offer her a ride, more than likely she’s a prostitute. (still a nice
thing to do though).
Get to know the staff in the student affairs office they can be amazing and will help
you out with anything
Have some kind of calendar/notebook and keep it updated. Have it with you every
time you check your e-mails
The last piece of advice: don’t listen to anyone’s advice. You can ask 100 people for advice and
get 100 different answers. You have to decide what works for you.
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The Reality of Medical School
At the end of the Class of 2009’s first year of Medical School, they were asked if it turned out to be
what they expected. Here are the variety of answers that were collected:
Yes:
1) Yes it is exactly how I imagined; I thought there might have been more people around to
meet, but I guess we are still pretty isolated.
2) Yes, I think medical school was pretty much how I thought it would be. A lot of studying but
a lot of fun!! I was told that there is a lot of great diversity within classes at USF, and I think
that holds true for our class as well. The faculty and staff are great and very helpful too.
3) Med school is about what I thought it was going to be- characterized by challenges, hard
work, sleepless nights, and LOTS of trying to shove stuff into your head. It was a bit of an
adjustment for me and although people tried to explain what med school is like, it was
beyond my wildest imagination (in both good and bad ways.)
4) Medical school is everything I thought it would be. It is a bit harder than I thought, because
you are learning so much material, but it is so fun and interesting. Anyone who worked
hard in college is going to make an easy transition into medical school because it just takes
hours of dedication. It is pretty much like what I had heard from others and what I
expected.
5) Yes, but we do many more clinically oriented things than I thought we would and everything
is much more integrated than I had thought it would be. So, these are definitely positives.
6) Medical school is what I thought it was going to be. I have a brother in medical school who
told me how it was. It is a lot of studying… but whatever people say, you can still
DEFINITELY do the things you enjoy doing. You learn to make time for those things and it
has made me a much happier person.
No:
1) Medical school was nothing like how I thought it would be. Forget the whole “you have no
life” thing. You will have tons of fun! There is a lot of information to learn, so stay on top of
things. You should enjoy the learning experiences
2) Medical school hasn’t really changed my life as dramatically as I expected. I have learned
to keep up with the work and manage time well enough to still do all of the activities that I
like.
3) No one could have prepared me for the amount of work involved, but if you have gotten this
far – you can do it. I had no idea what to expect and still don’t. Med school still surprises
me. Everyday – something else surprises me – but that’s a good thing! There will be high
moments, low moments, confused moments, lucid moments– each a gift of life, so respect
each emotion, appreciate each emotion, and embrace your journey.
4) Medical school is not at all what I thought it would be. In some ways, yes (Anatomy
Particles, see Gross Anatomy for a preview of what it is really like!) People said that
gossip spreads like wildfire in med school. They were right. There will be people who are
married, single, partiers, churchgoers, drinkers, nondrinkers, people whose parents are
doctors, people whose parents are not…but we are all in this together. We are all medical
school students with the same dreams and goals. Remember that when somebody pisses
you off.
5) Med school is awesome, but nothing like what I was expecting. People told me to forget all
my undergraduate knowledge, Physics will never be used again…boy, was I shocked to
see that there is a correlation of flow dynamics….and yes we have to know the equations
when we are talking about blood and air flow. There is time to go visit home, I have been
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able to go back to Jacksonville almost once a month. Make sure you stay in touch with
your friends that you have left behind, you need their support, even if it is only over the
phone.
6) It is harder than everyone says it is but ironically fun and worthwhile.
7) No. I thought that medical school would be full of people that would all be excited to be
there and everyone would get along. It is like high school all over, the only difference is
you can drink. Don’t get involved with someone in class, it will be weird if things don’t work
out. It is hard, but you have time to do other things. Don’t sit in the library and study 24/7,
go watch some TV, go party, see your family, make some good friends. Don’t be
discouraged if you are very extroverted and people don’t take well to that, after a while you
will find your niche. There are many personalities so don’t take it personally. Make friends
with everyone in student affairs, they will be a huge help and they are there for you, be it
regarding school or just to chat and take a load off. Go out to all the events in POM, see
who is who and what type of dynamic your class has, every class is different, for better and
for worse. HAVE FUN and LEARN LOTS!!!!
8) It’s a little different than what I thought it would be. Although the work is hard, it hasn’t
been impossible or unreasonable. Our schedule is demanding, but we have more time for
independent study than I thought, which is great.
9) Not really, I am not sure what I was expecting but I am not a “science-nut” by any means.
And it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.
10) No. the classes are not as hard as you think as long as you put the time in and can figure
out the right stuff to study…..i thought I was going to have to do a lot of reading, but
basically everything is given to you in lecture.
11) I lived with my sister all four years while she was going to medical school and it still didn’t
prepare me fully for what it would feel like to be a medical student. I’m not sure anything
can fully prepare you for it. It’s more and harder work than I’ve ever done, but I love it!
12) I didn’t expect so much busy work, like paper, group projects, etc. Time Management has
been a huge issue for me. The material is doable – but having the time to get through it all
by test day is the hard part. Having to alienate yourself from all your friends is hard, you
still need to hang out with everyone, but not to the degree you were probably accustomed
to. Class size is smaller than you are used to in undergrad and you are with the same
people everyday – it has some resemblance to high school, with its good and bad points.
13) I didn’t realize how isolated medical school would make me from friends and family. I
come from a large family that gets together quite frequently and I just don’t have the time
that I did before to be at all of the planned events. You learn to accept it after a while and
be thankful for the time you have.
14) Better than I thought it would be. Professors rarely pimp you here. I eat fast-food
surprisingly infrequently.
15) No, there was very little hooking up within my class.. .some couples emerged but MOST
OF THE GUYS WERE MARRIED OR LIKE ALMOST MARRIED! But they are nice people
so be kind to the “partnered” ones and their significant others if you are a single bee.
Other:
1) I really had no idea of what to expect. I sleep a lot less than I wish I could, I hate studying,
and I want a vacation every two months, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
2) It’s harder than POM (Profession of Medicine) makes you believe. Don’t think it’s going to
be easy just because the first three weeks are. It gets much tougher so be ready to study
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3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
about 10 times more than you’ve ever studied in undergrad for each exam in Blocks B1 and
especially B2.
Everyone always says how busy they are in medical school and how much they study but I
never believed them. Well, it really is true, and you are very busy with studying and lots of
other things. But it's good, and you still have time for yourself if you keep up with things.
You do make friends as well, but make an effort to keep up relationships outside of medical
school, because sometimes you need to get away from it and clear your head.
It is a lot of work but its nothing hard. The material isn’t ridiculously complicated, but the
volume of information is like nothing you have ever experienced in undergrad
I don’t think you can fully know what it’s like until you do it. You know you’ll be studying a
lot, but you don’t appreciate it until it’s you doing it. You get used to it though, and once
you accept the fact that you can’t go out every Friday night, and that you will have to study
some weekends, it just becomes part of what you do, and you may even start to like it.
Med school is unbelievable. I’ve never been happier, and I am one of the five or six of us
that has had significant life experience between undergrad and now. Unlike undergrad I
actually enjoy it and somehow do not feel burdened by studying just about every waking
moment.
Study hard and party hard. That way your life is balanced. Just make sure you do each at
the appropriate times.
Yes and no. I expected med school to be a lot of work. I dreamed about it for so long that I
never thought I'd doubt if I wanted the dream once I was in, but I did at various points. I
didn't expect to have as much satisfaction from being frustrated. Its an experience that no
amount of information will prepare you for, I think you just have to experience it and
everyone's experience is different.
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Health Enhancement for Lifelong Professional Students
(HELPS)
813.870.0184
The HELPS is a confidential service for you and your significant other. The first three visits
are free of charge. If, at any point, you feel like talking to someone about problems you may be
having regarding school, financial worries, legal problems, substance problems, relationships,
family, or any other obstacles you may encounter that might hinder your ability to perform at your
optimal level, do not hesitate to call the above number. Remember that if you have previously had
a major depressive episode or have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive
compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or any other mental illnesses, the
demanding environment of medical school may have a propensity to exacerbate these conditions.
This is a very good resource to use proactively before school performance is at risk.
The Wood and Associates’ corporate office is located at the Habana Medical and
Professional building. Located at 4700 North Habana Avenue Suite 200 in Tampa. It is located
North of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd/ Habana Avenue intersection. Remember this is not a
treatment program, but rather it is an assessment, support, and referral program. The only thing
you have to lose by contacting HELPS is the problem. For more information you can view the
HELPS website.
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What to do in the Tampa Bay Area
Some of you may not be very familiar with the Tampa area, so below we have included
some information that will help you get acquainted with the things you can do in your free time,
and, yes, you should make time for that. One thing that most of our class will agree with is to
maintain some type of fitness schedule. You do not need to be training for an Ironman, but you
really should make sure you get some type of physical activity in more days per week than not.
That hour at the gym will help clear you mind, give you some respite from schoolwork, physically
tire you out, and most importantly keep you healthy; it will not turn you from an A to an F student.
Otherwise, Tampa is a pretty big city, and most anything you would want to do (and can
afford), you can find in the Bay area. When people talk about the Tampa Bay area they usually
are referring to Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, and Sarasota
counties. USF is located in northern Hillsborough. It would probably be worth 10 minutes of your
time to look at a map of the area and get your bearings. Below are listed some of the major streets
in the immediate Tampa and USF areas. Traffic on most of these roads is pretty heavy during
rush hours:
•
Bruce B Downs/30th St: runs north/south (N/S) from Pasco county down well south of USF.
The bridge between our med school and the VA spans Bruce B Downs.
•
I-275: runs N/S, but also west across Tampa Bay (the body of water) to connect
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. This is how you get to St. Petersburg, and there are
lots of useful stops along the way.
•
Dale Mabry: about 15 minutes west of USF, this also runs N/S from Pasco county all the
way down to MacDill Air Force Base. Probably the main road for all of Hillsborough
County.
•
US-19: main N/S road in Pinellas County. Equivalent to Dale Mabry.
Note there are no east/west roads listed, and that’s because there is not one main one. There are
a lot of them that are pretty useful, each running different length. Some ones worth knowing
around USF (listed from north to south) are Bearss (yes, it is spelled it right… it’s a family name),
Fletcher, Fowler, Busch, and Hillsborough. Except for Fowler, any of these will take you between
Bruce/30th and Dale Mabry.
• Bars/Clubs
Any type of bar or club you would want, we have at least one of them in Tampa. There are two
big club areas, but plenty of other ones scattered about. The two big areas are Ybor and
Channelside, and most would agree Channelside is a little more upscale (and more expensive).
Both have a decent assortment of dance clubs and general bars. Another fun area is Hyde Park.
There are several fun places to go off of Howard St. and the surrounding area. If you go out
during the week, the places listed for certain nights are usually pretty busy early (around 10).
Most people have jobs and do not stay until close (3 am). Some other clubs that students in our
class have enjoyed are listed here (you can get the exact locations and directions online pretty
easily). This is certainly not an all-inclusive list.
o MacDinton’s (Hyde Park) Karaoke on Thursdays and $1 miller lites. It gets crowded around 10pm.
 Happy Hour on Friday from 6-8. $10 all you can drink.
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 It is also fun on Saturdays.
o Dubliner (Hyde Park)
 Liter night on Wednesdays. $5.50 Liters. It gets crowded around 10pm.
o Splitsville (Channelside)
o Hyde Park Café (Hyde Park)
 College night on Tuesdays. Girls get in free and drink free draft beer, wine,
and whatever the promotional liquor that week is with a student id. Guys
have to pay cover ($5 or $7). It has a dress code and has a room to dance to
rap music and another with techno.
 Salsa night on Thursdays.
 Saturdays are also fun.
o Howl at the Moon (Channelside)
o Peabody’s (New Tampa)
o Round Up
o Dallas Bull
 Ladies night on Thursdays. Girls get six drink tokens. Everyone pays a cover
($5).
o Meridian Hookah Lounge
o Al Aqsa Hookah Lounge
o Comedy Club (Ybor)
o Stump’s Supper Club (Channelside)
o The Castle (Ybor)
o The Rack (Hyde Park)
 It is a restaurant/ sports bar the serves sushi, pasta, and sandwiches. It has
darts, pool tables, and t.v.’s. It is across the street from Hyde Park Cafe.
o Jackson’s (Harbour Island)
o Whiskey Park (Carollwood and Hyde Park locations)
 Whiskey Park South is fun on Fridays and Saturdays (at 11:30ish til close). It
has a dance floor and other side bars.
o Prana (Ybor)
o Orpheum (Ybor)
o Obrien’s (Davis Island)
o Beef O Brady’s (Bearrs Avenue, Northdale, and South Tampa)
o Empire (Ybor)
o Amphiteatre (Ybor)
o Tampa Ale House (Carollwood)
o Green Iguana (Ybor, Anderson Rd, and Rocky Point Rd locations)
o Margarita Mama’s (University Mall)
o Coyote Ugly (Ybor)
o Blue Martini (International Mall)
 Mondays are fun. They have a band. Drinks are expensive. It is a slightly
older crowd.
o Bilmar Station (Carollwood)
• Gyms/Recreation
Here is a list of a few places, most of which are located in the USF area, other areas of
Tampa, of course, have their own acommodations, so ask around.
o USF Recreation Center (located right next to the Sun Dome) – free weights, weight
machines, good mix of cardio equipment, indoor lap pool, aerobics, and
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
kickboxing… and you can’t beat the price – FREE, for all USF students. Just bring
your student ID card to get in. http://usfweb2.usf.edu/camprec/rec.html
Lifestyles Fitness Center (2 locations: Bruce B Downs and Amberly Drive; Hyde
Park) – this is a very nice facility that of course has all the stuff you’d want – weights,
machines, lots of cardio equipment, various classes, and a friendly staff. The
downside is you have to pay. They offer a medical student discount, so make sure
you ask for it if you go. There are also different tiers of membership offering different
services, with the middle tier costing around $35/month with our discount. Some
advantages noted by our class: less of a meat-market atmosphere, more cardio
equipment, better overall equipment, better hours (opens at 5am vs. 6:15am for
USF), cleaner showers.
New Tampa YMCA (just off Bruce B Downs in New Tampa) – all your standard
equipment, outdoor pool, spin classes, aerobics stuff, etc. They also give a student
discount, so ask for it. This is a full-scale Y, so they also have basketball courts,
child-care, and even a rock-climbing wall inside. There are similar advantages to the
Y to those listed for Lifestyles.
Shapes Total Fitness - 12 locations in Tampa
Curves for Women
 These four gyms require a membership fee and/or monthly fees. If this is not
an expense you wish to pay, rest assured that the USF Rec center offers
great exercise amenities.
USF Riverfront Park (east of campus on Fletcher) – this is a neat little facility free to
students. Located on the Hillsborough River, you can canoe or kayak on the river
for a small rental fee, play volleyball on the courts, picnic there, etc. It is one of
USF’s little gems, so if you are into outdoors stuff, check it out. Find info at the
same website as above.
USF Intramural sports – you will get emails from upperclassmen as each season
starts, but the medical students collectively usually form teams in flag football,
soccer, and basketball. There are other sports, and you don’t have to join a medical
student team. These leagues are free for students to join.
Dance Studios - Temple Terrace Ballet (Ballet Mistress is Matilde Barreto, 786-4916;
the number for the Temple Terrace Rec Center where classes are held is 989-7180).
Firethorn Dance Studio is NOT recommended. The main undergraduate campus
also has a dance department you could look into if interested.
Gracie Tampa Jiu Jitsu – a great way to relieve stress, get exercise, and learn some
self defense. It’s not uptight like traditional self defense.
• Museums/Art/Music/Sports
o Salvador Dali Museum (St. Petersburg, near the Pier)
o Museum of Science and Industry (right across from USF on Fowler) – they have an
IMAX Dome, something everyone should experience at least once
o USF Theatre Productions
o Hat Trick Theatre productions (Ybor)
o Tampa Museum of Art (downtown Tampa)
o Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota)
o Ruth Eckerd Hall (Clearwater) – performance venue for concerts, plays, etc.
o St. Pete Times Forum (downtown Tampa) – concerts, Lightning hockey (if there is
hockey again before you graduate med school)
o Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (downtown Tampa)
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o Raymond James Stadium (Dale Mabry Hwy) – Bucs and USF home stadium,
concerts, monster trucks
o Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg) – Devil Rays baseball
 Fridays are college night. Tickets are cheaper and they have dollar beers.
o USF Sundome (on campus) – many USF sports, concerts
o Ford Amphitheatre (Tampa Fairgrounds) – concert venue
o Minor league baseball – great value and often better players than the D-Rays
 Tampa Yankees (NY Yankees single A advanced team)
• The stadium is across the street from the Raymond James Stadium
(football stadium on Dale Mabry). Tickets are $3. On Fridays, they
have dollar beers.
 Clearwater Threshers
 St. Pete Devil Rays
 Dunedin Blue Jays
 Lakeland Tigers
o On-Campus Culture
 USF Museum of Modern Art – Dr. Nixon will take you there once during
Humanities, but they change the exhibits often so it is worth going back later
in the year
 Language Lunches – this is nothing formal, but students have been known to
organize lunches where you only speak a foreign language, most often
Spanish since that’s the most useful foreign language in Tampa.
• Shopping
o Malls
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Brandon Towncenter
Citrus Park Towncenter
University Mall
Westshore Mall
International Plaza (the most upscale in Tampa)
Clearwater Mall
Prime Factory Outlets in Ellenton (its 45 min drive, nice getaway though, on
the way to Siesta Key Beach)
o other quaint little places to spend your tuition money
 Hyde Park Village
 Channelside
 St. Petersburg Pier
 Tarpon Springs area (strong Greek influence in this area)
 Ybor (strong Hispanic influence in this area)
o Food – in addition to all the grocery stores there are a few specialty markets you
may want to check out
 Fresh Market (various locations in the Bay area) – a more upscale grocery
store with good, but expensive, selections of produce, nuts, grains, meats.
 Chuck’s Natural Foods (near Publix on 56th) – great for healthy snacks
 Wild Oats (South Dale Mabry and I-275) – this is an all organic grocery store,
with a great selection of cheese and other gourmet items, but a bit more
expensive.
 Land and Sea Market (Bruce B Down, about 2 miles north of campus) – good
selection and prices on meats, chicken, and seafood, Farmer’s Market –
located on Hillsborough Avenue, this is a wholesaler to area restaurants, so
it’s open very early in the morning, but you have to buy in bulk.
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
Tokyo Sushi (On Fowler Ave. behind Applebees); Ichiban Sushi (Near the
Mall on Fowler); Bonzai Sushi (On Bearse/Fletcher) near Remingtons
Steakhouse)
• Theme Parks/Attractions
o Busch Gardens – look into the season pass, as it is located near campus so it would
be easy to go for just a few hours. Not a bad way to enjoy some of your free time. It
is $60 something and you can come back until the end of the year.
o Adventure Island – Busch’s sister complex, this is a water park. Closed during the
winter months.
o Lowry Park Zoo (Sligh Avenue in Tampa)
o Florida Aquarium (right next to Channelside) – another one where it is worth looking
into the annual pass, as it is a pretty good overall value.
o Beaches – St. Petersberg and Clearwater have amazing beaches. You will also find
Siesta Key to be one of the top ranked beaches in the nation. Its main attraction is
the white-powder sand (perfect for skim boarding)
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Places of Worship
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
Baptist
Cornerstone Baptist Church
818 N Parsons Ave
Brandon, 33510
(813) 689-3325
*Delightful, medium sized, family-like congregation united in a common goal: giving glory to God
for the things He has done and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the local community and
throughout the world.
* It’s a great mix of traditional and contemporary worship. The pastor and people that attend this
church are so welcoming and they really teach Biblical truths.
Contact:
Andy Bruton, MSIII abruton@health.usf.edu
Jen Larkin, MSIII jlarkin1@hsc.usf.edu
Davis Island Baptist Church, Located in South Tampa
97 Biscayne Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 251-1515
Contact:
Juanita Swenson, jswenson@health.usf.edu
First Baptist Church Temple Terrace
10002 North 56th Street
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
813-988-1138
Special college and young professional group which meet Sunday evenings at 7PM;
Contact:
David Sallman, MSII dsallman@health.usf.edu
First Freewill Baptist Church, Located in Seffner
11605 E US Highway 92
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 664-9834
Great southern gospel music, more traditional approach with a spirit filled emphasis
Contact:
Brett Frazier MSIV, bfrazier@hsc.usf.edu
Idlewild Baptist Church, Located in North Tampa
On Dale Mabry just North of Van Dyke
(813) 264-1515
www.idlewild.org
Contemporary and/or Traditional Services
*They truly teach from the Bible, no sugar coating. Also, it is a big place so you get to meet and
work with a lot of people.
*No matter what denomination you are, I love this church because it offers a college age ministry
that is out of this world. It is headed by a personal friend of mine, Jake English, whom is probably
the best speaker I have ever heard in my life. He gives a sermon on Tues. nights at an event called
the tree, which is incredible. I always leave feeling recharged.
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*Even though this is a large church, you always feel at home. There is plenty to get involved with
from a variety of bible study clases, workshops, community outreach, and mission trips. The people
are all very nice and everyone is just there to praise Jesus!
Contact:
Chris Schrock, MS II cschrock@health.usf.edu (813) 545-2051
Lynn Summers, MSIII, lsummer1@hsc.usf.edu
Kristen Marsonek, kmarsone@health.usf.edu
Jessica and Jon Keshishian, MS III jkeshis2@health.usf.edu
Mark Collins, MSIV, mcollin1@hsc.usf.edu
Elizabeth Rommel, MSIV, erommel@hsc.usf.edu
Seminole First Baptist Church
11045 Park Blvd
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 392-7729
Great fellowship among the young couples and young families. Both contemporary and traditional
services.
Contact:
Heidi Haun, hhaun@health.usf.edu
Catholic
Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Located in North Tampa/Temple Terrace
9715 N 56th St
Tampa, FL 33617
(813) 988-1593
www.spiritualhome.org
*Father Waters, the pastor, really cares about "community" and learning about our faith.
* A phenomenal spiritual home in which to celebrate your faith with people of like minds and
spirits. Plenty of opportunities to volunteer including children's bible studies, choirs, health days and
so much more!
Contact:
Julie Contes MSIII, jcontes@hsc.usf.edu
Liana Encinosa, MSIII larmero@health.usf.edu
Stephan Esser, MS IV Sesser@health.usf.edu
Catholic Student Union at USF
13005 N. 50th St.
Tampa, FL. 33612
(813) 988-3727
Contact:
Katherine Williamson, MS II kwillia4@health.usf.edu
Erin Etoll MSII, eetoll@hsc.usf.edu
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown Tampa
518 N Marion St
Tampa, 33602
(813) 229-1595
Franciscan Catholic Church, beautiful building, conservative catholic service, wonderful preachers.
Contact:
Carolyn Robinson, MSIII crobins1@hsc.usf.edu
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Chapel at VA Hospital
13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd
Tampa, 33612
(813) 972-2000
Contact:
Jennifer Cracciolo, MSIII jcracchi@hsc.usf.edu
Episcopal
Grace Episcopal Church
15102 Amberly Dr
Tampa, FL 33647
(813) 971-8484
Traditional Episcopalian service 3x per month youth service per month. They offer a 10:00 AM
service which is great for sleeping in on Sunday.
Contact:
Drew Carey, MS II acarey@health.usf.edu
Lutheran
Grace Lutheran Church
3714 West Linebaugh Ave,
Tampa, Fl 33618
(813) 961-8747
http://www.gracelutherantampa.org
Contact:
Barbara Nye, MS III bnye@health.usf.edu
Methodist
Hyde Park United Methodist Church, Located in South Tampa
500 W Platt Street
Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 253-5388
www.hydeparkumc.org
This church has excellent preaching with an active congregation. Lots of opportunities for service,
different worshiping styles (contemporary or traditional), and connection through small
groups/Sunday School classes. See website
Contact:
Kathleen Davenport MS IV, kdavenpo@hsc.usf.edu
St. James United Methodist Church, Located in North Tampa
16202 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33647
(813) 971-4790
*The church has an early morning, traditional, and contemporary service. Everyone is super friendly
and there is a good group of young adults called the Bridge that fellowships through Bible studies,
communtiy service, movie nights, and other group socials.
* St. James offers a more contemporary worship service with a great music program, inspiring
messages, and lots of VERY friendly people.
Contact:
Debbie Renelus, MS II drenelus@health.usf.edu
Kristy Wesighan, MS II kwesigha@health.usf.edu
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Presbyterian
Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), Located in South Tampa
3501 W Bay To Bay Blvd
Tampa, FL 33629-7044
(813) 831-8331
www.holytrinitypca.org
Solid reformed teaching with excellent ministers, wonderful people and fellowship (relatively small
with ~300 people); expository preaching.
Contact:
Samantha Roland MSIV, sroland@hsc.usf.edu
Hyde Park Presbyterian
1309 W Swann Ave
Tampa, 33606
(813) 253-0069
Traditional service with family feel, great services and Sunday school. Sermons available online if
you are on call during worship time or are sick, etc. Each month has a unifying theme.
Contact:
Lynn Miller, MSIII dmiller3@hsc.usf.edu
Marcia Slone MSIII mslone@health.usf.edu
Seventh Day Adventist
First University Seventh Day Adventist
1912 E 139th Ave
Tampa, Fl
(813) 975-8283
It's a church made up mostly college students and young professionals. People are extremely
friendly.
Contact:
Lonna Gordon, MS III lgordon@health.usf.edu
Mormon
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS
2120 W Fletcher Ave
Tampa, FL 33612-1804
Contact:
Cameron Smith, MSII csmith4@hsc.usf.edu
Non Denominational
Bible Based Fellowship Church
4903 Ehrlich Rd
Tampa, FL 33624
Contact:
Acquanetta Henry, ahenry1@hsc.usf.edu
Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg,
8900 U.S. Highway 19 N
Pinellas Park, FL 33782
Contact:
Peggy Heim, DPT ’08 pheim@hsc.usf.edu
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Cypress Point Community Church
Muvico Movie Theater
18002 Highwood Preserve Pky
Tampa, FL 33647
Bible-based teachings with acoustic worship at 9am or contemporary worship at 10:15am. Casual
attire is acceptable.
Contact:
Michelle Hamel, MS II mhamel@health.usf.edu
The Crossing Church in Riverview
10130 Causeway Blvd
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 626-0783
Contact:
Veronica Tucci, vtucci@hsc.usf.edu
Gulf Coast Community Church
555 76th Ave N
St Petersburg, 33702
(727) 522-7734
www.gccc.net
The worship is cross-centered, the preaching is carefully and practically taught from the Gospel, and
the people are commited to loving God and each other very personally. We love it!
Contact:
Dylan Nugent, MSIII, dnugent@health.usf.edu
Relevant Church
1731 E 7th Ave
Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 242-4800
www.Relevantchurch.com
Relevant is a casual, contemporary, Christian church meeting at the Italian Club in Ybor City,
Florida. Our service is designed specifically for college students, urban professionals and young
families. At Relevant, we feel that it’s our responsibility to “clear the way” for you to come to
church. We want you to be able to experience the great music, encouraging messages, friendly
people and enjoyable atmosphere that are a part of Relevant.
Contact:
Brett Blake, MSIII bblake1@health.usf.edu
Tampa Bay Church of Christ, located in Seffner Area
12000 US Highway 92
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 662-2222
http://www.tampabaychurchonline.org/
* Multicultural, warm group of people that really live out the bible, love each other and follow
Jesus.
Contact:
Dele Awoniyi MSIV, oawoniyi@hsc.usf.edu
Tampa Chinese Christian Alliance Church, Located in North Tampa
312 E 127th Ave
Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 935-8369
Traditional Chinese Service
Contact:
Kai Lin MSIV, klin@health.usf.edu
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Tampa Covenant Church
13320 Lake Magdalene Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33618
(813) 968-2979
Tampacovenantchurch.org
Contemporary Service, Expository Preaching, Reformed, Simply Amazing!!
Contact:
Lauren Leffler, MS II lleffler@health.usf.edu
Daniel Yoder MSIV, dyoder@hsc.usf.edu
(CJ Emmons, Michelle Killion, and Rachel Ross also attend this church)
University Church of God
10948 N. Central Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33612
Email: ucogwebmaster@yahoo.com
Phone: 813.933.3991
Fax: 813.931.1905
Contact:
Brian Coe, MSIII, bcoe@hsc.usf.edu
Without Walls International Church
Located by TIA (airport) off Dale Mabry
2511 Grady Ave
Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 879-4673
http://www.withoutwalls.org
Contemporary Services; They offer many services and programs to reach a diverse community.
Contact:
Melissa O’Connor, MSII moconno@health.usf.edu
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JEWISH SYNAGOGUES AND FELLOWSHIPS
Conservative
Congregation Kol Ami
Rabbi Joel Wasser
Cantor Yackov Ephron
3919 Moran Road
Tampa Fl 33618
813-962-6338
http://www.kolami.org
It’s the only conservative shull in north Tampa; not a lot of young adults, but the rabbi is very good
and usually has interesting sermons.
Contact:
Mitchell Weinberg, MS IV mweinber@health.usf.edu
Congregation Rodeph Sholom
Rabbi Marc Sack
Cantor Moshe Friedler
2713 Bayshore Blvd.
Tampa Fl 33629
813-837-1911
http://www.rsholom.org
Orthodox
Chabad of Brandon
Rabbi Mendel Rubashkin
809 E. Bloomingdale Ave. #245
Brandon, FL 33511
813-657-9393
Chabad Lubavitch of Tampa
Congregation Bais Tefilah
Rabbi Yossie Dubrowski
14908 Penington Road
Tampa, FL 33624
813-963-2317
Temple David Synagogue
Rabbi Lazar Rivkin
2001 West Swann Avenue
Tampa, FL 33606
813-983-9770
Young Israel of Tampa - Bais Menachem Young Israel Jewish Center at USF
Rabbi Uriel Rivkin
5205 E. 131 Ave.
Tampa FL 33617
813-832-3018
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Reform
Congregation Beth Am
Rabbi Brian Zimmerman
Cantor Vicki Silverman
2030 W. Fletcher Ave.
Tampa, FL 33612
813-968-8511
http://www.bethamtampa.com
Congregation Beth Shalom
Rabbi Betsy Torop
706 Bryan Rd.
Brandon, FL 33511
813-681-6547
www.bethshalom-brandon.org.
Congregation Schaarai Zedek
Rabbi Richard J. Birnholz
Rabbi Shoshanah Conover
Cantor Riselle Bain
3303 W. Swann Ave.
Tampa, FL 33609
813-876-2377
http://www.zedek.org
Other
Congregation Ohev Shalom
Rabbi Mordechai Levy
Dr. Mark S. Weissman
16057 Tampa Palms Blvd. West, PMB #375
Tampa, FL 33647
813-632-9900
Ahavah (Jewish Renewal)
For service information, Contact:
Debrah Shenefelt
(813)968-7850
e-mail orhaahavahtampa@att.net
Hillel Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
13102 N. 50th Street Tampa, FL 33617-1023
813-899-2788
Nicky Spivak, Director
Nsspivak@tampadsl.net
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ISLAMIC MOSQUES
Islamic Society of Tampa Bay (aka Masjid Al-Jammah)
7326 E Sligh Ave
Tampa, FL
(813) 628-0007
The largest mosque in the area, very nice, great group
Contact:
Ali Rashid, MSIII arashid@health.usf.edu
Masjid Al-Qassam
On 56th between Fletcher and Fowler
Closest to campus, also a great group, often very good speakers come in to talk, lots of events.
Contact:
Ali Rashid, MSIII arashid@health.usf.edu
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Hurricane Preparation
Hopefully, we will not have to go through what we did in 2005, but August and September
are two of the busiest hurricane months, so here is some advice on how to be ready in case
nature decides to target Florida again.
First off, be assured that USF is not going to make us go to school when it is not safe to do
so. The medical school followed whatever the undergraduate campus did in terms of closures; you
will not see/hear ‘USF COM’ listed on the news, they will just talk about USF as a whole. Since
this is medical school, you will have to make up missed classes in the event that days are missed
due to hurricanes. The administration and faculty do the best they can to be fair, and they hate
staying late as much as we do, but all of the material must be covered.
As for your personal safety, here are some general things you might want to do. If you live
in an evacuation zone and they call for an evacuation, LEAVE and go to a friends’ house in a nonevacuation zone, a shelter, a family member’s house in a non- evacuation zone, etc. If you are
planning on leaving the area, leave as soon as you can because I-4, I-275, I-75, and US301 will
all be packed with people doing the same thing. If you live in a non-evacuation zone and plan to
stay (which is fine), here are things you should have to get through the hurricane and its
aftermath. You should plan to possibly be without power for at least a week, and possibly without
water for a few days, so make sure to get an appropriate amount of supplies. You should have:
water, a full tank of gas in your car, canned food, hand-held can opener, battery-powered
radio, lots of batteries to run your radio, candles, flashlights, pet food, any medications
you take, and land-based phone or a cell phone (but remember, you may not have electricity at
home to charge it). 970 WFLA (AM) is the main news radio station in Tampa, and that is who you
will want to listen to if you cannot watch television.
Hopefully, we get spared this year, but NOW is the time to get ready, during the summer
and POM when you have more free time than you will during B1. Please do not take a hurricane
lightly, even a category one, as people do die in these storms and in the aftermath cleanup.
If you are unsure if classes are cancelled or if you do not know what to do should a
hurricane approach, do not hesitate to call Dr. Specter on his cellular telephone: 813.508.4250.
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